Used Car Dealerships

Compare Used Car Dealerships in New Zealand at Canstar Blue. Toyota,  2 Cheap Cars and Turners Cars were compared on Overall Satisfaction, After Sale Service, Customer Service/Advice, Finance Options, Premises, Range of Vehicles and Value for Money.

See our Ratings Methodology.

Most Satisfied Customers | Toyota

For the second year in a row, Kiwi used car buyers have voted Toyota No.1  for customer satisfaction.

How we rate used car dealers

Our review compares used car dealers on customer satisfaction, so you can discover what other Kiwis think about our compared used car dealers before you go ahead and purchase a second-hand car. Think of it like asking hundreds of your closest mates which used car dealership they think is best!


Canstar Blue surveyed 606 Kiwis who had purchased a vehicle from a used car dealership in the past three years and asked for their feedback on the used car dealership they used.

  • The outcomes reported in these ratings are measured via accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics.

Respondents rate their satisfaction with their used car dealership from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:

  • Overall Satisfaction: measures consumer satisfaction with a used car dealership as an individual score NOT a combined total of all criteria.
  • Value For Money: the cost is low for the quality and performance of the used car.
  • Customer Service/Advice: the used car dealer offers informed advice and provides clear communication at every step of the purchase process.
  • After Sale Service: dealership delivers a high-quality of after-care services.
  • Range of Vehicles: a wide selection of used cars are available to choose from.
  • Premises: the used car dealership is clean and safe, with an easily navigated display of used cars.
  • Finance options available: financing options are available when purchasing a used vehicle.

The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall Satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall Satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.

  • Overall Satisfaction is asked as a specific question and represents an individual measure, not a combined total of all criteria.
  • When we cannot determine a clear winner from the criteria for the Overall Satisfaction rating, we will then look at the other criteria measured in the rating.
    • The brand with the highest number of five-star ratings within the supporting criteria will become the five-star recipient in overall satisfaction, and thus win the award. If a clear leader still cannot be determined from the supporting criteria, joint winners will be declared.

Used car dealerships must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all dealerships available in the market have been compared in this survey. The dealerships rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.

  • Toyota (used car department)
  • Turners Cars
  • 2 Cheap Cars


Find more information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.

Best used car dealerships in New Zealand

  1. Toyota (used car department)
  2. Turners Cars
  3. 2 Cheap Cars

Toyota

Ratings Results

Once again, Toyota has taken out the award for Most Satisfied Customers | Used Car Dealership. It’s the only dealership to earn 5 Stars for overall satisfaction, a rating it achieves alongside a sweep of high scores across all categories. Toyota’s customers award it a top rating in every category except one, After Sale Service, for which it earns a strong 4-Star Rating.

Editor’s Notes

The Toyota Motor Corporation was founded by the Toyoda Spinning and Weaving Company in 1936. Since then it has grown into a multi-trillion dollar company that operates in over 170 countries.

Toyota carved out its success by manufacturing high-quality cars, vans and trucks that set the standard for long-term resale value and durability.

Toyota offers a huge selection of reliable, high-quality NZ used and carefully selected imports.

Each vehicle in Toyota’s used car department is meticulously checked and serviced by an expert technician before being mechanically certified. So you can be sure they’re safe and sound.

All Toyota Certified cars come with:

  • One-year mechanical warranty with unlimited kms
  • AA Roadside membership for 12 months
  • One free WOF check

The Toyota Certified Package can be upgraded from the standard one year, to a maximum of four years. To view Toyota’s full range of used cars, click here.


Turners logo used car dealershipsTurners Cars

Ratings Results

Turners Cars rates highly this year, earning second place in all categories but After Sale Service. Turners Cars shares a 3-Star rating for second place in the category. The dealership also scores highly across the remaining categories, earning 4-Star ratings across the board.

Editor’s Notes

After over 50 years in business, Turners Cars is going strong as the largest seller of cars, trucks and machinery in NZ. Turners Cars now boasts 20 car dealer locations nationwide. The dealership also sells and buys motorcycles, boats, trucks and caravans.

Turners Cars is able to organise car and personal finance through a range of lenders. The dealership also offers two car insurance options:

  • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (MBI)
  • Car Insurance: in case of accident, fire, theft and third-party damage

2 Cheap Cars

Ratings Results

While 2 Cheap Cars doesn’t manage to score above a 3-Star rating in any category, the dealership is consistent, earning a clean sweep of 3-Star ratings across the board. While not a top rating, 3-Stars still indicates that 2 Cheap Cars consumers are content with the value and selection of their used car options.

Editor’s Notes

2 Cheap Cars is the most recently established in our line-up of used car dealerships. Despite only opening its doors in 2011, 2 Cheap Cars has already grown to 12 branches across the country.

2 Cheap Cars buys and sells vehicles, and allows sellers to use their trade-in amount as a deposit on a new car.

To make buying a car easier than ever, 2 Cheap Cars has the option of buying a car online and having it shipped to your door or nearest branch.

The dealership also offers a range of insurance options.


 

Other used car dealerships

Not all dealerships in the market qualify for our ratings (based on minimum survey sample size), but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth considering. Here are some other dealerships to check out before making a purchase decision.

  • Mitsubishi (used car department)
  • Hyundai (used car department)
  • Honda (used car department)

Mitsubishi

Editor’s Notes

Since the introduction of its first car in 1917, Mitsubishi has grown into one of the largest car manufacturers in the world.

Mitsubishi sells and buys used vehicles, streamlining the process by allowing sellers to receive a quote online.

Like most used car dealerships, Mitsubishi can organise finance and insurance options during the purchasing process.


hyundai logoHyundai

Editor’s Notes

Korean car producer Hyundai was established in 1967. Currently, it exports vehicles to over 190 countries.

All its dealerships have Hyundai-specific diagnostic equipment, and its mechanics are Hyundai trained. So you can expect your used Hyundai to be in great shape.

Hyundai offers 12-, 24- and 36-month extended warranties on used cars that are less than 10 years old and have under 200,000km on the clock.


Honda

Editor’s Notes

Originally a motorbike company, Honda didn’t begin producing cars until 1963. Today, Honda vehicles can be found in more than 150 countries across the globe.

Honda offers two options when buying a used car:

  • Used cars
  • Premier Class used cars

Each Premier Class vehicle is NZ-new, no more than eight years old and has a maximum travel distance of 100,000km on the clock.

Premier Class vehicles also come with a complimentary first year WOF and a three-year unlimited-kilometer warranty.

Choosing the Right Used Car Dealership for You

Used car needs vary from person to person, depending on budget and vehicle preference. But whether you’re a family of six looking for an affordable people mover, or a lone petrolhead, one thing is paramount: value for money.

In our survey, over a third of respondents base their used car purchase on how much bang they’re getting for their buck. A used car dealership’s premises ranks at the bottom of the list of influencing factors. It’s understandable, given the fact you’re buying a car, not leasing the building it comes in!

Here’s the full rundown of what the consumers in our survey say are the main things they consider when rating their choice of used car dealership:

  • Value for Money: 34%
  • Customer Service/Advice: 31%
  • After Sale Service: 20%
  • Range of Vehicles: 8%
  • Finance Options Available: 5%
  • Premises: 2%

How Often Should You Service Your Car?

What is a car service?

A car service can range from a routine once-over, comprising topping up of fluids and an oil and filter change, to a more comprehensive inspection, testing a variety of components, which can take hours. But in general, a car service is a maintenance check: cleaning, refilling, replacing and inspecting the components that keep cars running.

How often does your car need servicing?

As a general rule of thumb, professional car servicing is recommended every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first. But if you’ve an older model, it could need more regular servicing, such as every six months.

When working out what’s best for your car, you need to take into consideration:

  • Its make, model and year
  • How often you use it (kilometres travelled)
  • Your normal type of driving, such as city or country driving

You should also pay attention to the things you can do yourself in terms of basic maintenance between services. This includes checking tyre pressure and engine oil levels and ensuring all the car’s lights are operational, etc.

Of course, if you notice any issues between services (such as warning lights coming on, or irregular noises) it’s important to get the problem looked at sooner rather than later.

What happens if you skip your car service?

By skipping your car servicing, you can cause much bigger, and more expensive problems down the line. The biggest potential issue is your car’s oil. The breakdown of oil or the sludging of oil can both wreak havoc on your car engine. If that happens, fixing your engine will be a lot more costly than a service.

Furthermore, car servicing keeps your car running at its most efficient, so by skipping servicing you could find your fuel economy gets worse. This can lead to added pain at the pump.

How much does a car service cost?

The price of a car service depends on a range of factors. Providers all have different costs, and most will have more than one package on offer, ranging from a basic service up to more comprehensive options. The make, model, and fuel type of your vehicle may also impact the price.

In general, a car service can cost anywhere from $100 – $350. Keep in mind that services at the lower end will be much more basic.

About the author of this page

This report was written by Canstar Content Producer, Caitlin Bingham. Caitlin is an experienced writer whose passion for creativity led her to study communication and journalism. She began her career freelancing as a content writer, before joining the Canstar team.

More Information

Key statistics

Would buy a new car if they could afford it: 58%

Always takes out comprehensive car insurance: 57%

Chose to buy from a used-car dealership because of trade-in options: 31%

Planning to purchase a second hand hybrid/electric car in the future: 29%

Have had good after-care service for their used car: 29%

Trusts used car dealers: 26%

Arranges finance before visiting a car dealership: 20%

Have had a bad experience when buying a used car: 15%

 

 

Canstar Blue surveyed 2505 New Zealand consumers across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from respondents who had purchased a used car from a used car dealership in the past three years. In this case, 606 New Zealanders.

Dealerships must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all dealerships in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criterion.

 

The past winners from Canstar Blue’s Used Car Dealership ratings:

  • 2022: Toyota (Used Car Department)
  • 2021: Turners Cars

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