Motoring Myth-Busting
The car folklore South Africans repeat and whether it holds up: diesel longevity, running-in, premium fuel, resale rules and more, tested against the facts.
Motoring is full of confident advice that was true once, or never was. Some of it is harmless. Some of it costs money: buying a diesel for a short city commute because diesels last forever, paying for premium fuel a car does not need, or believing a new car loses most of its value the moment it leaves the dealership and so buying used at any price. Myths survive because they contain a grain of truth from a different era of cars.
This topic takes the most common claims one at a time and explains what is actually true for modern cars in South African conditions. Where the answer is genuinely it depends, we say what it depends on, so you can apply the right rule to your own car rather than someone else's.
Motoring Myth-Busting — questions
The questions people ask about motoring myth-busting, answered plainly.
Do diesel engines really last longer than petrol engines?
+
Modern petrol engines routinely reach very high mileages when serviced properly, so the gap is far smaller than it used to be. Diesels suit long-distance, high-mileage drivers because of their economy and torque. For short urban trips a modern diesel can actually suffer, because its particulate filter needs sustained highway driving to clean itself.
Does a new car lose most of its value as soon as you drive it away?
+
It loses value, but the dramatic figures people quote are exaggerated for most mainstream cars. Depreciation is steepest in the first two to three years and then flattens, and popular models with strong demand hold value well. Buying below the manufacturer's retail price, as every car on the Car4Less showroom is, softens the early drop further.
Is premium unleaded better for every car?
+
No. Use the octane the manufacturer specifies in the handbook. Most South African cars are designed for 95 unleaded at the coast and are fine on 93 inland, where the thinner air means lower octane works well. Paying for a higher grade than the engine is tuned for gives no benefit in economy or performance.
Do new cars still need to be run in?
+
Modern engines are assembled to far tighter tolerances than older ones, so the old rituals are mostly unnecessary. Manufacturers still recommend avoiding sustained high revs and heavy loads for the first thousand kilometres or so, and varying your speed on long drives. Follow the handbook rather than folklore from a previous generation of cars.
Ready to find your car?
Browse over 1 318 new cars, every one below the manufacturer's retail price.