Former Mr South Africa Paul Phume talks to the Mail & Guardian about his Aston Martin.
What was the first car you bought and what influenced the purchase?
My first car was a VW Passat; it’s all I could afford at the time.
If you had a weekend to drive to any destination in South Africa, where would you go, what car would you be driving and who would you take?
My favourite destination — Mpumalanga in an Aston Martin DBS with my girlfriend.
What would the music be?
Fela Kuti.
When was the last time you knowingly broke a traffic law?
I never break laws knowingly.
How much was your most expensive traffic fine and what was it for?
An R8 000 speeding fine travelling from Durban to Johannesburg in a Porsche 911 Turbo at a speed of 180kph.
Ever had a particularly good or bad experience with a traffic cop?
A good experience that stands out in my mind was a cop who once gave me a warning and was very nice about it.
Do you believe that speed traps help save lives or are you of the opinion that traffic authorities should be focusing more on reckless driving habits, such as drunk driving or driving unroadworthy vehicles?
Yes, I believe we should have speed limits, but it would be nice to have one or two open roads like the autobahn in Germany. This doesn’t take away from our need to enforce the other laws of the road.
What gadget should car manufacturers put into cars that would make your life easier?
Surprise me. I love nothing more than innovation and creativity.
What annoys you most about other drivers?
Do we have to lose our temper whenever anyone makes a mistake? We make mistakes ourselves.
What’s the nastiest thing you’ve done to another car or had done to your car?
Being from Jo’burg, the list is endless of what I’ve witnessed on the road. Thank God my cars have been safe from vandalism.
You now own an investment holdings company and drive an Aston Martin Vantage. What did you drive when you were Mr South Africa in 1994?
A BMW 325i Cab.
Do you have other vehicles in addition to the Vantage?
A 1969 Mercedes Benz 230s and a 4,8-litre BMW X5.
Why did you opt to buy the Vantage when there are other cheaper, faster cars on the market?
I couldn’t hold back after reading about it and ordered one the next day.
You’re paying a great deal for your car (R1 450 000) — do you feel you’re getting your money’s worth or do you sometimes feel like you might be spending too much on your car?
All cars are too expensive in this country, including a Toyota Tazz. For a hand-built and hand-crafted car, you close your eyes, add a few extras and pay up.
Is your next car going to be another Aston Martin?
Take a wild guess.