Used Car Buying Guidelines and Tips

“If you buy a used car you’re buying someone else’s problems!” There may have been an element of truth to this, but it’s certainly not the case anymore if you know exactly how to go about finding a Convenient Deal4U, when you’re not looking to buy new. That statement of inheriting a host of problems with a used car purchase was in any case more in jest than reality, with some of our superstitious, beloved ‘tannies’ only really serving to perpetuate social pressures on us, by suggesting that we should buy new.

Here are some facts which may blow your mind about the new car market in South Africa, which could perhaps put you at ease in your hunch to rather go for a pre-loved vehicle that matches your needs and your budget:

• New cars cost about double what they cost internationally, here in South Africa, as a result of import duties
• Up to a further R25,000 can be added on top of that 100% increase in costs, on account of the emissions tax levy that was introduced some time ago. As is the case with the plastic bags we pay for, can you point to the results of those imposed levies, given that the money generated was meant to spark a change in behaviour as well as go into the researching of better and alternative sources of energy?
• That brand-new car feeling is overrated, particularly when you apply some common sense to the cold, hard numbers associated with buying new versus buying a used car

There is definitely all manner of advantages to buying a brand new car, but given the current economic climate, it perhaps makes better financial sense for a Convenient Deal 4 U to exist as a used vehicle. So, in your hunt for a used vehicle, here are some quick guidelines that will ensure you get a good deal and actually get value out of applying this kind of financial sensibility...

• Buy from a reputable dealership (ConvenientDeal4u.co.za can put you in touch with the right dealer, whether private or commercial)
• Do your due diligence on the car, i.e. making sure you can come back and get some restitution if there is a major issue to sort out which might be easily overlooked during the sales process
• Request the car’s full-service history, if available
• Organise the appropriate insurance, which will have you getting just the right amount of cover without paying too much in your premiums
• Consider the after-sales running costs, such as fuel-consumption rate, how much the service costs, and other operational costs

Repossessed cars can make for a treasure-trove of what are essentially brand new cars with super low mileage, except you get to own the car at a much, much lower price than the owner who bought it new paid for it...