there is this new trend catching on. The number or mercedes benz vehicles bearing old registration numbers is on the rise. The owners are usually middle class. Am I missing something? What is a foot?

After talking to a few owners of the Benz (1.8 & 2 litre), I have established that the claim that they are expensive cars to maintain is unfounded.

These cars are serviced after 20k or so kilometres and are rarely involved in accidents as matatus avoid them (safer and less trips to panel beaters). The 1.8 l category is economical in terms of fuel consumption. I see no reason that a middle income earner who wants to own one should not.

Milken what is the cost of an air cleaner? The only real cost there is the cost of spark plugs and good ones are doing 20 -25k km.

FYI I have talked to 2 people who each own and drive a forester (ya kwenda ushago) and a 1.8 l Benz (for teh jammed roads of Nairobi) and they assure me that the Benz is much cheaper to maintain. I have also talked to someone who owned a legacy but upgraded to the E240 and he says that the difference in fuel consumption is just slightly higher but other costs are not that much. How much does a pair of springs cost the owner of an NZE? Those myths about the cost of lights etc. 6 months ago I lease a Carina and a day later the side mirror+its hub got stolen. I went to Toyota Kenya and was shocked to learn that a genuine replacement would cost me 36k (just one side mirror+hub). Such parts get stolen every other day. The points that are making are simple;

1. Fuel wise, these cars consume the same as any other 1.8l or 2.0 l car (For these categories the cost of fuel is an issue to the owners)
2. Your ancillary parts will not get stolen every now and then so you wont have to replace them
3. The mtaa matatu driver will try as much as possible not to dent your car even when you are on the wrong hence you dont spent a lot of money repairing dents or hiring other cars to replace yours when its in the garage
4. Such cars are not popular with thiefs
5. Except the air and oil filter, you can comfortably drive your car for 20k km before worrying about major service
6. How many times will the police stop a speeding Benz vis a vis a Subaru/Toyota?

One of the paradoxes of life is that the have nots pay more for anything than the haves and it is the same with these cars.


Milken; I have done my research, please do the same and then we can compare notes

I rest my case and please note that I am not talking about the fuel guzzlers in the 3.0 l category

the 123..124 200's 280's 300 and also SEL's series is gaining popularity because you can easily remove the old guzzler engine for a more efficient D4D TOYOTA diesel or the QD nissan engine plus their manual gearboxes respectively.a friend has a 124 E 300 with a toyota hilux engine and gearbox.add 18" rims

So very True

I did some research before getting a car and my conclusion was that Toyotas are acutally overhyped...
REASONS: they use less fuel and spare parts are in plenty

however 1. Those toyotas imported are never ment for the Kenyan roads or conditions.. proof is comparing a Toyota Kenya gari and an import..a KAJ to a KBJ
2. Those 'available' spare parts are actually 'what goes around comes around' stolen property.. i hear the 'Wish' side mirrors are now a hot favourite.
3. due to belief in cheap spare parts, this cars are manhandled to say the least.. if a Mitsubishi and a Toyota same year and mileage were paraded.. the difference is eons due to use and misuse.. but the Toyota would still fetch good resale value..doooh!!!
The same belief on spare parts and fuel consumption often see the owners frequenting garages to repair this or that.. kidogo kidogo hujaza kibaba.. haba na haba.. the costs are almost close to maintaining a German Car..

Lets not talk of the security threat!!! Toyotas are in demand due to this perplexing paradigm

mmmmm! Now, what do you recomend? An opel or something?

@Murenj, There are very few things more lovabe than a well kept car on the roads. It stands out from the crowd. I bet that is why you noticed them. I prefer driving a six figure registration well kept car as compared to a KBP Toyota/Nissan.. especially if it is one of those cars you admired when young e.g Land Rover Series i,ii,iii. 109, LR RR Classic, Merc 123,124,SEL Stretch, Alfa Romeo, etc These cars have Character!!!

This thread exposes our africanism. Maintenance is not a word you'll find in many African languages (if any). The japs are well aware of this and that's why they keep pushing cheap things to us while we spend billions in repairs (or is it maintenance).

Having said this......I'll stick to Probox for a while.

Take a look at JM Baraza's column nowadays, most of the complaints are from Toyota and Mitsubishi owners or generally Jap vehicles.

Again like i always say, the Japanese sell vehicles, Germans sell technology.