I am interested in buying the new Volkswagen Polo 1.4 and would like some information on how much I  will pay a month. – Andries N

Dear Andries,

Without knowing your other  monthly expenses, I would   suggest you work out your monthly budget first and  don’t  forget things like vehicle  insurance and fuel.

It is more than likely that you  will be penalised financially  by your insurance company because  you only recently  obtained your  driver’s licence. This marks you as  a  higher risk client and either your insurance premium will  be higher  or you will be liable for a larger  excess in the  event of a claim.

If you choose the all-new VW  Polo 1.4i you will be  looking at  between R3000 and R3600 a  month in  instalments – assuming  you put down a decent  deposit.

My advice to you is to rather  go for the Polo Vivo –  essentially  the previous generation Polo –  and you will  pay considerably  less than on a three-door or  five-door  Polo hatchback. I’m  talking of a price difference of up  to  R1000 a month in instalments  for the equivalent-sized  motor.  It’s still a decent car and given  your relative  inexperience behind  the wheel, you might want to  travel  in the older Polo first  before working your way up to  the  big boys.

FUEL CONSUMPTION:

Dear Morgan,

I have a 2.7l Hilux bakkie  which I use for my small  quarry  business. It is serviced  regularly but it is still heavy  on  fuel consumption. What can I do? – N Sithole

Dear N Sithole,

Fuel consumption in any car  is always going to be  dictated by  your use of the vehicle and your  driving style.  If you are using it  in your quarry business, I’m  assuming  it is carrying heavy  loads constantly. This is going to   affect consumption as well as  increase the wear and  tear on  your vehicle. If you drive without  care and redline  the rev counter  before changing gears and brake  at the  last possible second you  will also increase  consumption.

With petrol prices due to be  increased further after the   finance minister’s budget  announcement of added  levies, I  suggest you change your driving  style, reduce  the loads you carry  and perhaps change your fuel   choice. Try BP Ultimate fuel as it has been  independently tested by the AA and found to be better  for your engine than other fuels, even to the point of  giving you  more kilometres per tank.

IS THIS A GOOD BUY?

Dear Morgan,

Can you please tell me  more about the Nissan   Pathfinder? Is it a good car?  Petrol or diesel? I’ve never   driven a diesel car before and  I am a bit sceptical?

The one I am considering  is a 2005 Pathfinder 4.0 V6   petrol automatic with mileage  of 97700km, that has a  front  CD player and central locking  for R199950.

Would this be a good buy,  considering its age and mileage? - Regards – Ernst

Dear Ernst,

The Pathfinder is a fantastic  car, underrated and  extremely  competent on and off-road.

I have taken one of the more  recent model Pathfinders  out on  the trail and it really was such a  pleasure. Its 4x4  system is easy  to engage and used on off-road  courses  and the ride is very cushy  and comfortable.

You could probably get into a  brand new Nissan  Pathfinder  from Mark White Nissan in  Fourways simply  by putting  down a deposit of about R25000  and then  paying fixed  instalments of about R8500 a  month for  three years. This is  part of a guaranteed buy-back  and  you might be restricted in  terms of the overall mileage  that  you do during this time period.

If you stick with your used  car choice, make sure the  vehicle  has a full service history and take  it for an AA test  to determine its  overall condition.

BAKKIE OF CHOICE:

Dear Morgan,

My father is thinking of  buying a double cab bakkie  with  some of his retirement  money. He likes the new  Toyota  Hilux bakkie and it  will probably be his choice.

What are the advantages and  disadvantages (if any) of  buying  a car for cash? – TK Mabale

Dear TK,

A car is not an investment  and in fact the moment your  dad  drives his new Hilux off the  showroom floor it will  have  depreciated in value almost  immediately.

The positive thing about a  cash purchase is that your  dad  has bargaining power as well as  the choice of a  quick deal. He’ll  save on finance charges and  interest  over the next five years if  he makes a cash purchase.

What he should do, however,  is negotiate strenuously  with the  dealer. He could ask for as much  as an eight  percent discount with  some additional accessories   thrown in for good measure.

He might want to look at a  full maintenance plan if the   bakkie of his choice comes with  only a service plan.

Other bakkies worth looking  at would be the Mitsubishi  Triton  and the new Ford Ranger.