Me & My Gen2

Balanced & Aligned

2010-03-27T12:09:00.000+08:00

As the title suggested, finally found time to send GenToo to the pros for a proper balancing and alignment of its tyres. Been complaining of the steering vibrations from time to time, and every time I bring GenToo back to COE surely the 'supposing' people from Silverstone who's in charge of the whole balancing and alignment will be missing or the equipment won't be functioning. Well, it seems that lady luck's not there for GenToo to do balancing and alignment back at Proton

So, after looking far and wide, finally found a suitable place for GenToo to get his paws and boots balanced and aligned. It was a tough thing to do as balancing and alignment isn't as simple as it seems. There's on wheel off wheel balancing, and also positive and negative chamber. Though the rule of thumb is still always to get the wheels spinning in a proper manner and the proper direction to even out wear and also provide the best comfort and handling.

The place was introduced by a fellow Gen2 CPS owner, pedanglaut at Bandar Baru Bangi. He's very familiar with that area and have been a regular at this particular tyre shop and bets his money that this is the best place to do balancing and alignment. So we woke up early, and went to the meeting point at a Petronas station early in the morning. This was adviced because we're not the only people going there given its a Saturday.

We met up and begin following him to this shop since I have no idea where it is. It was actually kinda easy to go to since I've been there now. So, after about 5 minutes drive, we reached the place and the name of the shop was Ah Man Tyre Auto Service Sdn. Bhd. There we saw lots of Government Perdana Executives and even some of the police Wajas there, waiting for their tyres to be done. So, we parked and went into the shop to meet the boss. After a lil chat, he says it'll take about 2 hours to get my car done since there's lots of cars there that day.

Pedanglaut then suggests that its best when my turn comes, he informs us so we can have a look at how things are done. We then went of in pedanglaut's car. His was a modified Gen2 CPS manual, so he showed what his car is about for a while then went to a shop nearby for drinks. The shop had a signature drink made from ice cream soda with ice cream and lime jelly. Sadly, was too busy enjoying the drink and chatting, that we forgot to take pics and the name of the drink.

After getting to know each other a lil better and since GenToo was still in queue, we stopped by a Proton showroom to check out the newly launched Persona Face Lift. It still looks like a Gen2 especially the CPS now with the new front bumper. Like the LED side mirrors though but loves the design of the one on GenToo now. Maybe we can DIY a hybrid of the two someday. While there, the tyre shop called.

We rushed back to see what the proper way to do balancing and alignment is. There, they prefer the on wheel balancing method as it is said to be more accurate and lasts longer. Usually a car doing balancing will have its wheels taken off, brought to a machine which will spin it and then weights added to places so the wheel is balanced (spins flatly). As for alignment, the car will be lifted with sensors attached to the wheels and measured using a machine to see what angles are the wheels in and whether they are aligned.

At Ah Man, basically, both are done with the wheel still on and the car partially jacked. To align the tyre, the car is raised at either end and a machine brought to measure them. Adjustments are then made and the measurements taken again. Here, the boss told me that the alignment for rear tyres are ok while the front tyres are off and that they had corrected it but that wasn't the reason why my tyres were shaking at speeds exceeding 80km/h.

Next goes another machine that will rotate the wheel while it shines a flash of light at the tyre to do the balancing. One side of the car was lifted, and the front tyre will be spun using engine power while the rear will be spun using the machine. While spinning, the machine flashes light at the wheel like a photographer. Then a reading is taken, weights are added or removed based on the readings obtained.

- Applying weights to balance the wheel.

After all four wheels have been done, GenToo was left there waiting for the boss to take it out for a test run. While waiting, one of the less friendly and worst looking employee slammed a car jack to the left front of GenToo's wheel! He just pretends nothing happened and no word of apology came out. Seeing me furious at that, pedanglaut went over to the boss to complain. The boss then shouted at that employee and only then he mumbled the apology. Fortunately, that was the only negative experienced at that place.

- Scratched part of the front left rim.

All in all, it took a lil more than 2 hours, alignment costs RM15.00 with tax of RM0.75 while the balancing costs RM9 per tyre with tax of RM1.80. I find it quite reasonable since that's the price I got when sending my C.L.K. for balancing and alignment earlier. The boss even touched up and polished the scratched part of my rim and apologises repeatedly so no hard feelings. Hopefully the employee will soon learn to appreciate cars and love them the way we do~

So, this is a shop recommended for everyone who wants to align and balance their tyres. Just be there when it happens to prevent sh*t from happening.

Ah Man Tyre Auto Service Sdn. Bhd.
No. 153 & 155, Jalan 8/1,
43650 Bandar Baru Bangi,
Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Tel/Fax: 03-8922 2328

Happy Anniversary

2010-03-19T22:56:00.001+08:00

Today, GenToo celebrated his 1st anniversary with us. It sure didn't felt like a year, I can still recall the day when I went to bring him home. How time flies when you're having a good time! It wasn't much fanfare since we only remembered like 2 weeks ago! It's not our fault as there's no indication of the anniversary and like I mentioned, didn't even notice the time passing.

When I say no indication, it's not like God gave a sign on everyone's anniversary. But more like what everyone will do during their vehicle's anniversary, the mad rush for insurance and road tax renewal! Since no one actually keeps looking at the small sticker on the windscreen, and annually is when you expect your insurance agent to still remember you and become your best friend.

We were having none of it. No one spied on the sticker on the windscreen and no one called to ask us to renew the insurance for GenToo, thus, no one remembered. Once we realised, luckily there's still 2 weeks left to settle things. So, firstly we went searching for the right insurance company for GenToo so that his road tax can be renewed. It's not an easy task since there's like hundreds of insurance policies out there for you to choose to cover your ONE car!

After a long search, finally gave up since we have no idea of what to look for and where. Luckily we have a colleague, Mr V, who's a pro in this field and advised us. Mr V says that, basically when looking for insurance for your car, 3 major things are to be considered. 1st, how easy is it to claim, 2nd, what's the breakdown assistance coverage, and 3rd, reputation of the insurance company.

We were then 'enlighten' by Mr V in that the insurance terms and condition is all being controlled by our Bank Negara, so basically all the charges is the same, meaning the price you pay will be the same which ever insurance you decide to purchase. That's the reason why people look at the gifts you get when you buy insurance. After a day of careful consideration, finally managed to narrow it down to 2 companies, Allianz and Lonpac before deciding to call for more info.

Called Allianz first as they are the most reputable in Malaysia. Rohaida, an agent entertained my call, answering any queries we had about their policy and what are we expected to pay. After a long hour finally the call ends and we can call Lonpac. At Lonpac, Helmi from their Customer Service answered. He also answered every query we had and explained how the charges will be like. So, after hearing from both companies its time to choose which will be best suited for GenToo.

After a time consuming discussion, basically we decided to go with Lonpac. Reasons being, the RM300 breakdown assist per event, better and more polite customer service, and the best part, 5% discount if you walk in. These were things that Allianz were not able to offer according to Rohaida. So, since we were going to pay the same amount of money, might as well go for the one that gives us more value for that money.

Woke up early on the 10th, just to settle everything. Since I don't have to work on that day, I don't have to waste an annual leave. We decided to go to the Lonpac Head Office at Jalan Sultan Sulaiman since it's more convenient and we believe that the service would be better. Once there, we were unable to locate the parking to Bangunan Public Bank, and end up parking ironically at the Takaful Malaysia building next door.

Once we got to Lonpac, we were greeted by a sweet pregnant lady, Mazuin, who was very nice and friendly to help us get all the paper work done. She was even kind enough to check the value of GenToo with a few used car dealers and with the Claims Manager. We then passed the relevant documents to her and within 15 minutes, everything was done! That's what we call efficient! Paid the amount agreed, and we were off.

The next day, went to the post office to renew the road tax. It's so convenient that this can be done at any post office, and since now they can be located in shopping complexes, there's no reason anyone can't make time. There, as usual there will be a small queue. But all in all, it again took less than 30 minutes to get everything done! They charges a fee of RM2, which we will defintely pay to avoid the travelling of more than 50KMs just to get to go through a painful and confusing 'slow death' of waiting at JPJ!

So, on our anniversary, we got GenToo a bunch of goodies from Lonpac, a nice and relaxing car wash, and an extension of 1 year to GenToo's 'license to speed'! And in return, GenToo provides us the joy and exhilaration while driving with confidence and nice sound system without sacrificing comfort. So, a win win situation where both will surely look forward to more anniversary celebrations.

Tattoo

2010-02-06T21:44:00.002+08:00

All this while I look at Gen2 and think that it's a good looking car. All the lines and curves blend to make it look sporty. From the black headlamp bezels to the black and red leather interior to the spoiler and humming exhaust note, it's just a good looking car. But being all black here black there, the side profile seems one toned. Everything's black except for the rims. Because of that, I've always wanted to make it look like it's more aggresive sibling;
(the Gen2 R3)

Started to search high and low for the right stickers and the right shop. Looked from forums to online marketplaces. All seems so nice and might look well on the car. And the price are kinda affordable. Everything was 'researched'..from the R3 badges, to the stripe, to the windscreen sticker and MME sticker. In the end, found the place where they originals originated from!

So, off I went to;

Located at Lot.6 and 8, Jalan PJS 7/19, Bandar Sunway, 46150, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. It's the shop to be at when it comes to getting stickers of the R3 cars, because they are the official supplier to them. When I got there, I met the man himself, Remus Chang to get more opinion on what stickers to get for my car.

So, we chit chatted and browsed the picture catalog for like almost 3 hours and in the end, cannot decide what goes well. Since they supply the full set of stickers to Proton for the R3, he said that he can do that for me. But I don't want my car to be another R3 imitation, I just like the R3 side stripe coz it'll make the side less plain and make it sporty. But after being told it costs RM200, I think it's not really necessary (might as well get a K&N filter first).

In the end I just went back with so many ideas of the cheaper alternatives offered by him. While I was having a headache trying to figure out what to stick and what not, the CPS Club crew informed that there will be a standard group logo. So, being a member, decided to go back to motorsport playground to get a quote for the group sticker.

After another round of long chat, can't really decide how to incorporate the logo to the car other than the one on the windscreen as per standardised by all club members. So, Remus suggested that why not make a sample to see how it fit on the car. I wanted the red metallic colour to match the red hints on the interior, but...what happened after that;

(Cut the stickers out)

(Then transfer it to the sticking sheet)

(Clean the area)

(Use a tape as a guide)

(Then stick the sticker on)

And the results are;

A nice noticeable 'tattoo' courtesey of the club 'chairman', R.Y.D.E.C.K. Thanx to his hard work and dedication to the club that a nice identity is created. So now, Gen2 is now part of a smaller 'family' and have some relatives to hang out with. Oh, it turned to chrome after some 'consultation' from my dear dear. In the end, girls do have better taste when it comes to style.

Service: 20,000KM

2010-01-18T19:15:00.001+08:00

It's that time again..where Gen2 have travelled far and wide. So, the usual maintenance have to be done. As usual, decided with the 8.00am service appointment (it takes the people there at COE a lot of time to service a car).. As usual, left home at around 7am..but to my horror, the road was packed with cars! So it was bumper to bumper all the way until Jalan Kewajipan where there was a lil breather. Since I know that it'll take a long time to service, I went with another car..leaving Gen2 all alone there (by now he should be familiar with that place already, and he's a big boy).

When we arrived, we were 15 minutes late. As usual, it takes them around 15 minutes to notice us then came a nice lady to attend to us. Her name was Kamalliah, and she seemed to be quite friendly. So, I informed I was there for the usual 20, 000KM service and that the replacement headlamps are ready also to check on the status of the front leather seat. She noted and took the warranty slips given earlier. She then asks whether there are other problems which is when I highlighted the centre air vent was broken;

and that the inside right rear door handle was loose and caused a VIP (mother) to be very upset when she can't open the door to exit;

left:

Also, due to the previous incident, got to replace the wheel cap and the tyre valve caps. She says the replacement wheel cap needs to be bought while she'll see what she can do with the tyre caps. It's nice to see that they're willing to help a customer out without asking him pay everytime. Regarding the service, it as a service package. All needs to be done except for one (can't remamber what that special one was) because that one step was not needed. I think she's a new staff, hence all the 'by the book' procedure.

After that, handed over the keys and was told that they'll call when the car's ready (but will sms instead everytime). So, after 5 hours, yes 5 hours! The car was ready for collection. Imagine for a normal service, they need 5 hours just to get it done, that's almost 1/4 of a day gone if I were just to sit there waiting. What was done;

Material Section

SW300; Screen Wash : RM5.20
PW811941; Element Air Filter : RM21.34
PW811783; Gasket Plug - oil drain : RM2.27
PW811750; Spark Plug - BPR6EF-11 : RM34.20
PW811577; Oil Filter : RM11.00
PE700009116; Syntium 800/15W-50 SM 4L : RM97.00
PC140107; Radiator Coolant : RM 97.00
MS991159; Auto Trans Fluid (SPIII) 5L : RM139.09
CM6-CPK.PSC; Procare Smart 1.6 Campro (A) : RM126.00
BF500XT; Brake Fluid Dot 4 : RM 39.32
PW861175; Cantre Cap Big : RM13.91
PW855534; Lamp Assy, head RH : Warranty
PW855533; Lamp Assy, head LH : Warranty

Customer request:

Centre a/vent broken - ***fixed***
RR LHS Door handle loose - ***readjust striker***
Tyre valve cap missing - ***not supply***
Replace part - ***replace both h/lamp due top dusty***
To supply wheel cap - ***done***

Total Paid : RM502.25

I didn't know my head lamps got replaced because they were dirty since I complained that there were water marks on the inside of the lamps. And that the guy at the tyre department was stingy not to spare some valve caps to the service assistant. So, all in all it was an expensive and long 20,000KM service but at least they settle every issues and I'm again a very satisfied customer.

Happy New Year~

2010-01-14T22:43:00.000+08:00

Happy 2010 to everyone! In a blink of an eye and it's already 2010. Just like that, it's already 9 months that Gen2 is with the family. So far, it's still serving us well and doing what it is supposed to do without fail. Still loving it, not tempted at the other cars yet.. :P

So, how was 2010 so far? Well, nothing much. Gen2 spend the last hours of 2009 and beginning few hours of 2010 @ Subang Jaya. Partying with the other cars of my family. But at the end of the first week of 2010, tragedy struck!

All of you have heard that Proton cars were relatively 'Milo tins', cheap crapy cars..etc. So, I didn't believe that this happened to my Gen2 after leaving it out for a night just 5 meters away from my house!

As you can see, the rim cap and the air valve cap are missing. The right front wheel cap was taken first, followed by all 4 air valve caps a week later. If only our C.S.I. were as good as the once on TV, bet you can get plenty of finger prints from the crime scene! :P So, all in all, can't do anything..just need to pray and let God do what He does best.

So, that's how 2010 started for Gen2. Hopefully things will only get better from here. Oh ya, have started to do a fuel compatibility test for Gen2. So far, have used Esso/Mobil, Petronas and Shell RON 95 fuels and now on BhP. So, hopefully the results will be out soon. ^^

A Deafening Experience~

2009-11-28T00:16:00.004+08:00

Work was overly boring today due to the public holiday.. So, after work decided to do some test on the sound system fitted into the Gen2 (and also due to the fact that a colleague of mine showed off his 'upgraded' sound system on his ride). The factory fitted Blaupunkt built in CD player with radio connected to 4 Blaupunkt surround speakers (2 at the rear of the car while 1 each at the front doors, no tweeters here). The entire set-up is said to be acoustically tuned for the GEN-2 interior space offering a tailored In-Car Communication & Entertainment (ICE) system. It plays songs from the usual CD and also mp3s from CD-R and CD-RW. If that is not enough, a 6 CD changer add on is also available so is an AUX in cable.

But my car is having just the stock set up (can't afford any add ons yet), and so far it has pleased my need for music. A minor complaint here is that because the player it is connected to a small 'bee sting' antennae, the reception isn't that good especially when there are hills and/or buildings nearby. But when it is capable to receive the radio reception fully, the sounds just what I need. It has a function called Radio Data System or RDS. Basically what it does is it enables the radio stations to transmit information to the display on the player, like radio station name, song title and programme information.

It also have the usual functions but sadly it lacks front AUX input, USB connectivity, and also bluetooth handsfree. Well, atleast it plays mp3s on CD-RWs. It's not easy to 'upgrade' it either since it is built into the dashboard but as a plus point, it's also just as hard to steal. So, there's some basic intro to the factory fitted head unit from Proton. Nothing much to shout about and just enough to satisfy most people's music needs.

On to today.. At first, I just turned up the volume on normal radio. But since the reception in the area isn't so good, there's just too much static making it terrible. Settings were trebble +3, bass +5, volume 20. Fealt that that didn't do the car justice, I slide in a CD-RW containing my mp3s. Takes a while to load the contents, since there's like 100 songs in it. :P Once loaded, selected the mix (shuffle) function to browse around.

First song was Daughtry - No Surprise, then Taylor Swift - Love Story, and finally Linkin Park - New Divide. Songs were very clear. Bass wasn't enough, the dub dub feeling was there but not enough, maybe a high bass setting was required. Mirrors were 'dancing' to the beat. And there was nothing else that you can hear! I can't even hear myself sing! :D Can't hear engine rev, can't hear signal lights, can't hear stone hitting windscreen (st*p*d lorry!), can't hear any road noise, can't even hear myself honking! Just every lyric after lyric, beat after beat of pure music pleasure! It was that loud, I'm not joking! Not sure what it's like outside though, was driving so never bothered to get down from car.

Best thing is that there was no plastic bit shaking sound. Not bad fit quality for a Proton. Don't know whether I did any damage to the car, hopefully not but definitely done some damage to my ear drums. And just FYI, the volume can go up to 40! Who in their sane mind will turn up the volume to that level remains my guess. I dare not try, but anyone out there that does, do let me know how it goes..ok? :D

Headlamp's here~

2009-11-19T23:19:00.002+08:00

As previously mentioned, both my Gen2's headlamps have watermarks..strangely in the inside of the headlamp. Just pointed it out during maintenance and surprisingly, Proton offered to change the whole headlamp, both of it! I thought it would be just a simple taking off the lense and wiping it then replace it and add those bonding stuff so it remains water resistant, how silly of me~ :P

So, this afternoon..around 1.45pm, got a call from the friendly Ms Nurul of Proton CoSE to inform me that both headlights are already ready for installation. She then asked me when I will be able to go and get the replacement done. Then I remembered that 'they' still owe me a leather seat. When I questioned Ms Nurul, she said she was not aware and need to check on that.

So, since she needs to check (should take about a month or two..:D) I decided that I would go get my headlamps swapped on my next service (20, 000KM) and asked to see whether they can keep it safe for me til then. Ms Nurul said 'Ok', and so that's it. Hope they will keep the new headlights safe and 'new' until I get there probably next month. :D

Sparkling~

2009-11-08T17:31:00.001+08:00

After getting 'heartbroken' because of this and this, finally got enough "spare cash" to do something about it. No, no, no..I'm not getting Gen2 resprayed! It's still a brand new car, meaning brand new coat of paint, so why waste the cash to do something unnecessary? :P But still, something needs to be done, and the answer came when I was browsing forums as usual.

The place is known as Detailing Tech. (M) Sdn Bhd, saw the advert here. A lil description of the company:

We are a new detailing shop located in kota kemuning, shah alam.
We use Meguiar's products in all our detailing services.

We also have Karcher cushion cleaner machine for cushion cleaning and steam cleaning to kill those germs/bacteria etc.
Many car owners clean their vehicle exterior regularly but the interior is often neglected.
At best, the interior is only vacummed and the dashboard wipe.
We can clean your car interior for you at a reasonable price, removing those stains, dust, sand and smells.
We also offer individual seat cleaning, when you just want a particular seat to be clean (because your son vormit on it) or just to try us out.

Having a clean interior is important, after all, you spend most of your time INSIDE the car.

Website is updated. Please check for more detailis

www.autodetailingtech.com

Or call me at: 603 - 5124 8018 or 012-6100300 for more details.
Or visit us at Kota Kemuning for a free consultation.

So, from the description..it sounds like a very good place to send your car to for some detailing. He quoted me RM176 for:
1) Wash with Meguiar's Hyper Wash Shampoo
2) Clay with Meguiar's Clay Bar
3) Paint Cleaner with Meguiar's M83
4) Polish with Meguiar's polish M80
5) Wax with Meguiar's M21
and, some cleaning of the interior (normal wiping with Meguiar's products).

Since I was working through the night before, got there extremely early. Shop opens at 9.30am, but I was already at their doorsteps at 8.30am! :P Wanted to go for breakfast, but was simply too lazy at the moment. So waited and waited, finally a gold Honda City pulls up and there he is, the owner of the place, Mr Yong. Mr Yong quickly open up his shop and then came to 'inspect' my car. So, as usual informed him regarding the scratches and how dirty my car is:

So, Mr Yong then drove the car into the shop to start making it happen:

(1st wash and vacuum the carpets)

(Then wrinse it using high pressure water)

(Soap it...)

(...and scrub the rims)

(give it a rinse and then clay it and then rinse and clean it with Meguiar's M83, Paint Cleaner)..

So, wash it 3 times in total just to prepare it for polish (no wonder I never get my car 100% clean before.. :P).

Since I kinda dislike the fact that if I don't op for the engine cleaning as well, then I would end up with a clean car on the outside, but the inside's still very much dirty! So, next up:

(Engine cleaning with some kind of Meguiar's degreaser)

(And then some steam action!)

I never imagined a car compartment being steam cleaned! Especially in the engine bay, I never thought people can pamper cars to this extent! :P

So once everything's done and the exterior has been dried, comes the hard work!;

(Get all the tools and tape up the car's more delicate parts)

(then polish away~~)

(2 person will speed things up)

So, after a long painstaking wait of 9 hours (yes, you read correctly). The car's finally ready. Actually, Mr Yong's daughter was sick and was at the hospital when all this was going on. So, he had to make and answer calls along the process, and that too caused some of the delay but mostly the delay was due to short of staff.

Here are the results:

(swirl mark free bonnet)

(Shiny engine bay)

(spotless spoiler = better performance? :P)

(No more watermarks here as well)

(Can't remember this being silver, thought it was black all the while!)

And to make things even clearer, some before (left) and after (right) shots;

(Shiny! Less water stains >.<)

(Sadly this is still there)

(This has been drastically reduced)

(No more scratch by *d*ot black V*os driver!)

(best of all, deep scratch disappeared!)

However, due to the problems faced by Mr Yong, there are still imperfections like the dirt's still on parts of the rims, the remnants of the polish material and wax still there between gaps, the chrome finishing on the bonnet wasn't cleaned properly, the rear bumper near the number plate wasn't cleaned/polished/waxed!, and that since the engine bay was done up before the polishing, all the debris are stuck in the engine bay!

So all in all is a total 'damage' of RM224 with 1 year of membership for future discounts. Happy with some of the results, disappointed with some. So, for the price I definitely think it's worth it and I think with more help and less personal issues, the result would have been much better than this.

Battle scars

2009-09-27T13:34:00.004+08:00

Yesterday (26/09/2009) was the first road accident that Gen2 was involved in. It's not his first body "art" though, but this is the first where it involved the authorities. My dear took Gen2 for a stroll while I went to work in the morning. 30 mins later, got a sms regarding that issue.

According to her, she was turning from Jalan PJS 11/7 into Spectrum Apartment when a pak cik on a motorcycle bang into the left rear side of Gen2. There was police officers around to help out. But being 1 MALAYsians, the police asked my dear to settle with the pak cik. Being her first accident, she was more worried about the pak cik and forgot on the compensation issue. So, we're left with;

3cm paint 'scrapped' off~ >.<

Long scratches along left rear door

Scratches on door handle

Deep scratch on upper part of door

Minor scratch on rear panel

All but the first looks as if they're minor scratches which can be polished off. Luckily there's no dent or damage to Gen2's structure. Well, driving in KL is like going into the battle field everyday. Even if you're careful enough, there will still be nutshells out there who will eventually come looking~ So, drive safe everyone..and Selamat Hari Raya~ ^^

Away from the city~

2009-09-15T11:45:00.004+08:00

Port Dickson, 2009..

Been sick and tired of the hustle and bustle of city. So, when the opportunity came for a break to PD decided to take it straight away. Journey begins right after work. Left PJ at 5.15pm, again jam here jam there to Subang until finally hit the clear roads in Puchong. By then it was already 6.30pm. Thus, the official start time was 6.30pm. Took the LDP which joins to the Lebuhraya Lembah Klang Selatan which eventually ends up in Lebuhraya Utara - Selatan.

Too fast?

Throughout the journey south, maintained at 100KM/h..using the autocruise feature again which is very handy indeed as both legs are free of their usual duty (but of course attention need to be on a high as the brakes are still manually controlled).

Green light means less strain~

The 100KM/h cruise can be achieved because:

the road's clear! Not that many cars travelling since it's not a holiday season. And you get to see those who will take the opportunity to push their car to it's limits;

I did too. Will not write down the speed, but CPS is definitely engaged using high valve lift + short runner VIM and the sound it makes..ooo la la~ ^^ After the adrenalin rush along the Lebuhraya Seremban - Port Dickson, finally got to PD @ 8pm~

In the morning, the was a light drizzle but that didn't dampen the mood~

After the morning activities, hang out at this chinese shop for lunch.

manage to pose under some coconut trees.

And we're on the way back again to KL.

Clear roads is a welcoming sight:

On the way back, I didn't drive..hand the car over to my 'tame' co-driver. Since she's a car addict as well as a speed freak, gave her the chance to satisfy her hunger on the wide open roads of Lebuhraya Seremban - Port Dickson .

Since the road was very clear, did some 'racing' with more seasoned drivers with their 'bigger' cars! First up was Dad in his Hilux. No intercooler turbo there, so it wasn't difficult to pass..also Dad wasn't in the racing mood that day~

Then it was the Camry 2.2 of my Uncle EFC. That's a big steady car, but the driver was a cautious driver who rarely have the need for speed. :P

Next was the Hyundai Elantra 1.8 of my Uncle GS. Caught him by surprise I guess, since we manage to pass him easily.

But after that he fought back. All the way to the toll to Lebuhraya Utara - Selatan. And, my Gen2 CPS, was no match for both the Camry and Elantra (car's still new, need to manja a lil) since fuel's not cheap and we're no pro, but we still manage to leave the Hilux far far away eating our dust! :D

So, it was another enjoying ride in the Gen2 for long distance. Again it's a quiet and comfortable ride with great driving dynamics. It's still very composed at illegal speeds, where the driver must be confident of himself controlling the car more than worry the car can't do it~ At these speeds, the exhaust note is very addicting..VERY indeed. Words can't describe it, and sorry we didn't manage to record it for all to hear. >.< Best of all, it's also very fuel efficient! Only one quarter of the tank used to travel to and fro Port Dickson from KL. And here's the rpm @ 110KM/h;

Quite high I'll say, I wonder if there's anyway of lowering it.. .. ...

New cars~

2009-08-20T16:21:00.004+08:00

While servicing, took a walk around and found that there's a new colour for the Saga, blueberry tea (remember? the colour of the purplish Persona).

well, it may look like the normal grey Saga on-the-road now but trust me, it's purple (sorry la, low quality camera phone cannot picture what in real life is).

Also there's a new Savvy!

Notice the CPS badge? Undergoing tests in the guise of an i-Care support vehicle maybe?

And last but not least, finally manage to see it on-the-road:

Our famed police Evo X. IMHO, it looks fugly, like those you see in cartoons or ultraman movies. The normal paint job would have been better for that car, but what can I say, I don't own the cars! :P

Service: 10,000KM

2009-08-20T15:18:00.003+08:00

Woke up real early today, just so can bring Gen2 for his 10,000KM service. Appointment was at 8.00am, but was up by 6.30am. So, got ready and then clean out the car and by the time I left for the service centre, it was already 7.15am. Took the scenic route along Jalan Jurutera, which runs beside a river, before entering LDP heading to Subang.

Traffic was quite clear, until the traffic lights from LDP towards Jalan Kewajipan. Then all the way along Persiaran Tujuan - Persiaran Setia - Jalan TP 2, got 'challenged' by an old Corolla. It was fast, but Gen2 was fast-er. So, I was infront all the way, pulling away a lil as we enter bends (thanx Lotus) but on the straights, it was faster (CPS was not engaged as RPM was below 3500) but not fast enough to overtake.

Got to the service center, which is Proton's Centre of Service Excellence, the 'mother' of all Proton service centres (so I thought!). Waited for 15mins before was attended by a Service Advisor. It's just a routine 10,000KM service, so not much hassle there. But when asked whether there's anything else, hehehe;

Glove box vibrate when on a/cond (max)
Fix back fuel lid clip
FRT LH Seat (Back) - warranty
A/cond got smell
Fuel gauge not accurate
Both side headlamp water mark

then service assistant, Kurie said that since there's so many complaints, the car may have to stay overnight! -.-" I replied that if there was a replacement car, I wouldn't mind. But sadly there wasn't, so we agreed upon what can be done, be done and the rest be attended to on the next visit.

So, I waited there at the Customer waiting area. It was a nice place, with comfy seats and a glass pane looking into the service area but it's no where as good as the Perodua service center at Puchong where u get Astro, coffee or tea, and tid-bits while u wait. At Proton, all you get is a TV with lousy reception and a hot/cold water dispenser! What a disappointment!

I manage to read newspapers and also Proton's Annual Report (it's almost 300pages thick!). Found out that there will be more facelifts for the Gen2 and Waja, also for the Persona and Saga. A new Perdana and Waja is in the pipeline and that 180,000 units of the CamPro is made yearly. Nothing much is revealed in the report, nothing you can't read about on blogs and forums.

After waiting for two hours, got bored. The two internet connected PCs were occupied, so was thinking bout what to do when this nice guy approached. He is a trainee there, and was waiting for his turn to get into the workshop. We chatted for a while, found out he just got here from Terengganu, this and that. We even discussed how nice Perodua's customer service was compared to Proton! :P Then it was his turn, and I got bored again.

By that time, was a lil hungry. Remembered that there was a cafe upstairs. Made my way there for a plate of fried rice and a cup of teh tarik, all for RM2.80. The rice was so so and the tea was not 'kao' enough but enjoyed it and it helped me pass time. Since the showroom was near the cafe, decided to go have a look at the new Saga SE. Met a nice lady, Ms Suzie. Chit chat again about the cars there, then got to test drive the 2009 version of the Saga.

I drove the Saga before when it was first launched, and hated the slow throttle response, so since there was upgrades on the 2009 version, why not give it a try then. First thing you'll notice is the door sound, which sounds a lil more solid compared to then. The car was also quieter, but the best is the throttle lag is gone! Totally disappeared! It's better than the Gen2 because it's as responsive as the Kelisa and it corners great (although Gen2 is still much better in this)!

It's 12pm and my car is still in the workshop, sitting all alone at the far end. I decided to ask the workshop manager what is happening as it seems that my car has been abandoned by the foremen there. He rushed here, rushed there, call here, call there and found that since I complained on my aircond, Gen2 is waiting for the aircond 'master'. He's busy attending to the Exoras so Gen2 was left waiting. It seems that the Exora has a faulty air-cond temperature sensor (the aircond injects the cold gas all the time as the sensor is not registering the right temperature according to the setting). The result, a very very cold car!

Actually everything is already done so, after cari pasal a bit and using the customer-always-right theory, the manager then asked the 'master' to have a look. He look see, look see flash his torchlight here and there then conclude got mouse/rat got into Gen2 and died! OMG, just imagine. Everytime you breathe in my Gen2, you're breathing in a dead mouse/rat! Ewwwwwwwwwwww!

Upon closer inspection, found that it's not a dead rat/mouse, instead;

YUCKS!! Mummified lizard! And it's not those normal lizard, it's those like you see on National Geographic, just smaller. All doors are open, aircond at full blast, the 'master' starts to disinfect the whole car. >.<

Then at 1pm, dad called to check on status by that time they are finalizing the paperwork for my car's release. An sms confirmed my car is ready for collection, and the bill amounted to RM130.05 (full bill breakdown here).

Conclusion:

Glove box vibrate when on a/cond (max) *** Adjusted
Fix back fuel lid clip *** Refix clip
FRT LH Seat (Back) - warranty *** Not ready yet
A/cond got smell *** (Got dead cicak!)
Fuel gauge not accurate *** Adjusted fuel neck (+ got free full tank petrol, ^^)
Both side headlamp water mark *** Order, claim warranty.

Happy to get Gen2 back, but sad that Filp Flap is no longer, flip flapping.. >.<

Race.Rally.Research.

2009-07-20T22:56:00.009+08:00

All the hype of R3 is not there anymore. Gone are the days where people will drool over an R3 (or challenge them on the road when they see them..). So realising the drop in interest (in the public's eyes) R3 came out from hiding (well, partially) with the Satria Neo event @ 1U over last weekend.

The highlight of the event is the RM20million (so says the Proton ppl there) Satria Neo S2000, which is basically highly modded Satria Neo which can be entered into rally races. Pics and details of the car here~

Because that is not a normal on-the-road car, I was more interested in this:

The Satria Neo R3, the only R3 production car. More pics:

Rear view..

The side skirt

The part where the R3 touches are!

The rear spoiler.

The trademark front bumper.

Details of the car.

So, if anyone interested in getting one, you guyz can call R3 @ 012-2131691 or Gary @ 016-216 6515 (a very nice R3 guy) for just RM71K.

As for me, since I don't own and nor am I going to own the Neo R3 and since there's no Gen2 R3..I may just have to settle for;
Chrome oil cap?

Warmers for for brake oil maybe?

Or for power steering fluid?

R3 aluminium engine cover?

R3 badge (front + back)?

Last but not least rims! *drool*

Or just a sticker?

Just so I can stick to my plan of turning my lovely Gen2 CPS to ultimately become;

Hehehe..5 year project in the making~ :D

Oh ya, since I was bored..guess where I got this shot:

p/s: Anyone interested in contributing any parts as above, pls do not hesitate to contact me~ Thank you.. :D

There's always a first time~

2009-07-08T21:28:00.001+08:00

OMG~ Look see, look see..

The first visible body "art" on Gen2.. -.-"

The scare of my life~

2009-07-02T22:17:00.003+08:00

Today while on the way to office, I had the scare of my life. It was raining a little, just a light drizzle in the morning. As usual, in KL, when the heavens open people start to loose the ability to drive properly. Heard of many accidents happened at almost every road on the radio, and was stuck in jam for an hour.

Slowly creeping along, it seems like just another boring drive to work. The usual stop and go traffic all the way from Puchong to Petaling Jaya. The squeezing of like 20 lanes into 4 after the Sunway toll is terrible today. But nothing could prepare me for what is to happen a little later on. Everything is like as usual, like the daily drive from Puchong to Petaling Jaya. Nothing out of the ordinary except for the heavier than normal traffic.

So, when it all cleared up after Amcorp Mall, the drive was pleasurable. Not as stressful looking at the meter showing only 7.0L/100KM instead of 8.4L/100KM when stuck in traffic. So, everything still is normal until when I enter Jalan 13/6 from Jalan Semangat. There are a couple of lorries, which is still as usual in front of Dutch Lady. So, cruising at a slow 40~50KM/H all the way towards Jalan Universiti is when it happened!

Many factories are on my left and right including a Universiti, and it's a quarter to 10am, so there's bound to be people crossing the roads. It's all fine up until the bend near Honda. This girl, which I suspect is a student at the Universiti (from the way she dressed and the sling bag she's carrying) suddenly walked in front of my car! I jammed my brakes while honking and stopped a couple of meters before her. Lucky I was on fuel economy mode (and also I wasn't late for work).

Bet most of you would have blamed me, like the police would but get this, the girl actually totally ignored the fact that I was even there. She was holding an umbrella while crossing while looking for the other direction's traffic. The worst thing is, she just stood there expecting me to stop! (suddenly felt that what u see on TV is true where people just stand there letting a vehicle knock down). It's scary I tell u!

My advice to the girl, if she ever gets to read this, is to be careful when crossing the road. It's general knowledge for people to look right, look left then look right again before crossing and not to only look left! It's even scarier come to think of it that I could have ended a young innocent girl's life. And all because there's no pedestrian crossings along that road! So, conclusion, drive carefully. Always be alert of the surroundings and drive safe. You not only save yourself, you may also save those that use the road recklessly.

CareKool Visit

2009-06-27T15:13:00.006+08:00

Since today have some free time to kill, decided to go find a soultion to the bugging air bubbles on the left rear window. As, the tint was by CareKool, of course CareKool outlet is the place to go~ This is my first visit to the CareKool outlet at Puchong, but the second for Gen2.

The shop's not hard to find, it's at the one of shops behind the row of shops opposite Giant Bandar Puteri. There's a large CareKool sign in green and white, so it's hard to miss. But if you still find it hard to get there, maybe this can help: CareKool Puchong

So, we went there and the 1st thing we noticed is the service. The owner (I guess) came out personally to greet us, and so I told him about the bubbles and also the problem I'm facing regarding the tint with Proton. After looking at it, he says it's not bubbles but rather particles which got trapped in between the film and glass when the tint was applied. And it's a RM1500 tint not a RM2000+ tint like what Proton claimed to be! At least it's no cheap tint (self console).

Ok, then the warranty. He says, he honours the warranty eventhough there's no receipt and warranty card. But me and my big mouth, asked for it to be in writing, so he went in and review the policy as not all tint package comes with 5 years warranty. When he returned, it seems that the tint was actually an advert product. They tinted my Gen2 as part of their advertising and that is not covered with warranty after Proton sells it because they did not charge Proton for the tint.

However, he later passed me this envelope;

Which contains this letter:

Was surprised and glad that he is still willing to honour 2 years warranty. Very good business ethic I say, not like the people at Proton Bandar Puteri. So, the tint is covered by warranty although not as long but at least better than no warranty at all right? And also did talked much on tint and found methods or precautions to take so not to get into trouble with the authorities without having to go against the law.

Since I was already there, managed to get sandblasting done as well. It's not really sandblasting, but something like it. It's not really sandblasting since it doesn't involve any sand and nor does it involve any blasting. It's just some stickers and some chemicals. On both front and back wind screens and also on both side rear small windows.

He also gave me this:

which is a roadtax tint! and also a roadtax 'holder'. I didn't know there's such thing before. Then he explained that it's so the roadtax glue will not damage the front windscreen tint. And best of all, it's free! And it's also a free service that the shop offers yearly when you renew your roadtax, but of course you need to have tinted your windows with CareKool tint 1st.

So, if you're interested in tinting your car and you worry of getting poor service and/or getting conned with poor quality tint and poor workmanship, then give this outlet a try. Contact details are as below:

CARE KOOL TINT SHOP
No.50, Jalan Puteri 2/2,
Bandar Puteri Puchong,
47100 Puchong,
Selangor.
Tel : 03-8068 2079, 03-8068 2149
Fax : 03-8060 3195

Sadly in the 1hours plus I was there, I failed to asked for name or even a business card..how rude of me~

2nd Service

2009-06-08T21:18:00.000+08:00

2nd Service @ 5000KM..

Phoned up the people at Proton's C.O.E. to make an appointment to go for 2nd service. More info here: http://www.geocities.com/jullian_vipers2/

Appointment was at 8.00am. So after registering the car there, waited for about 4 hours while watching TV3 (don't even have Astro!) at the Customer Waiting area and also going breakfast with my dear dear (the cafeteria was nice, ^^). Juz a regular 2nd service, changed engine oil, gasket plug and oil filter. Again complained about the leather seat problem, and again, Proton say no stock. What I complained are as below;

Customer's request (makes it sound like you're the one with the problem, not them!):

1. To check whole d/board vibrate when a/cond more than half speed***tune up engine

2. To check d/board rattling noise when driving - LH area***retightened d/board bracket

3. TO check radio reception all channel s/times slow & s/times loud***refixed antenna cable

4. alignment & balancing - steering vibrate 110km/h

5. check engine s./times hard to start**retightened battery terminal

So, basically everything is loose (*** are the corrective steps taken). Didn't manage to do balancing & alignment because the SA, Sazali, said that I complained too much. Also they are short of staff, so if I wanted the balancing & alignment to be done, I would have to leave my car there! -.-"

So, as a summary.. Only problem 2 & 5 are solved, and oil changed in the 4 hours there.. Met another Gen2 CPS owner there, a salesman, and he recommended that the service centre at Shah Alam is wayyy better! So, will try that out next time~ Heard that the C.O.E. is undergoing restructuring with appointment of a new manager, so hopefully things will be better and FASTER next time (because most of the time, can see that the car was just sitting there staring at the wall!)..

p/s: Claimed the Smart Tag in terms of cash (RM100) from my Sales Assistant~

Warranty Quandary

2009-06-05T16:39:00.001+08:00

The question is: How long is the Gen2 CPS' warranty period?

Sales: 3 years, confirm 3 years! If you take bank loan, bank will extend another 2 years. So total is 5 years.

Service Assistant: Proton give 2 years. All Proton cars comes with only 2 years warranty. If you take bank loan, bank will give additional 3 years. This is called the extended warranty. The bank will send you a EWP (Extended Warranty Period) letter or certificate.

But Proton's brochure and website says it's 5 years extended warranty, it didn't mention anything about needing a bank loan to get it. What if I pay cash? Means I don't qualify for the 5 years warranty? This is very misleading then!

Sales: If you pay cash, then it's just 3 years. Because no bank will extend for you. So, if you want 5 years warranty, then get bank loan.

Service Assistant: If you pay cash, then it's just 2 years. Because no bank will extend for you. So, if you want 5 years warranty, then get bank loan.

Conclusion: So, it seems that you need a bank loan in order to get the warranty 'extended' to 5 years since both sales and service seems to be consistent on that..
And the Owner's Manual states that it's only 2 years (don't believe the sales person, do some reading!)..

!!!-WRONG-!!!

I got this letter today:

It clearly states that the warranty of my Gen2 is March 18, 2014. 2014! That's 5 years from date of purchase. ^^ Guess that the staff at Proton need to be retrained! >.<

Close up of the warranty extension period:

Operation: Transporter

2009-06-03T09:56:00.000+08:00

It's Friday.. And the day my bro is shifting from PJ to Setapak..
My car was the largest car around, so had to ferry his stuffs to Setapak..
So, the challenge is to transport this:

In this:

So, 1st.. Protect the car:

Then dump in everything that can fit:

While the more delicate, important, or extra stuff can go:

Car moved happily to Setapak, drive is still spirited. Not really feeling the extra weight behind. Although the Gen2 has a cute, slim rear, it still managed a students move to his rented room (including some of his gf's stuffs).. Imagine how much more u can carry in a Persona~ :P

Jalan-Jalan Menjadi Driver~

2009-05-27T23:08:00.000+08:00

Hehehe..3 of my school friends (secondary) came visiting, just because of me Gen2~ :P Especially to Datin Chika whom just came home not too long ago from Aussieland. Thanx for coming ya.

They came over in a CR-V (the latest CR-V) just to have a feel of the Gen2 CPS. I was like, omg..how can it be compared? But what the h***, we'll just give it a shot. Maybe they'll like me Gen2 more? :D

They reach my place at around noon, and we decided to go for lunch. With 5 passengers on board, the car was not up for the job when not warmed up (means the lil blue light on the meter is still on, indicating engine and stuff is still not up to operating temperature). Well, it's not advised to do that but since every car expert says all new cars don't need warming up time, who cares! :P The 3 girls seems to be comfy in the back. All the way to lunch, the car was never once quiet. :D

After lunch, we decided to go to Bangsar. The route was LDP-Kesas-O.K.R-MidValley-Bangsar. Along the way, ast3 dared GenToo to take a corner at 80-90kmph without braking. So, with full faith in Lotus, Gen2 took it without breaking a sweat at the corner heading towards the Sunway toll plaza. People at the front was all cool, but them 3 at the back was pinned to one side~ :D
(p/s: Remember to be belted up when trying this at home)

Nothing much along the way. The car was composed and just a tad of underpower was felt when the road went a little more vertical (not really CPS-ing so it didn't downshift, fuel economy was on mind~ :P). The only drama was a not so brained driver of a Livina which bumped the side mirror of me Gen2 (OMG, heartbreak!). Nothing much to say except for Congratulations! You're the 1st to put a mark on my brand new car. Don't hate just because you're jealous. Hope you're real proud with yourself~ The side mirror is well, and the mark left wasn't that obvious..so, all's well~ ^^

So, in the end. 3 happy girls. Happy that they are the first few that got driven around in me Gen2 and happy that it's not a below par Proton vehicle. Comments:
Aizar: ahahaha..BEST..lagi2 u pusing corner secara laju,hui..rase nak tercampak..mcm roller coaster..thanks for bawak jalan-jalan..

Ast3:i have no prob la ngan gen-2. especially yg baru.. kerherkhekrhre.. sgt marbeles!!!

a'ah la..makseh banyak2.. jauh perjalanan..

Datin was unavailable for comment at the moment.. :P

p/s: Sorry to WaiWai for not bringing u jalan-jalan yet. You will soon get your chance, don't worry~ ^^

Tyre Quandary

2009-05-22T15:51:00.004+08:00

I saw this when inflating my tyres:

Close up:

It seems that my tyre is missing some rubber. Maybe this is the cause for my steering vibrations. Gotta go chit chat when my 5000KM service comes~

Btw, should I be looking for a replacement tyre? Another RM200, gone?? >.<

3 Days 2 Nights @ Penang

2009-05-04T15:44:00.006+08:00

Since Labour day is on a Friday, decided to go for a trip to Penang. It's also a good time to test out the practicallity and reliability of the Gen2 in a long distance drive. Loaded the boot with a small travel bag, 3 sleeping bags, 2 A4 sized containers, and 2 carry bags with lots of space to spare. The plan was to leave home on 1st of May at 8.30am to meet up with aunts and uncles at Petaling Jaya to have breakfast.

(8.23am, and we're ready to go!)

After breakfast, head towards North-South Highway. Smart tag was borrowed from aunt, but Touch n Go card is not loaded. So we stopped at Rawang R&R for fuel, air and restroom break in preparation for the long journey. Pump in RM40.62 worth of Petronas Primax 3 regular RM1.80/L fuel (full tank auto-stop) as there was still fuel left before filling. Wanted to reload Touch n Go, but the Petronas outlet seems to have sold all their credit.

So we had to move on as there's a very long que for fuel that time of day. So, cruising on the highway at a maximum of 110kmph using autocruise as frequent as possible. The autocruise feature was very helpful as it puts less strain on the leg. Just that eyes need to be on the road at all times as the car in front might be slower than they appear.

(All Touch n Go credit sold out! >.<)

Stopped at a couple of rest areas looking for Touch n Go reload but to no avail as every petrol station have sold all their credit. As do normal long north bound journeys, we stopped at Tapah R&R after a long drive and also to freshen up. The petrol stations there had also sold all their Touch n Go credit but luckily there's a Maybank ATM there to reload. It's weird how the Government encourages us to use cashless system but also create such trouble for us to load money (very disappointed)~

After Tapah, we continue our journey hapilly cruising all the way to Taiping where we stopped for lunch. So far, the car's doing well. Tyre noise is quite intrusive but the radio did a good job in keeping the interior comfy. Aircond is doing it's job well in cooling while handling is as good as always. There's no weird (something loose) sounds and also the car shows no signs of overheating or running out of fuel.

Once our bellies are filled, we moved on to Penang. Traffic was heavy on some parts of the stretch. With 4 adults on board and the boot half filled, the car struggled up hill towards Menora Tunnel. The engine needs to be revved up to 4000rpm to keep it moving along at 90kmph. After the tunnel, the Lotus engineered suspension and the all round disc brakes did their job well in making sure the car stays composed and calm all the way downhill.

The drive was normal all the way to Penang, there's no sudden braking or anything out of the ordinary. Just a plain, smooth drive throughout the 360KM drive. Fuel consumption was rated at 6.4L/100KM according to the onboard electronic meter. With 1/4 of the tank left (according to the fuel meter onboard), it's not too long before we need a fill up as the traffic in Penang is similar to that of KL.

(Raining every morning)

Topped up RM50.00 of Shell Regular RM1.80/L of fuel the next morning just in case. Then took a drive throught the coastal roads to visit the Tropical Spice Garden at Tanjong Bunga. Again the handling of the car is just great with very little body roll felt and with the gearbox fixed at '3', the drive was smooth up and down the twisting road. That's the only driving experience worth mentioning in Penang as the others were on normal roads, where bumps are well soaked up by the suspensions. Also, ground clearance was good as it did not scrape the bottom of the front bumper throughout our stay.

Throughout the 3days 2 nights spent in Penang, the car consumed 1/4 tank of fuel. Fuel Consumption was rated at a staggering 10.1L/100KM using the electronic meter. This might be due to the many stop and go traffic (traffic lights) and also short distance trips. So I think it's safe to say that the Gen2 is not really comfortable in city traffic.

(Heavy traffic especially at Gurney area)

Morning of day 3 saw the boot filled with 2 small luggage bags, 2 A4 sized containers, 2 sleeping bags and 2 carry bags as well as biscuits and things bought there. It fills up the boot just nicely. The trip home was through the ferry instead of the bridge. Had breakfast at Butterworth and then top up the tank with RM29.20 of Shell Regular RM1.80/L of petrol. Then we're on our way home using the usual North-South Highway. Again, we stopped at Taiping for lunch and to buy buns. Also, an aunt came over along with her luggage bag. After a small repositioning, everything fits into the boot and we're good to go again.

(A small reminder to drive safe)

When we reached home, it's already 7.30pm. The journey back took 375KM and 3/4 tank of fuel. We travelled 850++KM in the 3days and for the driver and front passenger, it was a nice trip and a less tiring for the driver thanx to the autocruise function. But for the rear passengers, it isn't such a comfortable journey as they complained of the seats being too upright and the headrest made things worst. The rear seats are also said to be a lil too hard. I have no idea as I was the driver, maybe I'll try the rear seats the next time we go for another long distance drive.

Warranty Claim - Part 2

2009-04-18T16:24:00.000+08:00

After the rear washer issue was settled, made appointment with Proton COE again to claim warranty on the door paint and leather seat on April 16, 8.30am. I thought this will be the last time, but sadly it's not! The door paint has been settled, I don't know how they removed the irregularity but they did without respraying the whole door.

Now on leather seat issue, after a very close and through inspection, the service advisor now says that it is not a 2nd defect, instead is an 'over cut' issue. He called a couple of other of his colleagues and then said he'll refer this to his superiors.

The car was left there for two days, as I was only allowed to collect the car on April 18 and that was after I called the service centre (was told that they only needed one working day to do their job). They explained that the reason they didn't call me to collect the car a day after is due to the leather seat problem. It seems that they do not keep stock of leather seats (too expensive according to them), so they have to order direct from vendor. If I had not called, wonder when can I get my car back!

Saw another couple of Gen2 CPS' there. One was also claiming warranty on radio and wheel alignment issues while belongs to an employee maybe? So I checked the bottom of the front bumper of both, and found that both are also scratched. Should I make a complain on their design defect (making the bumper wayyy too low for Malaysian roads) I wonder? Maybe Proton sent their design engineers to Lotus UK too often and they got used to the roads there!

Before leaving, went up to the showroom to check on the newly launched Exora. First impression is that it looks nice, but the interior colour is a bit dull to my liking. Seats are comfy and there are many places to stash your stuffs. Didn't manage to test drive the car since there are many ppl waiting for their turn. Good take on the MPV segment by Proton, but I would rather wait for the facelift.

Also, saw this kitted Gen2 on display:

a guide for future mods maybe? Dig the rims and the body stripe (especially in R3 colours) and also the spoiler. But for the time being, better save up and just be happy with what I have now~

Brake Fluid

2009-04-07T15:58:00.005+08:00

Was looking around at the engine bay, (admiring the Power Booster maybe?) when a friend came by to ask about the brake fluid container:

It seems that there is a black sludge like material at the joints. I compared it with my daddy's car and found that his is clean:

So, will bring this up next time I go to Service Centre. And also, my SA is missing (not replying sms and not answering calls). Hope he's fine (or is he avoiding me?).

-update-

After enquiring @ PESC COE Shah Alam, Mr Azrin (Service Advisor) said that it is normal.. It's juz dirt stuck onto the metal part. Cannot compare to other makes as Proton adds a black rubber washer there while others don't.. So, it's totally normal (hope so!)~

Power Booster

2009-04-06T15:45:00.000+08:00

Installed a voltage stabilizer and grounding to my Gen2. It was transferred from my Mummy's Kelisa. Since she asked for it to be removed, why waste when it can be fitted in to my car? :P

Was told fuel consumption will be reduced, so will take note on that. So far, it has been around 7.0L/100KM (+/- 0.1). Fingers crossed. ^^