Sometimes it’s better to buy preowned cars

At times we get caught up with the idea that new is always better, but there's a lot more to it than that, especially when dealing with the purchasing of cars. There are a few ways that you can get your hands on a fairly new quality used car without paying the premium price tag of a new one.

Buying pre owned cars at an auction

When a person can no longer afford to repay their vehicle loan it often ends up being repossessed by the bank, the vehicle's rightful owner until it has been paid off. These vehicles are sold through auctions, a place where some prefer to buy pre owned cars, especially used car dealerships. Purchasing a vehicle through an auction has its positives and its drawbacks. The good is that the bank is merely looking to recover what is owed on the vehicle and break even, anything more than that is a bonus. This means you could potentially score and get a good deal if you bid on the right vehicle. When you buy pre owned cars from a dealership, you have recourse should it have any faults within a certain period (6 months), auctioneers do not operate this way. You purchase the car as it is when buying from an auction, meaning should anything be faulty or go pear-shaped, it's yours to deal with. This is one of the major drawbacks to using this avenue for buying a used car. One way around this "voetstoots" clause is finding a vehicle that's still under warranty or maintenance plan so that you still are covered in some way. Alternatively, a day or two before the auction, take a mechanic with you and go give your potential vehicle an inspection. Let the mech give it the once over to make sure that there aren't any gremlins lurking beneath that polished exterior.

Visiting a Dealership to buy pre owned cars

Another route that you use to buy pre owned cars is through a dealership. These can be split into two, and both will deliver the same results. the re are OEM franchise dealerships, such as Mazda Clearwater or Toyota or Melrose Toyota etc. These dealerships often have two separate floors, one for new cars and the other for pre owned cars. The latter is where you would be doing your shopping around as someone interested in buying a quality used car. You can still get a great deal from these dealerships, and often it's through a demo vehicle. A demo is a vehicle that was used by a staff member and is then sold while it's still fairly new and has low mileage. Purchasing a demo allows you to get your hands on a vehicle that is practically new for less than a brand-new equivalent.

The second dealership where you can buy pre owned cars is a used car dealership. Now, these can have any name or branding on them, but they won't be OEM brands like Toyota or Volkswagen. These dealers exclusively sell used cars, so knock yourself out and look at everything on the showroom floor. Like franchise OEM dealerships, used car dealerships are generally a safe place to purchase from, provided you're not poking around in downtown Jozi. Many scam stories have originated from there. Buy from reputable people and you'll still be covered under the Consumer Protection Act.

A quality used car website

With the advance of technology and internet access, buying a car has never been easier. These days you can do so from the comfort of your home. A quality used car website will be your go-to when searching for and purchasing a vehicle through online channels. As we mentioned before, some people make a living from scamming others and this is why it's important to use a quality used car website, especially when playing in the online space. CHANGECARS is the first website that comes to mind when searching for a quality used car website, and the reason is simple. Only vetted and approved dealerships advertise on the CHANGECARS platform, ensuring that buyers are not scammed. This is what separates CHANGECARS from similar online platforms, it's a quality used car website that offers the buyer personal car buying advice should it be needed. Once you've found the vehicle you like on our website, that's where the fun begins! The next step is to head over to the dealership and take it for a spin. Happy shopping!

Gugu Masuku