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If you’ve had your car for a while, you may feel like a change and are perhaps thinking of trading it in for something better.

Maybe your family is expanding, and that two-seater you’ve loved for years isn’t going to work when the car seat becomes a necessity.

Or, that student ride doesn’t quite cut it anymore.

Whatever your reason, if you’re thinking of buying a car, one of the most economical ways to upgrade to a top-tier vehicle is to go with something pre-owned.

That said, it’s hard to know where to start, and how to get the best deal without the risks that come with a private sale.

To add to the stress, Moneyweb reports that some pre-owned vehicle buyers have been unknowingly buying cars that were previously written off.

Possibly through bribery, corruption, or fraud, the registration code of the car hasn’t been changed to reflect this.

This means that you could be driving away in a car that you’ve paid far too much for, and that is potentially unroadworthy and dangerous. If you want to hang on to it, you could see yourself spending more than it’s worth to repair.

One consumer dropped R378 000 in August 2020 on a Ford Ranger without knowing that it had not only been written off but was declared uneconomical to repair.

An inspection of the vehicle uncovered 35 very serious faults, including the hydraulic brake lines being secured with cable ties, and a frame and front-suspension that could break or collapse because of second-hand suspension parts. Wowzers.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but that’s an accident waiting to happen.

You can read more stories like this here.

In response to this, the South African Motor Body Repairers’ Association (Sambra) are asking the SA Insurance Association (Saia) to give the public access to the vehicle salvage database, which would allow potential buyers to check whether or not a car has been written off before purchasing it.

Even if that goes ahead, not all consumers would know to check it out before buying a car.

Your best bet is to go with a dealership or platform that has been tried and tested with a strong ethos, commitment to excellence, and tangible solutions.

Take getWorth, for example.

Every vehicle that they buy undergoes thorough background checks and not one, but two 100-point inspections – one when it arrives and another before it’s delivered to the next buyer. Just to make doubly sure.

They also recognise that even after their inspections, pre-owned cars can have some unforeseen issues, which is why they created something called a ’30-day promise’.

If anything goes wrong with your car, mechanically or electrically, within 30 days of purchase or 3 000km on the road, they’ll sort it out for you.

To really set your mind at ease, they offer getSeven, a policy that allows you to return a vehicle within seven days or 700kms for any reason. If you purchase a car and realise it’s just not for you, you can send it back, no questions asked.

So, if you’re in the market for a car, browse their range of getWorth-certified vehicles online.

For those interested in selling their car, getWorth also pays top prices for pre-loved, quality cars.

All you have to do is fill out an easy online form.

Do you feel that? The stress melting away?

That’s the benefit of doing your homework and going with the best in the industry.

[source:moneyweb]