A BMW 3 Series uses genuine parts- Zawedde

My ex-boyfriend Luscious is gone. We were best friends,” says artiste Sarah Zawedde in a WhatsApp chat on the eve of scheduling an appointment with her to review the BMW Dolphin 3 Series she owned for 10 years.     

Approximately two months ago, Zawedde let go of her 1997 model BMW Dolphin 3 Series she refers to as Luscious throughout the interview. She bought it from a friend at Shs8m in 2011.

A salon car by make, built with a 2000cc six cylinder engine, Zawedde recalls that at a time she bought the black ‘Beemer’, she was discouraged by many because it was the type whose resale value was low.

Like latest models, the BMW Dolphin 3 Series 1997 had a low ground clearance but each time Zawedde sat behind its steering wheel, she knew when to be fast and when to slow down due to the potholed nature of Kampala roads.

“My car came first each time I looked for places of accommodation. I left it behind wherever I thought the roads were unfavourable. I protected it from bumpy roads because of its low ground clearance,” Zawedde starts. 

Common mechanical issues

When she had just acquired the BMW, it was not a brand she understood, having driven a Toyota Ipsum, prior. She bought the BMW that earned her the nickname, Madam Beemer in the German Car Club because it looked beautiful and that its original black colour that was dent-free, plus the sport rims were something to admire.

“After driving the BMW for a while, I learnt that it strictly uses German made spare parts. It uses high octane fuel from reputable fuel stations. Some of the fuel stations sell adulterated and dirty fuel and I learnt this the hard way. The first major problem I got was the fuel pump,” Zawedde says.

“Mechanics used a Japan made fuel pump the first time I had it replaced yet the car only functions with genuine parts. After doing research with mechanics from different garages, I zeroed down on a German made fuel pump that cost me Shs500,000. Since then, I had never experienced any mechanical issues with the pump until I sold off the car,” she adds.

Zawedde advises that the benefit of using genuine spare parts is that they are durable and can serve you longer without replacement. The other complication she experienced with Luscious was the computer system. As this particular model gets older, it develops a tendency of leaking water into the computer system which affects the car performance especially the plugs. 

She had to part with Shs500,000 to replace the computer system and the plugs six years before she sold the car. Before selling it off at a price slightly higher than she bought it, Zawedde says she had bought the tyres five years earlier at Shs350,000 a piece. The three were still functional, except one she replaced that had worn out. The durability of tyres, she advises, depends on how much and where you drive.

Service and maintenance

Zawedde notes that cars display signs when something is wrong. She says she managed to maintain her BMW for 10 years because she used these signals to know when to service.

On average, it cost her approximately Shs200,000 to carry out minor services. This catered for fuel, air and oil filters and engine oil and other few sensitive parts.  

“The more often you pay attention to service, the lesser the costs. For instance, when you change engine oil or fuel filters for every garage visit, it becomes cheaper because you don’t have to wait for a specific part to get damaged,” Zawedde opines. 

Keeping old model cars on the road longer

Loving your car, just like your body, Zawedde says, is the sole secret to keeping old model cars longer on the road. Don’t expect your car to take you or perform at a level you want without looking after it. She also learnt every detail of Luscious by often washing it herself. 

“I kept the BMW for 10 years because I understood it, studied it and loved it. I would tell that something was wrong by just listening to its engine sound. A vintage car is easy to maintain once you develop a habit of replacing little things. Every time the mechanic picked it from home for service, I would stare in the window and wonder if they would return it,” she recalls.

Spare parts

With exception of the fuel pump, the other expensive spare part Zawedde replaced was the steering rack that cost her Shs400,000.

The second secret to keeping your car longer on the road, Zawedde adds, is not sharing it, however selfish it may seem. If you have to help someone, she advises picking and dropping them off because you don’t know their driving habits.

“There are things that happen to your car and you know what to do. When you give it to someone who doesn’t understand it, that will be the beginning of its end,” she says.

Care for German vehicles

According to Peter Kasoma, a mechanic who regularly services German cars, most, if not all German brands have to be serviced by mechanics who have knowledge about particular cars. This is why it is easy for some mechanics to disassemble certain cars but cannot reassemble them. 

Also, most of the German brands use specific parts, and using a spare part for a Japan car in a German brand is wrong.

“You will be doing a disservice and being unfair to the car and yourself. A spark plug or engine oil for a Toyota Premio or a Mitsubishi is different from that of a BMW or an Audi. The same applies to every other part including the tyres. You can tell the difference because the costs are even different,” Kasoma says.

He is also quick to advise that when a warning light for most German cars appears on the dashboard, do not drive the car beyond a day  or even a few hours. Otherwise, it will damage the entire car. For instance, there are certain German models such as the BMW X6 that will not move when the tyres do not have the recommended tyre pressure or size.

All in all, Kasoma says maintaining any German car brand in the best roadworthy condition calls for discipline and obedience, becuase unlike other brands, they will stay on the road when they have any visible mechanical problems.