why would you to borrow to buy a non-business and non-family car?
Hiyo hesabu ni mbaya
from one hustler to another
If you buy a new car at 1.5M, you will pay about 150-200k in interest, tracking, comprehensive
after 5 years, depreciation has hit your properly and your car is worth 700k-900ish
what if job/biz iende down?
why not buy locally used cars (2008-2013) for under 1m (Imprezas, sg5, legacy BP5/BR5, Mark-x, teana, jukes, dualis, axelas, atenzas, Auris … etc)
or even better, chukua 550-600k and take a very clean locally used Demio skyactive, Note e12, invest the rest and upgrade gari pole pole
I don’t know why people fear locally used cars to go and buy those dudus…take your time and scout for a well maintained local unit gari ya maana at that 1m budget
You’ve clearly never owned a Mark X. So let me break it down for you:
Mtu anachukua loan ya 500k kuafford gari lazima atapigwa stick kwa pump na Mark X. What’s the point of owning a car that has high running costs from his perspective. Clearly, he is a guy trying to build his life.
Mark X has a very low ground clearance. Its use is limited to tarmac in the city. Even on tarmac, bumps and potholes will make you scream ikiguzwa chini. As a rear wheel car huwa inakwama kwa wet grass na hata vumbi.
Mark X is a good car but I would advise people who have to take loans to afford it to just stay away. Don’t let the outer beauty fool you.
On the contrary sir, I have used a Mark 250g Four, 2006 model as my sole car for the last 3 years so allow me to be the one to break it down for you:
I bought it dirt cheap for 600k from Jiji. First of all in terms of fuel economy, the Vitz will only make sense if he uses it solely as a town car. I spend around 10k to and fro (Nairobi to Eldoret). For comparison, I drove a Honda Fit with a 1300cc engine the same route twice and I used 8k both times. The V6 is smooth and effortless climbing hills as opposed to that Honda whereby lazima accelerator ikue kwa mabati ndio uende and this translates to the pump. For town, yes you will save on these kadudus but still the Mark X is not an outright guzzler in town. Op should buy a vitz if a 30 percent savings on fuel only in town is his number one priority.
For ground clearance I just installed spacers which are dirt cheap. It does not look very nice when lifted but I can literally go anywhere. But I am soon doing a proper lift using coilovers just for aesthetics. Considering mine is a four wheel drive, hiyo gari haikwami ata kidogo. Kukwama kwa nyasi is not a reason to skip a great car ata ile rear wheel iko tu sawa.
The only place I see a clear advantage with the vitz is servicing costs. Mark X servicing cost is around 20k every 7k kilometres from experience. Also spares are of course more expensive but how many times do you change costly spare parts kama shocks? Very few.
Finally lets talk about the substance in terms of the cars. Every time I get behind the wheel of my Mark X knowing I have a 400km trip ahead of me I just grin when I think of how I will be chewing hills like nonsense. Can the same be said of Vitz owners?
I used to own a Mark X too. I’m giving my experience. Wacha basi anunue na loan we see who gets vindicated. You can’t compare the fuel efficiency of a Mark X with a Vitz. The two are worlds apart.
Locally used cars ukiwa patient utapata gari safi sana yenye ukiweka ndani an additional 100k utaendesha for 5+ years bila shida yeyote. With 1.5m, catch me dead going for those dudus. A forester SH5 will set you back 1.2-1.3m. Fanya major service, buy new tyres na suspension iangaliwe and you have a respectable go anywhere machine. A premio at sub 1m is also a good bet. Rav 4 pia would be a good option.
Mimi kitu huwa naangalia sana ni integrity ya chassis na body. Vitu kama bumpers, fenders and suapension parts not so much. Hizo ni vitu ukishuka Grogon unapata na kupiga rangi. In fact I use them kukamua seller. Unajishikia gari safi ukirusha ndani 100-150k uko na gari in near new condition.
Huyu jamaa awache loan anunue used ya Kenya ile safi labda 700k hapo afanye preventive maintenance kidogo. Uliown Mark X so you and I know hakuna fuel ya maana anasave kwanza kama ni highway. Maybe kama anakaa tu tao then atasave like 30% fuel. But gari gani ataenjoy ownership sana.