Posts Tagged ‘4×4’

I’m sure you’ve read reports about the increasing numbers of stolen 4×4′s, particularly the Toyota Fortuner as well as Toyota Hiluxes.  

Just recently, here at 4×4-insurance.co.za we posted a warning about these 4×4 thefts and suggested some practical ways in which owners of the affected vehicles could reduce the risk of becoming another 4×4 theft statistic.

For South African 4×4 owners, the future may seem a little brighter now as new technology to recover stolen cars makes its way into the market.

Microdots, which are smaller than 1mm, are laser-printed dots that are superimposed across the body of the car and contain vital vehicle information that can be used to determine if a vehicle is stolen or not.

We support the Business Against Crime South Africa (BACSA) initiative to get the microdot technology rolled out across the country in an attempt to curb the alarming number of hijackings and vehicle thefts.  insurance premiums are likely to decrease if we are able to reduce the number of thefts and hijackings of 4×4′s in South Africa.

Theft of vehicles is big business in South Africa.  Statistics reveal more than 90 000 vehicles worth more than R9-billion are stolen every year.

BCSA’s Microdot project manager, Fouche Burger, told SA-The Good News that the crime-fighting organization is waiting for the government to approve the legislation authorising the use of Microdots by every vehicle manufacturer.

Burger says it won’t be long before police will start using the technology to identify stolen vehicles at road blocks. The microdots are too small to see with the naked eye, and can be identified by police when examining stolen cars using magnifying glasses and specialised equipment to see the microdots.  And the South African Police Service (SAPS) has announced that Microdots will shortly be compulsory for all new vehicles registered.

Already being used

As of 31 May 2009 over 370 000 vehicles in the country where microdotted by the following companies: Nissan, BMW, Avis Rent-a-Car, Toyota (on the Quantum minibus), SAPS, SAVRALA and Vesa, Burger revealed.

How does it work?

The process involves the application of approximately 10 000 tiny polyester or metal dots, each less than 1 mm in diameter and each containing the vehicle’s identification number (VIN) or a unique vehicle PIN etched onto it by a laser-etching process, as repeated lines of text.

The microdots are applied to 88 different locations on a vehicle. Discovering and removing all of them is practically impossible and any attempt to remove them results in the car’s body being severely damaged.

It also helps that the technology used to identify microdots is cheap and easily available, said Deborah Hunt, Media Liaison at BACSA. “Police can use a low-tech magnifying glass, which is cost effective”.

International statistics indicate that Microdot technology leads to a decrease of between 50 and 60 percent in the number of stolen and hijacked vehicles and an improvement of more than 55 percent in recoveries.

It is common knowledge that many of the stolen and hijacked 4×4′s are dismantled in chop shops and the parts sold as second-hand.  Microdots can be used in recovering components sold as used parts and this will certainly be a deterrent for hijackings and motor vehicle theft.

Related articles:

• Off-Color Cars Offer Effective Theft Prevention [Theft] (lifehacker.com)
• Why Car Thieves Are Male (freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com)

Thanks to our government and the proposed new carbon emissions tax, that new 4×4 double cab is going to cost you even more.  Up to R20,000 more!

Here’s the latest on governments’ plan to increase their revenue by taxing us again and again.

“Treasury said on Tuesday that it has always intended to include double cab vehicles in the first phase of the implementation of the CO2 vehicle emissions tax. This is in line with the intent of the VAT Act and the fact that double cabs are mainly used as passenger vehicles.

“Including double cabs in the CO2 vehicle emissions tax net is also in line with the original intent of this proposed tax: the taxation high engine capacity vehicles to discourage the use of vehicles are not fuel efficient and encourage the shift to the more fuel efficient ones,” the Treasury said.”

As if the motor industry wasn’t under enough pressure!  It has barely recovered from the recession, which saw hundreds of dealers closing their doors, leaving thousands of people unemployed.

The motor industry argues that double cabs are classified as light commercial vehicles, and should therefore be excluded from the Carbon (CO2) Emissions Tax.

But Treasury insists that the since single cabs and double cabs have similar engine sizes, they should be treated the same when it comes to the Carbon Emissions Tax.

Let’s face it our environment is precious and it’s vitally important that we look after it.  If the funds generated by this carbon emissions tax were to be used to fund sustainable energy such as wind power generation, I would have no problem with that. I may be cynical, but it is my opinion that this is merely an attempt by government to make up for the taxes that they have lost in other areas due to the recession and the worldwide economic downturn.

There’s not much that one can do, I guess. If you want the double cab it is going to cost you more from September. Maybe it’s a good time to buy now?

Related articles by Zemanta

• New car emissions dropped 5% (bemoreeco.com)
• Diesel car sales overtake petrol for first time in UK (guardian.co.uk)

Recovering your 4×4 safely from mud, soft sand, or any similar situation is not as easy as you may think.

Using the proper equipment, in the right way makes the recovery easier, as well as safer.

Here is a video showing exactly how to use kinetic straps (aka snatch straps) properly, when recovering your stuck 4×4.