Car Rental Southern Africa

4x4's are experiencing a renaissance of sorts. 4x4 rental is hot property, so ensure that you get in on ground level and grab the Land Rover, Jeep or Hummer of your dreams. With safety and security a chief concern (especially in wealthy suburbs that are targeted by criminals) you need to be behind the wheel of a powerhouse, a tank that can protect you from the dangers of modern living. This is the renewed interest in 4x4's I speak of. You can keep yourself safe and mobile, driving safely from home to destination. Here is what we consider to be some of the more secure 4x4's on the market today.

Hummer style
Hummers were built to withstand bomb-blasts. So if they can protect you from a literal terrorist attack imagine what they can do for you in your own town. You will be wrapped in a cocoon of steel and comfort, safe from the dangers of the outside world and any issues it presents. Downside: the price is astronomical, so choose a 4x4 hire for a week or so to see how a Hummer H2 or H3 suits your lifestyle.

Jeep, a tough nut to crack
Enter the Commander, one of the hardiest jeeps ever created. With three (yes, three) engines, the Jeep Commander can climb any obstacle without even breaking a sweat - such as mounting a curb in a time of danger. Armoured windows and a sound dampening interior keep you safe from bullets, tire irons and the crazy noise of the outside world. With space for over seven passengers, the Commander can also safely transport your entire family and cousins (if you so desire) to and from each destination.

So ensure that you option a safe 4x4 hire and select only the toughest cars for our country.

I recently upgraded my 4x4 rental option with a solid, new option (which I won't name here for fear of advertiser retribution) that makes this old model look like a tin can with toy wheels. Why do I hire 4x4's? I am the non-committal type plus I own a standard vehicle. The rental option is a weekend endeavour. Are you considering the purchase of a 4x4? Follow these golden rules to lead you to success:

1. Not all 4x4's are created to be equal.
2. Before you choose your 4x4, decide what features and accessories you are looking for in your mini-monster. It pays to know what you want.
3. Ignore the manure that salesmen lay thickly upon your virgin 4x4 purchase. They are looking to inflate their numbers with your unwitting ways. Take a friend with you who knows about such things.
4. If you do not have a 4x4 expert as a friend then it is time to read up about 4x4's on the internet or even the library. If you do not know what a library is, then look it up on the internet.
5. Ground-clearance is the most important part of any 4x4.
6. Add low-range gearing to this equation as well. If you do not have adequate gearing then expect to only drive your purchase around the city and not the muddy trails of the Serengeti. OH YEAH, FEEL THE POWER!
7. Sorry about the last part I became excited.
8. Never mind how fancy the 4x4 looks. Beauty is only skin deep. This is especially true with a 4x4. Power, stability and reliability are your friends, not a touch screen MP3 radio and a smoothly contoured bonnet.
9. If you cannot fix your vehicle it needs to be reliable beyond any shadow of a doubt.

So rent a 4x4, buy one or be a passenger in one. What a feeling.

Drive Africa was founded in 1997 as the first "Rental Purchase" car buy-back company in Africa. With over 700 vehicles sold since inception it is the most successful one to date!

There are up to 60 buy back guaranteed vehicles in all categories in their fleet, from standard hatchbacks, student cars to luxury off road vehicles.

Apart from the excellent buy back service for which they are internationally renowned, Drive Africa is also a top class car rental company specializing in short and long term rentals of cars - from Budget to Luxury exclusively to the bonafide international traveller. They also offer a great selection of fully equipped 4x4s and Campervans / Motorhomes.

Whether you rent or buy, there is a vehicle to suit every client - student, businessperson, adventurer or family man.

Drive Africa offers affordable, top quality car rental and buy back services in a professional and personalised environment. With quality and customer safety as the company's watchwords, all cars are comprehensively checked in their own workshop.

In addition, all buy back cars are fully, comprehensively insured, Roadworthied by AA(Automobil Asociation of South Africa )and Registered with AA Fleetcare (Road Assistance) for breakdowns.

At the helm of this thriving company is Mr. Alex Jochheim. He has a proven track record with a long and successful career in the Tourism sector behind him.

Alex was employed at the South African Tourism office in Europe for 13 years. His last posting in 1998 was as South Africa's Tourism Director for Switzerland.

Drive Africa is a member of the Southern African Tourism Services Association (SATSA) - a benchmark of quality in the South African Tourism sector

SATSA has now added world first the benefit of being "bonded" which is a financial guarantee that covers travelers against possible losses of their advance deposits or full payments paid to SATSA members facing involuntary liquidation. Good advice is that visitors from other countries should make use of the bonded services of SASTA members for secure holiday bookings in South Africa.

Drive Africa is known and indexed around the world. Well-known travel guidebooks like the 'Lonely Planet Guide' and the German adventure guide 'Reise Know How' feature information about Drive Africa's quality buy back cars and undisputed buy back guarantee .Drive Africa is also Dot.Travel approved and vetted by the South Africa Tourism Business council.

The company's mission is to achieve 100% customer satisfaction and to lay the foundations for an unforgettable stay in South Africa for every client.

What does it take to make a luxury car desirable?

Is it form, long contoured lines that flow together in a sort of blissful metallic harmony. Is it design, a shape unlike no other that can be both angular and perfectly round at once. Or is it the mechanics of the vehicle, all working in unison to produce a feeling of speed and control that defies logic.
It is all of these factors and more that make a luxury car something else, something truly desirable and a car destined for greatness.

Firstly we have the Aston Martin DB9, designed and manufactured in Europe. Aston has always been the class leader when it comes to European car design, beating our BMW and Mercedes for style and performance. The DB9 was made popular by the new James Bond movies and 007 himself couldn't pick a more elegant ride. Aside from the beautifully designed aluminium body frame and the V12 Engine, The DB9 has a gear selection system unlike any other. Going beyond tiptronic levers, the DB9 uses a Touchtronic lever where the gear selection is made by pressing on corresponding buttons at each side of the wheel, for a manual drive with an almost automatic feel.
With a top speed of close to 300km/h per hour, the DB9 is one sophisticated ride that cannot be contained.

When it comes to luxury vehicles, European design seems to be prevalent. Our next entry is the Rolls Royce Phantom. Only five years old, but already a classic that seems destined to impress for decades to come, the Phantom is every bit the embodiment of the Rolls Royce brand. A combination of luxury and unfettered design; the Phantom has all the option and gadgets a potential owner could want. Its coach style doors open on a rear hinge, allowing the passenger and driver to simply open, swivel inside and close the door behind them [the doors close automatically once safely inside]. Once inside though, sweeping leather interiors and the finest cashmere trim greet you and your passengers. The Phantom is effortless yet gratifying to drive, vitally important as most owners will prefer to drive the Phantom themselves. This car is no slouch in the speed department either, reaching a top speed of 240km/h without breaking a sweat. The Phantom is truly a modern interpretation of a legend.
No article about luxury cars can be complete without mentioning the Porsche Carrera GT. Porsche is synonymous with ultra-luxury and the Porsche Carrera GT is Porsches magnum opus. A high speed of 330 km/h can be reached but despite this ludicrous speed, the Porsche Carrera GT perfectly suited for everyday driving. The engine of the GT was originally used in the racing frame of the Porsche Le Mans racing cars. Porsche abandoned this concept quickly though but the engine did not go to waste and its 580hp strength frame now resides in the silver styled body of the Carrera GT. The interior theme is that of a functional ambience, not once compromising its true styling that of an all out F1 race car for the road.

Luxury is beyond necessity and there are but a few of the cars that define this word. If you have the means to purchase or drive one of these dream cars then make it so. Moments like those only come once in a lifetime.

Dollar Luxury Car Rental

Cross-border car rental has revolutionized the way we travel. Now you can get in your comfortable car rental in Cape Town and carry on driving until you hit Rundu, without having to switch vehicles once. How's that for convenience?

If this is your first self-drive safari on our fair continent, Namibia is the perfect starting point. The country is relatively safe and free from civil upheavals, boasts a variety of roadside camps and lodges and has a solid road structure. Add to this plenty of geographical variety and a wealth of wildlife and you have one of the most beautifully scenic portions of Southern Africa. Here are some must-visit attractions to include in your Namibian safari:

1. Etosha National Park & Etosha Pan: If game watching and bird viewing tickles your fancy, Etosha National Park will be right up your alley. About 80% of Etosha National Park is covered by mopane woodland and other forms of shrubbery that provides the perfect habitat for the wildlife that calls the area home. The National Park takes its name from a native term that means 'great white place of dry water', which of course denotes the Etosha Pan, which is in fact a flat, saline desert.

2. The Skeleton Coast: Spartan to the core, this perilous coastline has been the death of many a sailing vessel. Where the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean meet the warm shores of the Namibian coastline, a dense fog is formed, which accounts for the many shipwrecks that line the inhospitable shore. Although merciless, the area is home to a variety of highly adapted creatures like seals, penguins and hyenas.

3. Sossusvlei: Probably one of Namibia's most well-known attractions, Sossusvlei is a collection of dynamic sand dunes (which means they are constantly shifting with the wind). These giants are best viewed at dawn and dusk when the intensity of the shadows accentuates their shape and colour.

These are just some of the magnificent Namibian attractions that await your perusal. Wherever you decide to go on your self-drive Namibian safari, remember to pack lots of sunscreen and bottled water and most importantly: book your cross-border car rental in good time to ensure availability.