Overloading, causes and death and serious injuries on our roads

So after working for two or three years at your current work station, the question of whether to buy a car or not must have crossed your mind. For those that have come to the conclusion of taking this bold step, here are a few options to choose from and things to consider. This week we’re looking at some entry level vehicles to consider, for those that want to join the car owners club. To begin with we look at buying a new car. Here are some of the reasons why you want to buy a new car: The car has not been involved in an accident, it has a service plan, it is under warranty and you simply don’t have to worry about any breakdowns during the warranty cover. But like all new things, they come with a price tag. The requirements needed when buying a new car (with bank financing) demands that you must have a credit account at a bank, you must have a valid Namibian Driver’s license, you need to have good credit (not blacklisted) and you need to be employed permanently (at least for the last six months). With a few vehicles I will be mentioning, you will be expected to give a 10% deposit, the monthly instalment will range from about N$2 000- N$3 000 and then an additional N$1 000- N$1 500 for insurance depending on a lot of factors I will not be able to go through today. In no specific order, here are a few cars to look at: Volkswagen Polo-vivo 1.4 (base model)- Volkswagen has always been a trusted brand and is the most beautiful of the lot. The Polo is good on fuel consumption, comes with a decent speed, has great boot space and still drives very comfortably on bigger sized rims. The Vivo has however received complaints about the inside of the door cards becoming loose after some time and has very low specs for the amount you pay. Ford Figo 1.4 Ambiente- Another very reliable brand, the Ford is slightly more expensive, has slower 0-100km/h and top speed than the Volkswagen, but truly is a much more finished off ride. One can see that ford took it’s time designing the Figo. On the outside it is not as pretty as the Vivo but its interior definitely takes the crown. The panels are firmly built complimenting the stylish clocks on the dash and the car just offers you a smooth ride. Toyota Etios 1.5 XS- the Toyota definitely is not ranked among soft rides or the most beautiful (inside or out.) But, for the most part is incredible for what you get. The XS model is the more expensive model and is still in the price range of the top mentioned two. With this model you get a Bluetooth stereo, fog lights, electric windows/mirrors. Basically a lot more extras the others will not give you for that price. It is the fastest on a short stretch as well; the Etios gives you an awesome 11.3s (compared to Volkswagens 12.9s and Ford’s 13.1s) 0-100km/h but dies at a lower speed than the two. Honda Brio hatch 1.2 Comfort- This right here is quite an excellent little car. Although the Comfort model is more expensive, it is worth the price. Its interior is outstanding with the cream coloured bucket like seats and simplistic dash. The car is built to be extremely good on fuel consumption and goes surprisingly fast from 0-100km/h with its four cylinder V-tec powered engine. The Honda isn’t really that pretty, but is an excellent drive. Hyundai i10 1.1 Motion- The little i10 is a bit cheaper compared to its bigger brothers. It isn’t as pretty as the rest but doesn’t look bad on the inside. This car however is very slow, very little power and limited boot space. And there’s a reason it is this cheap.