ebrah · PHP

It’s true, this button is one of the most ignored things in a car. When its off, your AC cools hot outside air from scratch on every single cycle. In a country where ambient temperatures regularly sit above 30 degrees, the compressor is running at full capacity the entire drive. That is how you shorten the life of the whole system. It wasn’t designed to fight the outside temperature every minute. Turn it on and the AC recools the air already in the cabin. Less heat load, Faster cooling and less strain on the AC compressor. The only time you want it off is in cold or rainy conditions when your windows need fresh air to stay clear. Use it correctly and your compressor will outlive the car…

Turning on your double indicators (Hazards) while you drive through heavy rain is not safe. It is very dangerous. Hazards say to other drivers that I am stationary, not moving and a risk. Switch them on at speeds of 80km/hr on the expressway and nobody behind you can tell if you are turning, stopping or stalling. You cannot signal a lane change with both indicators already blinking. Drivers who treat hazards as fog lights cause the exact confusion they think they are preventing. This double flashing was never meant to make you visible. Its meant to make you avoidable...

@IvanSakajja5 This is your chance to take this good deal then

@AutoTrendzUg I saw someone selling a 2017 model petrol 2.0cc at 55m?

Here is the culprit. It's a 2020 Mazda CX-3 GT Sport. It's actually currently on sale at UGX 50M. If that conversation is yours to have, the DMs are open...

@KampindiAdam @Scarlet_tpo This is actually true😂 but most of the tiny ones are UBER.

@AutoTrendzUg @Scarlet_tpo No wonder they love tiny cars. I was driving an Alphard and most people wondered how I came with it all the way from Uganda.

Everyone wants a Harrier. Not everyone needs one! The Harrier is a beautiful car and the streets have spoken, so I will not waste your time pretending otherwise, because in Uganda today, the car literally in front of you is a Harrier. But here is the quiet truth. For most people chasing one, a 2017 Mazda CX-5 is the better car to actually live with and it's even cheaper to buy at times. If you look at the numbers in the market today, A clean 2017 Harrier sits between UGX 70M and 85M in the bond. A clean 2017 CX-5 (Petrol) sits between 65M and 75M. Mind you, this is the same model year, the same segment and the same kind of buyer but with a price gap big enough to cater for extras like brand new tires, fuel and servicing. So what does the extra ka money on the Harrier actually buy you? Not more power, obviously! The 2017 Harrier most people buy is the 2.0, making around 151 horsepower and the 2017 CX-5 2.0 Skyactiv makes about 165 and feels noticeably faster and more confident on the expressway. Not a better driving experience either! The CX-5 has sharper steering with real feedback and a much more composed chassis, it is genuinely one of the best driving cars in this class of crossover SUVs. Not even a more premium interior as you would think! The CX-5 interior punches way above its price and embarrasses cars costing far more, like this Harrier. What the Harrier price actually buys you is demand. The streets want a Harrier, so the streets price it like one. You are not paying for a better car. You are just paying for a more wanted one. And that demand is not nothing. It cuts both ways. Because the Harrier holds its resale value better than almost anything in the segment. So here is my honest, unbiased opinion. Buy the Harrier if resale is your priority, if you plan to sell within a few years or if you simply love the car and have made peace with paying the Toyota badge tax. There is no shame in wanting what you want. Buy the CX-5 if you want the better drive, the stronger engine, the nicer interior and ka extra saving staying in your account. For the buyer who keeps cars long term and values how the car feels over how the street reads it, the CX-5 wins comfortably. The Harrier is the car everybody wants. The CX-5 is the car most of them would be happier owning. Those are not always the same car, trust me. If you are still stuck between these two and want a straight recommendation for your specific budget and needs. WhatsApp me on 0755 138 120, I will tell you which one you should actually buy, not which one the streets told you to want. I will also help you import a clean certified unit or source one locally with a comprehensive pre-purchase inspection. So, are you Team Harrier or Team CX-5? Tell me which way you lean and why.

@iceshili @GardnerAbraham1 actually both let @POTENTdynamics explain

@GardnerAbraham1 @AutoTrendzUg it's not DPF removal that results in those numbers, just efficient driving.

Dude you’re a rich man!😂 Am currently pushing over 26km/l on this diesel…

@Ham1110011 @Muhwezi19980000 1.8 diesel

@AutoTrendzUg @Muhwezi19980000 Petrol or diesel and wc cc

@Luismdha x.com/autotrendzug/s…

@AutoTrendzUg 26km/L,??? Which car are you driving??

@MrRoja1 Good point...

@AutoTrendzUg There's a reason the Harrier and many Toyotas dominate the market in UG. They are surely not value for money but you wouldn't tell that to the car owner far from Kampala where there's someone who can repair any Toyota and there's a spare.

@darrenluande If you say so😂

@AutoTrendzUg This is a cheat code😂

@GodNayebare UGX 60M

@AutoTrendzUg And what cost?

Most SUVs at UGX 60M get you from point A to B. This one always makes you want to take the long route home. It's a 2015 BMW X3 xDrive28i with a 2.0 turbo engine making around 240 horsepower, paired with the full xDrive All Wheel Drive and the smoothest 8-speed automatic gearbox in this class of crossover SUVs. Its steering has real weight and feedback. Its chassis always stays composed at speeds where the Japanese counterparts start to struggle. Its interior was built to a standard its price tag does not prepare you for. This is what people mean when they say a car feels German. Its one of the most satisfying cars to drive at this price in our country today. Please note that this is not a car for everyone and I will not pretend otherwise. BMWs are unforgiving and require proper, serious ownership and maintenance, just like any other German brand. The right oil on the right schedule. A professional mechanic who knows and understands this specific brand. On this generation, the one thing to get right is the timing chain, which BMW redesigned in early 2015. Its meant for that experienced buyer who has driven the so-called sensible but boring SUVs and now wants to upgrade to something with a soul. You know who you are. So, call or WhatsApp me on 0755 138 120 to view, inspect and buy this freshly imported unit. Kindly retweet so the right driver finds it.

@Muwonge513 Exactly disciplined maintenance is very important...

@AutoTrendzUg Proper machine this one if one can afford to buy and disciplined to maintain without stories.

@KampindiAdam yes, should be close to that

@AutoTrendzUg This is impressive. That means 30 litres from Mbale to Nairobi. 10 litres from Mbale to Kampala.

@wendifications @Opolacen It's a nice one

@Opolacen @AutoTrendzUg I'm interested in the Mazda 3 1.5l.

@phil1570 Yes

@AutoTrendzUg The number on your Bio?

Experienced mechanics and spare parts availability countrywide is the main conversation to have with owning a Volvo here. The car itself is well-engineered and does not fail often. The problem is that when it needs something specific, that part won’t be sitting in just any shop in kisekka. Their routine service is manageable just that anything beyond basics becomes a patience test that also costs you money. And also finding a mechanic who genuinely understands Volvo diagnostics rather than guessing is its own separate challenge. Budget roughly 2 to 3 times what you would spend on a Toyota of the same era. Not because the car breaks constantly, but because when it does, our market here is not as ready for it…

@Wamaiofficial 🤝

@AutoTrendzUg Thank you, much appreciated 👊🏾

Similar market dynamics and the same principle. One very specific issue is the N20 engine timing chain. It sometimes stretches or rattles on cold startup. And when it is compromised, it becomes an expensive conversation if the previous owner ignored its warnings. Add the plastic cooling system components, the oil consumption and the electrical complexity that requires BMW-specific diagnostic tools most local mechanics do not have. Same question before you buy, what did the previous owner who priced it down already know that you don't?...

@NkubitoTristan @rawambi @TheMatundaMan thank you

@AutoTrendzUg @rawambi @TheMatundaMan This is a great perspective

I really don’t know where you people get your information (experience) from. I’ve owned a C180 and a C200 before. All I can tell the masses is that these are spectacular cars. Expensive to buy but cheap in the long run as regards to consumption and maintenance. SAFER too.

@Seje80571387 huh i doubt but I will give it a go... 26km/l is the best I have done so far

@AutoTrendzUg If you keep below 70km/hr on flat road, 32km doable

@MatokeRepublic @TheMatundaMan exactly my point🤝

@AutoTrendzUg @TheMatundaMan The previous owners usually have leases which makes getting new cars easier and cost effective than the regular repairs. The problem is the cars need particular attention and maintenance which many in Africa are unable to do

@DanOder0 @MujuziEmmaK very good insight...

Idling rev too is a good indicator of when to even drive off gently, esp if not starting uphill. Most cars in the 600 to 800 range. Depending on age/ state of engine since last service it will gradually start higher above 1000 and drop towards the range as it reaches operating conditions.

Oil reaches critical engine parts within seconds of startup, not after 5–10 minutes. Most wear happens right after a cold start. Let it idle a minute or two, then drive gently. Avoid hard acceleration until the engine is warmed up.

@WaxWithout 🤝

@AutoTrendzUg Teach!!

Idling your engine for 5 minutes or more before you drive off in the morning just wastes your fuel! Modern engines warm fastest under gentle load, not when idling. That cold start morning ritual is burning your now-expensive fuel to achieve totally nothing. Your piston rings actually wear out faster when raw fuel dilutes cold oil. The right way is to start your engine, give it 20 seconds. Then drive gently until the temperature needle lifts...

@Muwonge513 All day everyday

@AutoTrendzUg Cx5 anyday. Bold , daring & different. Nothing against toyota .