Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2015 i Go! Drive & Camp

Ranger snapping at the heels of the Hilux The Ford Ranger has been the top selling model for three consecutive months – April, May and June – across all vehicle segments in South Africa. The bakkie outsold the Toyota Hilux, its closest rival, which had been the top seller in February and March and the overall best selling vehicle of 2014. However, Toyota still holds the crown as the overall month to month best selling brand since the start of the year, according to statistics from the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa). The second and third places alternate each month between Ford and Volkswagen. Toyota, Lexus and Hino all recently received gold awards at the National Automobile Dealers Association’s (Nada) annual Dealer Satisfaction Index Awards. Dealerships…

Motion sickness, sometimes referred to as car or sea sickness, is a very common disturbance of the inner ear caused by repeated motion. Anyone can develop motion sickness, but since some people are more sensitive to movement than others, they are more likely to get car sick. Motion sickness most commonly affects children between 2 and 12 years of age, pregnant women and people who are prone to migraines. You see it often in people hanging over the sides of ships or boats, especially in choppy waters, but motion sickness can also develop from the movement of a car or from turbulence in an aeroplane, also usually in stormy, turbulent weather. What causes motion sickness? Motion sickness is thought to occur when there’s a conflict between what your eyes see…

SPACE FOR MORE. The extra seats in the rear are not optional, but they fold away nicely enough so that your space is not compromised. LIFT HIM UP. The air suspension can be set higher for rough terrain, but it drops again if you drive faster than 40km/h. TECHNOLOGY FOR AFRICA... IntelliSafe technology’s purpose is to keep the driver, passengers and pedestrians safe. ADAPTABLE. The platform of the XC90 was developed to be adapted for use in any Volvo model. Thus the same technology will be available across all Volvos. The Swedes at Volvo’s head office were not the only ones that were excited about the arrival of the XC90. The first 1927 models that were offered online at the end of last year, sold out within 47 hours. In…

The Koës Pan Rally had its beginning in 1985, when Koos Retief and Jan Tyres, the school principal, got into an argument about whose bakkie was the best. Ewert Smith (of Uri fame) went along with them when they decided to settle the argument on the pan and between the dunes. From there, Koos Retief, along with the other founding members, which includes Kiewiet de Villiers, decided that it would be a good idea to host the rally every year. Over the years it became a very popular event, and the Koës Pan Rally now forms part of a three stage championship that takes place in Keetmanshoop, Koës and Swakopmund. The men who take it seriously participate in all three stages to decide a winner, while those who just do…

BEST TIME TO GO: The winters are cold, but it’s a special time in the Karoo, especially Sutherland. It’s best to try avoid the sweltering summers. WHAT DID YOU GO WITH? A Toyota Fortuner 3.0 D-4D (4x4). FUEL CONSUMPTION? 8,9 litre/100 km. WHAT WERE THE ROADS LIKE? The dirt roads were in a good condition during my visit, but they can get nasty when it rains. The area is also infamous for sharp rocks that can destroy tyres. If you only come in one vehicle, make sure it’s in top condition, especially the spare wheel. If you land in trouble here, you’ll wait or walk for a long time to get help. PHONE RECEPTION? Very little, and only in Sutherland. BEST PLACE TO SEE GAME? I saw the most animals…

Spectacular Lesotho See Sani Pass, Katse Dam, Maletsunyane Falls and Thaba Bosiu on a six-day, guided self-drive tour with Drive Out Tours, in conjunction with Bhejane 4x4 Adventures. DAY 1: Our adventure starts in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands town of Himeville, where we meet at the Stone House Café. For the rest of the day we do the awe-inspiring drive up Sani Pass. After clearing customs on the South African side, we have a picnic lunch and then make our way up the pass with more than enough time to enjoy the scenery and take many pictures. Our accommodation for the night is the cosy Sani Mountain Lodge. It feels like you’re literally on top of the world at this lodge, which is built on the edge of the Drakensberg and…

Going to Doringbos 4x4 is a little bit like going to the gym.You can start with a nice warm up on an easy trail and then get into some serious heavy lifting on another trail. Doringbos, formerly known as Riverbank, lies on the banks of the Modder River, just below the wall of the Krugersdrift Dam. It is divided into two main sections, namely the Easy Trail and the Extreme Trail. As the name suggests, the Easy Trail is suitable for beginners without much off-road driving experience. But the extreme trail is definitely only for drivers who have a good knowledge of 4x4 driving and understand different types of terrain. If you take on the extreme trail, you should be certain of your skills as well as your vehicle’s capabilities.…

Buy a permit in advance from Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism in Swakopmund or Walvis Bay. Check the tides (at www.satides.co.za), and the fine print of your vehi- EK cle WIL ’s insurance OOK GAAN ! ! Bring recovery equipment and make sure you know how to use it. Consider a guide. Even if you are an experienced 4x4 driver and comfortable with deep sand driving, it might be a good idea to team up with a local tour guide, at least for your first trip. It may sound expensive, but driving with a tour operator in their vehicle definitely has its advantages. In fact, the major tour operators in the area won’t provide guides for self-drive tourists because they consider the risks too high. It costs around R1…

TOUGH MAP FOR A LEKKER TRIP SLINGSBY’S EXPLORING THE WILD COAST (4TH EDITION) Distributed by Slingsby Maps Available at numerous book and sports stores and on the distributor’s website ( www.slingsbymaps.com ) Recommended price: R150 The Wild Coast is one of the prettiest coast lines in South Africa, though not one of the easiest to tour. The state of the roads is alarming, road signs are scarce and night driving is a nightmare. Because of this, Peter Slingsby’s Wild Coast map has been a Bible for countless people that visit this coast. He didn’t sell out all 14000 of them for no reason. The latest edition, number 4, is roughly a third bigger than the previous one and has a host of valuable updates.…

A successful braai involves more than just hot coals and good meat. You also need pleasant company, something refreshing to drink – as well as the right salt and spices for the meat, or it will taste rather bland. And let’s forget about all the sauces and marinades that some people practically drown their meat in nowadays. Good meat doesn’t need it. Because all you really need is a bit of salt – and, at most, one or two other flavours. Over the years, salt has started to make way for “braai salt” and a host of other spices that are available for the adventurous braaier. There are so many options that it can be overwhelming. But how do they taste? To answer that question, three of us sat down…

These two headed north Eric Thorburn visited Sandwich Harbour in Namibia and came back with a well-photographed story. Tell us about one of your best travel memories The time I hiked in the Himalayas with some friends and family must be one of my most unforgettable experiences. What’s your favourite place in the bush? A wilderness trail in iMfolozi. What’s your number 1 travel tip? Do your homework – read up and ask questions. It all adds to the anticipation. So you plan ahead? Very much so. The ideas and the planning are reasons why I love to travel to wild and wonderful places, and are just as important as the experience itself. Which destination in Southern Africa is high on your list? The Masai Mara, I’d like to see…

As with the majority of 4x4 equipment, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the information and advertising hype surrounding different tyre types and brands. I was perplexed recently about what tyres to fit to my FJ Cruiser when they needed replacing. I spent an inordinate amount of time investigating, comparing and speaking to four-wheel drive owners, tyre merchants and 4x4 experts. In the end, I was no closer to making an informed decision. I did come to one conclusion though. There’s a lot of opinion out there based on very little evidence. Furthermore, you can get both good and bad ratings for just about every brand and tyre model on the market. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe… There’s a string of AWD and four-wheel drive vehicles around, and several types…

You can’t always stop motion sickness, but the following tips can help you prevent or at least lessen its severity when it does happen. Try these tips before and while you travel. 1 Eat right. If you know you’re going to be travelling in a vehicle, plane or boat, watch what you eat and drink the night before (and during the trip). Don’t drink too much alcohol and stay away from foods and drinks that generally don’t agree with you or make you feel unusually full. Heavy, spicy or fatty foods could mess with your stomach before a journey even starts and makes motion sickness worse in some people. 2 Get fresh air. Open a vent or source of fresh air whenever possible and avoid strong food odours in the…

WHAT DID YOU DRIVE? A Toyota Fortuner 3.0 D4-D 4x4. HOW WERE THE ROADS? For the most part I did not need 4x4, but the parts between Sehlabathebe and Katse, and also around Katse Dam, require it. In the wet it is definitely essential, as is low range. WHERE CAN I FILL UP? Fill up as close to the border as possible as proper fuel stations are rare in Lesotho. There are however fuel stations in Semonkong, Thaba-Tseka and Butha-Buthe. WHERE CAN I BUY FOOD? We bought all our food in South Africa and didn’t have an issue bringing it across the border. In bigger towns you will find small grocery shops and there is also food available at lodges. Be sure to inform the staff ahead of time if…

When? The Koës Pan Rally takes place every year over the first weekend of July. For more information on the event, or to enter, contact Hester de Villiers at plaashansa@iway.com.na; +264 81 275 5498. Where? Koës is in the south east of Namibia, about 130 km to the north east of Keetmanshoop. What did you drive? We drove a new Volkswagen Amarok 2.0 BiTDi with an eight speed automatic gearbox. The perfect vehicle for such a long trip. Fuel consumption? Between 9 and 10 litre/100 km. Where can I stay? • The tented town of I Dream Africa offers tents that are already pitched and have beds; you only bring your own bedding. They also have warm water ablutions and breakfast is provided. Contact I Dream Africa Tours & Safaris…

When you want to cook like a man, an oven tray just doesn’t cut it. There is something about a fire that calls to the prehistoric nature in a guy. That’s not even mentioning the atmosphere and kuier around the fire. But there is only one way to determine which wood is “the best”: You gather wood from all over South Africa (charcoal and briquettes didn’t make the cut!) and subject it to a few tests. AVAILABILITY AND PROTECTION A wide variety of woods are used each week in braai fires around the country. But even though most are region-specific, it helps to know which one will work best in the environment that you find yourself in. The eight wood types we decided to test are those that are quite…

1 START AT THE BEGINNING. The first step is to get a base reading on the dyno. The Disco’s initial figures – 142 kW and 370 Nm – were enough for me and I didn’t consider more power or torque to be necessary. The main aim of the performance chip for me was to improve fuel consumption. This is a common request from people fitting chips: more kilometres per litre, please. 2 GAS IS IMPORTANT. The temperature of the exhaust gas and the unburned fuel in the gas can give a technician a very good idea of the engine’s performance. A Lambda sensor is fitted to the exhaust pipe to measure the exhaust gas temperature and the amount of unburned fuel. It is also important because the exhaust temperature should…

ON THE TRAIL How long is the route? 20 km (4-5 hours). Number of vehicles: Minimum 6, maximum 12. Best time of year? All year round. Do I get a map? No, the trail is guided. Will my car get scratched? It’s unlikely. Should I take my running boards off? Definitely, especially for the extreme course. Should I take a compressor? Yes, you’ll have to reduce your tyre pressure for the trails. Can I turn around halfway? Yes. Can we have a braai on the route? No, only at the start or end. Are there ablution facilities for day visitors? Yes. Can I see game? Yes – kudu, red hartebeest, eland, gemsbok, wildebeest, impala, springbok and zebra. AROUND THE TRAIL Best time to go? All year round. Can I take…

PHOTO OF THE MONTH: Smile for the camera! Villiers Steyn Canon 5D MkIII, Canon 70-200 f/2.8 lens and Canon Speedlite 580EX II flash (settings: f/3.2, 1/100 sec, ISO 800, flash EV +11/ 3) A trip to the bush without a group photo is like a soft-serve ice cream without a Flake. Because you just can’t come home without a snapshot of your family and friends. For me, it is these kinds of photos that bring back the best memories. IF YOU FOLLOW THESE FOUR STEPS, YOUR GROUP PHOTOS WILL BE SOMETHING TO BRAG ABOUT: STEP 1: Watch out for the sun The best time for a group photo is at dusk. At this time of day, everyone is usually standing around with a drink in hand, and your “subjects” are…

WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR STORY! Have you been on exciting adventures or to interesting places in your Fortuner? If you can answer “yes” to the above, send us your story for inclusion in our Toyota Fortuner #TellBetterStories series. This is what we need from you: A story of between 600 and 1000 words where you tell us more about your Fortuner. Please write it in story form, and not short, cryptic telegram-style language. We also need a minimum of four photos of your Fortuner in action, plus pictures of you/your whole family with the Fortuner. Photos must be high-resolution. You are welcome to send more than four photos. Tips on how to write your “My Fortuner and I” story in a jiffy: 1. How long have you had your…

Engine: 2 993 cc V6 turbo-diesel Power: 215 kW @ 4000 r/min Torque: 600 Nm @ 1 500 - 1 750 r/min Top speed: 210 km/h 0-100 km/h: 7,2 s Transmission: 8-speed automatic gearbox, full-time four wheel drive and electronic traction control. Suspension: Electric independent air suspension front and rear. Tyres: 255/55R20 Fuel tank: 80 litre Fuel consumption: 7,9 litre/100km (combined cycle) Ground clearance: 213 mm - 278 mm (with air suspension) Approach angle: 19,4°- 27,2° (with air suspension) Departure angle: 24,9° - 31° (with air suspension) Wading depth: 850 mm Weight: 2 115 kg Towing capacity: 3 500 kg (braked) Warranty: 3 year/100 000 km Service plan: 5 year/100 000 km Price: R1 170 231…

GOPRO HERO4 SESSION The smallest GoPro yet Hot on the heels of the GoPro Hero+, the manufacturer has now released the new GoPro Hero4 Session. The Session is the smallest GoPro on the market to date. It is almost as big as two matchboxes placed on top of each other and weighs the same as a packet of two minute noodles. But it’s not light on features. The Hero4 Session shoots video in 1080p60, 720p100 or 1440p30 and takes 8MP photos – in single shots, bursts or time lapses. This little guy is also kitted out with Superview, in order to take ultra wide shots, ProTune for outstanding image quality and smart technology for good photos and videos in low light. You can control it with the button on the…

1 Measure and cut. Cut the steel plates for the tank according to the measurements of your vehicle. 2 Slosh stoppers. Weld the baffles to the inside of the tank to prevent the fuel from sloshing around in the tank. 3 In and out. Drill holes for the inlet and drainage pipes, as well as a third hole for the breather pipe. Weld the connectors for these pipes in place. 4 Build it. Weld the panels for the tank together. Make sure there are no leaks in the welding before you install the tank in the vehicle. 5 Tilt. Make sure the tank sits at a slight angle so the fuel runs towards the drainage pipe. 6 Connect it. Connect the inlet pipe with pipe clamps and the solenoid on…

Luckily, when you want to install a performance chip for your vehicle, it won’t take all day. The process for a diesel engine can take less than an hour, and a petrol engine usually takes up to two hours. You can sit in the waiting room while your bakkie gets a kick up the backside. A Dastek Unichip like this one for the Land Rover Discovery 1 V8 costs R3150 with installation and tuning. For a Toyota Hilux D-4D or similar bakkies it costs around R5000 – depending on the engine’s computer. Visit www.steves.co.za to find out where your nearest Steve’s Auto Clinic is.…