By Robert Alai…
In a case which might surprise many, there is growing graft within the private sector in Kenya. Worrying trend is the penetration of the vice in once considered graft free blue chips. It’s more worrying when you consider that even the US originated companies are now openly doing the most evil things to consumers in the third world.
Did you know that certain Kenyan car companies/manufacturers are intentionally selling new vehicles with dirty, old and out dated engines. The two common culprits for this are the Isuzu GMEA and Toyota Kenya
Our silent research after anonymous tip has unearthed a synchronised syndicate of top General Motors and Toyota Kenya bosses manipulating the vehicle specs for the bottomline. Our investigations took us to both companies. Toyota Kenya was very much open with their dealings, maybe assuming that I ignorant on what engines their “new” pick-ups should have. They told me that they’re using the KUN diesel engines for the Hilux because they’re doing tests to make sure they work with ”Kenyan” fuel. This is not entirely true when you consider that the same company is selling brand new diesel engine fitted Prado and Land Cruiser.
As for GM’s Isuzu, ALL their trucks use very old underpowered and incredibly fuel inefficient engines that emit high toxic particles.
That’s when you might demand a comparison of the engines they have with the 2012 versions.
For example, look at the engine GM East Africa has on its own website. Their FRR uses 6HHN-1 8.2 liter engine that does 461Nm/1,700 rpm and only a 6 tonne payload whilst the 2012 version (not even the latest) uses 4HK1-TCS 5.2-liter engine that does 637Nm/1,600rpm with a payload of 7.5 tons.
The 2012 is Euro2 while the last year’s version is Euro6
And the prices of the vehicles are exactly the same so it’s not a cost issue.
The latest Hilux engines are GD and they’ve been on sale for the past 2 years so what reason could there be for them to sell such vehicles fitted with old engines.
Is it not purposely selling vehicles with old engines and then marketing them as new? The sale of old vehicles and marketing of the same as new vehicles is actually fraud.
All the trucks sold by Isuzu as well as the Hilux pick-ups have old engines.
https://i1.wp.com/www.kahawatungu.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Isuzu-FSR.png?resize=584%2C295
The excuse about poor fuel (diesel) quality doesn’t make sense because Toyota Kenya sells brand new Prados and Land Cruisers with the latest diesel engines and the new dmax has a new diesel engine as well so why is Isuzu fitting their trucks with diesel engines that are over 10 years old?
And don’t prime movers and the intercity buses (i.e. modern coast) have more sophisticated engines than simple trucks? We have also the Scania, Renault and Mercedes Benz trucks with some of the most complicated engines. Why are they not suffering from the claims of GM and Toyota Kenya?
And also why (if that’s the case) does Kenya ,which is the home of UNEP, import poor fuel quality diesel? And it surely can’t be the price because we pay the market rates for oil products
As per the fuel quality we have, we should in the least be getting euro 4 engines that use diesel with 50 ppm or less, which we don’t. Shell imports and retails the certified diesel
This is what the 2012 frr should look like. Check even their own Facebook post and see that they’re marketing a ten year old engine as new