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
Bookings for the Proton X50 are opened but the obvious question on every prospective buyer’s mind is, “How am I supposed to book for a car when I don’t know the price?” Proton dealers nationwide are ready to accept a RM 500 booking fee for the Proton X50 but you can’t view the car at any showroom yet. Instead, Proton is organizing closed-door preview sessions to selected customers but if you are not on their preferred customers list, you’ll have to wait longer. With no clear indication on when w
Sep 20, 2020
Naza Automotive Group, the automotive division of Naza Group, announced a new pricelist for vehicles under its automotive brands in line with the Government’s announcement. The new price list is recalculated in accordance to the sales tax exemption for locally-assembled vehicles and tax reduction for imported cars until year-end as part of the national economic stimulus plan, Penjana. The revised pricelist will be effective from 15th June 2020 until 31st December 2020, and covers the wide range
Jun 15, 2020
Although spare wheels are no longer offered in many premium cars (replaced with either run-flat tyres or tyre repair kits), spare wheels are still important for consumers shopping at the lower-end of the price spectrum. Prior to the Perodua Ativa’s (D55L) local launch, many Facebook users were saying that the Perodua Ativa doesn’t come with a spare wheel. This is not true. All variants of the Perodua Ativa come with a spare wheel. Full sized ones too, not those skinny 60 – 80 km/h speed limit sp
Mar 3, 2021
BMW Malaysia has released the updated price list for 2021 with a few notable changes. Prices have fluctuated for some models while some remained the same, like the BMW 218i Gran Coupe and BMW X1 sDrive 18i. Here’s the interesting part – the prior 5-year warranty and service package is now optional; standard is a 2-year warranty without free service. This means prices have dropped across the board with the standard 2-year warranty, but goes back to the same price as before should customers opt fo
Jan 18, 2021
Like any organization experiencing rapid growth and change, there will be growing pains. Proton is experiencing this first hand, not just with supply issues of the very high in demand Proton X50, but also shortage in spare parts supply for its service centres. To Proton’s credit, the company has taken a very brave move to publically acknowledge the shortcomings in its after-sales services. At today’s announcement of Proton’s February 2021 sales performance, Proton said it recorded its highest ev
Mar 2, 2021
Previously, we took a look at Proton’s first foray into the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). This time, things are looking a lot more different for both Proton in the UK and the BTCC as a whole. The highs of the nineties which saw iconic liveries and carmakers competing against one another had been reduced to become more grassroots-oriented in the 2010s. This also saw fewer manufacturers competing in the constructor's title because the cost to run the team could be very expensive. To hel
Jul 26, 2020
Alongside the BMW price revision announcement, MINI Malaysia has also updated the price list for 2021. Like new BMW models, standard is a 2-year warranty without free service package. But customers can opt for the 4 Years Unlimited Mileage Warranty with Free Scheduled Service (“Extended Warranty & Service Package”) at the same cost as before. For example, the MINI JCW Hatch can be purchased at a recommended retail price of RM 294,861 (OTR without insurance, with SST exemption) with the standard
Jan 18, 2021
With talks of the Suzuki Jimny being locally assembled in Indonesia, Autonetmagz mentioned that the waiting list for the Jimny has reached 60 months or 5 years. It is estimated that orders for the Suzuki Jimny have exceeded 3000 units, and Suzuki Indonesia is only able to fulfill 50 of them per month due to import restrictions (the Suzuki Jimny is currently imported from Japan). This gives a rough calculation for the waiting list of around 60 months or so. To refresh, the Suzuki Jimny is powered
Dec 9, 2020
It's not an easy topic, but it's worth knowing so you can take appropriate precautions. Here's the Vehicle Theft Reduction Council of Malaysia’s (VTREC) Industry Vehicle Theft Statistics for Q1 2020. The pictures here do not dictate the exact models or variants. A lot of these cars have been in the market for years, so it's a mix of variants across different model generations. 10. Toyota Vellfire - 19 units stolen in Q1 2020 The Vellfire has grown to be a favourite among those looking for a room
Oct 3, 2020
If you’re reading this, you would know by now that the fifth generation GN series 2020 Honda City has just been launched in Malaysia. The 2-motor i-MMD e:HEV RS variant also made its world debut in Malaysia, and yes it’s locally-assembled too, with locally-assembled high voltage battery pack that Honda refers to as IPU (Intelligent Power Unit). Prices start from RM 74,191 for the entry S variant, which is cheaper than the previous generation model by about RM 1k, both SST-exempted prices. The gl
Oct 13, 2020
The Geely Haoyue is set to be the company's flagship 3-row SUV when it is launched in China, but could this serve as a flagship model for Proton as well? Dimensions - Just how big is the Haoyue again? Starting with dimensions, Geely cheekily mentioned that the Haoyue is a XXXL-sized (大大大空间) SUV. Not surprising, as it is 4,835 mm long, 1,900 mm wide, and 1,780 mm tall. The Haoyue's wheelbase is 2,815 mm. In fact, the Haoyue is even larger in size than the Hyundai Santa Fe! The Haoyue may be short
Mar 16, 2020
An increasingly prevalent practice for carmakers nowadays is to sell buyers a car that comes without a spare wheel (wheel, in this context is tyre + rim). In its place could be run flat tyres, a tyre pressure monitor system, or a more agricultural solution like a tyre repair kit. Many buyers are up in arms because of this, grumbling that carmakers are shortchanging them, or putting more expensive solutions in place. But let's dig deeper and ask ourselves, is this a valid argument? Do you really
Mar 3, 2021
You've been waiting for it, and now it's here. The compact SUV segment in Malaysia just got a whole lot more interesting with the arrival of the Toyota Corolla Cross. You've probably read and digested all the specifications and features, gone back and forth through the brochure. Established players such as the Honda HR-V, Subaru XV, Mazda CX-3 (and the Proton X70 to some extent) have had this segment of the market pretty much licked for years, especially after Toyota's own C-HR was pulled from t
Mar 25, 2021
Your car ownership experience isn’t complete without having at least one flat tyre incident. For this, manufacturers have given us full-sized spares, space-savers, run-flat tyres, and even tyre repair kits. What you have in your car has been pre-determined by the manufacturer. The question is, which is the best? The answer depends on the type of driver you are, the type of commute you do, and where you live. Each option offers its own pros and cons. 1. Full-sized spares A full-sized spare is ide
Jun 9, 2020
According to the Vehicle Theft Reduction Council of Malaysia’s (VTREC) Industry Vehicle Theft Statistics for Q3 2019, the Proton Wira topped the list, followed by the Proton Iswara and Toyota Hilux. Cheras district police chief ACP Mohamed Mokhsein Mohamed Zon told Bernama that old Malaysian cars are ‘hot items’ among thieves due to their spare parts and ubiquity. Luxury vehicles are also targeted due to their overseas appeal. A total of 132 car theft and 264 motorcycle theft cases were reported
Jul 27, 2020
Audi Centre Setia Alam is officially open. Located in the central region, the Centre is designed as a “4S” facility to house multiple functions under one roof – Sales, Service, Spare Parts, Body and Paint shop. With nearly 60,000 sq ft of space, Audi Centre Setia Alam features the Audi Terminal architecture concept. Inside, the four-storey building carries the current corporate identity, furnishing and equipment that comply with the standards set by Audi AG. The investment follows the appointmen
Oct 3, 2019
The new 2020 Perodua Bezza is the natural rival to the Proton Saga in the A-Segment sedan market, but with the highest spec Advance (AV) priced at RM 49,980, there are other options that you should consider in the bigger B-Segment – the Proton Persona 1.6 Executive. Take a look at the overview: Evidently, the Premium spec Saga is the cheapest of the lot as compared to both the Bezza 1.3 AV and Persona 1.6 Executive on paper. That being said, let’s compare the specs and equipment levels offered i
Mar 12, 2020
It feels quite a bit like the Thanos snap from Infinity War, doesn’t it? In one snap - in this case the Proton X50’s preview - hundreds of spyshots showing off the X50 decked in camouflage over months were abruptly replaced with the real thing instead. We’re sure you remember, since there had to be at least one or two reports of spied X50’s everyday for months on end. What gives? What was happening? And why are there still camouflaged X50s? 1.9 million km and 75,000 hours Some might say that the
Sep 23, 2020
Talk about sitting on the backburner: the fully-imported (CBU India) 2021 Kia Seltos, first previewed in Malaysia in February last year, finally gets a price list. Confirmed prices start from RM 115,888. Two variants of the B-segment SUV are offered here, and bookings have been open since September 2020. Prices are as below: 2021 Kia Seltos Price in Malaysia Variant Private Registration Company Registration 1.6 EX RM 115,888 RM 116,088 1.6 GT Line RM 133,888 RM 134,088 All prices are on-the-road
Jan 7, 2021
In the first two months of 2021, the Hyundai Motor Group (HMG)’s domestic cars market share in Korea, including that of Kia, reached 78.5 percent. After including imported cars, the combined market share of Hyundai and Kia in Korea stands at 65.4 percent. In 2015, when there was more competition from other domestic manufacturers like Renault-Samsung, GM Korea, and Ssangyong, HMG’s domestic car market share stood 12 percent lower, at 66.5 percent. The Korean government, along with several academi
Mar 16, 2021
Although it feels like the Proton Perdana has been around for a long time, Proton’s flagship sedan has only gone through 2 generation changes. The latest iteration was affectionately nicknamed the ‘Accordana’ and was discontinued back in 2019. The Perdana is now on sale in the used car market for around RM 50,000, should you get this Proton but with Honda reliability? Background The Proton Perdana was the flagship model for Proton for many years, so it sports all the best amenities that were fit
Apr 11, 2021
We get it, the most popular car in Malaysia this year is probably the 2020 Proton X50. It had a headline-grabbing six-month waiting list (that Proton is working on rectifying), but it seems the 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander one ups that with an eight-month waiting period. Yes. Quartz White Pearl - best Xpander colour? With over 3,700 bookings collected in its first month of sales, there's no denying Malaysians love the Xpander. However, it seems there's a bit more love for the white one as the waiting
Dec 30, 2020
Touring cars have always featured basically run-of-the-mill sedans that were bought by Joe Average. Some would go on to be iconic legends in the German DTM, the Japanese JTCC, or even the Australian V8 Supercars. But none achieve the ethos of full legendary transformation than the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). Plenty of regular cars turned into icons thanks to the BTCC. Who could forget icons such as the Volvo 850 Wagon with blue and white Securicor livery or the simple red and white
Jul 19, 2020
Barely a year after its introduction in Malaysia, the W247 Mercedes-Benz B-Class is no more in Malaysia. The model can no longer be found on Mercedes-Benz’s Malaysia website. MBM introduced the W247-generation B-Class in Malaysia in the sole B200 variant back in October 2019. The B200, like its 200-series siblings, is powered by a 1.3-litre Renault-sourced turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that does 165 PS and 250 Nm. When it was still on sale, the Mercedes-Benz B200 was priced from RM 23
Dec 16, 2020
After dismaying news of RON 95’s weekly price hike starting January 2020, we have good news that there will be no changes to RON 97 for next week. RON 97 will maintain at RM 2.66 per litre for the next 7 days. The fuel price list for 30th November 2019 to 6th December 2019 will be as below: RON 95 - RM 2.08 per litre (unchanged) RON 97 - RM 2.66 per litre (unchanged) Euro 2M Diesel - RM 2.18 per litre (unchanged) Euro 5 Diesel - RM 2.28 per litre (unchanged) As you know, the RON 97 petrol price
Nov 29, 2019
We can already hear a pack of keyboards firing away so yes, the 2021 Perodua Ativa (D55L) and Proton X50 are not direct rivals. But as we mentioned before, they are close enough to fall in the same shopping basket and will inevitably attract similar demographics. If you are among the said demographics, then here is a guide to assist in your buying decision. Let’s start with the price. The Perodua Ativa has 3 variants on offer – X, H, and AV, priced at RM 61,500, RM 66,600, and RM 72,000 respecti
Mar 3, 2021
In case you missed it, the whole of Malaysia except Sarawak will be observing the Movement Control Order (MCO) until 4 February 2021. While we can’t show our love for our cars by driving them, we can always sooth our souls with some car related action movies. Here’s a list of car movies that you can binge on during the lockdown! The rather mainstream films (No Fast and Furious movies included) Need for Speed If you’re looking for something to kick start your weekend, then Need for Speed is the s
Jan 23, 2021
As you already know, the government has announced that it will be waiving the 10 percent sales tax for locally-assembled (CKD) cars while imported (CBU) cars will see their sales tax reduced by half, to 5 percent. The sales tax exemption/reduction is applicable from 15-June to 31-December 2020. Specifics on how will this be implemented are still unclear, so we will have to wait a little longer. For example, will the kick-off/cut-off date be determined based on the vehicle’s registration date or
Jun 8, 2020
Due to low demand, Proton has decided to suspend bookings for the Standard variant of the Proton X50. Proton has seen over 40,000 bookings for the X50 since its launch in October 2020, but bookings for the standard variant only account for 5%. The Edge reports that while Proton had expected the X50 to garner a lot of interest, the demand has been overwhelming, especially for the Flagship variant. Proton will focus on the larger population of bookings, which is for the non-Standard variants. Book
Apr 16, 2021
Honda HR-V
Perodua Alza
Honda City
Honda City Hatchback
Toyota Yaris