Dear MotorGuru

I appreciate the good work your doing on this thread. Please what would you advise on buying a VW Golf 4 (Nigerian used)? What are the pros and cons? I hear it is an electrically complex car or something. Although I have previously driven a KIA Rio/Picanto, I am a novice to cars.Thank you in advance.

Cheers.

tolusan:
Dear MotorGuru

I appreciate the good work your doing on this thread. Please what would you advise on buying a VW Golf 4 (Nigerian used)? What are the pros and cons? I hear it is an electrically complex car or something. Although I have previously driven a KIA Rio/Picanto, I am a novice to cars.Thank you in advance.

Cheers.

Sorry for the late response.

I think it is a bad idea, given the interesting maintenance culture of most Nigerians in general towards vehicles. The golf 4 is not your usual Toyota corolla, where vehicle abuse can be forgiven.
As a novice to cars i suggest you stick to cars that are not complex and are easy to maintain and run. This is why the Toyota Corolla is a very hot cake in the market today.

your inquires here

Pls ,considering maintenance cost and durability which one should i go for , is it camry tiny light (2000) or envelope(2002). your response will be appreciated.

OLUFUNK:
Pls ,considering maintenance cost and durability which one should i go for , is it camry tiny light (2000) or envelope(2002). your response will be appreciated.

Hi,

I believe the 'envelope' (2000-2001) is the face-lifted version of the 'tiny-light'(1997-1999). There are basically the same chassis and mechanical configuration( both for the I4 & V6), so maintenance cost and durability are very very similar if not the same sef.

The 2002 model year brought in the 'Big for nothing' camry (big daddy) and it spanned from 2002 to 2006.

MotorGuru:


Sorry for the late response.

I think it is a bad idea, given the interesting maintenance culture of most Nigerians in general towards vehicles. The golf 4 is not your usual Toyota corolla, where vehicle abuse can be forgiven.
As a novice to cars i suggest you stick to cars that are not complex and are easy to maintain and run. This is why the Toyota Corolla is a very hot cake in the market today.

Thank you Sir. I'm grateful.

Hello Motorguru

What are your thoughts on Toyota avalon 2003 as compared to Toyota Camry of the same year using easy of getting parts, durability on bad road, and general maintenance.

Many thanks.

Hello Guru,

i must say that you have consistently impressed me by the way you reply the questions maturely.
Pls i have a little query and hope you will be able to help out.
i drive a honda accord 2010. since i bought that car, it has had only one main problem.. performance.
It struggles to fire.. i cannot overtake even a keke napep. If the AC is turned on, it worsens the situation.. stepping on the pedal, the car delays before it selects to gear 2. Going uphill is WAR, all the pedestrians would have passed before the car picks..the car is externally very very clean, interior superb. but in performance 0%.
i have diagnosed over and over again.. error says oxygen sensor which i have changed still nothing.
Different mechanics have diagnosed different issues like fuel pump, brain box, gear sensor, air flow meter, low pressure engine..

Abeg Oga Guru.. what does your Oracle say the problem is? money no dey to buy another car now..

Hello Mr motor guru
Good day to u,please kindly educate me on what the VIN details of a car ,connotes...when do i know a car to buy,and a car not to buy based on the VIN details ?

Hello Mr
Good day to u,please kindly educate me on what the VIN details of a car ,connotes...when do i know a car to buy,and a car not to buy based on the VIN details ?
Many thanks.

alienvirus:
Hello Motorguru

What are your thoughts on Toyota avalon 2003 as compared to Toyota Camry of the same year using easy of getting parts, durability on bad road, and general maintenance.

Many thanks.

The2003 Toyota Avalon is the flagship sedan of the Toyota lineup of that year, this means that it is more luxurious than a Camry for the came year. It only comes with the V6 1mz-fe engine (with vvt) while the Camry has the option of 4 cylinder and v6 engines. It is more loaded with technology and safety packages and it is definetly more comfortable.
Maintenance? More expensive that the Camry of the same year ( although they may share very few similar parts).
Running cost? You pay more at the pump as the Avalon comes only with the v6 engine, and it is a heavier vehicle

Durability? Both are very very durable.But weak points are suspension parts (bushings, shock absorbers etc)

PearlHarbour:
Hello Guru,

i must say that you have consistently impressed me by the way you reply the questions maturely.
Pls i have a little query and hope you will be able to help out.
i drive a honda accord 2010. since i bought that car, it has had only one main problem.. performance.
It struggles to fire.. i cannot overtake even a keke napep. If the AC is turned on, it worsens the situation.. stepping on the pedal, the car delays before it selects to gear 2. Going uphill is WAR, all the pedestrians would have passed before the car picks..the car is externally very very clean, interior superb. but in performance 0%.
i have diagnosed over and over again.. error says oxygen sensor which i have changed still nothing.
Different mechanics have diagnosed different issues like fuel pump, brain box, gear sensor, air flow meter, low pressure engine..

Abeg Oga Guru.. what does your Oracle say the problem is? money no dey to buy another car now..

Thank you sir for your kind words.

First question do you know the history of the vehicle ? Have you performed a Vin check to be sure the car was not flooded at at time?
This issue goes beyond just plugging a scanner to the OBD port and reading codes. There needs to be more in depth analysis and diagnosis of the the powertrain control system. For example, the fuel trim needs to be checked to ensure that the car is not running too rich or too lean ( fuel trim should not be more than +- 10% by my standards.
Have you checked the fuel filter( the one inside the car tank) if it is clogged, it can give similar issues. How about your air filter? The condition of the spark plugs? Are you sure there is no vacuum leak? In short have you performed a tune up since you have bought the car?

Have you checked the condition of your gear oil?( your gear is equipped with a dipstick). If it is burnt, it can also give similar symptoms. Your gear oil should be replaced with geniune Honda Genuine DW1
Finally try and locate a reputable mechanic for your car. In you are in Lagos you can check out the moniker Gazzuzz.

jacek:
Hello Mr
Good day to u,please kindly educate me on what the VIN details of a car ,connotes...when do i know a car to buy,and a car not to buy based on the VIN details ?
Many thanks.

The VIN ( vehicle identification number) is basically the unique number given to a vehicle at the time a car is built at an automobile assembly line. It is the
same thing as a chassis number. No two vehicles should ever have the same Vin( just like no two human beings should have the same finger print). In advanced countries, the Vin number becomes an important tool to document every single aspect of a vehicle history, from the day it was purchased to the day it was either written off by accident, flood, theft or even export to another country. This is why a Vin report is very important when making decisions in purchasing cars imported from advanced countries like the USA and Canada as it can help you to know if a car was involved in a serious accident, flooded or even involved in a fire.
Note that not all cars even in advanced countries have all details of a car's history documented.

MotorGuru:


The2003 Toyota Avalon is the flagship sedan of the Toyota lineup of that year, this means that it is more luxurious than a Camry for the came year. It only comes with the V6 1mz-fe engine (with vvt) while the Camry has the option of 4 cylinder and v6 engines. It is more loaded with technology and safety packages and it is definetly more comfortable.
Maintenance? More expensive that the Camry of the same year ( although they may share very few similar parts).
Running cost? You pay more at the pump as the Avalon comes only with the v6 engine, and it is a heavier vehicle

Durability? Both are very very durable.But weak points are suspension parts (bushings, shock absorbers etc)

Thanks so much

What does engine rebuild means? Is it different from ringing of engine?
Thanks in advance of your response.

MotorGuru:

I have two questions.

1. Can the engine of a 2003 Honda CRV be mounted on a 2008 Accord Without reconstructing the engine sittings and rewiring?

2. My 2007 Peugeot 407 often displays PRND error message on the instrument cluster and when this happens, the gear will never select well again. It will not return to gear 1 when I stop and move again. But if I shift the gear to park and switch off the engine and start it again, the error clears and appears again after driving for some time.

The Engine is EW7 4 speed auto tranny.

Thanks for your anticipated response.

iAudio:


I have two questions.

1. Can the engine of a 2003 Honda CRV be mounted on a 2008 Accord Without reconstructing the engine sittings and rewiring?

2. My 2007 Peugeot 407 often displays PRND error message on the instrument cluster and when this happens, the gear will never select well again. It will not return to gear 1 when I stop and move again. But if I shift the gear to park and switch off the engine and start it again, the error clears and appears again after driving for some time.

The Engine is EW7 4 speed auto tranny.

Thanks for your anticipated response.

For number 1 unfortunately it is not compatible, so it will not work. Although they are both K24 engines, the one in the 2008 accord is more advanced.

For number 2 I suggest you perform a vehicle scan, preferably with PP2000 scanner, that will help in narrowing down the issue without too much guess work

Gshakiru:
What does engine rebuild means? Is it different from ringing of engine?
Thanks in advance of your response.

The ringing of an engine is actually part of the engine rebuild process. Engine rebuild is basically reconditioning / remanufacturing your worn engine to within factory specification. This includes replacing seals, gaskets, ringing etc


Celebrating my 100th post

Thoughts on a 2007 Infiniti G35? What's reliability like?

HeavenlyBang:
Thoughts on a 2007 Infiniti G35? What's reliability like?

Nice sports sedan. Impressive ride and handling. A good Japanese alternative to the BMW 3 series and Mercedes Benz c class of that generation for people with reliability in mind.
But be wary of oil consumption issues of the engine of this particular year( engine was upgraded to the 3.7 liter in 2009)

MotorGuru:


Nice sports sedan. Impressive ride and handling. A good Japanese alternative to the BMW 3 series and Mercedes Benz c class of that generation for people with reliability in mind.
But be wary of oil consumption issues of the engine of this particular year( engine was upgraded to the 3.7 liter in 2009)

Aight, thanks!

MotorGuru:


For number 1 unfortunately it is not compatible, so it will not work. Although they are both K24 engines, the one in the 2008 accord is more advanced.

For number 2 I suggest you perform a vehicle scan, preferably with PP2000 scanner, that will help in narrowing down the issue without too much guess work

Thank you so much.
For the Peugeot, it has actually been scanned and the PP2000 said "bad gear selector Switch", I replaced the swith but the issue persists

iAudio:
Thank you so much.
For the Peugeot, it has actually been scanned and the PP2000 said "bad gear selector Switch", I replaced the swith but the issue persists

Was it replaced by a brand new unit or a fairly used one? Also inspect harness and connectors for open and corrosion

MotorGuru:


Was it replaced by a brand new unit or a fairly used one?

fairly used

I need advice of the guru whether it's okay to put air conditioner in Volkswagen golf 3 1.6 liter engine. what are the pros and cons. thanks

iAudio:
fairly used

Wow. A tricky one here. Possible that the replacement is also bad. Surest bet is a brand new unit. Alternatively any used one purchased and be verified by checking its resistance values against the standard using a multimeter. Unfortunately these standards I do not have.

Also check connectors for corrosion and ensure wires are in good condition(good continuity)

MotorGuru:


Wow. A tricky one here. Possible that the replacement is also bad. Surest bet is a brand new unit. Alternatively any used one purchased and be verified by checking its resistance values against the standard using a multimeter. Unfortunately these standards I do not have.

Also check connectors for corrosion and ensure wires are in good condition(good continuity)

OK thanks, I will do that this week

tunjipeju:
I need advice of the guru whether it's okay to put air conditioner in Volkswagen golf 3 1.6 liter engine. what are the pros and cons. thanks

It can be done( it is possible). But ensure it is done properly and factory spec parts( compressor, evaporator, condenser etc are used, and wiring is done properly for engine to compensate for additional load.

Cons? More engine drag when ac is engaged and incresed fuel consumption. If not done properly, it can stall engine when you operate the ac

I sight my guru here

MotorGuru:

The ringing of an engine is actually part of the engine rebuild process. Engine rebuild is basically reconditioning / remanufacturing your worn engine to within factory specification. This includes replacing seals, gaskets, ringing etc


Celebrating my 100th post

Wow. Congratulations on your feat and many thanks for shedding more light on my enquiry.
Can you please share your mobile number with me?
Also, do you know any competent auto engineer within Ajah environment?