I’m looking for a farmer’s and family man’s vehicle rolled into one

Hello there,

The vehicle that fits the job description you give is a double-cab, and not just any double-cab, but one that is fairly well specced, since you want your family to ride around in it alongside your banana crop. Most double-cabs are strong by design, somewhat, and if you want low fuel consumption, diesel is the way to go, with a turbo. Maintenance will vary according to who built the vehicle and how they built it, with the final resolution lying with you and how you operate the vehicle.

That leaves us with a wide range of vehicles that I could dissect one by one until we get to the most appropriate, but let's sweep everything off the table and place one nominee that will outclass the rest of the pack with ease, leaving no other contenders to match it.

Before we get to this nominee, I notice you closed your correspondence by declaring you are a small starter, so I take this to mean the money ain't that long. Most double cabs fall into the Sh5 million to Sh8 million range in pricing, with some having their price justified and others not so much. I've reviewed a whole lot of these double-cabs so perhaps a garner at the archives will shed light on who is who, but the point I am driving at is these vehicles are not what you call cheap.

Second hand imports

You could go for second hand imports which cost around half of what their new versions cost, which is more affordable at the Sh2.5 to Sh4 million range, but we all know the associated pitfalls that come with that. The vehicle provenance is unbeknownst to thee and thou art purchasing thy uncovered wagon sight unseen for the most part. Are you sure you want to place your bread on the line in this manner? What if I told you that for the price of a used double-cab, you can actually get a brand new one that still ticks all the boxes?

1. Can it ferry bananas to the market? Yes, it can, since it has a very long and easily accessible pickup bed for that extra payload.

2. Can it serve as a family vehicle? Yes, it can, since it is a double-cab with very good interior space, especially rear legroom. It is also comfortable with creature comforts and conveniences such as USB, Bluetooth, power windows and if you pony up for the nicer version, a screen in the centre console.

3. Is it strong? Well, it was when I tested it and put it through some very rough stuff which it tackled without a sweat. That said, a vehicle being strong doesn't mean you should overload it. Stick to load restrictions imposed by the government or by the manufacturer, whichever number is smaller.

4. Fuel consumption: it has a 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel engine good for 140hp and 320Nm, complete with a variable geometry turbocharger. Enough said.

5. Maintenance: remember when I started off saying it is a brand new double-cab? This means it comes with a warranty that spans five years or 150,000km, whichever comes first. Five years is a hell of a long time and 150,000 is not a trifling distance if you are not in the commercial transport sector. The warranty covers all that so by the time it expires, your farming business should have grown enough to allow you to cover maintenance costs without counterchecking the invoices, or you could sell the vehicle after those five years to recover some of your outlay.

6. Associated costs: well, the vehicle in question starts at Sh2.9 million inclusive of VAT, which is less than half of what the competition costs. That means insurance should also be an easy-to-manage overhead, after all, insuring a brand new vehicle worth Sh3 million (with a warranty) is cheaper than insuring a similar one costing Sh8 million... or even a used one (which has done more than the 150,000 warranty-covered mileage) costing Sh3.5 million.

Quick math, right? This is a no-brainer, which is why the vehicle I am talking about won the Motoring Press Agency Car of The Year Award for 2020. It also has the added bonus of being locally assembled, which is a boon to the manufacturing industry of the same country you are trying to feed with your bananas.

Head over to Xylon Motors and ask for a Mahindra Scorpio Pik-Up (that's not a typo, it's what it's called) double-cab, preferably the S6 version. Tell them Baraza sent you...

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Between the Toyota Fielder 1.5L and the Volkswagen Golf Variant 1.2L, which carries the day?

Dear Baraza,

Allow me to first say thank you for the great work, I am benefiting from your advice. To my question, I know these two models are two worlds apart, however, kindly help me make a good decision. I am looking at comfort, fuel economy, reliability and a car that can withstand rough terrain. For resale value, Toyota will always win. Between the Toyota Fielder 1.5L and the Volkswagen Golf Variant 1.2L, which one carries the day?

Regards,

Rotich

Hello Rotich,

This query sounds awfully familiar... but let me recap it anyway. Forget about driving these vehicles on rough terrain, that’s not what they were built for. Their respective prices upon landing at the Port of Mombasa are broadly similar to what a small crossover or slightly older SUV can be had for, so perhaps you should consider those ones in a future correspondence. Application is the key to long life and reliability as far as motor vehicles and other appliances go.

That said, comfort belongs to the Variant, as does economy. The Fielder wins on reliability and resale value which you have already mentioned. So the onus of decision lies with you as to which one carries the day since the two vehicles have come to a 2-2 draw. Of the criteria listed, you know best, which takes priority for you, so go with that.

I’d personally go for the Variant. It is more premium, drives smoother and is unlikely to be stolen.

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Do I get myself the turbocharged 2005 Subaru Forester or a 2014 Vitz RS?

Hi Baraza,

Thank you for your informative column. I always look forward to Wednesdays. On to my question, where does the balance come in between old and ‘new’? Case in point, I’m looking to buy a vehicle later on in the year. I have the option of a turbocharged 2005 Subaru Forester or a 2014 Vitz RS. Part of me feels like the Forester is a bit dated (15 plus years, several kilometres on the odo.) Another part of me knows it’s fun to drive, roomier and generally better value for money. However, the RS has newer technology, economical albeit overpriced.

This is by no means a comparison, but a dilemma about old versus new, practicality versus value for money. Help me make a choice. On a side note, would you happen to know if Mazda are planning to sell the Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo here?

Thanks,

Alex.

Hi Alex,

The balance between old and new should be somewhere around the eight-year mark, for this market at least, but we do have some strange corporate decisions by global car makers that wreak havoc on these descriptors because they sell the same car for more than a decade... I’m thinking of Nissan with a few of its sports cars and of course Toyota with the Land Cruiser 200. That car is what, 14 years old now? And still going (but will die soon).

Of course the Vitz is newer. A nine-year difference in vintage is pretty substantial, but like I mentioned to you your fellow inquisitor earlier, it all boils down to what you want from a car. The Forester may be old, but it’s practical and good value for money, assuming the seller is not dabbling in a bit of price-gouging. The Vitz RS is a fun little thing to chuck about, but other than that, fuel economy, ease of maintenance and maneuverability in tight spaces, I don’t see what else it has to offer. Your decision, kind sir.

I don’t know what CMC/Al-Futtaim’s plans for the Mazda brand are. Typically, local franchises are loathe to sell performance variants of vehicle models locally since the market for those is a bit thin, but hey, Simba Colt once sold the Lancer Evolution, Subaru Kenya once sold the WRX STi and CM-Futtaim themselves once sold the Ford Mustang, so perhaps not all is lost. I think with the right fiscal incentives (read competitive pricing and attractive financing), they may just be able to push more than a few units. The 3 is a good driver, runs convincingly and is desperately pretty, plus it comes with a whole raft of technological advances that fit squarely with the demands of the 21st Century. Let’s see where this goes...

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It’s an unimaginative choice, but the Premio wins this contest…

Hi Baraza,

I’m planning to buy a new car this year with a budget of Sh1.3 million. I cannot decide which to get, the new 2014 Toyota Avensis 1.8L station wagon, the Premio 2.0L G Series and the Mark X, though I am warned that its poor body structure, poor braking and mechanical diagnosis may pose a major challenge. Kindly point me towards the best car considering spare parts availability - general maintenance fuel is not a major concern since the car will be used for short distances

Hello,

The Avensis would have been an easy win courtesy of it being a wagon, which seems to be an aspect you are overlooking, but ownership experience suggests it’s less Toyota and more Alfa Romeo. I know a few people who have owned and operated the first generation car and they always seemed to have one niggling problem or another ranging from overheating to inconsistent behaviour from the fuel system and repeated visits by the dreaded Check Engine light. These issues have not been as rampant in the second generation car, but then again, how many of these have you seen on the road? That scarcity could also make parts sourcing a bit of an issue. So the Avensis is out.

You say the Mark X has poor body structure (true for the second generation), poor braking (true for the first generation) and difficulty in mechanical diagnosis (kind of true for the first generation where the engine has filled the engine bay so tightly that to access the starter you have to go under the car, among other things), so perhaps, to keep your mind at ease, you may just have to steer clear of it. You may get a good unit and take good care of it, meaning it won’t bother you, but your subconscious doesn’t want it, so you will never be truly comfortable owning it.

That leaves the Premio as the default winner by elimination. It’s an unimaginative choice, but hey, it scores on all fronts, which is a reminder of how Italy once made it to the finals of the World Cup in 2006, not by scoring more goals, but by conceding fewer of them...