Four numbers decide most of what a car in Bali is worth. Make and model set the parts and resale market: a Toyota Avanza or Fortuner can be fixed in any village, while a German sedan means Denpasar specialists and imported parts on a two-week wait.

Year matters less than mileage and less again than service history. A 2018 car with 60,000 km and stamped services is a better buy than a 2021 car with 140,000 rental kilometres, and the second one will usually be advertised at a similar price.

Transmission is a real decision here, not a preference. Automatics and CVTs dominate the used market and suit Bali traffic; a CVT that has towed or crawled for years is an expensive rebuild waiting to happen, so ask when the fluid was last changed.