Thursday, 26 November 2015
Honda Ballade,Pope's ride in Kenya
By Karuga wa Njuguna and agencies
The Holy Father arrived in Kenya on 25th November 2015 and shocked millions of Kenyan's after he left JKIA in a Honda Ballade to the State House. Few know about these Honda models due to Toyota domination in the Kenyan market. Any Honda is well built and have won several awards in Europe due to their reliability in their VTEC engines. The few that understand a Honda embrace them. So what is this Honda Ballade? The name of the car was taken from "ballade", the French word for a ballad. Because both the four-door Ballade sedan and the five-door hatchback Quintet were both high luxury content vehicles derived from the Honda Civic, the Ballade represented a type of music, and the Quintet represented a musical group. The Ballade competed in Japan with the Toyota Sprinter, and the Nissan Laurel Spirit .
Honda Ballade is 1500cc small car with an i-VTEC engine which has an ultra low friction system and fast combustion to improve fuel economy and yet still has power when you need it. With Pope's support in environment then this proves to be a less contributor to global warming. The dynamic, sleek form of the new Ballade is sporty and powerful. It’s low stance and crisp, provocative lines not only add to the visual appeal of this family sedan, but enhance aerodynamic performance and improve fuel efficiency. The unmistakable new front-end styling accentuates the attractive and aggressive solid chrome wing face. The shaping is both elegant and robust with aerodynamics that sharpen performance and improve fuel economy.
Ballade comes in three models namely Trend, Elegance and Executive and a choice of four colours. The car has very nice features which include 15” alloy wheels not only add to the dynamic and sporty look of the Ballade, but hug the road for added traction, safety and performance.. When it comes to perfecting aerodynamics, Underpinning its crisp, sleek styling, the Elegance comes with an unobtrusive shark fin antenna. On the dashboard Scroll, slide and pinch the 7” Touch Screen Display in the Ballade Elegance. Integrated with the Multifunction Steering Wheel, the Touch Screen Display not only lets you control your audio system and GPS navigation, but links with Smartphone apps, Bluetooth, HDMI and USB. Control your surroundings with the multifunction steering wheel. It allows you to control Audio, Cruise Control and Bluetooth, as well as paddle shift transmission in the CVT option.
Reversing is a breeze with the Multi-angle Rear View Camera. Dynamic Guidance lines on the 7” Touch Screen Display ensure safe, precision parking, every time. The Ballade Elegance CVT offers paddle shift transmission for swift, smooth shifting. Boasting fully automatic, semi-automatic and fully manual transmission options, you can select your degree of Paddle Shift control. By activating Econ mode, the driver can further maximize fuel economy. Riding in comfort is a plus in the ballade because it has a generous rear legroom, passenger mobility and comfort come standard in this sporty yet spacious family sedan. For a more relaxed driving experience, the Ballade Trend comes with the option of CVT automatic transmission, boasting a smooth and perceptive drive without the extra leg work.
The Pope's safety is paramount and while making a choice of the car, perhaps the following was looked at. The car is equipped with Anti Lock Breaking, Break Force Distribution, and Emergency Break Assist, the Ballade comes with standard features that help reduce speed as quickly and safely as possible in an emergency. Not only can you stop fast, but with maximum vehicle control and stability. With Vehicle Stability Assist, your Ballade is always working to keep maximum traction on the road. Not only making the drive smooth and comfortable, but more importantly increasing vehicle control and overall safety. With Hill Start Assist, the risk of rolling backwards during a stationary uphill start is reduced dramatically. The ballade makes safe, stable driving as simple. Accidents happen, but in the new Ballade front, side and curtain airbags are ready to protect you. Combined with Anti-Whiplash Headrests and Seatbelt Load Limiters that reduce pressure on the chest, safety is the Ballade’s priority.
The Honda is not new on Kenyan roads since there was a dealership that closed down several years ago and only came back in 2012.Ballade however was a subcompact automobile built by Honda of Japan in 1980 and began as a four-door higher equipment content version of the Civic. This explains the close similarities even today. The Ballade was developed at the same time the Honda Vigor appeared, which was a higher content Honda Accord. The Ballade was sold exclusively in Japan at Honda Verno dealerships alongside the Vigor, Prelude, CR-X, and Quint. In the UK it was launched at the same time as the very similar Triumph Acclaim with which it shared a Honda built engine.
The car is available at a Local Honda dealership which is along Mombasa Road opposite Panari Hotel and comes with a 3 year warranty or one hundred thousand kilometers whichever comes first. On Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th November 2015 there is an open invitation at Garden City Mall along Thika Road for a test drive of the Pope's preferred car.Be there to find out more.
Tuesday, 24 November 2015
Toyota Corolla Axio, the 10th generation (E140/E150)
Thursday, 19 November 2015
Second edition of Cheki on 21st November 2015
Friday, 6 November 2015
Honda Fit,the new kid on the block
By Karuga wa Njuguna
Used Honda Fit, first and second generation has become so popular on our Kenyan roads. Those who are used to other small cars the same category as the Fit fear to test the waters but little do they know how efficient this little car is.The Honda Fit was introduced in June 2001 in Japan and immediately became a big hit. At its introduction in 2001, it won the Car of the Year Japan Award. By December 2001, it had outsold the Toyota Corolla, and ranked first in sales for nine out of twelve months in 2002.Depending on the region, The Fit is sold in 6 variations whilst its City/Fit Aria sedan sibling is sold in 4 variations. All Fit/Jazz models throughout the world utilize these distinct codes. The engine size however start from 1200cc to 1500cc.
Built on its space-efficient global small platform.The shortened front end and more compact suspension system allows the floor to be lowered, creating an unprecedented amount of cabin space for such a small vehicle.The gas tank located centrally on the platform a unique layout which, coupled with G-control technology, achieves a greater level of crashworthiness and variable seating arrangements, Ultra Seat.Fit 1st generation (GD1-GD5)2001-2008 is a 5 door hatchback body type,FWD (front-wheel drive), continuously variable variable speed gearbox (CVT),petrol (gasoline) engine with displacement, power 63 kW and produces 84 bhp ,top speed: 160 km/h,Due to it's small engine, accelerations from 0- 60 mph 12.8.Fuel consumption is good at an average of 13km/1ltr on city roads and over 23km/ltr on highways. It should be noted that in Kenya there is this first generation that has eight valve i-DSI (intelligent dual and sequential) engines use two spark plugs per cylinder, allowing gasoline to burn more completely therefore, fuel consumption while the Fit's exhaust system greatly reduces harmful HC and NOx emissions. This clean-running vehicle surpasses domestic emission control regulations for the year 2000 by as much as 50%. All models have been approved by Japan's Ministry of Transport as "Low Emissions Excellence" vehicles.
The second generation Fit was launched in 2007 in Japan. At its introduction in 2007, it won the Car of the Year Japan Award for the second time. The vehicle offers a longer wheelbase than its predecessor (First photo on the blog) and is wider and longer overall. Overall height is unchanged, while interior height increased by .3 in. Multi-mode seating and cargo configurations are retained, with redesigned headrests enabling more convenient folding of the rear seats. The cabin features greater interior volume, and boot capacity decreased.Two engines are offered in the Fit. A 1300 cc i-VTEC that produces 98 hp .This engine is offered in both European and Asian markets. A 1500cc i-VTEC engine is also offered and produces a maximum output of 117 hp .The chassis was re-engineered, with structural rigidity increased by 164 percent over the first generation Fit.
The third generation came to be in 2013.The car once again sets the global compact automobile benchmark. While retaining the design concept of the original model, the third generation Fit features a completely redesigned powertrain and body, and offers a whole new level of interior comfort, fuel economy, styling and driving performance. First implementation of Honda's new design concept: "EXCITING H DESIGN!!!".Honda's original center tank layout enables more freedom and flexibility in interior space and overall packaging design than ever before. Earth Dreams Technology powertrains comes with 1300 cc Atkinson cycle DOHC i-VTEC engine and the newly designed lightweight, compact, wide-range CVT and also 1500cc direct injection DOHC i-VTEC engine .The third generation Fit uses an all-new platform, 27% of its body is made from ultra-high strength. To save weight and maximize rigidity the body panels are both welded and bolted to the frame in a hybrid monocoque and spaceframe fusion. The rear torsion beam suspension is more compact no longer using an anti-sway bar to maximize interior and cargo space.The HR-V shares its platform with the Fit. Used Honda fir retail between four hundred thousand shillings and eight hundred thousand shillings depending on the year of Manufacture and it's generation. The spare parts are also available in Kenya.
Wednesday, 4 November 2015
Toyota Sienta gets a facelift
By Karuga wa Njuguna
The Toyota Sienta is a small five-door minivan with sliding doors also known as the 'walk-in mode'It has become very popular of late on Kenyan roads because it has enough power both in the highway and in the city streets even if the car is full.Introduced in September 2003, it seats seven despite its very small size.The Toyota Sienta is a three-row, seven seater compact MPV based on the popular Vitz subcompact. Built as a fun family vehicle, the Sienta comes with a distinct front and a lavish interior.
Powered by a 1.5 liter petrol VVT-i engine capable of 110 bhp (82 kW) at 6000 rpm, the Sienta comes equipped with Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with four forward gears for smooth effortless cruising. ABS and EBD,airbags are standard safety features.The interior is highly flexible with the seats able to be knocked down in various configurations to accommodate varying luggage sizes. Multiple compartments are available in convenient areas of the cabin for easy storage of small items. Large sliding doors at the rear ensures ease of entry for passengers. The car has easy maintenance, low fuel consumption for an MPV ranging from 12 km/l to 16 km/l which is really affordable to many Kenyans.
Toyota Sienta is commonly used in Kenya as a PSV car. Love it or hate the Toyota Sienta, This car has become popular in many towns in Kenyan giving National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) sleepless nights. The seven seater has now been converted into a nine seater in Narok, Meru, Nyeri among other places and used to do illegal matatu business. Matatu Saccos in the affected areas want those illegal operators to pay tax, have those vehicles inspected and fixed with speed governors.. This car is referred to as "Shorio" in Nyeri. Depending on the year of manufacture and the condition ,the car retails between five hundred thousand shillings to eight hundred thousand shillings at local dealerships.
This year 2015 the car has been upgraded and give a new facelift into a new shape. Just to mention, it has come with loads of improvement Seven, six and five seater options are available, with the latter limited to the wheelchair friendly variant. Both second and third row seats are split 50:50; the sliding and reclining second row folds and tumbles forward at the pull of a lever, leaving space for the third row to fold and slide forward into its place.
Buyers get a choice between two powertrains there’s the new 2NR-FKE 1.5 litre VVT-iE Atkinson-cycle petrol engine mated to a CVT, pushing out 109 hp and 136 Nm (103 hp and 132 Nm with all-wheel drive), as well as a hybrid variant with a 1NZ-FXE 1.5 litre Atkinson-cycle mill that churns out 74 hp and 111 Nm. The Hybrid achieves 27.2 km per litre on the JC08 fuel consumption cycle, while the petrol variant musters 20.6 km per litre; both are fitted with auto start-stop as standard.
Safety-wise, all new Sienta models can be specified with Toyota’s new Safety Sense C collision avoidance system, utilising a laser radar system and a single camera – this adds Pre-Collision System (PCS) braking at speeds between 10-80 km/h, Lane Departure Alert (LDA) and Automatic High Beam (AHB). Also optional on all models are side and curtain airbags, making it six in total; stability control, Hill Start Assist (HSA) and second-row Isofix child seat mounts (outer two seats) are standard-fit.
Tuesday, 3 November 2015
Servicing your car saves money … if it is done properly
By KMI
In this competitive world of winners and losers, one man's gain is usually another man's cost. A notable exception is good vehicle maintenance. Though keeping a vehicle well serviced is not cheap, it's a lot less expensive than neglect. In the whole buy-run-resell cycle of a car, the person who spends little or nothing on maintenance will pay more than the person who pays a premium price for excellent service. The problem, then, is how to keep a vehicle well serviced.
Every Kenyan motorist is familiar with the terms "Major" and "Minor" with regard to having a car serviced. Most also know that they should have their car serviced at least once every 5,000 kms, alternating between "Major" and "Minor" on each occasion, so the items on a minor service get done every 5,000 kms, and items on a major service are attended to every 10,000 kms.But very few know exactly what items are involved in these processes, and leave the decision to the garage. The problem is many garages don't know what needs doing, either. And those that do know, don't always do it.Your choice of where to get your car serviced ranges from a pet mechanic to a corner garage to the official agent for your make of car. The costs vary from high to higher, and the results you get range from bad to worse. The sorry fact is that your chances of having the job done fully, thoroughly, properly and at a fair price are not great. There are a number of reasons for this.
First, the motorists most likely to expect high standards, and who can afford to demand them, own new cars. Modern new cars. Today, labour costs (in the big motor markets) are so high and technology is so clever that cars are designed to be almost maintenance free. Most components are set for life, sealed for life and warranted for life. Life means about 5 to 7 years. After that cars are junked and replaced. Meanwhile, a few regular service parts are clipped out and new ones clipped in with robotic routine. The whole process is managed by computerized diagnostics. Service intervals are 20,000 kms and rising. Cars are no longer really serviced, because they are no longer really serviceable.
That approach works well enough in super-smooth motoring environments, for the no-maintenance design life of 7 years. It is nowhere near adequate for maintaining a car in tip-top condition on Kenya's bruising thoroughfares, but by the time the symptoms of inadequate service start to show up (after about three years) the new car owner will have sold the vehicle and bought another - new - one. So no pressure for better service from him, and no compelling reason for his garage to take extra time, trouble or expense in doing its job exceptionally. The resultant service culture is not difficult to predict.
Second, the person who buys the three-year old car does not expect perfection; he tolerates a few rattles and squeaks and little quirks; he accepts that he'll have to replace a few parts. He's a bit more price sensitive than the original owner, so he's ironically quite pleased if the service bills are modest, rather than distressed that the garage cannot possibly have done the job right at that price. So there's actually a commercial incentive for the garage to do a superficial job, and that service culture will keep the car going well enough until the second owner, too, sells it as a six-year-old.
So third, the buyer of the six-year-old car has just invested in a vehicle that is about to have lots of problems. But as he's usually fairly well downmarket, he often doesn't know how good the car once was - or could still be! - if it had been properly looked after, so he's one level more tolerant of one level less reliable. As the car disintegrates, it will need attention to more and more severe defects every time it goes anywhere near a workshop, and garages will be only too pleased to have the profitable business of fixing it.
And so the pattern continues, as the nine-year-old car gets a fourth owner, and the 12-year-old car gets a fifth...down, down, down go the expectations, up, up, up go the problems, and the car either becomes a rattling deathtrap or the owner’s wallet screams ouch.
And nowhere, in this cascade, is there either a powerful commercial incentive or a customer pressure for standards of real excellence in service. Develop this culture over time, and add a market where economic pressures are making the "cheapest" the most popular choice, and you've got...well, take a look!
And of the many less than edifying sights and trends you will see is that there are fewer and fewer individuals or institutions who CAN service a car properly, even if they want to.
Cynically speaking...
A minor service usually means a change of oil and oil filter, a quick blast of (damaging) air through the air cleaner, perhaps a squint around the engine compartment and underpan.
A major service means a change of oil and oil filter, a change of air cleaner and fuel filter, change the plugs (and points if the car has them), a quick look at the brakes (and maybe a bit of sanding or a new set of pads), grease the wheel bearings while the wheels are off, check all the other fluids, and a cursory dabble in other areas while looking to see if there's a more expensive fault that needs fixing - at a price.
More optimistically speaking...
There are quite a number of garages who try to be more diligent than that, and some who are. There are few, very few, who combine that diligence with ability and consistent discipline. The ones who give you a clear menu of jobs they will do, and where the work is evidently supervised, are most likely to be the most thorough and the most competent. Main agents often (if not always) fit into this category. It is in their interest to sustain your loyalty to their brand with reliability, and to maximize your resale value. Their prices are often (but not always) higher, but in real value for money they are actually less expensive than cut-price independents.
If they are specialists in your particular make of car they are more likely to have the right tools for each job, more experience in particular areas of weakness to look out for in your model, and they should have a manufacturer's schedule of long-distance checks and replacements - not just the regular 5,000 and 10,000 km items, but components that are designed to be preventively changed or essentially adjusted at 30,000 or 60,000 kms etc.
But even those, even on a good day, don't all service a car properly.
Proper service should, short of substantially dismantling the vehicle (this is known as blueprinting), check every single function of the vehicle's operation. And SERVICE it. Check it, clean it, adjust it, lubricate it, tighten it, tune it, replace it - whatever is necessary to enable the garage to put its hand on its heart and say to you, either:
•everything (and that means everything!) is in good working order, and should give you no trouble at all for the next 5,000 kms of normal use.
or
•Such-and-such an item has such-and-such a problem, and should be attended to before ...
A really skillful diagnostic mechanic should be a passed master at spotting incipient faults, quickly, perceptively and accurately, and he should be able to prevent/rectify the vast majority of them, on the spot, at next-to-no cost, or be able to give you advice on repair work that will give you optimum value and security.
If that was done to a car every time it was serviced, from new, it would not be a rattling deathtrap when it was 12 years old. It would still be in outstandingly good running order.
The extra cost of this diligence at each service would be minimal. Indeed, by pre-empting faults, each service would be cheaper than repair of earlier slipshod work. The saving in the long run would be considerable. But it doesn't often happen.
Anecdotal evidence suggests you could introduce 100 deliberate faults in a car, ranging from obvious to obscure, have the vehicle serviced at one of the "better" garages, pay a hefty price, and get 99 per cent of your faults back, unattended to and not even mentioned. Not mentioned because they have not been noticed. Not noticed because your car has not been properly serviced.
So seriously challenge your garage to do the job properly. Ask them for a detailed list of what they've done. And then challenge items on that list.
For example, a less-awful-than-most garage might bill a shs 800 item called "tune-up". But the term "tune-up" has so many possible meanings it is quite meaningless, so ask the workshop foreman exactly what work this "tune-up" involved - it could be anything from re-setting mechanical parts deep inside the engine to almost any part of the ignition and fuel systems.
You might get an expansive reply about dwell angles and timing and tappet clearance and carburettor jetting, "balancing" the air-fuel ratio etc etc.
But if you ask the mechanic who conducted this work what he actually did, the answer will be close to nothing whatsoever, except perhaps adjust the idle screw on the carburretor, changing it from correct to slightly wrong. A job, which, even if necessary and done correctly, should take about 30 seconds. That means the mechanic was being charged out at shs 96,000 per hour.
So, with this example in mind, do start your service schedule for the year by asking for a complete list of work done; do ask for an explanation of every item on that list.
To at least some extent, it will put your garage under pressure to do the jobs they actually do more carefully, and not to charge you for jobs they don't do.
And if some part they are supposed to have attended to goes wrong between services, you can take the list along and tap the relevant entry with your forefinger while giving the foreman a meaningful look. If your own mechanical knowledge does not extend to being able to debate the technical merits of the case, you will at least have something in writing to hand on to an arbiter.
The more thoroughly you check the mechanic, the more thoroughly he will check your car.
For more
Monday, 2 November 2015
Ford Eco sport thrills Kenyan middle class
By Karuga wa Njuguna
Ford Eco sport has arrived in Kenya and comes designed from the ground up with driving fun in mind. Smaller, more maneuverable and with a choice of responsive 1.5L petrol or diesel engines and manual or automatic transmissions more fuel efficient than conventional sport utility vehicles. Cities are noisy, but not inside the EcoSport. Designed with an outstandingly quiet interior, the EcoSport turns even the busiest peak hour street into a relaxing haven. The car fits almost anywhere due to its size, Its urban dimensions make it easy to park and get around crowded city streets, yet its styling and ride height give you the confidence of an SUV.
On the auto transmission version, it comes with the secret to perfect hill starts. Hill launch assist holds the brake for a few seconds after you take your foot off, giving you time to smoothly accelerate, either up- or downhill, without rolling or losing control. So if others are stopped close behind you on a slope, there’s no need to sweat. When it comes to getting you where you want to go on our Kenyan roads, the car means business. It puts 200mm of ground clearance between you and the road, potholes, rough surfaces or whatever else is in your way. And with good approach and departure angles, plus 550mm water wading , you’re basically ready for anything.
Ford are known for their smart technology in all their models that I have had a chance to experience, while On board and want to use your phone or change the music on your iPod, hands-free? Just say the words and let SYNC® do the rest. It’s just one of the ways in which the Ford helps in making life easier. For those who wants to get in touch with family and friends just hook your phone using blue tooth and calling your mom is as simple as saying “Call mom”. Stream or plug in your music, and just say want you want to hear. Your hands stay on the wheel, your eyes stay on the road, and you stay in touch. Easy.The air conditioning has been tried and tested in extreme temperatures, so it works well in any climate. But it doesn’t just keep you cool. It also keeps drinks or food cool inside your glovebox something you hardly get in others models. On the other hand the EcoSport's Electronic Ait Temperature Control (EATC) keeps you cool in the heat and warm at the height of cold seasons. Once you set a temperature, the system maintains it with outstanding precision, ensuring superior comfort for everyone. And because it’s super-efficient, you save fuel.(In short the vehicle air-condition comes on automatically on a hot day to your set temperature's and puts the heaters on too on a cold day to your set temperature's. No flipping up and down the temperatures unit. You set it ones and the rest is done for you)
When it comes to power and efficiency, then you will not be those regular customers at your petrol station. That’s why the Ford EcoSport is designed to give you excellent fuel economy and responsive power, which means you’ll be seeing the guys at the pump a lot less frequently.Thanks to its impressive fuel economy, the 92kW 3-cylinder EcoBoost Petrol has been awarded International Engine of the Year for three years running. But that’s what you’d expect from an engine this small, right? What you don’t expect is its power. In fact, this turbocharged petrol engine delivers 92kW of power, 170Nm3 of torque and a thrifty 5.7L per 100km.When it comes to power, the turbocharged 92kW can easily compete with a traditional 1.6L petrol engine, delivering full torque at just 1500rpm. That’s a lot of power in an economical 3-cylinder footprint. But that’s what makes it so exceptional.
The EcoSport has a drag coefficient of 0.365. But why should you care, this is not a rally car right? This means more fuel saving, thanks to an aerodynamic design that reduces friction. From its teardrop shape to small details like the rear pillar kicker, it all works to limit wind resistance and reduce fuel consumption.Stable, responsive steering is the mark of a high-quality drive, and the automobile doesn’t disappoint. Electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) adjusts to feel "lighter" in slow traffic and "heavier" at higher speeds for better control. At the same time, it adapts to changing road and weather conditions, compensating for factors like cross-winds and potholes. Best of all, it only comes to your assistance when it’s needed, saving you fuel as you drive.Looking for the fuel efficiency of a manual but the ease of an automatic? The six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission delivers both, with two clutches working together for gear changes that are hardly noticeable. Or if you’re more of a manual driver, you’ll love the responsiveness of the five-speed manual transmission.
When it comes safety,The EcoSport’s combination of traction control and electronic stability control (ESC) helps keep you connected to the road and in control, especially around corners and when overtaking. Together, they help reduce the chances of wheel spin, as well as over- or under-steering in corners. Incase of an accident you have all-round protection with six airbags protecting every side. These include driver and front-passenger airbags, front side airbags and side curtain airbags.The car also comes with boron steel which is four times stronger than normal high-strength steel, yet it's incredibly lightweight. Injected into the EcoSport’s doors, it creates an ultrahigh-strength safety cell, designed to help keep you protected during an impact.When you have to stop quickly, you want to be sure you stop properly. In an emergency, ABS (anti-lock braking system) and EBD (electronic brakeforce distribution) help prevent the wheels form locking and sliding, giving you a greater sense of stability and control.
The price of the car is from 3.4 million shillings but will vary from the engine type as well as the choices of several colours available at our Ford dealership along Bunyala road in Nairobi
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