As a Nigerian, growing up in the 80s and 90s, we believed that the Mercedes Benz and the Volkswagen and the BMW's were way better. These days, we see a lot of Honda's and Toyota's and Nissan's. I would even dare say they are more on the roads than the German brands. Why is this? Are the Japanese cars easier to maintain in Nigeria. Are they out-performing the German cars. What is your take on this?

For me,German cars are my choice cars,though they have their own maintenance issues but i prefer them way ahead to their japanese counterparts, in terms of cheap maintenance,and also economy jap cars win it but you need to have money to maintain the Germans somethng like ''if you marry a miss world, you spend more to take care of her, " but in terms of performance,the German autos easily have it,

I prefer Japanese.
the one that's reachable to the common and average Nigerian in all angle.
cost wise etc.
Japanese all the way.

The way I see it, its a matter of mindset: Bandwagon propaganda (everyone does it). Ask 99 owners of Japanese autos in Nigeria why they chose them, they will reply "everyone owns it!" Couple with advice from our mechanics: "buy japanese, they are more reliable, consume less fuel, cheaper to maintain & strong kakaraka!" Even if they are the most boring cars on earth

Am not a German autos fan, rather a French car fan. But I will choose or prefer German autos to Asians, not because they are not reliable as Nigerians claim then to be, but because I love performance cars, which most, if not all, Japanses vehicles lack. I dont own a Benz, but after driving one someday in the past, i respect Benz since then. The only person that can understand me is if you are a car enthusiast.

What i look out for in a car is not just the mobility sake (point A to point B). European autos are better when it comes to driving pleasure, good road handling & comfort.

I will rather spend a fortune to keep a German/European car on the road than spend less to own a boring car that will be so boring to travel with on high speed.

Ikenna.

@Siena,

After installing the oxygen sensor, the car, my BABY Peugeot 505 V6 5speed manual, performance has greatly improved. Likewise, the mpg has improved also. It now shoots out like rocket. The way the speedometer rises under little acceleration is quite impressive. It rises as fast as tachometer/rpm does. So much engine torque that under little press on the throttle pedal, the speedometer rises quickly. Honestly, a V6 engined car with manual transmission is like HAVEN! Couple with the special V6 suspension, shock absorber/strut, cross bar & sway bars, that improves the car road handling at high speed. So much fun to derive that you wouldnt want to step out of the car or reach your destination. Siena, I love that car!

Ikenna.

Oh! I forgot to emtion that I plan to convert the radiator Viscous mechanical fan to electric fan next week, to reduce the load on the engine & it improves the MPG too. I will connect the electric fan +wire to radiator temp sensor, to work with thermostat, so that the fan wont be running continously.

Sorry poster for the digression.

Ikenna

Let's be sincere with ourselves the reason is very simple, German cars are more expensive, our fathers then used this cars because the nigerian naira was better off and they could afford this babies.

I am SURE if u tell care owners to choose any car they want from a car stand with money not being an issue about 85% will go for german cars straight who no like better thing,

Let take 2 examples

2010 camry I am guessing won't be more than 5mill new

Same year of benz E class will be like 12M I stand to be corrected

Same year BMW 5 series will be like 14 M

Same thing for tok, so bone all the stories and excuses,

For me wen I see such cars like Audi A8 latest version, BMW X6 I have an e. Rection g for tok, so bone all the stories and excuses,

Why was my post messed up

if you are a car enthusiast then i think the german cars will tickle your fancy.
for me, i just need a car for mobility and over the years i have used both japanese and german cars. if like me you just need mobility just stick with the japanese cars as those german machines will give you high blood pressure. our mechanics are not up to scratch, their parts are too expensive and they seem to break down too foten.

just talking from my own experience

I dont think the German cars break down because of Mechanics or because they are not relaible. The cause of their break downs are the owners themselves. Why? Lack of PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE by the owners. How many of the German car owners bother to get & make use of the owners manual to keep their car in good condition, by following instructions in the manual to the later? Rather, they prefer to wait till when they break down, they will now run to those their mechanics that will help out in destroying the cars completely. Most people only visit their mechanics when they want to change engine oils & filters. The next time they will go there will be when their cars must have broken down or stranded them. If you know that your car parts are very expensive, why not prevent them from breaking down? Mind you, most German cars use Bosch products for all their cars, especially Benz. And Bosch is one the most durable auto parts on Earth. Yes, they might be expensive, but they last almost forever. So, if they are so durable, why would they be breaking down often in your car? Preventative maintenance, like i noted above.

German cars, due to their good performances, need to be taken good care of. Once you abuse them, they will tell on your pocket. If you care for a German car like you pamper your girlfriend or wife, it will last & serve you beyond your expectation. Instead, the owners of such cars prefer mechanics to own their cars for them. They reason & think for them on how to use their cars, what to repair, what to modify, what to ignore,etc. Even though you have a better tool than the mechanic, which is access to internet for information, you prefer to be at those mechanics mercies, whom will eventually send those cars to their early graves. If your mechanic advice you to remove the thermostat in car's cooling system, why not ask questions in the first place, the function of thermostat, by checking online, what thermostat does to a car's engine,etc. What you gathered should be able to tell you if removing t-stat will endanger your engine more or will save it from destruction. But we choose to listen to those mechanics that dont know Science, forgotten that car is Science; everything in car or about car is Science. You can only diagnose a problem with your car only if you know the function of components, especially the electrical ones, in your car. Most of these mechanics here dont even know the names of components in cars they claim to have PHD in diagnosing & fixing. I took my car to a mechanic when i firstly got the car, which had serious electrical issues then. I open the bonnet for him & started the car for him to hear & tell me what the problem was & what it would take him to fix. He pointed at something & said, "Oga, na dis your Injector dey cause am". I looked at what he was pointing at & it was the throttle body he was pointing at, calling Injector. I was puzzled! I pointed at the 6 Injectors & said to him, "if what you said is Injector, what are these am pointing at?" He replied, "Oga, those things na nozzles" I quickly slamed my bonnet & drove off, without looking back. What a clown!

All am trying to point out here is that we the owners of cars are the cause of our cars frequent failures. When you neglet to use your owners manual, you should be ready to bear the cost & blame when the car fails. If the manual instructs "replace timing belt every after 60,000 km", we choose to ignore that and keep driving the car until the belt weakens & breaks, which will eventualy damage other things in the engine along side, & might even destroy the entire engine. Then, you will start to complain that German cars valve cost like Hell, their cylinder heads cost more than the car itself,etc. Something you would have prevented with 1k or 2k, you end up spending 40 or 50k to put life back into the car. How many of us replace brake pads when they are due for changing, according to the manuals? We only replace them when the Asbestors on them have worn & the metal part of the pad start carving into or destroying the brake disc, by making friction sound. Then, you will start to complain that German cars brake disc cost more than a Japanese car.

Arm yourself with your car owners manual, make use of it & you will spend less in keeping the German car on the road till thy kingdom come. Check online for information about symptom(s) your car is having & stop relying on those clowns. They are the ones giving you the high blood pressure, not the German cars.

Ikenna.

@Siena

When it comes to cars, I respect your superior authority. And will agree with anything you say.

I guess my point is that from my own experience, the same way I cared or my Japanese carsis sesame way I cared for my German cars but found that the German cars gave me more trouble. So yes, I agree the suspect is e mechanics. Those guys are ca wreckers.

All inqll though, I must confess that the German cars were much more pleasurable

While most people has a lot of valid point, its still must be noted that a lot of the responses have be rather vague, if not general.

The question is particularly asking "for use in Nigeria"

If you break down in some tiny village in Osun state, Kaduna or Uyo, which car will you rather be trying to fix?

A Toyota Camry or BMW?

You should ask yourself.

Kunle, even a Toyota Camry will be difficult for those clowns to fix at Osun. Our mechanics & rewires diagnose & fix vehicles here with guess work, which they end up shortening the vehicles lifespan. correct me if am wrong. Why do you think imported cars cost more than Nigerian used, even a fairly brand new Nigerian used? Because those clowns have not touch them yet. We all know that the moment you open your cars bonnect for them, the days of your car will be numbered. They enjoy bypassing sensors or electrical components that will eventualy disrupt the factory setting of the engine & finally kills it.

There is no how a vehicle will just break down all of a sudden. It gradually gives or shows signs before it eventually give up, if not taken care of. A driver should be observant enough to look out for signs of failing sensors, components or any part of the power train of his/her vehicle. Being a car owner is not only about driving the car, but understanding your car. You have to be an enxperienced driver before you hit a high way with your car, travelling. Is only an experienced driver, car owner, can be able to detect a sign showing gradual failure of something in his car. So, if you ignore it & travel with it like that, dont complain if it strand you. Vehicles are not manufactured to break down suddelny, if properly look after (PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANC!).

Japanese cars need attention, but German cars need more attention. If you are the type that dont bother to open your car bonnet, then German cars are not for you. The less you depend on the guages on the instrument cluster, the better. They are electrics, prone to malfunctioning or failure, unlike mechanicals. That is why the manual guages are still produced in the engine bay, no matter how modern the technology has gone far. Once in a while, one should open the hood & manually guage engine oil, check coolant level, brake hydraulic, comditions of sensors wiring connectors/plugs,etc. Gauges on the instrument cluster can be misleading at times.

Japanese cars are good. German cars are good as well. It depends on what one wants in a car. If you want a car just for the mobility sake, you should go for Japanese. They are reliable & serve that purpose for you well. But if one wants more than just mobility sake in a car, then Euro cars are your best options. But it will need your special attention, caring , diagnosing & fixing the car yourself if you want to spend less in keeping it on the road.

Ikenna.

Don't insult my state oo

Presentation of Japanese Used Cars. Download And Enjoy......

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/3731123/japanese-used-cars-pptx-march-28-2012-4-26-pm-661k

http://m.motortrend.com/multimedia/videos/youtube/worlds-greatest-drag-race-3-unplugged-plus-2013-best-drivers-car-aftermath-wot-ep-80/durxww0ve4o/
All haters of japmobiles shud watch this and have a rethink. German cars are. Reap offs

Germo all d way.. my 1.8, auto tranny, electric caburator G3 has never let me down, and i breeze past jap cars like magic at just 140km/h. power, handling, all round general perfomance, live it 4 Germans. i remember having my engine oil changed but d fool didnt fix d oil filter properly and i made a 40km trip and back without knowing. went to d workshop without a drop of oil in my engine but it still works like normal. if it were a jap, na new engine thing be dat no doubt.

German cars are more expensive to maintain and buy shikena.
2. as German cars get older, they become less reliable. Those cars are luxury cars, not your everyday car for the hassle in Lagos or Nigeria. But as the Japanese cars get older, with good maintenance they're still good.
Top gear insight, if you want to buy a reliable cost effective car, especially older models, go for a Jap. Much reliable than the German cars. No body likes German cars like those top gear guys but they'll spell it out when something is noticed and this is fact.

Give me much cash and I'd do German. But the only Japmobile I'm still considering is infiniti the japanese Beemer Version 1.0

I race my Peugeot 406 EW 12 engine with many Japmobiles & always win. The only car dt broken my jinx on d road was MB E350 that overtake me in an unprecedented grand style while I was doing 220KPH on d smooth Abuja-Kaduna expressway. Since then, I have special respect for anything German, their machines ar very good in eating miles & can withstand our roads.

German....precision and performance.
Japanese....tolerance and less performance.
Nigeria...precision parts...precision mechanics...roads to support performance...all rare.
Nigeria...tolerance parts....experienced trial and error mechanics/modifiers...more performance than the roads would allow....all very common.
Japanese cars the better choice.

Hi Ikenna. I want to buy a volkswagen Jetta 2010. But everyone says I shud buy a muscle. Advice me . I love german cars. I used an audi a4 before and it was sweet. Though a lilbit more expensive to maintain than toyota. The interior of the full option Jetta makes me happy.

It all depends on the type and make of the vehicle, I use a vw vento for the past 3yrs hasnt given me much issue, cause I do proper maintenance.
Not all german cars are troublesome, also not all Japanese cars are reliable.
I think owners attitude and awareness of peculiar vehicle characteristics matter.

watchworldpro:
Hi Ikenna. I want to buy a volkswagen Jetta 2010. But everyone says I shud buy a muscle. Advice me . I love german cars. I used an audi a4 before and it was sweet. Though a lilbit more expensive to maintain than toyota. The interior of the full option Jetta makes me happy.

Apparently, you are not yet ready for car ownership. You want someone else to advise you on what vehicle to buy...Very unfortunate.

I have followed a similar argument/debate else where. It rages like burning fire. I think vehicles are targeted at different audience and markets. People buy cars for different purposes. For the enthusiasts; performance, handling & thrill are the primary aim. Anything less is unacceptable. Usually, individuals under this category have the financial strength to keep such vehicles for as long as they want. These group can afford the services of any competent automobile garage. Sometimes, they are the technicians themselves. Siena falls into this category. His advise or views is strictly from a professional perspective. There are not too many technical knowhow in this area in this part of the world. Those available are pricey. Most times, these vehicles are not used as a lone car. Most users here are elite who understand what a car manual means.

For the average, who basically commute from point A to B, they are concerned about cost of maintenance, parts availability, mechanics etc. Here, the concern is about durability, efficiency and economical & are mostly used as the only car by the owner, surviving daily heavy traffic, rough terrain, flood, bad roads and abuse with all manner of wrong ATF and engine oil. At this level, ignorance is predominant and if you like, bandwagon effect takes precedence. There are some elite here who desire performance and go for V6 & V8 just to avoid the stress associated with the German brands.

The onus is on the individual to identify where he belongs and follow accordingly. Someone made a good observation earlier, when you are stock in a certain village where you can hardly get a competent hand to diagnose a fault; what would you do if your vehicle is such that they are even afraid to come near?

Personally, I will do German cars as part of a fleet. All the people I know that use German vehicles have other Japmobiles as their routine vehicles.

I love cars. I will buy a car that makes me feel good and give me pleasure as i move from point A to B. The said car has to make me comfortable as it carries me around and European and american cars do these for me. I presently use a jeep commander as my daily driver and i have not regretted it for a day. I order my parts from amazon and the two times i bought arts here i regretted and just last month i was asked to pay 22k for a used part i bought for brand new at 7k from amazon. The issue we have is that Nigerians love short cuts and quick fixes, rather than source for genuine parts, they buy scrap parts and wonder why their cars break down a lot.
My land rover defender is another story for another day. i got the workshop manuals and i have been looking for where to get the land rover recommended fluids for the engine, transmission, differentials, etc and you should see the looks i get when i check the oil specs.
Its a matter of personal preferrence. I as a person will only drive a toyota if its a 1994 - 2004 toyota land cruiser, the others are just plain boring. The person comparing the cost of a 2010 toyota camry to the cost of a 2010 mercedes benz, do you realize that the technology on that benz is comparable to 2018? Mecedez deploys technology that is years ahead of japanese cars. Its like comparing 2010 4runner to 2010 range rover sport, try comparing oranges to apples!

FiftyFifty:
I race my Peugeot 406 EW 12 engine with many Japmobiles & always win. The only car dt broken my jinx on d road was MB E350 that overtake me in an unprecedented grand style while I was doing 220KPH on d smooth Abuja-Kaduna expressway. Since then, I have special respect for anything German, their machines ar very good in eating miles & can withstand our roads.

That car spits only about 161 hp and are comparing it to some japmobil. Even an accord 03/v6 spits 240hp and camry 07/v6 does a lil more.
If u no know other cars study them first before u comment.
Abi na Mazda 323 (taxi) u race with?