₦airaland Forum

yungboss: I'm looking at something like that too, a 2004 c320 for my wife, but I'm concerned about its infamous rusty body

Siena: Advice in terms of what, bro?

Siena: Urrrmmm, diesels haven't always been direct injection. They were indirect injection up to the late 1980's. Audi pioneered Direct Injection Diesel, with the first passenger car to run the new system being the type 44 Audi 100. This was the 2.5 TDI in Europe, and this was back in 1988.

The type 89 Audi 80 followed with the 1.9 TDI. Back then, Audi's biggest competitor was BMW, with the E34 525 TDS.

youmour: well damn..that explained alot,thunder fire her then

youmour: so basically u ended up not settling down with her cos she said no tonga until marriage? u were never ready to settle down mister man,u only used that as format.good thing she didnt give in

teejayijaola: Call me for more pictures the website won't allow more than4

jeremiahweep: I very much agree with an earlier poster who said there are likely more people who have very sad stories to tell about their encounter & experiences but just decide to "let it pass" so as not to seem to tarnish the dealer's image.

Personally I have dealt with Inspired, and like other nairalanders, the high reputation he seems to have makes a lot of people go for his pre-order vehicles despite being at a higher cost. I think he's currently living on past glory cos his current customer communication skills is "zero" (same story of ignoring calls and he'll never call back despite seeing the numerous missed calls, wouldnt respond to e-mails, if by chance you finally get him by calling with another number, then he talks like he's doing you a favour despite the fact that you've paid 40% deposit and he has missed deadline by weeks.)

Apparently, what I feel is the 31days delivery he displays on his website is most times not realistic, everyone knows it takes a while to ship a car in from US and there could be unforseen issues from customs, but simply communicating the status with the customer would resolve the issue but instead, Inspired would become "incommunicado" for days or even weeks with no explanation whatsoever. We are all humans, promises can be broken but proper communication is key in business relationships.

In as much as Pre-ordering vehicles has its advantages (clean title, american spec etc), some negatives include the fact that, you have paid some % deposit and as a result, you can't pull out of the deal at will. If the vehicle looks or handles different from what you saw in pictures, you have no choice than to buy it. In short you are always at the mercy of the dealer and there is nothing you can do about it. On the other hand, for those who do physical purchase, you can change your mind about buying a car after seeing it and not liking it.

More importantly, I recently unravelled a new "well-thought of" scam used by a particular trusted car dealer to deceive customers (I won't mention his name yet). It is known that the only way you can prove that a car's Odometer has been rolled back is by checking the Carfax or Autocheck history. Fraudulent car dealers have gone to another level to ensure you never find out about the Odometer rollback even after checking the Carfax or Autocheck history.

This is a personal experience and I will open a new thread for it as its a "RED ALERT" and a front page material, I will include proof and correspondence with the dealer so that he's unable to deny it. I will also give information on how you can spot this kind of fraud.

Let's be very very careful with those we trust especially when money is involved.

Siena: I spent the day away from work, and the bodyshop, I had to have a stainless exhaust system made up for a friend's Old Skool Audi Cabriolet.

However, some progress has been made in my absence. I got a call letting me know my Audi A4 B5 Sedan trunk hinge system had been fitted, and could I come down to see if it was okay? The thing is, I was 73 miles away, in Basildon. So it would be a mad dash back to Hayes.

Still, I got back in good time. The hinges have been fitted, and the cantilever-like set up works just the way I thought it would. The hinges are currently secured to the sides of the bed by 10mm self-tappers. I'm going to drop down some bolts and nuts tomorrow. The idea is the nuts will be welded in as captives (on the outside, within the groove / hook area). Because once the hook area is plated over and smoothed, the won't be any access, should I wish to remove the lid.

Tomorrow, I'll pop into the bodyshop during my break, and show the fabricator exactly where I want the hydraulic ram retainers to be welded to the frame, and the tab for the catch. The rams on the hinges are not strong enough to hold the lid open. I'm also toying with the idea of having no lock on the new tailgate, (which has been temporarily fitted to ensure the plated-over hook recess on the bed sides matches the profile of the tailgate perfectly).

I also took the opportunity to have the roof rain channel steel plates cut out, and dropped off. These will be welded in place tomorrow.

Once the bed lid' frame's hydraulic ram tabs have been welded in place, along with the catch tab, I'm taking the frame back to my fabricator, who will then weld in the support trusses, followed by the skin itself. Then it's back to the bodyshop for finishing.

We're cooking on gas, well on track. Things are looking great.

bimbor: @The Bolded, Yes ooh!! The last time I drove a C300 4matic I thought I was flying a Jet! Meehn those cars are just fast!! Like they have a 2nd engine inside them

German machines I hail oooh!!

kakakibuy: If you don't mind, I'll make one last push today(once day breaks in the US) to find the Benz you asked for with keyless go. Fingers crossed.

bimbor: Eeyah.....I feel you already.....and that is because of the Ignition system used in Mercedes Benz vehicles. Unfortunately there are many other electrical issues common to Mercedes products apart from this EIS failure;

Electrical System Problems

Most of the commonly occurring problems in Mercedes-Benz cars have to do with the car's electrical system. The electrical system starts with the battery, which is used in starting the car and in operating various functions such as the car's lights, sound system, and other accessories. The battery itself is sometimes the problem, but in Mercedes-Benz, it is also common for the alternator, which produces the electricity that is stored in the battery, to be problematic. If the alternator is not working properly, the battery is not being recharged, and therefore will run out of charge quickly. Other electrical system issues that often appear in Mercedes-Benz vehicles are wiring problems and issues with various controls found on the dashboard, such as the radio or air conditioning.

Rattling at Engine Startup

Many Mercedes-Benz owners report a rattling sound when starting their car. This problem is especially likely to occur during the winter or in cold areas. In many cases, the rattle is caused by a worn belt tensioner. The belt winds around the different elements of the car engine to give them power. When the belt tensioner is not working properly, the belt won't be tight enough around these components; if you think this might be the problem, it's important to get it checked as soon as possible. If the rattling sound continues after the car has been running for a while, it might be due to a water pump pulley, and may cause your car to overheat easily.

Engine Cooling Problems

Sometimes a faulty water pump pulley can cause the engine to overheat. The water pump cools your car by pumping coolant through all the necessary systems. It can fail due to a faulty pulley or a worn and rusted seal. Engine cooling problems also occur when a faulty gasket head causes a coolant leak inside your car's system. A leaky radiator can also cause your car to overheat. You can spot a radiator leak fairly easily because fluid will drip from under the car.

Rear Suspension Rattling

Suspension problems sometimes occur in Mercedes-Benz vehicles, especially at the rear suspension. A fairly common issue is a breakage with one of the rear springs. The spring snaps near its lower portion, and the broken end is left loose to knock against the other parts of the car, creating a rattling sound. If you hear a rattle coming from the back of your car, check to see if there are any broken springs and bring your car in to be serviced as soon as possible.

But then most car manufacturers all have one drawback or the other....and we still have to buy a vehicle.
So just weigh your pros and cons well and aim with your best shot.

bimbor: @Eyop u really love this Thumb start ooh

Mercedes Benz with Thumb Start!! Meehn that one go dey very expensive ooh!

kakakibuy: You're welcome. I look forward to hearing from you.

kakakibuy: The thumb start was made optional for the 2010 and 2011 models. I have been unable to find one at a reasonable price. My apologies but unfortunately, I won't be able to honor this request.

Is there any other car I can interest you in?

Contact: kakakibuy@hotmail.com

Ladex2012: I attest to this ride... saw it at sabotage around white house... so clean but mine is clean too

Shuga jay:

seunbadmus: Nah wah for Nigerian government oo. They mean we'll pay for propaganda they feed us with?

Pretty you

sleekman: D US imports or crude cos its d best in d world. Less expensive 2 refine and highest octane content. To increase d octane content they add ethanol and certain catalysts.

Exactly Bro

sleekman: If in doubt please follow this link. Some cars cannot use high octane content fuel effectively while some others thrive on it. This brings me to d electic power delivered 2 homes. Due to substandard electrical products sold in d market the standard electrical current isn't supplied rather whenever it gets 2 d standard and bulbs begin 2 blow then we complain that d voltage is 2 high. www.fleetcare.com.au/news-info/fleet-beat-blog/june-2012/the-high-octane-debate-what-petrol-are-you.aspx

Godfullsam: And what makes u think fuel is d reason for d problem in ur car? I thought Nigeria is one of d producer of best unleaded fuel in d world..

abatically: Yes u are right. 2004 Toyota matrix radio looks like something from the 80's

abatically: I would personally choose the corolla over matrix. They both share the same engine, but the interior of the corolla is better. Toyota matrix has one of the worse interiors I've ever seen. The control knobs will come off in no time. The only scenario where I will pick the matrix is if it is the 4wd version.

Cecediva: 2-4 months...i need alot of time to think abt it first