₦airaland Forum

What are the issues with this sienna? Is the gear OK?

Pls send pix to ignatiuso@gmail.com Tanx

Pls send more pix of the BMW to my mail: ignatiuso@gmail.com. Thanks

t-die:
Nope. Mine is the Pioneer FH-X700BT- Its just a regular double DIN system (No DVD) though it has bluetooth audio, Ipod control; a USB Port and Handsfree telephony-I am not a 'Film' person.
My contact can get the AVHX8500BHS for you though. He is into Electronics and gadgets preorders from the US. PM me for his details. I'm not sure he would want his contact details pasted on a public forum.

Also interested, pls send contact details to ignatiuso@gmail.com. Thanks

t-die:
Am yet to decide on the colour... any suggestions??

Red Mica or Ox blood

ping2ping: Sorry about that and thanks for sharing. But what kind of ATF do you use?

Somebody elsewhere in this forum said "You will need to replace the piping underneath the car with aluminum since it is prone to rust which will cause your car to lose coolant and overheat - and this vehicle does not like overheating. Once you have done this, and you use a proper mixture of both coolant and water, you will never worry about overheating with this vehicle. Also ensure both fans work to prevent overheating." Did you experience overheating problems or changed the piping as the guy said?

Thanks for the info

I use Mobile 220 ATF or DexronII, this is the recommended ATF for the model year.
Overheating is a non-issue with my MPV. The cooling system is at its best. The fans work only when they need to. Initially I thought this was a problem, however, after going through the manual, I got to understand that the fans are not meant to work all time and this keeps the temperature gauge right at the middle - the optimum temperature for peak engine performance

ping2ping: Which model of MPV are you using? Could you share your bitter experience so that other interested readers may learn

I drive a Mazda MPV LX 2000 model. It's a fun car to drive but when u ignore the warning signs repairs will eat deep into your pocket. Though my mechanic told me I'm lucky its the 2000 I model I own, he said if it were the '02 and above models, I will spend 3x the amount I spent in rebuilding my gear. Warning sign: After I stop in traffic and I try to accelerate, it takes a while before it moves; that is a sign that the gear filter might be clogged. Solution is either to service the filter or replace it. I did neither and weeks later the auto transmission failed completely, I could not move an inch.

After this experience and my account debited by 50k to rebuild the tranny, I now do regular gear service of 4-6 months interval. I no longer have tranny issues, its a smooth ride all the way. Just as you shouldn't ignore your car engine, so also you shouldn't ignore the gear: inspect at regular intervals by taking note of the colour, smell and consistency of the fluid, this will give you an idea of when service is due.

@Lanre front
The fuel efficiency of Mazda MPV in relation to other cars is Sub par. Going by the reports I read, the engine of the MPV 2000 - 2006 model years is actually made by Ford Inc. for their cars (Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique )not Mazda. These cars performed well but on the Mazda mpv the curb weight was higher hence, less fuel efficient.

To enjoy Mazda MPV you need to have good maintenance culture. Regular servicing of the gear (just as you service the engine) say every 4-6 months is the only panacea for unforeseen (future) gear problems. No two ways about it. How do I know this you may ask; simple, I drive one and I have been taught a lesson I don't intend to forget in a hurry.

send pix to igomen@outlook.com

How can a UK used Rav4 be a left hand drive? Also how can a Tokunbo Rav4 2006 sells for 850K? Buyer beware!!!

@Op, Keep up the good work, knowledge shared is not knowledge lost. No man knows it all especially when it concerns automobile; between model years of the same vehicle, technology can render what you know archaic. Advice to all: Always update yourself.

@OP you breached Rule 21, I could barely understand your post. Secondly, nothing in the pictures suggest the driver was assaulted and where are the thugs?

Eight years ago, Leanne Rowe was in a serious car crash that resulted in a broken back and jaw. But when the former bus driver and Australian Army Reserve member recovered, she was left with something completely unexpected: a French accent.

Rowe, who is now unable to speak with her original Aussie accent, said she has become a "recluse," and often has her daughter speak for her in public.

"I am not French," Rowe told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Sunday. "It makes me so angry because I am Australian."

How can this occur?

Foreign accent syndrome is an extremely rare condition in which brain injuries change a person's speech patterns, giving them a different accent. The first known case was reported in 1941, when a Norwegian woman suffered shrapnel injuries to the brain during a German bombing run -- and started speaking with a German accent. Since then there have been only a few dozen reported cases.

"It's an impairment of motor control," said Dr. Karen Croot, one of the few experts in foreign accent syndrome. "Speech is one of the most complicated things we do, and there are a lot of brain centers involved in coordinating a lot of moving parts. If one or more of them are damaged, that can affect the timing, melody and tension of their speech.

"In a sense it's not a communication impairment -- a person can make themselves understood perfectly well."

But foreign accent syndrome can be psychologically difficult for sufferers.

"There can be a lack of understanding of how difficult it can be for the person with the acquired accent," said Croot. "There's sort of a response of, 'get rid of the accent, stop putting it on, go back.' If you think about your own accent, it's a part of your identity. Changing your accent projects a different identity."

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/20/world/australia-car-crash-new-french-accent/index.html?iref=obinsite

Pls send pictures to ignatiuso@gmail.com Thanks

What is the Odometer reading and any repairs needed?

Did nothing because I couldn't drive then, but was excited all the same and felt I had arrived at the age of 28. A few days later I took some friends out for a jolly good time and that was it. Now here is the twist, subsequent cars I bought (I'm now driving my 7th) over the years has got me more excited than the first because I now know what I want in a car before buying it. The excitement keeps increasing with every car I buy.

later

It is well with you all

As educated as you are, you did not bother to read the enclosed leaflet to know the recommended dose.
This is one of the consequences of self medication - overdose. The best thing for you to do now is to stop asking for other drugs to take and visit the nearest hospital for proper treatment. Your life has no duplicate.

For me Myth 2 is busted. I became too conscious of my fuel gauge when the A/C was on. Now I don't bother since the difference is negligible.

There is no question that if you want your car to go the distance, you need to take care of it. But even with good intentions, you may be spending extra money on car care that isn't necessary. Here are five maintenance myths and the money-saving truth behind them.

Myth 1: Change your oil every 3,000 miles.

Reality: Quick-lube shops put those 3,000-mile reminder stickers on the cars after each oil change, but it's usually not necessary. Their profits depend on not low-cost oil changes, but the ability to upsell pricier services. The smart money is on sticking to the service intervals recommended in your car's owner's manual. Under normal driving conditions, most vehicles are designed to go 7,500 miles or more between oil changes. While more frequent oil changing doesn't hurt the engine, it can cost a lot of extra money and consume more petroleum. Learn how to check your engine oil.

Myth 2: Air conditioning will hurt fuel economy

Reality: There has been much debate about whether to drive with the air conditioner on or keep the windows open in order to save gas. Using the A/C does put more load on the engine, but in our tests, we found just a slight decrease in fuel economy and no measurable difference when opening the windows (open windows do increase aerodynamic drag). However, using the A/C helps keep the driver alert and more comfortable, which is safer for everyone on the road. We say, just use the A/C and don't worry about it.

Myths 3: You'll get more gas for your money if you fill up in the morning

Reality: A common tip is to buy gasoline in the morning, when the air is cool, rather than in the heat of the day. The theory is that the cooler gasoline will be denser, so you will get more for your money. However, the temperature of the gasoline coming out of the nozzle changes very little, if at all, during any 24-hour period of time since it is stored in underground tanks. So long as the gas station does even a modest business, gas won't heat up much in the pump, and even if so, that is a relatively small amount. For the extra effort to chase cool temperatures, any extra gas you get will be negligible, and making a special trip will certainly burn far more than it would be possible to save. Just buy when it is convenient.

Myth 4: Inflate tires to the pressure shown on the tire's sidewall.

Reality: The pounds-per-square-inch figure on the side of the tire is the maximum pressure that the tire can safely hold, not the automaker's recommended pressure, which provides the best balance of braking, handling, gas mileage, and ride comfort. That figure is usually found on a doorjamb sticker, in the glove box, or on the fuel-filler door. If the tire pressure is down 10 psi, our testing has shown that it can make a 1 mpg difference in fuel economy. But far more significant is the impact on handling, braking, and wear--all of which can cost you one way or another. Check the tire pressure monthly after the car has been parked for a few hours. (See our Ratings of tire pressure gauges.)

Myth 5: Premium gas is better for your car.

Reality: Most vehicles run just fine on regular-grade (87 octane) fuel. Using premium in these cars won't hurt, but it won't improve performance, either. A higher-octane number simply means that the fuel is less prone to pre-ignition problems, so it's often specified for hotter running, high-compression engines. So if your car is designed for 87-octane fuel, don't waste money on premium and if you car recommends (not requires) premium, you can usually get away with using regular. Some cars truly require premium, meaning you're stuck paying extra. Keep this in mind when shopping for your next car.

http://autos.yahoo.com/news/five-car-maintenance-myths-and-the-money-saving-truth-211130928.html

The resident doctors are on a three-day warning strike.

The industrial action embarked upon by the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, is trailed with controversy as the doctors and the Ministry Of Health give different accounts of the cause of the strike with the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, turning her back on the striking doctors and threatening to sanction them.

The national body of the resident doctors had Wednesday given a directive to all its members to embark on a three-day warning strike which is scheduled to end on Saturday.

The resident doctors commenced the strike to press home their demand from the Ministry of Health and the Federal Government following alleged breakdown of previous communications.

The president of the NARD, Ismail Lawal, said the doctors are protesting poor funding of residency training of its members by the Federal Government. He said the “strike is not to make people suffer unduly” noting that unlike previous industrial actions, concrete plans were on ground to avoid loss of lives as emergency cases would be treated in all hospitals across the country.

A residency training is a structured six year programme which some doctors undergo in order to become specialists in various fields of medicine.

“All we want is for the government to take training of resident doctors as a serious issue, which will eventually be of great benefit to the country,” he said.

Mr. Lawal said that only N20 million was allocated for training of resident doctors in the 2013 budget as against N150 million allocated in previous budget.

“This is a huge difference as you can see and this is the month of June and most of our doctors have not gone on training.

“We have asked for a supplementary budget for the training, but the Federal Government has failed to honour our request,” Mr. Lawal said.

Residents doctors have complied with the strike directive from the association. At the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idia-Araba, Lagos, only emergency cases were being attended to while the outpatient unit remained shut.

The case was slightly different at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, ABUTH, as the strike paralysed the teaching hospital. Out patients who trooped to the hospital left ABUTH in utmost disappointment, while those on admission were attended to by nurses and senior doctors.

Corroborating Mr. Lawal’s claims on why the NARD embarked on the strike, Emeka Ugwu, President of the LUTH Chapter of the association told PREMIUM TIMES that “we’re on strike because we have to follow our national directive and it has to do with issues about training of resident doctors.

“We believe that Nigerian doctors can be trained to the equivalent of what obtains abroad and Nigerians won’t need to go abroad anymore for medical treatment as what obtains at the moment. We want the government to provide sufficient funds for residency training”.

According to Mr. Ugwu, the NARD had given a 21-day ultimatum which expired on June 18, and also gave an extra eight day extension which ended on June 26.

“We are appealing to Nigerians to please understand what we’re doing; it is in their own interest and the present state of health in the country is quite unfair to them. We however appreciate the present minister of health and the president for providing funds for training but it is not enough,” the Lagos doctor said.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that some hospitals like LUTH were given about N21million last year to train 500 resident doctors, an equivalent of N42, 000 per doctor while the teaching hospital in Enugu got only N5million.

The University College Hospital in Ibadan reportedly got nothing which affected the residency programme of the doctors.

“In LUTH, we have a large body of residents while an exam costs more than that sum. Is there any course that can be taken care of by that sum?

“We want Nigerians to prevail on the government to provide sufficient funds so that we can have standard healthcare delivery system. We still do have specialists in the country, thus, it’s high time Nigerians get involved,” Mr. Ugwu said.

Health Ministry denies doctors’ claims

The Health Ministry has, however, given a different reason for the cause of the strike, blaming the doctors.

Speaking in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Yusuf Isiaka, spokesperson of the Health Ministry, said “the doctors are not being straight forward. There was a meeting with them all up till last week. They are demanding for increase in their allowances and we’re going through due process. They are lying. We are indeed really surprised that they embarked on such a strike”.

Also, Dan Nwomeh, Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, said that ”one thing you should know about this labour people is that it is not what is actually happening that they present to the public. It’s their selfish interest that they want satisfied, not the good of Nigerians”.

Mr. Nwomeh said “The health ministry, NARD, NMA and other sectors under the NMA held meetings and there were outcomes which we all agreed on and were duly signed by all parties involved. It’s a local issue involving ISTH (Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital) and not what they are presently claiming.

“I guess that the CMD is not treating them well but his tenure is to end in August, while the minister of health says he should remain till then and vacate the office thereafter. The doctors want him out by all means out of fear he may elongate his stay.

“These doctors don’t know how to tell the public the truth because the man has committed no crime,”he said.

Official documents made available to PREMIUM TIMES show that the Health Minister, Mr. Chukwu, held a meeting on June 14 with the NARD and the ISTH Branch of the association.

The NMA and representatives of the Board and Management of ISTH also attended the meeting, which was sequel to a strike notice served the Health Ministry by NARD, over some industrial issues at ISTH Irrua.

“All the contentious issues were resolved and a joint statement of the resolutions was duly signed by the appropriate representatives of the FMOH and NARD respectively,” the health ministry said in a statement released before the resident doctors strike.

“However, following a motion for injunction against the planned strike by the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of ISTH , a motion that has not even been granted, NARD reacted by serving fresh notice of a national warning strike; not a local ISTH strike by the hospital’s ARD.

“Though the Honourable Minister of Health has directed that the matter be withdrawn from court in the spirit of the earlier agreement, NARD is now demanding for the suspension of the CMD of ISTH Irrua.

“It should be noted that the demand for the suspension of the CMD was not the raison d’être for the planned warning strike, and was not on the list of demands that were tabled at the meeting between NARD and the FMOH.

“The Honourable Minister of Health therefore condemns the planned strike action and calls on NARD to rescind the decision to proceed on the strike and allow the implementation of the comprehensive resolutions of 14th June 2013,” the health ministry added.

NMA threatens sanctions

The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has also distanced itself from the industrial action embarked upon by the resident doctors, threatening to sanction them.

The NMA President, Osahon Enabulele, said he is embarrassed by the industrial action because the medical group had actually reviewed the issues of dispute and “initiated measures to correct the perceived anomalies with verifiable positive outcomes”.

“The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) regrets the ongoing 3-day warning strike embarked upon by members of NARD which began on Wednesday 26th June 2013,” the union leader stated.

Mr. Enabulele said during its first National Health Summit held in Asaba in January 2013, Nigerian doctors resolved “without equivocation to banish the evils of embarking on strikes at the slightest provocation without allowing for exploration of constructive and peaceful means for dispute resolution”.

He warned that “the NMA would not withhold applying the strongest sanctions on any erring affiliate body or individual member for violating the extant laws/constitutional provisions of the association or for bringing the association/ medical profession to public disrepute or for the blatant disregard for its fundamental principles, values and her mandate to protect the health of Nigerians.

“NMA, therefore, apologises to the entire nation for the hurt and the avoidable deaths and health complications that could result from this strike action by NARD.

“The NMA once more through this forum advises the leadership of NARD to consider all appeals from various quarters to call off the strike to allow for a well articulated, constructive and mature engagement with the relevant offices of government.

“Finally, we appeal to the Federal Government to correct the observed budgetary shortfall and apply all necessary administrative sanctions to any erring head of health institution,” Mr. Enabulele said.

Brain drain

Meanwhile , the resident doctors leader at LUTH, Mr. Ugwu, has stated that there is a direct relationship between the poor residency funds and the ongoing medical brain drain being witnessed in the country.

“A doctor who has given extra six years and is not being given the appropriate environment gets frustrated and would gladly leave the country when such opportunities which often presents itself comes knocking.

“Believe me, Nigerian doctors who end up going abroad perform wonderfully well, thus, we can note where the loopholes lie,” he said.

“The training of a doctor is continuous and can never stop and when they are not getting these trainings, they fall short of providing services befitting of this 21st century. The government should please make sure it doesn’t escalate beyond this,” he added.

Mr. Uwgu reiterated that the present poor budgetary allocations for training of residents has dire consequences for the health sector.

“If hospitals do not have funds to train, then they won’t employ residents and residency training and hospital management requires a balance. Mind you, there’s a cascade effect. Medical students will at the long run be affected as it is resident doctors who do teach medical students (bedside) and which is the main training needed in diagnosis, investigations and clinical knowledge.

“If we don’t have properly trained residents, we’ll not have properly trained consultants (specialists) and medical students. The consequences would be quite dire in the lives of patients at the long run as it would worsen healthcare and medical education than what presently obtains,” he said.

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/139787-confusion-as-nma-threatens-to-sanction-resident-doctors-over-nationwide-strike.html

Send more pix to igomen@outlook.com
I am interested

Pls send prices of the machines to ignatiuso@gmail.com

Need an Acura MDX 2004, how much will it cost me?

A simple election of 35 voters and yet a clear winner could not emerge? Very worrisome.

I've known her before the accident. She is right, the prison experience has really changed her. She is a better person now. This should also serve as a lesson to everyone; pls drive carefully and be safe, it is better to be late than be LATE

Compared to other minivans, the Mazda MPV is cheaper but that does not mean its not reliable. I've been driving mine for 6 months and no majors issues. The reliability of a car depends on its maintenance by the owner.