Wantok favourite car.
Every working-class Wantok needs a decent car and their right to owning a car must not be denied. Vehicles must be made affordable even if it means relaxing custom taxes or opening up new car businesses.
Although, our Wantoks may have their own dream cars which may be expensive and beyond their Toea, it is much wiser to dream again on a car that you can be able to afford and one that is convenient to PNG conditions. We have the rough road conditions which require four-wheel drives, preferably Landcruiser, and of course, the city roads where sedans are becoming hot favourites among working class PNGuineans. Our Wantoks also need commercial vehicles like buses, dynas, etc. We must not forget those with 25 Wantoks living in one house. In this case, a ute or a mini-bus would be desirable to transport them from Town to home or for a picnic to Sogeri. Don’t forget to sponsor their meals.
For many Wantoks, to buy a new car from a car company is preety expensive – something that only big companies in PNG do and we wait for their tender day. No problem with that.
I wish to point out that our dreams of owning dream-cars can be just fantasies which cannot be fulfilled within our financial means and sometimes if we do, we may find ourselves going broke. I would rather use a PMV or walk than to starve myself.
Used car dealers sometimes rip people off their savings by putting extra charges and in most cases, vehicles run down within a year or two. One more trouble that many Wantoks face when they order cars from Japan is that, they face their worst nightmares at the customs where hefty charges have to be incured. However, this is something that is unavoidable and what we give (hopefully) goes back to the country to fix those potholes.
Getting back to the topic, what kind of vehicle many of our Wantoks want? In 2007 (Feb-May), while in PNG doing a research on something else, I did a survey on the types of vehicles people in PNG like. It is not difficult to tell what people like, although some may have their weird preferences. In places like Pom, many working class families like to go for sedans; one that is affordable, nice-looking, and convenient for travelling to work and for weekend use (not forgeting the flashy designs like sound systems to pump up the weekends). The City buses are a different story and I will have another post on getting a decent city bus esp, for PMV (City Routes, as we call it and our Wantoks in other centers call Highway bus or Coaster bus – it’s just the same thing with glass windows where you can spit your buai out while the music blow your eardrums).
Don’t forget that chosing between a diesel engine and a petrol engine is very important.
In a place like Highlands or somewhere where pot-holes are a daily eyesore, many wantoks like going for a Four-wheel drive or a ute. The dynas have become our regular local trains – who cares! so long as it takes me from Pom to Sogeri or from Lae to Bulolo. I will put up different posts soon on the diffrent types of vehicles for PNG conditions and how vehicles wear and tear. I will also have a post on how to take care of our vehicles, both interior and exterior, simple bodyworks and so forth.
Laikim yupela long hap bilong laikimz and wanbel em i stap!
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