How to identify grey import cars in South Africa

The landscape of grey import cars in South Africa has significantly evolved over the past 20 years.

But before we get into that, what exactly is a ‘grey import’? According to Michalsons, ‘grey’ goods are anything imported into a country through unofficial or unauthorised distribution channels. It should be noted that grey import cars in South Africa are not necessarily illegal, but there’s plenty of risk associated to owning/purchasing one.

Back in the day, grey import cars in South Africa represented a range of exotic performance cars. These hailed mostly from the Japan Domestic Market (think JDMs like the Nissan Skyline GT-R, Mazda RX-7 and Mitsubishi Lancer Evo) and people actively brought them into the country because there was no authorised distributor. Nowadays, grey imports are much less glamorous. Drive through Ceres in the Western Cape, for example, and you’ll see so many Lesotho-plated Honda Jazzes you’ll lose count after a while.

GREY IMPORTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Sadly, the grey import cars in South Africa every is raving about are not stunning JDMS like the one pictured above, but rather everyday commodity cars peddled by dubious dealers, reports TopAuto. As a result, if you’re in the market for a cheap second-hand car and you come across a deal that sounds too good to be true, it might be because it’s a grey import. Therefore, here’s a quick checklist on how to spot one in South Africa:

• If it’s too good to be true. Suspiciously low prices well below the market average usually give away grey import cars in South Africa.
• Uncommon models. Cars imported and sold in the rest of Africa differ slightly. One such example is a Mazda2 being called a Demio in other markets. Be cautious of uncommon looking and sounding models, even if they seem familiar.
• Microdot verification. All cars sold in South Africa come with microdot certificate. Ask for verification to confirm it’s not one of the grey import cars in South Africa.
• Check Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and registration papers. Ensure these all match up and no documentation looks like it’s been tampered with.

WHAT’S SO RISKY ABOUT GREY IMPORTS?

As mentioned earlier, it’s not strictly illegal to own any grey import cars in South Africa. However, there are numerous dangers. Especially if an unsuspecting person purchased it without full knowledge of its import status:

• Being in possession of a grey import could see you receive a hefty fine.
• The car could be impounded.
• In extreme scenarios, you may be criminally charged.
• If you’re involved in an accident with another road user, you will face liability issues.
• You could face jail time for knowingly driving an illegal car on South African roads.
• No insurance company will cover you against theft or accident damage.

THEY’RE COSTING THE COUNTRY BILLIONS

Recently, NAAMSA estimated there were as many as 1-million grey imports on the roads in Mzansi. Used cars cannot be imported into the country for sale. However, they are allowed to be brought in for export to a neighbouring country. And this is the policy that’s being exploited by nefarious traders.

Similarly, countries adjacent to South Africa, like Botswana, Swaziland and Lesotho, often simply drive vehicles across the border. They say they’re visiting for holiday or business purposes and just leave the vehicles behind. It’s anticipated that grey import cars in South Africa cost authorities billions a year in lost licencing fees.