“South Africa has a few long-standing motoring awards shows that celebrate the latest releases, but we are in the pre-owned market, which outsells new models at a rate of 2.37 to 1, which means that most consumers have a vested interest in pre-owned cars,” explains Johan Nel, director-GM of Gumtree South Africa.
“This is not only an opportunity to showcase the quality and range of pre-owned cars on the market but also a means to educate consumers about which second-hand cars they should be considering and how to make a smart buying decision.”
“We’ve dedicated ourselves to facilitating automotive trade for more than a decade,” says Jeff Osborne, head of Gumtree Automotive. “The site has 75,000 cars listed for sale at any given time, by both dealerships and private sellers, and over 1.2 million people browsing the automotive category every month. We know what consumers are searching for and how they are evaluating the cars they purchase and we are putting that information to good use.”
The awards will recognise and celebrate the best pre-owned cars on the market, as evaluated by a panel of leading motoring experts and backed by authoritative data supplied in partnership with TransUnion.
Finalists will be selected from the best-selling pre-owned cars of the past three years, across several categories from hatchbacks and sedans to bakkies and SUVs. Judging criteria comprises 16 key elements of vehicle performance, such as overall value for money, engine performance, mechanical reliability and safety.
South African motorists will also be able to cast a vote for their favourite nominee in each category. Whichever vehicle gathers the most public support will receive a People’s Choice award, based solely on online votes.
