Corber Viljoen of Wat Swaai Jy says classic cars can command huge prices. Here he poses with the BMW 325I which sold for R1.4 millionOld cars from various brands manufactured in South Africa are becoming increasingly popular, says Corbèrt Viljoen, director of Wat Swaai Jy and Vintage Car South Africa.The market for classic cars in South Africa is strong. People always tell me I should export a vehicle to America or Europe, but the market here is possibly the strongest in the world.
It was precisely a 1991 model BMW 325is Evo 1 that Viljoen advertised earlier this month for R1 495 000 that got people talking "I also think something like a Nissan 1400 pickup in good condition with low kilometres will become valuable. We must also remember that there will always be a market for good, neat, original cars that will retain value for ages."The new generation of buyers, in their 30s and 40s, want to enter the market for cars that may not be so rare, but rather evoke memories
"In grade 7, I traded the Volla for two Minis. I fixed one up and sold it. Later, in matric, I had ten cars," says Viljoen. "I had to get a job to keep the lights on and occasionally bought and sold an old car. Eventually, it reached the level it is at now. Together, my wife, Nadia, and I run the business." He sells between 25 and 35 vehicles a month