FAQs

General Questions What is NEWCARS.CHANGECARS?

NEWCARS.CHANGECARS enables users to communicate with Approved South African Franchised & Independent Motor Dealers resulting in a trusting car buying or selling experience. NEWCARS.CHANGECARS is an information technology platform free of charge to the public. Our mission simply stated is to "afford you an easy to use, fair and transparent car buying or selling process".

To achieve this goal we work with and rely solely on the dealers who advertise via the CHANGECARS.CO.ZA platform. These dealers share the belief that truth, transparency and fairness are the foundation of a great car buying experience.

Where can I find and read more car buying tips?

Head on over and read the CHANGECARS blog or sit back and watch the latest car news, reviews and trends by subscribing to our Youtube channel. You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook

Is there a fee for your services?

We do not charge the public when buying or selling a vehicle or for using the services. We receive fees from our Certified Dealers in connection with the services. In some instances, we might receive fees from third-party service providers.

Buying New Vehicles Why should I use NEWCARS.CHANGECARS to buy a new vehicle?

Our online platform is used by private, business buyers and company fleet managers to search and compare the pricing and specifications of available new vehicles in South Africa.

It affords you the ability to choose upto 3 models and call for quotations from our Franchised Dealer network. Receiving multiple, obligation free, offers online for you to view and consider.

Will I be notified when I receive a quotation from an approved Dealer?

Yes, we will mail you each time a quotation arrives.

How does the dealer contact me?

Once you have approved a quotation, we inform the dealer and the two of you are then in direct contact with each other.

Selling Used Vehicles What is the current market value of my car/s?

Simply click on the "Sell Your Car" link on the home page or in the footer of our site and provide, as accurate as possible, your vehicles details.

NEWCARS.CHANGECARS will, upon completion, provide you an indicative "Trade Value".

Why do some used cars not have a Trade & Retail price?

As in any market the price of goods is influenced by supply and demand. The Trade & Retail prices are generally accurate based on the quantity of sales within a rolling 12 month period. The higher the quantity (high volume) the more accurate the figures.

Given an OEM sells two thousand specific new car models in a particular year via their dealer market, then the chances/probability are high that some of these models will return to the market as used vehicles in the following years. When this happens the Trade & Retail prices are relatively easy to calculate.

However, when the units are extremely low, typically with the more exotic vehicles, for example a new Aston Martin (specific model) might only sell one or two times a year, in South Africa. The chances that these cars will be available on the used market are not high and as such the Trade and Retail prices will not be available or at best not very accurate.

How do I sell my existing car or fleet?

Yes, when a dealer places an offer on your car you will get an email informing you.

Will I be notified when offers arrive for the car I am selling?

Yes, when a dealer places an offer on your car you will get an email informing you.

Motor Trade & Finance Questions What does Recommended Retail Price mean?

When purchasing a new car, one of the first things most people look at is the price! The 'Recommended Retail Price' is determined by the manufacturer of the vehicle which they feel represents their vehicle's worth.

The first thing you should know about the 'Recommended Retail Price' is that it has little to do with the market value of the car. It is the price that the manufacturer recommends the dealer sells the car for. As such most new vehicles are not actually sold at this price.

What is Trade (book) and Retail (market) prices and how do dealers use this?

The Trade Value of a vehicle is based on the year, "the vehicle was manufactured", and the exact make, model and optional extras. At times this becomes tricky to navigate, for example a dealer sells you a 2020 "manufactured" model in early 2021 and you expect to get the Trade Value of your car as per 2021, but the dealer is offering you the 2020 price.

TransUnion provides a monthly updated service to motor dealers with 2 values for each year model, namely the "trade" what you can expect when selling and "retail" what you can expect when buying. Both these values are calculated as an average since there are so many other factors to take into account, the mileage, condition, accident damage, spare key, tyres, paint work etc.

What is a MMCODE (M&M Code, MM Code)?

All cars in South Africa have a unique identifying code, known as Mead & McGrouther (M&M CODE), which is administered by TransUnion.

Insurance companies and banks use this code extensively to uniquely identify the vehicle Make, Model & Derivative. They then couple the MMCODE with the first date the car was purchased to determine the Trade and Retail price of the car.

Who and what is eNaTIS?

When the National Traffic Information System (NaTIS) switched to a more advanced electronic technology, the name changed to eNaTis and is under the control of South Africa's National Department of Transport. In essence, the system is essentially a national register, which records all the requirements of the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR) and National Road Traffic Act (NRTA).

eNaTIS records and manages:

  • New car registration papers
  • Used car registration papers, when the owner of the car changes
  • Applications for learner's drivers licenses
  • Applications for driver's licenses
  • Replacement and renewal of driver's licenses
  • Application for a Professional Driving Permit (PDP) used by taxi, bus, chauffeur, courier, long haulage etc. drivers
  • Application to convert a foreign driver's license into a South African license
What does OEM mean for cars?

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)

In the car industry the term "OEM" is often associated with genuine parts produced directly by your vehicle's maker. In other industries, OEM parts might be produced by one company and sold by another under their logo and branding. For example a windscreen wiper blade is manufactured by a company and then "white labeled" under the vehicle makers' brand.

What does NAAMSA stand for?

The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA) is a trade organisation representing the collective, non-competitive interests of new vehicle manufacturers in South Africa as well as businesses involved in the importation and distribution of new motor vehicles in South Africa.

Presently, has the following Full Members:

  • 7 x Local manufacturers
  • 31 x Retailing OEMs
  • 16 x Heavy Commercial OEMs

Source: NAAMSA.net

Business Related Where does NEWCARS.CHANGECARS get their vehicle pricing and photographs from?

NEWCARS.CHANGECARS contracts third parties to supply the official "Recommended Retail Price" and specifications of all new cars in South Africa as and when the manufactures release them into the local market. The specifications, options and photographs is readily available in South Africa from the manufactures.

Does NEWCARS.CHANGECARS sell, finance or service cars?

NEWCARS.CHANGECARS does not sell/finance any vehicles or their related components and does not do the servicing of vehicles either. NEWCARS.CHANGECARS is a provider of services to the Motor Trade and public as such we collect, store and disseminate information about vehicles online via this platform.

Feedback Can I ask for additional information on a specific car?

Yes you can, we endevour to provide a "human touch" experience to all our users and if you need questions answered on additional vehicle options send us a note at info@dealertrade.co.za

How do I tell you about a mistake I found on this site?

We strive to keep all the data on this site as accurate as possible. We welcome input from car buyers and dealers. If you find a mistake or have a suggestion on how we can improve our services, please mail us on info@dealertrade.co.za

Can I request a vehicle not on your site?

Certainly, we will reach out to our dealer network and put you in touch with an accredited Motor Trade representative, simply mail us the details of the vehicle you are interested in using info@dealertrade.co.za

How do I share/rate my experience of using this site?

Daniel to provide the Google review link here.

We would be really appreciative if you shared your story with us, please mail info@dealertrade.co.za