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You too much joor!!! Thank you

Ejoor, help me with this one 4T1BF28K41U965698

4T1BF32K02U008405

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Please help me check this VIN

1NXBR30E35Z3402O5

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Hello Ikenna

Thanks for starting this...to contribute, I'll lift excerpts off an article I wrote earlier...hope it makes worthwhile reading
By the way, I am now in Abuja...will be good to hook-up...cheers man

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“Which car should I buy? The best brand is …”
Few weeks ago, I organised a poll which pitched two global automobile brands against each other. Of course, these brands rank among the most common vehicles on Nigerian roads today…I am talking about the Japanese giants – Honda and Toyota. The former parades household names such as Accord, Civic, City, Pilot, CR-V and CrossTour whilst Toyota boasts of the best-selling passenger car in North America1 – Camry - as well as Corrolla, Yaris, Highlander, RAV4 and Venza.
Fortunately or sadly (depending on which you prefer), Toyota won by polling twice as much votes as Honda. So simply put, Toyota is the brand to go for?

Well, not so fast …

Luckily, all respondents to the poll were asked to provide reasons for their choice. Their responses which ranged from fuel economy, ease of maintenance to beauty and performance will drive the rest of this discussion. Lets go through them -

· Fuel economy – there is the general notion that the Toyota Corolla is fuel efficient. Let’s examine this in detail. The Corolla is classified as compact/sub-compact car; this is based on its size. Thus, it only requires a relatively small engine with most models having a 1.8litre 4-cylinder engine at the maximum. Now, that engine capacity already tells us that the vehicle will not be as thirsty as a Camry which comes with engines of 2litre capacity and above. Further evidence suggests that the Corolla engine designers did seem to focus on fuel economy; so your popular observation is not exactly wrong

· Ease of maintenance/tolerance – how did a certain car get the nickname “End of Discussion” OR “EoD”? This car is the Honda Accord of model years 2003 to 2005. However, this Accord is as popular as it is notorious for two common faults
(i) auto-transmission failure: many owners soon realize they have to repair or overhaul their gearbox with costs running into hundreds of thousands of naira. Some so-called “mechanics” set-up this failure by using non-recommended automatic transmission fluid (ATF) on these cars
(ii) “Honda surprise”: an Accord cruises past you only to stop some kilometers ahead whilst negotiating a bend. You slow down wondering what happened…gently you drive past looking sideways and there it is. One of the front tires has crumbled under the fender after the tie-rods and associated mechanism came off without warning
Toyota enthusiasts readily point out these flaws as demerits of the Honda brand. Certainly, some cars are more tolerant than others. So whilst you could get away with dumping say “ABRO” ATF in certain brands of cars, Honda’s will not allow it. They have specific fluids and any deviation from their recommendations is tempting trouble

· Performance – this includes engine power, acceleration and general reliability. According to www.edmunds.com; “the … Accord … can out accelerate about any other family car”2. This is one of the attractive features of the 6-cylinder variant. For those who intend to use their cars for long inter-state adventures like me, performance is a key consideration. It is noteworthy that the bigger engines give you more acceleration and fuel economy on a free expressway (I repeat – free expressway). So whilst you will burn more fuel in traffic using a V6 or V8 for daily commute between Victoria Island and Surulere, it will be a torture of both man and vehicle if one attempts to drive a Kia Rio from Lagos to Onitsha (a journey of over 400km and atleast 6 hours drive-time!)

· Beauty – most of us identify cars by nicknames rather than the brand and model year. One of such aliases is “Big for Nothing” OR “Big Daddy” – a reference to Toyota Camry of model year 2002 to 2006. Whilst the car remains a regular feature of our roads, it earned this name because of the bare, simplistic design and seemly large size. On the other hand, it’s arch-rival from the Honda stable; the Accord; has an interior described as “Behind”, the driver’s position exudes a cockpit atmosphere and the car’s exterior is quite flashy. Little wonder, STB McCann in their advert for Honda Place years ago captured the car in three words - “End of Discussion”

Based on the above responses, it is obvious each brand has strengths and weaknesses; none is perfect. So we back to the initial question “Which car should I buy? Arguing that a particular brand is “the best” is a futile exercise and a waste of time. It’s like saying KPMG is better than PwC; that Redeemed Christian Church of God is holier than Christ Embassy or that Igbo is the best Nigerian tribe. So how do you decide on your choice car? Firstly, ask yourself what you want to use the car for … daily commute, long distance travel, business purposes, family or individual pleasure etc. Next, list your desired attributes in an automobile and rank these qualities in your order of importance. Some people value fuel economy highly, others will rank power output first and yet others are concerned about maintenance costs. With these considerations in mind, it is easy to see why buying a vehicle because my friend uses it and “says it's good” is a poor decision – I call it the “bandwagon” effect

Lest we forget, your budget is a key factor in determining the vehicle you should buy – not just the initial purchase amount but also the estimated costs of maintenance. It makes little sense investing one’s life savings in a Range Rover Sport if we consider that this prestige car requires some money to keep it running optimally. You are actually worse-off if you ever allow a cheap roadside mechanic fiddle with this machine. Thankfully, after carefully going through the thought process in the preceding paragraph, you should have a short-list of specific cars from which you can make a final selection. In all, buy a car that YOU will enjoy riding in…that’s the most important thing!!

1 http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2012/06/top-10-best-selling-cars-may-2012.html
2 http://www.edmunds.com/honda/accord/2006/?sub=sedan

Please, help check this VINs

1FM5K7F80EGA96258

JTJBC1BA5E2068556

Please, help check this VINs

1FM5K7F80EGA96258

JTJBC1BA5E2068556

eluquenson: @denc,
You are highly gbasky for shedding more info on this topic. I give kudos to you .

Thank you

Well done for bringing up this topic
I will contribute by posting excerpts from an article I wrote months earlier...it is titled "Tires"

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Do you know that using the wrong tyre specifications can increase your vehicle fuel consumption as well as introduce safety-related issues?

Every car has recommended specifications for its tires; this is carefully factored into the overall design of the car and was tested by the manufacturer before releasing the product to the market. For example, my car tyre specs is P215/50R17 93v whilst the factory-fitted spare is T135/90D15. I am sure someone is thinking "So, what does all this mean?"
Lets start with the easiest ones "R" and "17"..."R' means radial i.e. tire of radial construction whilst the "17" is what most of us know...it refers to size of rim; hence the standard tyre design for my car is a 17inch rim. Typical cars do a 15inch whilst the bigger SUVs could go as far as having 20-inch rims!!! Sounds expensive right? Yes, they are.

Lets explain the tire marking sequentially
P --> vehicle type (P indicates passenger vehicle; others are LT - Light Truck; ST - Special Trailer; T - Temporary {restricted usage for "Space-Saver" spare wheels})
215 --> tire width in millimeters. This simply says how "wide' the tire is
50 --> aspect ratio (tire's section height as a percentage of its width). It gives an indication of the height/size of the tire
R --> tire construction code (R indicates radial, others are B - bias belt {where the sidewalls are the same material as the tread, leading to a rigid ride} and D - diagonal. If omitted, then it is a cross ply tire
17 --> rim diameter in inches
91 --> load index (a numerical code associated with the maximum load the tire can carry)
V --> speed symbol (an alphabetical code indicating the maximum speed rating)

Using non-recommended tires creates various scenarios. Assume you run different sizes of wheels, the smaller ones will rotate at a faster rate than the larger ones for the same distance travelled. This will cause excessive tyre wear due to tyre scrub i.e. the tires do not roll as freely as they should thus forcing the engine to do more work and hence demand more fuel (increased fuel consumption). The centre differential (a mechanism in your vehicle) will also work excessively, trying to keep all wheels turning at the same rate, making it liable to overheating and you risk blowing the transfer box. With over-size tires, noise increases whilst you are in motion as the tires are rubbing the wheel arches especially when there are four adults in the car. The speedometer on your dashboard is going to be so inaccurate, it might as well be disconnected! Yes, you may have increased the ground clearance inorder to save your chassis from bad roads but handling has been compromised. To avoid the above listed issues and complications, consult your car manual 1 and apply the manufacturer recommendations. Also replace and discard expired tires. "Ah, ah, tires dey expire too?!" Yes, do they do.

However unlike drugs, tires do not bear the expiry date; you compute it from the manufacture date indicated on the tire. According to www.edmunds.com
"The (US) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has no specific guidelines on tire aging and defers to the recommendations of car makers and tire manufacturers. Car makers such as Nissan and Mercedes-Benz tell consumers to replace tires six years after their production date, regardless of tread life. Tire manufacturers such as Continental and Michelin say a tire can last up to 10 years, provided you get annual tire inspections after the fifth year. The Rubber Manufacturers Association says there is no way to put a date on when a tire "expires," because such factors as heat, storage and conditions of use can dramatically reduce the life of a tire".
In Nigeria, FRSC says "vehicle tire have a 4-year validity period from their Date of Manufacture (DOM). Thereafter, the tyre expires and may burst whilst in use"2. According to the Director General of Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), Dr Joseph Odumodu "What we have found out is that in Europe and America, their tyres have four to five years life span and ours is four..."3. I suggest we use the FRSC and SON recommendation of four years. (Although this is rare, an over-zealous official can book you for using expired or worn-out tyres; the fine is =N=2,000/=N=3,000 for FRSC or =N=20,000/=N=30,000 per Lagos State Traffic Law). For the manufacture date, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires that Tire Identification Numbers be a combination of the letters DOT, followed by ten, eleven or twelve letters and/or numbers that identify the manufacturing location, tire size and manufacturer's code, along with the week and year the tire was manufactured. Since 2000, the week and year the tire was produced has been provided by the last four digits of the Tire Identification Number with the 2 digits being used to identify the week immediately preceding the 2 digits used to identify the year. For example, a tire marked:
DOT U2LL LMLR 5107
51 implies manufactured during the 51st week of the year
07 implies manufactured during 2007

Replace your tires/rims with tires/rims of the same specifications (as shown on the tire's sidewall). Mixing radial and bias-ply tires on your vehicle can reduce braking ability, traction and steering accuracy. Using tires of different construction can cause the ABS (Anti-lock Brakes) to work inconsistently. It is best to replace all four tires at the same time. If that is not possible, replace the two front tires or two rear tires as a pair. Replacing just one tire can seriously affect the vehicle's handling. Where it is necessary to change some of the tire specs (for example to increase ground clearance), staying within a +/-3% diameter change is desirable for cars and vans. On the otherhand, pick-ups and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are usually engineered to handle up to a 15% oversize tire. Most tire dimensions can be calculated.
In terms of tire manufacturers, I prefer the US and European brands like Dunlop, Michelin, Good Year, Pirelli, Firestone etc. They seem expensive, thus people opt for brands from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and China which are generally inferior to their Western counterparts. Please, avoid used tires also called "Beljun" or "Tokunboh" tires; you are simply toying with Death. Even if you decide to go for the Asian brands, find something new, carefully inspect the tire and make sure it was recently manufactured. As part of maintaining/replacing your tires/rims, perform wheel balancing and alignment. A balanced tire is when the mass of the tire, when mounted on its wheel and the car's axle, is uniformly distributed around the axle. Balanced tires can be the difference between a good or bad driving experience. Some cars (and drivers) are more sensitive to an out of balance tire than others but no one is happy with a vibration. An out of balance tire can adversely affect ride quality, shorten the life of your tires, bearings, shocks and other suspension components. An accurate wheel alignment is critical to treadwear and performance a vehicle's tires deliver. Regular wheel alignments will usually save you as much in tire wear as they cost and should be considered routine, preventive maintenance.

Thank you

Pls also help with this...
Jteds41a282041722

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Pls also help with this...
Jteds41a282041722

Abeg...help check this VIN

4T1BE46KX7U532638

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Abeg...help check this VIN

4T1BE46KX7U532638

Thank you

Copied from an article I wrote earlier ....

#1: Burst tire (Tire blowout)
To survive a tire blowout, pretend you are the bad guy in a police chase; push the accelerator and drive straight ahead. The gun-blast noise of a tire blowout makes most law-abiding drivers do exactly the wrong thing: attempt to slow down quickly and get off the road. With a rear-tire failure, any turning at high speed will likely result in a crash
If a tire blows:
Step on the accelerator for a couple of seconds. This puts you in control of the car and directs the car straight down the road. It also prevents you from committing the mortal sins of braking and turning. After a couple of seconds, gently and smoothly release the accelerator pedal. The drag force of a completely flat tire is so potent that pushing the gas will not allow the vehicle to go faster
Most importantly, drive straight down your lane. Keep your feet away from the brake (or clutch)
Allow the car to coast down to as slow a speed as is safe (30 miles per hour i.e. about 50km/h is good). Engage your turn signal and gently turn toward the shoulder of the road that's on the same side as the blown tire; this lessens the chance of losing control and will make the tire change safer. If the situation requires, you may ever so lightly squeeze the brakes
Almost all highway blowouts and tread separations occur with the car travelling in a straight line on a very hot day at high speeds with an under-inflated tire. The repeated flexing of an under-inflated tire causes the failure. Check your tire pressures!!

#2: Tread separation
Though the recovery techniques are nearly identical, a tread separation is more dangerous than a blowout. This is where the tread rubber and underlying steel belt partially or completely come off the tire. An impending tread separation is usually announced by a consistent thumping noise which will increase to a slapping sound and then a metal-tearing jackhammer pounding. Sometimes this process takes days, other times only seconds. If you hear this, immediately slow down and take the tire to a professional for inspection. If you can see damage, put on the spare before proceeding
If the tread begins to fly off:
Squeeze the gas pedal for an instant and gently release it
Drive straight down your lane
Allow the car to coast down as much as is safely possible. You will likely have to apply the brakes lightly in order to reach a safe turning speed
Engage your turn signal and smoothly turn toward the shoulder of the road that is on the same side as the damaged tire

cheiwura: Pls share your source/link for this comparison!

Yes, please share...we'r all waiting...

Lagusta: can we plss see a pic....

Date: 24 Dec 2012
Time: about 9AM
Location: in the traffic build-up at Onitsha bridge, Anambra State

1984 Nissan Laurel, manual transmission, 6 cylinders. I drove it from Benin City to Onitsha on 24 Dec 2012...also rolled it whilst I was @ B Side during the last Muslim holidays

Actually, I learnt driving with this car...I'm so used it that I considered buying a recent model of it but changed my mind when I discovered it has long gone out of production

Attributes: powerful 6cylinder engine...yet good fuel economy. However, you will notice its loud sound (whilst on low gears) and lenght (mainly because of the inline cylinders)

Thank you...

Also, help check this VIN

1N4BA41E27C824796

Thank you...

Also, help check this VIN

1N4BA41E27C824796

Abeg ooo help...check this VIN:

4T1BF28B9YU106178

Abeg ooo help...check this VIN:

4T1BF28B9YU106178

Please check this VIN

3VWSF71K66M672101

Thanks

3VWRK69M85M017530

Thank you for info on the above...u appreciated

Kindly assist with info for this VIN

3VWRK69M85M017530

please...help with this VIN

3VWRK69M85M017530

edoyad: Honda uses green coolant like the Total that Guy is talking of.

Evil Sirit...kindly consult your car manual FIRST...hoping you still have it OR look it up online (Google your car model)
Accords and Civics may not necessarily use the same fluids...and Honda's (unlike Toyota's) are quite selective

luvinhubby: Total Quartz or Mobil XHP will provide a very good alternative.

OK luvinhubby

But I intend to call Total Lubricants Manager on Monday...saw their contact online yesterday...to findout if they have 5W-20 OR 0W-20 in Nigeria. If they don't have, then my preference is in this order
(1) QUARTZ 9000 5W-40...rechecked the data-sheet; it more suited for Honda's with catalytic converters
(2) Mobil1 0W-40


As for coolants...Total coolant seems suitable for Honda's...an alternative for the recommended Type 2...see respective product data sheet in links

http://www.total.mu/os/content/NT000352B2.pdf

http://www.worldpac.com/tagged/Coolant_-_Honda.pdf

I plan to visit a Total Service Station in the next few days and do engine oil change + change of coolant (will flush and save the current coolant in the Accord; incase the Total coolant messes up in future )

Total coolant seems suitable for Honda's...an alternative for the recommended Type 2...see respective product data sheet in links

http://www.total.mu/os/content/NT000352B2.pdf

http://www.worldpac.com/tagged/Coolant_-_Honda.pdf

After days/weeks of searching for the recommended oil (5W-20)...including calling Mobil depot at Apapa and SolutionsPlus at Yaba...I plan on using Mobil1 0W-40 (preferred) OR QUARTZ 9000 5W-40...hope thats not a bad idea in the long run...but thats the best I could come up with in this situation

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Car_Care/AskMobil/0W40_or_5W20.aspx

mich2012: Pls find a way to get the original honda recommended type 2 coolant for your car. It may not be available here but it is a worthwhile investment to import the gallon. It is blue and not green, any other thing can damage your engine. I am considering doing same soon.

Hello

Have you been able to import one now?
Reply ....

Export1: The report has been sent in other topic.

Yes...thank you