Category General

Driving in South Africa

The age old debate of which 4×4 is best suited for the bush in Africa. I think I can add a fair few comments as being the owner of South Africa 4×4 Rentals and of having the privilege to drive both the Land Rover 110 Defender, Toyota Land Cruiser and the Toyota Hilux 4×4 through what I consider the ultimate test route, Maun to Kasane through the Okavango Delta. Sorry guys other SUVs and safari lite, 4×4 vehicles are not even considered.

Why is this the ultimate natural off road test ? 320km of bad, potholed dirt roads with long sections of extreme loose sand and sections of mud, water crossings and full off road driving ( jeep tracks ). There is minimal support besides your fellow 4×4 users. You need to be prepared and have above average 4×4 driving experience or this section of road can become a nightmare.

Land Rover 110 Defender – No 1
All wheel drive that just begs to get in the bush. Good ground clearance, exceptional 4×4 capabilities. All this while loaded with a ton of equipment and it has space for more. Is for the hard-core 4×4 person. Drives like a truck, is heavy, but is goes anywhere.

Land Cruiser 76 – V6 – No 2
Excellent 4×4, heavy on the diesel, lacks space for all equipment and suitcases. Better suited for 2 persons out on an adventure. Good quality interior that can take the punch.

Toyota Hilux – No 3
Ideal for the starter 4×4 enthusiast. Easy to use. Can drive in sand. Mud and do a river crossing. Spacious and fairly luxurious inside with the basics ( Aircon, radio, electric windows ). Good family vehicle and you will get to see all the game parks with ease.

All three vehicles were equipped with two roof top tents, 140lt of extra diesel tanks, built in water tank with 65 litres of water, fridge / freezer and fully equipped. Camping gear, sleeping bags, pots, pans and chairs.

Rent a 4×4 to go and test for yourself. South Africa 4×4 Rentals have a selection of well equipped Land Rover and Toyota Hilux 4×4 vehicle to make your adventure happen. For ideas follow our blog or speak to Carel Pienaar for advise and ideas. South Africa 4×4 Rentals have branches in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lusaka and Maun.

When You Want More than Just a Car

Look around at what everyone is driving. For the most part, you’ll see sensible drivers in practical cars that will get them where they have to go. There’s no pizazz. Nothing makes a splash or gets your blood pumping. When you open the door and slide into your everyday driver, you’ll find that it starts to lose its appeal. You’re tired of driving for the sake of driving. You want something that will add a touch of luxury to your life and transport you in style. It’s time to think about upgrading to a car that is in a class all by itself like a 1976 rolls royce corniche.

Experience Driving at a New Level
Slide into a Rolls Royce Corniche and you won’t ever want to go back to a humdrum car. This car is a masterpiece that has withstood the test of time. It has beautiful lines, the capacity to seat five passengers, and a V8 engine to give you more than enough power. When you go for a ride in a Rolls Royce Corniche, heads are going to turn your way because your car is simply irresistible.

There’s Nothing Like a Rolls Royce
Think back on cars over the years. Most vehicles come and go, many of them to be forgotten. A Rolls is one of the first cars that comes to mind when you are thinking about the cream of the crop. It’s been a top of the line car since it was first created, the preferred choice of many drivers around the world. When you want more than a car, there’s no doubt that a Rolls will fit the bill. Whether you choose one from the 60’s, the 70’s, or a more recent production, you will have a car that you can count on.

It’s Almost Too Beautiful to Take it Out of the Garage
You’ll be tempted to keep your beauty safe and sound in the garage, but a Rolls is meant to be driven. It’s meant to be enjoyed by you and anyone else who comes along for the ride. When you’re thinking about your next car, consider a Rolls. You will be making an investment in a car that is built to last, a ride that will give you years of pleasure when you are ready to roll.

Learning to Drive

These days it is almost impossible to live without a car. Unless you don’t mind using public transportation on a regular basis (buses that can often be late, crowded trains, etc.), you will want to have at least one car in your possession. Some families have even more than one vehicle, which is understandable since a few people from the same household might not be able to drive to work in the same car.

Learning to drive can sometimes be difficult unless you hire teachers who know what they are doing such as the teachers offering those driving lessons. They have what it takes to explain to you all the secrets to safe driving together with everything you will ever need to pass your exam successfully. What is more, they won’t charge you a fortune for it, which is always a plus taking into account that you might be saving money to buy your first car.

I still remember the driving lessons I used to take to be able to drive. I was in my late teens and fortunately for me my driving teacher was a very nice and competent person who had a real gift for teaching to drive. He explained to me very clearly everything I ever needed to know to be able to drive and I was able to pass my driving exam successfully at the first attempt, which was good because a few of my friends did need to take a few tries before getting their driver licenses. I guess their teachers didn’t do such a good job after all while my driving instructor was excellent. The bottom line is that it really matters whom you hire to help you to drive. Choose poorly, and you will end up trying to pass the exam a few times. Choose wisely, and the exam will be a piece of cake.

Parking in the UK

I am sure that you have noticed by now that the number of cars on the UK streets is currently on the rise. It is due to the fact that some if not most families out there have more than one car. Because of this, being able to park a car in a good place, especially in the centres of larger cities, becomes a luxury and a premium. If you drive frequently, you might find finding a parking place to be quite a challenge sometimes difficult to overcome.

In the UK, uk parking control plays an important role in the public life. With so many independent parking operators, it is no wonder that all of them need some sort of body to protect their interests. Also, making the public aware of the actions of those operators is another goal of the body governing them. The public definitely deserves to know about everything that is happening when it comes to parking control as being able to park their cars becomes more and more difficult with each passing day due to the growing number of cars on the streets. When you want to park your car safely somewhere, you need to ensure that you find a way to stay informed about your options and possibilities.

3 Things You Need to Do to Prepare for Winter Driving in Quebec

Quebec’s first big snow storm is bound to hit the province soon. This will be signal that cold weather, snow and ice has arrived in the province. In such conditions, driving your car on snow and ice is inevitable and you must be prepared adequately to face these obstacles on the road. In this article, we will tell you about 3 things you must do to prepare for Quebec winter driving.

  1. Adapt your driving style to winter road conditions

Driving on dry paved roads during the summer is easy. Indeed, you can drive following the speed limits without worrying about skidding off the road. It’s a totally different story in winter however.

In winter, you have to manage the presence of ice, snow and slush on a regular basis and you cannot just drive the same way as you do in summer. Long braking distances and slippery roads are just some of the reasons why you should slow down and be more careful when driving in winter. If you do not adapt your driving style, you might destroy your car or worse, hurt yourself or others in an accident that was preventable.

  1. Install excellent winter tires on your vehicle

The cost of living is becoming more and more expensive every year and as a consumer, you are probably looking to reduce your expenses, which is quite understandable. However, if there is one thing that you should not cut in your expenses this year, it is on high quality winter tires.

Indeed, in order to be more effective at keeping you on the road, your winter tires must be of very good quality. Low cost tires will simply not be safe enough for the whole winter. In short, you can search for bargains to lower your expenses, but not the quality of the winter tires that you buy.

  1. Prepare an emergency kit for your car

Even if you try to follow the two previous points as much as you can, accidents can still occur. In most cases, you can call emergency services quickly using your cell phone. However, it is always possible that you end up in a predicament in a hard to reach area without cellular signal. If such a thing happens, you may have to wait a while before being rescued and an emergency kit will help make the wait easier.

To help you build your emergency kit, we have compiled a list of what should be there. Here it is :

  • Warm clothes like a hat, boots, gloves, mittens and a scarf.
  • A reserve of antifreeze and windshield washer.
  • A sandbag.
  • Adhesion plates.
  • A snow brush.
  • A scraper.
  • A shovel.
  • Some water bottles.
  • Non-perishable, nutritious foods.
  • Cotton gloves.
  • A reflective bib
  • A candle and matches.
  • A flashlight with extra batteries.
  • A warm blanket or survival.
  • A fire extinguisher.
  • Booster cables.
  • A light device such as flares or sticks.
  • A fluorescent triangle road signs.
  • Hazard lights.
  • A first aid kit.

This is what ends our article on the 3 things you must do to prepare for winter driving in Quebec. As you prepare according to what we mentioned it, you should be able to deal with all hazardous situations that winter may submit in the coming months. Drive carefully!

Sick and tired of your current job

Are you sick and tired of your current job? Does your boss get on your nerves more with each passing day? If this is the case, you should seriously think about striking out on your own. There is nothing quite like becoming your own boss and running your own business. This will allow you to control your own destiny in a way that many people are not able to do. What type of business should you operate? It is very important to choose something that you can see yourself doing for many years to come. Here are several interesting business opportunities to consider.

1. Laundromat

The best businesses to run are the ones that are always going to be needed by the general public. There are always going to be people who will need to use a laundromat because they do not own a washing machine and a dryer. Every community has many people that require a place to do their laundry. Therefore, you will always be getting a steady stream of customers no matter how bad the economy is. Another great thing about running a laundromat is that you do not need to worry about it being in a prime location with a high rent. You can open it anywhere and people will find out how to get there.

2. Auto repair franchise

Opening a franchise that specializes in car repair would be the way to go if you have always enjoyed working on cars. Like a laundromat, people are always going to need to have their cars professionally repaired. Therefore, this business idea is another safe bet that will not be affected by a downturn in the economy. Meineke is one of the reputable companies that is always looking for new franchise owners. You can learn more about this unique business opportunity by going to http://www.meinekefranchise.com/.

3. Hair salon

People are always going to need to have their hair cut and styled by a professional. You do not need to be concerned if you have no training as a hair stylist. You can run the business portion of the salon and hire people to perform the hair styling. Basically, you will be the boss and the stylists will be your employees. It would be wise to open your salon in an area where there is no competition nearby. You will start watching your profits soar before too long.

Protect your gear

When you’re on the road, your bags take a beating. No matter how much care you handle your bags with, you can’t control what other people will do. You can’t control when a frustrated airline passenger smashes your bag down to fit theirs into the overhead bin. However, you can take control of what happens to the equipment inside your bag. If you carry expensive equipment on the road, you’ll want to make sure it’s protected. That’s where Case Cruzer comes in.
With a number of hard-shelled cases that can withstand even the highest levels of abuse, Case Cruzer offers a number of ways to carry and protect your gear. The cases are created using a structural copolymer that’s nearly indestructible and utterly impenetrable. They’re also waterproof; while it’s not a good idea to throw them in a lake, these cases can survive any spills you may have while traveling. Accidentally dropping a cup of coffee on your laptop bag is no longer a cause for panic.
The interior of the cases is filled with cushioning foam that holds your equipment firmly in place. You won’t have to worry about your camera lenses bumping together while carrying the case, and you can keep everything separated and organized for easy access. Nothing is worse than missing an awesome photograph because you couldn’t find the lens you needed in the depths of your bag.
These cases can be used to carry anything from cameras to laptops and more. In some cases, they can be used to carry firearms, although the proper procedures will need to be followed for traveling with a weapon.
Even if you’re only going on a family vacation, but want to ensure your luggage doesn’t get too beaten up while on the road, a hard-shelled case can be a great investment. It will protect your clothing and toiletries, and make it far less likely that a piece of heavy luggage will squeeze your shampoo bottle empty over your favorite shirt.
To find out more about these cases and how to get one for yourself, click here. They’re affordable, reliable, and perfect for the nomadic businessman who lives out of his laptop.

Why Guitars

Do you ever wonder why so many people out there like to play classical guitars? Well, there must be something about it since so many people do it and enjoy the activity very much. They are the ones who like to look at this martin classical guitar and decide what to do about it. Shopping for guitars online is just a good way to ensure that you get the best prices possible.

2016 Toyota Tundra Diesel Review

Who hasn’t heard about the automaker Toyota. I am sure that everybody has heard. What I am not sure about is whether everybody here knows Toyota is one of the leaders in the production of pickup trucks. If you own a truck of this type, you probably know it by now, but if not then keep reading this post and I am sure that you are going to learn something interesting and educational that will help you during the years to come.

One of the latest models of Toyota is this 2016 Toyota Tundra. When you look at it, you see the inimitable innovation as well as trailing that Toyota is so known for. It is hard for other automakers to compete with Toyota due to the experience as well as the precision with which they make their cars.

Currently, there are two makes of the very similar pickup truck being released: 2015 and 2016. The 2015 model is yet to be released and it should be followed shortly by the 2016 model that will see the light some time later, although probably not that much later than the 2015 model.

I have to tell you that I am really excited about the 2016 model. One good thing about Toyota is the fact that they always bring a lot to the table in the form of upgrades they offer in each of their new cars. This time, the 2016 model will see a new diesel engine, obviously some interior as well as exterior upgrades, some new designs in cargo space,new wheeling, and many other features that are of importance to every pickup truck owner.

If you have a few spare moments, I would like to encourage you to make yourself familiar with everything that the model has to offer and you will be surprised with all of the features of it. Who knows, maybe you will spend the new year driving in your brand new Toyota.

Fleet Tracking

These days a lot of goods are being transported on our roads every day. I am not only talking about the goods that are delivered directly to customers such as parcels, but also many other goods that get to stores first before they are bought by people. It is therefore of utmost importance to the fleet managers to ensure the smooth tracking of their company vehicles at all times.

Managing a large fleet of vehicles can be a daunting and overwhelming task, especially if you deal with a really large number. Fortunately, things get a lot easier thanks to effective fleet vehicle tracking systems that are available on the market these days. Fleet owners no longer have to worry about “chasing” their drivers to know exactly where they are at any time they are on the job. These days, there are some really sophisticated GPS systems that can do a lot for a person or a business in terms of vehicle tracking, even if it means tracking a really large fleet of vehicles.

There are several reasons having an effective GPS system is such a good idea. Below I am going to list only some of them as I am sure that the list goes on and on.

One of the most important things your customers want to know is the exact or almost exact time at which their goods will reach their destination. By improving the accuracy with which you can estimate when the goods arrive you can make your customers very happy and very satisfied.

Another thing that matters a lot when it comes to running a fleet of cars is efficiency. Usually, the better the fleet tracking system you have, the better you are going to perform as a business. This can give you an edge over your competitors, which might be exactly what you want and need in order to succeed.

Security is another important factor while determining the effectiveness of a GPS system. A good GPS system is a system that will always let you know if any problems arise when you are on the road or if any vehicle gets stolen or is in an accident.