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Your credit record refers to your entire credit history, including all the credit transactions you have ever concluded with a registered financial services provider.
Buying a car, especially your first car is an awesome experience. In addition to being a status symbol for many South Africans a reliable car is a vital mobility tool in South Africa, where public transport is very often erratic and unsafe.
This makes owning a car a necessity for many South Africans, from students to those starting a career as well as anybody who needs to travel to work or transport their children to school. Buying a car is a significant financial commitment and one of the biggest purchases that people will ever make, which is why most South Africans will rely on the services of a financial services provider to finance their vehicle.
Banks and financial service providers use a variety of methods to determine whether individuals qualify for vehicle financing assistance. These methods are based on risk and affordability and an individual’s credit record and credit score are one of the most popular barometers of these factors.
Your credit record refers to your entire credit history, including all the credit transactions you have ever concluded with a registered financial services provider.
Your credit score is affected by your credit record and your reliability when it comes to paying back loans on time.
These two factors will be used by banks to determine how much credit you can be given and the related interest rate that will be charged.
Establishing a credit record or credit score can only be done by applying for credit. One of the most popular ways of starting out on this journey is via an account at a retail store. However, poor finance management can very easily see this account turn into a source of bad credit and do more harm than good for those looking to establish a good credit score.
Establishing a relationship with a financial institution is always a good starting point and the opening of a credit card can be a useful first step towards establishing a credit record. Credit cards allow you to buy now and pay later and when used responsibly by meeting the required monthly payments, a credit card can be a useful tool in building a positive credit record.
Once established, there are a number of ways to maintain your credit score or improve it. These include paying on time every month, as even paying a few days late can have an effect on your credit score. Reducing the amount you owe is a great way to improve your credit score and that is best done by paying off the loans with the highest interest rate first. Where possible avoid revolving debt such as credit cards and avoid applying for unnecessary additional loans or extra credit cards as this could lower your credit score.
Remember that outstanding debt will stay on your record, so if an account is overdue it will negatively affect your score and making some payments or paying it off won’t clear your credit record but will improve it. Information about your payment profile can stay on your record for up to five years.
When thinking about buying a car it is important to be honest with yourself and only shop for a car that suits your needs and budget. Saving up for a deposit will also assist greatly in reducing your monthly premiums and getting finance approval.
A well-managed vehicle loan agreement will also count as a valuable reference in future when you need to finance other big-ticket items like a new car or a house so it is best to buy what you can afford rather than over extend yourself and end up in a bad credit situation.
When calculating your monthly budget, it is important to keep other running costs associated with owning a car in mind. Apart from the monthly repayments you will need to budget for insurance, fuel and maintenance.
Car finance calculators are a great way of finding out exactly how much a particular car will cost on a monthly basis allowing shoppers to refine their search to cars that meet their budget.
With the launch of the H6 GT, Haval are reaffirming their commitment to their South African customers, by offering a robust line up of SUVs at various price points.
As part of the continual expansion of their SUV offering, Haval has added the Haval H6 GT to their model range. This model takes up the position as the flagship of the range as Haval believe it appeals perfectly to their typical customer.
The striking SUV is visually in sync with the power it offers. The H6 GT blends a coupe inspired design with the practical accolades of a modern SUV. Standout styling combines with the latest features such as semi autonomous driver assistance and a powerful engine, resulting in a vehicle that ticks every box.
The design of the H6 GT includes a more streamlined body, wheel arch cladding as well as a variety of black accent and carbon fibre touches. The fastback rear is enhanced by a roof mounted spoiler and a lip spoiler. A sloping roof that incorporates a panoramic sunroof is a cornerstone of the sportier design.
19-inch alloys in a black finish, gloss black roof rails and exterior mirrors and a subtle yet noticeable aerodynamic kit with aero side skirts and a sporty rear diffuser bolster the sporty look and feel.
Under the bonnet
Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that features a mighty 155kW at 6000rpm and 325Nm at 1500rpm. Drivers are able to tailor the power delivery via various modes with race mode for example unlocking a sportier exhaust tone as well as more aggressive throttle and transmission response.
Power is transferred to the road via a seven-speed DCT gearbox to a torque-on-demand four-wheel drive system.
Inside story
The H6 GT is built around a beautifully crafted interior that offers sophisticated comfort with sporty green trimming and stitching along with Alcantara inserts. Generous interior space ensures room for up to five adults and their accompanying luggage.
Branded and heated seats, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless charging and a 12.3-inch central display ensure comfort and convenience in operation. An advanced camera system is in place and facilitates functionality such as a 360-degree camera, Adaptive Cruise Control with intelligent cruise, Intelligent cornering, traffic jam assist, pre-collision warning with automatic emergency braking for pedestrian and cyclists, lane departure alert, lane keeping assist and blind spot detection with rear cross traffic alert.
Model
With the launch of the H6 GT, Haval are reaffirming their commitment to their South African customers, by offering a robust line up of SUVs at various price points. Includes a five-year/100 000km warranty and a five-year/60 000km service plan.
The two most popular style of holiday vehicles for families are SUVs and MPVs and comparing two of the main contenders in the form of the Kia Sorento and the Hyundai Staria is a great way of helping motorists determine which is the best type of vehicle for their needs.
The new motus.cars advertising campaign showcases that whatever car you’re searching for, you can find it on motus.cars and is centred around lifestyle choices and milestones. One of the key messages of this campaign is “Let’s get out of town” and highlights vehicles which are perfect for those motorists who enjoy road trips with their family.
Motorists looking for a vehicle that allows them to get out of town have a wide variety of models and body shapes to choose from. The two most popular style of holiday vehicles for families are SUVs and MPVs and comparing two of the main contenders in the form of the Kia Sorento and the Hyundai Staria is a great way of helping motorists determine which is the best type of vehicle for their needs.
While these vehicles are similar in terms of pricing and size, they do offer some unique features that could make your getaway that much more enjoyable.
The case for the Kia Sorento
The fourth generation of Kia’s large family SUV is designed and engineered to take on everything that life throws at it. With new standards for space, efficiency, and quality, the Sorento is the flagship of Kia’s South African SUV line-up.
The exterior has been redefined with sharper lines, high tech details and elongated proportions resulting in a more confident and mature presence. The front evolves with a new interpretation of Kia’s tiger nose grille and LED daytime running lights. In profile the proportions are subtly adapted to make it appear longer. At the rear new vertical tail lamps wrap around the side of the body. Trim on the sporty lower rear bumper embodies the appearance of dual tailpipes and like the front features a skid plate to add to its tough aesthetic.
Inside an attractive cabin introduces premium quality materials, cutting edge infotainment technologies and a stunning new design that provides owners with a more striking, desirable, and comfortable experience. The intuitive, tech-oriented cabin is fitted with premium quality materials and cutting-edge infotainment.
The Sorento is based on Kia’s this generation N3 platform which provides superior space for people and cargo through intelligent packaging.
The Kia Sorento is an attractively styled SUV that boasts a spacious interior with high quality finishes and seating for up to seven passengers. Although with all seven seats in place loading space is somewhat limited. With the third-row stowed luggage capacity increases to 821 litres, allowing the car to accommodate up to five people in comfort along with a significant amount of luggage. Controls in the side wall of the boot allow users to fold down the second-row seat backs remotely at the touch of a button. The new platform maximises space in all three rows, offering more head, leg, and shoulder room than many rivals.
The 2.2-litre Smartstream diesel engine produces 148kW and 440Nm of torque and is paired with Kia’s new eight-speed wet double clutch transmission which is designed to offer the smooth shifting characteristics of a conventional automatic as well as enhanced fuel-efficiency. Performance is excellent and the Sorento returns a very respectable fuel economy figure of as low as 6.8 litres per 100km.
For those looking to head off the beaten track the Sorento offers good ground clearance and an all-wheel drive system that ensures just about any road can be traversed on your out-of-town journey.
Aided by fully independent suspension the Sorento delivers improved cabin insulation which reduces the effect that road surface imperfections have on the body, noise and vibrations through the suspension and body control and steering responses under cornering. The latest AWD models offer enhanced all-terrain capability thanks to Terrain Mode which carefully controls the cars standard electronic stability control as well as the distribution of torque when navigating tricky terrain such as mud, snow, and sand.
The futuristic Staria
Evoking the streamlined form of a spaceship, the Staria’s sleek exterior is defined by a single stroke running from front to rear, inspired by the curve of light that illuminates the Earth’s horizon when viewed from space. The front is embellished by horizontal daytime running lights and a positioning lamp running across the width of the vehicle. The clean silhouette is further accented by low-set headlamps and Hyundai uses the same body colour for all front parts to maximise the vehicle’s modern and pure style.
Lowered beltlines and panoramic side windows improve overall visibility and create a feeling of openness. The design continues to the rear where a wide window is framed by elongated tail lamps.
The futuristic Staria is certainly eye catching but ultimately the MPV is designed to offer high levels of spaciousness and versatility. Like the Sorento, the cabin offers an array of luxury and safety features and the variety of convenient storage spaces throughout the cabin is most impressive. The cruise ship inspired interior delivers an open and unique atmosphere through its innovative design architecture.
The Staria can comfortably accommodate between 9 and 11 passengers depending on the model. While loading space depends on how many seats are utilised, it certainly does offer high levels of versatility. For example, the rear bench seats can slide forward or backwards to allow for more space which prove extremely practical. For maximum loading space the rear seats can be folded away. When full flat mode is applied to the rear passenger seats the vehicle is perfect for activities that require a lot of room and interior flexibility, such as camping and sports where luggage space is needed for equipment.
Hyundai’s smart infotainment system with an eight-inch touch-screen display is fitted to all derivatives and includes a wide-angle camera rear park assist camera, aided by park warning sensors in both the front and rear bumpers. In Luxury versions the screen also displays a bird’s eye view of the car and its surroundings.
The Staria is fitted with a 2.2-litre VGT turbodiesel engine that offers 130kW and 430Nm. Power is transferred to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. For an MPV performance proved excellent while fuel consumption of 8.7 litres per 100km is acceptable given the vehicles size.
Ride quality is great too, but the Staria unfortunately does not offer the go anywhere capabilities of the Sorento.
The Staria offers the highest levels of passive an active vehicle safety thanks to six airbags and three-point seat belts and headrests on all seats as well as smart features such as Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance Assist in top of the range derivatives.
Which is better suited for your next road trip
So, which one is better suited for your next road trip, the Kia Sorento or the Hyundai Staria? Both vehicles are similarly priced in both the new and pre-owned market.
Ultimately making the right choice for your journey or current lifestyle depends on your specific needs and preferences. If you are looking for the spaciousness of a seven-seater SUV with the ability to go just about anywhere, the Sorento might be the right choice for you. If you prioritise versatility and space, the Staria might be the better option. Either way, both vehicles are great choices for a fun and memorable road trip with your loved ones.
The last 15 years have seen massive developments with regards to the technology and design of automatic gearboxes, to the point that they are now the better option.
True petrol heads have always enjoyed driving manual cars, they give a heightened feeling of being in control of the vehicle and allow the driver to always ensure that the car is at the right place in the rev range, be it to overtake or pull out of a corner.
But for regular motorists who have to suffer through the daily grind that is rush hour, automatic gearboxes are becoming more and more attractive.
Historically automatic gearboxes were not very efficient, the sapped engines of power and their inefficiency led to them being heavier on fuel compared to similar cars fitted with manual gearboxes.
Fortunately, the last 15 years have seen massive developments with regards to the technology and design of automatic gearboxes, to the point that they are now the better option.
The Volkswagen Golf GTI is a case in point, since VW introduced the DSG gearbox to the 5th generation of this hot hatch the DSG model has outsold the manual derivative substantially. It does help that this dual-clutch gearbox is one of the best automatic gearboxes available on the market today.
This dual clutch gearbox technology gives the driver the comfort of an auto but the exact same performance as that of a manual gearbox in terms of acceleration. The DSG gearbox offers lightning-fast gear changes both when upshifting and downshifting.
For example, when accelerating in third gear, fourth has already been pre-selected. The only difference is that while third gear's clutch is closed, fourth's is open. The advantage, of course, is that when the time arrives to actually upshift, it's a simple matter of disengaging one clutch and engaging the other, no physical gear movement needs to be made. It's this elimination of the gear selection process that makes it so rapid. Clutch actuation is a relatively simple and quick process compared with moving gears around. This clever design is the main reason why these double-clutch transmissions are so much speedier than either manual gearboxes or the single-clutch automated versions such as BMW's SMG or a traditional torque convertor automatic.
Acceleration is quicker because there's less of a pause between gears, and the entire process adds more control since gear selection is so precise. This gearbox, like many of the new automatic gearboxes also offers an element of driver involvement as gears can be changed by means of pushing or pulling on the gear lever or using the F1 style steering wheel paddles.
The M-DCT gearbox first fitted to the sporty BMW M3 and now available in other BMW models too, is lightning fast in the way it changes gears even allows the driver to tailor how quickly they want the car to change gears thanks to some very clever electronics. The bonus with gearboxes like this is they often come with a launch control function too.
Even in racing applications the manual gearbox is dying out, any proper rally car uses a sequential gearbox, while Formula One has used the paddle shift steering wheel system coupled to an automatic gearbox for many years now.
Yes, there is still that school of thought that believes a human will always be able to do things better than a computer, but these days that is only true for a tiny percent of the driving population that have lightning fast reactions and permanently wear their racing overalls and helmets.
Cars equipped with manual gearboxes can return a marginally better fuel consumption figures as the driver can purposely keep engine speed low, but the difference these days is so small that it is really not worth the effort.
While there is extensive research and development going into the development of automatic style gearboxes, the development of manual gearboxes is mostly stagnant. This is why I believe that in the not too distant future even die hard driving fans will opt for an auto.
Every year less and less manual cars are available and they are really only found in cars at the more affordable end of the market these days. But soon the economies of scale will make automatic gearboxes cheaper and automakers will most certainly start fitting them exclusively.
A report, such as those compiled by Dekra is a customized, professional used vehicle condition evaluation completed by expert, independent, examiners. The quality of these independent reports ensures complete peace of mind when purchasing a vehicle as it virtually eliminates any surprises.
Buying a pre-owned vehicle has its risks in the fact that you can never be sure of the history of the vehicle, such as whether it has been in an accident, which has necessitated extensive repairs
When shopping for a pre-owned vehicle there are a number of things to look out for that could give hint to the fact that the vehicle has needed to be repaired at some point in its life.
Paint
Bodywork
Wheels
Have a look underneath
If possible slide under the vehicle or ask the dealer to put it up on a lift and look out for rust or damage to the bodywork, suspension and exhaust.
Request a report
If the vehicle is not being sold with a report from an independent vehicle inspector such as Dekra, request the dealer to subject the vehicle to such an inspection.
A report, such as those compiled by Dekra is a customized, professional used vehicle condition evaluation completed by expert, independent, examiners. The quality of these independent reports ensures complete peace of mind when purchasing a vehicle as it virtually eliminates any surprises.
