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BLESSING WRITES: I am interested in buying a pre-owned 2014 Renault Clio Dynamique with a mileage of 46 000km. I intend to use it in the e-hailing Taxify/Bolt business. What is your advice regarding maintenance and parts in case of mechanical problems? This will be my first car.
JUSTUS: Although the Clio is a lovely car to drive, I’ve heard of timing chain problems with that model’s 898cc turbo engine. If the chain fails, the result is enormous damage to the engine. Play it safe, spend a bit more and buy a Toyota Corolla Quest, Toyota Etios or a Nissan Almera with a manual gearbox.
PUMZA WRITES: Having read a lot about the negative health consequences of air pollution, I’m considering going electric. I drive a 2016 BMW X5 Diesel that I love, and I commute daily between Vanderbijlpark and Sandton. Is it sensible to swap it for an electric car? If so, which one?
JUSTUS: Even if you charge an electric vehicle (EV) with Eskom power, that electricity mostly comes from coal-fired power stations. However, your EV would still cause less pollution than a petrol or diesel car. Going electric is a great step, but EVs are costly. In South Africa, the import duty on an EV is higher than on a standard car and the batteries in EVs are supercostly. Luckily, they easily last eight years. If you love your X5, an electric SUV such as the Jaguar I-Pace would be a perfect fit. Its price is a stratospheric R1.7 million, though. The latest generation BMW i3 eDrive is an excellent car and can drive a distance of 240km on a single charge. It’s a quality car and is fun to drive, but the boot is small. At R664 000, the BMW i3 price matches that of a new BMW 320i, but it will be much cheaper to run the i3 than the 320i. Your daily round-trip commuting distance comes to 170km, so you’ll have at least 50km in reserve in case of emergency. But your office building should have a conveniently located plug somewhere to top up the battery. Charging the battery at home will typically take about eight hours. Due to load shedding, ensure you plug the car in when power is available. Or invest R300 000 in a home solar panel system and never spend money on fuel or electricity again.
JANINE WRITES: My retired mother’s 2007 Corolla was stolen recently and the insurance paid out R85 000. She needs a small city car that can make occasional trips between Cape Town and Langebaan. She wants to add R35 000 from her savings, which gives her a budget of R120 000 for a replacement. The insurance company provided her with a Suzuki Swift as a courtesy car, and she loved it. Is it a good buy?
JUSTUS: The Swift is an excellent car, and a used 2017 Swift 1.2 model goes for about R120 000. However, she can spend less and still get a vehicle that meets her requirements. A 2017 Chevy Spark LS can cost R100 000 or less. Also try out the Hyundai i10, Hyundai Grand i10 or Kia Picanto at around the R100 000 mark, but make sure the car you choose has ABS brakes and at least two front air bags.
ADRI WRITES: I want to trade in my old Jeep Compass for a new automatic SUV with seven seats. I like the Ford Everest, but our budget doesn’t stretch that far. What do you recommend?
JUSTUS: I recommend the VW Tiguan Allspace 1.4 TSI Trendline DSG (R473 600), the Mahindra XUV500 2.2CRDe W8 auto (R415 000) and the Nissan X-Trail 2.5 4x4 Acenta+ CVT (R488 500). The VW’s fuel efficiency and gearbox are superior to that of the X-Trail’s, but the latter will have more standard features, such as leather upholstery. The X-Trail also has the advantage of four-wheel-drive, which is handy if your family has an adventurous streak. The Mahindra is the oldest of the three, but has been refined and improved over the years. Don’t expect more than a sliver of luggage space if seats six and seven are in use, though. The Mahindra is also the only one of the three with a diesel engine, so it will be the most fuel-efficient.
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