5 Things You Need To Know When Buying Used Cars For Sale In Cape Town

This week we spoke to Edrich-John Pretorius, Dealer Principal from Cape Bakkie Centre in Cape Town, to get his 5 top tips for anyone looking to buy a used car.

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11 Jan 2021 · 09:01Buying a Car

1. When is the best time to buy a used car?

Edrich: "I would say buy a used car in the middle of the year, the reason being is that people look for new cars at the end of the year for the upcoming holidays. They also buy new cars at the beginning of the year when they may need a new car for work. So the middle of the year works best for buying a used car. After the lockdown was also a good time to purchase, as dealerships were offering major specials to try and get people back into buying."

2. How many kilometres is too high for a used car?

“I think there isn't such a thing as ‘too many kilometres’. I think the customer should look at the condition of the vehicle and how well-looked after it is, as well as the type of car they're looking for.”

3. Is mileage more important than age, or is age more important than mileage when purchasing a used car?

“I think it’s a combination of both. I believe personally it’s about how the car has been looked after. We see cars with high mileage that are fairly new models that haven’t been looked after, but we see other cars with high mileage that have much better condition."

4. Is it true that it’s cheaper to buy a car with cash?

“For me. it makes more sense for a customer if he is going to finance a vehicle from you, that he must get a bigger discount. But for us, it's easier and quicker for them to buy with cash, so I would say cash.”

5. What are your final tips for anyone looking to buy a used car in Cape Town?

“Go online, look for a vehicle, look at the vehicle, then drive the vehicle. Please buy a vehicle according to the price but also according to the quality you are looking for. It doesn't make sense to buy an expensive vehicle that looks nice in the pictures, but once you've driven it and there's no service history and things like that, there's no sense in buying that vehicle.”

If you want to find out more about Edrich’s dealership, check out Cape Bakkie Centre & his stock on used cars for sale.