Innholdsfortegnelse for February 1, 2016 i Leisure Wheels

Criminal life is easy Compliments on a very good magazine – I really enjoy every issue. Reading the column by Jannie Herbst in the January edition, I could not help but think how the lack of proper systems in SA is making a criminal out of me. We were on holiday with our caravan and we drove from Gauteng to the Southern Cape. After being home for about three weeks, I received a speeding fine from Plettenberg Bay for driving too fast on the R2, which has a speed limit of 80km/h. I received this notice by post, with photo and all. Being guilty and also being a lawabiding citizen, I went to the bank to pay the fine into the account given on the notice. While I was waiting…

jannie@leisurewheels.com After creating WIEL motoring magazine in 1978 and selling the title in 1989, I stayed on for six years to run the business for what was then Times Media Limited. By 1995, after 17 years of looking after my “baby”, I called it quits – and embarked on the next phase of my journey. After stopping over in Hong Kong on many previous visits to the East during my WIEL years, and getting to know the place reasonably well, a business opportunity beckoned: buy goods in China and sell them in SA. I found an FM radio that looked like an old-style jukebox. In Sandton, this radio sold for R830. I sourced exactly the same unit from a Chinese factory for R8. I also found cool wristwatch radios, and…

My association with the Volkswagen Kombi and Caravelle has always been one of carefree holidays and good times. I remember being ferried in the 1990s from Cape Town to Nature’s Valley near Plettenberg Bay in a T3 Kombi carrying our motley high school hiking group, with REM’s Night Swimming as our unifying anthem. I was also one of a group of exuberant teenagers, shuttled down to the beach for a summer evening party by a willing parent. (Who wouldn’t want to drive rambunctious youngsters down to the shore? You may not have your choice of music, but being surrounded by carefree, energetic teens can stir a hint of unexpected nostalgia.) So what is it that gives the “Volksie bus” its appeal, beyond its size and specifications? Perhaps it is about…

Admittedly, National Luna didn’t think much of LED technology when it first appeared in the outdoor market. At the time, it was one of the word’s largest manufacturers of 12VDC fluorescent lights, and it was clear that LEDs had a long way to go before they could rival the light quality of a good fluorescent unit. As it turned out, National Luna had underestimated the public’s interest in newfangled technology, and the quality of 12V LED lighting rapidly evolved. It wasn’t long before the sales of fluorescent lights dropped, and the company began its quest to create the ultimate LED camping light. The process started in 2010, took some five years to complete, and cost more than R3.5 million to develop and improve on the available LED technology, but it…

Even if it is a simple recovery, such as using a pull strap to rescue a vehicle, the chances are that the strap or bag may have got dirty, either from sand or mud and water. More equipment would be used in a difficult recover. You have invested a lot of money in your recovery equipment, so it’s obvious that you want it to last. For this reason it’s imperative that you carry out preventive maintenance measures, before and after it is used. All too often one is tempted to pack away the kit and move on after a difficult recovery, but you should never do this. As part of the packing up process, in which you gather and check that you’ve got all your own stuff back, clean things…

PUFF ADDERS The puff adder is by far the best known of SA’s venomous snakes, and if you search the internet for “snake responsible for the most snakebite deaths in Africa,” it comes up first. It is also known as the snake responsible for the most serious bites in southern Africa. However, both these statements are actually incorrect, and they are not the only myths about the puff adder. It supposedly only strikes backwards – an impossible feat if you look at the fang structure of any adder. Adder fangs are large, hinged and recurved, and fold back against the roof of the mouth when the mouth is closed. The puff adder is certainly one of the fastest striking snakes in Africa. The mouth opens wide, the fangs are swung…

Denis Stigant’s letter in the January edition, “It’s all about Terrain Response”, and his allegations that “Land Rover’s Terrain Response has taken all the traction out of the tyres and into the system, thereby eliminating the need for one to deflate tyres” prompted this reply. He is referring to the 20inch low profile allterrain tyres fitted to the Range Rovers. This is not a “standard” tyre, as the tyre was specifically developed by Continental for Range Rover. And yes, we have to admit that progress in this field is undeniable. However, the rules of physics may be bent in one way or another (even with software) but they still rule! Here are the facts: A large wheel/tyre may improve road holding and handling, but delivers a harsher ride. The more…

gerhard@leisurewheels.com It all started with an innocent “ping” from my cellphone. I can’t remember the exact wording, but the message was something on the lines of “Park your car in a safe place, because a hailstorm is approaching.” I walked outside and sure enough, a few dark blue clouds were assembling above the Leisure Wheels office. The cars were parked in a safe spot, but I hit the road, hoping to get the Duster into my garage at home before the hail started. Alas, it was not to be. I was barely a kilometre from the office when the first raindrops appeared on the windscreen, so I headed for the nearest underground parking lot, which happened to be at Northgate Mall. With the Duster safely parked under a few metres…

If the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 is the “King of Africa,” where does that leave the Lexus LX? The press release refers to it as The Great Conqueror, but we look at that chintzy grille and it simply shouts “Emperor”! It’s like Xerxes – the tall, muscular fellow from 300 who successfully brought down King Leonidas. He quite liked dressing up in a fancy golden Speedo with accompanying golden armour and jewellery, while the Lexus prefers to adorn itself in chrome and LED lights. Both make a statement that says something like, “Look at me – I’m in charge, boet”. So, if the Land Cruiser is the King, then the Lexus is the Emperor – a few notches higher on the social totem pole. The question is, which one should…

The modern age of the amphibious vehicle kicked off in Germany at the start of the Second World War, when the Volkswagen Schimmwagen was developed. It was to become the most widely produced amphibious car in history. American generals, who had ordered the creation of the iconic Jeep, also identified the need for a light armoured vehicle that could “swim” through rivers. So they commissioned an amphibious light attack vehicle. It made sense to base it on the Jeep, and the Ford GPA was born. Unfortunately the GPA, or Seep, as it was known, was far less successful than its land-based cousin. At 1600kg it was just too heavy for its task and floundered in even slightly choppy water. The weight also counted against it on land and it often…

HARRISMITH We are so used to passing through Harrismith or just stopping at the Wimpy that we miss the most beautiful places around this border town between the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal. We hardly notice Platberg, with the cross on top. But during a conversation with Ben Deysel, a Harrismith businessman, he told me that he would put together a 4x4 trip that would open our eyes about this English-named town populated by Afrikaners. We took up the challenge and Ben surprised us by putting together a most interesting 4x4 trip. The owners of 25 vehicles gathered at Sir Harry’s Lodge on a Wednesday. Each day we explored a different area, returning to the beautiful lodge in the evenings for a good meal and a warm bed. On the Thursday…

FUEL Petrol and diesel fuels are mixtures of particular combinations of hydrogen and carbon called alkanes. Both these fuels are obtained mostly from crude oil, also called petroleum – from the Greek petra (rock) and the Latin oleum (oil). Fuel is a mixture of many compounds. The initial distillation of the average barrel of crude contains refinery gas (1,0 to 2,0 per cent), virgin petrol (15% to 30%), kerosene (10% to 15%), diesel oil (15% to 20%) and a residue (40% to 50%). Petrol A petrol engine is designed to burn fuel in a controlled manner. This means the flame has to ignite only after the spark has occurred, and spread across the combustion chamber without the excess heat causing other flames to start. Uncontrolled combustion is called detonation and…

It’s been a very difficult past few months for fuel retailers throughout SA. There has been a clear and definite attack on the black economic empowerment (BEE) status of ownership of retail petrol sites. I know that we have seen it coming over the past two years and we have had to fight off the oil companies on this issue, but the latest rumblings are, I believe, from the government’s side. I have never wanted to delve into the politics of our sector, but unfortunately I do feel the need to enlighten readers on the current status of our business. I initially got involved in this industry many years ago, because I believed that I was getting into a recession proof business. Everyone needs petrol, no matter how much it…

Off-road enthusiasts are spoilt for choice in the all-terrain tyre market, but when it comes to mud-terrains, one name always pops up - the Cooper Discoverer STT. With more than 10 years service in the 4x4 game, the STT has earned its reputation as an excellent off-road tyre. 4WD Truckin’ has fitted hundreds of STTs for customers’ business and personal vehicles, which is why they were thrilled when Cooper released their all-new STT PRO – and raring to go when asked to build a rig that could challenge the new mud-terrain tyre. The vehicle As always, 4WD Truckin’ was keen to do things a little differently. The Wrangler Rubicon is the obvious choice for any trail-driving rig and these days, modified Wranglers are becoming the norm rather than the exception.…

Hellcat powered Hauk revealed This Hauk-built Jeep Wrangler with a Hellcat-derived supercharged V8 under its hood is a powerful beast. Hauk Designs has created one of the craziest (and certainly fastest) Wranglers ever, installing a 527kW 6,2-litre Hellcat engine with 880Nm of torque paired with an automatic five-speed gearbox from Mercedes, in a five-door Rubicon model. Unlike other similar projects, the Hauk-built Hellcat Wrangler is not a once-off but one of 50 units. Hauk Designs has used six-piston Baer brakes, sports-tuned suspension with Bilstein performance shocks, upgraded drive shafts and HID headlight conversion. No performance figures were given, but the Hellcat engine allows a Dodge Challenger to accelerate to 100km/h in around four seconds and go on to a top speed of 320km/h. We would guess that you could get…

The article by Johan Badenhorst in your September issue on the “longest road on the continent” reminded me of a true story I saw on TV in Europe (and subsequently read) about an expedition of vehicles from Europe to Africa. The date was 14 February 1975 and the starting point was the town of Kragujevac in the former Yugoslavia. Their destination was Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The vehicles were communist era, five-door passenger cars made by the now defunct Yugoslav automobile giant, Zastava, and the aim of the expedition was to showcase the car’s ability as a family transporter, even over the harshest terrain. The group drove through Greece, crossed over to Egypt, and then travelled through Sudan, Uganda and Kenya before finally reaching the base of Mt Kilimanjaro in…

Ten families and their children gathered early on a Saturday morning in the bushveld, where they were welcomed by Leilani Basson, owner and founder of the Bush Babes Adventure and Safari Club. The farm’s owners explained how a rhino sanctuary was started there, and what it did. The Bush Babies and Bush Bugs Club members then each received a gift bag including a T-shirt, a rhino pen and flashlight, and materials for the day’s activities. The farm – the location is not being disclosed for security reasons – is home to a herd of 40 rhinos including rescued animals, rhinos recovering from injuries and others from game farms that need sanctuary from poachers. In addition to the rhinos, there are horses, mountain zebra, a breeding pair of ostriches, elusive warthogs…

LOGISTICS Voetspore 10 was a visit to the island of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Getting there poses an immediate problem for people in an expedition – how do you get your cars there? Over the past 15 years we have travelled to all corners of Africa. More often than not, this has involved shipping the vehicles either to or from the destination. Our first experience in the shipment of three expedition vehicles was in 2004, and involved getting our cars back to SA from Egypt. This problem had an additional challenge – we did not have the correct Carnet de Passage. To enter Egypt one has to pay 200% of the value of your vehicle as a deposit in order to obtain a temporary import/export permit. That was not…

BE SAFE It hardly takes a second, and yet we are too lazy to do it. I’m talking, of course, about buckling up the seat belt. Here are some startling statistics: According to offence surveys conducted by the Road Traffic Management Corporation, less than 65% of South Africans buckle up in general. For rear seat passengers, the figure stands at a shockingly low 2%! And this during peak holiday season, so you can imagine what it’s like at other times of the year. Having worked at numerous roadblocks in my day, I’m always dumbfounded at the number of motorists who don’t bother to use their seat belts. If you are not going to buckle up at a massive roadblock, when are you going to do so? The excuses for not…