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The Toyota Premio is a strong, easy to maintain car
The Toyota Premio is a popular car on Ugandan roads. Motorists say they love it for its durability and pocket friendly maintenance costs. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- The Toyota Premio is known for its low fuel consumption rates and friendly service and maintain costs. Motorists share their experience of owning this car, writes Roland D. Nasasira
Andrew Tumuhameho
I have had my car since 2014. It is one car that rarely breaks down unless the problem has been ignored. It is also one of the low cost maintenance cars you can drive. On average, its service will cost you between Shs90,000 and Shs150,000. Shs150,000 will be enough to service the car twice a year and this service usually involves replacing, among others, engine oil and transmission fluids. Its spare parts are also easy and affordable to buy and I usually get mine from Kisekka Market in Kampala.
The Premio was the first car I bought although previously, I had driven a Subaru Forester, whose service and maintenance and fuel consumption was costly. The Premio is cheaper to maintain compared to the Subaru Forester. It is a car that is suitable for any kind of terrain, beyond just using it for town errands. Sometimes when I drive it upcountry where it is hilly, it easily manoeuvres through the hills and any slippery roads without getting stuck. It is not a fast performance car when it comes to speed but it is durable.
Mechanically, it is a car that works hand in the owner’s favour. This means that if you want to drive to any place without worry of spending much on either fuel or service, the Toyota Premio is the car to drive. For example, if you fuel with Shs10,000, you can drive a considerable without running out of fuel.
Although I have been fuelling on a daily basis, I noticed that fuel Shs100,000 can last a week with a full tank able to take me from Mbarara in western Uganda to Kampala without the need to refuel. The car can cover approximately 12 kilometres or more using one litre of fuel, depending on the distance.
Apparently, I would not exchange it for any other car. I have seen the new Toyota Premio model and liked its comfort but in terms of durability because of the hard body and pocket-friendly maintenance, I would maintain the 2000 model. Since 2014, I have only had to replace the four shock absorbers at Shs600,000 as the highest cost I have incurred.
Rogers Matovu
Ihave had my Toyota Premio model since 2017. It has a 1800cc engine, which makes it economical in terms of fuel consumption. It also picks speed from the onset of stepping on the accelerator to whichever speed you can handle. It is not like some cars where you accelerate and it picks speed much later.
Its service and maintenance is also affordable. On average, I spend approximately Shs120,000 on service where I service parts such as engine oil, air and oil filters, brake pads and transmission fluid. I have not replaced any major part since I bought it.
The most expensive part I have replaced were the tyres at Shs1m, with each costing Shs250,000. The shocks cost me Shs600,000 and since then, I have not replaced any other major parts.
After reaching the 10,000 kilometre mileage, I carry out service that costs between Shs120,000 and Shs140,000. I replace the brake pads, check whether the spark plugs are still intact, replace the air cleaner, fuel filters and oil filters.
Fueling
Refueling depends on the journeys I make. However, I refuel weekly and each time I drive to the fuel station, I spend Shs100,000, which takes me from home to my workplace for about one week. I would not trade it for any other car because in the three years I have had it, it has turned out to be cheaper to maintain compared to the Volkswagen Golf I had prior.
I also love it because its boot is spacious and a lot, especially food when I travel upcountry.
When I am to do service, my mechanic picks the car from office, services it and returns it. Usually, the bill does not exceed Shs200,000. Most people look at it as a Japan brand on the low end. Once you maintain it well, it will outlive the Toyota Mark X or the Mark II of the same brand, which are considered to be expensive and fast.
James Mukisa
I bought my Toyota Premio in 2016 at Shs28m. It runs on a 1800cc engine and is one of the cars I have driven that are cheap to maintain. I have not been to a garage and spent more than Shs200,000 on service and maintenance, except if I am to carry out a major spare part replacement. If you wish to stay longer with your Premio without getting any disappointments or regretting why you bought it, then you have to be disciplined and service it on time.
Personally, I service it whenever I reach the 4,000 kilometre mark. Surprisingly, I have not been to the garage for major parts repairs more than 10 times in the four years I have had it. And since I bought it, I have never replaced its spark plugs.
Every time my mechanic inspects them, they are still in good condition.
When it comes to fuel consumption, it covers 10 kilometres using one litre of fuel in urban areas where there is traffic congestion. On the highway, it covers between 12 to 18 kilometres on one litre of fuel since then, it consumes less but performs faster. I spend Shs160,000 on fuel and this gives me 40 litres to run for a week because the nature of my work involves driving several times to Kampala City Centre.
I am a speed merchant and it equally gives me the speed I want when I accelerate.
Much as I have previously driven a Toyota Spacio and the Toyota Harrier, I still find the Premio less hectic and less costly to maintain. It is cheap to maintain but has a high resale value. Besides the tyres, the only other costly part I have replaced were the shock absorbers which I bought at Shs500,000.
