FULL REVIEW: Hyundai Elantra B-tec

FULL REVIEW: Hyundai Elantra B-tec 2001-2006.

Hyundai Elantra B-tec 2001-2006, CKD by Kah Motor. Why I review this car? It’s because of its poor resale value. It's great news for you (potential buyer) as the 1st owner already absorbed the depreciation. Now, you only pay 1/3 of the new price for a used 5 years old Elantra (more on that later).


Here’s my research on the 2nd hand value of the Elantra.
2001:RM 25,000
2002: RM28,000
2003: RM31,000
2004: RM36,000
2005: RM42,000

Note that back in 2003, a brand new Elantra costs RM91,000 OTR. Today, a used 2003 model’s yours for RM31000. That’s 34% retained value in 5 years (or 1/3). A far cry compared to 56% retained value for Corolla Altis. This is bad news for 1st owner but massive bargain for you. Again, I do not have an Elantra to review/test so I dished out a “Super review” by “John Mellor’s GoAuto Australia”, Full specifications from my own research AND 12 OWNER’S REVIEW from USA, Australia, New Zealand, India and Malaysia.

Without further ado, here’s a “Super” test from “GOAUTO Australia.” The specification’s sourced from my own research. Lastly, there’s owner’s review from www.carsurvey.org.

Hyundai Elantra 1.8GL
Model release dates: October 2000 - September 2006
OVERVIEW:

HYUNDAI'S new generation small-medium entrant is now prefixed by an "E" and represents much more than simply a name change from the Lantra we have come to know and, in many ways, like. Still cost-effective, it is expanded in size, equipment and style to take on entrenched rival sedans from Europe and Japan. It is also a better car to drive, though a gain in weight has helped blunt its performance in both 1.8 and 2.0-litre guise.

THE change to Elantra should be an easy one for Hyundai given the new generation is markedly different in appearance. Gone are the soapy shapes to a sharper, sleeker look that works well with the wider proportions. While it has not taken long to be mistaken for the Euro-look Holden Vectra and BMW 3 Series, the car improves on more than just the aesthetic - a more aerodynamic body reduces drag 12 per cent and helps improve fuel efficiency by up to 5 per cent.

The Car – Seat Plan

INTERNAL dimensions are up considerably in the Elantra sedan compared with its Lantra predecessor. Front and rear headroom are increased 26mm and 9mm respectively, while rear hip-room is 27mm up on the previous Lantra and rear legroom up 9mm. A vanity mirror with flap cover can be found on both front sun visors.

The Car - Seats


THE Elantra's front seat cushions are wider and the front seatbacks taller than the Lantra. The fore-aft adjustment bar at the base of each front seat is now the full width of the seat squab and replaces in-board levers. The front door map pockets gain moulded 500ml bottle holders. Using the Holden Vectra, Audi A4 and Volvo S40 as a benchmark, Hyundai focused on the use of high-quality trim materials and fabrics. GL trim is a two-tone grey treatment with darker side bolsters and lighter centre panels with muted colour speckling.

The Car - Dash


THE Elantra's dash is angled toward the driver and places all major controls within easy reach. The sedan features an in-dash slot to hold parking tickets and the like. A rubber grip mat is fitted to the centre console open tray to better hold loose objects. The former in-dash cupholders were deemed too close to the gearshift and "bottle holes" beside the handbrake.

The Car - Controls

ELECTRIC windows (front only in GL) are standard across the range. The power window switches are now more ergonomic, moving to more logical pull-up/push-down buttons - though there is no auto-down for the driver. The steering wheel adjusts for height but not reach. The electric door mirrors now feature heated lenses to dry off early morning dew. Variable intermittent wipers are provided on all Elantra grades. A remote fuel-flap lever is provided on both sedan and hatch; the sedan has a boot

The Car - Wheels/tyres

ON the GLS specification, alloy wheels and tyres with a slightly lower profile are used - the tyres measure 195/60R15

The Car - Luggage

THE sedan's boot volume has increased 43 litres to 367 litres over the former Lantra four-door sedan, when the seatbacks are upright. The rear seat split-folds 60/40 to enable longer items to be carried. A twin-buckle, centre-rear seatbelt retracts into the parcel shelf to enable the split-fold to be used without interruption from a belt. The boot floor and side panels are fully lined.

The Car - What's changed

THIS is not an all-new car from Hyundai. It is a new generation of the old Lantra finally using the export name found across the world - Elantra. The external appearance has changed dramatically with a sleeker, more angular appearance and greater dimensions in all areas. The mechanical package has come in for an upgrade with both the 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre engines increased in power, torque and fuel economy, while down in emissions and NVH (noise, vibration and harshness). The manual gearshift has an improved shift action while the optional automatic transmission gets adaptive fuzzy logic control for better performance. Safety has gone up a notch with body strengthening and a driver airbag and front seatbelt pretensioners/load limiters standard all models; ABS brakes and a passenger airbag are optional.

The Car - Stand out features

INTERIOR comfort and appearance has increased substantially, particularly through the use of good quality cloth fabric, a more liberal application of soft plastics and the smart dash presentation. Versatility is there, along with a degree of cleverness, too - the double-buckle centre-rear belt, which frees up the aperture to the boot when the 60/40 split-fold comes into play, is a good example. Little details previously not seen on the Lantra can be found throughout the Elantra cabin. The glovebox, for example, gains a light, damped action lid opening and elastic strap to hold the owner's manual and service book against the back wall, clear of other contents.


The Car - Climate control


FACTORY fitted air-conditioning is standard across the Elantra range. The air-conditioning system now uses the ozone-friendly R134a refrigerant gas. Rotary dials are used for the blower, air distribution and temperature. Not unlike the current generation Mazda 323/Ford Laser, the centre blower dial is smaller to make it easy to locate sight unseen.

Our verdicts:

+ve: Styling, interior presentation, front passenger comfort, versatility, packaging
-ve: Lacklustre performance, poor rear accommodation, no rear storage

Mechanical - Engine

ELANTRA is powered by two versions of Hyundai's "Beta" twin-cam, 16-valve, four-cylinder powerplant - a 1.8-litre on GL and 2.0-litre on GLS. Both bring improvements in refinement, economy, emissions and output. The 1.8 is up 3kW in power to 97kW at 6000rpm and 2Nm in torque to 165Nm at 4500rpm. The 2.0 now develops 104kW at 6000rpm (up 3kW) and 182Nm at 4500rpm (up 2Nm). Official city/highway (manual) fuel economy figures point to 8.5/5.6L/100km respectively for GL; GLS is slightly higher. Both the 1.8 and 2.0-litre engines are up in power, torque and fuel economy, while down in emissions and NVH (noise, vibration and harshness). The GL manual is claimed to reach 100km/h in 9.7 seconds while the GLS is slightly quicker at 9.1; across 400 metres, the GL requires 17.1 seconds compared to 16.0 for GLS. Engine enhancements encompass most major components such as cylinder block, crankshaft, pistons, cylinder head, valve train, intake manifold and the exhaust system. Major NVH benefits accrue from adoption of an eight-counterweight crankshaft (previously four) and cylinder block strengthening. The 2.0-litre model now has an engine cover installed to reduce NVH and improve under-bonnet aesthetics. A heat shield has been added between the engine and air filter, reducing heating of induction air and increasing output 2 per cent.

Mechanical - Suspension

ELANTRA continues with all-independent suspension with MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link design at the rear. The rear configuration has, however, been redesigned and retuned, and gas dampers fitted to each corner with new offset coil springs and stabiliser bars front and rear. Spring and damper rates are firmer, while the road wheels are also now up to 15-inch and shod with wider tyres. Up front, the suspension mounts off a new front-end cradle frame and has redesigned A-shaped lower control arms. The redesigned multi-link rear layout features new rod-type quad lateral links now pivoting from the car's centreline off a new bolt-on rear cross-member. The links are longer than before, adjustable on the rearmost links and designed to better control rear wheel geometry through wheel travel.

Mechanical - Transmission

HYUNDAI has improved both the standard five-speed manual transmission and optional four-speed automatic. The former is claimed to have a smoother and more precise action, an improved shift lever change mechanism and reprofiled gear teeth that run quieter. The automatic, meanwhile, now has HIVAC (Hyundai Intelligent Vehicle Electronic Control) fuzzy logic which optimises gearshifting points and speed according to driver style and terrain, including skipping ratios on downshifts.The manual transmission has an improved shift action with the use of double cone keyless synchronisers on first and second gear. The manual lever mechanism gains poppet ball assembly with bearings rather than shift rail, reducing friction and improving shift smoothness and response.

Mechanical - Brakes

BOTH sedan and hatch variants use 257 x 24mm ventilated front disc brakes but the sedan makes do with self-adjusting rear drums while the hatch has solid 258 x 10.4mm discs. Hyundai claims the heavier mass of the hatch required better performing brakes than the sedan. The standard brake booster has been upgraded to a 10-inch diameter unit, up from nine inches.

Mechanical - Steering

THE Elantra uses a power-assisted rack and pinion steering system. The minimum turning circle is 10.12 metres while the number of turns lock to lock measures 3.15.

Safety

HYUNDAI claims the Elantra's stronger body improves its crash performance. The stronger, bigger bodyshell features reinforced one-piece centre pillars and an uprated lower dash crossbar. High-tensile steel is used in the doors' side impact intrusion beams. A driver's airbag and front seatbelt pretensioners with a load-limiting device are now standard. Anti-lock brakes and a front passenger's airbag with a passenger presence detection device are optional. Rear disc brakes are only available on the hatch variant. Head restraints and retractable lap-sash seatbelts are provided for all five occupants. The former Lantra base model did without rear head restraints - the rear bench seat of all Elantras now has three. The centre rear seat position made do with a lap-only seatbelt. It now has a retractable three-point belt. Child seat anchor brackets are now fitted to three points in both the sedan and hatch. Previously only one position was utilised.

Specfications:

ENGINE: Beta 4 cylinder, 1795cc DOHC 16valve EFI
Max Power: 97kw@6000rpm
Torque: 165Nm@4500rpm
Compression ratio: 10.1:1, Bore x Stroke: 82mm x 85mm

Transmission: Front wheel drive 4 speed Grade Logic automatic gearbox
Gear ratio:
1st 2.842, 2nd 1,529, 3rd 1.000, 4th 0.712, Reverse 2.480, Final drive: 3.770

SUSPENSION:
Front: MacPherson Struts, anti-roll bar
Rear: Multi-link, anti-roll bar

BRAKES:

Front ventilated discs, rear solid discs, ABS + EBD

STEERING:
Power assisted, rack and pinion, turning Lock to lock: 3.15. Turning circle 10.1m


DIMENSIONS:
Length: 4495mm
Width: 1720mm
Height: 1425mm
Wheelbase: 2610mm
Track front: 1485mm
Track rear: 1475mm
Kerb weight: 1193kg
Ground clearance: 140mm

FUEL CONSUMPTION:
See “Owners’ review” below. “In bold” . Different owners quoted different figures.
Fuel tank capacity: 55litres.

PERFORMANCE: (1.8GLS Auto – Malaysian Assembled)
0-100km/h: 11.5 secs
0-400m: 18.6 secs
Top speed 195km/h (Anyone can challenge this figures?)


Owners’ review. Source: www.carsurvey.org. There’s 12 owners from various Countries. 4 from Australia & New Zealand, 1 from Malaysia, 1 from India, 6 from USA. 4 of which negative ones. In fact there’s more complaints in Car survey, they have 120+ owner's review there, go check it out. But only 6/10 positive comments.

(DELETED DUE TO COPYRIGHT ISSUES by Carsurvey!)

Note that (in bold) the Elantra have a series of common faults, namely Fuel leak, clutch problem @ 6000km (not applicable in Malaysia), MAP and Oxygen sensor malfunctioning. In Addition, like Proton the Power window/s also gave way (2 owners' claimed). There's lots of recalls, exhaust manifold, brake booster, computer reprogram (ECU), fuel line repositioning and clutch. If you want to buy, check or fix the common recall/complained problems 1st. This is one of the reasons why Hyundai Elantra have poor resale value in Malaysia.



END OF A LONG REVIEW. Thanks for reading this.

The Star AMBP Bloggers 2nd gathering @ Cineleisure

(Picture by: Joyce-tedion).

This is the second time we (The Star All Malaysian Bloggers Project - The Star AMBP) meet up. 1st time was held back in January. Check out this article published in The Star on 16 June 2008. Here's the link:
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/6/16/central/21559227&sec=central



It's held in Cineleisure "Outpost Cafe". We have few guest blogger speakers. They are: Peter Tan (petertan.com) - see picture below, Kimberly Low (kimberlycun.com), Aizuddin Danian (Project Petaling Street), Chin Vincent (Cinema Online, hopefully it’s the correct spelling. Do correct me if I’m wrong), and Rohan Thomas (Microsoft), each took turn to give an awesome and eye opening speech.
(Picture: Peter Tan).
Everyone were attentive and glued to the seat, see picture below.



Wholesome Buffet was served, followed by Special Screening of "The Incredible Hulk Movie" (in Cineleisure itself) sponsored by "Cinema Online".
Also, there were lots of goodies being given away.

Fellow bloggers like "Joyce Tedion (Note: it's a he) from "joyce-tedion.com", Ewin, Julian, Hurley (cheese.vox.com), "Darkfoxdx the Poet", Darren the photographer from The Star, and of course the lovely lady from Cinema Online Inayah Arrifin, were great companies.

Also, I'm a bit pai seh not to know him. Mr. Josh Lim, founder of Advertlet also turned up. I admit, I never heard of him before till that day. I don't have the chance to talk to him as he was with his fans and friends.

Almost forget to mention, I WON the grand prize... TWO Tickets to "Dreamz Musical Circus" worth RM300 (see picture). Beside this, I won an exclusive "Incredible Hulk" Baseball cap, "Narnia Prince Caspian 1st day cover", Microsoft Hi-tech Document bag with many compartments, Latest Cinema Online Magazine etc...





"The Star Classifieds career quiz which tests your like/dislike and reveals your most suitable field/occupation.

NOTE: I took few photos with my new friends but using their "SLR/Semi-Pro" Camera. Till now, they haven't send me the photos yet.

Fuel price increased TODAY...

Fuel Price increased TODAY by 78cents for Regular Petrol (from RM1.92/L) to RM2.70/L. For V-power, new price => RM3.15/L.

I was considered lucky, filled up my petrol 2 days ago (both cars) 3 June 2008. Hence avoided the crowd. Here's the aftermath as taken today:

Above: V-Power Pump.

Above and below: Super and Diesel.
.

RM.78 per litre for petrol? RM1.00 incrase for Diesel? RM3.15 for V-power? That's a lot... Adding salt to the wound, the Cooking Gas, TNB also raised their prices. For sure "tsunami's coming". No, not the sea tsunami, I'm talking about economic tsunami. As fuel increase, so will Food & Beverage line (Include Restaurants, Hawkers, Hotels), RICE (already), Transportation line (lncluding Airlines (More fuel surcharge!), Public buses, Express buses, TAXIS). Speaking of taxis, the government better increase the taxi fares (if not 1) There'll be a PROTEST by taxi drivers, 2) Overcharging / ripping off customers will be more rampant).


BUT AND A BIG BUT... (A poem)

Our "Gaji" (Salary) is STILL THE SAME.
Our Car prices are still the same*
We still need to pay toll
But we are not on a roll.
Yet we still have to pay more
For the price of our petrol.

* = (man, why don't they consider my proposal,
Remove fuel subsidy AND remove excise duties, import duties
and sales taxes as well?). But if the Government wants to cari makan, just remove the excise duty will do. Please reconsider...


Jefflim "sigh~" out. The End. Thanks for reading this...

PS. Oh! Almost forgotten, there's "ANNUAL Subsidy Rebate" for All Petrol Passanger cars below 2000cc and Diesel SUV Below 2500cc. How much? It's RM625 only.

Does anyone knows how little is it? It's only RM12 per week. Assuming that a person paid RM86 for 45L of Fuel tank before the price hike. He/She will how have to pay RM121.50 after the price hike. Again, if he/she consumed the fuel in 1 week... Enter the "Annual Subsidy": RM12. As a result => 121.50 less 12. Still have to pay RM109.50 theoretically. This is still a FAR CRY of RM86.50 before the hike.

I WON, I WON... Thanks to The...

I WON, I WON, Thanks to The Star's ALL MALAYSIAN BLOGGERS (AMBP) at the Popular book fair on Saturday. What did I won?
A: Grand Prize winner of 2 Complimentary tickets to "DREAMZ" "The Enchanted Epic to Stir your sense". It's showing Daily @ Pavilion, First World Plaza @ 9pm. The tickets' valid until End of August, Off-peak season only WORTH RM280 (if not mistaken).


Besides this, I also "won" some sponsored goodies. Picture below, clockwise from top. The Star recyclable bag, The Star "Mug base" (Don't know what it's called), AllMalaysian fridge magnet, Merdeka 50th anniversary souvenir booklet, a ball pen (Not functioning though), "NIVEA Aqua Cool Spray-on deodorant, and an Orange Booklet by TOC (The Otomotif College).


Here's the happening website which was actually part of The Star Online: http://allmalaysia.info/ambp/. Do check it out...

Farewell report: Proton MPi Iswara 1.5i(A)

My Proton MPI Iswara 1.5i(A) UK-spec 1995/95. It's different from LOCAL Iswara. It came with original 4G15 Injection engine, Original Lancer Fiore dashboard (will explain why later), Lancer Fuel tank, fuel pump, fuel cap (Hard to find the fuel pump (back in 2001), gotta find Lancer), Nippondenso air-cond (Not Proton air), Slightly thicker body shell (more solid) etc...

Q:Why the title "Farewell report"?
A: It's because I'm selling off this car. RM7800 Ono only. CASH BUYER ONLY! If cash, price can negotiate further. What's need to be done, just some touch up on the paint work and rear foglights (mine's stolen early this year).


I'm the 2nd owner of this car having owned the car since 2000. I bought the car for RM32,000 on March 2000 with 114,000km on the clock. Over the past 8 years, I clocked 104,000km (Averaged 13000km per year). Total mileage now: 218,000km.


Without further ado, let’s proceed to my brief write up on this car.


Interior:




The interior’s TOUGH. The seats are Hardy PU & cloth covered coconut husk. The dashboard’s taken from Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore. Why? It’s because back in 1989, the Saga failed the UK Basic crash test as the dashboard collapsed and crushed the legs of the driver. To pass the test, Proton used original Lancer Fiore dashboard and the car finally passed the basic crash test. Words can’t describe the interior, I will now present you the photos.




Engine:

The engine is tried and tested 4G15 “Megavalve” 12 valve engine but with added twist. It came originally with Multi-point Fuel Injection engine with “ECI-MULTI” embossed on the ECU (see picture). The output is 67Kw JIS (91hp) @6000rpm, torque is 126Nm@3500rpm. Generally, it’s quite reliable, except my car’s Throttle body was changed 3 times as it failed to function. It’s not cheap AND RARE at RM800-900 for a new part.
The engine, believe it or not is smooth and quiet (till 130km/h). I swore by it. Don’t believe, call/E-mail me to test drive my car. Apart from the Throttle body, it requires little maintenance and is a Workhorse. As it’s mated with 3 speed automatic with high gearing, the performance’s weak (see “performance” later) and the Noise will crept into the engine from 130 km/h onwards.

Ride and handling:

The car came with Front MacPherson struts, I-arms, antiroll bar coil springs and dampers. The rear suspension’s outdated and inflexible U-shaped trailing arms, coil springs and dampers.

My Iswara started off (1st year owning the car) with soft suspension (nosedived when braked hard), severe bodyroll and understeered easily (80km/h). The “Trailing arms” rear suspension makes things worse. How I solve this problem?

Firstly, I changed all the Shock absorbers to Monroe® Sensatracs. Next, I installed HOTBITS Lower Suspension Tie-Bar. This followed by Anti-roll bar PU Bushings. Finally, I upgraded the rims & tyres to 14” and added “Spacer” to the rear wheels. The end result? SUPERB handling (but RIDE a bit HARD) and now tolerates understeer up to 120km/h. Little bodyroll, No more nose-diving.

The Iswara out-cornered many cars such as TOYOTA VIOS, Altis, Camry 2.4, Honda City IDSI, Toyota Hilux, Perodua Myvi in Tropicana to Damansara Indah road (that twisty corner rulez). It also can keep up with Proton Waja (side by side or 1 car length behind until Casa Indah traffic light), Honda Civic EK VTEC (CKD stock), Perodua Kelisa, Toyota Estima, and Mercedes E230. This regularly occurred until 3 weeks ago, I gave up my leaking Monroe Sensatracs & installed Kayaba Shocks (front Oil, rear gas) which trade-off the handling with better RIDE.

The brakes, though rear’s drum is pretty good especially the front when fitted with good brake pads such as Bendix Metalking. Of course it’ll lock at hard hard braking as it does not have ABS.

Performance:

The car being a 3 Speed Auto, was underpowered. 0-100km/h around 13.6 seconds though 0-70km/h (traffic light start) was quite fast at 6.4 seconds – a bit torquey (126Nm of torque @ 3500rpm). Top speed: 165km/h @ 5300rpm (Redline 6000rpm). Anything above 130km/h = NOISY and slightly unstable.

Fuel economy:

The fuel consumption’s CRAP. Full tank’s (45 litres) only good for 290km town driving. 380km Highway driving. This started in 2001, few months after I changed the fuel pump. My fuel consumption got worse. Is it because it’s taken from Late 80s Lancer Fiore (ie. Old)? To Next owner: If you want better fuel consumption, you have 2 options, Either changed the Fuel Pump or Convert to NGV.

Wheels and tyres:

The Iswara came with 175/70R13 and fitted with 5 spoke 13” JRD Rims. The PCD is 114.3 four holes, 5Jx13”. I used the stock tyres and rims for 2 years. In 2002, I upgraded it to 185/60R14 with 14” Japanese alloy rims (KOSEI Laufer).


Transmission: 3 speed automatic gearbox
1st: 2.846
2nd: 1.581
3rd: 1.000
Rev: 2.176
Final drive: 3.600

Dimension and weights:

Length: 4260mm
Width: 1630mm
Height: 1360mm
Wheelbase: 2380mm
Weight: 895kg
Boot space: 370litres
Turning circle: 9.4m



Lastly, to cap it off, here’s the Major parts I changed:

2000:


- Kenwood RDS Cassette player + CD-Changer (RM1300 - June 2000)
- K&N Air filter (RM460 - Speedworks) (July 2000)
- 4 new tyres (Michelin) 175/70R13 (RM600 - ripped off) (March 2000)
- Timing belt, fan belt, spark plug, front brake pad. (RM -NA-) => July 2000
- tinting (SunGard and RIKEN (Front windscreen) - RM560 (August 2000)
- MONROE Sensatracs (Front and back) - RM510 + workmanship) - Sept 2000)
- Fuel Pump (Used Lancer) - RM340, Sept 2000
- Rockford Amp, RCA Cable (RM300) - Sept 2000
- Taiwan Amp 600W, Mohawk Front speakers + tweeters, RCA Cable (RM800) - Aug 2000

- 2 oil change (service)
- Changed bumper, knock right mudgard (hit by motorcycle)
- New Battery (NS70)

2001:
- HOTBITS Lower suspension Tie bar (RM200)
- PU Anti-roll bar Bushings by CARMANIA (RM120) - April 2001
- Rear wheel bearing
- Power window relay (RM120)
- Bendix Metalking brake pad
- 2x oil change
- Enforcer Security system. (After my car was broken into & money, roadtax stolen)
- Changed the Throttle body (RM800)
- Changed Engine Mounting (1 set, SET TULEN)

2002:

- 14" Rims (used KOSEI Laufer RM380) and tyres (RM660)
- New Battery NS70 Maintenence free
- 1x oil change – Changed spark plugs
- Lowered the car with OMP Springs.
- Changed front bumper – soft brushed at the side with another car, bumper dropped.

2003:
- Fixed the Roof (Rust blisters) - Anti-rust, respray)
- Front tyres (14" Goodyear Ducaro GA)
- Monroe Sensatrac (Rear) + Camber
- 2x oil change
- Removed the OMP Springs (Not comfortable, too hard)

2004:
- Monroe Sensatrac (Front)
- Radiator Fan Motor and switch
- 2x oil change (Changed spark plugs)
- Changed the throttle body (RM850)
- Changed Timing belt (184,600km)

2005:
- Goodyear Ducaro GA tyres 14" 2x)
- Bendix Metalking Brake pad
- Timing belt
- New Battery (NS70)
- Rear wheel bearing
- Radiator fan switch, top & lower pipe
- 2x oil change
- Camber

2006:
- Monroe Sensatrac (front) (197,000km)
- NEW Maintenance free battery (NS70)
- 2x oil change, changed spark plugs
- New Front Bumper (Hit kerb)
- Changed the Throttle body (RM900)
- Monroe Sensatrac (rear)

2007:
- New tyres (Dunlop 185/60R14) 2x + Camber
- 2x oil change
- Changed Trestor fr Brake pads, brake hose, changed whole rear brake shoes.


2008:
- New absorbers (Kayaba – Front Oil, rear Gas), driveshafts, Bushings
- Removed Kenwood RDS Headunit + CD Changer, 2 amp, RCA Cable, install Sony Cassette Headunit
- Rear foglights stolen (Cannot find replacement in Accessories shop) AND Looking for Original Air filter set to replace the K&N. The car will be even SMOOTHER and QUIETER with original air filter (Cannot find replacements in Chop shops).


THAT”S ALL FOLKS. Thanks for having the patience to read it.

How to test drive a car properly

Did you noticed that I rarely made a FULL REVIEW by myself? (I created only 2 Original car review and both happened to be FORD). Why is it so?
A: Because I don't have a car to test drive properly. It takes at least 3 days to test a car properly. Three days to gauge the fuel consumption, 1/2 day to take the pictures, 8 hours to test the ride and handling (to highway AND twisty roads), 2 hours to test the acceleration (averaged 3-5 runs). Two hours to and fro to test the top speed... AND the lists goes on.

To backup my statement, here's an article from "The times newspaper online, UK" by Jason Dawe on 21 May 2008 (Yesterday). Article sourced from: http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/features/article3976971.ece

ENJOY:

How to test drive a car properly

By Jason Dawe


"Visit most furniture stores today and within minutes you’ll find yourself actively encouraged to kick off your shoes, choose a sofa, chair or bed and while away the next half hour "getting used to it".

Short of offering you a newspaper or complimentary drinks and nibbles, it seems that some retailers are now keen to ensure you properly assess their products before shelling out a sizeable chunk of cash for something you will use on a daily basis. My brother swears that the last time he went to look at beds the assistant told him to try each potential purchase for a minimum of 15 minutes. It had been a long day and by the third mattress he was fast asleep, snoring like a Labrador and muttering about ‘just 5 more minutes’ when the manager tried to shake him awake, watched by a bemused crowd of Sunday morning shoppers.


So why is it when we look at cars we frequently end up spending just minutes behind the wheel before deciding if it’s the car for us. For something that is probably the biggest purchase after a house most of us will ever make, we approach the car selection business in a very haphazard manner.


How can you possibly get a proper feel for a new car when you find yourself driving around the local industrial estate with an over anxious salesman sat beside you bellowing into his mobile and indicating the next turn back to the garage? How do you know how it performs on a long run, or if the seats are still comfortable after 3 or 4 hours behind the wheel? Will the aircon lead to arguments, and do the passengers find the ride quality nausea inducing?

Granted, a lot of manufacturer’s now offer 24 and 48 hour test drives, but is this enough? How can we get a real feel for our next car before buying it?

Rental offers a very simple solution, with a lot of the main fleets offering a huge choice of vehicles. The chances are that if you have your eye on a car, your local rental agency will be able to get it for you. And hire doesn’t have to be expensive – ignore the published tariffs and do some bargaining – you might be surprised at the deals with which you could end up. For the sake of spending just a couple of hundred pounds for a week’s rental, you could save yourself thousands if you find the car isn’t for you.


For example: Dave has a large family and is regularly upgrading his car. He found his first couple of MPVs were not quite what he wanted after only a few weeks. He’d test driven both of them, but on both occasions he had no inkling as to what would annoy him about the vehicles.

The first vehicle was found to have an uncomfortable driving position and seat, which only came to light after a long day behind the wheel. The second suffered from a poor power band in the lower gears that made driving difficult in towns. Now doubtless, these are personal choices, and both MPVs are owned and loved by thousands, but Dave and his family just couldn’t get to grips with them. He decided to upgrade, and narrowed his choice down to two. He then rented them for 5 days, both when he knew he would be experiencing as many different driving conditions as possible. Hot weather, traffic jams, rural motoring, motorway, windy roads, picnics, shopping. He threw everything he could at them and one overwhelmingly stood out as the winner.


Avis confirm that rental experiences influence new car buying decisions. On handing back the rental car 44% of UK renters said they were slightly or much more likely to add the model to their next new car shopping list. Peugeot used rental in 2007 to find out more about what drivers thought of their new 207, supplying Avis with 300 cars across the UK, with drivers being encouraged to fill in a questionnaire about their experience.

“As a manufacturer, the most important reaction for us is the one we get from the public,” Peugeot commented. “With an average of 105 potential drivers experiencing each of the Avis Peugeots over a six month period, thousands of drivers got behind the wheel of the 207 for the first time.”


“For years supplying cars to the rental industry has had a negative connotation and while it was always thought there were benefits to car makers of getting their product in front of new drivers, no one could prove it,” explained Paul Hainsworth, Avis Fleet Director. “…We understand manufacturers have to control rental volumes more carefully, but this proves they could lose out on future sales, many to drivers who have never experienced their brand, if they do not keep up a presence in the rental arena,”


“I’m convinced that through renting I’ve actually saved money in the long term”, Dave told me. “Test drives can be ok but I needed to drive the car in ‘real life’, with the family, on holiday, shopping, wherever, to see if it was the one for us. A week should give you a real feel for whatever you’ve chosen, and give you the chance to find out all its quirks. I lost money on my other two cars so I don’t begrudge the cost of the rental, and in fact I did get a very good deal.”


As manufacturers take stock of their exposure to rental volumes, the Avis findings reinforce that it is still a very powerful marketing tool for car makers."

END OF ARTICLE:

My (Jefflim's) comments: Thanks to this article, I found a source of inspiration in testing used cars and write a review FULLY by myself. By renting them and used for at least 3 days. BUT and a BIG BUT, in Malaysia, there's little choices, affordable fleets are either ANY Proton, Any INOKOM (read Hyundai), TOyota Vios, Toyota Avanza, or ANY Perodua. Other choices you got to pay $$$.

Well, I decided I won't change my writing style at the moment.
I will continue to write a couple of paragraph by myself, then slot in a (or TWO) "WELL WRITTEN" review in English. Next, I'll include the Specification of the review car. Subsequently, I'll write some comments on its resale value in Malaysia based on my research. Lastly, to top it off, OWNER's REVIEW and OPINIONS. As usual, I will acknowledged all the respective writer's work to avoid being sued for Plagiarism.

Any feedbacks by readers' of this blog are welcome. I'm ready to accept criticisms and make necessary changes (eg. writing styles) to my blog. Lastly, Thanks for visiting and reading my blog!

Choose your vehicles No. plate carefully...

Yes, number plate matter in lots of circumstances. Choose your Number plate wisely and sensibly. Why? Due to resale value purposes. I got 7 case studies here to back up my statements.

Case 1: My sister's looking at a Pristine condition Fiat Punto 1996 (Back in 2003). After testing drive and scrutinizing the car, she loved it. BUT MY DAD refused to buy the car? Why? The problem lies in the Number Plate. Wxx 411. Means Die everyday. Apparently, the previous owner's an Indian which didn't "pantang" (superstitious) this number.

Case 2: My dad used to own a Honda Legend, the No. plate's "3904" (Born long sure die). Due to the pristine condition, 1 owner, full spec and low low mileage, he forgave the no plate and bought the car (back in 1997).

Case 3: A Malay girl became a laughing stock after taking delivery of her new car.
Wxx 4967. Does anyone knows what this No. plate means? It means Die (or Small) Playing Sex)

Case 4: This is the most recent, 3 days ago in fact, My dad's looking at this PERFECT Condition, about 30,000km, 1 owner, Like New Silver 2005/06 Honda Accord 2.4IVTEC. Priced very competitive at RM109,000. Market value RM116,000. What stopped him from buying this car was the "New no plate" WR? 1334. It means "Forever live die". Asked whether can interchange no plate, the salesman said RM1,800. Again, like the "411" incident earlier, he walked away.

Case 5: A Datuk's selling of his Mercedes at about RM15,000 above market value. Why? It's because he sold off his car with the auspicious no plate. Wx 88.

Case 6: My Uncle always escaped Police Roadblocks. The Police officers even salute him. Why? Due to his Black Mercedes with VIP No Plate Pxx 9.

Case 7: My Cousin just took delivery of his new car. His mum picked this number for his new car. I'm not sure whether he becomes a laughing stock or not, haven't check with him. But the No. plate's sure cool and funny at the same time (in my opinion). Pxx 1369. It means Forever "69".

Based on the 7 cases, it is evident that choosing the right number plate's important. Choose wisely. Don't be stingy and pay RM50. I tell you, 9/10 you will end up getting a "bad" number as all the good number already taken up. Just pay AT LEAST RM210 to pick a nice no from current running no (Eg. 1001 to 1999), OR RM350 to jump from the running no if you don't want to tender the number. No regrets...

Launch Report: Perodua Nautica...

Before I write anything, I'd like to say that I checked out the Perodua Nautica yesterday, the 1st day launching. I learned that it was a CBU from Japan with a Shocking Price tag. Anyway, before I proceed further, feast your eyes on these Perodua Nautica Photos.




Only the steering wheel was taken from Perodua MyVI, the rest of the dashboard's from Japan.


The front were a slightly rounded compared to Toyota Rush.



The rear seats can be split-folded 60:40.


Decent Rear legroom. Though I found the legroom a bit inadequate (I'm only 5 feet 9).


The beautiful yet compact engine bay. MOST Parts have Japanese Characters. Even the battery was "PANASONIC" brand. Unheard of.

The Nautica was powered by the same engine as Toyota Rush 1.5L 3SZ-VE DVVT (VVTI). 4 speed Automatic only. Unlike the Rush which were Long wheelbase 2WD and 7 seater, the Nautica were original wheelbase (100mm shorter) and FULL TIME 4WD. The saleslady proudly said that the Nautica's CBU from Japan. Only the steering (taken from MyVi) and bumpers were Peroduas. Only 2 colours were available, Met Black and Met Grey.

BUT and a BIG BUT, the price's a JOKE. RM89,000 for Automatic Nautica. Add additional RM3,000, you can get its elder brother, Toyota Rush . Also, a New Vios 1.5S's RM2,000 cheaper. So as the New City 1.5 VTEC, RM4,000 cheaper. No wonder Perodua Boss targeted a modest 200 units sales monthly. A far cry, compared to MyVi's 6,000 units monthly sales.

FULL REVIEW: Rover 623GSI by…

By my ALL TIME Favourite Malaysian Car Magazine, “Highway Malaysia”. I was a BIG FAN of Highway Malaysia. Sadly, the magazine became a victim of 1998 recession, its last issue was published in October 1998. More on Highway Malaysia in later posts. This article was published in June 1995 issue (I was then a 15 years old) of Highway Malaysia. It’s unclear who wrote this article but from the editorial page, it’s either “Uncle Chips Yap” (Managing Editor) or Mr. Leeps P.S.Lee (Editor).

The reason I brought up this article was because it’s very well written. I loved this Rover 623GSI and it’s very rare. I wished to personally test it and write an original article but I can’t as the car’s VERY RARE in Malaysia. So I did the next best thing, share one of the best review SPECIFICALLY for Rover 623GSI to all of you. I truly enjoyed the article.

Before I present the article I’m here to say that the I’m interested to purchase this CLASSY car but market value of this car’s unknown as it’s so RARE. Few weeks ago, an owner advertised a 1995 unit for RM23,800 but I was too late, on the 2nd day, I called and… it was sold  . As usual, in my blog, I’ve dished up some owner’s review at the end of this article.

Here’s the article, enjoy!:

“COVER FEATURE: ROVER 623GSI. Not the Rover your father know…”


"The Rover 623GSI, the subject of this issue’s cover feature, is one of the latest model in Rover’s lineup. It’s an excellent example of best of both worlds – the reliable, user-friendly and motorsports-proven engineering of Honda and the snooty, prim-and-proper snobbery that reflects the pedigree of British craftsmanship and quality. The effects is such that although the car has some Japanese genes, it has been masterly crafted to feel very British. Don’t look for the “Accord in Rover” as the 623GSi is based on European Accord, built in the UK which has different styling.

TOP CLASS:

The 623GSI is one of the two 600 series imported by EOI (Edaran Oto Indah), Rover’s distributor in Malaysia (shutdown in 1998), the other being the 2.0L 620SLI.

Well designed cockpit area as seen through the sunroof.


As the flagship of its series, it comes with nothing less than Connelly leather for upholstery and panellings and genuine burr walnut trims (if a walnut panel is badly defaced or damaged, you have to change the entire set and not just the affected panel at a very handsome price, of course).


The much desired grains of the polished walnut wood are nicely matched to add the touch of British class inside the car. It’s polished dark brown shade complements the light gray leather upholstery.

The other power luxuries are for opening the windows (centrally located on the centre console), electronically adjustable door mirrors and opening, closing or tilting open the sunroof. Other niceties on the leather bound 4-spoke steering wheel include cruise control switches well within thumb’s reach with activation switch on the dashboard.

WESTERN WAYS:

Being British also means the turn indicators and headlight stalk is on the left and the wiper is on the right. We had to make a conscious effort to remember this setup as all our testers drive Japanese or Malaysian cars, but we expect that an owner would get used to it.

In the area of safety, there are 2 front airbags in the 623GSI.The instrument panel could be better organized. It has lots of information to offer, it looks rather cluttered with too many things in one place. The host of information could be offered without the over-crowded impression with a better layout.

An appreciated feature would be instrument panels incorporates a gear position indicators between the metres, with colour codes to separate driving gears (green) and others (red) such as Reverse and Park) something which we think all automatics should have for safety reasons.

DISTINCT LOOKS:

There is another area where the Rover stands out distinctly on its own and this is exterior design. The basic outline is so masterly redesigned that the British character comes out clearly. This impression is very much enhanced by the strong influence of the oblong chrome grille with vertical fins and the distinct Viking shop logo. It’s hard to imagine a Japanese car having such a frontal appearance.

The good looks are boosted by the nicely rounded body with its smoothly flowing lines. In case you are looking for styling cues from the current Honda Accord in the 623GSI, don’t bother, the rover was based on European Accord (built in the UK) which has a different styling.

The Rover meets all safety requirements including current European safety standards and the offset barrier impact performance proposed in the EU. Most of the Body panels are galvanized to protect against corrosion.

The colour coordinated bumpers are the energy-absorbing type, side impact bars are standard on all types and there’s an automatic fuel supply cut off device that is activated by impacts to prevent a risk of fire.

ENGINE:



The engine is Honda supplied and fine tuned to Rover needs. It has a light aluminium DOHC 16valve cylinder head which allows better heat dissipation. Controlling fuel feed is an advanced electronic engine management system that provides responsive performance through its precise fuel metering and by injecting fuel only at the intake stroke of each cylinder. It’s obviously a Honda Module as the giveaway is the “PGM-FI (Programmed fuel injection) embossed on the intake plenum chamber which can be seen in Honda engines.


From the specifications, it appears to be a Honda 2.2 engine with a bigger bore 87mm to 85mm. The stroke is the same long travel 95mm. This has resulted in an increase in engine displacement from 2156cc to 2259cc. With a higher compression ratio of 9.8:1, the power delivery is high with 116kw (158hp) available at 5800rpm. Likewise, the torque is a generous 206Nm at peak revs of 4500rpm.

For the Malaysian market, only the 4 speed automatic variant is brought in. Going by the gear ratios, this appears to be a similar transmission unit to that in the Malaysian assembled Honda Accord 2.2EXI.

SMOOTH DRIVING:

The smoothness in engine power was immediately felt and appreciated as we departed from EOI’s showroom in Bandar Sunway. The low-end torque was initially not as strong as we had expected it to be until we realized we were in default automatic shift mode which gives optimum shifting, rather than deferred shifting for more zip.

In default mode, the gearchanges are designed to tap the torque curve rather than to change down to a lower gear to optimize the power build-up. As the torque is more mid-range than low-end, the excitement of the engine becomes better as revs pick up. When switched to sports mode, there was an immediate feel of power which impressed more than the relaxed feel in default mode.

The mid-range torque was found to be strong, allowing quick build-up of speed as the power took over and spurred the car strongly to 200km/h and on to the top speed of 214km/h.


The tall gearing was unmistakable in the pretty relaxed engine speed cruising along 80km/h to 110km/h, between 2200rpm and 3000rpm. At slightly under 3500rpm, the 623GSI was already tearing along at 130km/h, so fuel savings are to be expected in long-distance runs. However, the engine speed at which the other gears changed up was lower (about 5500rpm). Rover claims a 0-96 (60mph) time of 9.5 secs and our time achieved on a new car was 9.99 seconds for 0-100km/h.

Unlike some of the cars we had tested earlier, the 2.3 litre engine showed itself ever-ready to unwind on demand, making it a real delight to drive the car.
Similarly, response to kickdowns was equally breathtaking. We clocked a very quick 5.17 secs from 50 to 80km/h on kickdowns. This is pretty close to sportscar performance and felt the 623GSI has a lot more punch than its sedan lines would lead one to expect.

The fuel consumption was better than class-average as we covered 210kms on ½ a thankful in a variety of driving conditions. As we said, the high gearing does bring down the revs down significantly enough to save on fuel consumption.

FIRM RIDE:

There was a distinct firmness in the Rover’s ride that added to the stable feel. It was appreciated at speeds above 160km/h as the 623GSI hugged the road. The sense of speed was also played down by the low wind noise at high speed. Two of our testers could not help but keep commenting how the Rover felt like a Honda.

Ride comfort was good, something we have come to expect from a 4-wheel independent double wishbone suspension system that are now a common feature under Hondas. However, the firmness of the Rover achieved probably with harder spring ratings, did come across rather unpleasantly over some bumpy terrain. But with a higher performance capability, the firmer springs are perhaps useful, even complementary, if there is some sacrifice in ride comfort.

RIDE AND HANDLING:
The 623GSI also tracked well through corners with neutral tracking up to a fairly high limit before the tyres protested with squeals of understeer. The cornering speed could be pretty high and some drivers may be tempted into overdoing it through the car’s neutral feel. Body leans were also well controlled although the sensation inside the car suggested otherwise. This was probably due to the higher speeds in the passage through corners. That was how easily one could be encouraged to push the car.

The 4-wheel disc brakes (ventilated in front) were assuring with the assistance of ABS. There was a more immediate feel of the brake action than that found in Hondas which we found to have a softer feel.

The turning circle is a fairly big 11.2 metres so it was impossible to stay on the road in making U-turns on 2-laners. But this is not a demerit peculiar to the Rover as many other cars of its class and dimensions equally affected.

SPACIOUS ALL ROUND:



As expected, there’s a fairly roomy interior albeit with certain limitations. Tall people may find the rear a little cramped although most Asians of moderate build will find the elbow (and knee) room adequate to their comfort. Similarly, the headroom is not too bad if you are up to 182cm/6 feet. The seats are well padded, offering good support in right places. The rear seats are well padded, offering good support in right places. The rear backrests are split 60:40 and can be folded to enhance the luggage space in the boot, which is big enough to fit quite a lot of items.

For driver’s convenience, the power window has one-touch operation but only for the downward movement (for safety reasons). The factory-installed security system works in tandem with the central locking and immobilizes the engine in the event of break-in. However, if a door locking system is activated by remote control, then the car should be unlocked in the same way. If the driver accidentally open the doors with the key, the security system will automatically immobilize the engine.

To activate the system and start the engine, one has to use the special number code that comes with each car security system. This will indicate the number of times the door has to be opened and locked with the key in certain sequence. Just hope that the code isn’t too high as you may lose count opening and locking the door.

CONCLUSION:
Our experience with the 623GSI, as a representative of today’s Rovers, was certainly a pleasant one. Unlike British cars of the 1960s and 1970s, today’s Rovers are light years more durable, reliable, efficient and undoubtedly on par with the best Japan can offer in each class. The plus point is the British character which is hard to imitate and which makes a Rover a special type of car to own."


SPECIFICATIONS: Rover 623GSI (A)

ENGINE:

Front engined, FWD 4 cylinder in line 2259cc DOHC 16valve, Electronic multipoint Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI)

Bore/stroke: 87/95mm
Compression ratio: 9.8:1
Light alloy cylinder head and cylinder block

POWER:
Max power: 116kw @ 5800rpm (158bhp@5800rpm)
Max torque: 206Nm@4500rpm
Weight/power ratio: 11.8kgs/kw
Kw/litre: 51.3kw
Catalytic converter: YES

DRIVETRAIN:

Gearbox: 4 speed automatic with dual driving modes
Ratios:
1st: 2.710
2nd: 1.370
3rd: 1.030
4th: 0.730
Rev: 2.050
Final ratio: 4.290

BODY AND CHASSIS

Side impact bars: YES
Front suspension:
Independent, double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers

Rear suspension:
Independent, double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers

Steering sys: Rack and pinion, power assisted

Wheels and tyres: 6Jx15 alloy, 195/60R15

Front brakes: Vented discs ABS
Rear brakes: Discs ABS

DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT:
Overall Length: 4650mm
Overall Width: 1950mm
Overall Height: 1380mm
Wheelbase: 2720mm
Front/rear track: 1480/1480mm
Kerb weight: 1380kgs
FUEL Tank Capacity: 65L
Turning circle: 11.2 m

PERFORMANCE:
Top speed: 214km/h
Acceleration:
0-100km/h (0-62mph): 9.99 secs
50-80km/h (overtaking): 5.2 secs
RPM @ 100km/h in OD: 2700rpm

FUEL CONSUMPTION:
TESTED MIXED: 9.2kms/litre (26mpg)

NB: Performance tests weree carried out at 728kms on a testcar supplied by Edaran Oto Indah Sdn.Bnd. Actual performance might vary depending on mileage clocked, engine tuning, atmospheric conditions etc. Bridgestone Potenza RE88 tyres were fitted on the testcar.

PRICES:
Retail price: RM187,000 (excluding insurance)
Insurance: RM5,088.20 (w/o NCB deduction)
Annual roadtax: RM602.20

Price includes: Air conditioner, central locking, 4 power windows, elec. Adj door mirrors, anti-theft system, Audio system with CD-Changer, Elec. Sunroof, ABS, 2 airbags, leather seats, cruise control.

NOTE: TODAY’S PRICE as estimated by Jeff Lim as at MAY 5 2008. 1994: RM16,000, 1995: RM19,000, 1996: RM27,000, 1997: RM33,000. Note the big price gap between 1995 and 1996, it's due to the car inability or slim chances of getting loan due to the age. Hence most are cash buyers. It's EXTREMELY HARD to find in the market. Last seen advertised was 2 weeks ago, a 1995 unit, owner asking RM23,800. It's a GREAT BARGAIN as it was priced at a whooping RM187,000 when new.

END OF SPECIFICATIONS. Without further ado, let’s proceed to OWNER’S REVIEW:

OWNER REVIEWS: Visit:

http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/rover_-_austin/600/



END OF A LONG REVIEW. Thank you for having the patience to read it.

PS. I hope this is not a plagiarism work. Because I already acknowledged the editor’s work and stated out the source clearly (Highway Malaysia, June 1995). Therefore, I’m confident I won’t be sued for plagiarism.