₦airaland Forum

@aieromon, you do not need to worry about the fuel consumption because you will be amazed at the level of fuel economy of a V6 engine. Any other vehicle on a protracted traffic will consume more fuel. But where you anticipate that the traffic will not move for a long time, you can turn off your engine as a fuel saving strategy.

But the difference between an I4 engine & a V6 is in their performance. For instance, you can over take several vehicles on at a time even with on-coming vehicles. This is because a V6 has the ability to produce more torque. Once you have gone, any other car you left behind can only meet up if you either slow down or they go above your on speed. That gives you advantage. But again, you cannot eat your cake & have it. You have to compromise something for using a V6. The drive experience is never the same...my 04 Toyota Sienna 3.3L engine is a typical example. It moves like an airplane taking off with so much ease but with an incredible speed.

Great thread @Ikenna351. Most of the abusive reactions generated by this simpe post is unwarranted, jealousy, envy & wickedness. It is not compulsory that you must read it if it falls short of your expectation. I think people should refrain from insult. The post is mearnt for those who will read & share similar road trip experiences rather than castigate the OP.

Of course, when people respond to other peoples' posts, you could see their level of maturity, experience & exposure. Such reactions portrays the person as an intolerant and rude reader. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the post to engender such an afront. Even if he is a photo journalist, he only uploaded pictures he felt could deliver his message.

There also no competition here, hence, it is absolutely unnecessary to condemn his car. My understanding of automobile is about interest, love & committment to a particular model of car. Most Nigerians like to show off & that why some people will buy cars they can not maintain with most abandoned for the cost of maintenance. If we dig deep, this abusive poster(s) maynot afford a bicycle tyre.

I personally love road trips. I just came back to Abuja from Port Harcourt with my Sienna & likely to travel again soon. It's fun.

For those of us who love this post...endless sharing of road trip experiences.

I Use a 2004 Toyota Sienna with 150000 miles on it. I service the van with Mobile 1 0w - 40 fully synthetic engine oil. The recommended engine oil for the van by the vehicle manufacturer is 5w - 30 oil. At the time I did my first oil change, I could not find this particular recommended oil grade in Abuja. Therefore, I have been using mobile 1 oil. But I just saw the oil (5w -30) recently at a shop here in Abuja & intend to revert to this at my next due service interval (4500 miles) .

Kindly advise dwelling on the effect on the engine if any.

Thank you.

@olumig, I believe people have not responded beccause your question is an open ended one. You need to be specific in terms of engine size (I4 engines & V6). But to do this, conduct a lot more research on which of these engine sizes comes with the particular SUV you are looking to purchase. I know Toyota Highlander has some I4 engines but don't know about 4 Runner. Then, come back & rephrase your question. This way, you are more likely to get well informed recommendations & analyses.

FRSC views the introduction of the new number plate as a stream of revenue generation. It is not as sophisticated as they claim. There are no electronic chips as to suggest that it is linked to the car owners bio-data. This is even more so as we do not have data base in Nigeria. I haven't seen any new features except the change in design & look. There is no value add in my opinion.

Overseas, number plates are linked directly to an individual's data including social security number, house address, photograph etc. these details help in tracking or recovering a vehicle when stolen. On the contrary, such electronic information is non existence in Nigeria and where they exist, they could only be found in rusty dusty old files.

Unfortunately, the intervention by the National Assembly to revert to status quo was noncommittal & yielded no dividends. Today, people struggle to save money in order to buy cars and suffer more to raise further 38k to 45k just to obtain vehicle registration from FRSC.

Amazingly astonishing...HoneyHill now in oblivion. Curiously waiting for further pix of the freelander-Toyota Camry hybrid.

Better still, we can declare him missing...hope there are some security agents in the house that help track him. Another option is to install a tracking devise in the hybrid to monitor performance.

@Siena that should be the right approach in an ideal society but Nigeria. Here, the reverse is usually the case. Unfortunately, there is no form of driving test in Nigeria prior to license issuance. Most often, people who have never driven a car obtain genuine license from the licensing office. This accounts for the hugely alarming rate of avoidable accidents on the Nigerian roads.

The op is wise to have asked. Most car owners in Nigeria buy their vehicles before they learn to drive, thereby causing very serious mayhem on the roads. Driving through the roads in Abuja, you will see so many vehicles with the driving sign "L", many of whom do not have learner's permit. The same thing applies to all other states in our country. If we run an audit trail of drivers in Nigeria, I dare say that only a quarter of the current population of drivers can legally & genuinely obtain driver's license.

This surface it to say that I do not necessarily blame the drivers but the constituted authorities whose responsibility it is to ensure compliance to road traffic rules & regulations. It's quite messy when you see the way people drive in this part of the world without regard for safety rules or signs, which I believe most road users here do not understand. We are unnecessarily always in a hurry & that's why people drive along Walk ways, interfering with pedestrians.

One very annoying aspect of the whole thing is that they see you as a stupid person when you make an attempt to correct them.

What a pathetic story. You were lucky to have escaped. It portends evil for our society & show how desperate Nigerians are just to make money. I wouldn't believe that the dealer has no hand in the odometer roll-back. A simple disclosure from the outset would have vindicated him. But again, you see a deep sense of deception & lack of conscience in the practice. After all, he will not be perturbed by whatever happens to the vehicle after the purchase. There has been several arguments here on nairaland about odometer roll- back being practiced in the US, which attracts a severe sanction. The question therefore, is; must we copy bad practice as a developing nation?



However, if you purchased the vehicle & only to find out afterwards, the blame on you will linger for so long. It amazes me, in this modern time & technology that someone like you could go ahead to negotiate the price of a vehicle without a VIN check that would take less than 2 to 3 hours to get the report. This is not to say that a vin check could possibly reveal the entire history of the car but could show the recent mileage before the vehicle was shipped to Nigeria. As a dealer & of course someone who is knowledgeable in automobile, part of your conditions for a car purchase either to a close friend or family member will be to run a vin check. With less than a thousand Naira you could achieve the same effect with autocheckng.

For those unaware of such practice, your post is an eye opener.

I have not used any of those vehicles but I know Toyota is a rugged car when compared to a Honda. I currently use a different brand of Toyota. They are very strong and durable. However, you did not specify if the EOD is a V6 engine which will deliver a better performance considering the fact that you will be traveling always. Of course, the EOD either the V6 or the I4 engines will most likely cost more in maintenance.

That model of Toyota will be more fuel efficient, easier and cheaper to maintain compared to the EOD. From a personal perspective, I have also used a Honda vehicle before and feel that they require regular attention than a Toyota of same model.

I will avoid the 2003 and 2004 models because of tranny related issues, which are not cheap to fix. My best bet will be the 2005 model. It is important to avoid the Hybid version of this year because available statistics show that maintenance in Nigeria comes at a high cost and mechanics are not readily available.

I hope this helps.

@Siena thank you so very immensely. My Sienna engine is 3MZ 3.3.

You are the best.

The CE means basic or entry levl, It could be a manual transmission or automatic for camry; LE means Luxury Edition while VE means Value Edition for Corolla vehicles.

How do I know when to replace the timing belt of a 2004 Toyota Sienna with 139,000 miles when I bought it & there is no replacement interval specified by the manufacturer. I bought a Camry at 150,000 miles that had timing belt replaced at 90,000 miles so I knew I had to do another 30,000 miles before I replace it.

@Mecussey I don't think Siena's response was harsh as you pointed out. Rather his response was directed to the fact that a mechanic tells u that it's difficult to maintain a V6 engine.

Honestly, it sounds ridiculous that a mechanic would say that. It is a further demonstration his limited knowledge as far as automoble engine is concerned. No modern auto mechanic can say that. However, most mechanics in Nigeria (especially road side ones) barely understand what it entails to work on a sophisticated automobile.

Perhaps, he mearnt to talk about the cost of maintenance/fuel consumption which is slightly high than a 4 cylinder. The truth be told, a V6 offers more power, reliability in handling, durability etc.

I have never seen a 4 cylinder Toyota Avalon in Nigeria. Though, there could be but certainly not here. I want to believe that every vehicle designed has a variance in engine size. I have seen regular 4 cylinder engines on Highlander & Sienna.

Thanks Siena. I don not think it's low on gas because if the Thermostart picks, the air conditioner cools very well even during extreme hot whether here in Abuja. A scan I did recently pointed towards the Thermisor which I replaced with an older model of the same type of vehicle because I could not get it in Abuja. Note that the first time I replaced the Thermisor, the A/C started cooling immediately but after about one week of use, the same problem replayed.

However, I traveled to Lagos & bought exact match but have yet to replace it. I will visit the repair shop today to have it changed.

Siena, I specifically appreciate & solicit your help in this regard.

Thanks a lot.

My 2004 Sienna air conditioner usually blows hot air after working for a while. It cools normally but will most often blow hot air while either in motion or in traffic. Sometimes when I start the vehicle & turn on the A/C, the Thermostart won't pick immediately I had to keep pressing the A/C knob serveral times before it starts working. What could be responsible for this?

Thank you

@Obamax I had a Toyota camry 2001 model for about 3 years. Two days after I bought the car, I decided to fix timer that cuts off fuel supply within four minutes if not deactivated. On the same day I fixed the Security, I observed that the check light appeared on the instrument cluster. At first I attempted to unravel if there was any problem...but when I realized that there was no problem, I left it like that and of course i was a little wary about our mechanics not being educated enough concerning it.

I used the car for nearly 3 years including traveling to the east with the car four times & just sold the car a couple of weeks a ago. Fuel consumption is superb as full tank takes me to the East from Abuja. It has neither stopped on the road had a fault for this duration of use.

If you are in doubt, I will advice you do a scan. I do not think you have any reason to worry.

Good luck.

Car is very clean. Still in its original state.

Location: Abuja

I could not upload pictures.SOLD SOLD SOLD.

Kindly check this VIN: (5tdza22c64s024989) for me & send to bravem92@gmail.com

Thank you.

U need to state ur location. Alternatively, I advise u to take the car stations where car stereos are sold & repaired. U definitely will come across sm one who can fix it.

Rgds.

This is a great forum. I want to presume that the initial aim of this forum was to create awareness such that people can share experiences & discuss possible solutions. But unfortunately, it has been usurped by car sellers of all sorts.

This is not to say that selling on the site is wrong but should be a by product of issues discussed at the forum as a possible solution. More so, we could also have a different section entirely dedicated to Automobile sales.

It goes without saying that the knowledge I have gained through experience sharing of SIENA, INSPIRE_M & a host of others is invaluable.

Hello Nairalaners,
Pls does anybody know any person in Abuja who can fix reverse sensor of 2004 Toyota sienna. Thanks

For far too long, countries within the African continent have have insulted us as a nation. Not to recently, it was Ghana who pulled the trigger of insult on Nigeria, tell any Nigerian to pay an unrealistic amount before such a person or organization is allowed to establish in Ghana. I was watching a sport programme on dstv just sometime past & the little dwarf braggard Thomas Mlambo had the effrontry to say sarcastically "A small country like Nigeria could not qualify for the just concluded nations cup". Of course, embittered as I was could do nothing about it, but felt if our leaders care, they get DSTV to appolozise for for that be advised never to use the presenter on any programme that would be aired in Nigeria.

Much siad, our leaders are to be blamed for this afront on the part of S/Africa. If our economy is flourishing, & Nigerians are gainfully employed, the exodus of our citizens to SA will be greatly reduced. Even the much touted reciprocity has not fully implemented to retaliate the deportation of 125 Nigerians. If SA authorities have suddenly fortetton the hitoric role Nigeria played in the dethronment of Apartheid situation, history has not.

Countless examples of inhumane treatment of our Nationals by our fellow African countries is quite appauling. It is worthy to note that most African countries that Nigeria has helped would rather humiliate Nigerians than reciprocate the goodwill by showing appreciation.

Nigeria as a nation will need to adopt a more proactive measures to protect its citizens than the current posture of brotherhood in diaspora that have adversely affect us. More severe sanctions should be adopted to serve as a deterrent to other countries of the world. Our annoying brotherhood in diaspora should not be taken for granted.

For far too long, countries within the African continent have have insulted us as a nation. Not to recently, it was Ghana who pulled the trigger of insult on Nigeria, tell any Nigerian to pay an unrealistic amount before such a person or organization is allowed to establish in Ghana. I was watching a sport programme on dstv just sometime past & the little dwarf braggard Thomas Mlambo had the effrontry to say "A small country like Nigeria could not qualify for the just concluded nations cup". Of course, embittered as I was could do nothing about it, but felt if our leaders care, they get DSTV to appolozise for for that be advised never to use the presenter on any programme that would be aired in Nigeria.

Much siad, our leaders are to be blamed for this afront on the part of S/Africa. If our economy is flourishing, & Nigerians are gainfully employed, the exodus of our citizens to SA will be greatly reduced. Even the much touted reciprocity has not fully implemented to retaliate the deportation of 125 Nigerians. If SA authorities have suddenly fortetton the hitoric role Nigeria played in the dethronment of Apartheid situation, history has not.

Countless examples of inhumane treatment of our Nationals by our fellow African countries is quite appauling. It is worthy to note that most African countries that Nigeria has helped would rather humiliate Nigerians than reciprocate the goodwill by showing appreciation.

Nigeria as a nation will need to adopt a more proactive measures to protect its citizens than the current posture of brotherhood in diaspora that have adversely affect us. More severe sanctions should be adopted to serve as a deterrent to other countries of the world. Our annoying brotherhood in diaspora should not be taken for granted.

For far too long, countries within the African continent have have insulted us as a nation. Not to recently, it was Ghana who pulled the trigger of insult on Nigeria, tell any Nigerian to pay an unrealistic amount before such a person or organization is allowed to establish in Ghana. I was watching a sport programme on dstv just sometime past & the little dwarf braggard Thomas Mlambo had the effrontry to say "A small country like Nigeria could not qualify for the just concluded nations cup". Of course, embittered as I was could do nothing about it, but felt if our leaders care, they get DSTV to appolozise for for that be advised never to use the presenter on any programme that would be aired in Nigeria.

Much siad, our leaders are to be blamed for this afront on the part of S/Africa. If our economy is flourishing, & Nigerians are gainfully employed, the exodus of our citizens to SA will be greatly reduced. Even the much touted reciprocity has not fully implemented to retaliate the deportation of 125 Nigerians. If SA authorities have suddenly fortetton the hitoric role Nigeria played in the dethronment of Apartheid situation, history has not.

Countless examples of inhumane treatment of our Nationals by our fellow African countries is quite appauling. It is worthy to note that most African countries that Nigeria has helped would rather humiliate Nigerians than reciprocate the goodwill by showing appreciation.

Nigeria as a nation will need to adopt a more proactive measures to protect its citizens than the current posture of brotherhood in diaspora that have adversely affect us. More severe sanctions should be adopted to serve as a deterrent to other countries of the world. Our annoying brotherhood in diaspora should not be taken for granted.

For far too long, countries within the African continent have have insulted us as a nation. Not to recently, it was Ghana who pulled the trigger of insult on Nigeria, tell any Nigerian to pay an unrealistic amount before such a person or organization is allowed to establish in Ghana. I was watching a sport programme on dstv just sometime past & the little dwarf braggard Thomas Mlambo had the effrontry to say "A small country like Nigeria could not qualify for the just concluded nations cup". Of course, embittered as I was could do nothing about it, but felt if our leaders care, they get DSTV to appolozise for for that be advised never to use the presenter on any programme that would be aired in Nigeria.

Much siad, our leaders are to be blamed for this afront on the part of S/Africa. If our economy is flourishing, & Nigerians are gainfully employed, the exodus of our citizens to SA will be greatly reduced. Even the much touted reciprocity has not fully implemented to retaliate the deportation of 125 Nigerians. If SA authorities have suddenly fortetton the hitoric role Nigeria played in the dethronment of Apartheid situation, history has not.

Countless examples of inhumane treatment of our Nationals by our fellow African countries is quite appauling. It is worthy to note that most African countries that Nigeria has helped would rather humiliate Nigerians than reciprocate the goodwill by showing appreciation.

Nigeria as a nation will need to adopt a more proactive measures to protect its citizens than the current posture of brotherhood in diaspora that have adversely affect us. More severe sanctions should be adopted to serve as a deterrent to other countries of the world. Our annoying brotherhood in diaspora should not be taken for granted.

Haven reviewed posts & comments, I observed that some posters have made conscious & deliberate efforts to derail this thread by advertising & raising other issues that are independent of the "Topic" or "Question" on discuss.

It is obvious that some car dealers are unscrupulous & greedy while some others are trusted, commited, decent and genuine dealers who are willing to sale at reasonable prices with a realistic marginal gain in mind. Such ones will take you through the honest hastles of importing a car into Nigeria irrespective of the country of origin.

A number of factors can inflence a car dealer to sale an EOD 2003 for about N1.3m. Depending on his financial circumstance at the time & how badly he may need cash to support his business as well as the landing cost of the car to Nigera.

I am certaintly sure that a genuine & sincere dealer will give a prevailing rate that may be difficult to beat by any other all things being equal. Again, they (car dealers) are in business, hence, they have to make profit but not to reap people off in a bid to make money.

[Concerning whether to get a good deal on Nairaland], the answer is 100% yes. I have used this forum to buy a car recently & the dealer is sincere & trust worthy. I got a price that can hardly be beaten. I have shared my experience with people. There are also trusted dealers on this forum as well that can give you great deals. People like Fhemmy, Inspired, Sienna, Emperoh etc though I have not bought cars from them but I have carefully followed their threads & comments of other people about them. I think they also honest, genuine and business conscious.

But above all, do the needful, Autocheck or Carfax which ever suits you.

Good luck.

If u ve a valid visa on an MRP passport and you have obtained the new epassport, the MRP will be cancelled without predjudice. This implies that your visa in the passport is still valid. Alternatively, you can approach the embasy to transfer the visa for u. But I can assure you that u can travel to any part of the world with the combination of your visa on MRP & the epassport bound together.

Vicjustice,
You can come into Nigeria with your MRP & obtain the epassport afterwards. I suggest you go to the NIS headqarters in Sauka Abuja & lodge an official complaint about what happened in Dublin. Provided you can substanciate your claim, they most likely will listen to you.

As for the change from MRP to the epassport, it is necessitated by thr global trend. The old passport cannot be read or scanned at the port of destination in most countries of the world. Besides being a legal issue, it became an image thing for Nigeria hence, the adoption & launch of the epassport. Moreover, Immigration gave a time phased implementation plan for facing out the MRP.

Kindly list addresses of reliable Toyota mechanics workshops in Abuja. This would be for the benefit of those of us who live in Abuja and have constantly struggled to find good , reliable and sincere mechanics to maintain our cars here.

Hello members,
I use a 4cylinder Toyota camry 2001 & I'm wondering if there are known problems in replacing it with a 6cylinder. Please not that I have no problems with the current state of the car.

Your views are highly anticipated & appreciated. Thanks.