Tick as many
of these four rules as you can
to choose a workhorse on which to
carry your business.
A business needs a longer load bed to carry loads, and this bed pushes the bakkie’s cab over the engine and South Africa's market offers three of these new and several used models that are no longer sold new.
We like the oldest one best, but first more about the newer models.
At one end is Kia’s proven K2700, which sells new for about R162k. Its badge-twin, Hyundai's H100, is no longer on sale as Huyndai focuses on the H1 wagon.
At the other end of the scale is either a new DFSK or one of the as-yet-unsold Chana models.
At the other end of the scale is either a new DFSK or one of the as-yet-unsold Chana models.
Chana went bust in
September, (with the news fittingly announced on Sept 11), but a lot of its willing little deliverers are still pining for an owner on dealers’
floors throughout SA.
If your are not into heavy loads and your driver's buttocks are slim, the Chinese are a steal with R40k price tags. But check our warning below before handing over the moolah!
In between the Koreans and Chinese are Tata’s new Super Ace and Daihatsu’s Gran Max.
Which one to choose?
The Driver offers four rules to make selecting
one easier:
1. The bakkie must earn its keep;
2. More Newtons are better;
3. Workers must sit comfortably;
4. Clients must be impressed.
Practising what we
preach, this writer last year bought an old Mitsubishi L300, which paid for
itself on the first job — after a 1 300 km round trip. Despite its age, the L300
is still formidably capable, not just for a start-up businesses but even for a
whole city. For without L300s, KZN’s capital would grind to a halt, as these
no-frills bakkies transport the municipality’s repair staff and tools.
I chose not to buy a DFSK or Chana because of rule 3.
Like the legendary Nissan 1400, these Chinese vehicles were not
designed for us big-boned Africans, who don’t so much drive these Oriental
models as wear them to work.
But more important,
my rusted L300 cost half the price (rule 1) easily moved over a ton (rule 2) and
sat three comfortably (rule 3). The Chinese and 1400 struggle to carry 350 kg.
My rusty L300 did, however, break rule 4. The Daihatsu Gran Max
makes a much better first impression. Daihatsu also boasts its variable valve
timing “improves fuel consumption, but still gives you the power” at higher
revs. I drove the Gran Max at such revs for 600 km at highway speeds and would
rather face a dentist’s drill than do it again.
In its favour, the Gran Max did lug a ton of bricks over a rough
building terrain (rule 2) and the cab seats three comfortably (rule 3).
The Tata Super Ace is new to our shores, but tens of thousands have
been sold and overloaded in India since 2005. If they can’t break ’em over
there, we won’t break ’em here.
The Ace looks
neutral (rule 4) and a routine lube and filter service comes to less than R2k,
which is good value for money (rule 1).
