Motoring Reporter

There are strong arguments both ways for buying a new or used vehicle.

Here's a typical fireside debate in which all the viewpoints contain an element of truth:

l "You must be crazy to buy a new car. It devalues by 20percent the moment you drive it out of the showroom.

"In fact, the tax alone on a new car will get you a used car with a lot of mileage left in it. On a R100000 car, for instance, the tax component of the price is over R12000";

l "What you don't pay in tax and depreciation on a used car, you pay in hassles, breakdowns and sheer stress from never knowing when and where it's going to leave you stranded next.

"And when it comes to spares, do you really have time to trudge around scrap yards hunting for obsolete parts? Don't buy someone else's problems."

l "But that's the beauty of older cars. They are so simple and straightforward to work on, unless you are really looking for trouble and buy a piece of exotica with four carbs, double overhead cam, turbocharger, cruise control and more bells and whistles than a circus.

"Your basic, tried and tested, petrol-engined family car with so-called old technology can easily be kept going by the average owner with rarely a visit to a workshop.

"And if you do need the services of a workshop any country garage will do. I hear stories of latter-day marvels having to be transported a thousand kilometres to a workshop equipped to repair them.

"There's stress for you."