In South Africa’s automotive landscape, most of the attention from motoring media and local car awards shows is firmly on new vehicles.

Everyone’s crowing about the 2017 this and the upcoming 2018 that, and most of us are left looking at all the zeros on the price tag in frustration.

But here’s the thing about the concerns of local motorists – the question of what makes a winning pre-owned vehicle is far more relevant, considering they currently outsell new ones by more than two to one.

Jeff Osborne, Head of Gumtree Automotive, believes that, whilst new vehicle sales are obviously very important, more South Africans are looking for guidance on how to navigate the pre-owned market which is growing by the day in the current tough economy.

“Pre-owned can be the smarter choice for savvy buyers. The range and quality of pre-owned vehicles now on offer, combined with a better set of financing options and the extension of service plans, has removed much of the stigma and risk previously associated with the category” says Osborne.

In light of this, Gumtree is introducing the Pre-Owned Car Awards, specifically to broaden the concept of a “winning car”.

They’ll be judging the finalists using the same criteria that a regular car buyer might — like value for money, maintenance cost and depreciation.

This represents a significant departure from typical automotive awards, which tend to promote flashier aspects from torque to technical innovation.

So what makes the ultimate pre-owned car, and what should buyers be looking out for?

Osborne’s advice to pre-owned buyers is to think like a judge at these awards to find your own winner. He says the sweet spot for a quality pre-owned ride at good value is usually vehicles which are one-to-three years old and are familiar favourites from mainstream manufacturers which have the most accessible and affordable parts.

He adds that after-sales service is just as important for pre-owned cars as for new.

“Motorists should research the footprint and overall reputation of a manufacturer’s dealership network”.

Osborne also strongly recommends getting a full verification report done by TransUnion on any prospective purchase, to ensure that you are buying a legitimate vehicle.

The best pre-owned cars on the South African market, as determined by the judges of the first Gumtree Pre-Owned Car Awards across several categories, will be announced in November.

Here’s a list of those categories:

It should make the daunting prospect of buying a pre-owned vehicle a little easier, and ensure that you’re buying the best when you hop onto Gumtree.

There’s also a People’s Choice Winner for each category, selected entirely by the public. You will have the opportunity to vote for your favourite HERE from October 9.

You can also keep up to speed with all the latest on the awards via the Gumtree Facebook page.