TopAuto reader John loves his VW Amarok, and would not trade it for another bakkie.
Speaking to TopAuto about his vehicle, he said that after driving it for 50,000km and well over two years, he can see himself being an Amarok fan for life.
John shared his ownership experience below.
When did you get the bakkie?
I bought it second-hand in 2018 for under R200,000 at WeBuyCars.
It is a 2011 Amarok Double-Cab TDI Trendline and has over 200,000 kilometres on the clock.
What are your three favourite things about the car?
The interior of the Amarok is spacious.
I’ve owned a Ranger, an Isuzu, and a Mahindra in the past and this one by far has the largest and nicest interior.
There are plenty of electrical outlets in the cabin, which means I never have a device without power, and it has come in handy multiple times during load-shedding season.
Fuel consumption is also a big plus, as I get around 11 kilometres per litre under normal driving conditions.
I’ve even seen a 13.2km/litre appear a couple of times.
Which three things do you like least about the car?
I don’t know if this is the case with every Amarok, but in mine I have terrible struggles of trying to get the window switches to work.
Sometimes the windows just do not want to go fully down, and other times they don’t even move.
The radio system, too. The antenna struggles to pick up quality signals and the speakers are a bit lackluster to say the least.
Once again, I don’t know if other Amarok owners have had this struggle, but on mine I need to replace my headlight bulbs at least once every six months if I want to be able to see at night.
What is it like to drive your car every day?
It’s an absolute pleasure.
My daily commute takes about half an hour and I enjoy every minute of it.
I also love taking it to the beach, and on long road trips I don’t mind being the one behind the wheel.
What is the hardest journey you have ever done with your car?
Sadly, my Amarok is the 4×2 version with 90kW, so it’s not particularly powerful.
I went to a tough 4×4 course with some friends after a storm ran through the previous day and my problems began almost immediately after turning the first corner.
I must admit that all-terrain tyres and rear-wheel-drive isn’t the best way to conquer a muddy 4×4 track, with lots of hills and deep trenches, but after I switched on the rear diff-lock my experience turned from sour to the somewhat smooth sailing.
Would you recommend your car to friends and family?
Definitely.
It is probably the most reliable vehicle I’ve ever owned with the least number of mechanical issues.
I am a diesel mechanic by day and I personally service my car every 7,500km – but if I’m honest, I think it only needs to be done every 12,000km.
I just want to highlight the spacious interior again, and the very comfortable seats – especially for the larger guys out there.
After driving my Amarok for almost three years, I can absolutely say that I’ve fallen in love with it and wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Keyword: This owner wouldn’t trade his VW Amarok for the world