Used cars

Buying a used car from a dealer

A good used car is often the best value on the road: the first owner has paid for the steepest drop in value, and many cars of three to six years old still have plenty of life left. The dealers on this page sell used cars and bakkies in Gauteng, and each ad links to the place where they show their current stock.

Your rights when you buy from a dealer

When you buy from a dealer, the Consumer Protection Act gives you the right to a car of reasonable quality for its age, price and mileage. If a fault appears within six months that the dealer didn’t tell you about, you can ask for it to be repaired, or for a replacement or refund. That does not cover normal wear, so ask the dealer to write down anything they already know about.

If you can’t sort out a problem with the dealer, the Motor Industry Ombudsman of South Africa can help.

A checklist for the visit

1. Test drive on a road you know, at different speeds, with the radio off. Listen for knocks and check that the car runs straight when you brake.
2. Check the papers: the registration certificate, matching VIN and engine numbers, and the service book.
3. Ask whether there is finance on the car, and make sure it is settled before ownership changes.
4. Ask what the price includes: the roadworthy certificate, registration, licence disc and any warranty or service plan. Compare the full cost, not only the sticker price.
5. Read the finance offer slowly. Look at the interest rate, the total you will pay over the term, and any balloon payment at the end.

Paying and the paperwork

The change of ownership has to be registered with the licensing department, and a roadworthy certificate is needed for that. Dealers normally do both for you. Never pay a deposit for a car you haven’t seen to an account you can’t verify.

Browse used car ads by area, starting with used cars on the East Rand, or see all of motoring.

Written by the Find4U team at QX Software in Pretoria. We read every website before its ad runs.