Top 10 Best Used Car Buys in 2013 for South Africans

The best used car buys for 2013 are typically those cars which topped South Africa's new vehicle sales in 2012 according to data from NAAMSA, the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers. This list is what we came up for the top 10 best selling passenger vehicles last year.

The one year-olds that are being driven on our roads are dominated by two big manufacturers, Toyota and Volkswagen which have a combined 75% of the top 10 second hand cars. There is also not much surprise at the rest of the top ten best sellers, which this year make the best second hand vehicle sales. Note that we have merged the figures for the VW Polo and VW Polo Vivo which basically are different models of exactly the same car, where the 2012 Polo Vivo outsells the former.

The Tenners

VW Polo + Polo Vivo – 63 540

Toyota Corolla – 16 452

Toyota Etios – 14 950

Ford Figo – 14 376

Toyota Fortuner – 12 004

BMW 3 Series – 11 398

Toyota Yaris – 8802

Chevrolet Aveo – 6992

VW Golf – 6881

Renault Sandero – 6580

There are a lot of options available for used cars for sale when you want your first or next vehicle, with some industry leading dealerships listed on Used Cars For Sale and other directories; the various car magazines that accompany your local newspapers and so on. But it is also best to have an idea of what to expect from the current market thus, we noted the following: Of that top 10 best buys, the specific models and sub-models give us an even more accurate indicator of what South Africa car buyers are opting for.

An overwhelming number of VW Polo Vivo 1.4 Trendline models where purchased, and that also extends to the standard VW Polo 1.4 of which the Vivo is modelled. Toyota Corolla 1.3 was the number one seller in that model, while the Etios 1.5, Fortuner 3.0 and Yaris 1.3 where the rock stars that carried the rest of the Toyota brands to the top 10. It is also curious that the Toyota Fortuner is the only SUV that cracks the list, which can suggest that although these passenger cars are popular among us, the subcompact and compact cars in the market still dominate. The Ford Figo 1.4 Ambiante was another popular best buy. The BMW 3 Series 320 was the mainstay of BMW's 2012 car sales in South Africa, and also making this baby the most popular luxury sedan. The Chevy Aveo which made it to the number seven spot, and managed to beat out the VW Golf which landed at 6881 units sold, most of which was made up of the super sleek VW Golf 6 Gti. The lone Frenchman on the list is the Renault Sandero 1.6 Stepway, which is a way better machine than the 1.4 Ambiance.

While reading this, you might be considering buying a new or used Hyundai i20, Hyundai ix35 or even a Kia Picanto, but wondering where on the list are these cars, not to worry, we have omitted them from our stats simply because neither NAAMSA nor the manufacturers provide up-to-date details about imported cars, of which those are. If the high sales from private owners and dealers for used cars are anything to go by, we can confidently say that sales of the 2012 Hyundai i20 certainly beat out one of those on our list.

At current projections, the cars we have mentioned all have good chances of topping this list again, so it's also best to be informed even more about their aspects, especially when it comes to pricing. And because we love lists and numbers, we have sampled a few details about the best buys, more especially the models in each range.

This list can be a great resource when considering buying a new or used car, with either option having its merits and not.

A second hand VW Polo Vivo 1.4 Trendline costs on average R127670.25, with an affordable average price range of R105997.5 to R149343. Whereas a brand new VW Vivo ranges from R127100 to R145900. Both the hatchback and the sedan of the Vivo 1.4 have about an equal share of the buys.

The price of a used Toyota Corolla 1.3 can set you back somewhat R154473.75, with the cheapest at ranging R124450 to R184497.5. There are currently three lines of the Corolla 1.3, where new models cost between R188500 to R213700.

The almost 15000 Toyota Etios sold in 2012 now cost about R115950, while a cheap Etios will range between R103900 and R128000. This year's units will cut at least R118800 to R126800 from your wallet.

A used Ford Figo 1.4 Ambiante is just as great this year at an average price of R103500, and anything between R90000 and R117000 will do. R126800 and a high of R136400 is what new Ford Figo 1.4s go for.

The only SUV on our best used car buys list, the Toyota Fortuner 3.0 comes in at an average price of R364722.5. You can also get a used 3.0 from R299497 to R429947.50. An option for a new Fortuner exists at R423700 and at most R446700.

BMW 3 Series are not surprising at the way they conserve their value. A second hand BMW Series 320i will fetch anything between R369900 and R399999, where an average price of R384900 is definitely a good deal. While new models cost R383000 for the Standard 6-Speed Manual, to as high as R420400 for the Luxury line 8-Speed Sport Automatic.

Yaris 1.3 5-doors are the last of Toyota's missions into the top ten second hand cars where both private sellers and dealers agree on an average price of R143994.75, and units available at least R112994.5 and R174995. A new Toyota Yaris 1.3 goes from R169900 to R181000.

Chevrolet Aveo is a great car and clearly very popular among us. A used Chevy Aveo 2012 should cost within reason of R116975, and the cheapest Chevy at R109500 to R124450. A 2013 Aveo hatch starts from R126000, while a new sedan starts at R130100.

2012 VW Golf 6 GTi might have made way for its newer seventh generation model in 2013, but that's not to say a used Golf 6 is not worth looking at, in fact at an average price of R337223.75 and the cheapest you will find at R299497.5 to as high as R374950. For the 2013 Golf 7 GTi, you should expect to pay a hefty R368,300 to R382,800.

With just over 6580 units of the Renault Sandero sold in 2012, a year later those used cars are for sale at an average price of R124923.75. In absolute terms, a Sandero is one of those vehicles that don't lose their value as quickly as others in its category. This is evident in that a used Renault Sandero will cost you an average R119947.5 to R129900, while brand new ones are available at R119000 to R149900.

Used vs. New Cars

Opportunities are abound for second hand vehicles for sale and just like anything that has been pre-owned, we will most likely want to do our research quite thoroughly before we make that all important purchase, which besides our homes, [cars] account for the single biggest purchase we often make. Weighing the options between new and used cars, you will obviously find the older version of the same car is cheaper than a newer one. This price differential is the biggest draw-card buyers consider when deciding between the two. However, as often never discussed is the fact that as soon as you drive off with a brand new car, a certain amount of depreciation kicks in immediately! Continuing with this one considers mileage. An overview of these specifications can tell us a lot about the vehicles' ins-and-out. Performance, as one of the main measures for our purposes, weighs greatly on the decision-making. One should expect a decent amount of performance from any car worth being on the stands of a dealership, so be wary yes, but there is a certain level of guarantee that is warranted with each sale. Also, every car needs servicing, be it old or new, so there's no escaping that when making the comparison. Among the three in family car market, the Ford Figo has service intervals of every 20,000km, while that of the Toyota Etios is every 10,000km. The nicer thing about used cars (depending of course on where you're standing), is that service history bodes well as a measure of how the vehicle has performed and satisfied the needs of the previous owner over the time that it has been on the road. Come to think of it, it arguably makes more sense to buy a vehicle from a reputable dealer than a privately, where things like the car's service history, warranties and other important things may not be guaranteed. For more on the comparison between making a private or dealer purchase for second hand car read Why You Should Buy from Dealers.

One other factor that both new and used cars cannot escape are recalls. When in 2010, Toyota recalled several millions of their vehicles it was a world record, albeit a bad one to set. Since then, other car makers have followed suit, where one's brand new Nissan for example, could have the same malfunctions as another Nissan or even another brand because cars are usually made in the same way and the same the manufacturers buy the various parts that complete the car from alike suppliers. So with this in mind, there would not be much of a differentiating factor between a car that has never been driven before and a pre-owned one.

The Best Value for Money Sellers

More and more South Africans are getting on the road, be it on new or second hand cars, not only will we be demanding just the cars as they are, but will expect a lot more value for our money, increasing safety, and economy so that we can buy cars with confidence. The question then becomes, which cars will be the top ten best used car buys next time?

Author: Pierre Theron

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