Sawa Cars
Sell

How Sawa works

Verified information first. Direct agreement second.

Sawa Cars verifies sellers, inspects every car on 150 points and publishes what it finds. You and the seller agree the price and pay each other directly. Sawa Cars never holds the money.

Browse carsSubmit a vehicle

Why it exists

Provenance is the hard problem here

Not price. Not choice. Knowing what the car in front of you has actually been through.

Most cars on Rwandan roads arrived as used imports, many of them right-hand drive from Japan. Their service history was written somewhere else. The odometer is hard to verify. And a private buyer has no practical way to audit the paperwork before handing over money.

A classifieds site does not solve that. It carries whatever is posted to it. The seller writes the description, takes the photographs, and is the only person who has looked under the bonnet.

So Sawa Cars took the opposite position. We take the car in and run a 150-point check on its mechanics, body, electronics and documents. We photograph it. The listing goes live only after an admin review. The seller keeps control of the price. We keep control of the truth.

One standard. 150 checks. Every car.

Each tick is one item an inspector checks by hand at a Sawa centre. The tall ones are the 49 critical items. Every car is published with its result, so a missed item is something you see before you call, not after.

items, one point each
150items, one point each
or more with no critical failure earns a pass
105or more with no critical failure earns a pass
critical items, shown on the report if one fails
49critical items, shown on the report if one fails
An inspector checks a car's wheel arch while its owner looks on
  • Engine & drivetrain25 points, 4 critical
  • Brakes & steering25 points, 14 critical
  • Body & exterior20 points, 7 critical
  • Interior & comfort20 points
  • Electronics & safety20 points, 8 critical
  • Tyres & wheels15 points, 8 critical
  • Documentation & roadworthiness25 points, 8 critical

Platform controls

Five layers before and during contact

Each one is specific, auditable and limited to what the platform can actually control.

  • Inspection Information

    Where an inspection has been completed, the listing shows the recorded mechanical, body, electronics and document checks so buyers can make a better-informed decision.

  • Verified Sellers

    Seller identity and account status are reviewed before a vehicle can be published. Business providers receive a separate verification control.

  • Clear Evidence

    Listings distinguish recorded checks from unknown information. Buyers should still verify the vehicle and original documents before agreeing a deal.

  • Consent-Based Contact

    A seller’s phone or WhatsApp number is shared only when that seller enables it and a signed-in buyer acknowledges the direct-deal notice.

  • Controlled Publication

    Only authorized administrators can publish listings. Identity, inspection and photo requirements are checked again at publication time.

What Sawa controls
Account access, seller verification status, publication gates, listing moderation, consent-based contact disclosure, platform messages and audit history.
What users control
Viewings, independent checks, negotiation, contract, payment, deposit, ownership transfer, delivery, pickup, return, insurance, and any disagreement about the deal.

Where we draw the line

Four things Sawa Cars will not do

Most of what makes this marketplace trustworthy is what it refuses to offer.

  • We do not take payments

    There is no checkout, payment gateway or escrow in the app or website. Buyers, sellers and rental providers decide payment directly at their own risk.

  • We do not let sellers publish

    A seller submits a car. Only the Sawa team can turn a submission into a listing, and only after the car has been at a center.

  • We do not hide what we found

    Every live listing has a 150-point report behind it. A low score or a critical defect is shown on the listing, never removed from it.

  • We do not manage user contracts

    We do not confirm the sale or rental, hold a deposit, write your contract, transfer ownership or settle disagreements between you and the other side.

For buyers

From listing to direct deal

Contacting a seller starts a conversation. It does not reserve the car or create a transaction with Sawa Cars.

  1. 1

    Review the listing

    Read the vehicle details, gallery, inspection information and any limitations before contacting the seller.

  2. 2

    Contact the seller

    Use in-app chat, phone or WhatsApp when the verified seller has enabled that channel.

  3. 3

    Inspect and verify

    Arrange your own viewing or additional inspection and check the vehicle, VIN, original documents and ownership independently.

  4. 4

    Agree written terms

    Buyer and seller decide the price, payment method, delivery, ownership transfer and written contract directly.

  5. 5

    Complete the deal independently

    You pay the seller directly, and any problem with the deal is settled between the two of you.

Four checks before you commit

Platform verification reduces uncertainty; it does not replace your own due diligence or a written agreement.

  1. 1

    Before contact

    Compare the listing, gallery, inspection record and seller verification. Treat unknown information as unknown.

  2. 2

    Before paying

    See the vehicle, verify the VIN and original ownership documents, and independently confirm the recipient and payment method.

  3. 3

    Before signing

    Put the price, condition, included items, transfer, delivery, deposit and cancellation terms in a written agreement between the parties.

  4. 4

    After agreement

    Keep copies of messages, documents and receipts. Sawa Cars cannot reverse or decide a payment or contract made outside the platform.

For sellers

Controlled publication, direct enquiries

Submit the vehicle and complete verification. An authorized admin publishes only after the configured evidence checks pass.

Your responsibility after publication: keep the listing accurate, respond truthfully, disclose changes, and document any independent agreement with the buyer.

  1. 1

    Submit your car

    Make, model, mileage and your asking price, then a one-time ID check. Both work here on the website or in the app.

  2. 2

    Book the inspection

    Pick a centre and a time, and bring the car and its documents. A Sawa mechanic runs the 150 checks.

  3. 3

    We publish it

    Our team adds the photos and publishes the listing with its full report. Only Sawa staff can publish.

  4. 4

    Buyers contact you

    Through in-app messages, or by phone and WhatsApp if you allow it. You keep control of the price.

  5. 5

    You agree the sale directly

    Price, payment, transfer and handover are agreed between you and the buyer.

Before you commit

Do I pay anything through the app or website?

No. Sawa Cars has no checkout or payment gateway for vehicle sales or rentals. Buyers, sellers and rental providers decide payment and contract arrangements directly and should document them carefully.

What does the 150-point inspection actually cover?

Seven categories, 150 items, one point each. Every item is graded pass, flag or fail. The full report is on the listing before you commit.

Does Sawa Cars guarantee the transaction?

No. Sawa Cars reviews listings and seller eligibility, but it does not guarantee a vehicle, payment, rental deposit, contract, delivery or outcome between users. Always inspect, verify and agree terms in writing.

Can sellers list cars themselves?

Sellers submit vehicle information and can manage approved listing details, but only an authorized administrator can make a listing public after the required checks.

What does it cost to sell?

One charge: the 150-point inspection, paid at the centre (the current price is on the Sell page). Listing your car, buyer messages and the valuation are free, and Sawa Cars never takes a share of the sale.

Does contacting a seller reserve a car?

No. Contacting a seller starts a conversation only. Availability remains the seller’s responsibility until you and the seller make your own agreement.

Do I need the mobile app, or can I do everything on the web?

Everything works on the web: browsing, inspection reports, saved cars, messages, ID verification, submitting a car and your account. The app adds push notifications and a faster camera.

Which areas do you cover?

We operate inspection services across Kigali. Listings show the location supplied for each vehicle. Buyer and seller decide where to view or exchange a vehicle.

Where we work

Inspection centers in Kigali

These locations support platform inspection services. Users independently decide where and how to complete any later transaction.

  • Kicukiro Center

    Kicukiro

    Address
    KN 5 Rd, Kicukiro
    Opening hours
    Mon–Sat · 8:00 – 18:00

  • Kimironko Center

    Kimironko

    Address
    KG 28 St, Kimironko
    Opening hours
    Mon–Fri · 8:00 – 17:00

  • Nyarutarama Center

    Nyarutarama

    Address
    KG 9 Ave, Nyarutarama
    Opening hours
    Mon–Sat · 8:00 – 18:00
Directions and opening hours