Thursday, December 31, 2009

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS

The new Mitsubishi Lancer GTS

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS left-front view

The changes affect the Lancer GTS, the racy top-of-the-line model, which gets a bigger engine -- 2.4 liters and 168 horsepower, versus 2.0 liters and 152 hp for DE and ES models and the 2008 GTS. Outside, the boy-racer theme returns with a body kit and a big trunk spoiler. Does the new engine make the Lancer GTS a true sportser?

Pros

  • Strong engine
  • Racy styling (if that's your thing)
  • Decent fuel economy

Cons

  • Bargain-bin interior bits

Description

  • GTS gets bigger engine than other Lancer models, similar to the old-shape Lancer Ralliart
  • Slots in above DE and ES, below turbocharged Ralliart and Evolution models
  • Price range: $18,640 - $23,190
  • Price as tested: $20,390
  • EPA fuel economy estimates: 21 MPG city/28 MPG highway (manual), 21/27 (CVT automatic)

Mitsubishi introduced the current version of the Lancer as a 2008 model, and one of my few complaints about it was that if you opted for a manual transmission, it took a lot of shifting to keep the 2.0 liter engine on the boil. The GTS' new 2.4 liter engine, which boasts an extra 16 horsepower and 21 lb-ft of torque, solves that problem nicely. And fuel economy is still very respectable -- despite the engine constantly chomping at the bit and begging me to go faster, I managed MPG figures in the mid 20s in town and almost 30 on the road.

In the curves, the new Lancer GTS is scrappy and energetic. It's a lot more fun than theToyota Corolla XRS, but it just doesn't grip the road as well as proper sport-compact sedans like the Honda Civic Si and the Volkswagen GLI. That said, at $18,640 it's $3-$5k cheaper. Spend the difference on a set of aftermarket springs, shocks and tires, and I bet the Lancer GTS could give the Honda and the Vee Dub a run for their money.

But you still won't have a nicer car. Inside, the Lancer feels like you found it in the discount rack. Compared to the Civic, Corolla, and Jetta, its dash and interior trim are dated and a little cheap.

Still, there aren't many cars that deliver so much fun for such a reasonable price. The base-model Volkswagen Jetta would be my pick, though it's thirstier than the Lancer. The Toyota Corolla XRS matches the Lancer for get-up-and-go, but it's nowhere near as enjoyable to drive. And the Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V is just as much fun but a couple grand more expensive.

The verdict: I like it. In terms of grins-per-dollar, the Lancer GTS is a tremendous value. Taken as a whole, it's not the best car in its class, but its heart is in the right place. If more cars were designed with the Lancer GTS' spirit, the world would be a much more enjoyable place to drive.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Proton Satria Neo CPS

Satria Neo CPS

Proton Satria Neo CPS

The Campro CPS engine is finally in the Proton Satria Neo, something that many have been eagerly waiting for. The CPS is essentially a Campro engine with a few updates and a variable valve lift system called CPS as well as a variable intake manifold (VIM) system. These additions help push up power to 125 PS at 6,500rpm and 150Nm of torque at 4,500rpm, figures which are up from the standard Campro’s 110hp and 148Nm.

The car’s front and rear track has also been updated. While the Proton Satria Neo had a front and rear track of 1,470mm for both, the Satria Neo CPS H-Line has a narrower front track at 1,467mm and a wider rear track 1,483mm.

We didn’t managed to get hold of a Proton engineer to ask this question but we did manage to ask a member of Proton’s Race Rally Research (R3) team who said the change was made because Proton found the standard Neo suffered from slight oversteer, so this change was made to induce a slight understeer to improve handling. Anyway either way as a result of the large wheel arches, the wheels looks kind of lost inside them at certain angles.

Satria Neo CPS

As for aesthetics, as you can see there’s a new bodykit and more prominent flared wheel arches that are inspired from the old Satria GTI’s design. The alloy wheels are of the same 16 inch size as the M-Line but feature a different design that looks like a carbon copy of Advanti Racing’s MEDUSA designbut without the two-tone design – perhaps it’s licensed or “inspired”. On the interior, the dashboard is now of a darker shade with red lighting on the various air conditioning controls and auto gear position indicators, has a different door trim design, some new trim around the gear shifter area, and leather seats in a black and red combination similiar to the GEN2 CPS.

The following are the prices for the new Proton Satria Neo CPS, available in only two colours which are unique to the CPS – solid white and tranquility black.

Proton Satria Neo CPS M/T (white) – RM 57,313.00
Proton Satria Neo CPS M/T (black) – RM 57,763.00
Proton Satria Neo CPS A/T (white) – RM 60,313.00
Proton Satria Neo CPS A/T (black) – RM 60,763.00

Strut Bars For Your Viva


One of the most common upgrades on a modified car is mounting Strut Bars. A Strut Bar (also known as strut tower bar or strut brace) is designed to tie the two opposing strut towers together as a single solid unit. The purpose of a strut tower bar is to reduce flex that these towers experience during hard cornering. When taking a turn a car's strut towers normally flex, resulting in bodyflex and losing some traction.

As Strut Tower Bars are designed to keep your strut towers from flexing, they distribute the pressure applied to one strut tower when taking a turn to both towers instead of just one.


Perodua Viva Performance Spring By Pro - Ride

Below are the image of Perodua Viva using Pro - Ride Performance Springs!







You should consider the best parts for your viva..
Cool eh?

Monday, December 28, 2009

daihatsu storia X4 Versus Perodua Kelisa



The Storia X4 was developed by Daihatsu as a base model for domestic use in motorsport events. Accordingly, luxury items such as air-conditioning, electric windows etc were removed to keep the weight of the car to minimal levels (although power steering was a cost option). Production began on April 10th 1998, and ceased on 31st January 2004. In this time, only 829 cars were produced. Daihatsu did not produce the cars through normal production for sale, and all cars were special order only, and were only available in white.

The base car started with a derivative of the 660cc JB-DET engine, and is a 4-cylinder Twin-Cam DOHC DVVT Fuel-Injected Intercooled Turbo-Charged engine. These engines were shipped to DRS (Daihatsu Racing Services - Think of them as TRD), where the cylinder capacity was enlarged to 713cc, and forged internals added. The 713cc engine size was specifically engineered to enable the car to race in the 1.0 litre class, whereby turbo-charged cars engine size are given a mandatory multiple of x1.4 (to ensure a level playing field against n/a cars). Given the cylinder size of 713cc, a x1.4 multiple means that the cars effective engine size is 998.2cc, thereby being as close to the 1.0 litre limit as possible.

The 713cc engine runs an IHI RHF4B VF36 Ball Bearing Turbo with a Titanium Shaft and Turbine Wheel. Intercooler water spray is also fitted to help lower intake temperature. Rumour is that the engines were slightly de-tuned for sale by Daihatsu, and left the showroom running 18psi (1.24bar), producing 120ps. However, an adjustable actuator was fitted as standard, allowing the boost to be increased to around 24psi with no additional modifications required. A performance upgrade was also available directly from Daihatsu when ordering, which apparently produced 200ps!

The car has a 5-speed close ratio gearbox, clutch-type front & rear differential and permanent four-wheel drive. The overall weight of the car is approximately 820kgs, so the car has an effective power-to-weight ratio of 146ps per tonne.

Unsurprisingly, when the car was introduced in the Kei-Jidousha class (Japanese Mini Cars), it decimated the competition thanks to it's light weight, power and handling. The car also enjoyed success in the all Japan Rally Championship and the all Japan Dirt Trial Championship.

Consider to put this storia engine under your Kelisa's hood?

Myvi - TRD bodykit for Passo

Attention to all Perodua Myvi owners, there’s a TRD bodykit out there for the Toyota equivalent which is the Toyota Passo. Can’t wait to see Myvis on the road with this kit slapped on.

There are also alot of other bodykits available for the Passo.

Check Out also these type bodykit!
Passo Modellista

Passo Kenstyle
Passo Gialla
Passo Wald

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Myvi - The "Lil Hot - Hatch"



Got a Perodua Myvi? You got fire-hot looks. Even hotter if you have lips, skirtings and nice sports rims slapped on. Now you got to give the car a motor worthy of it’s fire-hot looks!

The premium model Perodua Myvi comes with a 1.3 DVVT DOHC engine designated the K3-VE. This same engine is used in most 1.3 Daihatsus like the Daihatsu YRV, and of course the Toyota Avanza and the Perodua Kembara DVVT
To make the Daihatsu YRV go even faster, Daihatsu added a turbocharger with an intercooler to it’s already powerful K3-VE engine. This makes the engine have one of the highest output and torque for an engine of it’s class. The turbocharger kicks in from low-boost RPMs to provide excellent driveability. The DVVT mechanism continuously adjusts the valve timing according to engine speed.




This makes the K3-VET a formidable performance engine. You can enjoy thrilling power at high-end RPMs and hard weight-pulling torque at low RPM
A K3-VET in a Perodua Myvi will be FAST! The Myvi is only 953kg, and the K3-VET puts out 140ps. That’s some crazy power-to-weight ratio. The downside is YRV half-cuts only come in 4-speed automatic. Manual fanboys will have to find some other alternative.

Engine Specifications

Displacement in cc 1298
Engine Model K3-VET
Max.power (Net), kw(PS)/rpm 140 ps (102.97 kw) / 6400 rpm
Max.torque(Net), N*m(kg*m)/rpm 18.0 kg*m (176.52 N*m) / 3200 rpm
Engine type In-line 4 cylinder DOHC 16-valve Intercooled Turbo
Cooling System Water-cooled
Valve Mechanism Horizontal Ranging DVVT
Fuel System Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI)
Turbocharger Turbocharger with Intercooler
Fuel Type Unleaded Regular Gasoline
Compression Ratio 8.5:1
Bore, mm 72
Stroke, mm 79.7
K3-VET
1,298-cc, water-cooled, 4-cylinder, 4-cycle, 16-valve, DOHC, DVVT, turbocharged petrol engine
Adding a turbocharger with intercooler to Daihatsu's powerful 1,300-cc K3-VE engine helped to achieve the highest output and torque of any engine in this displacement class. The turbocharger kicks in from low rpms. The DVVT (Dynamic Variable Valve Timing) system continuously adjusts the valve timing according to driving conditions. These technologies team up to give the K3-VET engine thrilling power at high rpms and hard-working torque at low and mid rpms. The result is a satisfying drive and an easy-to-handle engine at all speeds.
95 kW/6400 rpm
170 Nm/2800 rpm (YRV Turbo)

K3-VE
1,298-cc, water-cooled, 4-cylinder, 4-cycle, 16-valve, DOHC, DVVT petrol engine
This new-generation 1,300-cc engine is the fruit of Daihatsu's efforts to develop ultra-lightweight engines that offer ultra-low fuel consumption and ultra-low emissions. The DVVT (Dynamic Variable Valve Timing) system, which continuously adjusts the valve timing according to driving conditions, helps the K3-VE achieve outstanding intake efficiency and exhaust performance. The result is an engine that combines high output and torque with exceptionally low fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
75 kW/7000 rpm
120 Nm/4400 rpm (Sirion)

EJ-VE
989-cc, water-cooled, 3-cylinder, 4-cycle, 12-valve, DOHC, DVVT petrol engine
Daihatsu fit the DVVT system to a 1,000-cc 3-cylinder engine distinguished by high torque, low fuel consumption and low emissions. The result is the EJ-VE οΎ‘ a spirited engine offering even higher torque in the most commonly used rpm range plus lower fuel consumption and cleaner exhaust gas.
43 kW/6000 rpm
91.0 Nm/4000 rpm (Cuore)

Eventful year as Proton, Perodua unveil their first MPVs

The key events for 2009 for the automotive sector revolved around the stimulus measures announced with the scrapping policy due to end this year and the unexpected increase in hire purchase rates for nonnational cars.

The research firm speculated that there will be a lack of new hot selling models for launch next year other than Proton?s new Waja (a rebadged Lancer Fortis). Tan Chong would be looking at launching its CKD version of the Teana, a D-segment sedan sometime in the first half of 2010, along with the release of the Myvi replacement by first half of 2011 as its five year lifespan expires.

At the end of 2011/early 2012, Tan Chong might also explore the possibility of bringing in a CKD model to introduce its new line-up in the A and B segments. Similarly over the same horizon, Proton will also be looking at launching a new global sedan, designed by an Italian design house which is credited with many motoring beauties.

It welcomed the new measures proposed in the NAP to transform the local automotive industry into a regional hub over the longer term with giveaways such as corporate tax holidays and tax exemption on exported goods to lure global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

While the incentives will benefit the industry overall, it foresaw Proton as the clear winner given that the ample capacity at its Shah Alam plant can potentially be taken up by global OEMs. For this, the immediate beneficiaries would be the Tier-1 autopart suppliers across the industry supply chain should global OEMs establish their export hubs here for the Asean region.

Noting that Thailand is an automotive hub for American and Japanese car makers, the research firm saw the potential of Malaysia trying to attract the European car makers, noting the recent relaxation on equity conditions for manufacturers in the luxury passenger car segment.

This fortified its view that a partnership between Proton and Volkswagen is bound to materialise any time soon.

Despite the late initiatives in luring global OEMs to set up manufacturing hubs in Malaysia, it opined that opportunities still abounded in attracting other global OEMs to set up a hybrid manufacturing hub here. There was also possibilities of OEMs manufacturing hybrid/electric vehicle related parts or components to leverage on their existing CKD assembly lines.

Proton?s recent collaboration with Detroit Electric could also see the former diversifying its line-up by offering electric-charged vehicles locally based on the Gen2 and Persona platforms once the right infrastructure is in place, it said.

The research firm reiterated that 2010 was an exciting year as it expected to see more developments in the industry. While this may not have any immediate impact in boosting TIV, it continued to maintain its TIV growth projection of 3.7 per cent growth for 2010 (of 518,360 units from 500,000 projected in 2009). It highlighted that the key risks were the lack of new models to lift TIV and higher financing cost due to potential OPR hike in 2010.

Nevertheless, the research firm was optimistic on the longer term prospects of the industry going forward. Its top pick for the sector was Proton for being a prime beneficiary of the NAP in addition of its upcoming announcement of a strategic partnership.

OSK Research also recommended exposure to autoparts suppliers which stand to gain with the entry of global OEMs.

The ban on imports of used parts from June 2011 will see New Hoong Fatt reaping higher revenues given the attractive pricing of its replacement equipment manufacturer (REMs) products for cost-concious consumers as an alternative choice to pricier OEM autoparts.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Daihatsu Mira Versus Perodua Myvi



Daihatsu Japan has updated their Daihatsu Mira with a new model and guess what… the new facelift seems to sport headlamps that look like they belong to the Myvi family! A similiar design has been spotted on the new Perodua Kancil Replacement Model that has been seen doing testing rounds lately.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Perodua Myvi

Perodua Joined The Goverment Scrappge Scheme

Perodua is delighted to announce that it has joined the Government Scrappage Scheme. The £2,000 allowance, which is jointly funded by Perodua and the Government, provides eligible customers with an opportunity to upgrade their current vehicle to a new Perodua from as little as £4,499.

To qualify for the Government Scrappage Scheme, customers must trade in a car or commercial vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes which was registered in the UK on or before 31st August 1999. The customer must have owned the vehicle for at least 12 months and have a UK address. The trade-in vehicle must be taxed and insured at the point of order, have a valid MOT certificate, have no outstanding finance and must not be an insurance write off. The new vehicle must be registered in the same name and address as the vehicle being scrapped.

The introduction of the Government Scrappage Scheme provides Perodua customers with even better value. Eligible customers can purchase a Perodua Kenari GX (manual) for only £4,499. The Perodua Kenari mini-MPV has power steering, central locking, electric front windows and metallic paintwork all as standard.

For a little extra money, customers can choose the stylish Perodua Myvi super-mini which has an impressive high standard specification from only £5,599. With air conditioning, power steering, four electric windows, electric mirrors, central locking, fully integrated radio/CD player, dual airbags and ABS/EBD all as standard, the Perodua Myvi has all the important features you would expect from a new car. Inside, the Perodua Myvi is extremely spacious and can comfortably seat five adults. Externally, the Perodua Myvi has body coloured bumpers, door handles and mirrors with integral indicators and is available in a choice of free metallic paint and high gloss finishes.

To take advantage of the £2,000 discount, customers should visit a participating Perodua dealer with their vehicle and the required documents which include identification, the MOT certificate and the vehicle's V5C. The Perodua dealer will then check that the vehicle is eligible, arrange all necessary paperwork and destruction of the old vehicle via an Authorised Treatment Facility.

For those customers who are not eligible for the Government Scrappage Scheme, Perodua are still offering a fabulous£1,000 cash back on the Perodua Myvi and Perodua Kenari models.

Friday, December 11, 2009

New Model 2010 From Toyota

India is a place where you can sell cheap and cheerful mini cars with completely insane volumes, and everyone wants to cash in. The current market leader is Suzuki but more companies have announced that they have a compact car for India in the works.

Tune in to the New Delhi auto show coverage come 5th January 2010 to find out what Toyota has in store for India. The Japanese company revealed today that they will be unveiling a new compact car ?concept? designed for the Indian market in January next year, alongside 13 other concept and production cars including the facelifted Prado, facelifted Fortuner, Innova, i-REAL, Fine-S, etc.

This is not new news to us. We previously heard back in October this year that Toyota and Daihatsu are working on a new small car that can be sold for less than US$11,000 (RM37,268) in emerging economies like India and Brazil. That is certainly possible, considering in our very own market the Toyota/Daihatsu-linked Perodua Viva BX is sold for RM25,300, a good amount lower than the threshold price set by Toyota/Daihatsu.

I won?t be surprised if the concept car will have loads of Daihatsu genes in it, after all it is Daihatsu which are the small car specialists in the Toyota group, and tight Japanese roads have given them loads of practise on how to really optimise space and NVT in a tiny car.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Perodua Viva Info

Perodua Viva actually has 3 varniants of engine but for better satifaction, I want to explain about the 1000cc engine. This Viva using the 1.0L 3 cylinders engine assisting with the DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder with DVVT (Dynamic Variable Valve Timing). This engine can produce the maximum power of 45 kW @ 6000 RPM and maximum torque of 90 N.m @ 3600 RPM. The premium version offer the 5-speed manual transmission and the 4-speed automatic transmission while the standard version only offer the 4-speed automatic transmission. Perodua Viva has 36 litres fuel tank capacity while this fuel moved to the engine by the Electronic Fuel Injector.

The data about the top speed and the acceleration is difficult to find because this is a campact family car, so the road test is not so important. But a source had estimated the performance on the road for this car. The top speed estimated for this Perodua Viva is around 160 kph (99 mph) while this car had said to accelerate from static to 100 kph in 12.8 seconds.

For the car like this, the comfort of the passenger has higher priority than the ride handling. So, the McPherson strut suspension has been used for the front suspension while for the rear suspension, the torsion beam with coil spring has been used. For safety, the dual SRS airbag has been installed but it is only available in premium variants. Also, the addition system in premium version is the installation of the ABS and EBD system.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Way To SaveFuel Costs Intelligently

Here's My thought about saving fuel tips

If you have been looking for ways to optimize your fuel spending then you are not alone. Infact, whether you are reading this as a family man, individual or a fleet manager or a fuel card company, chances are that you are always looking for ways to save fuel costs and add to operational excellence. And if you are one of the fuel cards suppliers then you can testify to all these facts.

Now, you may be wondering as to how can fuel costs contribute to operational excellence. Well, they are interlinked. You save the fuel costs and optimize the cost of operating your vehicle or fleet and the result will be additions to the bottomline from unexpected quarters.

How can we save fuel costs by altering our habits?

Here are the 5 things that may help you optimize the fuel spending and control fuel pilferage and loss:

1. Running the vehicle at optimum speed - Each vehicle is designed to run at optimum speed. If your make of car or truck is designed to run at maximum fuel efficiency at 70 mpH, then try to run it at 70 mpH rather than going over at 90 mpH or so. This can translate into a fuel cost conservation of up to 10%.

2. Running with right tyre pressure - All vehicle manufacturers vouch and specify the right tyre pressure that must be present in the tyres for efficienct fuel consumption. Rad the manuals and you will realize that having right pressure in the tyres and maintaining the optimum pressure without fail can increase fuel conservation by up to 20%.

3. Rolling the Windows - If you drive with open windows then you are causing stress on the vehicle and it will require more fuel to beat the force of wind that tends to bog the vehicle down. Roll up the windows and you will ensure that your vehicle zips and drives merrily.

4. Limiting Aircon Use - It may be difficult to control the aircon usage; however an effort to make use of the vents rather than the aircon over small distances will translate into fuel savings.

5. Switch Off the engine - At intersections where you expect the stoppage time to be in excess of a minute, it will be wise to turn off the idling engine. This will decrease the fuel consumption at intersections and contribute to overall fuel conservation.

If you follow these 5 strategies for a month, you can expect to save 10-20% of your overall fuel bill. In essence, all that you need to do is to become a smart vehicle owner or fleet manager. Let the folks know that such small alteration in their daily habits can translate into better fuel efficiency and an optimized fuel spending that is a win win situation for all.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

The Myvi - Viva Comparisons



Maybe some of you who are thinking of buying the Perodua Myvi are now considering buying the top of the range Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium instead. So better do a little comparison here.


Power

Interestingly, it seems that the same 1.0 liter DVVT EJ-VE engine in the Perodua Viva makes more torque than the Perodua Myvi’s 1.0 liter DVVT EJ-VE engine. The Viva claims to make 90Nm of torque at 3,600rpm, while the Myvi 1.0 liter only makes 88Nm at 3,600rpm – that’s a minor difference of only 2Nm though.

Since the Perodua Viva 1.0 liter would clearly beat the Myvi 1.0 in terms of power to weight ratio, so let’s compare the Myvi 1.3 to the Viva 1.0 Premium instead. The Myvi 1.3 weighs 955kg and puts out 86 horsepower. That’s a power to weight ratio of 0.09 horsepower per kg. As for the Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium, it weighs 800kg and puts out 60 horsepower – that gives it a power to weight ratio of 0.075 horsepower per kg.

So we can conclude that in a drag race, the Viva won’t be able to smoke it’s larger sibling in stock form. That doesn’t mean the Viva is terribly slow – in a previous supermini shootout done together with folks at NST Life & Times, I found that the Myvi effortlessly smoked other superminis with larger 1.5 liter engines.

Another thing to point out is the Perodua Myvi 1.3 liter uses a 4-cylinder engine, and 4-cylinder engines are alot smoother than 3-cylinder engines like the one found in the Perodua Viva. 3-cylinders have more vibration, which might end up being felt by you in the steering wheel and other points in the chassis.

Fuel Economy

According to Perodua’s own charts, the Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium can travel 17.5km per liter of petrol on a combined cycle which I suspect involves alot of light footed driving and highway cruising. This is for the manual transmission. The Myvi 1.3 manual is rated at 17.1km per liter of petrol. Very similar fuel consumption, however the people on the streets who actually own the Myvi 1.3 manual reports actual mileage of about 13 to 14 km per liter if driven frugally.

As for the auto transmission, Perodua says the Myvi 1.3 Auto can get 13.5 km per liter, however the average man on the street usually gets about 10 to 11 km per liter. Comparing it to the Viva 1.0 liter automatic, Perodua says it can get 15.1km per liter, so expect about 12km per liter in reality.

Thus we can assume the Viva automatic should be a little more frugal than the Perodua Myvi automatic, but for the manual transmission models actual fuel economy should prove to be about the same.

Space

The Perodua Viva is actually longer in the interior than the Perodua Myvi at 1845mm compared to the Perodua Myvis 1835mm, but a great margin narrower. Having a long interior is important, it ensures the rear passenger legroom is at comfortable levels, just like the Perodua Myvi’s. However, being narrower the downside is you can’t really fit 3 people in the rear bench comfortably, making the Perodua Viva more of a 4-seater than a 5-seater. The Viva’s boot is only 149 liters with the rear bench upright compared to the Myvi’s 255 liters, significantly smaller, however you can extend this size by dropping the rear passenger bench to create a 449 liter space.

Ride and Handling

Nothing much can be said about the Perodua Myvi’s handling abilities other than the fact that it’ll probably get you to work and back safely. From what I’ve heard from some journalists who’ve driven the car, I think I shouldn’t expect much of the Viva’s either. Which is a shame as the Kelisa was a somewhat fun drive. Many will miss the Kelisa’s zippy DNA which is reportedly missing in the new Viva. If you want a driver’s small car, go get the Proton Savvy.

Equipment levels

One thing I am concerned about is the lack of an integrated CD player head unit in the Perodua Viva, which means Viva owners will have to be careful about where they park their cars lest their mirrors get smashed and their head units stolen. However, this means the CD player can be easily swapped.

The equipment level of the Perodua Viva 1.0 liter standard is disappointing to be honest, not even proper alloy wheels are supplied, instead you are given steel wheels. This means a difference of roughly RM4k on average gets you airbags, ABS, proper alloy wheels, wing mirrors with signal lamps, roof spoiler, and etc. I’m really not sure if it’s worth it or not – I’ll leave it up to you.

The Perodua Myvi on the other hand has just about everything you need in the baseline 1.3 liter model. It also feels more premium because of an interior design that looks abit more higher grade, as well as Optitron-style meters which are self illuminating, unlike the backlit meter clusters of the Perodua Viva.

Safety

Both the Viva Premium and Myvi Premium have dual airbags, antilock brakes – the usual stuff. The Perodua Myvi’s Japanese cousin the 2005 Daihatsu Sirion scored a 4 star score in the Euro NCAP crash test for adult protection, while crash test results of the previous gen Daihatsu Mira that the Perodua Viva is based managed a 3 star rating.

Price

Perodua Viva 1000cc MT Solid: RM36,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc MT Metallic: RM37,200
Perodua Viva 1000cc AT Solid: RM39,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc AT Metallic: RM40,200
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium MT Solid: RM40,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium MT Metallic: RM41,200
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium AT Solid: RM43,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium AT Metallic: RM44,200


Perodua Myvi 1300cc MT Solid: RM43,007.60
Perodua Myvi 1300cc MT Metallic: RM43,530.80
Perodua Myvi 1300cc AT Solid: RM45,912.60
Perodua Myvi 1300cc AT Metallic: RM46,435.80
Perodua Myvi 1300cc Premium MT Solid: RM45,912.60
Perodua Myvi 1300cc Premium MT Metallic: RM46,435.80
Perodua Myvi 1300cc Premium AT Solid: RM48,792.60
Perodua Myvi 1300cc Premium AT Metallic: RM49,315.80

The differences between the non-Premium and Premium versions of the Perodua Viva is roughly about RM4,000, while in the Myvi it is only about RM2,900 or so.

So yeah, Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium Auto Metallic at RM44,200 or the Perodua Myvi 1300cc Premium AT Metallic at RM49,315.80? That’s a difference of about RM5,000 there for a bigger engine, slightly more performance, a minor decrease in fuel consumption frugalness, a wider interior space, and a bigger boot.

The boot space doesn’t matter to me – both boots are too small for serious usage unless you put the rear bench seats down.

Is that extra RM5,000 to go from A-segment to B-segment worth it, or would you rather save the money?

Sunday, December 6, 2009

How to Handle an Auto Accident

 

Auto Accidents are unexpected and stressful. Even the most careful drivers may be involved.

 

WHAT TO DO AFTER A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT:

1. Try and remain calm.
2. Check for injuries. Vehicles and property can be replaced; lives can not.
3. If the accident is minor and there aren’t any serious injuries, move to a safe place, out of the main stream of traffic - to avoid involving more vehicles.
4. Turn on hazard lights and/or use other safety equipment (like flares, etc.) if they are needed and available.

 

1. Write a list of damages to all of the vehicles or property.
2. Get the names, addresses and license numbers of persons involved in the accident; and write down a description of the vehicles.
3. Always call the police, even if it is a minor accident. Get a copy of the police report, or get the police report number, so you can get a copy.
4. If possible, get the names and addresses of any witnesses; this can help if there is a disagreement as to how the accident happened.
5. Notify your insurance agent about the accident immediately.

 

1. DO NOT sign any document unless it is for the police or your own insurance company.
2. Make immediate notes about any other details regarding the accident: people involved, who was driving or a passenger, damages, etc.
3. Be polite, NEVER admit fault, but don't accuse the other driver either. Discuss the accident only with the police or your insurance representative, and limit your information to facts. Be truthful. Obtain the insurance carrier information from the other vehicles involved in the accident.
4. Take pictures. It’s wise to keep an inexpensive disposable flash camera in your car. Or, use a camera phone if you have one.
5. If possible, remain at the scene until the police and other driver(s) have left.
6. Finally, remember that the accident investigation should be left to the police and the insurance companies.

Fuel Efficiency

See full size image

The Fuel Efficiency Info That Might Be Useful To You

Compact City Cars

Hyundai i10 - 5.0litre/100km
Proton Savvy - 5.7litre/100km
Kia Picanto - 5.8litre/100km

Compact Premium Cars

Mini Cooper - 5.8litre/100km
Honda Jazz - 6.4litre/100km
Alfa Mito - 6.5litre/100km

Small Family Cars

Toyota Vios ‘J’ - 6.1litre/100km
Proton Persona - 6.75litre/100km
Honda City - 6.8litre/100km

Luxury Family Cars

Nissan Slyphy - 7.8litre/100km
Hyundai Elantra - 7.9litre/100km
Peugeot 407 - 8.1litre/100km

Premium Family Cars

Mercedes Benz B180 - 7.2litre/100km
Volvo S40 - 7.9litre/100km
Toyota Camry - 8.8litre/100km

Executive Cars

BMW 320i - 6.1litre/100km
Audi A4 - 7.4litre/100km
Mercedes C-Class 200K - 8.0litre/100km

Premium Executive Cars

Citroen C5 - 8.9litre/100km
BMW 525i - 9.4litre/100km)
Mercedes E-Class E200K - 9.6litre/100km

Super Saloons

Audi A8 - 9.9litre/100km
Mercedes Benz S-Class S350 - 10.0litre/100km
Lexus LS460 - 11.1litre/100km

Super Sport Cars

Lotus Exige - 9.1litre/100km
Porsche 911 PDK - 10.3litre/100km
Nissan 370Z - 10.5litre/100km

Super Sport Convertibles

SLK 200K - 8.1litre/100km

Volkswagen TFSi - 8.2litre/100km
Porsche Boxster - 9.4litre/100km

Performance Cars

Peugeot 308 GT - 6.8litre/100km
Mini Cooper S JCW - 6.9litre/100km
VW Scirocco TFSi - 7.6litre/100km

Pickup Trucks

Isuzu D-Max Hi-DEF Diesel - 7.6litre/100km
Ssangyong Actyon Sports Diesel - 8.0litre/100km
Nissan Navara Diesel - 8.2litre/100km

Compact MPV’s

Renault Kangoo 1.5 - 5.5litre/100km
Honda Stream 1.8 - 6.7litre/100km
Nissan Grand Livina - 7.6litre/100km

Luxury MPV’s

Mazda5 - 8.2litre/100km
Hyundai Starex Diesel - 9.6litre/100km
Ssangyong Stavic Diesel - 9.7litre/100km

Compact SUV’s

Ssangyong Actyon Sports Diesel - 8.0litre/100km
Honda CRV 8- 8.2 litre/100km
Audi Q5 TFSi - 8.4litre/100km

Luxury SUV’s

Volvo XC90 D5 Diesel - 8.5 litre/100km
BMW X5 3.0 Diesel - 8.7litre/100km
Audi Q7 3.0 Diesel - 9.9litre/100km

Hybrids
Toyota Prius Hybrid - 3.9litre/100km
Honda Civic Hybrid - 4.6litre/100km

Looks like the perodua car is not in the list.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Fuel Comsumption

General Fuel Comsumption For Compact Cars

660cc
1) Kancil 660 100% city 20km/l
2) Kancil 660 (M) 1999 city 16km/l
3) Kancil 660 (M) 1996 90% highway 18km/L

850cc
1) Kancil 850 (M) 90% highway 17km/l
2) Kancil 850 1997 (A) 100% city + jam 15km/l
3) Kancil 850 1998 MT) 50% city 50% Hway 12km/l
4) Kancil 850 2006 (M) 100% city 15km/l
5) Kelisa 850 2005 (M) 50% city 50% h/way 20.km/l

1000cc
1) Daihatsu Charade CX 1985 City 100% 14km/l Highway 120km/h
avg, 22 km/l
(waynechin)
2) Kelisa (M) 2003, 70% City, 16.2-17.9km/l (jasonwsl)
3) Kelisa (A) 2002, 80% City: 14-15km/l, 20% City: 17-18km/l
4) Kelisa (A) 2005, mixed driving 15.7 km/L
4) Kenari (A) 2004, 100% city (puchong to PBD via OKR), 13-
15km/l
5) Perodua Myvi (M) 2005, 50% City, 15.6km/l
6) Kenari (M) 2002 80% city/urban 13-14 km/L
7) Kenari (A) 2003, mixed driving 13 km/L
Cool Kelisa (A) 2003, city driving 14km/L
9) Kelisa (A) 2001 100% city 12.8Km/L; 100% highway 17Km/L

1100cc
1) Tiara 1997 100% city 14km/l
2) Tiara 2000, 100% KV, 18.2km/l
3) Proton Savvy 2005, 50%city 50%highway, 16km/l
4) kia Picanto 05 mixed 50:50 12.2km/l

1200cc
1) Fiat Punto Speedgear CVT, 2001, 1242cc, Urban=13-15km/l,
Hway=19-
21km/l (Driver + 1 passenger + no load)
2) Proton Savvy, M, 2005, 100%city, 18km/l
3) Proton Savvy AMT 2006, 40%city 60% highway, 17km/l

1300cc
1) Hyundai Getz 1.3(A) 2003, 100% city, the best is 10.50km/l
(very
sedate driving, RPM never above 3000rpm, mostly 2000rpm when
cruising),
90% highway, 10% city, 14km/l
2) Nissan Sunny 130Y, short drive-11km/L ,city drive-12.3KM/l,
Hway
14.03KM/L (ShiftXtrem)
3) Proton Saga LMST A/B M @ 100% city - 13km/l.
4) Proton Satria (M) 1997, CT = 12km/l, HW = 14km/l (zx4948)
5) Proton Iswara A/B M 2002, 10% city, 90% HWay, avg 20km/l (w
perf
plugs+cyclone + BP)
6) Proton Iswara A/B 2000, varies from 14.9km/l-17.8km/l
7) Perodua Kembara, A, 2002, 100%city, 11km/l
Cool Perodua Kembara, M, 2004, 100%city, 14km/l
9) Proton Wira A/B, M, 2000, 30%city 70% HWay, 17km/l
10) Proton Wira A/B, M, 2001, avg from 80kkm: 13.5km/l, 100%
highway,
17km/l
11) Proton Wira A/B 1998 (Avg FC since bought) 13.9 km/l
12) Proton Iswara A/B 2001, short distance drive 11.5km/l
13) Toyota Avanza (A) 2006, city driving 10.75km/L
14) Toyota Avanza (M) 2005, 50/50 City/HWay 11.5km/L
15) Proton Iswara A/B, M, 2000, 60%CT 40%HW 9.8km/l
16) Perodua Kembara, M, 2005, 100%city, 13.5km/l
17) Proton Saga LMST (M) 2005, 100%city 11km/l, 80%highway 20%
city 15km/l
18) Toyota Corolla (M)GLi 1997, 50/50 City/HWay 16km/L
19) Proton Wira A/B, M, 2003, 50% city, 50% h/hway, 13.5km/l
20) Perodua Myvi (A) 2006, 80% hway 20% city - mainly 80kmh
LDP&Federal,
15.0km/L

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Perodua Alza : Car and yet MPV!

IT sells some 7,000 units every month, is relatively cheap and has ample room for five passengers. It has a preppy engine and looks smart. It?s not expensive to maintain and retains its resale value. It?s not surprising therefore that the Perodua Myvi is the best-selling car in the country.

But what the Myvi lacks is decent rear boot space ? which is particularly felt during the balik kampung ride during the festive season, or as the kids in the family grow bigger and bigger.

The Perodua Alza can take up to seven passengers without too much of a squeeze.

Would making a bigger Myvi be a step in the right direction?

Absolutely, say the people at Perodua, who feel they have a found winning formula in the Alza, a multi-purpose vehicle launched on Monday.

Looking much like a stretched, raised and pumped up Myvi, the new MPV has three rows of seats and can seat seven ? its key attraction.

Alza, which is Spanish for ?rise?, is also synonymous with ?amplify, enhance and heighten?. The vehicle is slightly higher than the Myvi and has been stretched by 455mm, Its wheelbase is also longer by 310mm; in fact, it is close to the Toyota Camry ? a good indication of its interior space.

Perodua managing director Datuk Syed Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar says the Alza, with its flexible seating configuration, can be turned into a car with a big boot when you don?t need the extra back seats for seven passengers.

?It?s like Superman. It becomes that when you need it,? Syed Hafiz said at a media preview of the MPV in Putrajaya earlier this month.

The introduction of the Alza is part of the second national carmaker?s dynamic move to offer vehicles that meet current motoring trends.

With the average size of most Malaysian families shrinking to four from six, Syed Hafiz says the majority of its potential customers don?t actually need a huge MPV.

?It just has to be a vehicle with the right amount of interior space. A size that is too large will also make the MPV clumsy and difficult to drive on narrow roads,? he says.

The Alza shares its underpinnings with the Daihatsu Boon Luminas and Toyota Passo Sette seven-seaters. Under the bonnet is a twin camshaft with dynamic variable valve timing (DVVT) 1.5-litre engine code named 3SZ-VE, similar to the type in the Toyota Avanza and Perodua Nautica.

The nifty utility box behind the steering wheel for storing
small items.

Tuned for fuel economy, the Azla?s power is rated at 104bhp at 6,000rpm or five horses short of the Avanza and Nautica?s 109bhp. However, its maximum torque of 136Nm is the same as that of theirs.

?As the Alza is not too heavy at 1.1 tonne, its power-to-weight ratio with a 1.5-litre engine is pretty good,? says Syed Hafiz.

Transmission options are the four-speed automatic and five-speed manual while trim levels are the Standard and Premium. Front and rear brake set-ups are discs and drums, respectively, on both grades.

Front suspension is the MacPherson type while the rear uses the torsion beam with stabiliser bar.

Inside, the Alza comes in grey and light grey, with a centrally located instrument cluster that features a trip computer with readouts of average fuel consumption and how far you can go before the tank empties.

The temperature gauge is missing but the fuel gauge, speedometer and tachometer are still there.

With its higher roofline, the Alza gets more headroom for an airier feel.

The gearshift for the automatic is console-mounted, while that for the manual is located on the floor between the driver and front passenger. This arrangement allows the automatic variant to come with bench-type front seats with a 60:40 split, a feature rarely found in locally available MPVs.

In essence, the front passenger can slide over to the driver?s seat without having to get out of the MPV ? useful when taking over the wheel after dropping someone off.

In our opinion, the third row seats are more suitable for children although adults can squeeze in there.

Sleek, streamlined and downright trendy!

The second row seats are fitted on rails and can slide forward by 150mm to provide more legroom for third row passengers.

What?s more, the three rows of seats can be folded for a flat configuration.

Cup and bottle holders are scattered around the MPV, on the door pockets and armrests.

Although not equipped with air-conditioner vents for the second and third row seats, Perodua claims that the Alza has a more powerful cooling coil and blower fan than the Myvi.

?We have conducted tests and can say that third-row passengers will have enough cool air, even on hot days,? says Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd operation director Ahmad Suhaimi Mohd Anuar.

In addition, the Alza gets all-round ultraviolet protected glass that cuts down UV rays by 91%.

At the media preview, we get to try out both automatic and manual variants at Putrajaya. With four persons on board, performance on an uphill slope is still adequate but one has to remember that this is an MPV, and the engine needs to be revved a bit more.

Once speed has built up, however, little effort is needed to keep the vehicle on the move. The five-speed manual gives us a gutsier performance since the better spaced gear ratios allow for better use of the engine powerband.

The clutch pedal is not heavy and we reckon it won?t tire out our left foot when inching through a traffic jam.

According to Perodua, the Alza with automatic transmission promises a low fuel consumption of 12.7km per litre of petrol or roughly 14 sen per km on RON95 fuel. The manual variant is even more frugal ? 15.5km per litre of fuel.

Available features across the Standard and Premium grades are headlights with projector elements, grille with chrome garnishing, LED tail lights and 185/55/R15 tyres.

The Premium variant has additional features like dual front air bags, anti-lock braking system with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist, fog lights, tail spoiler, audio system with Bluetooth/USB support and leather steering wheel with audio controls.

The trunk comes with a luggage lamp, an item that is sorely lacking in Myvis.

Available colours are solid Ivory White and metallic Medallion Grey, Glittering Silver, Ebony Black and Pearl White. The Premium variant gets the additional metallic Classy Purple.

Prices on the road start at RM56,000 for the Standard manual to RM64,000 for the Premium automatic.

The Advanced variant ? delivery of which starts in March ? will cost RM6,000 over the Premium version and will feature additional goodies such as body kits, leather seats, tinted windows, a satellite navigation system and reverse camera.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Perodua Alza Sportier Version

 

The highest specification level of the Perodua Alza is actually a model called the Perodua Alza Advanced Version, which is basically based on the Alza 1.5 Automatic Premium and Manual Premium but with a few additional specifications. You can book this now but delivery will only start in March 2010.
You basically get a new bodykit which consists of front, rear and side skirts and a different rear spoiler. On the inside, you get leather seat covers for all the seats, but the leather treatment does not continue onto the door trim. Also provided is a 5 inch touchscreen LCD which has a Windows CE-based GPS navigation system with a SiRF Atlas IV chipset and 500MHz CPU. The LCD also displays a feed from a 150 degree lense reverse camera.
Finally, there is tinted film for all the glass in the Alza which Perodua claims is GPS and SmartTAG friendly. Perodua states the specifications as following: 95% IR rejection, 99% UV rejection, 70% light for the front windscreen and about over 50% light for the rest of the glass. This tint has a 5 year warranty against peeling, oxidisation, cracking, discoloration and fading. I assume that as an OEM option this tint is also JPJ-approved.
The Alza Advanced Version manual goes for RM66,490 for solid and RM66,990 for metallic, while the Alza Advanced Version automatic goes for RM69,490 for solid and RM69,990 for metallic. The S. Metallic option is missing because the Alza Advanced Version only comes in three colours – Ivory White, Ebony Black and Classy Purple, while the only special metallic colour is Pearl White.
I reckon you could probably get a good Garmin nuvi for under RM1,000 and add on a very good set of tint for about RM2,000 to RM3,000 or so maximum. If you don’t want the leather seat covers and bodykit you’re better off adding your own tint and GPS. Not sure about the cost of the reverse camera though.

Proton Waja

 

Here’s some fact about Proton WAJA

The Proton Waja is a saloon car designed in-house by Malaysian automotive company, Proton, first released in August 2000. The Waja is the first Malaysian-designed car, with a chassis derived from a Mitsubishi Carisma and a Volvo S40. The name Waja, which means "tough (as steel)", reflects the strength of the steel used for the Waja compared with the previous models. The name was chosen partly to counter the perception in the domestic market that Proton cars were less strong.[citation needed] In the United Kingdom, the Waja is sold asProton Impian, "Impian" being another derivative of the Malay language, meaning "dream".

The Proton Waja is the first model designed in-house by Proton. The development of the Waja began at the end of the 1990s together with the Campro engine, however the development of the Campro engine was still in progress at the time of its launch and therefore Proton had to source the 4G18 engine for the Waja from Mitsubishi,[citation needed] before switching to Campro engines in 2006. It was launched in August 2000 together with the introduction of Proton's new corporate logo. Early batches of the Waja had some serious quality problems due to some component vendors and suppliers skipping quality checks to rush for the huge early demand.[citation needed] However, the quality of the components were strictly improved years later in 2005.[citation needed]
The Waja was facelifted twice since its debut in August 2000. The first minor facelift was in mid-2006 which only involved rear lights. The 2007 Proton Waja with a more substantial facelift was launched on January 19, 2007 together with the facelifted Proton Savvy. For the 2007 Waja, it was given a new grille which was nearly identical to the Savvy. The 2007 Waja also includes both ABS and air bag as standard for the Malaysian market, which were previously optional equipment. At the end of 2005, Proton additionally introduced another variant of the Waja, known as Proton Waja Chancellor, to be used by representatives of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the meeting of ASEAN leaders in the KLCC, shortly before its launch in 2006. The Waja Chancellor has a longer wheelbase and a 2.0 L V6 engine similar to that used in Proton Perdana V6, also sourced from Mitsubishi. By 2008, an updated Waja was launched with an improved Campro engine and a new center console with a new 2-DIN Clarion audio set.
Waja sales in the UK, where it is rebadged as the Impian, did not begin until April 2001, and it has continued virtually unchanged ever since. The Impian is only available with right hand drive while left hand drive models are available elsewhere in Europe as the Waja. Sales have not been strong,[citation needed] as it was behind the best of the competition at its launch and virtually all of its competitors have been replaced since. Its decent ride and handling, generous equipment levels, competitive asking price and comprehensive aftersales package are perhaps the only things that keep it going with British buyers.[citation needed]
On December 5, 2008, Proton announced.that the next-generation Waja to be based on the Mitsubishi Lancer platform. The Lancer-based Waja is found to be on test.

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