What you can do to protect yourself from buying an unreliable used car

Buying a used vehicle could offer many benefits over buying new, but going the pre-owned route comes with its own set of risks.

Chief among these is reliability, as one of the worst things that could happen after buying a “new” car is being stuck with a large repair bill.

“Cars that have been severely damaged in accidents and which should have been written off as uneconomical to repair, often end up being repaired and returned to the road,” said Uvashen Bramiah, national director of the South African Motor Body Repairers’ Association (Sambra).

“To the untrained eye these cars may look perfectly acceptable but, hoist them up and take a closer look, and you may be shocked at the quality of the repairs and the severity of the previous damage incurred.”

Used car checklist

Currently the public has no way of knowing if a vehicle they are interested in has previously been written off in an accident.

“A lot of lobbying has been done with the South African Insurance Association (SAIA) to make this information available to consumers and accredited and reputable dealers alike, and SAIA have confirmed they are in the process of implementing this register,” said Bramiah.

Until this happens, he suggests motorists buying pre-owned vehicles do the following before signing any agreements:

• Take the vehicle to an VTA-accredited vehicle testing station to do a comprehensive 120-point inspection
• Take the vehicle to an RMI-accredited workshop which will be able to tell you if there are mechanical faults
• Take the vehicle to a Sambra-accredited body repairer which will be able to check for previous collision damage
• Request the service history from a registered dealer using the vehicle’s VIN number

These accredited workshops comply with strict standards and criteria to protect consumers.

“When you buy a second-hand car, it comes with a roadworthy certificate but this alone will not provide a confirmation of no material issues being present,” said Bramiah.

“A roadworthy certificate is a legal requirement to complete the registration for transfer of ownership when one acquires a used motor vehicle, or for any vehicles carrying passengers for reward like mini-busses/busses/heavy load vehicles.”

A roadworthy test identifies visual defects with electrical items, bodywork components, steering, suspension, interior seatbelts, and the undercarriage.

It ensures the pre-owned vehicle is roadworthy, but will not necessarily pick up if it has been in a previous collision.