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    Where There Is A Wheel
    Where There Is A Wheel
    Where There Is A Wheel
    Ebook110 pages2 hours

    Where There Is A Wheel

    By Baraza JM

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    About this ebook

    The book is a compilation of a selection of Baraza J M's newspaper articles focusing on the ownership of a motor vehicle. It is a highly summarized "handbook", outlining helpful tips and hints on the following:
    - Acquiring a motor vehicle
    - Demystifying commonly misunderstood motor vehicle concepts
    - How to drive a motor vehicle efficiently and competently
    - Simple ways to maintain a motor vehicle in good working and physical order

    The book is written from a uniquely Kenyan perspective

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBaraza JM
    Release dateJun 11, 2014
    ISBN9781310241338
    Where There Is A Wheel
    Author

    Baraza JM

    J M Baraza is an automotive consultant and motoring correspondent with Kenya's Nation Media Group. He writes for the Daily Nation Newspaper in his column Behind The Wheel With Baraza J M/Car Review/Car Clinic.Some of his work includes philanthropy under the aegis of The Great Run, a charitable automotive organization established in 2012 of which he is co-founder and director.He lives with his family in Nairobi, Kenya.

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      Book preview

      Where There Is A Wheel - Baraza JM

      WHERE THERE IS A WHEEL

      The Oversimplified Motoring Press Agency Motor Vehicle Owner's & Operator's Handbook

      or The Kenyan Guide To Having a Car

      BARAZA J M

      Where There Is A Wheel

      By J.M Baraza

      Copyright 2014 Baraza J.M.

      Smashwords Edition

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold

      or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person,

      please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did

      not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your

      favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard

      work of this author.

      Introduction:

      The strange thing is that the very first write-up in the newspaper to appear under my name was not written by me. This was the review of the second generation Toyota Premio, a vehicle that I had not even driven yet by that point. This was July of 2010. I was to later try it out in 2011 under less than legal circumstances; and the motoring journalist behind that particular newspaper piece was well compensated for his efforts; thus the story surrounding the car that I eventually drove and the person who actually reviewed it will remain untold for now.

      What made that particular article even more strange was the fact that as I went through it – having acquired a newspaper quite excitedly because hey, I now had a column in it- it read more and more like something I would have written. The language tools, the expressions, the word arrangement… it sounded in my head a lot like my own writing but I was very sure it wasn’t mine because for one, as I just mentioned, I had never driven a second generation Premio up to that point and even if I had, and had somehow reviewed it in my sleep or in a stupor long lost to memory, a quick check of my Sent Messages box revealed I had in fact not sent anything to do with a Toyota Premio. What gives?

      My editors meekly agreed to keep the matter hush-hush and requested me to do likewise (well, there goes that promise). They paid the writer of that review and promised to take greater care in publishing material from signed contractors only in future.

      Another interesting factoid I came across while compiling the articles for this first of three books was that the now-famous DN2 Car Clinic existed back then, and again, it was not done by yours truly, no sir. I have no idea who answered those very first questions, which were in the form of an interview. The very first topic† was insurance: something I know nothing about. Just as well, then, for I may have chosen to ignore the interview.

      It thus came to pass that on July 21st 2010, the day the weekly motoring column crafted by Baraza JM in the Daily Nation came into existence, none of the material on those two pages came from him. However, from that point onwards, the page has contained my work, although not exclusively. There have been instances where space has been filled by agency-sourced material, in-house reporters and at one time, even a writer from a sister paper.

      This series of three books is a collection of some of my best articles, the explanations and back stories surrounding the column, as well as a compendium of some of my motoring adventures from around the world. It is my sincere hope that they prove to be a worthy read.

      ****

      About This Book:

      This is the first book in a series of three. The subject being motoring, the entire volume is dedicated to the basic aspects of motor vehicle ownership: how and where to get a car, how to run the car, how to maintain it and eventually how to part ways with it should you be so inclined. The book is in no way comprehensive, nor do I lay a claim to being the author of an authoritative piece. What I have written here are more of guidelines – most of them obvious, some not so obvious and a select few that are tongue-in-cheek and would best be described as inapplicable (car theft, for example). The book is meant to be the budding motorists’ companion as well as an easy read. Think of it as the introductory lecture to the world of the petrolhead. In here you will not find a repair manual, you will find a beginner’s guide, because that is what this was intended to be.

      Simplification does not necessarily equate to dumbing down. In the quest to include automotive greenhorns there is the very real risk of alienating established car buffs; either by stating the obvious (to them, at least), skimming over certain discussions (avoidance of jargon or lengthy, technical explanations is key to engaging the newbie) or skipping certain topics altogether. Compiling this work called for a balancing act, and at the end of it, the scales tilted towards the unknowledgeable reader. So it is with great difficulty that I have to state this: petrolheads need not apply. They will not find anything new in here. This, however, should not be a deterrent from reading the book; it is my sincere hope that it proves a worthy read to anybody who turns these pages.

      One last disclaimer: most of the material here should be very familiar to a number of readers. There is a simple explanation for this: these are excerpts from my newspaper column, in some instances expanded for further clarity. There is also some addenda for a wider coverage and/or inclusion of certain topics, therefore owning old newspapers should not be an excuse not to read the book. Enjoy!

      CHAPTER 1: ACQUIRING A MOTOR VEHICLE

      Section 1: Buying A Second Hand Vehicle

      Buying a car is always a process that many are cagey about. What if I buy junk? What if stolen property is being fobbed off on me? What if I pay more for the car than I really should? What if, what if, what if… what if someone came along and compiled all the necessary steps behind buying a car into one neat little checklist that you can then follow to avoid tears afterwards?

      It is this exact quandary that led me to write this article in a record 17 minutes one Sunday afternoon. That particular Sunday was October 24th of 2010, and I know this because the material was published three days later, ahead of work previously handed in; typically, there was a queue of articles at the publishers’ to prevent a shortage should I fail to submit one on time. This is the material (based on the original unedited article submitted, but edited to reflect time relevance and protect the privacy of any characters that may have been named originally):

      **********

      Investments. Our parents drummed its importance into our heads, and used such tired lines as A fool and his money are soon parted (or audited). Well, the more aspirational among us sometimes dream of playing the fool and parting with our money in exchange for a chunk of metal suspended on four rubber doughnuts that we then christen our pride and joy, before rushing off to brag to people who care little, or are murderously envious. A fool and his money are soon mobile. When the money in question lies in the higher six figures, or creeps into the seven figures, it is important to keep the foolishness at a minimum. How does one avoid being taken in by a wily salesman, or a dishonest middleman, or a desperate con-man when acquiring ownership of the next white elephant in one’s life? Outlined here are a few tips to employ, lest you find yourself the proud owner of stolen property, or an overworked chariot which is two gear changes away from the scrap heap.

      1 Open Your Mind

      My little sister once said Never keep an open mind, your brains might fall out, but clearly she has never gone second-hand car shopping before. A fixation on a particular type of car, or a particular color, or particular registration will be the beginning of your downfall,

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