Fielder is affordable to maintain, reliable  

For reasons such as reliability, affordable service and interior space, the Toyota Fielder is a popular car among many motorists,  Roland D. Nasasira writes. 
 

Rebecca Kansiime

My dream car was always one whose rear passenger seats could recline to create space for luggage. As an events planner, I occasionally drive upcountry and normally have suitcases and other luggage to carry.  I settled for the Toyota Fielder since its trunk is spacious and when the seats are reclined, there is more than enough space to carry my tools of the trade. 

It is not only reliable on the road but it is also affordable to maintain in terms of fuelling and service. Fuel to Mbarara City in western Uganda costs Shs200,000, and while there, I use the same fuel to run errands in different places. During the return journey to Kampala City, I put fuel worth Shs150,000. Its 1800cc petrol engine is indeed reliable and cost friendly. 

Because I usually travel upcountry, I service the car before reaching the recommended service mileage. On average, I spend Shs200,000 for minor service to replace engine oil, oil, fuel and air filters, brake pads and automatic transmission fluid, once in three to four months.

Benon Asiimwe

I like the Toyota Fielder because its maintenance is as affordable as that of the Toyota Corolla, locally known as Kikumi. Apart from the Corolla, the Fielder also shares parts with most of the Toyota brands on the local market such as the Premio, Allion, Axio and the Spacio and this makes its service stress-free and affordable.

The most expensive spare parts I have had to replace in the three years I have owned the car were shock absorbers that cost Shs600,000 a pair. I also spend the same amount to replace all the tyres.

During service, apart from replacing the basic parts such as brake pads and engine oil, I also carry out a general diagnosis of the car to find out if there are parts that need to be replaced.

I do not overlook car maintenance because the care you give a car determines how well it serves you. When I do full service, which is normally once a year, I spend Shs800,000. This includes cleaning the engine, car detailing where the interior is stripped and seats taken out, spark plugs replacement and refilling the car AC, among others. 

Ivan Kaggwa 

The Toyota Fielder is not as sporty as the Mark X or the Toyota Altezza but it will give you the required speed when you need it. Mine runs on a 1800cc engine and generates its power from the front wheels. It can also be driven on slippery marrum roads with ease. It has good ground clearance compared to the Mark X and this gives it a higher performance advantage on rough upcountry roads.

I service my Fielder once every six months. For long distances, the Fielder comes in handy because it runs on an economical 1500cc engine.

On the highway, it gives me 16km per litre of fuel, and in urban areas where there is traffic jam, the mileage per litre reduces to 12km. It is a car I recommend for a first time buyer because its service is affordable.