Author Archives: momekh

Import of cars in Pakistan – bad for the industry?

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The budget is upon us. Import of 3 year old cars is currently allowed and that is a problem. Why? Because a car that is three year old is practically new – you get a good price for it and the cars they are making nowadays, 3 years worth of mileage is not that much. This means most cars being imported were expensive because they were ONLY 3 years old.

Now in the upcoming budget, there are considerations to extend this ’3 year limit’ to 5 years. Now you can import 5 year old cars into Pakistan, so says the budget proposition. And guess who opposes this decisions? The automobile industry of Pakistan, of course.

According to a press release, the car industry folks believe that the importers will, and I quote,

‘dump junk automobiles in the market, creating unhealthy and unfair competition for the local manufacturers

Well sire, if that is the case, let the dumping of 2003 Honda Accords and 2006 model Toyota Vitz begin! It would take some serious battering to make a five year old car ‘junk’. Like I said, the cars made in 2006 for example, would still beat the Pakistani manufactured car built in 2010 ANY DAY! This should be taken as a wake up call by the Pakistani businessmen to get their act together and start producing cars worth paying money for. They – the automobile industry – sell us cars that are high on price and low on quality, and they do it because they have the one thing any business would want – a monopoly. Why would I buy a Toyota Corolla for 1.8 Million rupees when I can import a 2002 Honda Accord CF3 for 1.3 Million? Is it really worth your money to buy a Suzuki Cultus than to buy a Toyota Vitz?

This bill, if passed, would be a win for the consumer. They would have more cars to choose from, hence forcing the automobile industry to lower their prices (you wish!!).

I wonder what someone from Honda would say to this? If the price of production of these cars is so high, then why aren’t we told about this? If the car companies here want to make exuberant profits, then why wouldn’t the consumer look elsewhere?

Stay tuned for more on this…God willing.

Toyota Avanza in Pakistan

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2010 has hardly started, and Pakistan sees five different cars being launched!

First, there was the Suzuki Swift (covered on CarAdvice here and for Swift pictures, see here). Then there is Toyota coming out with four different cars, all belonging to the, ahem ill-defined ‘spacious’ variety:

  • Toyota Prado (CarAdvice’s review of one cool feature in Prado can be found here)
  • Toyota Avanza
  • Toyota Fortuner (that I can’t help spell and call Fortrunner)
  • Terios  (by Dihatsu)

Toyota Avanza is priced at PKR 1,799,000 for the Standard version and PKR 1,999,000 for the ‘Up Spec’. And the difference of PKR 200,000 is because in the Up-Spec version, you have 4 speakers instead of 2, 15-inch alloys instead of 14-inch steel and ‘electronic’ rear view mirror control instead of ‘manual’.

The car is 1.5 liters which I feel will be underpowered if you stack the car up to full capacity and drive back home from a good lunch. Toyota is intelligent enough to introduce different cars into the market and play up to the wallet of all classes of our society. I keep hearing stupid remarks by people that ‘the cars are too expensive’ for Toyota to bring in. No man, the car is expensive for me to buy it! But there are definitely people out there who’d consider Toyota Avanza as a right fit for their combined family trip. Tthe reason Yamaha doesn’t bring in heavy bikes, or Suzuki doesn’t bring their highly successful GS series of motorbikes (from 150 CC to 750CC) to Pakistan is ‘officially’ quoted as ‘lack of a market’. Well, there will be no market unless some makes it, and Toyota makes it every time!

Toyota Avanza Pictures

This is what it is all about, check ‘em out.

Honda Accord CF3 (2002)

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I have owned a fair bunch of cars. I started with a Swift (1990-91 model) that had been in our family since 1993. I got it in the year 2000. It was during the college days. Sold that to buy a Mehran. A brand new one. I loved the Mehran (why, if you dare ask, would one love a car like that? then you’ve got to read my review of Suzuki Mehran). After Mehran, I bought a brand new Baleno. I sold the Baleno, at a good price, in 2006. In the January of 2007, I got my hand on a car that is definitely a sure-fire winner. The Honda Accord CF3.

When I decided to buy the car, pretty much everyone told me not to buy it. Why? Well, for the only reason people tell you not to buy a car i.e. resale. “Market kee garee nahi hai” or “Buy a new Corolla and be done with it!” What? I have not regretted buying the sleek CF3 one bit, since the 3 odd years that I have owned it.

The car drives like a charm. It gives me 8 to 9 kms to the liter. I had decided when I bought it that I will not install CNG to the car, and I am so far happy with that decision. At 1800 CCs, the Accord has smooth acceleration and nimble handling, thanks to the EPS (Electronic Power Steering). Of course, handling of a car has not ‘that’ much to do with the Power Steering, but the overall ‘feel’ of the drive is enhanced many folds.

I imported the Accord CF3 directly from Japan, and I registered it myself (for a whopping 60 thousand rupees or so). And before I bore you further, here are the pictures:

This car is now for sale, at PakWheels.com (Click here to see the listing)

Suzuki Swift 2010 in Pakistan

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It has been a long time coming. As you are aware, we have been hoping for the Swift to be brought to Pakistan for some time now. Suzuki did what any sensible company should have done and brought a jawdropper to the market. Yes, it is three years late, but aren’t we all? :/

Anyways, the car is lovely, as you can see the pictures 0f the Swift here. And one thing of note is that it comes only in one trim and has no CNG, and that is good as there is hardly any CNG to go around. I hear that CNG owners are probably going to convert their stations into marriage halls, available for rent. If governments make profits from Rental Power, maybe they can make money from Rentals also. Before I get too political, know that the new Suzuki Swift is priced at a cool 1 million rupees. Therefore it is probably not targeted at the Cultus market (Cultus being, frankly, a shit car).

The new Swift obviously is a fun car to see (and according to the Swift reviews, a fun car to drive as well).

The car is priced at PKR 1,000,000/-. (They are pricing it like a Bata shoe – Rs 999,000!)

Leasing the Suzuki Swift in Pakistan

So if you lease your Suzuki Swift with a 20% down, you end up paying to the tune of Rs 24,000 per month. If you can manage up to half the price as down-payment (PKR 500,000), then the per month installment (including the insurance) comes to around a more bearable 16,000 per month.

P.S. If any of you are interested in leasing out this car, do sign up on our soon to be released Leasing section.

Buying Used Cars

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Pak Suzuki has come out with this very ‘sensible’ offer.

Now you can buy a Suzuki Certified USED car from Pak Suzuki Motors Co Ltd.

The car that you end up buying from them comes with a ONE YEAR WARRANTY and is evaluated on 130 check points (I wonder what those check points are!!?). For more details check out this ad that appeared yesterday.

(Click on the image to view in full size)

Used Suzuki Cars - now official

Used Suzuki Cars - now official

Buying a used car is usually considered something that is not for the masses. People here talk about ‘resale’ value of a car and endlessly tell you that the car that you really, really want to buy will be hard to sell. They are right in saying that, but that is not why you want to buy a car that you really like; you are not buying the damn thing to sell it! You are buying it because you like it, period. That is what most people don’t look at, and for good reason of course – it is a ‘safer’ bet buy something that can be sold immediately when cash is required (liquid assets and all that!). The Toyota Corolla for example, is considered a great car to buy, not because you want to impress your neighbor, but because it has great re-sale value (a lot of people in the market looking for second-hand Toyotas, no doubt!)

Suzuki is the KING in used cars market

But I think you all will agree that the KING of re-sellable cars is Suzuki. I mean, you just have to give one ad in the newspaper classifieds section and you can kiss your car goodbye the very next day. For example, I sold my Suzuki Baleno at EXACTLY the price I had asked for the day after I gave the price. The gentleman who came over to look at the car, paid the amount at the bank (the car was leased from Faysal Bank) and the deal was done in a matter of hours, not days. Before Baleno, I owned a Mehran, which was also sold with the same ease (and again, with a price a couple of thousand rupees more than what the ‘dealers’ wanted me to believe – LESSON # 1: ALWAYS sell your car through the classified sections without involving your typical dealer). So I have had the experience of three Suzukis in the last mmm, 7 to 8 years. The first one was a 1990 Suzuki Swift that I sold to get the Mehran. So yeah, I can say that Suzuki sells easily and quickly.

So it is no surprise that the good folks at Suzuki Pakistan have realized this great opportunity and made the whole ‘second hand’ Suzuki market official.

World’s cheapest car – now available!

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For starters, I do not like the word ‘cheapest’. It gives the impression that the product in question is well, is cheap … this car might be the most affordable car in the world, or it can be the cheapest. Let’s see…

I am talking about Tata’s Nano. Tata, for those who do not know, is another one of India’s fairy-tale companies; they not only produce a wide range of cars for the Indian market, in India, but they not-so-recently acquired iconic brands like Rover and Jaguar. (Those even still wondering, yes, Jaguar and Rover are now Indian companies — don’t know about you, but it sounds weird).

The Tata Nano – which at roughly 1300 pounds (comes to about one lac fifty thousand rupees) – is the cheapest car in the world, is no accident. Tata announced it eons ago, it seems. What I mean to say is that unlike Mehran, Tata Nano is no accident – they actually planned it that way! :)

What about the design?

But the over riding question in my mind is that when it comes to a unique concept, where do all the designers run off to?

Toyota took a unique concept – hybrid cars – and made the Prius. It looks like a freak-of-nature, overly stuffed insect, that comes in different colors no doubt. Only recently, Honda has made a much better looking Hydrogen fuelled car that doesn’t induce a gag reflux.

Tata took a unique concept – the cheapest/most-affordable car – and made this Nano that looks like an angry midget. No seriously, just look at it and imagine an angry midget – that is what this car looks like.

But seriously though, we all could do well with cars with a price tag like this to be on the roads… what do you think?

Inside of Tata Nano

Inside of Tata Nano

The Nano Dashboard

The Nano Dashboard

The Nano Dashboard

The Nano Dashboard

The Tata Nano

The Tata Nano

Rejoice - it has gears

Rejoice - it has gears

Toyota Land Cruiser

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Toyota Land Cruiser

There are times, not often, when I tend to look for things that are practically impossible to find. Things like ‘the best car in the world’. It is not possibly for me to say that this car is the best, or that car is the best – how could I? I have not tested the top cars in the world (not all of them, not yet :P ), but a man can form an opinion, man, a man can form an opinion.

And so I have formed an opinion. It is that the Toyota Land Cruiser is the best car in the world.

I know, I know, it is a big statement and certainly does not sound like a responsible one. It sounds like when you ask a kid about his favorite car, and without blinking, the kid jibes, ‘Porsche’ or ‘Ferrari’. I don’t think the Toyota Land Cruiser is the fastest, most fuel economical nor the most beautiful car I have ever seen. No, in fact, some models of the Land Cruiser I find quite ugly. I don’t find the Land Cruiser to be the ‘hottest’ car or anything, but I do believe it is the best car your money can buy.

Why Land Cruiser

I can vouch for the following:

  • The car will take you anywhere a car can possibly go – off road prowess of the Land Cruiser is almost legendary.
  • It is the most comfortable – especially the driver and passenger seats. I have traveled in a Toyota Prado, a Land Cruiser and a Toyota Hilux Double Cabin (the much revered daala) – and all in the same day – the Land Cruiser was the most comfortable ride by far.
  • Fuel Economy is above average – 5 Kilometers to a litre for such a beast are – relatively, at least – OK.
  • The Land Cruiser handling is superb, compared to something like a Prado.
  • You feel secure when in a Cruiser – somehow more secure than in a Prado.

Seriously, I have yet to review a Land Cruiser here on CarAdvice.pk, and I – God willing – shortly will review it, but I have enjoyed every bit of this car whenever I have had the chance. This car just – on the whole – beats every other car.

God willing, if I ever change my car, it will be for this. (I will have to perhaps rob the nearest bank to acheive this feat, but a man can dream, right?)

What do you guys think?

The New Fiat 500C

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Imagine a car like this making its way into Pakistan. At first, you’d thing that it is a concept car. You’d be wrong. The Fiat website says that the car can be released any time now.

From 1.2L to 1.4Litres, this car competes with the Mini Cooper. Perhaps they will bring the Fiat to Pakistan as well, like they brought the Cooper.

Just. Check. It. Out.

Basic car care – the top 4 areas that need checking

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caradvice-car-careRemember, your vehicle is as complex as they come, and like every set of machinery, your car requires regular maintenance to give a life time of service.There are a number of essential checks that everyone should regularly carry out on their vehicle. This will ensure a longer life for your car.

Every time you sit in your car to drive, do this

You can make some of the most important checks – which are relatively simple – a part of your driving ritual! Basic stuff like “check your windows are clean and mirrors correctly adjusted” are – seriously speaking – just too lame, they are that obvious. Apart from taking good care of your car, you could also take care of yourself and wear your seat belt every time you sit in your vehicle.

The top 4 areas where a problem is likely to arise

These checks are not only to get great mileage from your vehicle, but also because damn it, it’s your car and you better own up and take some care of it. :/

  1. Under the hood
    1. coolant levels – a common problem in the older cars, especially the diesel ones
    2. battery water/acid levels – I sometimes have to tap the battery to see the water move to ensure that it is between the Min & Max markings
    3. Engine oil level – and here’s how you can change your car oil
  2. Tyres
    1. the tyre pressure should be maintained as properly-pressurized tyres can positively affect not only your car’s handling, but also fuel consumption
    2. check for bald tyres (maybe you need to get the wheels aligned and their camber straightened out?)these can give you anything from a fender bender to a God forbid, 24 car pile up on the Motorway if you are not careful.
  3. Defective brakes – pretty obvious why you need to keep a check on these. You can do that taking immediate notice of any sound that comes from the tyres when you brake. Usually the brakes make this annoying sound when the disc pads have run the entire course of their eventful life.
  4. Defective lights – they can also be dangerous and here’s how to change your car head light)

The above four are the common areas where most faults are likely to arise in your car. And if you consciously keep a look-out in just these four areas, you are – in all probabilities – set to go. Please note I have not included the obvious ‘smoke-belching-out-of-the-car-like-the-car’s-smoking-trees’ syndrome – (you can get a fine from the local government for pollution!) these smoke emissions are more hazardous to the environment than to your car – but please note, the car gives out smoke mostly because of some problem with the engine.

1983accord

Real life examples are aplenty

How many of us know people – friends and relatives – who have cars giving great service for 20, 25 and even 30 years? I remember my friend’s Father had a 1985 Honda Accord that probably still has that new car smell.

Changing my car’s head light

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You quite often get to see cars with a either of the two front lights not working properly. Everything seems to be in place, except that one of the lights is dimmer or perhaps not working at all. At night, out driving, one side of the car becomes the ‘dark side’ and if you were to look at it yourself, the car seems to be tipping over or something. This not only kills the look of your car entirely, it is outright dangerous (you don’t want an unsuspecting driver to think that your car is a motorbike and then ram into your car’s darker side!)

If you are the lazy type (is there any other type as well? :/ ), you probably have your car’s headlight in the dark for way too long. Changing the light yourself will not only save you money (some mechanics actually charge like Physicians), but will give you a chance to bond with your vehicle.

Here’s how it is done!

Step 1

Open the hood / bonnet of your car. Pretty simple, right.

Step 2

For the uninitiated (like I was), the car’s head light has two plugs at the back; one for head beam and the other for the ‘normal’ light.

Find the back of head light – it will have something like a round rubber covering/cap. Something like this:

change-car-light003

Step 3

Now that you have identified the back of your head light, just reach out to the plug that goes into the light that you want to inspect/replace – and firmly pull out the plug:

change-car-light004

change-car-light005

Step 4

Now, remove the rubber cap, again using your hands to pull it off.

change-car-light007

Congratulations, you have now reached the innards of your car’s light. In almost all cars (as verified by the car mechanic from whom I ‘learned’ this rocket science :P ), there is a small hook that fixes the actual bulb into place.

Step 5

Just give the hook a firm push and then rotate slightly upwards (or downwards, depending on the hook position in your car) – this should free the hook as you would feel it lighten up and give way.

change-car-light008

You should be able to now easily pull out the actual bulb and holder out of the head light. Pull it out gently from the head light. The bulb is still in the holder.

change-car-light009

Step 6

Now pull out the bulb – hold the bulb not by the glass, but by the metal casing underneath the bulb, and firmly pull the bulb and holder apart.

change-car-light011

Now you can replace the bulb (that is why you took the damn thing out in the first place – no?! Because I took the bulb out and put it back again just to see if I can perform this surgical operation of the highest complexity)

Note, I own a Honda, and the mechanic fitted in a ‘genuine 2 number’ bulb, costing me Rupees Fifty. The ‘genuine’ bulb supposedly costs around Rupees 150. So I am told.

So, hopefully, next time you have a ‘dark side’ at the front of your car, you can replace it easily, safely and cheaply. Not to mention the affection towards your car that you feel after fixing her. :P