Cars 45 Drives Innovation With Dealer Live Auctions Lagos, Nigeria: 12th June 2019

In a move geared at providing car dealers with best-in-class services and empowering them to have as many avenues as possible to buy and sell inventory, Nigeria’s leading end-to-end, automotive trading platform, Cars45, has set up the Daily Dealer Live Auctions (DDLA) through its retail partner, Carsbazr. This initiative will ensure that dealers have offline access to a large and rich inventory of cars in Carsbazr lots across the country.

The first-of-its-kind in Nigeria, DDLA is expected to help deepen the culture of dealer live auctions as experienced in other climes. The auctions will hold daily from one Carsbazr lot to the other on a weekly basis. Dealers will also have the opportunity of bringing their customers in to the venue and place bids on their behalf.

Speaking on this development, VP, Trading Cars45, Mohammed Iyamu noted that “the DDLA was set up because of feedback from dealers and aimed at providing them with access to cars that have not put up on our existing online car auction platform. We also want to provide dealers who want to re-stock quickly with the means to do so in a convivial and fun environment. All listed vehicles come with verified inspection reports that provide comprehensive details about vehicle conditions.”

John Egwu, Head, Carsbazr said that the cars that are available for the Dealer Live auctions have been massively discounted with a view to ensuring that when dealers leave these auctions, they leave with smiles and affordable cars as well. “At Carsbazr, our intention is to empower dealers to tap into the wonderful business opportunity that these auctions present and support them to grow their dealerships.”

Over 10 editions of the Carsbazr Daily Dealer Live Auctions have been held across various lots nationwide - Daily Times Ikeja, Acme, Amuwo, Ilupeju, Jabi, PortHarcourt, and it has been super successful with dealers making sweet deals that only CarsBazr can make happen.  

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7 Sedans You Can Buy For Nigerian Roads

First of all, what is a sedan? Its a car that has 4 doors and can sit 5 to 6 people, if you never marry, you might want to consider a coupe but when you have a family, a sedan or an SUV might be your option. Here are 7 sedans you can buy for Nigerian roads.

1. Mercedes S Class (S550)

The Mercedes S550 is one of the best sedans sold on the market today. The auto is a luxury sedan that comes stock with a 4.7 liter twin-turbo V-8 engine rated at 449 horsepower. The auto comes with rear-wheel drive, but consumers can choose to upgrade to all-wheel drive as a dealer option. There is also a 6.0 liter twin-turbo V-12 available to upgrade to when buying the luxury sedan new, and all versions of the popular sedan come with a seven-speed automatic transmission. The S550 can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 4.5 seconds, and it has a top overall speed of 130 MPH. The overall fuel efficiency rating of the automobile is 16 MPG (city) and 24 MPG (highway).

2. Bentley Flying Spur

The Bentley Continental Flying Spur is one of the best luxury sedans sold today. Despite an entry-level price point in the low $200K’s, Bentley brands the auto as the company’s starter sedan. The automobile’s stock engine is a twin-turbo V-8 rated at 500 horsepower and 488 lb-ft of torque, and consumers can choose to upgrade to a twin-turbo W-12 rated at 616 horsepower if additional power is required. All drivetrains come with an eight-speed automatic transmission, a hand-sewn interior, and all-wheel drive as standard equipment. The sedan can seat between four and five passengers comfortably, and the gas mileage rating of the car is 14 MPG (city) and 24 MPG (highway). The sedan has a top overall speed of 183 MPH, and the vehicle can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 4.2 seconds.

3. Audi A8

The Audi A8 is one of the best sedans on the roads today. The automobile is one of the best German luxury sedans sold, and the vehicle also sports a very posh interior. The stock engine in the car is a 3.0 liter super-charged six-cylinder rated at 333 horsepower, and consumers have the choice to upgrade to either a 4.0 liter twin-turbo eight-cylinder rated at 450 horsepower if they desire more power in the automobile, or to a 6.3 liter W12 rated at 500 horsepower. Audi sells the vehicle with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard equipment. The overall fuel efficiency rating of the A8 is 24 MPG (city) and 36 MPG (highway), and the vehicle can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 6.4 seconds. The top overall speed of the A-8 is 129 MPH.

4. Lexus LS460

The Lexus LS 460 is one of the best sedans found on the roadways today. The luxury sedan incorporates the latest in tech options into the design of the vehicle, and it is available in a base, long wheelbase, and hybrid models. The base engine in the vehicle is a V-8 rated at 386 horsepower; however, if a consumer upgrades to all-wheel drive the engine power rating gets reduced to 360 horsepower. The hybrid edition of the LS 460 sees a total power rating of 438 horsepower. The overall fuel economy rating of the automobile is 19 MPG (city) and 23 MPG (highway), and the LS 460 can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 6.3 seconds with a top overall speed of 137 MPH.

5. BMW 5 Series

The BMW 5 Series is one of the best sedans sold today. The 5 Series has gained popularity as a upscale family sedan, and comes with a variety of options for the drive train. These include a V-4, inline-six, a V-8, a diesel inline six-cylinder, and a gas-electric hybrid. The base engine of the automobile is rated at 302 horsepower, and all drivetrain options come standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Each model (except for the hybrid) has the option to upgrade to all-wheel drive, and the car has a maximum speed of 127 MPH. The 5 Series can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 5.3 seconds, and the vehicle’s overall gas mileage rating is 20 MPG (city) and 29 MPG (highway).

6. Porsche Panamera

The Porsche Panamera Turbo S is one of the top sedans on the road. The automobile is one of the fastest four-seat sedans sold with a top overall speed of 192 MPH. The stock engine for the Panamera Turbo S is a twin-turbo V-8 rated at 518 lb-ft of torque and 520 horsepower. The automobile can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 3.5 seconds, and the executive model of the vehicle adds an additional six inches to the wheel base to deliver additional backseat room to passengers. The sedan sees a 15 MPG (city) and 24 MPG (highway) overall gas mileage rating.

7. Toyota Avalon

The Toyota Avalon has been one of the best sedans sold on the market for several decades and counting now. The stock engine in the car is a 3.5 liter V-6 rated at 268 horsepower coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission. The Avalon has a maximum speed of 127 MPH, and the vehicle can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 6.1 seconds. In addition to being an above-average handling automobile, the car has slightly above average gas mileage with a 21 MPG (city) and 31 MPG (highway) overall rating. The cabin space in the Avalon has always been above average when compared to other cars of the same class, and the current edition of the vehicle continues to offer consumers a very luxurious auto cabin.

The Importance Of Maintaining Your Brakes

We tend to take our brakes for granted. The light changes, or a car slows ahead, you press the pedal, and it just works - time after time. But the sheer physics of this process are pretty eye opening. Many different components work in sync to get to keep you safe. In this article, we are going to explore not only how your brakes operate, but also how to keep them well maintained for the life of your vehicle.

Most fleets will have disc brakes on all vehicles, so we will focus on that type of system. Here’s the gist: Your foot moves a lever that displaces an incompressible fluid and causes calipers (mechanical pinchers) to squeeze a disk (rotor) that is attached to your wheels and stop the motion by way of friction and heat. The intermediary between the caliper and rotor are the brake pads, which are made of an abrasive material and designed to take the majority of the wear.

Overuse

We have talked before about eco driving and how your brake usage can play a large part in operating efficiency. Having a heavy foot, however, can also drastically decrease the life of your equipment - putting too much heat into the pads and rotors. If this heat does not have time to dissipate properly (read: repetitive heavy braking), then you can warp the rotors and be reminded of your indiscretions at every stop light.

Detecting Problems

For many brake issues, your first indicator is through driver feel. If you notice a vibration, that it takes more force to stop the vehicle, or hear a high pitched noise when slowing, then it is time to put a service check up. Pads, as mentioned earlier, are usually the first in the system to fail, and are designed to make it quite noticeable (hence the screeching sound) when it happens. Just stay cognizant of how your car is responding on deceleration and you’ll notice when something is wrong.

Consider the Load

Larger vehicles, especially those designed for towing, may have multiple or redundant braking systems. A common mistake, and extreme safety hazard, is to assume that even if one of these systems is inoperable, the rest will be able to accommodate the load. Vehicles are designed to factory-recommended specifications and tolerances. If you are only using half of the available brakes, then you are putting way more force on your equipment than was designed. As with a passenger car, overuse can eventually lead to fade or complete failure.

Maintenance Intervals

Keeping to the suggested schedule in your owner’s manual and utilizing a vehicle maintenance app should keep you from missing important brake service. Not sure when to replace your parts? A good rule of thumb is to visually inspect your brake pads for wear every 12,000 miles or so. Most manufacturers will recommend replacement if there is 1/8 inch or less of the pad lining remaining or at 25,000 miles, whichever comes first. Ask the service tech to check your fluid regularly or do it yourself at the time of oil changes. You should replace the fluid if it appears to be dirty or contaminated. Most manufacturers suggest that you replace brake fluid every 20,000-25,000 miles. Rotors should last much longer, but hard braking over the life of the vehicle might lead to a different story. If you do have warped rotors, you may be able to have them trued instead of a full replacement.

Just follow these steps, and you’ll have stress free stopping from now on.

10 Tips For Rainy Season

We don't need to remind you that the rain can be dangerous. Living in a tropical country, we are all too familiar with the harsh realities of perennial flooding. But even in the absence of six-foot-deep floods, it pays to take extra care in preparing for rainy weather.

1. Check your tires. The grooves on your tire tread aren't merely decorative. These grooves are specifically designed to channel water away from the "contact patch" of rubber that glues your car to the road. Excessively worn tires with shallow tread struggle to move water out of the way. Hit a deep enough puddle and the entire contact patch can be momentarily lifted clear off the ground. This is called "hydroplaning," and can cause the car to veer out of control or spin. To see if your tread is still deep enough to be safe, stick a one peso coin—Rizal facing out—into the grooves. If you can see the year marking under Rizal peeking over the edge, it's time for a tire change.

Added tip: Keep your tires inflated to the recommended pressure. Higher pressure helps squeeze the water out of the way, as well.

2. Clean your windshield.  As water dries on the surface of the glass, it leaves mineral deposits that dirt and other water droplets can stick to. Give your windshield a good cleaning every once in a while to remove these hard water spots. Using a water-repellant product such as Rain-X further improves visibility by making raindrops bead up and roll off, rather than smear across the glass.

3. Give your car a good wash and wax. Yeah, yeah, washing the car seems a bit pointless if it's going to get dirty again, but car paint is just as vulnerable to water spots as glass is. A good, protective layer of wax can help keep those spots from forming, and makes it easier to clean the car after the rain. Wax makes the rain bead up and roll off just like glass-protection products do.

4. Clean or change your windshield wipers as needed. Wipers should ideally be replaced every year. The rubber blades become dry, brittle and cracked over time, leaving distracting skips and streaks as they move across the glass. When buying replacement wipers, be sure to bring the originals with you to the store to ensure you buy replacements of the right length and with the proper connector clips.

5. Clean out your windshield washers. Water deposits can clog the tiny nozzles on windshield washers over time. Thankfully, these can be cleaned easily with a fine needle, which can also be used to nudge and re-aim the nozzles to adjust the spray pattern. If the washers are too far gone, replacement washers with better spray patterns are relatively cheap and easily available.

6. Check for leaks. The rubber seals around the doors, windows, hood, trunk and even the taillights can come loose or degrade over time. Clean out any debris that gathers around these seals, and check for leaks and telltale signs of water pooling in odd places. Better to fix that leak under the taillight while it's small, rather than after you've found a swimming pool inside your trunk.

7. Inspect your undercarriage. Grease, grit and water picked up from splashing through puddles can lessen the effectiveness of your brakes. A good cleaning may be necessary if you drive through any dirty standing water. That water can also seep into any cracked or loose CV joint boots—the rubber boots that cover the constant velocity joints that attach your drive wheels to the transmission—washing away lubrication and leading to costly repairs. If anything is loose, leaking or squeaking, better get it fixed ASAP!

8. Tighten your belt. The accessory belts, those thick rubber bands attached to the pulleys on the side of your engine, transfer power from the engine to the alternator, air-conditioner and power steering systems. If the belts are worn or loose, they can squeal, especially when it's wet out. Not a pleasant thing to listen to when stuck in monsoon-induced traffic.

9. Keep an emergency kit handy. This includes a phone charger, a raincoat, a tow cable, a flashlight with an emergency flasher function (because the reflectorized early warning device can be hard to see in bad weather), and jumper cables. The last is important, in case your battery dies due to the cold weather.

10. Check your battery. While a car battery can last up to five years, the rainy season in this country often cuts that down to just one or two. Cold, wet weather can stress your battery, and humidity can cause terminal corrosion and minor electrical grounds that can drain it overnight. If your car becomes harder to start, or the lights dim at idle, or if the battery shows signs of drying out or bloating, it's probably time to change. Spending for a new battery is a whole lot better than spending the night stranded in the rain.

Follow these tips and you should be all set for the rainy season. For more information, you can also check out our tips for driving in the rain and for flood-proofing your truck with a snorkel. Be informed and be safe!

Why Ladies Love Guys Who Have Cars

Just exactly the same way ladies tend to get into guys with huge level of confidence, healthy beards and strong muscles, that’s just the same way they love guys with cars.

The cost of the car determines the level to which they would be so much over him, regardless of his age. Being in possession of a car is seen as a typical symbol of status, power and influence, and these are some of those things every Lady wants in her man.

Although, ladies take self-confidence as an integral feature every man should possess when trying to pick them up. Since there is no constant measure for the level of confidence, therefore, ladies decide what makes a man really confident; which is basically material things (cars inclusive).

Another reason why ladies love men who have cars is due to the questions they answer from fellow ladies whenever any of them brings up gist about her man. Basically, one of the first questions that is being asked is “what car does he have?” Ladies believe the cost of maintaining a car is really expensive, thinking of refueling the car from time to time, and other maintenance embedded around owning a car; obviously, no poor man would ever want to own a car except he wants to go bankrupt.

And lastly, ladies always want to be sure of the fact that, dating a guy that owns a car saves them the stress of hopping from one bus or bike. They want to be transported on a seat that gives them comfort while listening to any song of their choice with the volume being increased to their desire. Everyone loves the feeling of a King or Queen.