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MOTORING WitnessWheels
December 4, 2014
3
Best value on the block
ALWYN VILJOEN gets his trucking heart pumping in the discounted JMC Vigus double cab
R260 K for a new luxury double cab
with a 2,4 turbo diesel. Surely there is
a printing error?
I called Metro Cars, the only JMC
dealer in Pietermaritzburg, to check.
“No error,” I was told. JMC had
dropped the price in time for the festive
season.
“The petrol Vigus LX 4x2 is even
cheaper at R230 K. Would I like to test
drive one?”
Would I ever. Having sung the prais­
es of the JMC Vigus 4x4 on these pages,
I was keen to see if the 4x2 would have
as comfortable a ride as the 4x4.
I had punished the Vigus 4x4 up the
deeply rutted The Slope and over
KZN’s old railway roads, and was thor­
oughly impressed by both the ride
comfort and ability, going on record
that only a Nissan Navara was kinder
to my tender kidneys over rough surfac­
es.
But not everyone needs a 4x4 drive­
train, which adds R96 K to the price
of the neat­looking Vigus.
I thought the double cab 4x2 with
its three­quarter­ton payload and stur­
dy tie hooks offered the bonus of also
being a comfortable weekend family ve­
hicle for the man who ferries stuff for
his business.
But as I don’t ferry any more, I felt
in need of a second opinion, so I
stopped Dawood Huzaif as he came
past in a Japanese bakkie loaded with
heads of cabbages and bundles of crispy
spinach.
Huzaif is a sixth­year medical stu­
dent home for the holidays from Stel­
lenbosch, helping out as driver in the
family business, Impala Fruiteriers.
Being a total petrolhead, his dream
is to get the 2014 BMW M5 when he
qualifies as a GP.
He said he loves driving anything —
except bakkies. But even this Beemer
lover admitted to being impressed by
the Vigus.
As we drove the dirt tracks around
Next up was Jemma Gurn, on holiday
from Zimbabwe and bird spotting at
the Darvill waterworks. She grew up
driving doorless Land Rovers and
bumpy Land Cruisers “in bushes sim­
ply bulging with elephants” and liked
the way the seat hugged her butt.
She did not, however, like how the
back of the seat had to be pulled up
by hand to adjust it.
When the 4x4 Vigus launched, I not­
ed its price was too close to that of the
Hilux to attract bakkie buyers interest­
ed in a Chinese bargains.
Now that JMC has heavily discount­
ed its seven Vigus bakkies, I have to
change my tune, especially if you con­
sider the Jianling Motor Corporation
(JMC) has been Ford’s engine partner
in China since 1997.
The Vigus boasts a previous genera­
tion Ford turbo diesel engine under the
hood and in Metro Cars, Vigus buyers
also have a reliable service centre that
continues the bargain prices set by the
dealers on the shop floor.
All this helps to make the Vigus
currently the best value double cab on
the block, not just when compared with
the stiff competition from the surpris­
ing but rough Tata Xenon, strong
Mahindra Scorpio, or smooth Sang­
Yong Actyon, but even including the
Japanese bakkies.
ABOVE: Jemma Gurn likes the Vigus’s butt­hugging seats.
BELOW: Part­time driver and full­time medical student Dawood Huzaif likes the refined engine.
PHOTOS: ALWYN VILJOEN
V DAWOOD
HUZAIF
THE NUMBERS
“I never expected a
Chinese bakkie to
be this nice. The
engine is very
refined.”
Camperdown, he told me of his first
Chinese bakkie. “I once drove a Go­
Now to Cape Town. It was the most
horrible vehicle ever.
Discounted double cab Vigus prices
“So I never expected a Chinese bak­
kie to be this nice. The engine is very
refined.
“It is also capable over the dirt. I
think it will be perfect for the family
about town,” Huzaif said.
All it needed was a Bluetooth radio,
he thought.
4x2 LX petrol R229 990
4x2 SLX petrol R259 990
4x2 LX diesel R259 990
4x2 SLX diesel R289 990
4x4 LX petrol R295 990
4x4 LX diesel R325 990
4x4 SLX diesel R355 990
(All prices include a three­year or 100 000
km warrantee and five­year or 60 000 km
service plan with 24 hr roadside assist).
www.boschservice.co.za
Customer Care Line: 0861 BOSCH SERVICE (0861 267 247)
Diesel Works
18 Perth Street
Pietremaritzburg
KwaZulu-Natal
3201
Tel: 033 394 9932
Fax: 033 394 8148
Email: [email protected]
Priced just shy of R170 K, the 1,4 UteForce Edition pays homage to
Chevrolet’s work in the upliftment of underprivileged communities
in South Africa.
PHOTO: QUICKPIC
Chev adds charm’s
brute force to UteForce
CHEVROLET has launched the 1,4
UteForce Edition, the last of the
three Chevrolet Special Edition
vehicles introduced this year.
Based on the 1,4 model, the
UteForce Edition pays homage to
Chevrolet’s work in the upliftment
of underprivileged communities in
South Africa.
“The UteForce campaign was in­
troduced in 2010 at the launch of
the current Chevrolet Utility. The
idea behind the concept was to
become an enabling platform from
which skilled experts from various
backgrounds could launch sustaina­
ble
community
upliftment
projects,” said Chevrolet brand
manager at General Motors South
Africa (GMSA), Tim Hendon.
Chevrolet is now offering 300 Ute­
Force Edition vehicles, which are
built at the Struandale plant in Port
Elizabeth, ensuring great exclusivi­
ty.
The upgrades include 15­inch
gunmetal alloy wheels, a stainless
steel sports bar, special black Ute­
Force Edition decals, a tonneau cov­
er and a standard audio system.
It is available exclusively in Vector
Blue, Athenian White or striking
Maranello Red. The UteForce retails
for R160 900, including GMSA’s
five­year/120 000 km warranty, with
a service plan available as an option.
— Supplied.
Specializing in the following
services and products
• Remanufacture, run, test
and supply of new Bosch
common rail injectors
• Remanufacture of common
rail high pressure pumps
• Run and test other
Japanese and American
manufactured common rail
injectors
• Repair and rebuilding of
• Bosch unit injectors for
Volvo, Scania, Iveco and
Nissan UD
• Remanufacture of VP 44/29
injector pumps
• Repairs to most makes of
diesel pumps
• Repairs to two-spring
injectors
• Repairs, service exchange
and new turbos available
• Diesel and petrol exhaust
gas analysis
• 4 x 4 dyno tuning
• Diagnostics of almost all
vehicles and trucks
• We collect and deliver
Bosch Car Service...
Fair price and best advice for all vehicles
Thank you to all
clients and
readers for your
tremendous
support
Witness Wheels last edition
will be 11 December 2014
and will publish again on
15 January 2015
Witness Wheels
For more information on Witness Wheels advertising
Contact Avir on 084 278 3447 or [email protected]