Peugeot's 404 and 504 models have earned a formidable reputation for durability throughout much of Africa, second only to the legendary Mercedes-Benz W123 - so much so that there are still calls for the 504 to be put back into production as an affordable third-world transport solution.
And here's one 504 owner who won't argue with that.
Robert Hotz bought this demonstration-model, 1.8-litre, 504 station wagon in 1983 for the princely sum of R5500 - and it's been in daily use as a business tool ever since, for nearly a million kilometres!
He owns and manages his own business, and these days has a chauffeur to drive him around in the Peugeot. Richard Moyo is as fastidious about the venerable 504 as its owner, and checks everything from the tyre pressures to the water and oil levels every morning before driving off.
“I've had lots of offers for the 504,” Hotz said, “but I would never sell it.
“At one stage parts became a problem, but I found somebody in Pretoria who had a workshop full of Peugeot spares - he even found me an indicator lever when the one in my car broke. The same chap also serviced the car during that time - every 10 000km or so,” Hotz said.
His first Peugeot was a 1970 404, which was replaced by his first 504 in 1974.
Just before the odometer turned over to zero Hotz and Moyo took the old lady to Peugeot SA's headquarters in Linbro Park, to meet managing director Francis Harnie.
He commented: “It's quite astonishing to see a car that's almost 30 years old, and has covered a million kilometres, and that is still in such good running condition.
“Cars such as this 504 remind us just how strong the Peugeot heritage in Africa really is.”