How to always check if your used car is as safe

For many South Africans, buying a car, even a second-hand one, is a big financial commitment.

With this in mind, The South African Motor Body Repairers’ Association (SAMBRA) warned potential second-hand vehicle customers to look out for vehicles previously involved in significant collisions.

As buyers’ safety is a priority, they need to know they are getting their money’s worth and should feel at ease that the vehicle they bought was not involved in any serious collisions.

Jacques Viljoen, the national director at SAMBRA, a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation, said to ensure customers can rest easy, SAMBRA is campaigning for a transparent vehicle salvage database of all vehicles previously “written off” by insurers.

“Since we started this drive, we have found a significant amount of vehicles severely damaged in accidents ending up being repaired and returned to the road.

“To the untrained eye, these cars may look perfectly acceptable, but upon closer inspection, one may be shocked at the quality of the repairs and the severity of the previous damage incurred,” said Viljoen.

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Roadworthy? It’s not enough

According to SAMBRA, when you buy a second-hand car, it comes with a roadworthy certificate. This certificate alone does not confirm material defects being present.

“A roadworthy certificate is a legal requirement to complete the registration for transfer of ownership when one acquires a used motor vehicle, or for any vehicles carrying passengers like mini-busses, busses or heavy load vehicles,” said Viljoen

He said a roadworthy test done by the vehicle examiner identifies visual defects with the electrical items, bodywork components, steering, suspension, and interior seatbelts and an overview of the undercarriage.

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“It makes sure the vehicle is ‘roadworthy’ but will not necessarily pick up if the vehicle was in a previous collision and then repaired,” said Viljoen.

Julian Pillay, the national director of the Vehicle Testing Association, agreed and said there needs to be more emphasis and discussion around vehicle inspection controls, particularly the periodic testing of vehicles.

This will entail retesting vehicles beyond a certain age for roadworthiness, even if it does not change ownership.

Viljoen says until consumers can be 100% sure of the status of the second-hand vehicle they are purchasing, they should educate themselves, specifically if they viewed it online.

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Tips include:

• Physically view the car you want to buy.

“If you are concerned, seek the help of an accredited SAMBRA motor body repairer who has the expertise to spot hidden repairs and assess the vehicle’s structural integrity,” said Viljoen.

He said it is worth doing the extra checks because all RMI-accredited workshops and motor body repair shops comply with the strictest standards and criteria to protect consumers.

• Consider a comprehensive multi-point check on the car because there is a difference between a roadworthy test and a multi-point inspection (MPI).

“Essentially, a roadworthy inspection reviews the safety items of the vehicles as specified in the National Road Traffic Act and relevant standards, whereas an MPI goes further and includes safety items as well as quality items,” said Viljoen.

He said the MPI covers a range of additional categories.

“It is conducted by a trained and qualified examiner of vehicles and will give you a far more comprehensive report on over 120 points of the vehicle.”

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• If you are worried about the vehicle’s history, visit any franchised dealership that is a member of the National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA) and ask them to check the car’s service history when you give them the vehicle identification number.

“Any Motor Industry Workshop Association-accredited service workshop will also be able to tell you if there are any mechanical faults,” said Viljoen.

He reminded prospective buyers that with the number of moving parts in modern vehicles, it’s not uncommon to have underlying problems you may be unaware of.

“To catch any issues before they become a safety hazard, it is advisable to get the experts involved to do a thorough inspection.

“Knowing the condition of a vehicle can help you not only catch and address potential issues before they lead to dangerous failures or costly repairs that ultimately devalue the asset you are buying,” said Viljoen.