How artificial intelligence can help – and mislead – South African car buyers

Artificial intelligence is quickly moving from motoring headlines into the everyday car-buying journey. If you are navigating a used-car market that navigates price, finance, reliability, fuel costs and resale value, the technology can be useful.

It can also create a false sense of certainty.

AI is already influencing how people shop. Approximately 44% of consumers globally use AI for car shopping, with buyers using it to compare vehicles, find listings and summarise car and dealership reviews. Other consumer behaviour data shows that up to 80% of buyers and sellers are open to using AI, while 26% are already using it as an automotive ‘co-pilot’.

Many first-time and younger buyers already start their search online, comparing prices, specs, monthly repayments and reviews before visiting a dealership or meeting a private seller. AI tools can make that process faster, but they can also make poor information look more convincing.

“AI can be a very useful assistant in the car-buying process, but it should never be treated as the final authority,” says Mike Pashut, CEO and founder of Changecars.co.za. “A vehicle is still a high-value purchase. Buyers need technology, but they also need verification, transparency and common sense.”

AI can help buyers compare similar models, summarise reviews, explain vehicle specifications in plain language, estimate running costs, highlight price anomalies and help consumers understand how mileage, age, service history and fuel type affect value.

On the seller side, it can support better listings by suggesting clearer descriptions, identifying missing information and helping position a vehicle’s price more realistically against the market.

This is particularly relevant as South Africans compare traditional brands with newer Chinese and electric vehicle entrants, assess fuel efficiency more carefully and use online tools to narrow down options before speaking to a dealer. AI can help make sense of that information overload.

The risk is that AI can also mislead.

A chatbot may confidently explain a model’s features without knowing the exact year, derivative or condition of the vehicle being sold. A pricing tool may miss accident history, poor maintenance, finance complications or regional demand. A generated listing may make a car sound immaculate without reflecting its real mechanical state.

In the wrong hands, AI can also be used to polish scam listings, create fake urgency or make questionable claims sound more credible.

“The basics should still lead your decision,” says Pashut. “No buyer should rely only on a generated answer or a nice-looking listing. Ask for the service history, check the VIN, compare the price, inspect the car, verify ownership and understand the full cost of keeping that vehicle on the road.”

Red flags include prices that are well below market value, sellers who avoid inspections, missing paperwork, inconsistent mileage, vague service history, pressure to pay deposits quickly, and listings that feel overly generic or too polished.

For sellers, risks include underpricing based on incomplete AI estimates, sharing sensitive personal information or accepting offers without verifying the buyer.

The future of car buying will almost certainly be more digital and more data-led. Research also shows that physical dealerships remain important, with only a small share of users buying completely online and many still preferring a hybrid approach.

“Technology should reduce uncertainty, not replace due diligence,” says Pashut. “The smartest car decision is the one made with the right information.”