Warning. This is a TLDR post. If you are not interested or in the market for buying a car don't bother reading further. If you would like a few tips for your next vehicle purchase then read on. This is a pretty long post and I may edit and add in a few things over time.
So there have been a few posts the last couple of months about car sales and bad experiences with buying a car. In fact posts like this are common place in any public forum or on social media. I have been selling cars for about 5 years and I thought I could share some tips for potential buyers. I wish to also give a little bit of my background since 5 years isn’t that much. I wasn’t always in sales and for 13 years before selling cars I worked in the oil industry. It was a tough change to go from building petrol stations to selling cars. I am also not a mechanic. But having grown up with all the men in my family being mechanics I did learn a lot about cars. I changed my first engine in a vehicle when I was 18. This is not an achievement in any way but I just wish to highlight I am not a salesman who knows nothing about cars and how they operate. A Welsh plug went on the engine block. Well it wasn’t a change. Pulled it out. Replaced plug. Put it back. I used a tripod as a hoist and completed the job on one Saturday. I am a 100% petrol head and love cars. I have also always repaired my own vehicles. The reasons I mentions this is this technical back ground has helped me in car sales to put buyers minds at ease when they have any questions about the product they are purchasing from me. I also wish to state that I sell new cars only. Not 2nd hand. I did however sell used cars for about 3 months before moving to new vehicles. Truth be told I was too honest to sell used cars and my manager told me this. But what I have learnt over the years from selling new cars combined with the experience I have gained in the motor industry may be valuable to potential buyers. I also wish to state the majority of the below points will be negligible when buying a brand new car. This all relates to buying a second hand vehicle. So enough of the crap let's get into it.
First off I wish to state that there are good dealers and there are good car salesman. Then there are dealers who wish to do well but the very nature of their business is an indication that you should avoid unless you are very certain. Many persons talk about a bad dealer or bad salesman. Let me tell you about a bad client! A client who had a car that was not in his name but someone else's who's ID didn’t exist. A car that was welded and resprayed. The reason I mention this is because this clients vehicle can easily end up for sale at a well know dealer. The point is to do your homework as much as you can. R50 airtime and 10 minutes of your time can save you a lot of trouble down the road. You also don’t have to be an expert to notice repairs and accident damage. Good repairs will be harder to notice I admit. But even a few basics can cover this. More on that later.
I am going to discuss buying in general and then move to the inspection of the vehicle.
1. Do Not rush.
There are more than enough vehicles on the market in our country. You don’t have to buy the car that is right in front of you right now. Yes it may look like a great deal and it just may be. But as the saying goes if it is too good to be true it usually is. However this is not ALWAYS true. Many dealers will wish to move an older aged vehicle in stock urgently. Or mark a vehicle down at the end of the month. This is because they are paying the bank a monthly fee to hold the vehicle on their floorplan. Dealers don’t just have millions of rands to pay for their stock cash. They have an agreement with the banks that if a vehicle is sold within 30 days (for example) that they won’t pay interest on said vehicle. If however it rolls to 60 days then they will start paying interest every month on the vehicle. They will then lower the price to sell the car sooner.
2. The Car Salesman.
A Car Salesmen is one of the least trusted professions in the world right behind Lawyers and Politicians. I cannot explain how many buyers walk onto a showroom floor with their wife next to them or their son or daughter. They are the man! They are in charge! They will bark orders around and be extremely abrupt and short. I hate to break it to you but you not doing yourself any favours. None at all. An experienced car salesman will smile and jump to your every whim and instruction but then make more money on you somewhere. Everything has a margin. Everything has a mark-up. Your attitude will determine how much margin is kept or how much mark-up you pay. Trust me on this.
Be honest. You think he cannot see through your lies? He isn’t stupid. And even if he is, many dealers all have the same holding company or are under the same ownership. They can see if your trade in is being evaluated somewhere else or if you are shopping around.
Be nice to your car salesman. You need him to like you. So what if you don’t like him or trust him. He doesn’t care. However, a car salesman who finds you likable will be more willing to go the extra mile for you and do things to benefit you that you may not even notice. You may even be able to bring out more details on the vehicle you looking to purchase and perhaps he will share some genuine advice with you. He might then tell you to consider a different vehicle due to the vehicles history which you are currently considering. Also remember that you never know when you may need his help. A dealership is not bound by law to give you a loan vehicle while your vehicle is in for a service or repairs. However you may find favour due to yourself being considered as a well-mannered and friendly client. After you have bought your car go past the dealership from time to time thanking them for their service. Tell them how much you are enjoying the vehicle. An experienced Car Salesman is very connected because he has focused on building relationships in the motor industry. Come the day when you need help this may go a very long way.
3. Cash is Not King.
Gone are the days where cash ruled. Do you think your R300k is worth more to the dealer than the same R300k they get from the bank? Don’t be naive. In fact the dealer will benefit from the deal going through the bank. This is not because they add charges and hide costs. This is just not true. This is because the bank may pay the dealer a small incentive for their business. This does not come out your pocket or raise the price of the car. It is a thank you from the bank to the dealer. However, cash can be King in certain instances. Like the last day of the month. Imagine for a second that the dealership has not had a great month. They will be very interested to negotiate a great cash deal for you on 2nd or last day of the month because it's an extra vehicle they can get out immediately.
4. Your own bank won’t always give you the best deal.
So you been banking with one bank for 20 years. You decide to buy a vehicle and you will arrange your own finance through your banker. Then you are surprised they give you an interest rate you weren't expecting? How did this happen? It is because they already have your business. More often than not it is the banks you dont bank with that will give you the best rate. This is because they want your business and aren't in this comfort zone because they already have it. Shop around for the best rate and you may just be surprised by the results.
5. Know when to walk away.
If there is a single thing about the vehicle or any bull shit that comes out the salesman's mouth then walk away. Any car salesman worth his salt that is selling a decent vehicle representing a reputable dealership will not have to lie. There should never be any reason to accept any excuse. Why would you believe the vehicle has a service history when there is no service book in the car? Who cares if it's a one owner car? A car can have had 5 owners and been well looked after and well maintained. Well looked after cars have a record of being well looked after. Ask to see the service history and then verify it yourself. The end.
If you doubt the year model then ask to see a copy of the Natis document. No dealer will have a vehicle in their own stock without at least a copy of the vehicles registration paper. This document will show the first year the vehicle was Registered. If they don’t have the original that is acceptable since it may still be with the bank the vehicle was financed with when it was traded in and they don't have it yet. You are well within your right to ask questions about this. Some dealers may also from time to time has a vehicle for sale on their floor which is a consignment vehicle. This means they have not physically purchased the vehicle and it is not in their stock. Instead the vehicle is being displayed with the intention of selling it on behalf of someone else. Even so they must still have a copy of the registration paper.
6. Do your homework.
Now this is where a bit of extra time can save you a lot! All vehicles have a VIN number. All manufacturers and their agents will have a record of any services done at the agent. I will use a recent Toyota I looked at as a trade in as an example. The vehicle had 160 000km on it clock with a full service history. However there was something about the dates that didnt match up. So I called my nearest Toyota dealership and asked them to tell me what the vehicles history was. The vehicle did have a full service history however the last service on record was 180 000km when the speedometer was changed. It had an issue and when replaced with a new unit that unit was then a brand new unit so it started from zero again. So this wasnt a 160 000km vehicle. It was in fact a 340 000km vehicle. It has still been serviced and looked after since the speedometer was changed but that 5 minutes made a difference.
Call the dealer that has the record of the vehicles services. Check. And dont stop there. Ask if there was any reasons for the warranty to have been cancelled? This will indicate if any accident damage had happened that the dealer may have noticed and said damage was not repaired by an approved repair center. Or if the vehicle was written off, repaired incorrectly and when it came in for its next service this was noticed by the dealer. The warranty would have been cancelled immediately.
Ask what was the date and mileage at last service. This must correspond with what the service book says. If the vehicle has 95 000km on it but dealer says last service on record was 110 000km then someone needs to explain why. In fact I wouldn’t ask. I would walk away.
If the vehicles last service was a few months ago then ask if there was any recommended work to be done that was refused. Many persons sell their car before a major service being due or for example just before the Cambelt is scheduled to be replaced. Things like this are usually outside the vehicles normal service plan so make sure you know what work may need to be done at the next service. The previous owner may have also been advised that the brake pads are worn, the car needs shocks, the clutch is due for replacement etc but he decided to not have the work done since he is selling the car.
And ask them what colour the car is. If they say red and the car in front of you is white. Walk away.
7. Damage.
Now this is a part that everyone suggests you do and looks at but not everyone can notice repair work. The most obvious signs of repair work is paint that is not matching. Work that was well done can be hard to spot but the paint can always give it away. Let's imagine the fender and front door were replaced on the left side of a vehicle. If you stand at the back left side of the car and look at how the paint matches up from the fender to the front door to the back door to the rear fender you will see that the paint texture won’t match. Don’t look for a change in colour that won’t help. Look at the paint texture below the clear coat. Open the left side door and run your hand over the inside door sill. You will then feel a rough finish most of the time. This is overspray and very hard to hide. Do the same on a side of the vehicle that wasn't painted and it will feel smooth. Check for any white mark's on door rubbers, black plastic parts, the black plastic at bottom of windscreen or basically any black rubber or plastic. These white marks are an indication of body work being done. It will look like fine white dust or white spray paint.
Open the bonnet. Check the screws that hold on front fenders both left and right side. If these are not the original paint color or show signs of being removed then it's a sure indication the fender has been removed. Look at the vehicles front chassis which comes forward in sides of the engine. Look for bends or kinks in it. Look for welding. Check the hoses and clamps etc all look original and nothing has been Macgyvered to match up.
Open the boot. Can the spare wheel be removed easily? Is the spare wheel well still round with no dents? This will show if a vehicle has been rear ended. Look under the car at the back. Everything must look original and no dents and bends in the steel. Same for side if the car. Look under the sills. Many times the sill will be repaired nicely but the damage behind it will be overlooked.
Other damage can be more obvious like a door not closing properly or not lining up. But if in doubt ask for a 2nd opinion and get someone else who is good at spotting any repair work to come check with you.
Now many cars have had fender benders and that's fine. You don’t have to be pedantic. But you do want to avoid a vehicle that has had major structural damage. If there are any warning lights on the dash like the airbag light or abs light then you need to reconsider the vehicle. Abs lights are common place and could just indicate a dirty or faulty speed sensor. But make sure and never buy a car with any warning lights on the dash unless you are 100% sure about them. If not then that is totally your fault and your risk.
8. Test drive.
Don’t ever buy a car without test driving it. I don’t care if you in Cape Town and the car is in Durban. Refer to point 1. You HAVE to test drive the car. The only time this can be excused is if you are buying a brand new and not a pre-owned car. This is because you can test drive the car in JHB that you buy in Cape Town.
You must feel comfortable driving the car and it must not unsettle you in any way. If the salesman talks too much while you are driving tell him to get out or shut up. You won’t always have a person with you in the car. On the test drive the goal is to not see how fast the car goes. The goal is to pick up any issues the vehicle may have. The car must start easily, idle smooth and pull away easily without a shudder in the clutch. Most vehicles now days have power steering. While standing still and idling turn the steering wheel full lock to the left and then full lock all the way back to the right. The power steering must be smooth with no hint of struggling or a whine coming from the engine (power steering pump) while doing this Check everything is working. The air con. The windows. The lights. Dont forget the fog lights should it have. On a straight road check the wheel alignment. If you driving straight the steering wheel must be straight. Not even a little to the left or right. If not then the dealership must do the wheel alignment for you. And check it again before you take the car. Bad damage in the past can prevent the wheel alignment from being done correctly. I am not encouraging anyone to speed on a test drive but you must be able to at least drive the car at highway speeds because it's only at these speeds that wheel balancing issues or tyre balancing problems can appear. The vehicle must be smooth and no shudder in the steering wheel. If there is no shaking in the steering wheel up to 120km/h then it’s a good indication that the wheel balancing is fine.
Brake hard. Not an emergency brake. Don’t scare the guy next to you but do a few hard braking stops. There must be no fade in the brake pedal and brake shudder. If there is a brake shudder then the discs need to be skimmed or replaced. I am not talking about the ABS working if you brake that hard you won’t notice any brake shudder. There must be no unusual knocking or abnormal mechanical noise. On front wheel drive cars drive a few times around a turning circle or find a place where you can drive around doing a full lock on the steering wheel. This will reveal any CV joints needing to be replaced since they won’t like you doing this. Don’t buy a car without test driving. You have been warned.
And lastly. Make sure you have a spare key. And test the key works. It must unlock and start the car and lock it again. To be fair though spare keys do go missing but I for one would prefer to buy a vehicle with a spare key. If they honest about it and don’t have one then ask what it would cost to get one and decide from there.
9. How to Negotiate.
So you have found a car, done your homework, had a test drive and you are happy. What now? Well you need to sign. An OTP (Offer To Purchase) shows your intention to buy the vehicle and this is where the Salesman will close the deal. This is also your chance to haggle and negotiate some extra things in. Asking for discount is so old school and typical. Everyone does. No one likes a low baller. Rather use what you need as a buying tool.
Example 1. The vehicle needs two front tyres and you noticed during your homework that the Cambelt needs to be replaced since the vehicle is now on 95 000km and it has not been done. You say to the salesman that you want this done before you buy the car. He says ok will chat to the boss and then stands around. Rather try this..
Example 2. Tell the salesman you are taking the car and to prepare the OTP. He will immediately prepare the OTP. Sign It and write at the bottom you will take the car if the cambelt and two front tyres are replaced. Notice how fast he moves now? He has wind in his sails. He will immediately be more keen to talk to his boss. This is because what you have done now is shown clear intention to purchase the vehicle and he has the conditions in writing.
You can use this tactic with most issues. Even if you are trading in an existing car but you want an extra R10,000.00 for it. Sign and write at the bottom you will take the vehicle for an extra R10k on your trade in. What this does is it shows your intent and you are then more likely to get what you are looking for or need done to the vehicle.
Car salesman have persons coming past every day without showing any intention of buying. By signing a document like above you are standing out from any tyre kicker before you and showing your intent to purchase. But follow through on it an ensure any work was done correctly.
Regarding On The Road Charges. Guys, there is no way around it. It is what it is. I Must be honest I do feel that these charges make more sense on a new vehicle than a 2nd hand one. But that’s just my opinion and another new vehicle salesman may disagree with me. I feel that anything above R5000 on road charges for a used vehicle is too high. But be careful here, because this is another point where you can ruin any relationship with the dealer. And if you negotiate this figure down to R4500 then don’t moan when you climb into your vehicle and the fuel tank is empty. You can’t have it all. Use your discretion and be reasonable.
So there have been a few posts the last couple of months about car sales and bad experiences with buying a car. In fact posts like this are common place in any public forum or on social media. I have been selling cars for about 5 years and I thought I could share some tips for potential buyers. I wish to also give a little bit of my background since 5 years isn’t that much. I wasn’t always in sales and for 13 years before selling cars I worked in the oil industry. It was a tough change to go from building petrol stations to selling cars. I am also not a mechanic. But having grown up with all the men in my family being mechanics I did learn a lot about cars. I changed my first engine in a vehicle when I was 18. This is not an achievement in any way but I just wish to highlight I am not a salesman who knows nothing about cars and how they operate. A Welsh plug went on the engine block. Well it wasn’t a change. Pulled it out. Replaced plug. Put it back. I used a tripod as a hoist and completed the job on one Saturday. I am a 100% petrol head and love cars. I have also always repaired my own vehicles. The reasons I mentions this is this technical back ground has helped me in car sales to put buyers minds at ease when they have any questions about the product they are purchasing from me. I also wish to state that I sell new cars only. Not 2nd hand. I did however sell used cars for about 3 months before moving to new vehicles. Truth be told I was too honest to sell used cars and my manager told me this. But what I have learnt over the years from selling new cars combined with the experience I have gained in the motor industry may be valuable to potential buyers. I also wish to state the majority of the below points will be negligible when buying a brand new car. This all relates to buying a second hand vehicle. So enough of the crap let's get into it.
First off I wish to state that there are good dealers and there are good car salesman. Then there are dealers who wish to do well but the very nature of their business is an indication that you should avoid unless you are very certain. Many persons talk about a bad dealer or bad salesman. Let me tell you about a bad client! A client who had a car that was not in his name but someone else's who's ID didn’t exist. A car that was welded and resprayed. The reason I mention this is because this clients vehicle can easily end up for sale at a well know dealer. The point is to do your homework as much as you can. R50 airtime and 10 minutes of your time can save you a lot of trouble down the road. You also don’t have to be an expert to notice repairs and accident damage. Good repairs will be harder to notice I admit. But even a few basics can cover this. More on that later.
I am going to discuss buying in general and then move to the inspection of the vehicle.
1. Do Not rush.
There are more than enough vehicles on the market in our country. You don’t have to buy the car that is right in front of you right now. Yes it may look like a great deal and it just may be. But as the saying goes if it is too good to be true it usually is. However this is not ALWAYS true. Many dealers will wish to move an older aged vehicle in stock urgently. Or mark a vehicle down at the end of the month. This is because they are paying the bank a monthly fee to hold the vehicle on their floorplan. Dealers don’t just have millions of rands to pay for their stock cash. They have an agreement with the banks that if a vehicle is sold within 30 days (for example) that they won’t pay interest on said vehicle. If however it rolls to 60 days then they will start paying interest every month on the vehicle. They will then lower the price to sell the car sooner.
2. The Car Salesman.
A Car Salesmen is one of the least trusted professions in the world right behind Lawyers and Politicians. I cannot explain how many buyers walk onto a showroom floor with their wife next to them or their son or daughter. They are the man! They are in charge! They will bark orders around and be extremely abrupt and short. I hate to break it to you but you not doing yourself any favours. None at all. An experienced car salesman will smile and jump to your every whim and instruction but then make more money on you somewhere. Everything has a margin. Everything has a mark-up. Your attitude will determine how much margin is kept or how much mark-up you pay. Trust me on this.
Be honest. You think he cannot see through your lies? He isn’t stupid. And even if he is, many dealers all have the same holding company or are under the same ownership. They can see if your trade in is being evaluated somewhere else or if you are shopping around.
Be nice to your car salesman. You need him to like you. So what if you don’t like him or trust him. He doesn’t care. However, a car salesman who finds you likable will be more willing to go the extra mile for you and do things to benefit you that you may not even notice. You may even be able to bring out more details on the vehicle you looking to purchase and perhaps he will share some genuine advice with you. He might then tell you to consider a different vehicle due to the vehicles history which you are currently considering. Also remember that you never know when you may need his help. A dealership is not bound by law to give you a loan vehicle while your vehicle is in for a service or repairs. However you may find favour due to yourself being considered as a well-mannered and friendly client. After you have bought your car go past the dealership from time to time thanking them for their service. Tell them how much you are enjoying the vehicle. An experienced Car Salesman is very connected because he has focused on building relationships in the motor industry. Come the day when you need help this may go a very long way.
3. Cash is Not King.
Gone are the days where cash ruled. Do you think your R300k is worth more to the dealer than the same R300k they get from the bank? Don’t be naive. In fact the dealer will benefit from the deal going through the bank. This is not because they add charges and hide costs. This is just not true. This is because the bank may pay the dealer a small incentive for their business. This does not come out your pocket or raise the price of the car. It is a thank you from the bank to the dealer. However, cash can be King in certain instances. Like the last day of the month. Imagine for a second that the dealership has not had a great month. They will be very interested to negotiate a great cash deal for you on 2nd or last day of the month because it's an extra vehicle they can get out immediately.
4. Your own bank won’t always give you the best deal.
So you been banking with one bank for 20 years. You decide to buy a vehicle and you will arrange your own finance through your banker. Then you are surprised they give you an interest rate you weren't expecting? How did this happen? It is because they already have your business. More often than not it is the banks you dont bank with that will give you the best rate. This is because they want your business and aren't in this comfort zone because they already have it. Shop around for the best rate and you may just be surprised by the results.
5. Know when to walk away.
If there is a single thing about the vehicle or any bull shit that comes out the salesman's mouth then walk away. Any car salesman worth his salt that is selling a decent vehicle representing a reputable dealership will not have to lie. There should never be any reason to accept any excuse. Why would you believe the vehicle has a service history when there is no service book in the car? Who cares if it's a one owner car? A car can have had 5 owners and been well looked after and well maintained. Well looked after cars have a record of being well looked after. Ask to see the service history and then verify it yourself. The end.
If you doubt the year model then ask to see a copy of the Natis document. No dealer will have a vehicle in their own stock without at least a copy of the vehicles registration paper. This document will show the first year the vehicle was Registered. If they don’t have the original that is acceptable since it may still be with the bank the vehicle was financed with when it was traded in and they don't have it yet. You are well within your right to ask questions about this. Some dealers may also from time to time has a vehicle for sale on their floor which is a consignment vehicle. This means they have not physically purchased the vehicle and it is not in their stock. Instead the vehicle is being displayed with the intention of selling it on behalf of someone else. Even so they must still have a copy of the registration paper.
6. Do your homework.
Now this is where a bit of extra time can save you a lot! All vehicles have a VIN number. All manufacturers and their agents will have a record of any services done at the agent. I will use a recent Toyota I looked at as a trade in as an example. The vehicle had 160 000km on it clock with a full service history. However there was something about the dates that didnt match up. So I called my nearest Toyota dealership and asked them to tell me what the vehicles history was. The vehicle did have a full service history however the last service on record was 180 000km when the speedometer was changed. It had an issue and when replaced with a new unit that unit was then a brand new unit so it started from zero again. So this wasnt a 160 000km vehicle. It was in fact a 340 000km vehicle. It has still been serviced and looked after since the speedometer was changed but that 5 minutes made a difference.
Call the dealer that has the record of the vehicles services. Check. And dont stop there. Ask if there was any reasons for the warranty to have been cancelled? This will indicate if any accident damage had happened that the dealer may have noticed and said damage was not repaired by an approved repair center. Or if the vehicle was written off, repaired incorrectly and when it came in for its next service this was noticed by the dealer. The warranty would have been cancelled immediately.
Ask what was the date and mileage at last service. This must correspond with what the service book says. If the vehicle has 95 000km on it but dealer says last service on record was 110 000km then someone needs to explain why. In fact I wouldn’t ask. I would walk away.
If the vehicles last service was a few months ago then ask if there was any recommended work to be done that was refused. Many persons sell their car before a major service being due or for example just before the Cambelt is scheduled to be replaced. Things like this are usually outside the vehicles normal service plan so make sure you know what work may need to be done at the next service. The previous owner may have also been advised that the brake pads are worn, the car needs shocks, the clutch is due for replacement etc but he decided to not have the work done since he is selling the car.
And ask them what colour the car is. If they say red and the car in front of you is white. Walk away.
7. Damage.
Now this is a part that everyone suggests you do and looks at but not everyone can notice repair work. The most obvious signs of repair work is paint that is not matching. Work that was well done can be hard to spot but the paint can always give it away. Let's imagine the fender and front door were replaced on the left side of a vehicle. If you stand at the back left side of the car and look at how the paint matches up from the fender to the front door to the back door to the rear fender you will see that the paint texture won’t match. Don’t look for a change in colour that won’t help. Look at the paint texture below the clear coat. Open the left side door and run your hand over the inside door sill. You will then feel a rough finish most of the time. This is overspray and very hard to hide. Do the same on a side of the vehicle that wasn't painted and it will feel smooth. Check for any white mark's on door rubbers, black plastic parts, the black plastic at bottom of windscreen or basically any black rubber or plastic. These white marks are an indication of body work being done. It will look like fine white dust or white spray paint.
Open the bonnet. Check the screws that hold on front fenders both left and right side. If these are not the original paint color or show signs of being removed then it's a sure indication the fender has been removed. Look at the vehicles front chassis which comes forward in sides of the engine. Look for bends or kinks in it. Look for welding. Check the hoses and clamps etc all look original and nothing has been Macgyvered to match up.
Open the boot. Can the spare wheel be removed easily? Is the spare wheel well still round with no dents? This will show if a vehicle has been rear ended. Look under the car at the back. Everything must look original and no dents and bends in the steel. Same for side if the car. Look under the sills. Many times the sill will be repaired nicely but the damage behind it will be overlooked.
Other damage can be more obvious like a door not closing properly or not lining up. But if in doubt ask for a 2nd opinion and get someone else who is good at spotting any repair work to come check with you.
Now many cars have had fender benders and that's fine. You don’t have to be pedantic. But you do want to avoid a vehicle that has had major structural damage. If there are any warning lights on the dash like the airbag light or abs light then you need to reconsider the vehicle. Abs lights are common place and could just indicate a dirty or faulty speed sensor. But make sure and never buy a car with any warning lights on the dash unless you are 100% sure about them. If not then that is totally your fault and your risk.
8. Test drive.
Don’t ever buy a car without test driving it. I don’t care if you in Cape Town and the car is in Durban. Refer to point 1. You HAVE to test drive the car. The only time this can be excused is if you are buying a brand new and not a pre-owned car. This is because you can test drive the car in JHB that you buy in Cape Town.
You must feel comfortable driving the car and it must not unsettle you in any way. If the salesman talks too much while you are driving tell him to get out or shut up. You won’t always have a person with you in the car. On the test drive the goal is to not see how fast the car goes. The goal is to pick up any issues the vehicle may have. The car must start easily, idle smooth and pull away easily without a shudder in the clutch. Most vehicles now days have power steering. While standing still and idling turn the steering wheel full lock to the left and then full lock all the way back to the right. The power steering must be smooth with no hint of struggling or a whine coming from the engine (power steering pump) while doing this Check everything is working. The air con. The windows. The lights. Dont forget the fog lights should it have. On a straight road check the wheel alignment. If you driving straight the steering wheel must be straight. Not even a little to the left or right. If not then the dealership must do the wheel alignment for you. And check it again before you take the car. Bad damage in the past can prevent the wheel alignment from being done correctly. I am not encouraging anyone to speed on a test drive but you must be able to at least drive the car at highway speeds because it's only at these speeds that wheel balancing issues or tyre balancing problems can appear. The vehicle must be smooth and no shudder in the steering wheel. If there is no shaking in the steering wheel up to 120km/h then it’s a good indication that the wheel balancing is fine.
Brake hard. Not an emergency brake. Don’t scare the guy next to you but do a few hard braking stops. There must be no fade in the brake pedal and brake shudder. If there is a brake shudder then the discs need to be skimmed or replaced. I am not talking about the ABS working if you brake that hard you won’t notice any brake shudder. There must be no unusual knocking or abnormal mechanical noise. On front wheel drive cars drive a few times around a turning circle or find a place where you can drive around doing a full lock on the steering wheel. This will reveal any CV joints needing to be replaced since they won’t like you doing this. Don’t buy a car without test driving. You have been warned.
And lastly. Make sure you have a spare key. And test the key works. It must unlock and start the car and lock it again. To be fair though spare keys do go missing but I for one would prefer to buy a vehicle with a spare key. If they honest about it and don’t have one then ask what it would cost to get one and decide from there.
9. How to Negotiate.
So you have found a car, done your homework, had a test drive and you are happy. What now? Well you need to sign. An OTP (Offer To Purchase) shows your intention to buy the vehicle and this is where the Salesman will close the deal. This is also your chance to haggle and negotiate some extra things in. Asking for discount is so old school and typical. Everyone does. No one likes a low baller. Rather use what you need as a buying tool.
Example 1. The vehicle needs two front tyres and you noticed during your homework that the Cambelt needs to be replaced since the vehicle is now on 95 000km and it has not been done. You say to the salesman that you want this done before you buy the car. He says ok will chat to the boss and then stands around. Rather try this..
Example 2. Tell the salesman you are taking the car and to prepare the OTP. He will immediately prepare the OTP. Sign It and write at the bottom you will take the car if the cambelt and two front tyres are replaced. Notice how fast he moves now? He has wind in his sails. He will immediately be more keen to talk to his boss. This is because what you have done now is shown clear intention to purchase the vehicle and he has the conditions in writing.
You can use this tactic with most issues. Even if you are trading in an existing car but you want an extra R10,000.00 for it. Sign and write at the bottom you will take the vehicle for an extra R10k on your trade in. What this does is it shows your intent and you are then more likely to get what you are looking for or need done to the vehicle.
Car salesman have persons coming past every day without showing any intention of buying. By signing a document like above you are standing out from any tyre kicker before you and showing your intent to purchase. But follow through on it an ensure any work was done correctly.
Regarding On The Road Charges. Guys, there is no way around it. It is what it is. I Must be honest I do feel that these charges make more sense on a new vehicle than a 2nd hand one. But that’s just my opinion and another new vehicle salesman may disagree with me. I feel that anything above R5000 on road charges for a used vehicle is too high. But be careful here, because this is another point where you can ruin any relationship with the dealer. And if you negotiate this figure down to R4500 then don’t moan when you climb into your vehicle and the fuel tank is empty. You can’t have it all. Use your discretion and be reasonable.
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