There is no shortage of resources when it comes to car news in South Africa. There are many car magazines, online car websites, virtual magazines who all offer similar things. With the advent of social media, portals like facebook and twitter are also fantastic resources for keeping one's finger on the pulse of the motoring industry. In fact, there is almost too much news readily available. Filtering through the mass of articles is the tricky bit.
Cars.co.za has paid special focus to our motoring news section, where we aim to post only the most relevant car news to our South African audience. We also strive to be first to print (or in our case, web) with these articles, so that you are always in the loop. We have also embraced the social media platforms that our audience so loves, and use both facebook and twitter to keep you up to date on the latest developements within cars.co.za and the car industry.
So if you are looking for news on your favourite car, the motoring industry as a whole or are just looking for something interesting to read today, visit our motoring news section on Cars.co.za today.
To keep updated with the latest news going forward, please use one of the following media:
Friday, June 24, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Cars.co.za car stock increased to over 15000!
Cars.co.za received a huge vehicle boost today, upping our cars for sale tally to a over 15 000! This is by far the most cars we have had listed on the website at any given time and is a momentous occasion in the websites history. With the 15000 mark being surpassed, South African buyers now have even more choice on Cars.co.za which is a step up in delivering our users the ultimate service offering. More vehicles = more choice for our shoppers!
This new stock, compiled from car dealerships across the country, comprises most of the major brands including South Africa's favourites Volkswagen, Toyota, BMW, Audi, Hyundai, Renault, Mercedes-Benz and many more.
We will continue to source more vehicles in the future with the aim to continually improve both the quantity and quality of vehicles listed on the website so that our users can be assured of the best car shopping experience.
This new stock, compiled from car dealerships across the country, comprises most of the major brands including South Africa's favourites Volkswagen, Toyota, BMW, Audi, Hyundai, Renault, Mercedes-Benz and many more.
We will continue to source more vehicles in the future with the aim to continually improve both the quantity and quality of vehicles listed on the website so that our users can be assured of the best car shopping experience.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Sell your car quickly with private online advertising
Selling cars privately has always been a bit of a grey area, especially in South Africa. There is potential for huge financial gains if done properly, but this is counteracted they inconvenience of it all, the inability to accurately price the car as well as the stigma created by stories of crime surrounding the private car transactions.
Weighing up these pros and cons, the individual must decide if the time and risk are worth the potential monetary reward. Some people will shake their heads and drive to the nearest dealership, taking the "safer" option, while others will decide on a price and begin the journey down the road of private vehicle sales.
So you have decided to begin the journey? We begin by analysing the pre-owned vehicle for sale. Here are some tips on how to sell car:
What is the vehicle worth?
The best way to determine the worth of a vehicle in the current South African market is to see what other sellers are selling their cars for. How do you do this? Simple, log onto a car sales website like http://www.cars.co.za and do a search for your car. Compare the specs and prices of each other returned vehicle results and logically position yourself in the market.
You may also wish to get some quotes from dealers on a trade in value of your car, this will probably be a little lower than its market value as the dealer will likely wish to sell this vehicle on.
What price should I sell my car for?
Now that you have an idea of what you second hand car is worth, you can price it according to how desperately you wish to sell. The lower your advertising price (below market value) the more likely your car will be sold quickly. If you have time on your side, you can always try and advertise it a little above market value to start with in a hope to get a sale. Should you not make the sale you can adjust the price accordingly.
Where should I advertise my car for sale?
Deciding to sell your used car is one thing, but you need to let the general public, and especially the car buying market that your car exists and is for sale! There are various ways to do this, but in this day and age none cheaper and easier than the internet. Cars.co.za offers private advertisers the ability to advertise their used cars to hundreds of thousands of car buyers each month for as little as R6 per day. That is cheaper than driving to a single dealership or show day!
With the right price and the right marketing, it shouldn't take long until you are receiving queries about your old car and are free to begin making queries about your future new car!
Weighing up these pros and cons, the individual must decide if the time and risk are worth the potential monetary reward. Some people will shake their heads and drive to the nearest dealership, taking the "safer" option, while others will decide on a price and begin the journey down the road of private vehicle sales.
So you have decided to begin the journey? We begin by analysing the pre-owned vehicle for sale. Here are some tips on how to sell car:
What is the vehicle worth?
The best way to determine the worth of a vehicle in the current South African market is to see what other sellers are selling their cars for. How do you do this? Simple, log onto a car sales website like http://www.cars.co.za and do a search for your car. Compare the specs and prices of each other returned vehicle results and logically position yourself in the market.
You may also wish to get some quotes from dealers on a trade in value of your car, this will probably be a little lower than its market value as the dealer will likely wish to sell this vehicle on.
What price should I sell my car for?
Now that you have an idea of what you second hand car is worth, you can price it according to how desperately you wish to sell. The lower your advertising price (below market value) the more likely your car will be sold quickly. If you have time on your side, you can always try and advertise it a little above market value to start with in a hope to get a sale. Should you not make the sale you can adjust the price accordingly.
Where should I advertise my car for sale?
Deciding to sell your used car is one thing, but you need to let the general public, and especially the car buying market that your car exists and is for sale! There are various ways to do this, but in this day and age none cheaper and easier than the internet. Cars.co.za offers private advertisers the ability to advertise their used cars to hundreds of thousands of car buyers each month for as little as R6 per day. That is cheaper than driving to a single dealership or show day!
With the right price and the right marketing, it shouldn't take long until you are receiving queries about your old car and are free to begin making queries about your future new car!
The most fuel efficient car in South Africa
With today's focus on being "green", the fuel consumption of cars has rapidly come into the spotlight. Where consumers previously wanted the biggest high performance engines, there now seems to have been a general shift towards smaller engines, and even hybrid cars, with a view to not only reduce petrol cost, but also to do a little extra towards saving our environment from the clutches of global warming.
South Africa, while a little off the initial pace, is slowly following suit and beginning to place more and more importance onto the fuel efficiency of cars when purchasing. A hot topic on the Cars.co.za forum, this article sheds a little more light onto what the most fuel efficient cars in South Africa are:
Most fuel efficient cars in South Africa
When first launched the Toyota Prius was considered by many to be the ultimate hybrid vehicle and the father of the modern day hybrid car. Will it still maintain the top spot in the fuel efficiency department going forward? In 2010 it certainly did!
South Africa, while a little off the initial pace, is slowly following suit and beginning to place more and more importance onto the fuel efficiency of cars when purchasing. A hot topic on the Cars.co.za forum, this article sheds a little more light onto what the most fuel efficient cars in South Africa are:
Most fuel efficient cars in South Africa
When first launched the Toyota Prius was considered by many to be the ultimate hybrid vehicle and the father of the modern day hybrid car. Will it still maintain the top spot in the fuel efficiency department going forward? In 2010 it certainly did!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
4 Top car brands achieve their Millenium!
With the recent injection of used car stock onto Cars.co.za, many milestones have been achieved. Cars.co.za now has four brands with over 1000 vehicles listed for sale.
Without further ado, I give you our Millenium brands:
1. used Volkswagen (2108)
2. used Toyota (1183)
3. used Chevrolet (1110)
4. used BMW (1077)
Whilst VW, Toyota and BMW are generally recognised as top car brands in South Africa, it was somewhat of a surprise to see Chevrolet pipping BMW for the third spot. Chevrolet, a huge brand overseas, has been underrepresented in the South African market for sometime. The introduction of the Chevrolet spark coupled with an aggressive marketing campaign has done wonders to further the Chevrolet brand in South Africa.
Without further ado, I give you our Millenium brands:
1. used Volkswagen (2108)
2. used Toyota (1183)
3. used Chevrolet (1110)
4. used BMW (1077)
Whilst VW, Toyota and BMW are generally recognised as top car brands in South Africa, it was somewhat of a surprise to see Chevrolet pipping BMW for the third spot. Chevrolet, a huge brand overseas, has been underrepresented in the South African market for sometime. The introduction of the Chevrolet spark coupled with an aggressive marketing campaign has done wonders to further the Chevrolet brand in South Africa.
BMW official vehicle sponsor to the boks
It's official! BMW are now the vehicle sponsor to the reigning IRB Rugby world champs, the South African Springboks!
The deal, concluded in May 2011, will see Springbok players sporting BMW cars whilst playing Test matches on South African soil. In return the players will don shorts bearing the BMW logo when on the field, starting with their Tri-nations clash with Australia in Syndey next month.
It's great to see one of the motoring giants getting behind the national rugby side as they prepare for their World Cup defense in New Zealand later this year.
The deal, concluded in May 2011, will see Springbok players sporting BMW cars whilst playing Test matches on South African soil. In return the players will don shorts bearing the BMW logo when on the field, starting with their Tri-nations clash with Australia in Syndey next month.
It's great to see one of the motoring giants getting behind the national rugby side as they prepare for their World Cup defense in New Zealand later this year.
Cars.co.za now has over 12000 used cars for sale in South Africa
When it comes to buying a used car, having a good selection of vehicles to choose from is important. So often we are forced to compromise our wants simply because the ideal used car is not for sale, or it is for sale and we just do not know about it. Cars.co.za strives to offer South Africans the ultimate car buying experience, and having vast quantities of stock to choose from is imperative. With the 12000 vehicle mark recently being achieved, we have taken a huge step forward in enabling our users to have that much more choice when car shopping!
Gauteng, being the hub of South Africa and the South African motoring industry, is where the majority of these advertised cars are located. There are a whopping 6000 Used Cars for sale in Gauteng advertised by hundreds of different car dealers and private car sellers in Johannesburg, Pretoria and many other smaller metropolises.
Whilst the largest, Gauteng is not the only major area catered for by Cars.co.za. The Western Cape and Kwazulu-Natal are also well represented with over 2000 used cars for sale listed in each province. The other 6 provinces are also catered for, but with smaller markets, these areas have far smaller stock values.
So if you are looking to buy a used car, whether in Gauteng or Limpopo, visit Cars.co.za today and search our comprehensive database for the car of your dreams!
Gauteng, being the hub of South Africa and the South African motoring industry, is where the majority of these advertised cars are located. There are a whopping 6000 Used Cars for sale in Gauteng advertised by hundreds of different car dealers and private car sellers in Johannesburg, Pretoria and many other smaller metropolises.
Whilst the largest, Gauteng is not the only major area catered for by Cars.co.za. The Western Cape and Kwazulu-Natal are also well represented with over 2000 used cars for sale listed in each province. The other 6 provinces are also catered for, but with smaller markets, these areas have far smaller stock values.
So if you are looking to buy a used car, whether in Gauteng or Limpopo, visit Cars.co.za today and search our comprehensive database for the car of your dreams!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
The new way to trade in your used car
The car buying process is often made up of two parts - buying a new car and selling your current car. Whilst there is endless joy in the process of finding and purchasing a new vehicle, the second part is often met with less enthusiasm. Ridding yourself of your second hand car is often a chore. Selling your car privately, especially in our South African society, can be time consuming and dangerous and many people opt for the quick and painless option of trading in their car to the dealer from whom they purchase their new car. While convenient, the trade in value for the car is usually way under value and due to lack of options, the user is forced to take this reduced price.
Technology, however, is changing the way car trade ins work, by allowing the user to access a larger dealer market and enabling them to "bid" on the car. This allows the seller the convenience previously afforded by trading in, but also the competitive market of multiple buyers. Still, one will never quite get the price possible if selling privately, but its a step in the right direction!
To obtain an obligation free trade in quote, or to begin the trade in process, visit the Cars.co.za used car trade in page now!
Technology, however, is changing the way car trade ins work, by allowing the user to access a larger dealer market and enabling them to "bid" on the car. This allows the seller the convenience previously afforded by trading in, but also the competitive market of multiple buyers. Still, one will never quite get the price possible if selling privately, but its a step in the right direction!
To obtain an obligation free trade in quote, or to begin the trade in process, visit the Cars.co.za used car trade in page now!
Applying for car finance online
Car finance is a tedious process at the best of times. Let's face it, with the credit crunch still fresh in everyone's mind, its highly unlikely that any finance house is going to authorise credit for unworthy applicants. The result of such stringent finance application criteria is that applicants must be checked and double checked to ensure that they are in fact worthy of credit.
The car finance sector is no exception, and applying for car finance can be a lengthy and inconvenient process. Cars.co.za has recently taken steps towards offering our users a slightly easier alternative, by partnering with local car finance giant Carfin to offer users speedy online applications and pre-approval.
Carfin have been industry leaders in online car finance and have worked hard to streamline the application process. There team of professionals will guide users through the improved application process from the comfort of their home.
Looking to get finance for your car? Why not give us a try.
The car finance sector is no exception, and applying for car finance can be a lengthy and inconvenient process. Cars.co.za has recently taken steps towards offering our users a slightly easier alternative, by partnering with local car finance giant Carfin to offer users speedy online applications and pre-approval.
Carfin have been industry leaders in online car finance and have worked hard to streamline the application process. There team of professionals will guide users through the improved application process from the comfort of their home.
Looking to get finance for your car? Why not give us a try.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Car sales in South Africa hit by Tsunami?
The affects of March's catastrophic Tsunami in Japan will begin to be felt by the South African car community as parts for various Japanese manufacturer vehicles may become scarce. The natural disaster experienced earlier this year put a huge dampener on many Japanese industries, not least of all the Motor trade. Whilst the affects of this were not immediate on the majority of the world, largely due to shipping delays, they are certain to be felt in the near future, if not already. This could severely harm major brands like Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda.
While there is no certainty surrounding this matter, it is believed that it may impact hugely on new and used car sales in the South African market and around the world. Hopefully this should stabalise as the year wears on and the Japanese market recovers.
While there is no certainty surrounding this matter, it is believed that it may impact hugely on new and used car sales in the South African market and around the world. Hopefully this should stabalise as the year wears on and the Japanese market recovers.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Oldsmobiles on the move
The scenic roads of the Garden route between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay offered a little more than the usual siteseeing this morning, as a convoy of vintage cars meandered down the road. Whilst these classic cars did cause a little delay en route, it was hardly noticed as passers by reveled in the rare sight.
The colourful convoy, driving between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, even included a stylish Rolls-Royce.
It was wonderful to see such old school beauties, more so on the road and not in some museum.
I must congratulate the people who have maintained these wonderful pieces of history, and hope one day to be in a position where I may acquire a collection of such cars for sale for my very own.
Until such time, Ill stick to driving more modern and probably reliable vehicles.
The colourful convoy, driving between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, even included a stylish Rolls-Royce.
It was wonderful to see such old school beauties, more so on the road and not in some museum.
I must congratulate the people who have maintained these wonderful pieces of history, and hope one day to be in a position where I may acquire a collection of such cars for sale for my very own.
Until such time, Ill stick to driving more modern and probably reliable vehicles.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Volkswagen Date Drive
Volkswagen South Africa have taken a very different spin on marketing of late, and it seems to be working. The car manufacturing giant recently launched their new Polo GTI to it's South African audience with an interesting campaign called the DateDrive.
Although not a revolutionary concept, the test drive having been around for as long as cars themselves, the new marketing angle and use of social media platforms has helped VW to create some hype and genuine interest around test driving the new Volkswagen Polo GTI.
Sporting the tagline "Driving a Volkswagen Polo GTI makes you more attractive", the DateDrive allows couples to take the new Polo for a night on the town, whilst monitoring their vital statistics, through supplied instruments and their mental attitude through the popular social media platform Twitter. This information is published on the DateDrive site for public consumption and hype creation.
Looking at the users reaction to driving this car, it certainly seems that either Volkswagen's tagline claim is correct, or they have marketed it in such a way as to make it so.
Although not a revolutionary concept, the test drive having been around for as long as cars themselves, the new marketing angle and use of social media platforms has helped VW to create some hype and genuine interest around test driving the new Volkswagen Polo GTI.
Sporting the tagline "Driving a Volkswagen Polo GTI makes you more attractive", the DateDrive allows couples to take the new Polo for a night on the town, whilst monitoring their vital statistics, through supplied instruments and their mental attitude through the popular social media platform Twitter. This information is published on the DateDrive site for public consumption and hype creation.
Looking at the users reaction to driving this car, it certainly seems that either Volkswagen's tagline claim is correct, or they have marketed it in such a way as to make it so.
Twitter Blanket Drive supported by Cars.co.za
The Twitter Blanket Drive #TBD is a South African charity initiative started be Melanie Minnaar, with the aim of providing warmth to the less fortunate during the colder months. A simple concept, fueled by passion and love, has turned into a great national event, where thousands of twitter users have come together over the platform to support the cause.
Tweet-ups were hosted across the country, where tweeps could drop off a blanket and have a cup of coffee and a chat. Cars.co.za took time out from the usual Car Sales to support this worthy cause, both my promoting the event and donating blankets in our corporate capacity.
This is a wonderful example of how we can use technology to come together and help build a better country, and I salute the TBD, its founders and supporters for making a positive difference!
Support the TBD and lets help make South Africa a warmer place to live this winter!
Cars.co.za Twitter Blanket Drive Press Released
Twitter blanket drive official site
Tweet-ups were hosted across the country, where tweeps could drop off a blanket and have a cup of coffee and a chat. Cars.co.za took time out from the usual Car Sales to support this worthy cause, both my promoting the event and donating blankets in our corporate capacity.
This is a wonderful example of how we can use technology to come together and help build a better country, and I salute the TBD, its founders and supporters for making a positive difference!
Support the TBD and lets help make South Africa a warmer place to live this winter!
Cars.co.za Twitter Blanket Drive Press Released
Twitter blanket drive official site
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