Misleading advice to avoid when buying a car in Kenya
In most cases, before we make a decision, we will ask for advice from our friends or even check online, the same case applies when buying a car. There are however some misleading information, misconceptions and advice you should avoid when buying a car in Kenya. Some might not lead you to trouble while others will cost you. In this article, we will look at them.
When you make a decision with the wrong information, you will not get the exact thing you wanted. This means you might end up spending money on a car that doesn’t fit your taste. In other cases, the amount you will spend could get you a better car with more superior specifications.
Common misinformation to avoid when buying a car in Kenya
Here is a list of things to avoid when making a decision on which vehicle to purchase.
1. Recent number plates means a New car
This is perhaps one of the most common misleading thoughts that most Kenyans have. A new number doesn’t mean that the car is new. Most cars sold in the Kenyan market are usually used abroad and imported to Kenya, mostly from Japan. Since you can import cars that have been used abroad for up to seven years, most dealers and Kenyans will import those that have been in use for around seven or six years since they are more affordable. When these cars arrive in Kenya, they are given the current number plate during registration.
To put this into perspective, let’s have an example. I bought the 2021 model of Toyota Hilux Vigo directly from the manufacturer in January of 2021, when the car arrived in Kenya, it was assigned the KDB number plate. In January 2022, my friend buys a 2015 model Toyota Hilux Vigo that has been in use for seven years in Australia. The number plate assigned to him is KDD. Does that mean that his car is new as compared to mine? No, in fact, his has deteriorated more and is likely to serve him for fewer years when compared to mine.
When buying your car, do not let the number plate be the determinant of how much you will pay, instead, go for the model year of the vehicle and its condition.
2. Cars from dealers are new
This is the next misconception that you will find among Kenyans. It follows the above same reasons. As we mentioned, deals will import cars of six or seven years that have been used abroad since they are within the affordability range of most Kenyans. However, most people think that the cars are new while in the real sense, they are the second owners. Most of the cars from dealers have a mileage of 20,000 Km and above, some even go past 100,00 Km.
If you want a brand new car, get one directly from the manufacturer, new cars come at very high prices. However, these cars will serve you well and for a long time.
3. Toyota cars are the only reliable cars in Kenya
It is common for people to dismiss other brands with the claim that they are not as reliable as Toyota. While global statics show that Toyota cars are very reliable, this should not be a reason to dismiss other car brands.
It is common to find someone buying a Toyota car at a very high price while they can get another luxurious car at a better price. For example, Toyota Premio and Toyota Fielder cars come at high prices that one good get a reliable luxury car with. So perhaps, it’s time for Kenyans to start considering brands like Mazda, Volvo, Subaru, Honda, Audi and others.
Before you buy that high-priced Toyota car, check what alternatives you can get with the same amount and what they have to offer.
4. 4WD cars are fuel guzzlers as compared to 2WD
This is another common thing you will hear when asking for advice on what car to buy(salon, hatchback, wagon., etc). However, this is wrong, well, the Four Wheel Drive Cars(4WD) do consume slightly more compared to the Two Wheel Drive(2WD). This is usually insignificant considering that with a 4WD, you can drive even in bad terrains.
Some cars even have a feature where you can activate the 4WD while on rough ground and deactivate it on smooth roads, this is even better since the car will consume similar to the 2WD while driving on tarmac.
The only slight change will be on maintenance cost since now you will have more components to maintain, like 4 bushes instead of two. Also, the resale value will be lower than that of the 2WD drive since most people in Kenya are already indoctrinated that the 2WD consumes much less fuel.
When buying your car, consider a 4WD especially if it has the feature where you can switch off the 4WD.
5. A higher engine capacity is a fuel guzzler
In most cases, a higher engine capacity will consume more than a lower engine capacity car. This is however not always the case. The consumption of a car is always affected by several issues, for example, the type of fuel, the injection type, the transmission or gear type and the engine technology.
For example, a 2.0L engine by Mazda and has the manufacturer’s SKYACTV technology might consume less than a 1.5L from another manufacturer who is not using fuel economy technology. Another example is a 2500cc hybrid car compared to a 2000cc petrol engine car, the hybrid will obviously consume less. The last example is a 2.2L engine with an automatic transmission might consume less than a 2.0L engine with a CVT transmission.
When picking your car, do not judge the fuel economy by the engine capacity, look for the consumption details of each.
6. A higher Capacity engine is more powerful
When comparing cars, some Kenyans will assume that because one has a higher engine capacity than the other, this will automatically translate to power. That is wrong, the power will depend on other factors such as the power to weight ratio, that is, the weight of the body will affect the power of the car. Technologies involved will influence the power, it is hence not uncommon to find an engine with lower cc but more powerful than another with a higher one.
When comparing which engine to pick in terms of power, do not just look on the cc.
Above is a look at some misleading advice and misconceptions that Kenyans have about cars. Avoid them when making your car purchase decision. Cheers!!