It was a bright sunny afternoon in Lagos. The sun released its rays gently while I pressed the pedals of my Toyota Camry softly down the roads of the popular third mainland bridge in Lagos, Nigeria. Driving on Sundays was one of the best things that happened to me. My experience with my Japan baby has been a pleasant one so far but I had some set backs about Japanese cars. I loved speed but was not comfortable doing that with my Camry. I felt the winds had a stronghold on their light body and at the same time was doubtful of the “ABS” enabled brakes so i usually maintained lower speeds. A 100km/hr limit was the highest I could do for safety reasons. The roads not so perfect also affected my speed decisions.
In thirst for speed, I decided to have a taste of the German Audi A4. My first ride was a nightmare. The complex technicalities of this Audi A4 was overwhelming for me but after sometime, I got used to it. Performance on the highway was splendid. A heavy duty car with the right joints in the right place. I will say Perfection is synonymous to the Germans. Smiles are all over your face when this turbo charged automobile pushes you through the reins of a free highway. Balance cannot be overemphasized. However, In terms of maintenance, I would recommend a very knowledgeable mechanic or service centre to handle arising issues.
The Nigerian market has taken so much interest in Japanese cars particularly from the Toyota and Honda brands. According to reports, It has been said that the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord are the most stolen models. This is because of their high marketability and low maintenance cost. The Toyota Camry 1997 which is about 17 years old still goes for between 6,000 and 7,000 usd with shipping charges included. The Toyota corolla 2004 – 2007 is also another popular model which goes for between 9000 and 11,000 usd. The sport versions are usually higher.
The German Volkwagen Golf 2000 – 2002 model is one of the popular models in this part of the world because of its low maintenance cost and its popularity amongst taxi drivers. A car lover told us at W2wo autos that despite his love for German products, “Second-hand” value is usually very low unlike Toyota or Honda cars. Almost every mechanic can unravel repair mysteries with the latter. Another car freak told us that He could not drive Japanese cars for sole reason of the most stolen cars and that security was tighter on the German brands. He emphasized safety in crash situations and speed without fear on the German wheels.
Which is your favorite? Japanese or German Cars.
