Pre-owned cars often get a bad rep.

Car salespeople are painted as shady (think of Danny deVito in Matilda), and car award after car award is handed to the shiny new models.

Ain’t it time someone gave a solid fist bump to those cars with character?

Good news, then, because Gumtree South Africa have just announced their intention to launch the Pre-Owned Car Awards.

The inaugural event is set to take place in November 2017. Winning cars will be selected using judging criteria unique to pre-owned cars, including value for money, overall appearance after a number of years, maintenance costs and more.

Here’s Johan Nel, Director-GM of Gumtree South Africa:

South Africa has a few long-standing motoring awards shows that celebrate the latest releases, but ultimately, we’re a pre-owned market. Pre-owned vehicles are outselling new models at a rate of 2,37 to 1, which means that most consumers have a vested interest in pre-owned cars.

This is not only an opportunity to showcase the quality and range of pre-owned cars on the market, but also a means to educate consumers about which second hand cars they should be considering and how to make a smart buying decision.

Nel is confident that the online classifieds giant is best positioned to deliver the Pre-Owned Car Awards show, given its vast expertise in facilitating vehicles sales for both private sellers and professional car dealers.

Back in March we covered which cars were the best sellers online HERE, so they know what they’re talking about.

Finalists will be selected from the best-selling pre-owned cars of the past three years, across several categories – from hatchbacks and sedans to bakkies and SUVs.

Judging criteria is comprised of 16 key elements of vehicle performance, such as overall value for money, engine performance, mechanical reliability and safety.

There’s also a chance for the general public to get involved, with motorists able to cast a vote for their favourite nominee in each category.

Whichever vehicle gathers the most public support will receive a People’s Choice award, based solely on online votes.

All information regarding the awards, including a full list of judging criteria and road tests for each finalist, will soon be available online.

To stay updated on the latest news around the Gumtree Pre-Owned Car Awards, follow Gumtree South Africa on Facebook (HERE) and Twitter (HERE).