₦airaland Forum

bulletproofmonk: *Corporate

Thank me Later

Correction made;Thanks*smiles

Ikenna351: Good one Op.

But that your number 2, about ladies driving sporty cars and how guys find it attractive, get as ebi for me. I don't find it attractive abeg. I don't find a lady trying to prove 007 interesting.

Ikenna.

Its always very easy to come up with an ice-breaker and quickly start up a conversation if you ask me

What kind of car makes women most attractive? What does your car say about you? Well before I answer these questions, here is a little history lesson. Female driving in Nigeria started when Funmilayo Ransome Kuti first drove a vehicle and maybe somehow paved the way for other countless female-drivers which is part of our daily lives today. Female drivers are literally found in all spheres of life from regular driver-owners to commercial driving of cars and even full-size refuse trucks. However, in focus here isn't the history and evolution of female drivers in Nigeria but on how the kind of cars women and girls drive can affect their appeal to the opposite sex.

Worth mentioning are a few stereotypes when it comes to the impression people get when they spot a lady/woman driving a type of car. For instance, a lady driving a minivan like a Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna automatically gives off the impression that she is married with kids and is completely off-limit and off the market. In the same vein, very young ladies pushing mean full-sized SUVs like a Range Rover sport or Nissan Armanda give off very wrong signals as such gives people the impression they either are spoilt daddy’s girls or high-class call girls with sugar daddies.

Either way below is a list of cars that make women most appealing.

5) Full size sedans/SUVs: ladies driving the 5-Series BMWs, the Mercedes Benz E-class, Toyota Venzas and the rest of them, seem to know exactly what they want. Boys claiming to be men will definitely find this very intimidating, but real men will find this quite refreshing. Not being married could raise a red flag especially if the lady in question is too young-maybe in her 20s.

4) Full size trucks: powerful women ready to take up a challenge in an adventurous way flaunt their style with these mean looking trucks and this definitely turn heads.

3) Corporate cars: which are women driving mostly cooperate branded Toyota Corollas or Kia Ceratos etc. These women or ladies are painted as very independent, proud of their jobs and maybe strong. Such may indicate stability, responsibility and inner-drive of these women.

2) Sport cars or cars with a sporty touch: you can’t wake up one day and ‘love-vendor’ your dad’s car, so unless she is burrowing her boyfriend’s car, chances are that it’s hers! Ladies driving sporty looking cars with say dark-rims and extended rear spoilers or fenders in most cases indicates readiness to mingle and affability. Mostly trendy and highly fashionable women drive these cars and guys find this quite attractive.

1) Everyday cars: women driving the first-ladies(1990 Toyota Corollas), the EODs(2003 Honda Accord), the Toyota Matrixes, the Honda hallas are by far the most appealing set of ladies behind the wheel. This is because the regular guy feels that he has a chance. These easily 'approachable' set of driving women get hit on more than the others.

So where do you belong?

SOURCE:http://autobaseafrica.com/cars-that-make-women-most-appealing/

Nigeria is a unique nation! It’s very funny and may be amazing how developmental flaws are speedily capitalized upon by Nigerians to make money. In highly congested cities like Lagos and even along very busy inter-state routes, road traffic conditions are well-known to be spots you can grab a quick snack and even buy a few home accessories and even mobile phones. Business men and women readily take to the streets to earn a living, they sprint short distances and compete in a literally fast-paced working environment. The real question here is whether these kinds of businesses are profitable; the simple answer to this question is yes!

The most important aspect of their job-description is ‘watching their backs’ as these trading activities are not really legal. In Lagos for instance agencies like the KAI (Kick Against Indiscipline) are always on the lookout for these individuals trying to make an honest living -at least most of them. The reasons behind the Lagos government frowning at the activities of these individuals include the inevitable pollution of the environment (through indiscriminate dumping of wraps and packages), theft and robbery, traders putting their lives at risk, unauthorized sale of drugs, poor outlook(making a mess of the city) and the most pressing of them all; child abuse. The above stated reasons among others are the stumbling blocks of this maybe booming business which has been around for decades.

What can be done to safeguard the future of this growing business niche?

Better regulation is the answer. Not to forget that in Lagos for instance there is a dedicated traffic radio (96.1fm) which equally is an employer of labour, this means the radio presenters and the staff of that organization are employed today as a result of the existence of 'Lagos Traffic'. In the case of these road hawkers, a principal factor worth considering is the glaring advantage of better accessibility to various products by consumers when needed as it’s very convenient purchasing a bottle of drink and a beef sausage on the streets as opposed to trying to locate a shop nearby, struggling for parking space, alighting, then subsequently boarding after purchasing the quick snack and thereafter struggling to find your way back into the traffic which just got worse. The reality here is that because of the business need these hawkers fill-products on-the-go- it’s very hard to get these guys off the road, rather I think a sure way out of this will be embracing these hardworking Nigerians forced on the streets by their determination to feed themselves and their families.

I personally believe they fill a critical business void and should be taken seriously and treated maybe more respectfully. Even the Lagos state governor Babatunde Raji Fashola once acknowledged their efforts so why shouldn’t these individuals be considered as legal businessmen and women?

A few measures can be taken.......

Proper registration of hawkers: [/b]this should primarily kick against children hawking on the streets.

[b]Explosion of Human Signage business : interested hawkers could get themselves registered with local advertisement bodies like LASAA(Lagos state signage and advertisement agency) in Lagos to make them licensed to charge companies to wear branded costumes and advertise interested businesses. If BRT buses can get branded why can't human beings get branded and get paid too?

Making them environmental ambassadors: it’s only logical to hold these businessmen and women responsible for the sanity of the roads and drainage the trade on; a system can be designed in way that they get tax holidays or maybe direct cash benefits for their sanitary efforts. This will result in cleaner roads swept much more frequently.

Getting traders appropriately kitted: a few recommendations include the use of reflective jackets, a few body protective guards etc.

Stating legal trading periods: in line with the need for better regulations, trading should only be allowed at certain periods of the day which traders have to respect as well.

Having special road sanitary features for traffic prone portions of the road: a few features worth considering are more disposal baskets at strategic points.

So the next time you find yourself in traffic, the reality is that your presence gives hope to some others. This should be a wake-up call for government to create a road map to finding a meaningful solution.

SOURCE: http://autobaseafrica.com/road-traffic-is-good-business/

manny4life: So in your opinion, what do you think will take Nigeria to get a good credit system?

Unfortunately our credit system isn't the main bane;buyers' attitude in Nigeria has so evolved!BRT Ashok leyland are assembled because there is a demand for it;automobile manufacturing isn't child's play.FG should be careful about throwing money around.Lack of innovation killed our automobile industry and now government is trying to jump-start another breed of 'comfortable investors'.like I said;I am folding my arms and watching.......

The story would have sounded more credible and feasible if they had it in mind to assemble Datsun cars.So folding my arms and watching.........

I felt the closure was over the indiscriminate parking of vehicles along the express.That's another issue that should be squarely dealt with.

By far the most stunning Escalade ever to be made; this 2015 Cadillac Escalade is slated to be up for sale in the US by 2014, as usual since the demise of the EXT trim, this breed of Escalade will be available in two configurations – standard length and ESV. Its 6.2-liter V8 engine (standard) will ride on a 6-speed automatic gearbox; all of which are mounted on the separate body-on-frame ladder chassis configuration.

The new Escalade is all new inside and outside with a new electronic power steering system in place to ensure more precise steering. The standard and optional wheel sizes are 20inches and 22-inches alloy wheels respectively.

The Cadillac’s ever roomy interior boasts of real wood accents and triple-sealed doors, CUE infotainment system, an additional 12.3-inch unit screen , Blu-Ray/DVD entertainment system (option) and a whole range of high-end goodies. The seating configuration offers more head and leg room plus flat-folding second and third-row seats.

A few of the safety and security features of this SUV are automatic braking, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert and adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation, standard Front seat Centre-Mounted airbag (advanced safety feature), intrusion sensor, an inclination sensor and glass breakage sensors are all on board.

https://autobaseafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/cadillac-escalade-2_653.jpg

https://autobaseafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/cadillac-escalade-11_653.jpg

https://autobaseafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/cadillac-escalade-1.jpg

https://autobaseafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/cadillac-escalade-3.jpg

https://autobaseafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/cadillac-escalade-6.jpg


http://autobaseafrica.com/2015-cadillac-escalade-unveiled/

Just of recent the Federal government through the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment declared its intention to hike the tariff for the importation of second-hand cars just after the approval of the new automotive development plan by the Federal Executive Council. This in fact is a highly welcome move which if followed the through the right way, can help reduce the heavy influx of used vehicles into Nigeria and encourage the uprising of local vehicle production factories capable of generating jobs and improving Nigeria’s economic status.

But knowing well the Nigerian reality on ground, chances are that this move by the government will lead to the masses suffering even more as currently affordable vehicles will become too pricey also, owing to higher demands for brand new cars, these kind of cars may just become hopelessly unreachable to the normal gainfully employed Nigerian.

So why is this not the right solution? There are a myriad of issues one has to consider before proffering likely solutions, some of the pending issues here are as follows:

Nigerians have been exposed to quality cars: so mediocre cars without track records won’t just cut it. Local vehicle manufacturers have to do more than bringing in modified Chinese vehicles and coupling them here in Nigeria, then expecting government to literally force Nigerians to use these cars. One thing the government has to realize is that even the Chinese citizens hardly use Chinese made vehicles and that Chinese vehicle manufacturers have gotten this far because they liaised and are still liaising with more experienced auto-makers. Vehicle manufacturing isn't easy to kick-start and it is even more difficult sustain when there is little demand for produced vehicles. Staying relevant in the automobile world has a lot to do with truly winning hearts of automobile buyers and competing fairly.

There are no guarantees/structures to ensure new car importation will end anytime soon: evidently the set of traders that are probably clamouring for this move are the brand new car dealers, most of which have shown very little interest to set up real vehicle production shops locally. Nigeria’s strategic location and regional relevance should be every long-term investor’s haven; but the problem clearly lies in the abundance of short term investors with very little passion for creating more jobs and pushing Nigeria’s automobile industry forward.

So what solution should the FG be looking at?

Setting up price-control regimes by liaising with SON: What structures are currently in place to ensure prices of brand new vehicles won’t spike unreasonably? If FG can’t confidently answer this question, its better this move is suspended until power is in place which will raise the hope for sustainable developments by making Nigeria more appealing to foreign investors. It’s simply impossible to control pricing when standards can’t be controlled.

Liaising with key dealerships and strike progressive deals: because once the wheel is set in motion it means more money for dealers; but what incentives are in place to ensure the common hard working Nigerian gets to drive a good brand new car?

In conclusion, the Federal government should desist from replicating solutions that were successful in other countries at an entirely different time. Nigeria requires unique solutions.

SOURCE: http://autobaseafrica.com/used-vehicles-import-tariff-increase-not-the-right-solution/

Clerverly: Moyes is really learning his rope! Dropping Nani for that headless chicken called welbeck smh!

Swallow your words and cover ya face

elektra80: The issue of road signs is what this government have been overlooking. This is a very important thing they should tackle, rather they are writing Toyota claiming their buses are involved in most accident. Lets say for example someone is driving from Benin to Lagos for the first time. When he gets to sagamu interchange, there is no sign indicating the exit to Lagos, or the exit to Ibadan. Also if manage to get ur way to Lagos Ibadan expressway and u are going into Berger, there's no sign. You will just be driving like a headless chicken not knowing where u are going unless u ask people. Is it not enough that our roads are bad, no street lights on the highways and yet big trucks plying in the night are allowed to have 20 halogen headlights on their trucks. Yes 20.. i counted it. I was was driving along Lokoja expressway around 10pm and I came face to face with this long truck and it had 20 halogen headlamps. about 8 at the top, another 8 at the front grille and 4 below. I almost swerved into the bush because i couldn't see anything. Yet members of the FRSC see these trucks and they can't do anything about it.

Another consequence negligence on the part of FRSC;instead of spending say #30k to lobby for more reflective road signs, they will happily spend that same amount to organize forums upon forums which will in the end create yet another source of income............that's if we allow such.

Siena: The very notion of using both feet when driving an automatic is plain absurd. Those who drive automatics (as a preference over manuals) do so because of the freedom it offers. Automatics are nowhere near as reliable as manuals. So why pay the extra, buy an automatic, if you're not going to drive it as one?

If you use both feet to drive an automatic during your driving test, you'll fail, plain and simple. In an emergency, as in panic situations, it's very possible to stamp on both the brake and gas pedals at the same time. Left-foot braking is beneficial if you're driving on a circuit or track, when using your left foot on the brake pedal (of a manual car) can pull the car round a tight curve, yet still keep the power on (gas pedal).

There is NO instance whereby you'll need to press both brake and gas pedals of an automatic simultaneously. All you're doing is wearing the internal clutch acks out, and boiling the fluid.

Those who drive with both feet, ask yourself if your automatic issues are related to your driving style.

What you just described now happened to me the 2nd time i drove an automatic car after switching from manual drives. Its very risky to use both feet;i almost rammed into a vehicle that day!

Vehicle engines are amazing electro- mechanical units which sends power to the wheels to set your car in motion-I guess we all know this. But what most might fail to recognize is that vehicle engines never come with specified and rigid life spans when in active use-engines are very likely to last as long as you pamper them to. High mileage engines largely used for long distance travel are bound to enjoy better lubrication than their city bound counterparts. In the same light, component wear is inevitable in engines as time goes by and engine management systems can only compensate to an extent.

Engines produced today are relatively more complex than what we had back in the day. In one of my many discussions with typical road-side mechanics, they maintain that traditional overhauling of engines-changing compression rings, oil rings and re-boring where necessary-is no guarantee that your vehicle will be back on the road in top shape once your engine develops certain un-fixable faults.

Bottom-line, the fact your engine manages to set your vehicle in motion doesn’t mean your engine still has a little more juice in it, at times its cost effective to step aside and cut ties with that engine with unforgivable levels poor performance. But when do you do this? Here are some bankable telltale signs:

Exhaust fumes fuming: blue flames for instance depicts intense oil combustion in the engine, while white fumes means either the rings are completely worn out or the cylinder walls are in bad shape. Very sound engines have water dripping off the exhaust pipes with clear fumes. Very dark fumes in the case of petrol engines means excessive burning of fuel-rich mixture of air and fuel-which in most cases is a consequence of improper vehicle timing if you are lucky.

Soaking plugs: This simply means oil has managed to find its way to where it isn’t supposed to be; it’s only natural for mechanics to try tracing how this came about, but chances are that it isn’t something minor.

Warped top cylinder: whatever caused the distortion must have damaged several other components that just can’t wait to breakdown pretty soon. The rigidity of the engine is compromised as the main hold-down bolts are not firmly in place.

Expanded engine block:[/b]especially when you are dealing with an aluminium engine, this means your engine is closer to its final days of playing home to reciprocating pistons.

[b]Excessive loss of compression: engine torque generation is largely dependent on the compression action of cylinders and the thrust of the connecting rods. When for any known or unknown reason, engine compression isn’t what it’s supposed to be, you are bound to experience highly noticeable power losses causing the vehicle to feel heavier than it should be in motion.

If your engine ‘knocks’: well this is one word that sends shivers down the spine of vehicle owners; as it means one thing-your engine has packed up. When this happens, your sprocket is stiffened and unable to rotate. Other confirmations include unusually charred engine components when disassembled.

Engine overheats too frequently and it has nothing to do with the cooling system.

When it isn't financially wise to fix again: the problem here is at what point does it become financially unwise to spend more money on your car? Most vehicle owners might be stuck in the same cycle of encountering bad mechanics always coming up with creative ways to rip them off; however, the surest way to evaluate the real projected car expenses for your vehicle is by getting involved and carrying out independent research. For this to happen, you first must make out time for your vehicle.

Remember that the engine is the heart of a vehicle.

Source: http://autobaseafrica.com/when-to-dump-that-engine/

Nice document! Take control of your vehicle maintenance today.

You asked for it and now you have it! Autobase Africa has been around for more than a year now, and in this short period we have studied local motoring trends and upheld vehicle maintenance attitudes of car owners on this part of the globe. After thorough and detailed analysis of data we have gathered, we today have come up with a concise document for vehicle owners.

This ‘car maintenance workbook’ is basically a document for orderly documenting of vehicle maintenance history. A noteworthy feature of this 6-page document is the easy-to-use template which equally can serve as a checklist for proper vehicle maintenance.

What this means is that with one simple document you can ensure you don’t miss out any key procedure in upholding proper car maintenance standards. Other added features are some specific maintenance schedules and limits to help you plan your maintenance.


DOWNLOAD HERE: http://autobaseafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Autobase-Africas-Car-Maintenance-Workbook.pdf

Bossforeva: Peace Mass Transit Buses has been Using it...YET!

Exactly!!!

Hit the LIKE button if you find this document useful!

Gee2728: Just got it, yet to use it but it appears helpful. Nice 1

When you do use it kindly share your experience

The same Nigerians keeping quiet about this will be screaming blue murder when the chips are down!

[quote author=dannysteve99@ya]Noted,but asking me nt to speed because of Tyre! hell no. if i don't hv money for Tyre,I did better forget to owed a Car.[/quote]No one said you shouldn't speed;wise folks that understand the topic at hand value the information presented will take extra measures to curtail wasteful spending. If you have so much money you should own a heli-pad.

Do you know properly used tyres can last as long as 40,000km in active use? This might sound vaguely true for vehicle owners that pay very little attention to proper tyre care. Tyres significantly take up most of the road stresses induced on the vehicle; this explains why inflated rubber remains the best option for this purpose. Tyres can be broadly categorized as tube tyres and tubeless tyres which both have treads and groves in common.

The fact that the poor state of roads in Nigeria heavily affects average life of tyres-which is between 15,000km-30,000km-is quite debatable as the effect of bad roads on tyres is just one out of several contributory factors like poor driving, improper applications etc. Based on observations, some factors which speed up tyre deterioration have been spotted and will be further discussed to help vehicle owners squeeze out as much life as they can from their tyres.

Avoid Over speeding: the major down-side of vehicle over-speeding is primarily the inevitable loss of ‘thinking time’ which results in making forceful decisions in a snap. Anti-lock braking systems(ABS) which come standard in almost every car you find on the road prevents wheel locking in occasions where drivers are forced to brake harshly; nonetheless, if you don’t over-speed you may never have to contend with harsh braking which results in speedy tread wear.

Avoid Overloading: common sense should tell you that when excess weight is exerted upon a vehicle, the tyres primarily suffer and the suspension system is rendered inflexible. Road traction may be maximum in such instances but this will be the case at the expense of experiencing higher rolling resistance which doesn’t just affect the tread’s structural integrity but also results in higher fuel consumption.

Maintain proper wheel geometry: simply put, maintaining proper wheel alignment reduces the likelihood of uneven tread wear-relative to other wheels- and also helps in smoother driving with lower levels of road noise and vibrations. For this to be possible suspension and steering components and even adjoining components like bearings and final drives components have to be in top shape.

Keep your tyres balanced: tyre balancing isn’t a collective activity as it concerns wheels independently; what this means is that one imbalanced tyre can affect the whole vehicle dynamics. Hence, ensure your wheels are balanced.

Inflate properly:what is the correct manufacturer stated tyre pressure limit for your car? If as a driver you can’t answer that question it means you simply go with what your ‘vulcanizer’ suggests. This may be right, but the chances of it being wrong are looming all over the place. So get your facts right and inflate your tyres correctly.

Rotate your wheels: most Nigerian vehicle owners don’t even recognize the need for periodic wheel rotation. If I am to summarize the explanation on why this process is necessary, I’d simply say it’s an added measure to ensure even tread wear of all the tyres. This process entails switching the positioning of tyres periodically.

Use correct wheel sizes: to avoid any abrupt explosions, use the right rim-size for tyres as stated by your car manufacturer.

Shop wisely: stay off sub-standard tyres; especially tokunbo tyres wrapped in shinny wraps. Remember these tyres are cheap for two reasons-1) they don’t last 2) such can disappoint without any notice whatsoever.

http://autobaseafrica.com/tips-for-extended-tyre-life/

Very easy and useful document;hit the download button and share what you feel.

The signs are more than glaring, what Nigerian road transporters and maybe motorist as a whole should expect anytime soon is the enforcement of the use of speed limiting devices to tackle over-speeding. This process seems to be in top gear as we’ve witnessed various stakeholders forums on this issue (speed limiting device enforcement) in Nigeria held in Abuja and Lagos, which have been spearheaded by the F.R.S.C(federal road safety corps) and government officials.

With all these, it shouldn't come to anyone as a surprise if we wake up one morning to hear that it is now mandatory to install these devices in our vehicles. In the face of the path FRSC has chosen, I want to quickly ask one question; is this really the way out? Another question the people of Nigeria are asking now is whether this could be yet another money-making agenda to further milk Nigerians dry? Nigerians are still yet to recover from the new plate number and new driving license scheme, and now they might have to contend with this.

For now let’s leave the bickering aside and face the areas I feel the FRSC should be channeling their resources and energies to instead of simply laying the full blame -on the spate of road accidents- on Nigerians over-speeding.

More road/traffic signs needed:Rather than the Nigerian government whining about safe driving, the several levels of government should sit up! In one of my many visits to Ghana, I began a road trip from Accra to Kumasi around 11pm using one of their 24hrs bus services.

If there is anything I noticed during this late night drive, it had to be the heavy presence of pertinent road/traffic signs to guide both day and late night drivers; these roads signs are mostly made of reflective objects placed by strategic portions of the road.

But back here in Lagos, Nigeria, it’s a shame we still have to wake up to see trucks stuck along BRT paths and almost all BRT lanes concrete demarcations are shaved almost to the asphalt surface especially at the main entry points.

The simple point I am trying to make here is that government needs to invest more in road signs and other accompanying traffic effects which ideally should form integral components of a complete road design.

What about speed breakers/road cameras? More advanced and developed nations depend on infrastructures like these to punish traffic offenders and help reduce the likelihood of over-speeding on some portions of the road.

What incentives are in place for transport companies with low accident rates? If the FRSC is serious about its safe driving campaign; it won’t hurt anyone if companies with fewer or no crashes pay lower-income taxes and are exempted from some imposed payments and levies. This is an example of what they should be clamouring for which overtime will truly encourage various companies to set up independent safety programmes, better driver welfare and sufficient drivers training which indeed are the root causes of most road accidents incidents.

In conclusion, I’d like to state that government has a responsibility to the people and it shouldn't always be the people being solely responsible for themselves and the government too.
http://autobaseafrica.com/use-of-speed-limiters-the-way-out/

You asked for it and now you have it! Autobase Africa has been around for more than a year now, and in this short period we have studied local motoring trends and upheld vehicle maintenance attitudes of car owners on this part of the globe. After thorough and detailed analysis of data we have gathered, we today have come up with a concise document for vehicle owners.

This ‘car maintenance workbook’ is basically a document for orderly documenting of vehicle maintenance history. A noteworthy feature of this 6-page document is the easy-to-use template which equally can serve as a checklist for proper vehicle maintenance.

What this means is that with one simple document you can ensure you don’t miss out any key procedure in upholding proper car maintenance standards. Other added features are some specific maintenance schedules and limits to help you plan your maintenance.

Simply follow the link below and download this FREE document. Take full control of your vehicle maintenance NOW.
http://autobaseafrica.com/what-every-car-needs/

What could be described as a show off of unquestionable robustness is the new YouTube video presentation where the president of Volvo Trucks 'puts his neck on the line in his own exciting stunt'. There isn't much left to be said here as this video has gotten over 1 million views in less than 48 Hrs; just hit the play button on the sidebar and watch or follow this link.
http://autobaseafrica.com/new-volvo-fmx-ad/

Just last week, I witnessed a commercial Mazda bus’ left rear tyre pull off from the wheel hub assembly; fortunately, the vehicle wasn’t moving too quickly at approximately 50-60km/hr and the bus headed towards the right end of the bridge till it came to a halt owing to the tremendous frictional force between the brake drum (of the affected wheel) and the road surface. If the driver was driving the bus any faster or swerved in a frightened manner, I can assure you that we would have heard news about a fatal accident along Lagos-Ibadan expressway involving more than 18 persons with almost no one surviving. This is one out of so many incidences of avoidable accidents causing death in numbers. The point am trying to make here is that lives have been lost because of the carelessness and reluctance of vehicle owners to spend on their cars and carry out the basic required maintenance. The bus incident here was simply caused by very loose bearings connected to the main drive-shafts off this rear-wheeled drive vehicle; apparently due to negligence on the part of the commercial bus driver and/or owner.

Scenarios of this kind prompted me to finally write about this and what government can do to curb this menace. I have always been an advocate of Nigerian and Africans as a whole upholding a proper vehicle maintenance culture; in the light of the reality before us I feel the only way out here is government taking a firm stand by creating new laws which will unequivocally ‘force’ the larger chunk of the Nigerian motoring populace to start imbibing proper vehicle maintenance culture if they deem it important to own a car.

So what kind of laws am I suggesting? The answer to this question is criminalizing certain poor vehicle maintenance attitudes, especially the ones that are most likely to lead to fatal accidents. These laws should be enforced by the police. Defaulting vehicle owners should be jailed or heavily fined and in some cases, the option of auctioning these vehicles should be welcome. Nigerians over time have shown that they need a heavy hand and I think the government should do just that. Since MOT centres and V.I.O (vehicle inspection office) are not as effective as anticipated, I feel this is the only way out.

The economic benefits of this move will be enormous and basically we will have fewer scraped vehicles plying Nigerian roads. Some of the areas worth considering are:

1)Bearings/wheel hubs assembly

2)Tie-rods(steering arms)

3)Ball joints

4)Brake pads

It’s high time government took a stand to reduce the spate of road accidents. The downside of laws like these is the inevitable abuse by unscrupulous police officers who might see this as another means of ripping motorist off. But on the brighter side, it will make motorist more aware of their responsibilities as vehicle owners.

http://autobaseafrica.com/criminalizing-poor-vehicle-maintenance-attitude/

After 9months of detailed artistry by Eric van Hove and his team of 35 master craftsmen- from various regions in Morocco- the result is this V12 Laraki which is a replica of a Mercedes V12 engine. According to thisiscollosal.com, artist Eric van Hove headed to Morocco on receiving a Cda-Projects Grant to build this detailed art work made from 53 materials-mostly fossil materials- which were hand-forged to create this artwork.

Just in case you are still curious about how this came about, it will interest you to know that a full sized Mercedes engine was dismantled and fully replicated piece by piece, consisting of some 465 parts and 660 bolts made of casted copper. Nonetheless, this engine isn’t made to work or power any vehicle.

Some of the enlisted materials involved in this production include white cedar wood, high Atlas red cedar wood, Moroccan beech wood, pink apricot wood, mother of pearl, yellow copper, nickel plated copper, walnut wood, lemon wood, orange wood, ebony wood of Macassar, mahogany wood, thuya wood, , red copper, forged iron, recycled aluminum, nickel silver, silver, tin, cow bone, goat bone, malachite of Midelt, etc.

for more images follow this link: http://autobaseafrica.com/mercedes-v12-engine-replica/

Victorsky: yuzedo: Great article!

For some of the points raised, kindly elucidate/englighten greenhorns on how to carry out preventive checks; e.g. Brake pads, transmission, etc.

Also if Siena can help answer a personal query: My car dashboard has had the ABS light ignited for months now. Mechanic tells me not to worry about it. Your take? Many thanks in anticipation of a helpful response..


Top up your Hydralic fluid. My sienna indicates ABS on the dash board and I consulted the manuals that followed the SUV and add more Hydralic...the ABS light disappeared. try it.

Here are a few helpful topics: autobaseafrica.com/more-facts-about-obdii-scanning/
autobaseafrica.com/basic-brake-system-care/

autobaseafrica.com/getting-the-best-from-your-local-mechanic/

adeaugustus: Thanks for this great post. I have the following questions that beg for answer from a car expert.

1. The AirBag light keeps blinking, is that normal?

2. There is this sensor light on the dashboard, it blinks all the time, I just ignore it; what's the light about?

3. When I got the car (from my dad), the water that was in the cooling system is green in color, somebody said it's oxidant or something, please why is the water green? I have been adding ordinary water (almost 8months now) and the green is beginning to fade, will it cause over-heating if I continue to use ordinary water? What's the name of the gree substance? How expensive is it?

4. By using the car air conditioning system all the time, what effect does it have on the engine at long run?

Am sorry for the long post, am a novice when it comes to car stuff, all I do is kick start the car and drive. Thanks in anticipation.

Airbag blinking isn't normal and it could be a real concern if the bags have already been engaged.
Using A/C all the time isn't bad per say;but fuel consumption level is definately higher especially if you use it when driving below 60km/hr.
I will suggest you stop using mere water;then flush your radiator entirely(reverse flush preferably).Then re-fill the radiator with a mix of water and coolant proportionately(70-30 or 50-50) depending on your car brand.

teskyg: Please,I need help.I usually see the Indicator light at my dashboard.Lastweek.I changed my shaft and the light disapear.Now,its back again.My Mechanic told me it means nothing.Am worried now after it disappear and came back.

Run a proper diagnostic check to be sure;my guess is that your wheel speed sensors are bad or not properly re-connected.

hectoro: @poster: Thanks a lot for this very useful information, very appreciated- from a single girl with all her brothers out of the country...

Please can you tell us more about gauging tires? Why do the vulcanizer chaps always want to do a different figure from whats on the car?

As for ignoring that ABS light, do so at your own peril. Several years ago, I had a Honda Accord that the mechanic messed up the braking system and told me to ignore the blinking light. Suffice to say I thank God I am still aliv; that was the last tokunbo car i ever bought. I swore that i would never have dealings outside of a car sellers workshop!!!!! So I bought a kia and now use a toyota.

God deliver us from Naija artisans

Don't mind them oh!Do what your car manual states rather than their figures.To be on the safe side buy a handy digital pressure gauge and check your tyre pressure yourself preferably in the morning when you haven't driven yet.Besides you are likely to get false readings under the sun and with your tyres all heated up from driving.

[quote author=Beaf!]Thanks. Does automatic transmission needs servicing? And how often can that be?[/quote]For most Japanese cars;you need to service your gearbox especially for older tokunbo cars.Servicing entails draining off old transmission oil and replacing with new oil.