New vs Used cars for R250,000 – What’s available

With pre-owned car prices finally coming down after a sustained period of exorbitant window stickers, there are once again bargains to be found in this segment of the market.

While most used autos are still priced slightly higher than they were pre-Covid, pricing data from Motus Select show that the bottom end of the market is closer to its 2019 levels than any other price class, giving buyers at this end of the spectrum more freedom of choice.

What to look for when buying used

The most important thing to look for when shopping the pre-owned market is an up-to-date service record combined with reasonable mileage for the car’s age, according to MotorHappy marketing director Barend Smit.

A full service history indicates that a vehicle’s mechanical components were properly maintained and reasonable mileage ranges between 15,000-20,000km per year, so a car that is five years old should preferably have a complete service record and no more than 100,000km on the clock.

While low mileage is generally a boon, also be weary of an odometer reading that is suspiciously low for the number of years the vehicle has been on the road.

“In most cases, avoid purchasing a car with a relatively old age and incredibly low mileage. The car might have been idle for too long,” said Smit.

Cars that haven’t been used in a while often tend to need a few repairs to get them going again which can run up a hefty bill.

There is also a chance that the odometer could have been tampered with, opening up a wormhole for potential underlying issues with the vehicle itself.

New vs Used

Below, we compare what you can buy on the new and used car markets in similar segments for less than R250,000.

It’s worth noting that the photos of the pre-owned vehicles may not reflect their true condition and it’s always recommended to view the car in person and test drive it before making any financially-binding decisions.

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