Featured

There is no one answer that fits the question whether a 20-year-old car is too old to buy or not. When one is deciding to buy a car they are either importing it or purchasing it from the local suppliers. So in respect to a scenario where you want to import the car then the simple answer is “it is too old to buy” because the age limit in Zimbabwe restricts you to cars not older than 10 years. However, when it comes to the cars already available within the country there are many dynamics that comes to play which we will elaborate in details today. The age of a car can play a role in the motor vehicle lifespan, but it isn’t always the best metric to gauge the potential longevity of a vehicle. Some older, well-maintained vehicles could be nearly as reliable as newer model years based on design, low usage and good maintenance history. So assuming you want to buy the car using asset financing from the banks then trying to buy a 20-year-old car is a non-starter because the local financial institutions do not finance any car older than 10 years. Advertisements The banks prefer to finance cars that are relatively younger as that connects to better reliability informed by warranty, low mileage and spares availability. In majority of financing terms, the car itself is the collateral for the loan and hence this logic by the trade finance departments of banks. On the other hand, the younger generation and the female drivers are more likely not to be interested in the old model cars because the majority of them are manual transmission with limited functionalities and the driving experience is much more complicated than the modern cars. My knowledge in this industry has taught me that nostalgia, simpler driving experience and the potential for easier maintenance and repairs attracts the older generation drivers to the older and familiar car models like the 20-year-old we are talking about today. These cars evoke old memories of the past such as their youth or their significant milestones over the years. This influences a constant market for some of these old car models for much longer which also comes with big savings on pricing. This scenario ultimately results in the questions as to how old is too old for a used vehicle? Is there a definitive age cutoff when it comes to buying a reliable used car model?  I know for certain that the age of a car isn’t as important as its mileage, the car make or model, and overall reliability when it comes to a car’s lifespan. A 20-year-old car that has traveled above the average annual kilometers driven per year of say 10,000kms is likely to be considered to be well past its prime time. On the other hand, vehicles that have accumulated fewer kilometres per year than the annual average and are well-maintained could still last for many years before developing perennial mechanical issues. So in real sense there isn’t a specific vehicle age where any car becomes so pronounced that it’s rendered completely useless. I can, therefore, factually say that the age of a car may not be the best indicator of where a vehicle is in its lifespan, but mileage can help car buyers understand how many kilometres and years a vehicle has left on average. However, it is also important to mention that the actual mileage to be used to judge the car’s remaining lifespan dependent on the type of car brand. The mileage cannot be the same on Toyota, Mercedes Benz, Nissan, Mazda, BMW or Audi car models. But one thing for sure is that the smallest cars by engine size will run for between 300 000 to 400 000km before developing a major problem. So the 400 000km  is a fair mileage number to set as the end of a small car’s lifespan from an optimistic point of view. I also observed that the bigger engine size private cars and trucks go as much as between 600,000kms to 900,000kms and again depending on the brands and models. So the vehicle age does not correlate with mileage because the annual mileage a driver accumulates can vary. My professional opinion then is that no car is too old to buy by merely using its year of manufacture (age) as the basis of your decision or judgement. It is my advice that one should pay attention to the physical condition of the car, check its mileage if genuine and corresponding with the overall condition. More importantly one should check if the engine has never been opened before and if it accident free in order to be able to give a full judgement on whether to buy it or not. Assuming you find that the engine is not running perfectly perhaps as a result of being due for minor or major service and maybe the suspension system is not as good, but I still recommend you to consider that car because those issues can be addressed and you can use as part of the bargaining tools.  Toyota is a market leader in terms of engine robustness which makes their car models do more mileage than other car brands before developing major problems. Currently Toyota is offering a warranty of 150 000kms or five years, whichever comes first. So the reason why “the car next to you is always a Toyota” is informed by a strong Japanese business philosophy that has resonated with the market worldwide. I strongly urge you to first verify if the mileage of a used vehicle you may want to buy is genuine before purchasing it because that is the best way to judge the lifespan of the car.  It is a sad reality that the majority of used car dealers, mostly in Africa, clock the mileage figures and mislead customers into buying cars at the wrong value and in bad condition.  Although finding someone who is trustworthy in the used

For the first time ever, Toyota South Africa introduced The Land Cruiser 79 double cab with a six-speed automatic gearbox powered by the much respected and more fuel efficient, 2.8-litre GD-6 turbo diesel engine. It is indeed great news for customers who love this model, which has always been on manual gearbox since inception in the 1950s. Now you can combine the ruggedness, sophistication and driving simplicity. The Land Cruiser 79 is built to get you where you are going, may it be to Nyanga forest plantations, to Mutare’s mountainous roads, to your gold mine in Kwekwe or to your sugar cane farm in Chiredzi with very muddy roads. All the double cab Land Cruiser 79 models are four wheel drive and feature a 4-position 4-wheel drive transfer lever, to give you the maximum control. Making its debut in the Land Cruiser 70 series, is the Toyota’s celebrated 2.8-litre four-cylinder GD diesel powerplant, cranking out 150kW of power between 3 000 and 3 400rpm and an effortless 500Nm of torque between 1 600 and 2 800rpm, which is exclusively paired with a lightweight, high efficiency six-speed auto transmission. The Land Cruiser 79 double cab is also offered in a 4.2-litre naturally aspirated diesel engine that puts out 96kW at 3 800rpm and 285Nm at 2 200rpm and a 4.0-litre petrol engine that puts out 170kW at 5 2500rpm and torque of 360Nm at 3 800rpm. Whatever your preference, you can’t go wrong with the Master of Africa. I know for certain that there is a huge celebration from the ladies who didn’t fancy driving the manual models because changing gears is not a piece of cake for the majority of female drivers. With the availability of this model now ladies can take children to school with this vehicle and shoot straight to the farm and delivery some necessities to the workers and drive back in time to pick them after finishing sports around 1600hrs. It is already known that ladies are the “finance directors” at home and if you want to buy it immediately it takes two weeks from South Africa and the price tag l see is around R1,009,000 before export documentation, delivery costs and taxes in Zimbabwe. I am yet to see any adverts of the same model in Zimbabwe to confirm if it is now readily available from the local dealerships. Although the option for owners to convert their manual gearbox units to automatic was available in South Africa in the aftermarket for the J70s powered by a 4.5-litre V8 turbo diesel engine, but l doubt if it was officially approved by the Toyota parent company. And more importantly it was too expensive for the majority of owners to afford it. So l see that Toyota has sought of listened to the market demands and saved its customers from the exorbitant costs to turn the vehicle into automatic transmission. This Land Cruiser 79 double cab now wears a bold, new front fascia with retro-inspired looks that hark back to the original model. Classic circular headlights and LED fog lamps complement the new bonnet, front wheel arches, bumper and grille that proudly displays Toyota across it. Prominent side indicators complete the front redesign. The wheel surface coating has been changed to dark grey metallic paint, while the bumper and grille has been redesigned to feature a black finish – all reinforcing the sense of solidity on all models.  The Land Cruiser 79 double cab looks as it performs. The wonderfully traditional Land Cruiser 79 double cab interior retains all its functionality with standard items like air conditioning and electric windows (one-touch for the driver), but with a few distinctly modern touches. The double cab features Bluetooth. All 2.8-litre models in the range get a new front console as part of the automatic transmission package. The Land Cruiser 79 double cab’s interior maintains its classic style, while adding convenience to match the modern world. ease throughout the ride The spacious interior has refined comfort that awaits the driver and the passengers offering plush seating, automatic air conditioning and intuitive controls.  It has abundance of storage space and connectivity options with three USB ports and invites convenience and relaxation. The Land Cruiser 79 double cab has a ground clearance of 235mm above, allowing the vehicle to sail over obstacles with confidence, making it easy for you to explore everywhere. Driver and front passenger airbags are standard on the Land Cruiser 79 double cab, while the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) prevents wheels from locking up when driving on slippery surfaces and the standard rear differential provides extra traction for the rear-wheels to help you negotiate out of sticky situations. For security and peace of mind, all models are now fitted with an alarm/immobilizer system. Further driver support systems in the form of Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Hill Assist Control (HAC), Traction Control (TRC), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Brake Assist (BA) and Downhill Assist Control (DAC) come standard on the 2.8 models. However, for the “diehard” manual gearbox drivers you still can choose the 79 4.2D-4D V8 or the 79 4.5D-4D V8 manual transmission on this 79 series model. I know the biggest question customers have is about the power between the 2.8-litre motor against the 4.5-litre V8? In fact, the 2.8-litre competes very well because it only produces 1 kW less (150 kW), but steps ahead of the larger unit by 70 Nm (500 Nm). By the way it is actually lighter, more fuel efficient that means it is kinder to the environment. Another source of comfort for you is to be informed that generally the technology of engines is focusing on reducing the engine sizes. The 2007 Land Cruiser 200 series was a 4.5-litre for the diesel engine and 4.6-litre for the Japanese petrol engine but the latest 2024 Land Cruiser 300 series diesel engine is a 3.3-litre and the petrol version is a 3.5-litre. The 2014 Ford Ranger Wildtrak was a 3.2-litre on the diesel engine and