My wheels :Daphine Binta, ‘I saved for six months to get it’

What car are you currently driving?
I drive a Toyota RAV 4.

Is it your first car?
No, it is my third. I drove a used Premio, and then bought a Toyota Raum which I later sold to buy the RAV4.

How did you raise funds for this car?
I saved for about six months. I learnt how to drive in a Land Cruiser which was a big vehicle, and then I went to a driving school to polish my manual skills. My money could only afford a Premio at that time so imagine learning from a big vehicle and going to a small one, it is like you are literally going to sit on the road. I saved money and later bought a Raum which was quite popular at that time because they are user friendly and cost effective. I drove it for about nine months but the driving experience was not as good. I stay in Kisaasi and back then the road was not yet repaired, so every time I would be driving home my car would hit potholes. And this was not pleasant at all as I had to regularly change the shocks.

How did you do it?
I went to car dealers, gave in my Raum and topped up because a RAV 4 is more expensive than a Raum.

So, what do you like about the RAV4?
It has a very good engine and it is a two wheel drive which is a very nice feature. There are not so many of those.

How is your fuel consumption?
It is very user friendly, and the fact that it is a two wheel drive that means I consume less fuel.

How much do you spend on fuel?
I refill once a month and spend Shs250,000.

Isn’t it tempting sometimes to drive long distances just because you know you have enough fuel in the car?
I cannot deny that because sometimes you are tempted to drop a friend and go an extra mile but at the end of the month it catches up with you. But you just know that if you do it at the end of the month it has an effect. I always avoid doing it.

How often do you service it?
I have it serviced every three months, and I have never suffered any break down and keep praying it does not happen.
How much do you spend on servicing?
I spend Shs120,000 if I am going far and Shs75,000 for the normal driving around town.

What do you like about this car?
It is very fast, comfortable and it has a very good engine. Every mechanic I go to always appreciates my car engine. Some people think that because it is a two wheel drive, I might have removed the four wheel drive system but this is not true. It came from the factory like that, which is one of the reasons I bought it. It is high so I don’t think I can go back to a low car.

What is the longest distance you have driven?
I have driven up to Kabale and back. I have also gone to Fort Portal.

Why is it all tinted?
I drive a tinted car as a must and this has been so with all the cars I have driven. Tinting my car gives me an element of privacy.

What is your dream car?
It is a Jeep Cherokee.