The overated Toyota NZE and underrated Nissan B-15

Is it really true that Toyota NZE is better than Nissan B-15? 
Well to answer this question I will base it on my experience, travel and my own research. I will compare NZE and B-15 that have equal engine capacity (1490cc).

Nissan Sunny B-15

Toyota Corolla NZE

My experience
First to start with experience I already told you that my first car was a Nissan B-15 What some mechanics will tell you, part I. This was despite of all the efforts by my friends to convince me otherwise. I bought the car with a mileage reading of 83,000km. Right now the mileage is 140,000 km.
I replaced the rear shocks in july 2011 and front shocks in january 2012. I have also replaced the ball joints bushings, tie rods and battery once. Other than that for the 50,000 km on that car, the only other expense has been normal service (oil, plugs, air filter, oil filter). There is no place I have not gone with this car.


In july 2011 I bought a Toyota NZE year 2004 with milleage 43,000km. Today the milleage is 60,000km. I went with it to Mbiuni (near Kangundo - Ukambani), it broke the steering rack end. I have also replaced the rear shocks and battery.


Toyota NZE feels much lighter than Nissan B-15. when I check the weights, Nissan B15 2002 model is 1,100 kg. Though later models are lighter. Nissan B-15 year 2003 is 1,050 kg. Toyota NZE 2004 is 1,030kg. 


I know for sure Toyota NZE is better on fuel economy than Nissan B-15. At the current price of ksh. 120, I will spend 400 on Nze for me to get to work and back home with all the traffic jam. But for Nissan B-15, I will need ksh. 500. this is for a total distance of 30km.


NZE have done a good job in the seats. They are really raised and very comfortable. you dont feel like you are seating on the floor. Unlike its predecessors, the Toyota 110 and 111 which were also so crammed together leaving no spaces for legs. The NZE may look small on the outerside but it has an amazingly big room inside. It has enough leg room and nice comfortable raised seats.


Unfortunately the B-15 seats are low and not so comfortable. The steering for the Nissan B-15 is much firmer as opposed to NZE which is so soft, you can almost turn it with one finger!


NZE engine employs VVT-i technology ( Variable Valve Timing with intelligence - developed by Toyota). This has the advantage of lower fuel consumption, lower exhaust emissions and higher power output. But you need to understand that all modern engines use the same technology with different terminologies. The general name for the technology is "Variable valve actuation (VVA)". For example Nissan first developed their own form of VVT 1986 with the VG30DE(TT) engine.


The response of NZE when picking up is amazing perhaps because of its weight. However you will never catch a B-15 after it has hit 120km/h. It like begs you to push it further. Again I realized it is much easier to break an NZE without the tires screeching than a B-15. Again I think this should be because of weight. Overal NZE has good response in picking up and stopping but maybe abit shaky at high speed. On the other side you may want to be careful with B-15 when you hit top speed as stopping will not be so instant. B-15 may also tend to rev more than NZE when picking up. 


From my travelling
Now based on some travelling I have done. In Rwanda a Nissan is a rare site. Reason being they are so expensive there. So everybody is driving a toyota. In Uganda, same thing, Toyotas are prevalent never mind the year. I think they don't have age limit on imported cars in Uganda. Same thing to Tanzania, more Toyotas.
Over to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). If you see an NZE or B-15, take a photo and send it to me. Those guys use Mercedece C class as taxis! Infact I will talk about cars in DRC in another post.


So what about Japan where both brands are actually manufactured? Well ordinary Japanes people view the two cars as same and buying one in place of the other is merely a matter of personal preference.


You are actually paying for the Toyota Logo
My conclusion: NZE should cost same B-15. There is nothing so special about Toyota NZE. So why are you paying so much for the Toyota logo?

Cars of 2012

Cars of 2012 A to Z

Nissan Patrol 2012

Toyota Land-cruiser 2012

BMW X5 2012

Audi q7 2012

Land Rover defender 2012

Land Rover defender 2012

Land Rover defender 2012

What some mechanics will tell you, part II

what is the most you have ever spent after a mechanic misdiagnosed your car? 


Car will not go past 60km/h
In my first case I had to deal with a night mare of my car hitting 60km/h then reving like hell if I pressed it harder. Prior to this incident, the car was all fine until I did a major service that included changing the ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid). This fluid has a number of duties in the transmission, including lubrication, cooling, and clutch application. There are literally dozens of different fluid types, each with a specific set of friction modifiers to meet the requirements of the hundreds of different transmissions on the market. 

Some ATF brands

Using the wrong type can affect your transmission’s performance and longevity. Apparently the mechanic had used some wrong type for my car. The wrong ATF had cost me ksh. 900.
I went back had this drained out and spent another ksh. 1,700 for the right ATF after checking the transmission dipstick. After that the car was able to go all the way up and past 60km/h without any problem.
Using the wrong fluid in today’s transmissions will affect transmission performance in the short run. And it can cause the transmission to fail by providing inadequate lubrication and friction modification. So it’s very important to make sure you’re using the fluid your transmission is designed for.


How can you tell which transmission fluid is right for your car? 
Check the owner’s manual or transmission dipstick. They should both provide a detailed specification for the fluid type required.


How to check Automatic Transmission Fluid
If your vehicle hesitates when your automatic transmission shifts gears, check the transmission fluid level before you let any mechanic start talking about servicing or adjusting your transmission or selling you a new one. To check your automatic transmission fluid, look for a dipstick handle sticking out of your transmission.

Front wheel drive engine

To check your automatic transmission fluid, follow these steps:

1. Pull out the dipstick. With the gearshift in Neutral or Park and the parking brake on, let your engine run. Be sure the engine is warm when you pull out the dipstick. (Don’t turn off the engine.)
2. Check the fluid. Dip the tip of your index finger into the fluid on the dipstick and rub the fluid between your finger and the tip of your thumb. The transmission fluid on the dipstick should be pinkish and almost clear. If it looks or smells burnt or has particles in it, have a mechanic drain and change the fluid.
3. Wipe the dipstick with a clean, lint-free rag; then reinsert it and pull it out again.

Squeaking noise
In the second case, I started hearing some noise coming from the front right side of my car. This noise was more pronoused on rough roads. This is not the kind of noise produced by worn out shocks (usually a nocking sound when you hit a pot hole). This is a squeaking noise. You know like the one you get from those loosely fastened beds or some chairs and tables in offices when you turn on them. So I went to the mechanic to have the car checked up.


After doing what looked like a thorough investigation, the mech came up told me, my wheel bearing was bad. Phew! I felt a relief because I thought at last the problem had been identified. 

rotor and clipper

bearing and steering knuckle

I went and purchased a new bearing (ksh. 2,500), went to the press and had it pressed into the steering knuckle (ksh 500). Back to the mechanic, he assembled the whole system back and charged me ksh. 1,000 for labour. Total ksh. 3,500.

new bearing

new bearing pressed into knuckle

The following day I drove to work and the car was all quiet. But in the evening the enoying sound was back! I called the mechanic and told him the same problem was back. He went like, the bearing was bad but the car must be having some other problem. I decided to forget the mechanic and visit service centre where the car could be inspected for any signs of damage to the control arms, suspension, etc. That is when I realized the right control arm bushings were worn out.

control arm

different types of control arm bushings

I have since had the bushings replaced and the car is noise free now.

What some mechanic will tell you, Part I

My first car

I have owned my first car for three years now. A Nissan B15, year 2001. Needless to say, when I was buying this car back in the year 2009, everybody told me "Toyota" is the only car. Well it is now three years down and I have no regrets for buying a Nissan.


But what I will say basically applies to all cars. One advice I got from some mechanic was that immediately I get the car, I should have the thermostat removed. I was told that the thermostat is not meant for tropical countries like Kenya. Again I did not listen to the constant calls to remove the thermostat. I can assure you that up to this moment my car's cooling system is still intact.


However this is not to say that I have always had a smooth ride with this car for the three years I have had it. But certainly I have learnt valuable lessons.


Overheating

Let me talk about overheating which is something you will often see on Kenyan roads. It is almost a common phenomenon to see a car by the road side with its bonnet open and steam jetting jetting out from the radiator top. Even people who have not owned cars will tell you, "hiyo imechemuka". Simply meaning the car is overheating. Frankly speaking except for some brands like Range Rover or BMW I have basically seen every car brand with this symptom. But most notable are: Subaru Forester, Mitsubishi Pajero (old models).


Let me give you some background. Internal combustion engines used in all modern cars are very inefficient. This is because not all chemical energy from fuel is converted into kinetic energy to move the car. A lot of energy is converted into heat. Much of this heat does not help the car in moving. That is why all cars are equipped with gadgets that help dissipate this heat. Otherwise the engine will destroy itself. Most internal combustion engines have an efficiency between 18%-20%. Rocket engines have better efficiency, up to 70%. Because they operate at very high temperature and pressure. Needless to say, a car that runs hotter will most certainly be more efficient than one that runs cooler.


ECM/ECU

Modern engines are equipped with an Engine Control Module/Unit (ECM/ECU). This is actually an embedded computer in the car that ensures the optimum running of the engine. It receives input from a multitude of sensors interprets the data using multidimensional performance maps (look-up tables), and adjusts the engine actuators accordingly. One example is during a cold start. The ECU reads a low temperature from the coolant temperature sensor, The computer sends a signal that allows a rich flow of fuel-air mixture (more fuel, less air) to the combustion chamber. If you are keen enough you will notice that during cold start, your engine will almost be racing (high rev because of rich mixture). Immediately the engines heats up, the fuel-air mixture becomes lean (less fuel, more air). The engine audible revs reduce to a quiet hum.


What does the thermostat do?

This is a very important piece of gadget within the engine. And yes it works in all weather. Though its importance is much noticed in cold climates. It ensures that the engine is running at the right temperature it was intended to run at. This is the optimum temperature at which fuel consumption will be most efficient. If this device is missing or malfunctioning, the engine risks running too hot or too cold or not at all and hence will never achieve its intended fuel efficiency. 


I will just explain in layman's terms how the thermostat works. During a cold start the thermostat shuts coolant flow to the engine. This means the engine will warm up quickly hence allowing the ECU to quickly signal a lean fuel-air mixture to the combustion chamber. Once the engine has reached the rated operating temperature, the thermostat starts opening and allowing the coolant from the radiator to start flowing in hence preventing further rise in temperature. However with time, the coolant itself may become hot and therefore unable to cool the engine to its rated operating temperature. At this point the ECU reads a high temperature on the coolant temperature sensor and switches on the radiator fan(s). This cools the coolant in the radiator and hence the engine is able to run at a constant temperature.

Engine Coolant temperature sensor (ECT)


Points you should note about a thermostat and cooling system in general:

1. The thermostat helps the engine reach the operating temperature faster thus saving on fuel and internal wear.
2. If the radiator fans mechanisms has been interfered with so that they are always on and the thermostat has been removed, the engine will never reach optimum operating temperature (will always run cold). Fuel economy will be poor. This is because the ECU will always think the engine is in a cold start mode and hence more fuel, less air.
3. Have a faulty coolant temperature sensor replaced. Running with a faulty coolant temperature sensor causes the ECU to signal a default fuel-air ratio which in most cases is not economical. You might also have trouble during cold start.
4. A stack closed (never opens to let coolant into engine) thermostat will cause your engine to overheat as no coolant will flow into the engine. (This is the most sited reason for removing the thermostat. But this is more like staying in the house and starving to death for fear of being attacked by a lion if you go hunting!)
5. A stack open (never shuts coolant flow into engine) thermostat may cause problem during cold start especially in cold climates as cold coolant is always flowing into the engine. This is the same as a thermostat that has been removed. The engine will also take longer to reach operating temperature. This means faster wearing out of engine parts.

Watch out for part II of this article.