Carless … and clueless
Choosing which car to buy is as much about peculiar perceptions as it is about common sense
Having been carless and out of the car market for close to eight years, I’ve managed to remain relatively removed from all things motor vehicle. Petrol price increases, rising insurance costs and off-street parking were once the conversation fodder of only my car-wielding friends. Yet, it seems the tides have turned and the cons of not owning a car have slowly begun to outweigh the pros. As liberating and cost-effective as not owning a car can be, it substantially limits your mobility; in a country like South Africa where safe public transportation remains a myth, freedom of movement is generally relegated to somehow getting behind a steering wheel. Alas, I now nd myself teetering on the threshold of the new-car market. However, before I can enter the realm of vehicle nancing and wide-eyed salesmen, it seems I have to navigate the bizarre world of car perception.
Telling a room of South Africans you’re considering buying a car is a bold statement. American businessman and billionaire Scott Cook once said: “A brand is no longer what we tell consumers it is; it is what consumers tell each other it is.” And boy, do consumers have a lot to say about car brands: how they’re perceived, and what you should or shouldn’t buy. The problem with this trial-by-jury approach is that you’re inundated with skewed or biased car advice, often even from the experts. Now,
I’m no car fundi by any standards. I refer to myself as a car fan and not a car fanboy; the difference is I enjoy keeping abreast of industry developments and new models, but I only recently discovered what an A-pillar is... That said, I’d like to think I have a fairly objective opinion on car brands. Although, I nd myself dissuaded from certain models based purely on perception.
In the age of Internet memes, home videos and viral content, not even cars are safe. In fact, the perception of many motor vehicle brands seems to be moulded by the South African interweb. BMW is already associated with drivers who have never discovered an indicator stalk but, more recently, the Bavarian luxury brand has become synonymous with suburban disputes and faux Japanese katanas, none of which I’d like to be associated with. Besides, the blue and white chequered circle also drums up images of corrupt politicians driving around in their rst ashy purchase made with money from an illegal tender. I know, I know; I’m stereotyping but, if perception is anything to go on, BMW may have to hire a hotshot PR rm pretty soon. It’s a pity because I do think the brand makes some excellent products. I just don’t think I want to own one. If consumers are informing other consumers about a brand, that’s maybe not such a great thing for car manufacturers.
What if we use the “do what I do and not what I say” approach to buying a car? What do locals buy? Well, that’s easy: VW and Toyota. I’ve been told on various occasions to stick with trustworthy brands with easyto-source parts. The problem is, criminals also love these trustworthy brands, which is probably why insurance costs on VWS and Toyotas are astronomical. I’ve lost count of the number of people I know whose Polos or Corollas have been stolen, no doubt driven across the border never to be seen again. Besides, I can’t fathom driving a brand that conned the world over emissions levels, so I’m not sold on the whole “German engineering” line. If everyone drives a VW then, quite honestly, nobody does. I’m not sure that’s what the German Labour Front intended when they named it the “people’s car”. What ever happened to a sense of individuality?
I’m nitpicking, of course. But it seems you have to when purchasing a new vehicle. There’s a lot more to consider than there was two or three decades ago, and a consumer’s perception of a brand is evidently shaped not only by the country in which they live, but by the brands themselves. What I have come to realise is that owning a car is personal. For some, it is an asset; for others, a valuable treasure; and for most of us, it’s probably something in-between. Standing on the precipice of purchase, with unsolicited advice abound, car-buying remains an arduous task. The lesson I’m learning is that people, including myself, base much of their perception of you on your car, and South Africans even more so. Ultimately, I’ve committed to embarking on a journey to nd the vehicle I like without feeling like it typecasts me for eternity. Wish me luck!