What we charge, and what you get for it
All prices below are indicative and quoted in rand. They cover our time, our instruments and the travelling we do around Buffalo City and up the N2. We do not take money from sellers, dealers, finance houses or workshops, and we never earn anything on the car you end up buying.
| Service | Indicative charge |
|---|---|
| Pre-purchase inspection, cold start | R1 150 |
| Service history and odometer audit | R540 |
| Paperwork and settlement check | R760 |
| Test-drive escort on the N2 | R690 |
| Shortlist build from your brief | R480 |
| Handover attendance | R620 |
Six services, charged one at a time
Pre-purchase inspection, cold start
R1 150
Two to three hours with the car, cold, in daylight, at the seller's address or at a workshop lift. Body shell, underside, paint readings, fluids, electrics, tyre dates read off the sidewall and a written report the same evening.
- Paint-thickness readings across every panel
- Underbody check on a lift or on ramps where available
- Written report with photographs and a repair budget
Service history and odometer audit
R540
We read the book line by line, ring the workshops that did the work, cross-check kilometre readings against tyre and roadworthy paperwork, and tell you what the next 30 000 km will cost.
- Kilometre cross-check across every available document
- Calls to the workshops named in the book
- A costed list of what falls due next
Paperwork and settlement check
R760
Registration certificate against the body numbers, titleholder position, settlement letter, roadworthy status, licence expiry and the change-of-ownership forms. We tell you the safe order of payment and attend the bank with you if you want.
- Vehicle identification number verified against the paper
- Settlement and payment sequence written down for you
- Change-of-ownership forms checked before signing
Test-drive escort on the N2
R690
We ride with you for a structured drive: town traffic, a sustained run at highway speed, a long uphill pull, broken tar and a braking test, then we compare notes with you before you speak to the seller.
- The full drive sequence from the checklists page
- Noise and vibration diagnosis as you drive
- A written offer position before you negotiate
Shortlist build from your brief
R480
A phone or desk conversation about your route, your passengers, your towing, your budget and your body, and then a written shortlist of body styles and drivetrains with the known weak points of each.
- Three to four body styles costed per month
- Parts-availability notes for the Border region
- Insurance and tracker conditions to expect
Handover attendance
R620
We meet you and the seller for the handover: numbers rechecked, spare key, service book, tools, spare wheel and jack, tyre condition, licence disc and a final walkaround before money changes hands.
- Final numbers and documents rechecked on site
- Accessories, keys and tools accounted for
- Condition photographs kept on file for you
Travel inside Buffalo City is included. Beyond roughly 60 km we add R5.50 a kilometre, which covers Qumrha, Stutterheim, Qonce and the first stretch of the N2 north. Work on the Wild Coast side or towards Mthatha is quoted as a day rate because of the drive and the state of the road.
Three packages
R2 250
One car, done properly
A buyer who has found the car and wants it checked before committing.
- Cold-start inspection with paint readings
- Service history and odometer audit
- Structured drive with one of us alongside
- Paperwork and settlement sequence in writing
- A phone call to talk through the report
R4 900
Three cars, one decision
A buyer comparing a shortlist across East London, Gonubie and Qonce.
- Shortlist build from your brief first
- Inspections on three cars within thirty days
- Drives on two of the three
- A written comparison with a per-month cost for each
- Paperwork check on whichever car you choose
R7 400
Hands off it entirely
Someone buying from a distance, or a family buying for a parent who no longer wants the running around.
- Brief taken in person or by phone
- We find and screen the candidates ourselves
- Inspections, drives and negotiation position
- Bank attendance for the settlement payment
- Handover attended and the licensing admin explained step by step
A used-car forecourt on a Saturday morning before the cars were washed.
Tell us about the car you are looking at
Send the kilometres, the asking price, the body style and where the car has lived, and we will tell you on the phone whether it is worth an inspection. That conversation is free, and it has talked people out of appointments more than once.