Owning a car gives you access to a certain type of luxury and convenience. For South African residents, it is especially rewarding to own a car because of the challenging state of the country’s public transport system. Regular car buyers may know the process off by heart but for first-timers it may seem to be an overwhelming experience. To give you a helping hand, we’ve compiled the ultimate guide to purchasing a car for sale in South Africa.

Car buying guide: how to master the car sale process

So you’ve found the car you want to buy; now it’s time to go out and make the purchase.

Step 1: the purchase agreement

When buying a car for sale, a purchase agreement or contract is drawn up by the seller or car dealership such as CMH Carshop. The purchase agreement details the nature of the purchase, the agreed price and the payment plan. Both the buyer and the seller will receive a copy of the purchase contract for reference. The contract may also contain copies of the buyer’s important documents such as their Identity Document and the Vehicle Finance approved application (if applicable).

Step 2: making the payment

After the purchase agreement has been signed by both parties, the buyer can now make the payment into the seller’s banking account. CMH Carshop can provide you with a comprehensive vehicle finance package by dealing directly with the financial institution on your behalf, thus taking care of the process for you and making it easy for you to buy your car. If you are purchasing the vehicle with cash or via a bank transfer directly from your account you will be required to provide proof of purchase to the dealership before you’re able to drive off in your new car.

Step 3: registering the car in your name

Once the payment has been transferred and you have been granted ownership of the car for sale, you need to have the vehicle registered in your name. Vehicle registration has to be done within 21 days of making the payment and can be done at the Department of Licensing and Registration. You will then be awarded with a new license disc for your car and all traffic related queries about that specific registration number will now be sent to you, the new owner of the car.

In order to register your new car you will need:

·         The purchase agreement and proof of payment

·         A roadworthy certificate from the Automobile Authority of South Africa (AA)

·         Your Identity Document or Driver’s License

·         Your street address in South Africa

Step 4: taking out car insurance

Though having your car insured is not mandatory, it is always best to have insurance to protect you from damage payments in the event of a collision. CMH Carshop assists in setting up vehicle insurance on cars purchased from our dealerships and offer competitive rates on insurance premiums. The rate of your insurance premiums is dependent on a number of factors and varies for every individual. Make sure you understand all the clauses and costs before you sign on the dotted line.

Buying a car for sale is easy at CMH Carshop

The car buying industry is vast and competitive. At CMH Carshop, first-time car buyers can enjoy the convenience of an advanced search function to filter out cars by make, model, province, year and price. Browse our range of new cars and used cars for sale to find the vehicle that best suits your needs.