Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Our accountant recently advised me to buy a new bakkie to pay less tax, which led to a lot of unsolicited advice from the petrolheads in the office.
Gert, the farm mechanic, wants me to get an affordable Indian bakkie. Raavi, the new vet in town, recommended an even more affordable Chinese brand while I am actually impressed by the powerful American engines.
This short list met with a brick wall in Mbali, our real Zulu princess and strict office manager, who put her foot down and told us the latest model Hilux is our only choice.
When not bossing us around in the office, Mbali competes in the local driftkhana and rally competitions, so her opinion carries a lot of weight.
Service after the sale
Cornering me in the small office kitchen, Mbali ticked off the main reasons why we must get a new Hilux, starting with excellent service from our local Toyota dealer.
Gert said that was only because the local salesman was sweet on Mbali, but she countered that he was one of her many cousins and besides, he spent more time with Gert in the workshop than with her in the office.
“Toyota aims to be the best company in each place they operate and that starts at the dealership level,” Mbali said. “Go sit and listen to customers in the waiting areas of the competition and you will soon hear what a difference this makes.”
Read more about record sales for Toyota South Africa.
Don’t fix what works
I agreed that after-sales service was important, but so is innovation and I pointed out that the 2015 platform on which the Hilux will be built, is now starting to look very dated against the American and Chinese offerings.
Gert cleared his throat and said he had to side with Mbali on this. “When Toyota launched the 2015 platform, their aim was to redefine toughness. A decade later, this platform is still delivering in Africa, Australia and Thailand, three regions known for being very hard on working vehicles. As you always say, don’t fix what isn’t broken.”
Gear-lever gymnastics
I said the facelift given to the Hilux is mostly cosmetic, which had Mbali marching over to her desk to swing her computer screen around. “Tell me you wouldn’t want to make babies in this bakkie,” she said, pointing to her screen saver which showed a series of sneak previews of the new Hilux.
I blushed, for since my wife told Mbali at a year-end braai that our oldest would have been conceived a few months later, were it not for “the gear lever getting a bit in the way” during a downpour on our honeymoon camping trip, I have not heard the end of it.
“Ja well no fine,” I said. “I’ll grant you, the new lights look very modern. But I’ll leave any in-cabin gymnastics to you younger ones. And use your own cars, not the farm bakkie.”
It was Mbali’s turn to blush, and Gert came to her rescue by changing the subject.
Toughness tested in WRC
“It is not the looking but the cooking – and if you watched the Rally Finland last month, you would have seen Toyota dominate everyone else.”
Mbali was immediately hooked. “Jislaaik, it was a good rally. The winner, Kalle Rovanperä, set the fastest record yet in World Rally Championship history, averaging 129,9km/h! On slippery gravel! With huge jumps! In a Toyota Yaris!”
“Well, it is a rally spec Yaris, but yes, I was also impressed with how the Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally team won the first five positions. The only other factory team to have done so was Lancia, in 1990 in Portugal,” I said.
“Well, that settles it then,” said Mbali. “We will order a new Hilux, because it comes with the best after sales service, a world-beating racing pedigree and let’s not forget, a very cosy, romantic cabin.”
