Besides the viscosity rating of engine oil, we also have the choice of what type of oil we’d like to use in our car – mineral oil, semi-synthetic oil, and fully-synthetic oil. While most of us would agree that fully synthetic engine oils are the better choice, some older cars show problems when fully-synthetic engine oil is used. We’ve talked about their differences before, and the main advantages of fully-synthetic oil would be the more consistent molecule size and the longer service interval.
Dec 6, 2020
With complete service packages offered when you buy a new car, you rarely need to make a choice when it comes to engine oils. Buy a brand-new Perodua Axia and Perodua will make sure the car uses the brand’s namesake oil during the warranty period. The same goes for other brands which may officially use Petronas or Shell lubricants at their service centres. Even when you go to your local workshop, they are usually already official distributors of certain engine oil brands. Deciding on what engine
Jun 23, 2020
Today, Bermaz Motor announced a supply agreement with Petronas Lubricants Marketing Malaysia (PLMM) for the supply of Petronas Syntium full-synthetic engine oil to Bermaz Motor dealership “For customers, Bermaz's agreement with PLMM represents another milestone in our pursuit of enjoyable and hassle-free ownership experience. Petronas Syntium full-synthetic engine oil will replace our current use of semi-synthetic engine oil at our Bermaz Motor dealerships. Beginning next month, the use of full
Jun 15, 2020
Car care isn't daunting. It pays to do these simple checks and avoid repair bills and headaches in the end. Got it? Simple concept for a simple topic, so let’s go! 1. Check your coolant level See the radiator cap? Some cars have it placed differently, so if you can’t find it on your car at that position, look for the boat shape and bright sticker up top. All you have to do is unscrew it and add plain water (nothing else) to it. Engines heat up while driving, and if there’s not enough water in yo
Jul 19, 2020
A new year sometimes means a new car for some people and Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) is offering deals and promotions this Chinese New Year including savings of up to RM 10,000 on selected Volkswagen models. Customers who book via the eShowroom will enjoy additional exclusive online savings on top of the ongoing ang pao rebates. Those interested in the Volkswagen Passat range will also enjoy free additional 1-year insurance or RM 5,500 savings. The following models are eligible for
Jan 6, 2021
On the surface, the air filter and spark plug you bought from your neighbourhood spare parts shop look just like the original item, except that you’ve paid just a fraction of the price you would have otherwise paid at an authorised service centre. But little do you know, the spare parts you just bought are in fact counterfeit items, not original as what the shop owner told you. Counterfeit spare parts have been floating around in the market for the longest time, but how do you identify which is
May 4, 2020
Thanks to modern day sound insulation, you don’t realise how hot and bothered things are under the hood. Holding the engine in place and absorbing most of the engine's vibration are engine mounts. They take a lot of punishment. Although generally low-maintenance, engine mounts may wear out sooner than you think. Here we will discuss the symptoms of bad engine mounts in your car. A car engine is heavy. Even a small Perodua Axia’s 1KR-VE weighs about 70 kg. A Perodua Myvi’s 2NR-VE weighs about 86
Jul 21, 2020
A car catching on fire is an absolute nightmare because there is usually zero hope of saving the car. The car cremates itself to car Valhalla and no amount of money can bring it back to life. Cars catch on fire for several reasons and most of them are avoidable. To help you avoid this terrible situation, we’ve listed out six reasons that cause cars to catch fire in the first place, and how you could avoid them. 1. Fuel Leaks Gasoline is highly flammable. All it takes to start a fire is a little
Jan 17, 2021
So, you want to buy a used car. Maybe it’s a project car, a unique car model you’ve always wanted, or a car model that’s not sold brand new in Malaysia. If your reason for buying a used car is a tight budget, you might want to consider other options like public transportation or a motorcycle. If you’re still here after reading that, we assume you’re serious about this, regardless of your reasons. Well, there’s a long list of things to look out for when buying used cars. In this article, we will
Aug 15, 2020
ExxonMobil has launched the Mobil Super 3000 All-in-One Protection series in Malaysia. The new engine oil will join the existing Mobil Super 1000 and 2000 range in the market. The Mobil Super 3000 All-in-One Protection range is a premium, fully synthetic engine oil formulated with Heat Activated Anti-Wear Molecule to protect the engine oil from high-temperature wear while keeping the engine clean. The product range also meets API SP and ILSAC GF-6A standards, claimed to deliver good fuel economy
Nov 19, 2020
You’ve heard it time and again at every “balik kampung” festive season. Remember to check your car engine components’ condition, change your engine oil, make sure your tyres are in tip top condition before you start your journey… No doubt, these steps are important to follow, not only are you travelling further than your daily route causing more stress to the engine, there is also a possibility that you will get trapped in a 9-hour long traffic jam on the North-South Highway (true story this). A
Jan 17, 2020
The most “car maintenance” some us have done ourselves have probably been checking the engine oil dipstick, ATF dipstick, or at the very least, refilling the wiper fluid. Popping the hood is an unusual activity these days and is usually a sign of a broken car. Good regular maintenance can extend the service life of your car, and there are many aspects of car maintenance that we can talk about. To keep things short, we’ll be focusing on engine oil changes. Things will get a bit nerdy. We’ve alrea
Jun 26, 2020
Compact cars has been the staple vehicle of choice for Malaysian, regardless of the economic situation. In the present day Malaysia, vehicles like the Perodua Bezza and Axia has been the go-to choice especially for e-hailing drivers and first-time owners. Knowing this, Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd has developed a new fully synthetic engine oil dubbed the Shell Helix ECO 0W-20. It is specifically made to cater for cars with engine capacities below 1,200cc. Shell claims the new engine oil will p
Mar 2, 2020
Believe it or not, crude oil prices have gone down to negative. The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures, the benchmark for US oil, fell as low as negative USD 37 a barrel today. In other words, the excess capacity is oil supply is now so bad that not only is nobody buying oil in the US, but oil producers are now paying buyers to take crude oil away from them. Elsewhere, the situation isn’t as bad. Europe’s Brent crude oil index is still trading at around USD 25, but it’s down nine percent from
Apr 21, 2020
Malaysia is now into its sixth week of the Movement Control Order (MCO) triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic. This also means that many cars have been left parked for an extended period of time. To be clear, leaving a car parked for an extended period of time won’t damage your car. It’s not unusual for new cars to be parked at a dealer’s lot for months before it is sold. My own 36-year old classic is driven only about once a month but it starts at the first crank every single time. The difference
Apr 28, 2020
One of the very prevalent questions I get all the time on car maintenance, is about engine oils. This isn't surprising, seeing that it is the one thing we cannot avoid changing after a fixed interval. Often times you'll see hypermarkets selling brands like Shell, Castrol or other branded engine oils for a far cheaper price than it usually retails. Engine oils sold at hypermarts are cheaper, but its authenticity is hard to verify. If it's the real deal, you save some money. If it's not, you will
Jul 14, 2020
So, you've found the used car of your dreams, sent it to your trusted mechanic and even got the green light from Puspakom to transfer to name over to you. But wait, have you checked if the car has any unpaid traffic summons attached to it? Surprisingly, this is a step that most used car buyers would miss on. Excited car buyers will find themselves facing a roadblock when they realise that JPJ will not transfer the car to them as the previous owner has outstanding traffic summons that has yet to
Nov 4, 2020
The Proton X70 is the first model to be introduced to the local market since the inception of the Proton-Geely era. At present, the Proton X70 is fully imported from China while Proton upgrades its existing Tanjung Malim manufacturing facility. Some of you may not know but currently, the X70’s 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged TGDi engine is fed with Shell-branded engine oil. This raised some eyebrows among consumers as to why Proton did not engage its long-time lubricants partner, Petronas f
Sep 26, 2019
After a couple years of using your car, the time will eventually come when you will need to sell it off. And when that time comes, how do you ensure that you can sell it off at a higher price? Selling your car? Get the best offer here: Trade in User's Car Form An oil change and servicing would be good First things first, when it comes to selling your old car, it’s crucial to fix it up. Start with giving the car a service, replacing all the necessary oils and fluids. Whether or not you want to se
Mar 30, 2021
** This article is the personal experience of a 2012 Volkswagen Golf GTI MK6 SE owner and does not necessarily reflect the views of WapCar. Facebook: Han Eujin About my Volkswagen Golf GTI This is my 2012 Volkswagen Golf GTI MK6 SE which I purchased back in 2018 from a second-hand dealer in Ipoh. This Volkswagen Golf GTI is the SE version, the last batch of facelifted MK6 arrived to Malaysia. Facelift include front DRL, sunroof, full-colour touch- screen infotainment system and standard 18” Detr
Aug 3, 2020
So, you've just taken delivery of your brand-new car. You're excited (understandably so), and have already made plans on how to spruce it up and make it your own. The last thing on your mind at this point of time is depreciation, which occurs the moment your new car hits the tarmac (typically, it loses 15 percent of its value). While inevitable, are there ways one can mitigate a car's depreciation? Actually, yes. Value User's Car Scour through the classifieds list and will see a wide range in pr
Mar 29, 2021
Unless you drive a pickup truck or an amphibious car, you’re pretty much screwed in the event of a flood. Water can enter the cabin, the engine bay, and the trunk. The damage can be substantial too. Even after you get it fixed up, there still might be some slight odour, hidden rust spots, and the car isn't as fun as it used to be anymore. With that in mind, it is best to avoid a flood-damaged car if you’re shopping for a used car. Some sellers may be honest about the history of the car, while so
Aug 30, 2020
Honda has long been well-known for their class-leading spaciousness and practicality. The newest member in their stable, the all-new 2021 Honda HR-V will continue in the vein of spaciousness and here’s an example of just how much space you get in the back seat. In Wapcar terms, the new HR-V’s rear seats look like you can easily fit 3 tennis balls between the knee and the front seat, for a person of average height. The 2021 Honda HR-V made its debut last week featuring a radically different look
Feb 25, 2021
Just like a smartphone, smart Key Fob is something we can't do without. It's almost a magic until it ran out of power someday. Fun Fact: Every automaker makes provision for owners whose key fob battery is running out of juice. You can either check out the owner's manual or google the backup method according to the model. Here's one simple hack that can free you from flipping through the tedious owner manual and start the engine at the same time. 1st Step: Open the door A tried-and-true way to un
Aug 30, 2019
Buying brand-new cars without test driving them is common, especially when shopping for an econobox. These days, you can learn more about a brand-new car just by browsing the internet. The COVID-19 pandemic has also pushed brands to enhance their respective virtual showrooms. While shopping for a brand-new car can be safely done without a test drive, the same couldn’t be said about used cars. Test driving a brand-new car is meant to impress you with all the bells & whistles and the “joy of drivi
Sep 4, 2020
If you drive an automatic car, it is impossible to push start the car. Your only option in case of a flat battery is to jump start the car and get a battery replacement ASAP. A weak car battery has obvious tell-tale signs like a slow crank and dim lights. Changing a car battery is a simple task, but if you don’t know what you’re doing, there’s still a high chance of screwing things up. If you have absolutely no experience in replacing a new battery for your car, here are a few guidelines to help
Oct 9, 2020
Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest producers of oil in the world and as the price of oil is cheap there, it’s common to see large SUVs roaming the streets of Riyadh and Jeddah. However, even the Saudis realise how important it is to improve fuel efficiency standards and they’re getting serious about it. According to Gulf News, the Saudi General Ports Authority has temporarily banned imports from 16 car companies for failing to submit their supply plan and commitment to comply with new fuel stand
Sep 22, 2020
Getting your car cleaned is very satisfying. Most of us just pay to get them cleaned while some of us prefer to do the job ourselves. Either way, the shiny exterior and spotless interior never fail to make our cars feel fresh. It’s the similar feeling you get after getting a haircut. One area that rarely gets attention at a car wash is the engine bay. Most of us never pop the hood unless our car breaks down or we need to fill up the wiper fluid. If left attended for a long time, the engine bay c
Oct 2, 2020
How many of you are aware of the warning lights on your car's meter cluster? You're not alone if you don't have a slightest clue at all. Unsurprisingly, some of us choose to ignore the warning lights entirely until the car eventually breaks down, and by the time that happens, it is a little too late to cry. While some warning lights may seem unimportant, it’s good to know what they mean and how to react next. Usually, warning lights illuminate whenever there is a problem with one or more of your
May 22, 2020
Many people have different theories as to when they should service their cars. Some swears by the owner’s manual, others follow their gut feel. The latter, which we strongly advise against. First, let’s break down the science. A ‘regular service’ includes an engine oil change along with an inspection of all relevant components. There are many factors that affect the interval, or frequency, of your oil change process. Traditionally, it is recommended to change your oil every 5,000 km when using m
Sep 27, 2019
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