How not to buy a pig in a poke

With new cars becoming increasingly expensive, the market for second-hand vehicles, especially 4x4 rigs, continues to boom. Newbies longing for their very first off-roader are often surprised by how cheap, for example, a Land Rover Discovery 2 can be these days (often as low as R40 000), unaware that this kind of vehicle easily becomes a money pit which is precisely why the owner wants to rid themselves of it.

This article discusses secondhand four-wheel drive vehicles sold by private sellers - and the pitfalls that newcomers should avoid. It is important to note, however, that this is only a superficial examination. Deft hands who don't mind buying a wreck and restoring it lovingly and thoroughly won't find this list helpful.

In our quest to find out what used car buyers should watch out for, we consulted several workshops and second-hand car dealers - and came away with a