Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2015 i Leisure Wheels

E-mail your views to editorial@leisurewheels.com or submit them via our Facebook page or the website at www.leisurewheels.co.za, or fax them to 011 704-3047. We reserve the right to edit and shorten letters. Concise letters will be given preference. Please supply your postal address, in case you win a prize Don’t forget about the Jeep As I said in my letter, “Resurrect the Stompneus” in the March edition, I can’t help being nostalgic about old Suzie, surviving the harsh weather conditions of the Namib Desert for the past 60-odd years! In my comprehensive all-Ford picture collection covering more than half-a-century, I located a photo of a Ford gathering that took place avery long time ago. I had this enlarged and found something quite different, but perhaps fitting for the topic. This…

While I was sitting at a traffic light recently, an Audi pulled up alongside me. This wasn’t just any Audi – it was an RSQ3 – the hottest SUV that Audi produces. With 228 kW of power and 420 Nm of torque, this little crossover is properly fast. And as the “RS” in its name suggests, it was designed to handle corners like a sports car. I couldn’t help glancing over to see who was driving this little beast. To my surprise, the person behind the steering wheel wasn’t some Vettel wannabe. It was a mother, taking her kids to school. The poor kids will start visiting the physiotherapist before they hit puberty! Why, I couldn’t help wondering, would someone purchase an RSQ3 – or any other sports car, for…

www.leisurewheels.co.za Some offence when we call the Toyota Hilux the best bakkie in SA but, according to the public, who are the real decision makers at the end of the day, it is the undisputed champion of the pack. It outsells absolutely everything else and has done so -for more than four decades. It’s so ingrained in SA culture we’re surprised it doesn’t feature on our national -fag. Just imagine the black outline of the current Hilux ascending up the white line surrounding the blue insert… Toyota didn’t beat around the bush in naming this very special Hilux. It’s called the Legend 45 and with good reason. It is a legendary car that has found thousands of loving homes in SA, which has resulted in it» building up a cult…

Brabus tunes Benz crossover Brabus recently unveiled an all-new model based on the Mercedes-Benz GLA 220 CDI. The Brabus Mercedes-Benz GLA comes in an attention-grabbing orange paint job and has shiny black rims. There are also all sorts of black accents, including a spoiler lip and air vents, and special Brabus badges. Under the bonnet, the 220 CDI’s 2,2-litre mill has a bit more power than the standard model. It has 30 kW more power and 60 Nm more torque, taking figures to 155 kW of power and 410 Nm of torque. It’s not the usual jump in performance we associate with Brabus, but it should be more than enough to make the GLA highly entertaining to drive. Land Rover drives Bond baddies Jaguar/Land Rover has announced that it will…

Company: A young company that specialises in the manufacture of interior and exterior products for the 4x4 outdoor market. Using only top quality materials, the Pretoria-based company also does custom work to clients’ specification. Material: 100% cotton canvas (510gsm). This material repels water and is “breathable”, so it’s cool in summer and warm in winter. Washable: Yes, as per instructions. Party trick: Cover Worx started through a passion for Land Rover Defenders, even though the company now produces products for a wide variety of 4x4s. They also do dashboard covers, centre console covers, and a canvas cover for just about everything else in a Defender interior. We reckon: The Cover Worx covers fitted very neatly and tightly onto the Defender seats, and we liked the colour. It’s not a fancy-pantsy…

Company: This Indian company specialises in all types of seat covers… from expensive “art leather” covers to all kinds of other fabrics. Locally, the covers are sold through the Autostyle group. Material: According to Wellfit, these “camo covers” are made from Far East PU leather and European leather cloth, with polyester thread. The covers also come with foam-fabric insets for increased comfort. They are said to be comfortable even in extreme climates, and are easy to clean. Washable: Not a good plan. Party trick: If you wear your camo trousers when you drive your Landy with its camo seat covers, will people be able to see you? Now there’s a question to ponder! We reckon: They are dirt cheap, and they certainly don’t feel as though they would last a…

Company: This Cape Town-based company has been manufacturing seat covers for more than 30 years, specialising in leather, sheep skin and various other materials. Material: The cotton canvas, woven fabric material was designed to be water repellent, rot-proof, fungus resistant and flame retardant. Washable: Yes, as per instructions. Party trick: If you reckon canvas is for every Tom, Dick and Harry, and you’re looking for something different, House of Henry offers custom-made sheep skin seat covers. We reckon: The House of Henry covers are available in black, grey or khaki (or combos thereof), and offer plenty of seat cover for not too money. More information: www.carseatcovers.co.za E-mail info@carseatcovers.co.za; Tel. 021 447-8860.…

I recently spent some tme with the folks from Tiger Wheel &Tyre at the Base 4 facility for one of its club events. The conversaton was rather varied but we chated mainly about tyres, potholes and the inherent dangers of driving on the South African roads today. Given the high death toll, what can we do to make sure that we always reach our destnaton safely, and how do we modify our behaviour to ensure that we do not become a statstc? Here are a few simple rules that Tiger Wheel & Tyre advocate that can really make a diference when it comes to safety. I will not text and drive This is the most dangerous distracton of all for a driver. The minimum amount of tme that your eyes…

On one of our recent 4x4 expeditons to the Skeleton Coast in Namibia, the ladies in the group took some tme to get used to the lack of facilites, and to start making use of the wide-open spaces when nature called. By the third day, though, they had adapted well and made use of nearby sand dunes when needing comfort breaks. The desert was massive and there were no other people around, so we felt quite comfortable finding a quiet spot among the dunes to do our business. It was a common sight to see someone heading over a dune with a spade in one hand and toilet paper in the other. We knew very well that we had to avoid the places where the footprints stopped and turned around!…

For readers who don’t know what Mr Dyck (left) is referring to, Old Suzie was mentioned in the letters section of the March edition. Old Suzie is an old Stompneus Ford left behind in the Namib by a prospector - probably more than 60 years ago. The wreck stands in the desert to this day, and is a popular attraction for dune drivers. Suzie's history is even more interesting than the story of her abandonment. The vehicle was a Canadian military pattern truck, designed to go into battle against the Third Reich. These trucks were made in large numbers during the Second World War, but the story starts in 1937 when the Ford Motor Company of Canada was invited by the country's defence department to discuss a plan to build…

My son and I were out on our Sunday afternoon stroll when we saw it. A brand-new BMW 120d came shuddering towards the four-way junction where we had stopped seconds before. Normally, the cars tend to wave us through, but in this instance I thought it best to let the trembling driver be on his way before attempting to cross. I expected to see a droopy-eyed drunken buffoon when he finally arrived at the stop sign, but I was instead surprised to see that the driver was a young boy. He couldn’t have been more than 12 years old. His face was almost against the windscreen and his feet must have struggled to reach the pedals. You could tell immediately that this young man was in the midst of his…

Subaru SA has introduced a replacement for the ageing Legacy Outback. The new model becomes available in SA this month and is based on the all-new Legacy sedan, which received rave reviews on its recent international debut. Subaru says the new Outback continues to offer an unrivalled blend of versatility and luxury. It is therefore best suited to the family man or woman with an active lifestyle. The Outback is not merely a Legacy on stilts. It receives a new grille while retaining the trademark lower body mouldings to guard against scratches. Don’t be fooled by its staton wagon profile. If previous generations are anything to go by, the new model will be able to go off-road with the best of them, thanks to the X-Mode off-road electronic aids. Subaru…

I found it extremely difficult to choose between these two vehicles because, while I recognize that the Ranger is the better car, I also have a deep emotional bond with the current-generation Hilux. It certainly has its faults, but if I had to choose a car to drive from Johannesburg to Kasane, the Hilux would be on the top of my list. In fact, we did just that late last year. I also recognize that it’s not worth buying a car for its legendary durability purely because you might undertake an overland journey maybe once a year, especially not since there are other competitors out there that are way more comfortable on a day-to-day basis. You also have to keep in mind that rival bakkies aren’t necessarily unreliable just because…

You can have any colour Ford Model T that you want, as long as it is black, said motoring pioneer Henry Ford more than a century ago. But today Henry Ford would probably experience heart palpitations if he was looking at buying some afermarket seat covers, because the local car seat cover industry offers a Smarte box of options, catering for variety of tastes and preferences and wallet thickness. From sheepskin to rip-stop canvas to synthetic materials to leather – there’s a Pandora’s box of options out there. Some may be easy on the pocket, but they may not quite be the ticket when you are sitting next to a watering hole in the Serenget in 40C heat. Others may be expensive but are not as easy on the skin…

Company: Major retail outlet Makro stocks various seat cover products, hailing from China, including the Gladiator Safari set. Material: Made from heavy-duty poly canvas and featuring double sittching, the covers are waterproof and come in a one-size-fits all lay-out. Washable: Yes, hand washable. Party trick: The covers feature special strings on the sides to tighten the ft around the seat back. Another trick is the price… We reckon: Selling for less than R700, these universal seat covers seem to offer a lot of cover for the buck. However, they did not fit the Landy’s front seats particularly well. So you pays your money, you picks your choice. More informaton: www.makro.co.za or visit your nearest outlet.…

Company: The Randburg-based Uthili has been in the upholstery game for the past 15 years, specialising in all matters of upholstery. The company’s canvas seat covers are its bread and butter, though. Material: The cotton canvas material is both waterproof and washable, and you can have it in a number of colour options. Washable: Yes, as per instructions. Party trick: You can have your Uthuli canvas seat covers in any of eight colours! Henry Ford would be impressed! We reckon: The seat covers seemed to be very well designed, and we liked the fact that you could choose from a variety of colours. A solid, middle of the road option. More information: www.uthuli.co.za Tel. 011 795-1541.…

If your wallet is thin but you need a set of seat covers for that trip through Botswana, then we’d recommend the Gladiator Safari covers, sold by Makro. For less than R700 you get seat covers of reasonable quality that should last some distance while protecting your vehicle’s upholstery. If you have a bit more cash, we’d go for the Escape Gear set. With a starting price of around R4000, these covers just worked – from the moment we fitted them, to the way they looked and the way they felt on the skin. Sure, there are more luxurious covers out there (like the Melvill & Moon items) but at the price we reckon Escape Gear has got the balance between quality, looks and feel spot on.…

The story begins with the couple’s decision to follow their dream, and a brief insight into the preparations. The book follows the highs and lows of their travels, the memorable experiences, the wildlife encounters and the people they met along the way. It isn’t intended to be an instruction book on how to go about an overland adventure. There is a wealth of information and advice on that subject on their website.* Nor is it a guidebook on Africa. There are reference sheets on their blog** for each country they visited. Rather, this is a glimpse into the Africa they experienced during a year of following their dream. An excerpt from the book In Morocco, we drove south to M’Hamid for an unquestionably touristy visit into the dunes. The scenery…

There are fve “spitng” snakes in southern Africa – the rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus), the Mozambique spitng cobra (Naja mossambica), the black spitng cobra (Naja nigricincta woodi), the western barred spitng cobra – also known as the zebra cobra (Naja nigricincta nigricincta) – and, just entering Namibia from Angola and Zambia, the black-necked spitng cobra (Naja nigricollis). All of these snakes have the ability to “spit” their venom up to 3m through the air. They perform the act by putng pressure on the venom glands and forcing the venom through the fangs. The small exit hole in the botom of the fangs is angled forward, as opposed to being angled downwards as in other venomous snakes. When spitng, the snake aims at the target’s eyes and can be very accurate. There…

In earlier times there was a clear distnction between of-road vehicles and everyday family cars. These days this distnction is very blurred. Some cars have all the atributes of a four-wheel-drive product, but they transmit power only through two wheels. There are even so-called crossovers that look vaguely like of-road vehicles but have none of their qualites. What atributes are essential in an of-road vehicle? Here’s my list: 1. Good ground clearance is absolutely essential, and generous approach, break-over and departure angles should be part of the design package as well. Protection of vital areas by skid plates is a bonus, but these can be added after purchase. 2. Generous up-and-down wheel travel, controlled by suitable spring rates and matching damping, is not absolutely essential, but many expensive off-road designs…

The Chinese are taking over the African continent. They are building highways, railway lines, harbours, dams, bridges, mines, airports and shopping centres. Soon all Africans will have rice as a staple diet after the continent has gone through this second wave of colonisation. This time, though, it is being colonised by a single country – a resource-hungry giant from the East. It sounds terrible, to be sure, but is this Asian invasion really such a bad thing? The Voetspore team have enjoyed travelling extensively on the continent for 15 years. In this time we have completed five transcontinental routes, and visited major cities such as Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Lusaka, Kampala, Luanda and Kinshasa several times. We have also been fortunate enough to see the immense change that has taken place…

ON PATROL With Eben Delport BIIDS OF THE DESERT Venturing into the Namib, south of Walvis Bay, past the lagoon area towards Sandwich Bay and Conception Bay, one finds one of the world’s prime birding hotspots. You can’t help but be impressed by the sheer numbers of seabirds that transform these areas into a hive of activity. A great variety of species stop over here during their travels, ranging from the little stint to the great white pelican, all adding to the diversity. Thousands of flame-pink flamingos add a splash of colour, as inconspicuous waders dash along the water’s edge. Terns, seemingly in their millions, dot the sky with their pointed wings, and the Cape gannets rain down on the unsuspecting fish below. Black-necked grebes bob on the small swells,…

Depending on the area where a fuel station is situated, it may or may not have a lot of business accounts. My garage is in a commercial area, so I do carry some accounts, and my three biggest ones are with major motor manufacturers. Interestingly, before the 2010 Soccer World Cup it is was illegal to hold accounts, as fuel could not be sold on credit. But in the run-up to the tournament it was decided by government that we could accept credit cards and debit cards for fuel sales, as well as open business accounts. One of my major accounts can run up to R350 000, and I don’t have a deposit from the company, so I actually take a risk by providing credit. But I have made a…

To some observers the Subaru XV may be just another pretend-pretend 4x4 that is really an accountant-type sheep in dingo’s clothing. They’d be wrong. There is much more to the XV 4x4 than meets the eye, and if you add some minor upgrades to the deal… well, then it turns into something a little bit wild. A little road trip to kick things off It all started in June, 2014. There we were, driving on a deserted dirt road, snaking its way towards Sodwana Bay, KwaZulu-Natal. We were in a stock standard Subaru XV, and on a mission to drive from Sodwana on the country’s east coast, using back roads where possible, all the way to Kleinzee on the West Coast. The total distance would be around 4500km. But our…

This is not going to be your typical Leisure Wheels adventure. In this story there won’t be any mention of wheel articulation or locking differentials but fear not, there is method in our madness. We’ve kept an eye on the motoring industry and we’ve noticed an upward spiral of sales in the compact crossover segment. This makes perfect sense, as this type of vehicle really is the car for all occasions – except if said occasion calls for a car to climb over a muddy incline, or forge a river more than one metre deep. Even so, we believe a compact crossover can be chosen for an epic adventure. It all depends on what your definition of an “adventure” is. We’ve reworked our own definition to include the urban environment,…

Company: This Oriental-manufactured product is sold locally through the Autostyle network. Material: The polyester-based material features built-in padded areas for the squabs. Washable: Probably not advisable, no. Party trick: You like your reclining chair in the lounge, in front of the TV? Always wanted a chair like that in your car? Then here’s the seat cover for you! Padded and comfy, it is the Lazy Boy of the seat covers. We reckon: If your 4x4’s seats are really uncomfortable, then these padded seat covers may just be up your alley. But probably not so good for braving the dust and mud and elements in the Serenget though. More informaton: www.autostyle.co.za sales@autostyle.co.za; Tel. 011 661-1700…

Company: In 2000, Melvill & Moon is said to have pioneered the use of removable, washable canvas seat covers for 4x4 and farm vehicles. Today this premium brand manufacturers a range of top quality canvas products in its Port Elizabeth factory. Material: 100% cotton canvas (500gsm) that is waterproof to SABS standards, rot-proofed and made from natural material, covers are breathable and cool to sit on. Washable: Yes, as per instructions. Party trick: Besides manufacturing a top quality range of camping related canvas products, Melvill & Moon has its own limited edition Land Rover Defender! In 2013, in collaboration with Land Rover SA, customers could order this limited edition Defender with R30 000 worth of Melvill & Moon canvas accessories. We reckon: Beautifully designed and with an air of class…