Fazda
Honorary Master
Ox-wagons could return as more manufacturers recall cars
PRETORIA. As Chevrolet become the latest manufacturer, after Toyota, Honda, Ford and Nissan, to recall vehicles in 2010, a spokesperson for the Afrikaans Taal en Kultuur Vereniging, said his organisation's stand-point that the ox-wagon was phased out prematurely had been proved correct.
ATKV spokesperson Stefanus Dusselboom said, "Ox-wagons were used with great success for almost two centuries - none of them were ever recalled."
He said that during that period no ox-wagon had ever suffered an engine failure.
"And the only record of the accelerator getting stuck was when Epileptic-Ernie Oosthuizen suffered a grand mal seizure with his whip in his hand," he said.
Dusselboom said that in modern times people often forgot the story of the hare and the tortoise. "And the one about the hair and the soup."
He said both parables taught the same lesson: namely that if you act in haste you may be forced to swallow a nasty surprise.
Industry analyst Sunette Wakus said that although they were slower than any car made since the model-T Ford, there were nevertheless several significant advantages to the taditional ox-wagon.
"There is never an issues with boot space. They handle potholes and rough terrain better than Smart Cars. You don't need a licence to drive one on a public road. They hold their resale value well. And they are much better than Toyotas when it comes to making a lager."
She said companies like Toyota could learn a thing or two from the ox-wagon, something which Dusselboom suggested Toyota may already have tried as he lashed out, accusing them of industrial espionage.
"Ox-wagons were due to be marketed to the public under the slogan 'Everything keeps going, far right' and Toyota stole it from us. That, and the advent of the tar road brought an end to the commercial success of the ox-wagon and paved the way for Toyota to go on and become the number one vehicle for the South African people," he said.
PRETORIA. As Chevrolet become the latest manufacturer, after Toyota, Honda, Ford and Nissan, to recall vehicles in 2010, a spokesperson for the Afrikaans Taal en Kultuur Vereniging, said his organisation's stand-point that the ox-wagon was phased out prematurely had been proved correct.
ATKV spokesperson Stefanus Dusselboom said, "Ox-wagons were used with great success for almost two centuries - none of them were ever recalled."
He said that during that period no ox-wagon had ever suffered an engine failure.
"And the only record of the accelerator getting stuck was when Epileptic-Ernie Oosthuizen suffered a grand mal seizure with his whip in his hand," he said.
Dusselboom said that in modern times people often forgot the story of the hare and the tortoise. "And the one about the hair and the soup."
He said both parables taught the same lesson: namely that if you act in haste you may be forced to swallow a nasty surprise.
Industry analyst Sunette Wakus said that although they were slower than any car made since the model-T Ford, there were nevertheless several significant advantages to the taditional ox-wagon.
"There is never an issues with boot space. They handle potholes and rough terrain better than Smart Cars. You don't need a licence to drive one on a public road. They hold their resale value well. And they are much better than Toyotas when it comes to making a lager."
She said companies like Toyota could learn a thing or two from the ox-wagon, something which Dusselboom suggested Toyota may already have tried as he lashed out, accusing them of industrial espionage.
"Ox-wagons were due to be marketed to the public under the slogan 'Everything keeps going, far right' and Toyota stole it from us. That, and the advent of the tar road brought an end to the commercial success of the ox-wagon and paved the way for Toyota to go on and become the number one vehicle for the South African people," he said.
