In South Africa, bakkies are used for all kinds of things: moms use bakkies to drop the kids off at school, dad’s use them for lugging around heavy objects, farmers bakkies them to carry equipment… the list goes on and on. At CarZar we love to pay cash for bakkies because we know that second hand bakkies are a great investment! But one thing that all bakkies have in common? They’re all great for an off-roading! Whether they’re 2×4 or 4×4, if you’re planning a dirt-road trek, a bakkie – either new or a second hand bakkie – is what you want to be driving.

Off-road Techniques You Should Know

Have you just seen a ‘Bakkies for Sale’ advert online and had a sudden urge to pack up and go on a off-road adventure? There are a few things you need to think about before going on a 4×4 bakkie South Africa trip!

Hand Position

Driving over obstacles, ruts and potholes is what off-roading is about, but this could cause your steering wheel to suddenly turn, sending your car off into a ditch and you looking for another ‘Second Hand Bakkie’ sign. A less scary but no less dangerous result of driving over these obstacles can be a serious injury to your thumbs. Make sure you don’t place your thumbs on the inside of the steering wheel, or they could get dislocated. Leave them outside the wheel – this should start to become second nature after a while.  

Diff Position

Any bakkie South Africa owner will tell you that Diff Lock is what 4x4s are all about – but how many can tell you the position of their front and rear differentials? They’re usually the lowest ground clearance point of your vehicle, along with other low ground clearance points like the exhaust or spare tyre. The diffs are vulnerable to large rocks or other obstacle, and you should try to avoid driving directly over it with the lowest ground clearance point of your vehicle.

Braking

When looking for used bakkies for sale, be sure you check the suspension: many second hand bakkies sustain damage to their front suspension due to poor braking technique. When you brake to avoid an obstacle like a pothole or rut, your vehicle’s front suspension compresses. This causes them to ‘use up’ most of its suspension travel. If you brake and you cannot avoid the rut or pothole, release the brake pedal just before you hit the obstacle to allow the front suspension to return to its normal height, giving more suspension travel when hitting the obstacle.

Vehicle Limitations

Cornering at higher speeds is more dangerous in a 4WD vehicle than a normal car as 4WDs are more inclined to roll due to their higher centre of gravity. Unless you want to try get some cash for bakkies spare parts, you had better learn to corner your second hand bakkie carefully!

Are you thinking, “It’s time to sell my car and buy a bakkie!” CarZar offers the most cash for bakkies while also offering a safe and simple service!

Car sellers can simply:

Step 1: Receive a free instant online quote on www.carzar.co.za

Step 2: Book an obligation-free inspection at their most convenient CarZar car buying centre or preferred location.

Step 3: Accept the final cash offer provided by CarZar’s professional car buyer and CarZar will make an instant payment straight into your bank account, and do a free ownership transfer without hassling you.

Guaranteed safety and convenience throughout your entire second hand Bakkie selling experience in South Africa.