With load shedding, rising fuel prices, and higher inflation, South Africans are taking strain like never before. It's the time of the year when most people want to treat themselves to something nice.
That 'something nice' can be anything from an air fryer to a brand-new designer watch. Going a bit bigger than that is buying a vehicle, and year-end is one of the best times to seal the deal and save some cash in the process.
While buying brand-new will always be the pinnacle, it's outside everyone's budget, and cars are getting expensive these days. The festive period is the best time to shop if you're looking for a pre-owned set of wheels.
Gumtree lists the reasons why you should buy a set of wheels during December:
Buy on auction
Auctions aren't closed to the public, and members of the public are welcome to bid against the dealers and possibly buy a car that is well below retail price.
Disregard student or entry-level cars
Suppose you're in the market for a sub-R150 000 vehicle. In that case, the general consensus is not to buy in the December period as it's flooded with buyers and parents who are buying a car for their children, who are about to enter university. January is a better time to dip into the market.
Go for an expensive car
The dealers will be looking to liquidate their stock before year-end. Used car dealers have to offer great deals because the last thing they want is a high-end car sitting on their showroom floor.
Buy a 'fixer-upper'
Most panelbeating shops will be closed during the December period, and private will be looking to recoup as much money as quickly as possible. They cannot fix it up in order to sell it, and they don't want a vehicle like this one sitting around.
Shop on 29 December
This year on 30 December (a Friday) is the best day to shop which is the last trading day for most dealers, because they will be closed on the weekend and will be keen to liquidate their stock before the year ends.
Be sure to use Gumtree's Car Price Insights platform, which provides prospective buyers with a free and accurate market report of a vehicle's value. Search our database for valuable price information for your next vehicle sale or purchase.
Now that you've got the knowledge, it's time to shop! Head to gumtree.co.za or your Gumtree app (click for Apple & Android), and remember to use your location settings to find local property information close to home.
That 'something nice' can be anything from an air fryer to a brand-new designer watch. Going a bit bigger than that is buying a vehicle, and year-end is one of the best times to seal the deal and save some cash in the process.
While buying brand-new will always be the pinnacle, it's outside everyone's budget, and cars are getting expensive these days. The festive period is the best time to shop if you're looking for a pre-owned set of wheels.
Gumtree lists the reasons why you should buy a set of wheels during December:
Buy on auction
Auctions aren't closed to the public, and members of the public are welcome to bid against the dealers and possibly buy a car that is well below retail price.
Disregard student or entry-level cars
Suppose you're in the market for a sub-R150 000 vehicle. In that case, the general consensus is not to buy in the December period as it's flooded with buyers and parents who are buying a car for their children, who are about to enter university. January is a better time to dip into the market.
Go for an expensive car
The dealers will be looking to liquidate their stock before year-end. Used car dealers have to offer great deals because the last thing they want is a high-end car sitting on their showroom floor.
Buy a 'fixer-upper'
Most panelbeating shops will be closed during the December period, and private will be looking to recoup as much money as quickly as possible. They cannot fix it up in order to sell it, and they don't want a vehicle like this one sitting around.
Shop on 29 December
This year on 30 December (a Friday) is the best day to shop which is the last trading day for most dealers, because they will be closed on the weekend and will be keen to liquidate their stock before the year ends.
Be sure to use Gumtree's Car Price Insights platform, which provides prospective buyers with a free and accurate market report of a vehicle's value. Search our database for valuable price information for your next vehicle sale or purchase.
Now that you've got the knowledge, it's time to shop! Head to gumtree.co.za or your Gumtree app (click for Apple & Android), and remember to use your location settings to find local property information close to home.
