A Jazz that’s registered as a Fit? It’s important to look out for specification anomalies such as these when buying a used car. Picture: SuppliedThere’s no denying the allure of affordable used vehicles to cash-strapped South Africans, but grey imports pose an increasing threat to the country's automotive industry, and can potentially be dangerous too, industry experts say.
It is estimated that around 30,000 grey imports are currently ‘sneaking’ their way into South Africa each year. These mainly come from neighbouring countries like Lesotho and Botswana, where the importation of used vehicles is permitted, former Kia CEO Gary Scott said at the 2024 AutoTrader Dealer Convention.
“The influx of Grey vehicle imports undermines this industry by reducing the demand for new and used vehicles sold through authorised dealers. Although these taxes, and perceived government spending in general for that matter, are no doubt points of contention for many South Africans, shortfalls in the treasury do ultimately deprive the government of funding that could otherwise have been invested in infrastructure or public services.
Potential buyers should also be wary of uncommon vehicle models and in the case of more popular vehicles, look out for any suspicious anomalies with the vehicle they’re buying.