⭐ 1/5 — SERIOUS BUYER WARNING

⭐ 1/5 — SERIOUS BUYER WARNING:

I am writing this review because prospective customers deserve to know exactly what happened with the vehicle I purchased from Du Toit Motors.

This is not simply a case of being unhappy with a second-hand vehicle. I now have a formal independent vehicle assessment documenting serious problems with the vehicle.

The assessment identifies the vehicle as a 2014 Mini Cooper XS52, registration CBS79458, VIN WMWXS52010T826189, and records the following findings:

• Old damage was visible under the front end of the vehicle. • The vehicle showed evidence of having been driven with extensive oil leaks for some time. • A pressure test confirmed a serious coolant leak at the heater radiator hose/firewall fitting. • The coolant contained no antifreeze, which the assessor says suggests repeated refilling with water. • A combustion leakage test was performed specifically for head-gasket failure. • The test confirmed head-gasket failure.

Most importantly, the assessor's conclusion is unequivocal: the vehicle had been driven with major oil and coolant leaks, those leaks were not caused by an impact, and poor maintenance resulted in engine failure in the form of a blown head gasket. The report specifically characterises this as mechanical failure rather than accident damage.

There is another particularly concerning finding. The assessment states that the old front-end damage was inconsistent with the recent pothole-strike explanation.

That raises very serious questions about the vehicle's history, prior damage, maintenance and, most importantly, what was known about the vehicle before it was sold.

THE 31-YEAR ISSUE:

I am also extremely concerned about information indicating that Du Toit Motors has been selling accident-damaged and written-off vehicles for approximately 31 years.

If that history is accurately documented, then prospective buyers have every reason to ask very difficult questions about the disclosure of accident history, write-off status, repairs and mechanical condition.

A second-hand vehicle is not the problem. Lack of transparency is.

A customer should not have to discover after the purchase that an apparently ordinary vehicle has a history involving substantial damage or that an engine has been operating with major oil and coolant leaks.

And customers certainly should not have to obtain an independent assessment to discover the seriousness of mechanical problems.

The assessment in my case does not merely say that the vehicle has "a few issues." It records extensive oil leakage, a serious coolant leak and a confirmed blown head gasket, and concludes that poor maintenance led to engine failure.

MY ADVICE TO ANYONE CONSIDERING BUYING FROM DU TOIT MOTORS:

DO NOT take the vehicle's appearance at face value.

Before paying a cent:

✅ Obtain the VIN and independently check the vehicle's history. ✅ Establish whether it has ever been accident damaged or written off. ✅ Have an independent qualified mechanic inspect it. ✅ Perform a cooling-system pressure test. ✅ Perform a combustion-gas/head-gasket test where appropriate. ✅ Check for oil leaks and evidence of previous leaks. ✅ Inspect the chassis and front-end structure for previous accident damage. ✅ Get every representation made by the dealership in writing. ✅ Do not rely solely on a dealership's own inspection.

I purchased a vehicle expecting it to be properly represented and mechanically fit for purpose. Instead, I now have documentary evidence of major mechanical problems and previous damage concerns.

That is why I am posting this review.

People work hard for their money. A dealership has a responsibility to be transparent about what it is selling.

My experience has seriously damaged my confidence in Du Toit Motors, and based on what I have personally experienced and the independent assessment documenting these findings, I cannot recommend this dealership to other buyers without an extensive independent inspection and full history verification.

BUYERS BEWARE. Investigate the vehicle yourself before signing the deal.