I had another accident with the RAV4

I've just had another minor accident involving the wall at our office. I guess I am at fault. This is what happened.

So I walk to the car and start it. Then I’m supposed to put it in forward gear and drive. Unfortunately, I was absent minded and put it in neutral instead so when I released the braked gravity took over and pushed the car right into the wall.

Fortunately, there was no one at the back and the distance was minimal (I think).

The rear window class is shattered and the door is dented.

I've been told the most expensive component would be the window.

The misses is clearly not happy and has said that we will not use the car until I complete repairs.

Selling our RAV4

It’s a painful decision considering the RAV4 is our first car. However, we need to raise money so we can apply for a loan to buy a house.

Now, we've already been offered a great deal for the house we are living in at NCC Valley. However, our equity is a bit short so the banks have knocked back our application with the advice that we should sell the RAV4.

After much deliberation, the missus and I have decided to sell the vehicle to my sister for K17, 000 – the exact cost of importing the vehicle.

I will keep you posted on the outcome of this sale but if and when I do sell our RAV4 then I just might have to close this blog. :-(

The Price of Genuine Parts

Okay, I noticed that the brake pads on my vehicle were getting a bit thin, plus the continuous noise of metal grinding suggesting time for a change.

Anyway, being a Toyota RAV4 the obvious choice for parts is Ela Motors, and being particular about the integrity of parts I sought a dealer at the company and requested a quotation for brake pads. The quote came back a few hours later – for more than K500!

My new brake pads worth over K500.

While other dealers might offer this particular item for less, I've always thought that quality should be considered over pricing, and safety is also a priority.

Needless to say, I walked out of Ela Motors Badili today with new brake pads worth over K500. Next on the line is a fuel and air filter and windshield wipers.

Checking Your Tire Pressure

A simple tire pressure gauge

Checking your vehicle’s tire pressure can save both your life and money.

Uneven pressure on the tires causes the vehicle weight to be uneven. This poses the risk of unbalancing the vehicle when running at high speed. However, this is not the only reason you should constantly check your tire pressure. It can also save money.

A perfectly pressure tire allows smooth running. This creates less friction and thus less drag resulting in more mileage per gallon. It also distributes the weight evenly so suspension weight is even.

Ensuring proper tire pressure is a small way to save money and maintain your vehicle.

Now, you can either take your vehicle to a tire service to have the pressure checked and regulated or you can do it yourself, providing you have the right pumping equipment and pressure gauge.

A simple gauge can be purchased at your nearest RH Hypermart. I recently bought a Little Wagon Tire Pressure Gauge at Vision City for K17 and it’s been worth the money. However, you can always buy the electric pump that comes with a gauge – it saves money in the long run.

Little Wagon Tire Pressure Gauge is accurate to +/- 3 PSI and has a maximum limit of 50 PSI.

The Full Cost of Owning a Vehicle

There are many costs associated with owning a car.

Everyone wants to own a vehicle in Port Moresby because it would be very convenient considering the lousy public transport system. However, as I recently found out, owning a car can be a very expensive exercise – not to mention tiring.

When I first imported my 1996 3 door hard top RAV4 AT from Japan I had to have it registered and insured at the Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited (MVIL), I also had to have it inspected for safety by a licensed mechanic. On top of that, fuel is quite expensive.

Now, the issue of fuel is controversial considering PNG has the natural resource and a processing plant in country. Yet, our fuel prices are quite high compared to other countries. Anyway, that’s not the main concern in our post today, the cost of owning a car is.

Another cost is the cleaning of the vehicle. In PNG, Port Moresby in particular, dust is an issue and your car will get dirt and dusty. You can get it cleaned along the roads at places like Sabama or you could go to a professional setup like under the Vision City parking area where 2 Fast Motors have their wash.

Repair is another you have to be mindful of. The roads of Port Moresby are not in the best form so you are bound to hit potholes, humps and all sorts of small debris on the road like cans. This takes a toll on the vehicle and constant maintenance is a must for safety.

This would also include minor service like changing coolant, motor oil, brakes and fluids.

Anyway, the list is quite long but I’m just giving you a basic rundown of the costs. Now, don’t take this as a deterrent for car ownership but as a preparatory education to what will come.

Taking my driving lessons to the hills

If the hills had eyes, they’d bear witness to what I did yesterday. So what did I do? I skipped work and took driving lessons instead, and this time we went to the hills.

My instructor wanted to teach me how park, stop, reverse etc on a slope. He figured that many times people were not thought this which often led to accidents along slopes.

Ssshhh! don’t tell my boss but I skipped work and we ended up at Toaguba Hill to practice on the sloppy roads. Needless to say, I passed with flying colors.

Anyway, today I finally get to drive my vehicle home. My instructor is satisfied that I am capable of going on the road myself.

Supposed to hit the highway today but…

Okay, I was supposed to take my driving lessons to the Magi Highway today. My instructor is keen to see me put the metal to the pedal but things didn't go exactly as planned.

The plan was for me to drive to Gaire and then buy some fresh fish along the way and head back. However, sometimes other things get in the way.  

Fortunately, that plan has been postponed to tomorrow which gives me some time charge my camera. Yep, I’ll be taking some pictures along the way.

If all goes well, I might be applying for a license a soon as next week.

I’ll keep you posted.