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| The Nissan 1400 bakkie is only in museum catalogs in Japan, but in South Africa the tiny pickup is still as popular today among artisans as it was at launch in June 1971. |
There are a slew of used small bakkies for sale, but South African’s currently have only three new small bakkies to choose from. They are the:
- 1,4 diesel Tata Ace,
- 1,3 petrol Changan Star and
- either a petrol or diesel Nissan NP200.
None of these bakkies have the sex appeal offered by the big double cabs, but all of them will do much less harm to a start-up’s cash flow.
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| The Rivian has so much sex appeal, its is more a pick-up line than pick up. |
Used bakkie competitors
On used car lots, buyers can choose between several used “half-tonners”, ranging from the frugal Fiat Strada and robust Ford Bantam to the lesser-spotted Proton Arena, Daihatsu GranMax and Suzuki Carry, as well as the ever-green Nissan 1400.
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| The old Ford Bantam is still VERY popular with thieves. |
Of these, the Bantam and the 1400 are the most popular. Nissan stopped making the 1400 in 2008, when the last models were snapped up at R89 100. Yet these basic bakkies are still so popular that dealers can list mint-condition 1400s for as much as R74,000. This amounts to depreciation of only 20,41% over 11 years, compared to most bakkies that lose some 30% as soon as you drive them out of the showroom.
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| The "4x4 turbo" sticker on the left of this 1400 may be optimistic, but alongside the Afrikaans sticker on the right "make way, the beer is getting warm!" it epitomises the 1400's work-hard-play-harder spirit. |
Five boxes to tick when buying a bakkie.
Fleet operators and small business owners who swear by the 1400 and the Bantam told Wheels these run-abouts are the cheapest to maintain and run among all the small bakkies out there.
The only drawback is that thieves also value these traits, and unless you lock up your 1400 or Bantam, they will be stolen as certain as the sun will rise.
Which is why buyers should consider the more economical NP200, Tata Ace or Changan Star.
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| The tailgate on the Nissan NP200 can carry 300 kg, while coil springs and a torsion bar makes for a softer ride. |
Nissan NP200 for dirty driving
Selling from R178 000 with a petrol engine (either eight or 16-valves), or the gutsy K9K turbo diesel, the NP200 has proven its reliability to fleet operators since 2008.
The bin fits a pallet and can carry 580 kg, with a short ratios on the first three gears of the five speed gearbox delivering good acceleration when fully loaded, and longer ratios in the top gears to save fuel.
The load is carried on 15-inch wheels — the largest wheels of the three bakkies listed here — and a torsion bar supported by coil instead of leave springs, for a softer ride.
A 50-litre fuel tank give a range of over 600 km, while a six-year or 150 000 warranty being the longest here.
Its ground clearance of 177 mm is the highest among the three bakkies, making this the choice for drivers who frequent dirt roads.
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| Tata is offering the canopy in the price, making this the ideal workhorse for sparkies and spaza shop owners. |
Tata Ace for sparkies and spazas
The multi-franchise dealers that sell Tata have done the first generation of the tough little Ace no favours and owners have been slow to forgive and forget.
But the testimonials on Tata Motor’s website show Tata has since been making their clients much happier, which makes the R167 k asking price for Super Ace less of a risk. The price includes a rather short three-year or 60 000 km service plan and a three-year or 100 000 km warranty, but Tata also throw in three years of roadside assistance.
The heart of the new Super Ace is a little 1,4 intercooled diesel that makes 52 kW and 135 Nm from 2 500 rpm, every Newton of which gets put down to move its one ton through a short ratio, five speed manual transmission. Tata is currently offering a R10 000 cash back and a canopy, which should interest people carrying valuble loads, like spaza owners and electricians.
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| The tough little Changan takes up where the Chana (below) left off. |
Changan Star for couriers
Selling from R141 880, Changan’s 1,3 petrol is the cheapest small bakkie in SA today.
A super and double cab is also available, but Wheels likes the Mini Van most. It costs R11k more, than the drop side bakkie, and offers sliding doors, a low floor and a high roof that make this one-tonner van ideal for parcel couriers who are delivering the growing number of parcels bought online.
The 1,3-litre petrol mill is, however, made for last mile deliveries rather than long roads, making 60 kW at 5 300 rpm and a relatively low 102 Nm from 3 500 rpm.
Lower power does mean consumption can be as low as 6,5/100km, but this will double if the bakkie carries its 900 kg payload on the 165/65R13 wheels.
Changan includes a three year or 100 000 km warranty, with Metro Cars in Pietermaritzburg the leading seller and servicer of these willing Chinese workhorses.
(First published in Witness Wheels.)
(First published in Witness Wheels.)
