₦airaland Forum

FestacGirl:
Is Toyota as Reliable as we try to make it seem in this country ?.

I've come to realise it's very easy to diagnose and the China inferior parts are everywhere Hence the reason why people think the parts are cheap.

I've used quite a few toyota's and I can say they are not very solid as people try to make it seem.

I had a 2007 camry bought from the states . Started shorting oil after 9 months. This is a very common problem with this model but people never mention it.
Ps I used the recommenfed oil, Mobil 1 from USA 5w-30

The almighty corolla we love so much is quite durable. But the suspension components are garbage and within a while the suspension noise will start.
The original parts are not even cheap.
But if you patronize the cheap Chinese you might get them cheap but they give away so fast.

I'm currently using a 2008 Highlander V6 2gr (picked it over the rav4 and rx330 ) Bought it 2 months ago.

This vehicle has only 120k original miles. The movement is very quick I must say .
On the glass it states the former owner has been servicing with 5w-20 Castrol and I was lucky to find couple of service history receipts in the glove compartment.
The car has been taken cared of well. But I noticed quite a few perks in a car of such miles. It makes the dreaded grinding noise at start up. I already changed the oil with 5w-20 Mobil but still same.

Why would a car of this mile be having vvti issues then I searched Internet . This is a common issues with this vehicle, The rav4 v6 , highlander v6 , auRion and Co .
From 2006 -2010 .
Toyota didn't issue any recall infact I found out it was a night mere for most users as they sold theirs when he noise started.

I also have foul smell from the exhaust when I accelerate . My catalytic converter is in good condition. No Cel . Most people also complain of this issue on the rav4 and highlander from as low as 30k miles.

This smell is scary because even with the windows up I smell it in the interior.


Their are loads of shitty issue I've noticed on toyota but people will ignore because of the hype.

The 2gr I heard is over 500k.

The camry 4plug engine is over 250k and it's not very durable.
** Start up sounds even from using the right oil
** Burning oil .
** The engine is also quite lazy.


I feel this brand is over hyped.
And people spend hundreds repairing this cars but they don't find anything wrong in doing that.
But if it was a Honda with such problems they would give it names.



If it was a Honda or Nissan it would have been crucified.

It’s not debatable whether Toyota is a reliable brand. It’s one of the highest selling brands in the world with high reliability, durability & trust.

Worthy of note is that each brand has some various degrees of problems associated with it. Some of them offer recalls in order to solve the problem.

With specific reference to the 2GR-FE engine used across many models such as the Avalon, Sienna, RX350, Aurion, ES, Camry etc. this problem seems to be a factory one and occurs at certain mileage of over a 100k. It happens across multiple 2GR with the idler pulley. When the pulley goes bad, it can cause belt squeak or load rattling noise.

I’m not sure Toyota offered an recalls for this or warranty. Toyota can last many years with the right maintenance using OEM or quality aftermarket parts but what we have in Nigeria that car owners use substandard & fake parts & blame it on the car manufacturers. Why is that these cars come into Nigeria in pristine conditions & suddenly degrade over a short period of use? Your guess is as good as mine.

For the 2AZ engine, that is notorious for excessive engine oil consumption owing to factory piston error, some users have got hundreds of thousands of mileage albeit topping off engine oil at intervals.

It will be an overkill to conclude that a particular brand is unreliable due to a problem like this. It can be fixed & some users have successfully fixed theirs.

It's difficult to judge without a clear picture of the road & markings therein. However, from the vague picture, the VW is at fault as he fails to maintain his lane. The silver vehicle kept to his lane.

GAZZUZZ:
what are your thoughts?

The tyres were re-threaded and marked as new ones.

Pipedreams:
SMH. How was it poorly maintained? The 406 I raced was a 2.9L v6 releasing 204 horsepower. How can you compare that with an underpowered i4 Camry that churns out only 158horses? Research please before posting thrash

You didn't state the 406 was a 6 cylinder & neither did u mention that your Camry was a 4 cylinder as well. You made a sweeping comment about a 406 beating you over a stretch.

However, it's abvious you have a penchant to attack people who point out corrections to your post. I'm not the type to rain on your parade.

I'm done with response on your thread.

Pipedreams:
Yes it is. Economics of demand and supply. there are very few infinitis on the road. Infact those Ladipo boys told me they make negligible profits from selling the infiniti gearbox. They selloff at a giveaway to decongest their shops to recover capital. e no dey move market cos it hardly spoils and fewer people come to replace it. Toyota engines have more demands. Its a very souless engine bro. I remember when a peoguet 406 dusted me on third mainland. I match the accelerator down finish but the distance it gave me was crazy.

This is an evidence that your 2007 Camry was poorly maintained for you to talk about a 406 dusting you on the road. The last year model of 406 was 2001.

On the other front, it's a common economic principle of demand & supply; the higher the demand, the higher the price. It's not a Nigerian thing but a global trend.

EngRichie:
@Bravolad Thanks for your good will.
You have a price for throwing the first question of the thread.

I don't know the kind of car that you drive but here are likely causes:

- Heat shield rattle
- Turbo waste gate rattle (for turbo)
- Exhaust flap rattle (for designs that use a flap to regulate exhaust pressure. It helps build up engine heat at cold start and to regulate exhaust velocity)
- loose bolts at hangers and where pipes are joined
- Missing exhaust gasket
- Broken CATCON
- Broken exhaust resonator or muffler

All these are possibilities but the first four occur more.

Heat expansion helps to eliminate the noise after some warm up due to metals coming in contact as a result of vibration, example exhaust and the heat shield.

Also note that resonance at initial high idle speed can cause vibration of loosed exhaust components that can go away as idle speed come down.

Regards,
EngRichie.
08030420562
For: Automobile help desk

Car is 2011 Toyota Camry. Thanks @Engrichie & @Trygo.

This is a brilliant initiative.
However, there's no aircomditioner for this una desk stand. I'm sweating while making this complaint.

My question is this, when I start my car in the morning, cold start & go to the back of the car; I hear some sound in the exhaust which normalises after a few seconds. This has been consistent for a while. No check engine light.

Badb0y4lyf:
@bravolad I really appreciate this I guess I would just enjoy it after all.

Good.

I omitted the aspect of drop in resale value. The value of a car is in maintenance. Those Camry with ridiculously low prices are dead & moving coffins. Search for a person who rigorously kept to maintenance schedue & see if he will be willing to sell for cheap price.

Badb0y4lyf:
Thanks for your input the Camry is an i4 decent and very clean the only difference I see with the XLE and other trims is only Formica and leather seat which I can upgrade mine too anytime my Concern also is the value of muscle dropping really fast now In the market. I was at my friend car stand yesterday he had an 08 he was ready to sell for 2.3 very neat he said reason is the market has been saturated with Camry and Corolla that all car stands had at least like 3 or more of them. I have picture of mine which is really neat

There's a huge difference between the XLE & SE & not just the formica u talked about. The Camry XLE comes standard with Bluetooth telephony, JBL sound system with 6 loader cd, rear aircon vent, digital instrument cluster, aircon & Bluetooth control on the steering wheel, moonroof etc. While in the SE, it's an option which will not have all. The XLE with leather seat is a lot more expensive than any other trim.

I'm certain your friend's 2008 model Camry is a salvage tittle & not a clean one. But whatever trickles your fancy, please by all means, stick with it.

Badb0y4lyf:
Hello every one I’m in a delima right now I have a 2009 Camry SE that just arrive port and cleared this week I had the choice of buying Rx330 but I thought about fuel consumption maintenance and price of parts but this month two of my friends also acquired a Camry not SE tho and I don’t know the year but i kinda feel I have lost the Appel I had for the car initially and I’m looking to selling the Camry and go for an RX330 is this a good idea also what is the cost of running a Lexus RX330 maintenance wise fuel consumption and reliability. I will appreciate you wise input.

I can assure you that with time, the RX330 will definitely loose the appeal to you. If your concern is cost of maintenance, stick with the Camry especially if it's an i4. The lexus has a good ground clearance & offers a decent power & good handling but the cost of maintenance & fueling will set u backwards.

Since the Camry is here, I will advice you use perhaps, after a year or two, you may consider upgrading. Again, depending on the neatness of of your Camry, it makes sense to retain it. The XLE version would have appealed more to you.

Argentina 3 Nigeria 1 & Iheanacho to score

gokpoechi:
For those who have contacted me, I appreciate your enquiries.
Also, aside my explanation, kindly make very well detailed research on the information i have shared with you from well informed and verified sources.
Please it is not everyone that has access to the Internet and can type that is sane. Imagine a human being in this age who thinks that some piece of paper is too large to get lost(even humans get lost) and another who thinks that such saying is wise, or is it the one that uses clauses in the affirmative without quoting a verifiable source of his information; tell me what signs do you need to know it isn't worth it wasting precious time on such entities?
I usually don't do this.
The exact details I have placed, so that I don't waste any body's time and vice versa.
Once again, I appreciate the calls.
Thank you

Your response to comments on missing Custom Duty payment for this Highlander leaves much to be desired.

First, it’s very uncommon to loose a document such as this while the registration documents are still intact. It’s also not a piece of paper to suggest it could be lost among other papers except there’s an verifiable act of God to which an affidavit is deposed.

Secondly, even if it’s missing & duty was fully paid, the owner ought get another copy by using the vin & C-Number & visit any NCS formation to replace the missing duty document before deciding to sell. You need to be aware that court affidavit does not represent & cannot be seen as a genuine replacement of vehicle duty.

It’s only an ignorant buyer that will buy this vehicle with the said document or possibly a buyer who will only use the vehicle within the city & wont travel with the vehicle that can buy it with the claimed affidavit.

If I were in your shoes, I would advise the owner to go through process of obtaining the document before selling.

danhans:
Hello good am fellow nairalanders,
Can any one tell me what is the actual problem with my Lexus GS 300 1998 model,I have been using my Lexus GS 300 and it has been perfect not until recently I start experiencing poor acceleration activated I have bought the following my self gave it to mechanic to fixe the same issue.I then ask the mechanic to buy the same problem
1.I bought fuel pump
2.I bought fuel filter
3.I bought original NGK also same issue
I service nozzles same issue
Now someone is saying coil pls I need valuable suggestion before I will lost money because of inexperience mechanic

Scan your car first to know what exactly is wrong before you throw parts at none existent issues.

SIMEONMPEE:
Hello house, am new here and i need your urgent help, I just got a Lexus RX 350 2009 with accidental doors ""driver side and the back driver side door"", I want to know if RX 330 door can fit in perfectly.

Checking on eBay car us site ... the same door of RX 350 2009 is stated there that it works for RX 2003 to 2009 model, So those this mean the 330 modern door can work for 350 2009..

Though they have the same body ...

I will appreciate anybody that has an idea of the price.

Thanks in advance

The Lexus RX330 2004 - 2006 has the same body & interior with RX350 2007 - 2009. The only distinct feature is the engine with 3.3l 3MZ & 3.5l 2GR. Apart from the engine, every other part is interchangeable including tyes & rims.

beja:
Hi Gurus!
I drive a 2008 Toyota Camry. It was packed for a while( about a year) and got it back running recently. I however noticed the AC was not working and took it to the technician. By mere inspection he suspected a leak and said he will fix it and refill the gas. He did, the AC worked for 2 days and stopped working again- only blows hot air.
I go back and he gives me a list of parts to replace- Compressor, Condenser etc. I took it to the next technician that said it was Evaporator,Condenser and Compressor and suggested that I change to a manual compressor because getting an original auto compressor is expensive and may not work well with the condenser.
1. Please who can help me make a real diagnosis- I am based in Lagos mainland?
2. Should i change to Manual compressor, what are the risks?
3. Are there estimates for this so I am not ripped off?
Thanks

I suppose your air con compressor is Variable Displacement Compressor VDC which is very sensitive & does not tolerate any impurity. I won't advice you to convert to the manual one. The VDC makes your car run smooth with better mpg.

The manual compressor will also make your car to jeck whenever the air con is turned on & is less effective. Since you are in Lagos, @Gazzuzz & @Mayor2013 will be able to do justice to your car air con.

Mrdigitech:
Hello Bro, there is nothing shady about me. I'm just being conservative and not trying to ruin a person's business or reputation. What you have there is nothing but the truth. No there is no need to hide any more since he showed up and owned up by him self. He is Mayor2013. Why I kept on visiting Mayor2013 is because at that point I was still thinking He could fix the issue. Distance has been a challenge for me while working with Honmusa...I don't take my Car to Kazeems bro for advanced electricals that involve solenoid replacement or scan ..They do minor jobs like suspension, tire, belt replacement, wheel balancing etc....

Why are all your threads on nairaland skewed to praising Honmusa? Your writings leave much to be desired. How much are you paid for this campaign?

You come across as disgruntled individual.

The only deduction that can be made here is a commissioned praise singing. Even the writing is a disjointed one.

You should have manned up to mention the name of the so called nairaland kazeem if you were sure of what u transpired.

There is also not much sense in the write up as honmusa should have been able to fix your car's other issues after fixing your cooling system. Why visit another mechanic when you have one steering at your face with the much needed competence as you pointed out?

donogaga:
I intend travelling with a Toyota corolla 2012 Model for a 7 hours trip... Now, is it advisable to travel with it just a day after servicing it?

For example, let's assume it was serviced on a Friday and the next day which is on a Saturday I commence the trip. Is it safe? And again, what is the best recommended oil to service a Toyota corolla 2012 Model? Thanks for your kind assistance.

If the service is basic oil & filter replacement, you can travel almost immediately after the oil change. There's no effect or problem.

Pls ensure you use good quality filter & the recommended engine oil. Nothing to be afraid of here.

yettymuse:
sorry for the stress, thank you for listening to my rant

I will suggest you enrol for the driving lesson again until you can control the steering & car effectively without being directed on what to do.

You need not be so much in a hurry as the car is already yours & you will have plenty of time to drive her around. Remember it will cost you more to fix the car or even replace it if anything happens.

Learn until such a time you have confidence to drive on the express & city then you get a friend to guide you for just a week or so before you are left on your own.

A lot of people will tell you they learnt to drive by hitting the road with their cars, & no wonder we have so many drivers who just move the car & clearly have no knowledge of what roads signs mean.

It pays to learn the right way & do the right thing. Don’t just fall in line but be more creative in your approach.

seunoj:
Good. Insurance should pay. But this your friend is mouthed o. 2weeks! I wonder what his personal vehicle will look like.

NB: this is not insult anyone but just thinking that one should handle other pple assets carefully.

You actually haven’t insulted anyone yet, it’s just the truth. For just 2 weeks & there are already dents & scratches here & there.

I can only imagine what the person’s car would look like.

AerialMapper:
I have a 2012 Honda Accord Crosstour with a little over 50k Km on it. I noticed lack of power during driving and from stop. There is no engine check light and no hard starting. The car has never switched off but it just doesn't accelerate fast enough. What could the problem be? I checked the air filter and it was fine. A mechanic checked the plugs and said they were red meaning the catalytic converters are bad. Before i buy new cats, has anyone tried the thinner in gas tank method or washing in detergent or Sodium Hydroxide solution?

Do not put any thinner or solutions to your car fuel tank. Never!

I doubt that mileage on your car...did u obtain a vin report prior to buying the car?

You may have serious misfire but get a competent mechanic who have the right diagnostic tools to carry out proper diagnosis.

ajoks533:
So I got a call today, "Oga the catalyst on this car needs to be cut open and removed"... You say wetin? ... Before I can even understand he said he has cut it open and freed the exhaust...
Please can a Toyota Highlander 2002 perform well without a catalyst?

I wondering what kind of mechanic you have that will cut off you catalyst converter without your express approval & knowledge. Apparently, he has a high level control over you.

What was wrong with the catalyst? Are you sure it was faulty & how did he or you determine that? I hope he hasn't played a smart one on you?

Rather than stuff anything in their, drive the car like that but remember it won't be environmental friendly & you will have a slightly higher mpg & the sound of your car will also change & gradually damage your engine.

Personally, I will suggest parking the car until you can afford to replace it.

yettymuse:
My first Car would be delivered on Saturday... I don't even know why I'm creating this thread but I am overwhelmed.

I started my driving class about 2weeks ago and I'm close to graduating .

I am excited... Errrm so what's next after the car comes... Please don't ignore this post o

Car gurus, just hold my hand and guide me through biko.

My few fears are :

1How would I know when the car needs help?

2,.What would I do if I am stucked in the middle of the road

3.How so I avoid them 'Kazeems'

4.Where would I get affordable competent mechanics

Errrmm... What else sef my heart is just doing gbim gbim

Congratulations on urgent new purchase.

You don't necessarily need to bother about anything yet. But few things you will need to do when the car arrives;

1. Change the engine oil & filter (the engine oil must be 5w-30) you can confirm what engine oil is required by looking at the engine oil cover cap on the engine bay.

2. Check the transmission fluid by pulling the tranny dip stick to see the colour of the fluid. U can type "location of transmission dipstick on Google to point you in the right direction. If it's dark, u will need to replace the fluid.

3. Hope you did a vin report to know the actual state of the car & at what mileage car was shipped to Nigeria? This is very important as it will serve as a guide for timing belt & water pump replacement.

4. You didn't state your location for us to guide you in getting a competent mechanic.

5. Comprehensive Insurance is a necessity just for precaution.

6. Enjoy your ride but pls don't take alcohol & drive.

Youngboss54:
okay, i have a budget of about N2 milllion and a friend suggested i go for a Toyota camry 2008 or any of its newer model, while a colleague at work advised i give honda accord a shot(particularly 08,09,10,11 model. So would like experts in the house to help me out here.

Either of the Camry or Accord will be good as know how, spare parts are available. They are also durable if properly maintained. However, your budget cannot buy a clean Toks but you should be able to buy a clean well maintained Nigerian used for your budget depending on specs.

Either car also offers a relatively decent mpg.

MrLatin1:
See it yourself

There you go! Caveat emptor. The page you quoted says not actual.

MrLatin1:
I bought a 2007corolla last year from copart with 14k plus mileage as stated on their site but when the car got to Nigeria, what i saw was 299,999 as the mileage and it has not changed since then. Only the Trip A and B changes. What could have been the problem?

Are you sure about buying the car from copart? This is a case of odometer rollback which I strongly doubt copart will ever attempt. You may have bought the car from some unscrupulous dealer who tampered with the mileage in other to get a better value.

On the issue about your odometer stuck at 299,999; It appears to be a design feature for some models of corolla & matrix. Research suggests it's a software snag that prevents the digital odometer form displaying beyond 299,999 kilometers. There are procedures to remove this but not sure where you can do this in Nigeria.

SienaGbudje:
[color=Blue]Thanks for all the messages guys. And the calls too. I really appreciate.

One day, I’ll explain my own side of the whole drama, even though I admit I’m at fault. But, it’s a story for another day. [/color]

From a personal perspective, I think the past is gone albeit some lessons taken. Just move on & there’s absolutely nothing to prove.

It’s sometimes good to make reference to the past but only when it’s very important. It would be nice to restore your automobile ingenuity on such threads that require your input rather than dwell in the past & re-establish the age long hate & gossip.

SienaGbudje:
[color=Blue]Good afternoon everyone.

I know you all have a number of questions, concerning the deactivation of my previous moniker “Siena”.

Let’s just say, I’m back as a new man. [/color]

The past belongs to the trash can.

I’m glad you are back. Welcome on board.

erico2k2:
Bro let me correct your misconception in the 1st instance, cotonu cars are not cheaper than cars brought in fru the sea port by much difference, highest N50 to N80k(Personal experience) and you risk damagin ur car,I brought in total of 7 cars that way, 4 of them had problems.
Now check this, now that you have gone to the customs to say you had fake papers, dont you think you will be rquired to pay full duty? add that to the initial fake duty you paid, would it now not be pennywise pound foolish?

Cars are actually cheaper in Cotonou. There a number of reasons buyers may choose Cotonou over buying in Lagos; First, Cotonou gives a buyer a wider range of options against what’s obtained in Lagos.

Secondly, because Cotonou dealers don’t pay duty, they have more leverage to import clean tittle cars. This duty is paid by the buyer before he’s allowed to take the car out of the park.

Thirdly, the duty at the land border is cheaper compared to that of the sea port. There are no such things as demurrage & others charges are the land border.

Therefore, if properly articulated, a buyer can save well over a ₦100k.

However, with the closure of land borders, cars bought from Cotonou after this announcement becomes illegal. In terms getting genuine documents, I don’t think any level of document doctoring will make the papers genuine. Except it’s bought in Cotonou & shipped back to Lagos which will negate the whole essence of the deal.

I know this is Nigeria where anything is possible but how would a buyer spending additional cash guarantee genuine custom papers? What about BL & shipping manifest? The buyer is probably convinced to believe the documents are not fake but if NCS catches up with the holder & does a thorough investigation, that car is gone.

My thoughts anyway.