Article
Buying a Vehicle in South Africa Today: How to Survive the Dealership "Ambush"
Buying a car in South Africa in 2026 is a minefield of "compulsory" fees and dealership "ambushes." After 20 years in the motor industry, I thought I was immune, until I tried buying a simple runabout. In this guide, I expose the illegal tactics dealerships use to inflate prices by R30,000+, the truth about "mandatory" value added products (VAPs), and how to use the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) to fight back when a deal goes sideways.
Feb 06, 2026 · 4 min read