If you’re in the market for a new vehicle these days, you’re facing a brutal double-whammy: the price of new vehicles and the price of fuel are both through the roof, and seemingly only increasing.
And that means the market for pre-owned is growing.
Requirement: You run a small business, you’re on a strict R100 000 budget, and you need a light (three-quarter-tonne) bakkie. Interestingly, the new vehicle market presents you with just two choices when it comes to light bakkies: one from Nissan and the other from Chevrolet.
But, if you’re prepared for the risks that come with purchasing an older vehicle (and your budget can’t stretch to new, anyway), there are a couple of other options available. And, naturally, used versions of the two still on the new market, too.
Here are four examples we unearthed after having a search around Gumtree (click the vehicle name to see the posting in question):
Ford Bantam
It’s no longer in production, but the Ford Bantam is a popular choice on the used market. In fact, at the time of writing, some 4 543 examples were listed by Gumtree as being for sale across South Africa. So, what’s pricing like? Well, the average price for a 2009 Bantam, for example, comes in at around R77 000, so well within the budget.
Fiat Strada
Like the Bantam above, the Fiat Strada is no longer available as a new vehicle. But it’s not quite as common on the used market as the Ford (there were just 420 listed on Gumtree when we checked). Still, models with fairly low mileage are going for well above the average price.
Chevrolet Utility
There’s plenty of choice on the second-hand market when it comes to the Chevy Utility, with the average price for a 2012 model hovering at the R100 000-mark. Of course, the vehicle’s predecessor – the Corsa Utility – is also an option should you want to spend even less.
Nissan NP200
At the time of writing, there were a whopping 7 305 examples of the Nissan NP200 floating around Gumtree, making it by far the most prevalent of the four vehicles listed here. Interestingly, the average price of a 2013 model just sneaks under the R100 000 barrier.
