Page 11 - Car South Africa (February 2020)

HORSES FOR COURSES I think CAR should do a bit of on a Friday afternoon. finance after putting down a
For years, men have stood round cloak and dagger with a dy- The agent from the Pretoria substantial deposit. I requested
the braai and compared their cars’ namometer to see whether they dealership flew in the following prime minus something on the
performance. As most have never fiddle with the figures. Saturday to hand over the car. To basis that I have an excellent
been to a test facility or a skid pan, Many thanks for half a century my horror, the local dealer had credit record. I was a little put
the majority of the conversations of entertainment. put stickers in such a position on out when I could only secure a
are hearsay and ego. Facts are ERIC SCOBLE my new car that removing them prime plus rate of 10,5%.
often of little consequence when Kenilworth risked affecting the demisting Upon questioning the lady
making comparisons. function on my rear windscreen. at the dealership, I learnt that,
As a reader of CAR for half a Even my previous Benz was if you seek finance of less than
century, I am of the opinion your FREE ADVERTISING bought cheaper in Cape Town R250 000, the banks apply a
performance measurements are Talking about dealerships force- which is about 700 km away and higher rate of interest, whereas
the best judgement of the truth. fully branding our cars [see Mail, was driven up, thanks to a lack of if you exceed this amount, they
A couple of decades ago, it October 2019], I ordered my new local competition. Fortunately for apply a more competitive rate.
was a common belief Japanese Mercedes-Benz through a dealer- them, I’ll be forced to service my In a country where the gener-
ponies seemed to be smaller than ship in Pretoria at the beginning car with them for the next five al populace is in the process of
German ponies (when referring to of this year because our local years. How I wish I had a choice. self-destruction through exces-
factory claimed output). I remem- (yes, the biggest in the province) Thanks for a great motoring sive credit, it would appear the
ber my dad’s 280SE with 120 kW dealership in the Eastern Cape magazine over the years. Keep it up. banks are guilty of speeding up
would run away from a Skyline or wanted me to trade in my previ- MZEE this process to its logical end.
Cressida with 140 kW. ous-generation C-Class for next to Via email Some of your readers may
I doubt the quoted outputs of Ko- nothing. So much for not having not be aware of this aberration.
rean and Chinese cars. Often, their competition in town. The model I DAVID CROSSLEY
outputs are equivalent to the best ordered is manufactured only in FINANCING WOES Gauteng
of BMW for similar engine sizes but Germany so it was delivered via In July this year, I purchased
studying the 0-100 km/h times, the East London harbour and brought a Honda HR-V to replace my [Have other readers had similar
small ponies are exposed. to the local dealership by road late 17-year-old CR-V. I required experiences? – editor.]