Long term car rentals in SA

[Antti]

Hi all,

I'm moving to Cape Town soon and one thing what i'm worrying is car rental options - I don't have money to buy a decent reliable car, so renting/leasing will be my only option. I want to sign a long term contract.

What kind of companies(or private hire) will offer good cars (<10y old) with affordable price? How much I have to expect to pay monthly? I have had an EU and International driving licence now for 12 years. I have also a 5 years residence permit to South-Africa.

Thanks in advance, this forum has been big help for me.

-Antti

[2fargone]

Originally Posted by Antti

Hi all,

I'm moving to Cape Town soon and one thing what i'm worrying is car rental options - I don't have money to buy a decent reliable car, so renting/leasing will be my only option. I want to sign a long term contract.

What kind of companies(or private hire) will offer good cars (<10y old) with affordable price? How much I have to expect to pay monthly? I have had an EU and International driving licence now for 12 years. I have also a 5 years residence permit to South-Africa.

Thanks in advance, this forum has been big help for me.

-Antti

Hi Antti,

To be honest if you are moving I would really try and buy a car. The rental cars that are the older ones are usually rented by students and are NOT well kept. If you are in an accident you will lose your high deposit, and be without a car.

When I first came here I looked around for rental cars and if you can drive manual they run R2,500 a month. I think it's best to try and save for a car. I bought a car wasn't very good but it lasted for 2 and half years for R18,000. Yes it was not the best. But, it was an automatic little car that someone needed to sell asap as they were leaving the country.

I guess the point is see if you are really saving that much money by renting one.
As for leasing I can not be much help with that sorry. I just like to save up and buy a car.

Check out these websites
Gumtree.co.za
and Autotrader.co.za

[chrisc2615]

I agree with the above poster. For R 50k you can get something reliable. The private sellers cars are often advertised on Gumtree priced way above their value, so if someone offers, say a 2004 Golf 4 for R 60 000, you can safely offer R 45 000.

The AA offer, for a fee, a car inspection service if you do not have the expertise to evaluate it yourself. Then there are dealers and dealers, some dodgy but most have a reputation to uphold so you do not usually get a dog offered for sale.

Do not rent a car, except for maybe the first week