Buying a car- VW or subaru

[BigMoses]

A few months a go, i posted this thread about elders owning cars,(see attached image) i was motivated to buy one, I did my best and got some deal
Now I have cash, am torn between buying Volkswagen golf mk7 or tsi, and Subaru legacy sedan,
I need you advice my fellow elders, kindly note it would be my first time to own a car
Na watu wa kubuy shamba before gari, kaeni kando
Thanks

[qalonzo]

@BigMoses

would be my first time to own a car

I don’t know what the heck is pushing you to buy, but I know one thing. If it’s your first car, please go for a simple toyota, nissan or honda with 1500cc or less. Then upgrade to 1800cc, 2000cc or 2500cc. Ukiendea high level cars na guzzlers, utalilia kwa joo. I know a friend of me who bought 325i as his first, msee, yeye huiacha kwa nyumba roho saffi. Resale value yake iko down tu sana, so hawezi iuza vile namjua.

[mundu_mulosi]

Vile @qalonzo amesema, gari ya kwanza endea Toyota, Premio, Corolla 115, Fielder. Upgrade later.

[Randy]

Tsi and mk7 are completely different… ata bei ni tafouti mk7 ni 3.6m na tsi 1.4

[hui]

After 2007 all these cars are basically the same. Just make sure uko na 50k ya emergency at all times.

[BigMoses]

@hui

After 2007 all these cars are basically the same. Just make sure uko na 50k ya emergency at all times.

okay, appreciated

[Unknown_Fela]

Wachana na VW.

[Shaka]

First car ni gari ya kujifunza kudrive, buy something you can fix cheaply. Cars are cheap to maintain only if you get one that is within your means, do not buy an expensive car and then spend a lot of money is securing it, some people spend more money in insurance than fueling and servicing their car

[Addi_Teacher]

Ati most most talkers seems to have cars:D:D:D:D… Usichoche na kina @uwesmake hapa… That nugu claims to have two cars na ati moja ni prado lakini anaibiwagwa simu na @johntez addi gaza msafi akiwa kwa Forward Travellers za Kayole… Wenye tuko na magari we dont mention that here…

[mikel]

Ignore the comments from Toyota owners and get yourself a VW tsi. Small engine but very fast and very economical on fuel. Also make sure you have comprehensive cover…but if you are in the village dont buy it…ground clearance not good enough. I must admit i dont know much about subarus andToyotas

[Lionheart]

@BigMoses

A few months a go, i posted this thread about elders owning cars,(see attached image) i was motivated to buy one, I did my best and got some deal
Now I have cash, am torn between buying Volkswagen golf mk7 or tsi, and Subaru legacy sedan,
I need you advice my fellow elders, kindly note it would be my first time to own a car
Na watu wa kubuy shamba before gari, kaeni kando
Thanks

For starters, a first car should be one that is not too complicated and relatively easy (on costs) to maintain. That said, gari sio wheelbarrow, so there is no “cheap car”.
Whatever you decide, keep one very important thing in mind: service the car at the required time, and with the right components. When you have to replace a part, replace it with a genuine one, not some shitty generic thing meant “to save you money”. It’s a lie–it will not work like the original, nor last as long as it should, and it will frustrate you. Usiskize advice za upuzi, like kuweka spark plugs za Mitsubishi kwa Subaru, because you don’t want to spend 7k on plugs alone. If you go the Subaru route, be ready to spend at least 20k on basic service, i.e. spark plugs, oil change, filter change (both oil and air), brake pads, and sometimes fuel filter (ours isn’t the cleanest fuel). Have a good mechanic, and a good auto electrician. By good I mean both skilled, and careful–not the type who open nuts with a screw driver and hammer, instead of using the correct size of spanner.
Don’t take the car to just any quack who says they can service it, or because you think you should support his hustle. Keep the body and engine clean–avoid oil spills to minimize dirt getting caked on electrical and moving parts, clean the engine periodically with pressurized air–it will keep dust from electricals, sensors and the air filter, and help minimize clogging–so your engine runs smoother.
I can tell you this, both VW and Subaru are great cars and you can’t go wrong with them if you develop a culture of maintaining the car as it’s meant to be maintained. The key is maintenance.

[Trojanex]

Nunua farasi wachana na magari

[MAKANGA]

@Lionheart

For starters, a first car should be one that is not too complicated and relatively easy (on costs) to maintain. That said, gari sio wheelbarrow, so there is no “cheap car”.
Whatever you decide, keep one very important thing in mind: service the car at the required time, and with the right components. When you have to replace a part, replace it with a genuine one, not some shitty generic thing meant “to save you money”. It’s a lie–it will not work like the original, nor last as long as it should, and it will frustrate you. Usiskize advice za upuzi, like kuweka spark plugs za Mitsubishi kwa Subaru, because you don’t want to spend 7k on plugs alone. If you go the Subaru route, be ready to spend at least 20k on basic service, i.e. spark plugs, oil change, filter change (both oil and air), brake pads, and sometimes fuel filter (ours isn’t the cleanest fuel). Have a good mechanic, and a good auto electrician. By good I mean both skilled, and careful–not the type who open nuts with a screw driver and hammer, instead of using the correct size of spanner.
Don’t take the car to just any quack who says they can service it, or because you think you should support his hustle. Keep the body and engine clean–avoid oil spills to minimize dirt getting caked on electrical and moving parts, clean the engine periodically with pressurized air–it will keep dust from electricals, sensors and the air filter, and help minimize clogging–so your engine runs smoother.
I can tell you this, both VW and Subaru are great cars and you can’t go wrong with them if you develop a culture of maintaining the car as it’s meant to be maintained. The key is maintenance.

Good advice. I am looking for an off-road vehicle. Settled on a Prado but I can’t choose between the 2.7 petrol engine(Japan) and 3.0 Diesel engine(UK). I have no experience with Kenya Diesel but I like the power of Diesel engine compared to a Petrol Engine especially off-road.

[Lionheart]

@MAKANGA

Good advice. I am looking for an off-road vehicle. Settled on a Prado but I can’t choose between the 2.7 petrol engine(Japan) and 3.0 Diesel engine(UK). I have no experience with Kenya Diesel but I like the power of Diesel engine compared to a Petrol Engine especially off-road.

You sound like you’re already persuaded to get the diesel one. I think it’s a good choice, speaking from a fuel cost point of view, for a car to use in Kenya. Diesel is cheaper in Kenya than petrol, so that might be something to consider. Diesel on the other hand is not as clean–it tends to smoke a little, and if you don’t might the "angry"rattle if a diesel engine then you’re set. The current price of Ksh.115 per litre is madness if you have a large tank.

[bweezy]

Get a subaru or better still get a low fuel efficient (hybrid) toyota or honda. Take it from a Subaru owner,they r not fuel efficient and the way petrol prices ate going ni shida. Most people don’t know these things when buying their first cars. Always go for fuel efficiency coz speed u’ll never use it coz of police blocks. I learned all this the hard way. my subaru forester 1k fuel runs for 3-4 days max 5 (9-10k\l). Hasara tu. My small bro has a VW golf and most of them have a gearbox problem sijui computer or tetra something that keeps spoiling na ni 80k-150k. That thing imeharibika mara 4 n he bought the car in 2006.i wouldn’t advice u to get a vw and pliz google and join forums za vw u’ll see people talking about the issues the face. Btw both spareparts are expe to buy that’s y am advising you to stick with either toyota or honda hybrids. they just require fuel to start n then they use the battery which also charges as u drive.

[BigMoses]

@bweezy

Get a subaru or better still get a low fuel efficient (hybrid) toyota or honda. Take it from a Subaru owner,they r not fuel efficient and the way petrol prices ate going ni shida. Most people don’t know these things when buying their first cars. Always go for fuel efficiency coz speed u’ll never use it coz of police blocks. I learned all this the hard way. my subaru forester 1k fuel runs for 3-4 days max 5 (9-10k\l). Hasara tu. My small bro has a VW golf and most of them have a gearbox problem sijui computer or tetra something that keeps spoiling na ni 80k-150k. That thing imeharibika mara 4 n he bought the car in 2006.i wouldn’t advice u to get a vw and pliz google and join forums za vw u’ll see people talking about the issues the face. Btw both spareparts are expe to buy that’s y am advising you to stick with either toyota or honda hybrids. they just require fuel to start n then they use the battery which also charges as u drive.

@bweezy did your bro buy foreign used, or kenyan used, am told kenyan used has many issues

Now am torn which advice to take of @bweezy and @Lionheart

[Trojanex]

@BigMoses

@bweezy did your bro buy foreign used, or kenyan used, am told kenyan used has many issues

Now am torn which advice to take of @bweezy and @Lionheart

Alinunua foreign used, x Japan

[bweezy]

I bought myu subaru from a yard.the subaru av had it since 2012 and it’s served me well. just not fuel efficient.spare parts are expe but they last and the resale value is bad that’s y av never sold mine. As for the VW,my bro imported it.most of them av a problem with the mechatronic or something. just as users and mechanics. my advice, get a hybrid, that’s where we r heading anyways. fuel is a very big issue to car owners, that’s what new buyers don’t know. spareparts also matter alot. Subaru’s are fuel efficient on long distances coz of higher gears (mine is manual). long distances i get 12-15km\l but town service 9-10km\l. back then i bought the speed and hype of Subarus. even thought of adding speed meters kwa gari but now that am old naona ujinga nilikuwa nayo. av reached 160km just once in 9yrs. mostly 90-100 highway.

[Teslapointman]

@bweezy

Get a subaru or better still get a low fuel efficient (hybrid) toyota or honda. Take it from a Subaru owner,they r not fuel efficient and the way petrol prices ate going ni shida. Most people don’t know these things when buying their first cars. Always go for fuel efficiency coz speed u’ll never use it coz of police blocks. I learned all this the hard way. my subaru forester 1k fuel runs for 3-4 days max 5 (9-10k\l). Hasara tu. My small bro has a VW golf and most of them have a gearbox problem sijui computer or tetra something that keeps spoiling na ni 80k-150k. That thing imeharibika mara 4 n he bought the car in 2006.i wouldn’t advice u to get a vw and pliz google and join forums za vw u’ll see people talking about the issues the face. Btw both spareparts are expe to buy that’s y am advising you to stick with either toyota or honda hybrids. they just require fuel to start n then they use the battery which also charges as u drive.

Solid piece of info. Thanks

[BigMoses]

@bweezy

I bought myu subaru from a yard.the subaru av had it since 2012 and it’s served me well. just not fuel efficient.spare parts are expe but they last and the resale value is bad that’s y av never sold mine. As for the VW,my bro imported it.most of them av a problem with the mechatronic or something. just as users and mechanics. my advice, get a hybrid, that’s where we r heading anyways. fuel is a very big issue to car owners, that’s what new buyers don’t know. spareparts also matter alot. Subaru’s are fuel efficient on long distances coz of higher gears (mine is manual). long distances i get 12-15km\l but town service 9-10km\l. back then i bought the speed and hype of Subarus. even thought of adding speed meters kwa gari but now that am old naona ujinga nilikuwa nayo. av reached 160km just once in 9yrs. mostly 90-100 highway.

@bweezy appreciated, i will take your advice and go for subaru