Hi Baraza,
I’m a 25-year-old racing enthusiast and I own an old Subaru Legacy. The mileage on the machine is 390,000kms; could this pose any reliability problems? How soon should I start preparing for the car’s demise?
Bindoz
Harrier
Your engine’s faulty; Demios don’t normally make tractor-like sounds
Hello Baraza, I really love your column and look forward to the Wednesday issue of the Daily Nation. I hope you will respond to my mail this time round. Now on to my question: I have a 2005 Mazda Demio and of late, I have been seriously disturbed by a noise coming from under the … Read more
Apart from the names, the Harrier and the Lexus have different specs
Congrats for the good work. I am working on my car magazine and for sure I’ve got a lot to write about, given what I am learning from you. Now, apart from their names, what is the difference between the Toyota Harrier and Lexus? I only know that people love the Lexus because they say … Read more
The Merc 180’s main problem is the battery and wiper motor
I recently bought a ’99 Mercedes Benz C180 (? 202). Having driven other cars, namely, Toyota, Daihatsu Rocky and Honda, I must say this car is a different thing all together. The engine delivers real power effortlessly, the handling is very smooth and the fear of excessive consumption, I discovered, is unfounded because its consumption … Read more
Why cars made in the ’80s and ’90s will outlive the ’00s by far
Hi Baraza, In the past two weeks, I have driven down to Nakuru three times, every time using a different car, namely a 2003 Toyota Kluger, a 2007 Toyota Premio, and a 1991 Mercedes Benz 190E. By quite a distance, the 190E was the most comfortable and most stable. Older Volvos and Mercedes’ seem way … Read more
How cheap is cheap? Should I invest in a 1997 Mazda Midge?
Dear Baraza, I am about to buy a Mazda Midge 323 of 1997 or thereabouts. It will cost me about Sh125,000 to acquire and about Sh20,000 to repair. am confused. Should I sign the deal or keep off completely. I have never owned a car before and this car is cheap, with low fuel consumption. … Read more
Have Sh3 million? These are the 4WD options for you
Hi Baraza I’m looking for a fancy, low-maintenance, hardy, four-wheel-drive mainly for use in city roads but with an occasional off-road run on not-so-rough terrain. My budget is below Sh3 million. I have narrowed my attention to the VW Touareg, Toyota Lexus/Harrier RX3000, Nissan Murano, Subaru Tribeca and a Hyundai (can’t remember the series). I’m, … Read more
2013 Range Rover: The bar has been raised… yet again
Hallo Baraza, Thank you for your very resourceful articles that sometimes remind me of a Sunday Nation humour writer by the name Mwalimu Andrew! I have a 2009 left-hand drive Toyota Landcruiser Hardtop that we bought brand new and had it shipped from Toyota Motors Europe in Gibralta, South of Spain. It has so far … Read more
The Hilux vs the Hardbody
Hi Baraza, I am in need of a four-wheel-drive, double-cab pick-up that can haul a tonne to and from my farm once a month. I live in Nairobi, about 300 kilometres from the farm, and have homed in on a 2001 Toyota Hilux, 2800cc with a 3L diesel engine, and a 2002 Nissan Hardbody, 3100cc … Read more
The Voltz: Thank God its production was stopped
Hi Baraza, 1. How does the 2004 Subaru Forester 2.0 XT compare to the 2004 Toyota Voltz S 1.8/2.0 in terms of performance, comfort, driver appeal, practicality, safety and insurance? 2. Why was the production of the Voltz stopped after 2004? 3. What criteria is used to determine a vehicle’s insurance policy cover in relation … Read more