We all are familiar with new car pricing being at a level that generally only the upper income bracket can afford.

To address this, banks offer creative finance deals whereby you can drive the car of your dreams, subject to a massive balloon payment at the end of term. Weather or not you can afford it is not their concern.

To lure buyers into showrooms the social media influencer comes into play with their scripted reviews of zero informative content but a massive focus on superficial details and insignificant personal views. The general public don’t realize they are just reading an advertorial unfortunately.

Here’s a suggestion: If your budget is R70 000, buy a vehicle in good condition for about R20 000 less and spend the balance on replacing components that have aged, mechanically or cosmetically. The car is yours to run, it’s not for resale so the focus is to ensure reliable transport for a few more years. Don’t fall into the trap of buying an RS4 for R70 000 and then wondering why nothing works and getting quotes in the hundreds of thousands to put right.

Step away from social media which creates the false image that everyone except you is lining up to buy the latest and greatest, it’s fake. Expenses are climbing by the week, don’t overburden yourself on a image purchase alone.