What’s happening?
Girls Torque, the Australian Women’s Motoring Network, is taking a workshop series through Queensland to help women become more financially savvy with their cars.
Lara Wilde said the group received funding from the Office for Women through the Queensland Government to run the sessions.
She said the workshops focus on reducing running costs, protecting a car’s value, and helping women negotiate a better purchase or sale.
“Girls Torque, the Australian Women’s Motoring Network, is very well established,” Wilde said.
“It’s been around for over 20 years and it’s a national body.”
She said the network’s president lives in Perth, the treasurer lives in Canberra, and she is based in Far North Queensland.
“So that was the idea behind the workshops and particularly being in regional Queensland, as we’ve worked our way down the coast, we’re finding a lot of women who are very dependent on a car,” she said.
Why it matters?
Wilde said many women outside Brisbane rely heavily on their cars for work, business, health and safety.
She said limited public transport in regional areas makes a car an essential part of daily life.
That makes fuel costs, servicing, resale value and buying decisions more important.
“We’re finding a lot of women who are very dependent on a car, either for work, for their business or just for their health and safety,” she said.
“I suppose outside of Brisbane area, like you said, there’s probably the public transit, what someone has in Brisbane or the Gold Coast, so a car is a pretty essential item and you want to get the best value out of it.”
Local Impact
The workshops are giving regional Queensland women practical advice they can use straight away.
That includes tips on lowering fuel bills, choosing the right vehicle, and avoiding expensive mistakes when buying used cars.
Wilde said the goal is not only to save money now, but also to protect the money already tied up in a vehicle.
“We were lucky enough to get funding from the Office for Women through the Queensland Government to run this series of workshops which focuses on how to support women to be financially savvy with their car,” she said.
“Whether that’s reducing running costs like fuel or servicing, whether that’s protecting the investment that they’re making into a car, so making sure that the car holds value for longer, or negotiating a good purchase or a good sale.”
By the numbers
- Girls Torque has been operating for more than 20 years, showing the workshops are backed by a long-running national network.
- The group’s leadership is spread across Australia, with its president in Perth, its treasurer in Canberra, and Wilde in Far North Queensland.
- Wilde said some drivers carry rooftop tents for 52 weeks a year, even if they only use them for two weeks.
Zoom In
A key part of the workshop is helping women cut fuel costs.
Wilde said drivers should keep their tyres at the right pressure, remove extra weight and drive smoothly.
“So I use the analogy of if you’ve got a giant bowl of hot soup on the passenger seat, don’t spill it, don’t brake hard, don’t accelerate hard and don’t corner hard,” she said.
“That not only reduces your fuel bill, but it also looks after your tyres.”
She also warned against carrying heavy rooftop tents all year.
“It’s a giant brick,” she said.
“It affects your fuel economy, it affects your car’s handling and performance.”
“It really doesn’t make sense. So put it on when you go camping, but then take it back off.”
When it comes to buying a car, Wilde said research matters.
“I am a big believer in let your fingers do the walking,” she said.
“So get online, do your research, join the forum.”
She said buyers should read reviews from people who own and live with the car, whether they are looking at an electric vehicle, a Chinese-made model, or an older car.
Wilde also said forums are useful for more than spotting faults.
“It can be problems but it can also be opportunities,” she said.
“If you buy this car, there’s this great aftermarket cup holder I can put in it or there’s these great seat covers that go on it.”
“And so that’s the exciting thing because then you get to customise that car and make it truly yours.”
Her strongest advice before buying is to get a pre-purchase inspection through RACQ.
“Whether you go with a private sale or through a dealer, my guaranteed recommendation every time is ask RACQ to do a pre-purchase inspection on it,” she said.
“It’s different from a roadworthy. A roadworthy is making sure that your car is legal and safe.”
“A pre-purchase inspection will go through things and give you advice such as, this is going to need tyres in six months, or your aircon needs regassing.”
She said RACQ offers an impartial view, unlike a seller or family member.
“RACQ is well and truly worth it to be able to make sure that you’ve got the best deal you can and you’re fully aware of all the pitfalls that might come ahead,” she said.
Wilde’s three main buying tips were clear. Keep researching, test drive the car more than once, and bring in experts.
“My second thing is go and test drive. Test drive it two or three times at least,” she said.
“Do it in all the weather.”
She said buyers need to feel comfortable behind the wheel and confident with visibility, controls and the car’s layout.
“The big thing about test drive for me is you want to feel comfortable in that car,” she said.
“Have you got good visibility? Do you feel like you can see out of the windows fine or are you trying to peer over the dash?”
Zoom Out
The workshops show that car ownership is not only about transport. It is also a financial issue.
For many women, a car is one of their biggest regular expenses and one of their biggest assets.
That is why advice on fuel use, servicing, resale and pre-purchase checks can have a real effect on household budgets.
What To Look For Next?
With the workshop series continuing through Queensland, more women in regional areas are expected to gain practical advice on cutting car costs, buying with more confidence, and protecting the value of their vehicles.
The sessions also open the door for more conversations about motoring knowledge that can help women make stronger financial decisions.
