Phuti Mpyane

Phuti Mpyane

Just as things were beginning to look up for car ownership, with prospects of reduced interest rates and lower fuel prices on the horizon, the rand plummets to a horrifying low.

This is surely going to trouble the price of imported cars, such as the new Kia Cee'd, which, according to Kia top man Ray Levin, will make the job of posting a cheaper price that much more painful.

In fact, those confident of securing deals say that if a dealer didn't make money last month, then doom is upon them.

This time of the year is actually fantastic for car sales. Bonuses have kicked in, new posts secured and clearance sales off dealer floors are abundant.

Which is why I zoomed in on a bunch of demo Cadillac BLS selling for about R176000. With the coming new year, new junior execs will be opening their new offices and with the new lifestyles, now being very aware of the dangers of random spending of money, will most likely look at bargain wheels that match their top positions.

The Cadillac BLS can be had in both petrol and diesel engines. I'd suggest a look at diesel models for their tried and tested long range capabilities. You stand to save around R100000 compared to a brand-new unit.

While still on cheap running, Nissan dealers are harbouring plenty of stock of the Tiida hatchback. Prices range around between R90000 and R120000. Nissan in the Joburg CBD has stock selling for between R99000 and R105000. Also, if you've always wanted a Mitsubishi Colt bakkie for work purposes or a tidy double-cab for family and work applications, Mitsubishi are in sell-off mode now that the Triton range has just grown.