BEHIND THE WHEEL: The Stepwagon looks like a Noah but is better, so get it

The Stepwagon is a breath of fresh air after inundation by clichés in the form of Toyotas Noah ( pictured). PHOTO| COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • The Stepwagon is a breath of fresh air after inundation by clichés in the form of Toyotas Noah.
  • Honest question, does every family have one or what?
  • These things are everywhere, particularly in silver.

Hi Barasa, 

I love your articles. They are always informative. 

Why was it reduced to one page? I noticed they increased the pages for the obituaries though. 

Anyway, how would you compare the Honda Stepwagon with the Toyota Noah?

Carl 

 

Hello,

The page reduction stemmed from some internal concerns that culminated in my taking a break for a month (February 22 to March 22) before resolution was achieved and now we are back. Anyway...

The Stepwagon is a breath of fresh air after inundation by clichés in the form of Toyotas Noah. Honest question, does every family have one or what? These things are everywhere, particularly in silver.

How boring can a van get?

The one you want is the Generation 5 car, currently in production. It is an interesting little car in the following way: the engine has been downsized even further, down to 1.5 litres, which is just ridiculous. However, the excision of trouser meat in the form of cubic inches has been mitigated by the deployment of bedroom aids in the form of a turbocharger and Honda’s famous VTEC cam-swapping witchcraft, which should make for sprightly performance, as it should, because this car looks properly aggressive, especially when specced in white on black livery.

There is another party piece manifested in the tailgate, what they call the “waku waku” (Japanese for “exciting”) Gate. It opens up like a normal tailgate, but if that is too cliché and Noah-like, then it could open sideways as a form of sub-door. At least that gives you something to play around with to take your mind off the fact that you have just bought a van with a small engine, sharp looks notwithstanding.

 

Hi JM,

Thank you for your informative articles. I have been reading them but I am not sure whether you have ever done a review of the Freelander. I bought a Freelander Td4 (2008) diesel engine, manual. So far I am very satisfied but guys keep telling me to dispose of it before it starts giving me problems. Should I listen to them?

 

Yes, you should.

Land Rovers are not paragons of reliability; in fact, they are the opposite. The more modern the vehicle, the higher the chances of heartbreak at the garage door. The thing with modern Land Rovers is that they are very nice to drive or to even just sit in, and they are very capable in their tasks and very handy to use. I daresay they are the segment leaders in their respective niches. However, using one is not necessarily the same as owning one; have one under your care and bitterness will set in before too long. A Land Rover will test even the most patient individual; however patient you might be,  a Land Rover’s foibles will outlast that patience until it eventually gets you on your knees, a convenient position because from there you will be able to see the oil patch underneath the car as it slowly bleeds to death.

 

Hi Baraza,

First, I salute you for your knowledge of motoring and your ability to weave words on that topic.

I recently found myself with a Nissan B15 in my hands following the passing away of my old man. It is currently sitting atop some sturdy stones as I work my butt off doing freelance work so that I can make it shine, and hopefully, make the Toyota cult members revere a different deity.

On to my questions:

1. Its starter recently got fried. My wily mechanic wants me to buy an ex-Japan used one from him but my gut tells me that I should simply replace the fried armature or just get a brand new one. Is replacing the armature alone good enough, or will I find myself creating a traffic jam soon?

 2. The front left wheel is slightly off position – about 3 to 5cm nearer the back than it should be (my estimation). Is the “arm” warped or should I prepare for a fat can of problems? How do I rectify that?

3. I’ve driven it before and at about 80km/h, braking was accompanied by shaking of the steering wheel. I suspect warped discs, that rickety front wheel, and possibly worn-out bushes. What could it be?

4. Last time I fired it up, it produced absolutely white smoke, white like a cloud. Is coolant mixing with fuel? If so, what is the remedy? The engine has clocked 179,000km; should I overhaul it or plan for a new one?

5. How effective is an engine overhaul, i.e.  are new rings, etc. effective in restoring compression and power? 

6. It’s a 2002 model, manual (which is great! 15kmp/l when I’m sane). I’d like to soup it up with the simple addition of alloy rims. No change in size, anything to be wary of in that regard?

7. Considering it has been dormant for about two months, are there other parts I should look into as part of its first major servicing/restoration? Wheel bearings? Fuel pump? Oil pump? Filters? Wheel balancing and alignment? 

Big Fan Jr

 

Hello,

Thank you for the compliment. I try. My condolences for your bereavement, I hope you are holding strong post-tragedy.

Now, this B15 of yours, what is its history? From your description, you might be having scrap on your hands.

1. What part of the starter was fried? In some contemporary cars, it is better to replace the entire device than to try and repair its individual components.

2. What you describe is called “toe out”, and is usually expressed in degrees (angle) rather than length (centimetres) but then again, 3-5cm off-centre in whichever direction is a bit extreme. This is more than a simple alignment issue, something is seriously bent underneath, and most likely from an impact (a pothole perhaps?) the car might have suffered prior to its retirement atop the sturdy stones you speak of. The entire steering geometry might require reassembly and straightening.

3. Your suspicions are right, with more focus being on the bent wheel. The discs might not necessarily be warped (check them, though) but the bent wheel could be scrubbing when weight transfer is shifted to the front under braking.

4. Is the smoke constant or only a brief puff before it peters out? The white smoke is definitely a sign of burning coolant, which in turn points to a head gasket breach. At 179,000km, and with all the attendant problems you list, I’d say that engine has lived a hard life and is best laid to rest. An overhaul might squeeze a few more kilometres out of it, but how many more are we speaking of before you concede and just get a new mill?

5. Overhauls in my mind are a temporary reprieve, especially in cases where the cost of acquiring a new block is prohibitive. Prices vary from one manufacturer to another, but for a B15, a second-hand replacement unit shouldn’t go so far north of Sh50,000.

 

Hello JM,

Good job in the Car Clinic column. Very informative. On your recent article on the Prado v the Surf, both actually have IFS comprising an upper and lower wishbone,  a coil spring and damper. For the Prado, The j70 was the last Prado  to have a front live axle but the j90, 120 and 150 all have IFS and a rear live axle.

 

Hi Ben,

Thank you for the heads up. That was a small oversight on my part that I apologise for.

I refer to your answer to a reader on the Subaru Outback v Honda CRV on April 19, 2017.

I asked a somewhat similar question on August 28, 2013, but got no reply. However, my options were a 2008 Outback v a 2007 CRV.

I did my own research and patiently for almost six months and settled on a CRV for the following reasons:

 1. Outbacks— and supposedly all Subarus — have an inherent head gasket issue that Subaru manufucturers claim to have fixed in every new model but that always recurs. The problem is said to start from 100,000 km mileage and with our knack for importing used staff, this is a clear mine field.  I chickened out.

2. To the contrary, it is claimed that Honda has never recorded any failure in its i-VTEC engines, despite having built more than  20 million engines so far.  Ridiculous as it might sound, I am okay with that  even if it is only half true.

3.The CRV has more head room and is wider than the Outback, though it loses out on leg room.

 4. The Outback has better aerodynamics and speed, thus ensuring better safety and better cornering speed.

I have done 60,000 km on the CRV over a three-year period and have no regrets. I even think it gives a higher status and reputation to the owner than the Outback.  My only challenge with it is unusual high rate of tyre wear.

I don’t agree with your higher ranking of the Outback. The fact that it is cheaper is another indicator as to which is the better car.

JM Muthomi, 

 

Ah, interesting feedback, this. Now let’s see what is what...

 1. The head gasket issue is known but it doesn’t affect all Subarus. The most common culprit is the Forester SF, the first generation. It is fairly obvious that the problem will arise from 100,000km mileage onwards but I own and drive a car with exactly twice that mileage and there are no signs of such a problem. It is understandable to chicken out though...

2. I believe this is a fact that I have dropped on this same page several times before. “Contrary” is barely the word to use here, unless in reference to your point 1 above.

3.The CRV obviously has more headroom, but this is rarely an issue, except for freakishly tall people whose heads occupy altitudes well north of 6 feet. Legroom, on the other hand, is a sticking point for many people and can easily turn what should be a fun road trip into a tense standoff between car occupants as some brazenly cast aspersions on the owner’s criteria in choosing a motor vehicle.

4.The difference in aerodynamics is not critical unless you want to drive competitively, which I would not recommend. The status issue is highly subjective, and if that is what you are after, then start looking towards Germany instead of Japan (and subsequently pay the price).

I understand you do not agree with my higher ranking of the Outback, and you have valid points to back your opinion up. Now this is where I fire back my salvo: what was the original question? Part of the inquisitor’s main concern was the potential purchase should be able to handle sustained punishment on less-than-stellar roads, and for this I will repeat: nothing beats a Subaru, more so an Outback. It is built specifically for this kind of thing; the CRV will fall to pieces in short order. The fact that the Outback is cheaper is just the icing on the cake; you will not weep when things start breaking (which they won’t).

 

Greetings,

I am looking for a car to be used by a mini wholesale.

I am torn between a Toyota Probox and Toyota DX 103/102; can you give a comparative analysis on fuel, durability, suspension, resale value.

A mechanic told me that with the DX, I can modify the leaf springs to carry up to 1,000kgs but that I cannot do that with the  Probox. How true is it?

Khamlesh

 

If you want to carry 1,000kgs, then buy a one-tonne pickup. End of discussion.

 

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