This is part one of our three-part Hilux Stories series. Read part two here. Or click here to read more about the Hilux #Where2next? competition.
Between the rolling hills of Malmesbury and the towering Paarl mountains, the bright-red roof of an afdak hides a Hilux that has travelled more than 1,2 million kilometres.
OU Bakkie, as proud owner Johnnie Louw and his family calls their Hilux, is a tan-colour 1985 2,4 Diesel and the oldest one of the three Hiluxes on the picturesque Swartland farm.
Plying his trade as an agricultural inspector, Louw bought the Hilux in April 1991 from the Toyota dealership in Malmesbury when the then six-year-old bakkie had only 35 000 km on the clock. “Everyone in the area was happy with the reliability of a Hilux, so it was an easy choice,” says a smiling Louw, who has stuck with the brand ever since.
Over the years, Ou Bakkie and its owner have explored the nooks and crannies of the Swartland, inspecting farms multiple times during the planting season and carrying various herbicides as far as Springbok and Beaufort West. Louw even ferried two large pigs in Ou Bakkie’s bay once.
In the late 1990s, when Ou Bakkie was well on its way to a million kilometres on the clock, Louw made the decision to keep the bakkie until it reached the magic number. “As we neared the million mark, we had to start patching and puttying to keep him going,” says Louw. “At almost 1,1 million kilometres, I had to replace the engine.” No amount of clever tactics could keep it going.
The “new” engine came with 68 000 km on the clock and has since done close to 200 000 km. Now over 1,2 million, Louw believes Ou Bakkie will reach two million km in his ownership. And the old engine? Louw is a nostalgic man and has therefore kept the original as a memento.
Life with the bakkie has, however, not always been smooth sailing. A few years back, Ou Bakkie nearly met its demise at the hand of a large cargo truck. As Louw was about to turn right onto a farm road, the truck behind him suddenly went into the incoming lane to overtake the Hilux. “Luckily, I saw him coming at the last second; he missed me by so much,” Louw says, holding his hands five centimetres apart.
The Hilux is not just a workhorse, though. In the mid ‘90s, both Louw children learnt to drive in the bakkie. Years later, on 30 January 2010, Ou Bakkie was the wedding car for Louw’s daughter Delani and her husband Alexander.
With the midday sun glinting on the well-polished bakkie, Louw looks at his pride and joy and says: “People want to drive every vehicle as if it’s brand new, but an older model needs patience.” And his patience has paid off: the bakkie glistens.
Ou Bakkie has regular 20 000 km services. Louw even has the bay sprayed annually to avoid rust and any part of the body that needs work gets looked at during these visits. His advice for older-model Hilux owners is to service them regularly at a Toyota dealer. According to Louw, although a proper service costs a little bit more, a Toyota dealer knows what to inspect.
“Service, service, service. Keep your eye on the vehicle’s body and watch your speed.” Louw feels these four nuggets of advice are all you should follow to get a Hilux to such a high mileage.
Would he ever consider selling Ou Bakkie? “I’ll never let him go. After my time, my children can sell him if they’d like, but I’ll keep him running for as long as I’m around.”
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