Need help to find the right car for you? Screan is an innovative new digital platform that lists a countrywide network of fully independent experts who can help you scope new wheels.

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Although the internet has made it possible to use sites such as Cars.co.za to research and look for used cars that suit your needs and budget with a few clicks of a mouse/trackpad (or taps on a smartphone screen), buying a vehicle online still comes with an element of risk.

Take much of the risk out of it

Fortunately, you can manage and reduce that risk by doing your homework and, importantly, relying on the expertise of a professional vehicle inspector. They facilitate better transparency for you (the buyer) and the seller (whether you’re buying privately or from a dealership).

Let’s face it – sometimes you just don’t have time to inspect a vehicle yourself or don’t feel safe or confident enough to do it. What’s more, it can be a hassle to find someone trustworthy who has the necessary experience/expertise to inspect a car (or cars) on your behalf – let alone has the time and opportunity to do it. Think about it this way: if you’re willing to rely on professionals to perform important functions in your life, why would your approach to buying a car – the second most expensive asset you’re likely to purchase – be any different?

Rely on a professional

You can call on a professional – a vehicle inspector is likely to have more knowledge of, and familiaritywith, vehicles than most motorists and motoring enthusiasts. They could help you make well-informed decisions, which could save a considerable amount of money.

Even though you may do exhaustive online trawl about your prospective purchase and draw up lists of things to check about the car, it’s nigh impossible to notice everything during an inspection, especially if you become besotted with the vehicle the moment you see it! That, however, is exactly what a professional vehicle inspector does – they can confirm whether a vehicle is in the condition as advertised and potentially identify easy-to-miss issues.

Shop for cars anywhere in SA

Perhaps you’re interested in buying a used vehicle that is located far from where you live? Some regions of South Africa simply offer a greater variety of vehicle stock than others and, sometimes the cars you really want are located elsewhere in Mzansi anyway… Even if you are located in a so-called “used-car mecca”, the vehicle/s might be located at a dealership or at an address in an area that you don’t know well or don’t feel secure travelling to.

For those reasons, many prospective car buyers have shelved the idea of buying a car from “out of town”, but thanks to the introduction of Screan, that no longer needs to be the case…

What is Screan?

Screan is a fast, secure and easy-to-use digital platform that connects people who are looking to buy cars with experts that can vet and check those cars for them for an affordable fee.

Screan is crime-safe – buyers do not need to have an in-person meeting with a seller they have never met at a location they’ve never been to – Screaners do that for them; it’s Covid-19 friendly, because users can make bookings and receive their reports in the comfort of their homes; the platform utilises Payfast – an established, legitimate payment gateway and, lastly, users will be kept updated by Screan during every step of the process via email or Whatsapp.

Armed with a 60-point checklist (a summary of which is available here) and a camera, the approved Screaners know how to inspect a used car thoroughly (read about their credentials).

By using the Screan platform, buyers can make informed decisions based on the assigned Screaner’s detailed feedback. Simply book your Screaner andreceive their report –it’s easy.

How Screan’s simple 4-step process works

SELECTthe area in which the car you’re interested in is offered for sale. You must provide Screan with the location of the vehicle that you require to be inspected and book a Screaning on the platform by entering the vehicle address, advert link and seller contact details.

PAYsafely online. The transaction will be processed through Payfast payment gateway on the Screan platform. Once the payment is made, the Screan booking will be confirmed.

SCREANING. The Screaner will make an appointment with the seller and view the used car (depending on Screaner availability at the vehicle’s location, a same-day service is available). They will examine the car according to the checklist, scrutinise its service history and perform a detailed assessment of the vehicle’s exterior-, interior- and mechanical condition.

BUY SMART. The Screaner will then submit their report to you. The final report includes the completed 60-point checklistand a series of 360-degree walk around high-res images. Remember that the Screaner will not make any recommendations, but simply present the state of the vehicle as they have assessed it according toScrean‘sexhaustive checklist.

Based on this information, you alone decide whether you would like to make an offer to buy the vehicle – it’s not the trusted Screaner’s role to convince/deter you. However, you can also ask the Screaner to negotiate with the seller on your behalf – for a small additional fee.

If you want to book your Screaner to negotiate a better price on your behalf, you will have to return to the payment gateway to make a separate booking and payment (for that service). Once the Screaner has done all the checking and you decide to buy the car, you will be sent a “negotiate for me” notification, after which you will be able to order this additional service.

Screaners are dedicated to delivering good customer service; it helps them to get more work. Users are encouraged to leave a positive review if they’re happy with the Screan experience.

Why dealers should welcome Screan

One may imagine that dealers would not be thrilled by the prospect of someone other than a prospective buyer going over their vehicle/s with the proverbial fine-toothed comb; such a person wouldn’t only see the positive traits, but be very wary of any possible shortcomings.

However, Screan does not stand to befit from the sale – or non-sale –of any used vehicle; it exists only to help customers who may buy a vehicle from a dealership. Approved Screaners are usually mechanics, used-car salespeople or seasoned used-car experts, who professionally inspect cars and provide reports that will empower users to make informed decisions.

Bear in mind that by vetting vehicles on dealerships’ lots or showroom floors on behalf of potential customers, Screan facilitates potential business from serious customers (who’ve paid a fee for the inspection of the car/s they’re interested in) from all over the country.

What’s more, dealers can also use Screan – to vet cars all over the country, such as vehicles that they may consider buying to sell on their lots. As is the case for users, Screan‘s report to dealers includes a 60-point checklist and 360-degree walkaround high-res images by Spincar.

Why Screan does what it does

“I started Screan because it solves a problem I have always had when trying to buy a pre-owned car and I loved the idea of being able to shop for a second-hand vehicle nationwide from anywhere,” says Screan founder Mike Schlebach.

“Buying a pre-owned car can be frustrating, time-consuming and costly, so the idea of developing a platform and a service that helps every second-hand car purchaser to alleviate or eliminate those pains, gives me great comfort.

“As we will also soon expand our service to offer more value, it is rewarding to know that many hundreds and eventually thousands of people, our Screaners, will be able to earn an income by offering a much-needed service on products they know a great deal about.

“The Screaners and I look forward to being of service to you,” he concludes.

Visit Screan’s website for more info and to book a Screaner