UMW Toyota Malaysia and the people there ....Fcuk you

Hi guys

I'm Dr Salleh and I run Toyota Camry Owners Club  of  Malaysia or CHOCoM  for quite a while and I tell you that to get in touch with Toyota Malaysia to ask simple things is so difficult. I think its easier to make an appointment to see Najib Razak or Dr Mahathir than to see a top management guy of Toyota Malaysia. You know how long it takes  me to seek an appointment with Toyota Malaysia--Weeks. This morning after so many attempts,I got a call a call from Ms. Soo Ching who said that I had to write a letter  to Cik Suri Atikah  to seek an appointment to see a top official from Toyota Malaysia.

Toyota Malaysia is like a Fortress with so many layers and walls. People say its so difficult to deal with government departments. Just try to get an appointment with Toyota Malaysia. You have to go through so many emails , text messages via messenger , via Toyota Malaysia FB, Calls and letters ...And still nothing yet. Now ,I know why Toyota Malaysia has not improved. They have been run by people who are out of touch. The company is being  run by bureaucrats with so many layers of people.

No wonder they cannot solve the mirrorlink problems... No wonder the reputation of Toyota is getting badly bruised by the day. I don't know whether I would buy Toyota again. I think the people  this company should reflect on how they run their company. Fcuk the people in Toyota....

Toyota Camry hybrid 2016 Vs. Proton Perdans 2.4 L 2016

His bros....

Proton Perdana 2016

Proton has recently introduced the all new Proton Perdana. The car is based on the previous generation Honda Accord. The car competes with the likes of Toyota Camry, the newly revised Honda Accord, Peugeot 508, VW Passat and Nissan Teana among others. But how does the new proton Perdana measure against Toyota Camry Hybrid? So today I would like to do just that:

RM 175,000 Toyota Camry Hybrid VS. 135,000 Proton Perdana

1. Design

I think both are more of uncles' design but I see some fresh ideas from Proton to have more of a fastback like rear end. The shape of the new Proton is not unhandsome but better looking than the Toyota Camry. I see that the Perdana is more executive like than the Camry hybrid. However, both will not be able to attract young pretty girls.
2* for TCH and 2.5 * for Perdana

Proton Perdana interior

2. Interior

I like the dashboard design of the Toyota Camry. It's more traditional and exudes some luxury feelings not unsimilar to a Lexus. The Proton however looks the same as the previous generation of Honda Accord but this is not to say that it's not pretty. In fact, it's quite good looking with the newly revised centre console that is very much lower. You feel that the dashboard is slightly lower than the previous Accord and this creates some feeling of sportiness.
4 * star for TCH and 3.5 * for Perdana

3.Ride and Handling

I believe the ride in the TCH is really soft and floating and mature people or people with slipped disc would enjoy that . But the Perdana is very much like the new Accord, it shows its young side of the ride and handling department. In twisty roads I would rather be in the Perdana than the TCH. But when driving 150 km/h I would rather be in the Perdana. The Camry is too soft and more buncy for speed exceeding 160 km /h. For fast driving the TCH is a non starter.
3.5* for TCH and 4.0 * for the Perdana

Proton Perdana dashboard

4. Space interior.

The Perdana is the largest car in the D segment at 5020 mm compared to only 4850 mm for the Camry hybrid. If you need space the Perdana should be your choice. I also believe that if you're a CEO you want to be in Perdana although the space in the TCH is also quite commodious. The boot in the Perdana is so large that you can literally put an Axia hatchback inside the boot. I'm not kidding it's so huge.
4* for TCH and 5* for Perdana

5. Performance

This is the part in which the Perdana could not compete. The car just could not out-accelerate the TCH hybrid. The drivetrain in the Perdana is a bit lazy and much slower to propel the slightly heavy Perdana at 1535kg. The Perdana is more suited for unhurried highway drive- a young guy like Johann Lo or Prof Iskandar would not be happy driving the perdana. But if you want a luxury cruiser the Perdana is the natural choice. A retired KSU or or a retired 5 star general would be happy customers of Proton Perdana.
4.5* for TCH and 3* for Perdana

6. Value for Money

The Perdana I believe is a car you should buy if you put value for money as your first priority, For about RM 135, 000 you practically get a 2.4 L Japanese luxury cruiser even though its Malaysian made. Proton could not make any changes to the engine, suspension , drivetrain and the 5 speed transmission. Overall, the Perdana is the winner
3.5* for TCH and 4.5* for Perdana

7. Infotainment system

The TCH is packed with outstanding features like the SatNav and lane watch. Perdana on the other hand is also fully equipped but the display area is too small for a luxury cruiser. The best part about the Perdana its 6 speaker system sounds very much better than the system in TCH. The sound is so loud and crisp and even better than in the previous honda Accord.
3.5* for TCH and 3.5* for Perdana

8. Refinement

Both cars are not very solid but generally the TCH is more refined and efficient. However I feel that the Perdana has more of the solid feel compared to the Camry hybrid. I Believe the engineers at Proton have put in more sound deadening materials in the Perdana. I even feel that its much quieter than the earlier Honda Accord. But the latest 2016 Accord is more refined and quieter.
4*for TCH and 3.5 * for Perdana

Conclusion.

The Perdana is a beautiful luxury cruiser and a good choice for value for money car. It's also a huge family sedan with acres of space to swallow the driver and his many children and wives.The Camry hybrid however is fast, efficient and a quiet family sedan. If I don't have much money in the bank I would definitely get the Perdana. but because my children are leaving the nest the Camry hybrid is still a very good choice.

Thank You to Be A Katie Proton for the courtesy car.
You can get to test drive the all new Perdana at
LHM One Stop Car Service (M) Sdn Bhd
Kampung Baharu Nilai, Negeri Sembilan
Malaysia

What to look for when buying a car : Camry hybrid 2016

Dear bros and sistas...

Buying a new car is not an easy decision. This is due to the fact that you are spending sometimes up to RM 200,000 ( For some people this could be more) of your hard earned money. Well ...not your money per se... but money from the bank that you borrow sometimes at very high interest rates. So before you commit into buying a car, you have to make sure that it fits nicely with your budget and the car meets certain criteria.

1. Before I buy a car , I will make sure that I want a car that will not make me lose a lot of money. In other words, the car would have to have a good resale value. My operational definition of good resale value is that I would be able to retain at least 60 % of the value of the car after 5 years of use. Because of this, I refrain from buying Koreans like Hyundai , Daewoo or Kia ( I don't know how much this is true now). I also make sure that my car is not a Citroen or a Peugeot as some salesmen label these vehicles as "sejuk'. Most probably i would not get a VW because of its well known problem with the DSG transmission.

2. Next thing that I would give a serious consideration is that the car is very reliable. I don't want to be stuck in the traffic jam with ignition or transmission problems. I don't want to be spending a lot more money on the ECU or other problems. I don't want a car to be laden with complex coding problems that need to be solved.

3. I will also make sure that my car will not be a gas guzzler. I need a car that will have the speed but will not drink lots of petrol. In this world where the price of petrol is uncertain you have to make sure that your car sips the expensive petrol and gives you the extra mileage.

4. I need a car that is comfortable and quiet. My hearing is getting more sensitive at his age and I need car that is quiet for me to drive at a long haul or around towns. My back is also giving some problems and I need the soft suspension of my car to pamper my butt and give a magic carpet ride and not a jagged ride like some sporty cars.

5. Before I buy a car , I would also make sure that the car that I want to buy is a good value car. Good value does not mean very cheap. It means that I get lots of money for the car. Sometimes good value can mean tax incentives, extended warranty, extra features and good discounts.

After taking into considerations of all these things, I come to a conclusion that the best car for me is a Camry hybrid. I don't feel any regret at all buying the car till now . I'm one satisfied customer overall. When new cars like Honda Civic comes in I would always rationalize that there's no perfect car for us....There's is no perfect wife or girl. There will always be a prettier girl in town to come . You will never be fully satisfied... Just take care of your imperfect car and you will love with her beauty...

Toyota Service Center : Be smart

Dear owners of TCH ...

Please be aware that some Toyota franchisee service centers in Malaysia charge unnecessary items

1. They charge extra 1 litre on top of the four litre of oil. You don't really need the extra 1 litre
The extra 1 litre costs around 60 ringgit.

2. They get you to use the heavier oil which costs more than 100 ringgit extra. What you need is 

SN 0W -20 which is developed for hybrid cars. The specific hybrid oil is much cheaper.

3. They might ask you to do extra things like changing the transmission oil before the stipulated period.

Pl be a smart Camry Hybrid owner.

The boring Camry hybrid 2016

Hi bros...

Nearly 435, 000 Camrys were sold last year in the US. It has become the best selling car for the year 2015 beating models such as Honda Accord and Ford Fusion. Why does such  a so called "mediocre" car sell so much?

First is the trust that people have for Camry. Its very durable and it lasts for years. If you're observant you can still see the old Camrys running strong.The car will not let down its owner. It will serve the owner for a long time...It can basically run forever and not missing a single beat.

Secondly, its reliable to the core. It will not break down like some cars from Germany. I'm more than half a century old and I've not seen a Camry got stranded along the highway or in the city. Yet its also the best selling executive model in the country for a number of years before Honda Accord claimed the crown.

Thirdly, its so comfortable and quiet. It the perfect vehicle for the family. The interior space is large and comfortable enough to swallow a family of five and make them travel in comfort. Once inside the car you will be cocooned from the outside noise.

Fourthly , is the resale value. After 6 years of driving the car, the owner can still manage to get good trade in value unlike some korean made cars. The value is still there after years of abuse.

Last but not least it's a very economical car. The hybrid nor the non hybrid still give good mileage. The Camry would sip the fuel slowly unlike some korean and Continental cars which are known as gas guzzlers.

Now we know why this vanilla is really a gem...

Toyota Camry hybrid extended warranty Malaysia / 2 year extra warranty Toyota

Hi bros and sistas...

RM 2990 is a lot of money for me. I could use the money to go to UK and get a couple of my cheap favourite T shirts at Primark departmental store in London or probably get an I phone 6 because my ASUS is always hanging and causing irritating problem even now while writing this post. I could even get a 40 in TV because the one I have is flickering with yellow lights and difficult to watch the news about DOJ investigation.

Toyota extended warranty

Nonetheless, I just closed my eyes and signed the extended warranty form at the Toyota Service Center in Bangi yesterday. There goes my tonnes of money. I didn't actually want to buy the warranty because I thought Toyota should have given us a 5 year warranty instead of 3 because its already a standard practice for other car manufacturers at that time. But my rational side won the battle and made me signed the sales form. Below are the reasons why I decided to buy it.

1. I dont want to take risk. I feel that owning a hybrid which is quite new in Malaysia is having a' time bomb'. We dont know when its going to explode or break down. I know Toyotas are reliable but there's also a great possibility that we might get a lemon. Rather than feeling sorry later I would rather spend the 3 K now. Who knows may be two years from today the Inverter of the car might just go kaput. Like our health we dont know when we will be struck by a paralyzing stroke or heart attack. The inverter of the car is just like our precious heart.

Cost of extended warranty

2. You cant just stop worrying about the car and think about other things which are more important like your children, your financial investment, your health and your challenging job. You will be more focussed and be able to get things done more effectively. The Camry should not be the one that you should focus your energy on.

Well I don't want to force you to buy it. Ultimately,its your own decision. I get no commission from Mr Toyota. Some people get millions being agents for submarine contracts but not me. I do it for my love of Toyota Camry hybrid and my friends in the group.

Toyota Camry 2017 / Honda Accord 2017 / The prettiest Midsize car

Which D Segment car has the prettiest face?

The D segment car in Malaysia is the executive segment consisting of quite large cars. In the US its known as the Midsize car category because they are other large cars like Chevrolet Impala or Lincoln Continental. In the UK, its categorized as the executive car which includes BMW 5 series . Four door sedans are not as popular in the UK compared to Malaysia. They don't sell the Camry or the big US Accord in the UK. The British people have no love for big notchback sedans .

In Malaysia, the big sedans are still very popular although the sale of these types of sedan has been slow and decreasing. The bestsellers in this category are Honda Accord , Toyota Camry and Nissan Teana. Mazda 6 is gaining popularity whereas non Japanese cars like Peugeot, VW Passat , Ford Mondeo. Chevrolet Malibu have not managed to convince Malaysian buyers. The koreans with their Optima and Sonata too although quite successful have not managed to overtake the Japanese. Of all these cars which is the fairest?

This posting attempts to rank these D class segment cars according to Malaysian template. Beauty is so difficult to define and involves so many factors such as culture, functionality, speed, design among others. I will try to be fair and objective as far as possible.

Honda Accord 2017

1. The most beautiful D segment family sedan would have to be Honda Accord. I know a lot of you are not happy.Honda lately has managed to produce designs that are pleasing to the eyes not only among peoples of America but also in Asia. If there's a beauty contest among cars, the Accord would have easily won the prize. If the Accord is a woman she would have to be Beyonce. All the proportions are in the right place. The Accord could also be like Salma Hayek the beautiful Hollywood actress from Mexico.

2. The second place would have to go to Peugeot 508. Although the car is not very popular in Malaysia. The design of the car is so beautiful in the traditional luxury sense. The car can be mistaken for a Jaguar or a Bentley especially the rear end. The rear end of Peugeot looks very much like the butt of Kim Kardashian which people wont forget and probably drooling.

Mazda 6 2017

3. The third place for being the prettiest car is Mazda 6. Some people have said that the car looks like a middle aged guy on steroids. I however disagree. I thought the curvaceous body of the Mazda is really beautiful and so masculine and the car would be able to attract some really beautiful girls at Publika or Bukit Bintang.

4. The next most beautiful car to me is VW Passat. I believe a lot of young people would not agree with me. My wife too who is not quite a traditional kampung girl said that its really uninspiring and quite ugly. I disagree with them and I believe the beauty of the car lies with the understated design of the car. If its a girl this car is a beauty queen from a kampung. Nothing really fancy but overall a truly beautiful car inside out.

5. The fifth beauty spot is claimed by Nissan Teana. I find it difficult to describe the car but overall its quite pleasant to look at and occasionally can be quite pretty. Occasionally because the design flaw is so difficult to point out. If its a woman it could be the slightly large nose or the eyebrow is a bit "senget".

6. Yes bros finally our Camry hybrid managed to find its rightful place. The car is probably designed by a committee. The people in Toyota consisting of octogenarians who want to play safe and the result is the Camry that we have. If the Camry is a female being, its most likely a middle aged woman with a sagging br...t and flat back. Nobody will give a second look at the woman except probably a old man dumped by his young sexy" mata duitan" girlfriend.

I know you will not be happy with the ranking but this is my take on the issue.