₦airaland Forum

735 i: Wow...impressive

My old man used to rock a 505 back in the days....i never understood why we never travelled with my mum's brand new honda halla until now...

Would you know if the 407 has this kindda game? I want to play with a peugeot again...but with a more recent one.

I dont know much about the 407 road handling, since i haven't driven it. I can only speak for 406.

Ikenna.

Siena: Another epic road trip!

Ikenna, do you carry a tool kit with you at all times? Lucky you did! I carry a tool kit in my car on a permanent basis, and it's come to the rescue on several occasions, though to help other motorists.

Either way, a tool kit is as important as a spare wheel and jack.

Yes, Siena. My tools are always in the car 24/7, except the big sized ones. But i always carry all of them whenever am doing long distance journey, including the electronics spare parts that could stop the car engine from running,if failed. I even carry my extra engine ignition ECU on long distance journies. I also want to purchase a spare Injection ECU. I always want to be sure the car i set out with on a long distance journey, takes me to the final destination and brings me back to Abuja. And so far, it has been the case.

Ikenna.

sultaan: You need to reverse back up to the point where you picked up the lady and where you drove her to your compound.

Your story got muddled up when you missed including the above statement, would have made your journey a lil sweeter .

So thats the only story that caught your interest? Lol!

Anyway, there is nothing else to tell, because nothing else happened.

Ikenna.

Performance of the car on the trip

A fun car to do long distance driving with!

In one of the journies to Enugu on the trip (on the Enugu-Onithsa highway), something happened that made me love the car more. I approached a Toyota Hiace Bus (aka Hummer) and wanted to overtake, but this Bus driver wouldnt let me. Each time i try to overtake the Bus, the driver would steer into the lane i wanted to overtake him from. I just couldnt understand it. It was so obvious that he was doing that intentionally. Hmm! It was a serious matter! I dont like people to make me show off what is under that hood, because i didnt buy the car to impress anyone. But in this case, i needed that V6 power. Guess what i did? I steered the car nose into the speed lane, as if i wanted to overtake, he steered into that lane again. Then, immediately, i steered the car back to the low speed lane he just steered away from, i shifted the gear lever from the 5th gear to the 4th and pushed the throttle pedal to the floor. What happened next was better experienced than imagined. The car front end quickly pulled up, the car tail pressed down, i was pushed back and pressed to the seat. With a very loud roaring impressive engine note, the car took off like a ROCKET! I didnt even know when the Bus was behind me! It was the very first time i saw that my 4th gear could speed about 140km/h within seconds from 80km/h; it was the very first time i got to know what actually is under that hood, which i have been under-utilizing, because of the way i pamper the baby. Damn! By the time i shifted back the stick to the 5th gear, the BUS was nowhere in sight via my rearview mirrow. Usually, i would giggle whenever the car impressed me that much. But in this case, i found myself laughing. Even the anger that had build up because of what that blood sucker, the Bus driver, was doing, had varnished. I felt like pulling over, come out and KISS hell out of the car. Lol! But seriously, I love that BABY! I guessed am reaping what i sowed.

So, over all, the car performed impressively and am looking forward to do another trip with it soon. There is so much fun to push a V6 stick to the limit, hold it untill the transmission starts screaming, before changing to a higher gear. And being a RWD too makes it more interesting. The way the rear end pushes down when you push the throttle pedal hard, makes the fun to be very intoxicating. I will cry my eyes out, if anything ever happens to that car. It has come to stay for good. No matter how many cars i own later in future, the car is going nowhere. Thats my prayer! A fun car!

Ikenna.

aieromon: I enjoyed reading your travel experience.

Any reason why you didn't switch off your bumper lights at Otukpa,Kogi?

The Wheather was still foggy. So, i had to leave it on, since i was doing highspeed and would want an oncoming car to see the car from afar.

Ikenna.

One more thing.

Please, i wont recommend or advice anyone to take pictures while driving on highway. Its very dangerous. I have decided to get a car front dash mounted camera next time. Or i will simply pack where its safe, take the shots and carry on.

In my case, i had to slow down to take those shots which was slowing me down.

Please, am not encouraging anyone to do the same. Get yourself a proper camera for it, if you are interested in documenting a road trip with pictures or you pack at safe place and take your pictures.

Ikenna.

First, I would like to commend the Federal govenrment for making the Abuja-Lokoja highway smoother in this Xmas holiday. Those that ply that road road often will understand. At least, am not sure i saw any pothole, except few places where the road was cut off to be re-tarred. Expecially, those driving or coming back to Abuja now have their own lane to a very large extent. To be very honest, i didnt see any accident on that Abuja-Lokoja highway in this trip, both while going and coming back. Both the FRSC too lived upto their expectations, as long as that highway is concerned and as far as am concerned.

Then, Lokoja to Enugu highway was good too. I also commend the Kogi state government. Even though, i still came accross one or two bad spots, but the conditions of the raod was fair enough to me not to complain.

Unfortunatly, along Lokoja-Enugu highway, i counted like 4 VW Golf MK3 in the bush. I just kept wondering what is wrong with us. Why did i say so?

Somewhere along the Lokoja- Enugu highway, i overtook a Golf 3. Seconds later, a Golf 3 pulled off to overtake me, while overtaking me, the driver winked at me when i looked. I then noticed it was a car I just overtook seconds ago. He immediately increased speed and speed passed me. I looked at the speed i was doing, looked at the pace the Golf was fading away and shaked my head. Why would someone on a long journey want to race? Why would someone with a small city car want to compete with a family sized car designed for highway, and most importantly, designed for speed? From the speed i was doing, i could tell that the Golf was doing 160km/h or more. People tend to forget to understand that big car or a V6 car and it supension, is designed to sock up pothole and still maintain it stability. That one sees 220km/h on its city car instrument cluster does not mean the car is safe to do such speed. At such speed that Golf was doing, how do one expect that car to react at a sharp bend or if blow out occurs?

A city car is not meant for highway. But if one must drive it on highway or travel with it, going beyond 120km/h is suicidal. Anyway, by the time i got to Obollo Affor, I saw that same Golf packed by the road side with the bonnet opened. All the occupants of the car were in front of the car with driver standing akimbo. I got closed, looked at them (with my windows up), the driver waved at me, i shaked my head and fired on. We have to live with any decision we make. Only God knew what must have happened to that engine. At least, I thanked God that it wasnt in the Bush that I saw them again.

Ikenna.

Finally, i arrived my house, where it all started, at 12:35pm, as you can see in the attached picture.

I came out of the car, looked at the car, smiled and walked away.

Ikenna.

At Airport road, Abuja, entering the Abuja city. From the picture, you can see the Abuja STADIUM few poles ahead.

By the way, I got to Gwagwalada at 11:55am and kept firing.

Ikenna.

At Lokoja.

I arrived Lokoja at 9:50am. I refuelled and continued the journey to Abuja.

Ikenna.

At a Junction, somewhere in Kogi state.

Ikenna.

At Otupka, Benue State, after Obollo Afor.

Ikenna.

DAY 5: 31/12/2012 (JOURNEY BACK TO ABUJA FROM ENUGU)

Woke up again at 4:20am.

Did the normal checking and arranged some edibles in the front passenger's seat and some in the rear seat. And drove off to Abuja at 6:22am.

Ikenna

I concluded fixing the fan issue within 15 mins, closed the bonnet and drove off to where i would stay till the next day. I got there, packed the car and left for Shoprite again with public transport.

Ikenna.

I pulled out the fan with it shroud and separated the blade from the motor. And there was the culprit!

When I bought and converted the fan from Viscous to electric, by myself, the person i bought the fan from swore the fan has never been opened, that it was a tokunbo. But when i now opened it, i noticed that it has been opened, probably the blade was changed before it was sold to me. But whoever opened the fan forgot to lock the blade on the motor with a washer. So a small tiny rod (if you look closely on the picture) that was driving the blade, now slipped off and fall into the motor, because the blade was not tight enough on the motor assembly. Luckily, the rod didnt fall off. So i pulled out the rod, put it back, placed back the blade on it, got a washer from my tool bag and locked the blade on the motor firmly. I re-installed the fan assmebly on the radiator and tested it and it was working like new again. Phew!

Ikenna.

As soon as I bought the fuel, i drove out of the station with the fan off.

I packed outside the fuel station, then opened the hood and deicided to try and fix the fan myself, if it would still be fixable.

Ikenna.

I drove staright to NNPC Mega station, to fill the fuel tank, against my journey back to Abuja the next day.

While i was on the queue, i heard the sound of the radiator electric fan, spinning roughly. I quickly opened the bonnet and saw the fan blade dangling and making terrible noise as if the motor bearing has failed. Hmm! "How do i deal with this?", I asked myself. Unfortunately, it was on Sunday. No one to give the fan to replace the failed bearing or buy another fan. Yet, i was suppose to travell the next morning. It wasnt a funny situation. Well, I decided to first buy the fuel. So i manage to run the engine with the fan off till i bought the fuel.

Attached picture taken at the NNPC mega station, while on queue, which happened to be the only fuel station that was selling fuel at the normal price, N97.

Ikenna.

On the way to Enugu (Enugu-Onitsha expressway).

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (aka Unizik) school gate is on the left side of the highway, on the picture. An Alumni, I am.

Ikenna.

Around 2:00pm, I drove off again to Enugu. I always like to drive off from Enugu to Abuja, whenever am going back to Abuja. So, since i planned to travel back to Abuja on 31/12/2012, i had to drive back to Enugu again that afternoon.

The attached picture was taken at Aroma Junction, Awka, along the Enugu-Onitsha expressway.

Ikenna.

DAY 4: 30/12/2012 (SUNDAY)

Prepared and went to Church, for 6:00am Mass with my brother.

Pictures were taken at the Church Car park.

Ikenna.

DAY 3: 29/12/2012. REST

I stayed at home all day. Didnt step out of our compound.

Ikenna.

Arrived our destination.

Was so happy to meet the elderly loved ones, once again. Most importantly, got blessed by them. So happy to get those blessings.

Later in the evening, we left and drove back home

Ikenna.

Ngodo Junction, Nise.

Ikenna.

On the road to Nise town.

Ikenna.

Behind Governor's lodge or used to.

Ikenna.

Amawbia roundabout.


Ikenna.

Arrived Anambra.

Driving through Amawbia town.

Ikenna.

Mission accomplished. We took off again back to Anambra.

On our way, we decided to visit our Uncles and Aunties from my mothers side, in their hometown, Nise.

Ikenna.

Arrived our destination, somehwere around Emene, Enugu. Mission was to resolve some issues with our land with the caretaker.

Ikenna.

Ugwu Onyeama, Enugu-Onitsha expressway.

Ikenna.

After 9th mile, Enugu.

Ikenna.

Still on the Journey to Enugu

Ikenna.