A consumer has expressed concerns about the risks faced by potential buyers of used vehicles who depend on independent vehicle assessment reports from Dekra Automotive while considering purchases from JSE-listed WeBuyCars and other used car dealerships.

Journalist Jonathan Witt shared his experience on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday after inspecting several vehicles at the WeBuyCars location at The Dome in Randburg, Johannesburg.

Witt stated that he was interested in two cars, examined them thoroughly, and took one of them for a test drive.

“To clarify, while the pricing is on the lower end, it corresponds with market rates.

“The sales representatives either directly stated or implied that both vehicles were in exceptional condition.

“The @DEKRA_sa reports indicated that both cars were in good to very good condition, with no signs of damage, faults, or repairs, and both were labeled ‘Platinum’ condition.

“I obtained the VIN numbers and followed up today [Thursday], confirming that both vehicles had been involved in accidents,” he noted.

“One vehicle had been in at least three accidents, while the other was classified as uneconomical to repair following a serious accident and has since been rebuilt.

“None of this information was disclosed, which raises concerns that such details may have been deliberately hidden, leading to the misrepresentation of the vehicles.

“I will never buy a car from WBC [WeBuyCars], and as far as I’m concerned, the Dekra report is not worth the paper it’s printed on,” he concluded.

Moneyweb was unable to contact Witt for direct comment.

Dekra report ‘not a full mechanical evaluation’

Witt’s experience reflects that of other consumers dealing with WeBuyCars and various used car dealerships, highlighting the need for an accurate and completely transparent Vehicle Salvage Database (VDS).

WeBuyCars sales director Janson Ponting commented on Friday that without specific vehicle details, a comprehensive response isn’t feasible.

Ponting clarified that the Dekra Used Vehicle Report offers “an independent assessment of a vehicle’s road worthiness, focusing on aspects like brake performance, tyre condition, shock absorbers, and diagnostic error codes.”

However, he added that it “is not a comprehensive mechanical evaluation and does not confirm whether a vehicle has been in an accident.”

Ponting pointed out that South Africa lacks a reliable system for tracking vehicle accident histories.

“With under 30% of vehicles insured, data from insurance companies is incomplete and cannot be fully relied upon to accurately verify accident histories.

“WeBuyCars currently cannot reliably indicate which vehicles have been in accidents due to the limitations of the available information,” he explained.

Ponting emphasized that insurers decide if a vehicle is considered “uneconomical to repair” based on factors such as the cost of parts, availability, repair time, and related expenses.

He clarified, however, that this classification “does not necessarily imply structural damage but reflects the insurer’s judgment that paying the claim is more cost-effective than repairs.”

Read: What to do if your car is written off, but not paid off

“It is important to note that this does not alter the vehicle’s official status [Code].

“WeBuyCars is committed to total transparency. All known defects are disclosed, and vehicles classified as Code 3 or 4 are advertised accordingly,” he remarked.

‘No interference’ in inspection reports

Dekra Automotive’s chief operating officer, Stefan Bleitner, confirmed that Dekra operates entirely independently and takes pride in this autonomy.

He stated that there is “absolutely no franchise agreement” with WeBuyCars and no form of interference in the inspection reports provided to them.

“The inspections are carried out by Dekra personnel … and each branch performs the assessments independently, which are subsequently checked for quality by Dekra staff before release,” he elaborated.

Read: Buying a pre-owned vehicle?

In addition to Witt’s experience, Moneyweb presented Dekra with details of two previous instances where Dekra’s vehicle assessment reports faced criticism.

These included:

• An article published by Moneyweb on 12 September 2024 concerning WeBuyCars refunding a buyer after a car was deemed “dangerous” by a workshop because the Dekra report did not disclose the full extent of the vehicle’s damage.
• An article published by Moneyweb on 9 February 2023 discussing a Johannesburg court ruling that required used vehicle dealership Jambo Motors to refund the total outstanding financed amount plus interest for a vehicle purchased by a consumer without the knowledge that it had been previously ‘written off’ by an insurance company. The Dekra assessment indicated that the only concerns with the vehicle were minor. The judgment noted: “It appears the Dekra Report might be flawed.”

Bleitner stated that Dekra has not yet had the chance to thoroughly investigate these claims but guarantees that “no fraudulent reports have been issued to WeBuyCars or any other vehicle dealer.”

“In cases where the public disputes a report provided to WeBuyCars, we typically encourage the customer to bring the vehicle into one of our branches for re-assessment.

“We have also established an email account where the public can verify the authenticity of any Dekra report issued by any vehicle dealer,” he noted.

Read: WeBuyCars refunds buyer of ‘dangerous’ car

Dekra’s website asserts that a Condition Report can reassure consumers about the working condition of a second-hand vehicle they are interested in.

“Instead of relying solely on the seller’s claims, the report provides a professional and impartial assessment that enables you to make an informed decision.

“Having a vehicle independently assessed fosters confidence that there are no hidden issues or surprises,” it explains.

Vehicle Salvage Database

In 2023, the South African Insurance Association (Saia) launched the initial phase of its publicly accessible VSD, aimed at helping consumers avoid unwittingly purchasing written-off vehicles at inflated prices.

The launch of the second phase, which would include used (Written-off Code 2) vehicles deemed uneconomical or excessively expensive to repair by insurance companies, was planned for December 2023 but did not fulfill its commitment to provide these details to consumers.

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