Asian cars take lead in Egypt’s used car market

Japanese and Korean cars are more saleable in the Egyptian used car market because of their comparatively cheap prices, easy maintenance and available spare parts,” said Amir, manager of a used car agency which is a stone’s throw from the massive used car marketplace in the Egyptian capital Cairo.

It was such a busy summer Friday in Nasr City eastern Cairo, as dozens of used cars, surrounded by hundreds of buyers, sellers and dealers, parked on the two sides of the main Ahmed al-Zomor Street that leads to the main yard containing about 1,000 second-hand cars for sale.

On the way to the main yard, Yassin, a 30-year-old truck driver, was waiting for his friend inside a 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer that is displayed for sale at 77,000 Egyptian pounds (around 10,000 US dollars).

“I am here with my friend to help him sell his used car whose condition is 80 percent good,” Yassin told Xinhua, adding that some people come to the car market for Japanese cars in particular “as they are more reliable, more enjoyable in driving and more resalable.”

At the main parking lot for used cars, Hussein, a little-bearded car dealer in his 40’s, was offering two cars for sale, a red 1984 Italian Fiat 128 and a silver 1999 Korean Daewoo Leganza.