Motoring

Chinese car manufacturer Great Wall Motors released a new version of its Steed 5 bakkie late last year. Pieter Dempsey put the vehicle through its paces on tar and dirt.

After months of searching for a second-hand bakkie, you suddenly find yourself in someone’s yard looking at a potential buy. It’s gleaming in the sun, the price is tempting, and it seems a great buy, but is it? Jake Venter can help you decide.

A bike’s tyre pressure and condition are even more important than on a car. Jake Venter explains the different chain types and how to maintain them.

The battery has been around for 200 years, and has essentially changed little. Jake Venter explores this brilliant device that is integral to the motor industry.

A unique blend of go-anywhere family car and tough, practical pickup, the double cab bakkie appeals to a wide spectrum of users. Johannes Letsohla recently tested the Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2TDCi to understand why it is one of the most popular bakkies in this class.

Tar road, dirt road, off-road. Mud, sand and rocks. Wet and dry. No single tyre copes well under all conditions. So how do you choose a tyre for your bakkie or 4x4? Jake Venter offers advice.

Volkswagen’s success is legendary. Beginning in 1937 with its remarkable Beetle, the company has grown to become a global giant.

There’s more to wheel rotation than a rubber-clad disc spinning around an axle. Jake Venter unravels the mysteries of camber, toe and caster

The motoring industry is awash with dodgy spare parts. Don’t become a victim, says Jake Venter.

General Motors has pulled out of South Africa, but Isuzu, with its legendary KB bakkies, is here to stay.

An electric car is environmentally expensive to manufacture, and its ‘fuel’ is only as clean as the nearest power station.

Air has inertia, which creates breathing problems in an engine with traditional fixed valve timing. Many of today’s engines employ variable valve timing to solve this difficulty, explains Jake Venter.