CMC’s cup runneth over? Anyone with half an eye on the motoring industry must be aware that something is seriously amiss at Cooper Motors. It first came to my notice through the Daily Nation (naturally). The affair went thus: Mr William (better known as Bill) Lay, former paterfamilias at General Motors and a man I … Read more
Few cars have elicited such varied reactions from the Kenyan public as this one. And far much fewer cars have served as many functions, too. Considering it is vintage (a year 2002 creation), fewer cars are as simply built. From some perspectives, it is a car that makes no sense at all, and from others, … Read more
The year is 2011. Mercedes-Benz have as their absolute flagship a sports car: the SL 65 AMG Black Series. Developing 660 hp from a twin-turbo 6.0-litre V12 engine, the thing costs a jaw-dropping £250,000 (Sh37.5 million). But even this price is nothing compared to the £350,000 (Sh52.5 million) SLR, undercutting the McLaren by the price … Read more
There has been a flurry of activity going down on Koinange Street, and no, it is not what you are thinking; please get your minds out of the gutter, this is a motoring column. There has been talk and action surrounding the latest Jeep Cherokee, something called a Nissan Cash-and-Carry (actually Qashqai, but forgive my … Read more
Now, everybody likes to be looked at, especially when the gaze in question is one of approval. There is nothing quite like the knowledge that one is under the adulating gaze of another; it lends us a sense of worth, a sense of achievement, uniqueness and of being a cut above the rest — you … Read more
I’m in the process of acquiring a used car. I have realised that I can get a nice Mitsubishi, Mazda or Subaru for about Sh400,000, but the same quality of Toyota costs almost Sh600,000. However, I’ve been advised that these cheaper cars have serious problems when it comes to spare parts, and that they consume … Read more
Hello, I work and live in the rural area, so I deal with a lot of rough roads, especially during the wet season. Please recommend a good 4WD with a VVTi engine (diesel or petrol) and has good clearance. Other than Prados, what other makes would you recommend? ——————————– Hi, The moment you say VVTi, … Read more
My X-Trail has become a constant ulcer-inducer. Around the time of the recent fuel shortage, I had to accelerate hard, and when I slowed down the vehicle went off. Since then it has been doing it every now and then. On particularly bad days it can go off four times on a 10-kilometre stretch, yet … Read more
Last Thursday, I found myself behind the wheel of a slightly aging Toyota Corona 1.8. Now, there is nothing as unnerving as finding oneself at the receiving end of one’s own nuggets of wisdom (and advice), but what happened is what happened. So, what exactly happened? That particular car had lived a rather hard life, … Read more
Hallo Baraza, I have a Mitsubishi Chariot which keeps the oil light on despite changing the oil filter, the sensing unit and the oil pump. The car also has low fuel pressure according to a diagnosis report. As if that is not enough, the car vibrates when idling. What could be wrong? Also, as a … Read more