A Cape Town resident has just passed the 1 500 000 km mark in his 2002 Nissan Hardbody double-cab bakkie.
Brian Kannemeyer purchased the white 2,4i 16v model new from Shus Nissan in Goodwood back in 2002.
“When we picked up our new Hardbody, we promptly took it on a round trip across South Africa, touching base in Johannesburg, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth before returning home with our new pick-up,” said Kannemeyer.
Kannemeyer, who runs a shop-fitting business, then started putting plenty more kilometres on the bakkie thanks to work commitments.
“I regularly travel for work, and I am back and forth between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein and even as far as the Limpopo Province.
“I also travel to Namibia regularly, and Madam [his name for the bakkie] and I often visit Windhoek, Keetmanshoop, Swakopmund and even as far as the Angolan border for work,” he said.
Kannemeyer said he did not miss a single scheduled service – which was required almost every month – up to the 300 000 km mark. Thereafter, he and his sons would change oil and consumables, leaving the local dealer to complete the major services.
He also made sure to put his Hardbody on a dynamometer every two years or so to pick up any potential problems early.
But, according to Kannemeyer, the 2,4-litre engine has never been opened, although the throttle chamber, manifold and alternator have all been replaced. The Hardbody has also been through two gearboxes in its lifetime.
To celebrate the milestone, Kannemeyer had the bakkie resprayed and the seats re-upholstered.
