I founded Screan because it solves a problem I have always had when trying to buy a pre-owned car.
A couple of years ago, during Level 3 lockdown, I was looking to buy a second-hand car. Like many coastal people, I liked the idea of buying a car inland where there seems to be more options to choose from, and less rust issues. I found a car that I thought would be perfect for me up in Johannesburg. I made an arrangement with the dealer and flew up from Cape Town to go and view the car. My plan was that I’d hopefully buy it and then drive it back home.
When I arrived at the dealer, the car was not there. I was told to wait while it was brought from who knows where. Suffice to say, the car never showed up. In the hour or so that they made me wait, the dealer tried to sell me another similar car, which I could see was a rebuild. I checked the car’s VIN number with the manufacturer and it turns out that the dealer had turned back the odometer and lied about its age.
Nevertheless, I was determined to buy a car while I was in Joburg, so I ordered an Uber and asked him to drive me around looking for a suitable car to buy. Luckily for me, my Uber driver, Ronald, used to sell second hand cars and helped me look for my new wheels, advising me on which dealers to avoid. With his help, I found the car I was looking for.
Long story short, Ronald became the first ‘Screaner’ on the Screan platform when I launched it a year or so later. He’s given me great insights into how the industry operates.
The Screan story is just getting started. We’ve recently expanded our service to other pre-owned categories including caravans, trailers, leisure boats, and classic cars.
It’s really rewarding to know that many hundreds — and eventually thousands — of people, our Screaners, will be able to earn an income by offering a much-needed service on a product they know a great deal about.
I am also a big fan of our natural world, so Screan’s founding concept of making a positive impact — reducing waste by re-utilising existing products rather than discarding them and buying new ones — is of great environmental significance and another personal motivation to launch the platform.
The Screaners and I look forward to being of service to you!
Mike Schlebach
Founder
Screan
