New vs Used Car

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Pufferfish94

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Hi guys,

So I am starting to look for a new car and I was wondering what the general consensus is on new vs used.

With new I have heard some stories from a friend who got a new VW Vivo, but when they took it in for the service they were told about a bunch of things needing to be replaced (brake pads etc) and if they didn't it would void his warranty.

I really like the idea of having a service and maintenance plan with a warranty but if it is still going to make me incur unexpected expenses then I don't see the point.

My initial thought was to pay the extra money to get a new car so that I get the plans and warranty, but after hearing from my friend I am thinking it best to just save the extra money and get a car with less than 30K on the clock?

What are your thoughts on the issue?
 
Always buy used. Except if you are super rich and have so much money that you don't really know what to do with it. I would help you solve that problem. You could just give all your money to me or buy a new car which is basically the same thing as just throwing money in the dustbin.

Why the magic 30k number?
 
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Pufferfish94 said:
I really like the idea of having a service and maintenance plan with a warranty
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You can get those with used cars as well, especially the German luxury brands i.e. Merc / Audi / BMW will carry over whatever is left of their motor plans. From experience I can state BMW honours that motorplan like a sacrosanct contract, it is how they tie you into their brand forever more after all.

But I digress, imo it is never worth the expense of buying a new car, never. The best of both worlds can be found by buying a fairly recent used car from the official brand's dealership. You get all the perks of buying a brand new car, but you save a lot of money in the process.
 
rietrot said:
Always buy used. Except if you are super rich and have so much money that you don't really know what to do with it. I would help you solve that problem. You could just give all your money to me or buy a new car which is basically the same thing as just throwing money in the dustbin.
Click to expand...

Do you think it is worth the risk of not having any kind of service plan or warranty?

I am leaning more towards this as I could get a car for about R50K less with less than 30K on the clock, so even if there are any issues in the coming months its still a saving.
 
Pufferfish94 said:
I really like the idea of having a service and maintenance plan with a warranty but if it is still going to make me incur unexpected expenses then I don't see the point.
Click to expand...

Don't confuse this with a warranty. An aftermarket warranty costs around R25k and will typically only cover a portion of an unexpected mechanical failure. It often comes with stipulations on where you can get the work done.

Rather keep that money in your rainy day account and use it when (if) needed. Shop around for a good price or even better, find a trusted indie mechanic and spend you money there.
 
rietrot said:
Always buy used. Except if you are super rich and have so much money that you don't really know what to do with it. I would help you solve that problem. You could just give all your money to me or buy a new car which is basically the same thing as just throwing money in the dustbin.

Why the magic 30k number?
Click to expand...

Strangest advice I have ever heard. Possibly the drugs are taking effect after all these years.

@Pufferfish94 - really depends on a few things, not least of which your financial situation. With the vehicle market in the state it is in, any car you buy new WILL lose value, so that is something to consider. What is your budget?

With regards to your friend's experience, that's certainly not the norm. A new car comes with service and maintenance plans which should cover everything (except tires). Depends on the car of course, but most things are covered in the beginning.

What type of car are you looking at?
What is your budget?
Do you have a stable salary?
Can you afford to pay for services as necessary?
Do you have a driver's license?
 
NarrowBandFtw said:
You can get those with used cars as well, especially the German luxury brands i.e. Merc / Audi / BMW will carry over whatever is left of their motor plans. From experience I can state BMW honours that motorplan like a sacrosanct contract, it is how they tie you into their brand forever more after all.

But I digress, imo it is never worth the expense of buying a new car, never. The best of both worlds can be found by buying a fairly recent used car from the official brand's dealership. You get all the perks of buying a brand new car, but you save a lot of money in the process.
Click to expand...

Sometimes it makes sense to buy new, if there is a great special for example and you know you will keep the vehicle for a long time (and a long time is 8 or more years).
 
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Pufferfish94 said:
Do you think it is worth the risk of not having any kind of service plan or warranty?

I am leaning more towards this as I could get a car for about R50K less with less than 30K on the clock, so even if there are any issues in the coming months its still a saving.
Click to expand...
I got a service plan and warentee with my 2year old car(kia)

If you think there's any risk. Take someone with that has some knowledge of cars. 99% of cars don't experience major engine falure, only normal wear and tear. The risk of not having a service plan and warentee is far less than what people think. Especially on something like a vw polo were you shouldn't be going to the overpriced dealerships for spares and services anyway.
 
NarrowBandFtw said:
You can get those with used cars as well, especially the German luxury brands i.e. Merc / Audi / BMW will carry over whatever is left of their motor plans. From experience I can state BMW honours that motorplan like a sacrosanct contract, it is how they tie you into their brand forever more after all.

But I digress, imo it is never worth the expense of buying a new car, never. The best of both worlds can be found by buying a fairly recent used car from the official brand's dealership. You get all the perks of buying a brand new car, but you save a lot of money in the process.
Click to expand...

Would this include a service/ maintenance plan and warranty?

I am also currently looking for something like a Vivo, any suggestions on official dealers in the Durban area?
 
Take a second hand car. 30km, irrespective, keep it low and WITH A DEALERSHIP maintenance plan.

DO be cautious when bying from a dealer too. they are known to sell repaired cars without letting you know. sometimes the work is so well done, they dont know either. Has happened to 4 people i know.

In fact, a BMW was so well repaired, it was traded in and the dude got a better car - dealership couldn't tell the difference.

Whatever you do, get things in writing.

*Maintenance is over-rated. Get a reliable and knowledgeable mechanic that will do better work than them. The dealership plan works well if you want to know the history of car, but if you honest, do it privately, and keep all slips of work done. This is if you plan on keeping it past its maintenance window.

Polo vivo - take it. they are pretty decent. Though high risk.
 
Last edited:
Pufferfish94 said:
Hi guys,

So I am starting to look for a new car and I was wondering what the general consensus is on new vs used.

With new I have heard some stories from a friend who got a new VW Vivo, but when they took it in for the service they were told about a bunch of things needing to be replaced (brake pads etc) and if they didn't it would void his warranty.

I really like the idea of having a service and maintenance plan with a warranty but if it is still going to make me incur unexpected expenses then I don't see the point.

My initial thought was to pay the extra money to get a new car so that I get the plans and warranty, but after hearing from my friend I am thinking it best to just save the extra money and get a car with less than 30K on the clock?

What are your thoughts on the issue?
Click to expand...
Go with second hand.
Some advice.
Firstly, throw out most of your brand loyalty. Even the most lovingly engineered car can be ruined by an idiot. Rather look at the quality of the vehicle as it stands before you.
Secondly, find a mechanic you can trust, I have had bad experience with dealership mechanics.
Thirdly, make sure that you take the cost of maintenance into account when determining if you can afford a specific car.
Fourthly, if you are worried about the car being a bit of a lemon, you can usually get a warranty on your second hand car if it from a dealer for a few years. This covers the really bad stuff like engines and gearboxes.
 
Pufferfish94 said:
Would this include a service/ maintenance plan and warranty?
Click to expand...
Yip, everything you get with a new car will typically be included with a used car you buy from the "official" dealership. The only difference is how much time / km remains on those plans (e.g. brand new 5yr/100,000km plan vs used: deduct the car's age and mileage from that 5yr/100,000km balance)

Pufferfish94 said:
I am also currently looking for something like a Vivo, any suggestions on official dealers in the Durban area?
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Don't know anything about Durban dealerships and to be honest I haven't heard great things about the Vivo, but if you want a used VW from an official Durban VW dealership you'd start here: http://used-cars.mastercars.co.za/used-cars/kwazulu-natal-1_17.htm
 
Don't get a Vivo. They're overpriced, underspecced and a massive hijack risk.
 
UrBaN963 said:
Don't get a Vivo. They're overpriced, underspecced and a massive hijack risk.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the general rule of thumb is: The more popular/common a vehicle is, the bigger the 2nd hand and spare part market. So you'll get syndicates that specialize on stealing and stripping such vehicles.
 
Buy new if you can afford it. Having said that, any new car can also have defects from the factory, cars are assembled by humans and mistakes can happen, certain brands are more prone to issues with new cars than others.

Brakes are wear and tear items and will generally be covered by a maintenance plan.

A manufacturer warranty is just an agreement that the car will be free of defects for a certain period of time or kilometers. You can read more details here https://www.wheelindex.co.za/blog/understanding-new-car-warranties?id=1qQJJLH1aAkQsUyKoGu6C2

It's harder to "save the extra money" than buying a warranty/maintenance/service plan.
 
lots of you have recommended against the Vivo, what else would you recommend?

I am looking for something as close to R100K as I can get.
 
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