SA's cheapest cars, bakkies to service and repair revealed

Cape Town – So, if you drive a Toyota Corolla Quest, Fortuner or Prado, or a Nissan NP200, Datsun GO or Volvo S60, we have some good news for you…

According to the just released Kinsey Report for 2017, you own of drive one of the cheapest vehicles in their respective classes locally to service or repair. 

But if you own a Volkswagen Move UP, a Kia Rio, a Hyundai Creta, a Honda CR-V, Volkswagen Amarok or a Mercedes-Benz GLE, then your service and repair bill will be quite steep in comparison.

The report, annually compiled by veteran journalist Malcolm Kinsey, covers 62 vehicles divided up into nine categories, and compares the prices of 35 common parts needed in servicing, repairs and crashes.

1. Entry level and city cars:

Overall winner here is the Datsun Go (now retailing for R126 900) for the third year running, and this year it fared best in all three sections; service, repair and crash parts, with a total parts basket cost of R44 373 (versus R43 193 last year and R37 631 in 2015). 

Second spot goes to the Polo Vivo with the lowest percentage of parts cost (34.% for a total basket cost of R59 284) versus vehicle price (R173 800) and second lowest crash parts cost. It ousted the slow-selling, bur recently facelifted Nissan Micra which was not included in the survey this year.

Third is the Hyundai i10, at R64 317 for its total parts basket. It also scored well on replacement parts (R3 925). The Tata Bolt, which was included for the first time, fared well in the repair costs category (2nd) and service costs (3rd)  but was knocked back by the price of the rear fender which includes the whole side of the vehicle from the front door.

2. Superminis:

In this category prices vary from around R179 000 for the Renault Sandero to R253 100 for the VW Polo. 

Surprisingly, the VW Polo 1.2 TSi jumps to top spot (from third position last year) with both the most economical basket and best basket to purchase price of the car (R253 100) – a good indication of all round value for money. 

The Polo also scores first in repair and crash parts and 2nd in service with a total price basket of R87 992 (compared to R90 161 last year and R82 583 in 2015).

With the Peugeot 208, last year’s class winner, not included the Renault Sandero, which scores well in all three sections with a basket price of R93 022, moves to second position, while its Clio stablemate, with a total basket price of R105 176) edges out the Ford Fiesta 1.0T by a mere R191.

3. Family favourites:

For the third straight year this category is won by the Toyota Corolla – last year’s winner, the 1.6 Quest, just pipping the 1.6 Prestige by a few thousand Rand on the overall parts basket and the percentage value for money (R71 875 versus R73 520). 

Interestingly, the basket prices of both models this year are cheaper compared to last year (R72 659 and R76 267 respectively). The inclusion of the two very similar models can be justified on their respective sales volumes, however the presence of the Honda Jazz in this category can be questioned. 

The Quest’s lowest parts basket cost includes the least expensive crash parts (R50 490, against R50 168 last year) while the Corolla Prestige has the 3rd least expensive service price and the 2nd best crash parts prices.

Third is the Nissan Almera 1.5 with competitive prices in each section and a total basket cost of R76 395, displacing the Mazda3 (R107 746). Also interesting to note is that the Volkswagen Golf GTi, comparatively expensive as a package, scores well in repair parts – in 2nd place.

4. Compact crossovers:

This category represents a broad range of vehicles with prices ranging from R187 995 for the Mahindra KUV100 to R319 900 for the Hyundai Creta – both new entrants in the survey.
With last year’s winner, the Citroën Cactus, not available anymore, the surprise winner is the KUV100, lowest in both the service and repair sections and a total basket price of R81 597.

The Mahindra is followed by the Peugeot 2008, which did very well in the crash parts section, ahead of the Ford Ecosport 1.0T by a mere R23. Last year’s runner-up, the Toyota Avanza, was not included in this year’s survey, and the Renault Duster, in third place last year, is displaced by the Mazda CX3.

5. Sport Utility Vehicles:

Ranging in price from R381 400 (for the Toyota RAV4) to R487 995 (for the Kia Sportage) this category is again won by the Toyota Fortuner – convincingly in both least expensive parts basket and percentage calculation with a total parts basket price of R84 992 (a reduction of R6 258 from last year’s R91 250) 

With the Chev Trailblazer, last year’s runner-up, not included, second goes to the RAV4 2.0 – up seven places from last year. The Ford Kuga 1.5T with a basket of R117 148 is third, displacing the Hyundai Tucson. This good performance should also help to re-establishing the latest facelifted version of the beleaguered nameplate in the marketplace.

The top three also has the least pricey crash parts and interesting to note is that all three have managed to beat inflation with their overall baskets being lower than last year.
 
6. Executive SUVs:

The prices of these luxury SUVs, all with automatic transmissions, range from R782 648 for the Range Rover Evoque to R973 704 for the Mercedes-Benz GLE250d. 

The Toyota Prado VX, with a parts basket of R178 391 (against the R156 851 for last year’s cheaper derivative), again takes the honours this year, with the Volvo XC90 second with a basket of R199 836 (versus R179 563 last year) with good prices in service (1st), repair (2nd) and crash (2nd) parts. 

The Range Rover Evoque holds on to third place with a parts basket of R233 259 (versus R228 823 last year), while the newcomer Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 CRD is fourth, by virtue of having the 3rd least expensive crash parts basket. 

7. Double cabs:

It is yet another win for Toyota in this category with the Hilux 2.8 GD, also clinching best basket price (R67 066 this year, compared to R76 274 in 2016) and affordability percentage (13,19 percent) in the absence of last year’s winner, the Tata Xenon. 

The new Nissan Navara, with a basket of R78 865, takes second place, with the Isuzu KB300 (R82 971 for the total basket) in third. These three tried and tested favourites are in that order also the most competitive for crash parts prices.

The GWM Steed 6 gets a look-in with impressively low servicing parts costs, but exchange rate fluctuations have hit last year’s third placed double cab hard; this year falling back to fifth place behind the Ford Ranger 2.2.
 
8. Single cabs:

From a small workhorse, Nissan’s NP200 (R159 900), prices in this category range up to R304 800 for the VW Amarok 2.0.

With the Chev Utility, last year’s runner-up, not included it is an all-Nissan affair with the half-tonne NP200 (total basket cost of R53 179) and one-tonne NP300 (basket cost of R57 546) this year taking the honours. The winning NP200, currently the only small bakkie available in SA, features well in all departments, service, repair and crash parts. 

The larger NP300 is 2nd in service parts and third for both repair and crash parts, with the Toyota Hilux 2.4 third overall and scoring best for crash parts pricing, and the Mahindra Scorpio taking third place for service parts prices.

9. Executive sedans:

Once again, all these full-house executive models are vehicles with automatic transmission and their prices vary from R486 996 for the to R657 500 for the Jaguar XE.

Like last year the imported Volvo clinches first spot again, but only just. with a parts basket of R159 862 (compared to R113 822 in 2016), with the locally built BMW 320i close behind on R161 113 (versus R134 630 last year). 

The BMW score a first for percentage value for money, but it is concerning to see such a huge difference in basket cost compared to last year… 

The Jaguar XE with a total basket price of R171 223 scores an impressive third, not too far behind the Volvo and BMW. The Jag has four items – front and rear discs and the two shock absorbers which make its repair parts the most expensive. Also interesting to note is that while the Mercedes C200 is the most expensive in terms of total cost (R196 876) it is second in terms of servicing parts cost and best in repair parts.