Car Buying in South Africa

The success of this programme is largely due to thebe registered at the "Department of Licensing and
difficulties associated with buying a pre-owned carRegistration".
privately in any foreign country, South Africa being noFor this you need the following documents:
exception in this regard.- Change of Ownership / Sale of motor vehicle form
The procedure of making a used car purchase is- Roadworthy Certificate
fraught with many risks.- Original Registration Certificate
Although used cars are generally well priced, the many- Bank Release Certificate
hidden costs accumulated tend to surface only after- Current License Disc
the deal is done. Many new owners of pre-owned- Driver's License
cars realise afterward that they should have dealt with- Passport
someone who offers a guarantee. Any undisclosed- Traffic Register Number
problems can end up costing a great deal of money- Address in South Africa For the registration you
over and above the purchase price, with noshould plan 2-3 days.
recompense from the previous owner.Insurance
Buy back guarantee means that you purchase a fullySouth Africa has no compulsory cover for vehicle
licensed, roadworthy, quality used vehicle. When youdamage. This means that some 70% of drivers are
return home, we buy it back from you. No hassles, nouninsured. Against this background, and keeping in mind
catches - it is really as simple as that!the fact that repairs are very expensive in South
However, if you do decide to purchase a car privately.Africa, it is advisable to obtain fully comprehensive
Take note of the following car buying tips andinsurance cover, or at least cover for Balance of Third
procedures:Party, Fire and Theft. This is almost impossible to do
Purchasewithout a permanent address in South Africa or
It is important to conclude a sales contract whenwithout a local bank account. Being young also counts
buying a used car. Registration forms are available atagainst you.
the local traffic authorities. All used cars must pass aMore Information
roadworthy test, which will cost about R 200.00.ThisGive yourself enough time to market and sell the
test is best done at AA Test & Drive Centres,vehicle before your departure. The less time you have
which are located around South Africa.to sell the car, the lower the price you will have to
Paymentaccept. If necessary, sell your vehicle to a local dealer,
Normally you pay the purchase price cash or via bankeven if you get a price under the market value.
transfer. It is important to keep the voucher. TheWhen selling to a private person, it makes sense to
voucher will allow you to transfer the money back totake someone with you for added security. Do not let
your account in your home country after you havethe buyer do a test drive on his own. Only accept
sold the vehicle. Without this, you could have difficultycash, and be weary of cheques, as these are easily
changing the South African Rands back into theforged.
currency of origin.For driving to Kenya or Tanzania, you need a Carnet
An international bank transfer takes approximately 4-6de Passage, obtainable at the AA. To get it you need
days.100% deposit of the vehicle cost. Does your holiday
Registrationbudget allow this?
Within 21 days of signing the contract, the vehicle must