Fuel..RON95 or RON97...or is it the price?

Yup...it's been 5 days since our Gov decided to phase out RON92 with RON95. I've been pumping RON97. Now I have no choice but to pump RON95 instead since RON97 is a bit pricier than before.

RON95 is RM1.80 per liter and RON97 is RM2.05 per liter.

It doesn't feel the same as before. Now my car engine are a bit noisy. I also get an occasional 'knocking' effect on the engine. In which I never had when I was using RON97. And getting up a hill needs a bit 'flooring' on the gas pedal which surely cost me more. About the mileage, I'm not so sure since I'm more of a city driving than long distance.

Went to Semenyih last Monday. RM30 (from an almost empty tank) for RON95 yet I still manage to drive from Klang to Semenyih and came back to Klang without refilling my tank. I had full 4 adult passengers (5 including me) and a my boot was also full. No problem.. But the price wasn't risen yet until Tuesday...so..next time, I might have to fill more than RM30..ouch..

Oh, for now, I'm pumping at Petronas. So, different brand like Shell, Esso/Mobile, Caltex, BHP might give different result. I'm yet to try all of them though. Still searching for the best petrol station. Thinking on pumping at a different petrol station on my next empty tank.

Most of the comment I read in blogs, forums, are saying that RON95 cause your car to be less performing and less mileage. Well, it's a no brainer really since it's a RON95 petrol. RON97 would definitely be better since it burn better. So the engine would perform better. Technically. More on this here> link.

But, since the main concern is the fuel saving value issue, it doesn't matter which RON one use as long as it doesn't damage the engine. Because some engine can't use RON95 like Honda Civic type R, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo and othe high performance car where the minimum requirement is RON97. More on this here> link1. link2.

It is more on how we drive the car. If one use RON97 and always rev his/her car more than 3,000rpm, he/she would be burning more compared to someone who use RON95 and drive smartly and not revving his/her car past 3,000rpm.

So, just use whatever RON that is suitable for our car engine and our wallet.

Well, that is if I'm viewing this issue in a positive perspective...
For a not so positive perspective...
- Those who used RON92 before have to pay more since RON95 is the minimum spec for petrol in Malaysia.
- Those who used RON97 before can opt for RON95 yet also have to pay more for a lower grade petrol.
- Those who own a car which requires a minimum RON97 petrol have to pay even more since they can't use RON95.
- It's not about the RON, it's about the price.

The not-so positive view is quite short eh..but it sums it all..

What to do? Self quarantine?

No...I'm not infected with H1N1. It's just that H1N1 is running rampant out there and being a health-conscious person (or at least that's what I think..), maybe I should stay home more.

But, it's boring!! What to do?

Sleep? Eat? Watch T.V? Internet? Play video game? Play guitar?

my dust covered PS2 joystick.

Video game...hm.... I was once quite a heavy gamer. Spending countless hours of my spare and not-so-spare time on PS2 and PC game. But now, I'm getting mellow. Maybe it just grew out of me...maybe... I still play though..occasionally..or rarely. My PS2 is already covered with dust.

Come to think of it, I've played a lot of video games; mainly PS2 title. My favorite would be RPG, action adventure and football (also known as soccer by those who dislike this sport).

Only a very subtle lovey-dovey story, the rest are genius.

For RPG, first on my list would be the Final Fantasy (FF) series. Yes, FF is somewhat tedious. All those leveling up, exploring the game map, side quests etc. Yet the story line which unravels along the game-play is what keeps me glued. My favorite would be FF-XII because it doesn't have the cheesy love story in it like its previous series. It was more political. My cup of tea.

kill on sight...

Action Adventure game; my current favorite is non-other than (GOW) God Of War I and II. I might as well buy a PS3 just so I can play the GOW III. I also like Metal Gear Solid (MGS) series because the story line was so well executed. Way better than FF and GOW. GOW won the action element though due to its action pack game-play. But my all-time favorite would still be MGS. The story line was so intense and pure genius. One got to play to know what I meant by 'pure genius'. No, I'm not exaggerating.

FIFA '10... Not yet released though, looking forward on this one.

Football, my most played game since it's a simple put-cd-in-PS2-and-play kinda game. I was a fan of Winning Eleven but since FIFA '08 came out, I liked the latter better now. The current Wining Eleven title seems to lost its 'touch'. But if I was playing against other player (my friend etc), Winning Eleven is better. FIFA is not really user interface friendly. The loading time for FIFA '08 is a bit long for my liking. But the better-variety-control game-play kept me on the joystick. The best part in playing Wining Eleven or FIFA is, I can stop whenever I want without struggling to reach a 'saving point' like the other games.

Well...all of those gaming are in the past now. The only game I play (occasionally) now is FIFA '09. Got to work more (less gaming) so I can fork more money. Mau kawin maa..hehe

Perodua Viva 660 BX......??!!

I wonder, no radio, so why is there an aerial attached?

Perodua just launch a 'cheaper' version of the overpriced Viva. All I can say is...better buy a second hand car or if you want a brand new cheap car, go for Proton Iswara (don't know weather Proton still manufactured it or not). Better known as 'kereta kebal'. It got better spec with almost the same price.

The specification for this new model are as follows;
1. 660cc DVVT engine 47hp @ 7,200rpm, 58Nm @ 4,400rpm

2. No power steering.
3. No power windows.
4. No central locking.
5. No radio.
6. No reverse sensors.
7. Unpainted bumpers.
8. Manual transmission only.
9. Only available in Ivory White, Ebony Black and Glittering Silver.

No power windows

No central locking

No radio

No reverse sensors

Unpainted bumpers

Manual transmission only

Only available in Ivory White, Ebony Black and Glittering Silver

Read more: http://paultan.org/archives/2009/07/20/perodua-viva-660-bx-replaces-the-kancil/#ixzz0LucHHKAK

The price, RM25,300. PaulTan.

I've done two reviews on Perodua Viva, here and here. I also was once an owner of Perodua Viva for 1 full year and I just hated it. Seeing the spec of this new model, I hated it already.

I feel like Perodua is treating the consumers as some mindless, easily fooled, cheap bastard. With the standard of the older models of Perodua Viva, this new model is the worst of them all. And this new model is actually a replacement for Perodua Kancil? Even Kancil is way better!!

I'm not a Perodua hater. Perodua Myvi was a good (even though I find it ugly :p) car but Perodua Viva? Sorry, a bad car is a bad car. Period.

The sad part is, someone would still buy this car without even noticing they've been ripped off only to realize it after signing the Hire Purchase deal.

No power windows

No central locking

No radio

No reverse sensors

Unpainted bumpers

Manual transmission only

Only available in Ivory White, Ebony Black and Glittering Silver

Read more: http://paultan.org/archives/2009/07/20/perodua-viva-660-bx-replaces-the-kancil/#ixzz0LucHHKAK

No power windows

No central locking

No radio

No reverse sensors

Unpainted bumpers

Manual transmission only

Only available in Ivory White, Ebony Black and Glittering Silver

Read more: http://paultan.org/archives/2009/07/20/perodua-viva-660-bx-replaces-the-kancil/#ixzz0LucHHKAK

No power windows

No central locking

No radio

No reverse sensors

Unpainted bumpers

Manual transmission only

Only available in Ivory White, Ebony Black and Glittering Silver

Read more: http://paultan.org/archives/2009/07/20/perodua-viva-660-bx-replaces-the-kancil/#ixzz0LucHHKAK

My new, cheap car..

White

Ok..this is my new car.. Proton Saga BLM. It's cheap, affordable and way better than my previous car, Perodua Viva. Maybe you'll say it's not fair to compare it with Viva. They are in a different segment. Viva is a compact car and Saga is a sedan. So what? Their price is almost the same yet you get different quality (and Viva is totally 'owned' by Saga).

Ok, now I want to review/rant on this Saga. If you want a professional review, go to Paultan.org. My review is based on my own experience and comparison between Viva and Saga.

In my previous post, I already said that Saga is not as fuel economic as compared to Viva. Well, it's a 1.3cc vs 1.0cc. It's a no brainer really. I also mention that there are some minor things that I dislike about Saga. Here they are..

1. The signal lever.

Left, right, high light, low light, no light..

wiper, spray me water..

I feel so odd operating it with my left hand. And it's not practical for manual transmission. You can't shift the gear and signaling to go to the left or right at the same time. You have to have both of your hand on the steering wheel. You either shift your gear first or turn the signal first. Unless you are driving an automatic gear....umm..on the both hand on steering wheel part, ok..it's for safety...but still...I like it better flicking the lever with my right hand (or fingers) while my left hand shift the gear at the same time.

2. There are no space for change and coins.

air bag?

The only place is at the cup/bottle holder (?) in front of the air-cond control dial or in the empty air-bag space on the dash board. This is inconvenient in case you want to pay the parking ticket or toll.

3. The power outlet, wrong place.

I wonder weather they know the existence of MP3 modulator that you stick in the power outlet.

4. Bad craftsmanship on the little, unnoticed yet easily broken parts.


It really bothers me since it will shorten the life span of these kind of parts. It might get easily broken. Especially if you have 4-6 years old kids.

5. The CD player.


The CD player is from Clarion. But I felt odd since the volume knob is placed on the left side which is further from the driver's reach (not that I can't reach it though). But you can always change the player to a better one. tapi kluar duit lagi..aiya..

6. The air-cond vent.

looks like a face..

I cant find the right car freshener or perfume or whatever you call it. The vent is different.

7. I don't know what's it for.


And this part, under the steering wheel, I don't know what's it for. Steering lock? Books? Guns?

8. More bad craftsmanship.

expose wire under dashboard.

exposed wire lagi...

After a long wear and tear, these are definitely going to get you in trouble in the future.

But over all, I still like this car compared to Viva. The handling, safety, comfort. So, if you're thinking of buying Viva over Saga as your first car..think again. Trust me, you'll regret it if you do so..if Viva is going to be your 2nd, 3rd or pigi pasar car...you are a rich person. So, spent your money, our domestic economy liquidity needs it.

Perodua people, sorry..but your Viva is suck even though it has a Daihatsu DNA.

At last, my new car, but first..another review for Viva.

I've got my new ride 1 weeks ago. I was thinking of making a review on it but....I decided to taste drive it first and compared it to my previous car, Perodua Viva.. The comparison might be like comparing and apple and an orange...But I'm gonna do it anyway..

But first, I wanna review a bit more about Perodua Viva..and this time, it won't be a nice review like my previous one.

When I first got my Viva, in the first week, I just "dislike" it..Yup...Everything about it are bad. The only good thing I can find on this car was its "Fuel Saving Value" and "easy to maneuver in city" handling. Other than that, are just a big NO NO for me.

But this new car of mine, after a week of driving it...I can't help but "like" this car. But one thing I dislike (and some other minor thing..in my next post), it is a fuel guzzler. It drink petrol so much that I've only done about 600km yet I've already fill its tank more than RM130 (roughly la) worth of petrol. Compared to my Viva, that price is a lot.

Like I said in my earlier review, Viva is an overpriced car. For RM37K car, Viva is just too expensive. And the safety of this Viva are so scary. (I'll post some picture on these scary safety feature on Viva.)

The body material is so thin that when you close the door it sound like an empty 'tin sardin' banged against a wall. The impact on collision would be like stepping on a tin cane. I've witness an accident involving a Viva and a Kelisa. The Kelisa hit the rear (back) side of the Viva and it wrecked so deep it reach the rear passenger seat. Luckily there was no rear passenger in the Viva. The Kelisa? You can still open the driver's door. Luckily, no body was killed though.

I'm not a Perodua basher or any car basher. It's just that a bad car, is a bad car. And Viva happens to be in that category for me.

So thinking of buying this car? Think again..

p/s: Next post, my new ride..hehe

Proton Exora...first look..

The official picture source

Proton Exora is finally out...I just came back from Proton show room and tasted how it feels to sat in one... And no, I didn't manage to took any pictures. I don't own a camera phone either. I wasn't even planning to see this MPV. It just happen to be that there is a Proton showroom in the Giant hypermarket that I went.

The one I sat in was the M-Line model. So it looks pretty 'normal'. Some might say 'cheap' or 'plastic-ish' but, it doesn't really bother me though. For me the interior is fine and tolerable.

I'm not going to review about the standard stuff about this MPV. For a complete review by a professional, visit Paultan.org.

I'm gonna rant on this from a different perspective. Ok..here goes.

- The first thing I imagine when seeing this MPV was driving it in Sabah. Can it perform well in a harsh terrain such as Sabah? Maybe, but with a huge maintenance bill to add. Sabah has a lot of up-hill/down-hill road, sharp corner, uneven road, gravel road and other bad road condition. Given the specifications for this MPV, the word 'Multi-Purpose Vehicle' (MPV) will have a tough beating in living up to its 'Multi-Purpose' title here in Sabah.

- With a CAMPRO CPS 4 cylinder, DOHC 16V engine, I wonder how will it perform at the Keningau-Tambunan-K.K road or the K.K-Kundasang road. Hope there will be a review on this in the future.

The odds for Proton Exora to meet this kind of road are high in Sabah. But if Perodua Rusa can go through, why can't Exora..right..hehe..

- What about the price? Can Sabahan afford it? Well, the price range here in West Malaysia are between RM69,548 to RM 75,998. In Sabah we have to add about RM3k to RM5k more...So...err..probably most Sabahan would rather buy a 4WD which is more or less the same price and more convenient if the road condition in Sabah are to be considered.

- There are also navigation system for the H-Line model which is a bit more expensive than the M-line model. And for me, this system is somewhat useless here inSabah. So most probably, Sabahan will go for the M-line model which are cheaper.

Err..Where is Ulu Tomani? pic source

- There are no manual transmission yet. This might be a let down since manual transmission are more convenient when driving in Sabah. Hope there will be a manual model soon.

- MPVs market are not that popular here in Sabah because they are too expensive plus 'not too practical' to be driven in Sabah terrain. Sabahan would rather buy a 4WD such as Storm, Hilux etc. These 4WD are also expensive but the praticality (for Sabah terrain) give them an upper hand compared to MPVs.

- So, will Proton Exora sell like hot cakes here in Sabah? Given to the unpopular MPV type vehicle in Sabah (since it is rare to see someone drive an MPV in Sabah), the sell might not be that hot but not cold either since compared to other MPV brand, Proton Exora is cheaper. So, (maybe) since Proton Exora is cheaper, it might sell.

Either way, the road condition in Sabah will be the main general factor that will be considered (and also the price tag) before any Sabahan decide on buying this first Proton MPV. Well, at least that's what I think.

Perodua Viva...a year after review..

This is an old pic..I changed the rim already

It's been almost a year since I own my 1000cc, manual transmission, Perodua Viva. She have been a 'great' means of transportation for me. Well, it depends on how one justifies the word 'great'.

As for me, a middle-working class citizen, with an average of RM2k monthly income, single but looking forward to start a family which mean I have to save for the 'future event,' renting an apartment with two other apartment mates, having to drive in a cramp city environment, less long distance driving...yup, these definitely justifies the word 'great' for me toward my Perodua Viva.

Since I've drove her for a year, I might as well make a review. Maybe someone out there are thinking of buying Viva as his/her first car. (This was my first car after all)

First thing first, the price.
Ok, to be honest, I think Viva is a bit overpriced for a compact car. Mine is 1.0SX (manual). < click it for the spec. If you are hoping for a low monthly installment, make sure you have more for the required 10% down payment. Meaning, at least RM5k or more. Ask the salesperson for a complete calculation. Don't worry, he/she wouldn't mind your cerewet-ness. So be cerewet..hehe

Now..living with it..
- This is a simple compact small car. So don't expect any 'sport car' driving experience when driving it. It was made for practicality and city driving. And it does a splendid job on that. Parking is easy. You can fit in almost any parking space. Even in a tight space and no-parking space. Just beware for the encik polis..hehe. Turning to a junction or making a U-turn is also easy. It's a small car after all..

- Cornering is quite decent. As I mentioned earlier, this is not a sport car. So don't push her too much. The car suspension systems are made for comfort. It made the car feel wobbly like a boat when driving on an uneven road. If you go over 90 km/h, the wobbliness can be quite apparent and not for the fainted heart as it can be bit scarifying. The fastest I did was 150 km/h only...last only for about 10 second. More than that...hmm..I haven't got married yet...

- They say you can load 5 adults in it. Driver, 1 front seat passenger and 3 rear seat passengers. Well, that is not entirely true though. Actually it's more suitable and comfortable for only 4 average size adults. More than that and your Viva will feel underpower even for a 1000cc engine. But that depends on how you drive la..the way you shift between gear etc. Unless it's an auto..

- Storage is also not a problem if you are still single like me. But as a family car....I don't recommend it la. The boot is quite small.

- If you are thinking of doing some modification, then prepare to splash a lot of cash. I'm a man and I have to admit that Viva is a bit girlish. I mean, most of the people attracted to this car are female. I bought this car just for its fuel saving value since petrol was expensive back then. So, if you want to make this car looks more manly....err..make sure you have enough money to buy food by the end of the month. I did try but, I gave up at the end...girlish pun girlish la..

- Almost forgot, for long distance driving, it can be a real pain.. The sound proofing is just ear blasting. You literally can hear the sound of the engine (reving or not), the sound of the road surface regadless of your tire type when driving, and you have to occasionally shout when talking since it's damn noisy. The seat comfort is ok but the surrounding is just....too..noisy. especially in high speed. I've drove from Klang to Ulu Yam, to LCCT, back and forth and man...make sure to blast your sound system to hide the annoying noise.

So, basically, if you want to own a Viva, make sure you are
1. Single
2. Not a wealthy person. If you are, buy a Swift.
3. Less long-distance driving route.
4. Saving for 'future event'.
5. Has an extra cash for down payment.
6. Doesn't mind being called girlish (if you're a man) by some douchbag who think his/her opinion is worth mentioning.
7. Need a car only as a mean of transportation, not showing off.
8. Proton Basher. (I'm not ok..I bash no car..)
9. Um..not rich..did I wrote that already..well, basically, this is the main reason..hehe..

p/s: I'm giving my Viva to my brother. New car for me..hehe..what car? next post..