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Cars to avoid and cars that are bargains – Trueprice reveals worst performers

Cars to avoid and cars that are bargains – Trueprice reveals worst performers

Trueprice, the South African website that tracks the prices of second-hand vehicles sold on auction, named the ten local cars that scored worst in resale value from 2015 to 2018 in the category for mileage not exceeding 100,000 km.

Darryl Jacobson, managing director of True Price, said that it’s a buyer’s market for those South Africans who are shopping for cars and there are some superb deals up for grabs.

True Price has data pertaining to thousands of vehicles sold on auction on its system. This data is utilised to provide free vehicle evaluations to local motorists. The data reveals some extremely interesting findings, as Jacobson explained. “In order to determine the top 10 best used vehicle buys, we analysed all our data and came up with the 10 worst vehicles in terms of resale value.”

In number one position (in terms of worst resale value) is the Tata Indica. “This is probably a result of customer complaints. While this little Indian car was actually surprisingly popular with local buyers (thanks to its diminutive price tag), customers have complained about the vehicles being unreliable and parts not being available. Potential used car buyers would need to consider these points before buying,” Jacobson pointed out.

Number two is the Jeep Grand Cherokee. “This off-roader is a great vehicle but for some reason, it never had great resale value. Right now it’s possible to snap up one for a surprisingly low price,” he said.

Third in terms of worst resale value is the Chevrolet Cruze. “This one is easy to explain. When General Motors pulled out of South Africa, resale values of the vehicles it sold were obviously impacted. Parts and service are, however, still available – so this is a sensational buy,” Jacobson recommended.

The number four position is occupied by the Ford Kuga. “This vehicle’s bad resale value is of course, a result of the fires. Motorists remain wary of this vehicle even though there are no fire or safety risks now,” he said.

Number six is the GWM Steed. “GWM has built up a good reputation, however some people remain wary of Chinese products, hence this vehicle’s low resale value. It’s not a bad bakkie, though,” he commented.

The seventh worst vehicle in the resale value stakes is the Chevrolet Aveo. “Once again, we’re seeing the impact of the withdrawal of General Motors. It’s a cheap and cheerful little car, which is still worth buying if you’re shopping in that segment of the market,” he observed.

Number eight is the Hyundai ix35. “This came as a big surprise to me – because Hyundais tend to hold their value. I would grab one fast!” he advised.

Number nine is the Nissan Navara. “The Nissan NP300 Hardbody was recently slammed because of safety concerns and while the Navara is a completely different vehicle, it has not emerged unscathed. Some buyers are nervous, hence its resale value. The Navara is a superb vehicle. With these sort of resale values, it’s a real bargain!” he said.

Finally, in 10th spot is the Nissan Micra. “This situation won’t last long. The new Micra is a finalist in the 2019 AutoTrader South African Car of the Year and it has received widespread praise from both the judges and the buying public. Accordingly, I expect its resale value to rise in the short to medium term. This is yet another bargain to be grabbed before it’s gone,” he concluded.

Motorists wanting a free vehicle evaluation in Rand can request one at www.trueprice.co.za


 

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SADC Correspondent

SADC correspondents are independent contributors whose work covers regional issues of southern Africa outside the immediate Namibian ambit. Ed.