Dealer Purchase

To clarify, firstly there are used cars and new used cars. No, this is not an editing omission. You see, there are bona fide dealers in Addis (the big ones) that actually sell used cars imported direct from their countries of manufacture.
Strange as it sounds, it means there are "new" used cars - the 'direct' imports from Korea, Japan Europe as opposed to local used cars sold by the yemekina - delala.
Most of those cute little Ticos, Atoz and Picanto's that buzz around Addis are 'imported' used cars.
Purchasing such vehicles is considered by many to be the best way of being reasonably sure you are not buying a worthless bag of nuts and bolts. The authentic dealers have reputations to protect as many are also the sole authorized agents of successful and popular brands.
The used cars available at one of these genuine dealerships or at some of their affiliated dealers are relatively well maintained and the bodywork tends to be quite good - in some cases, the cars could be mistaken for brand new. Prices for such "new used cars" occupies the midrange smack in between the high brand new car prices and the lower delala quotes.

The Newspaper Advertised contact

A few newspapers publish classifieds advertising vehicles but you might as well not bother to read them for the meager information they "provide'. Below is an actual example (slightly doctored for anonymity) of an Ethiopian newspaper ad. Contrast it with a clipping from abroad about a relatively equivalent vehicle.
For starters, classified ads for vehicles on Ethiopia's papers, as you can note from sample A, don't give out much information. What little they do tell you may be totally inaccurate (2000 model). Sample B, from a Kenyan daily, supplies us with over eight details. The car has a turbo diesel, fuel injected engine, automatic gears, air conditioning sun - roof, taxes are paid and we have an asking price followed by the abbreviation 'NPO' to denote that the seller will accept the nearest price offered ( to 600,000).

Local classified
Toyota Prado 2000 model, silver color price: negotiable
Contact Abebe 09111234567

Foriegn classified
B.2000 Toyota Prado TDI, Auto, silver A/C, S/r, Duty paid, Excellent condition
ETB 600,000 or NPO

To be continued...