New Honda Freed

Yesterday, 22 April 2010, was the launch of the New Honda Freed.  I happened to dropped by Sumber Auto Edaran Showroom to check out the car.  How is the car?

UNIQUE SELLING POINT: (USP):
1) Power sliding doors, operated via either remote OR via switch behind the steering wheel. 
2) Walk through, from 1st row to 3rd row.  But adults need to bend down (40 degree) to walk thru'.  A no no for a lady wearing LOW CUT OR loose fitting top.  100% sure exposed...
3) Economical yet high revving 1.5 IVTEC Engine as found as Honda Jazz (Below).  It produces 118ps@6600rpm and a torque of 146Nm@4800rpm.  
4) 2 tiered stylish Dashboard. 
5) Multiplex seating arrangements (3rd row higher than 2nd row, 2nd row higher than 1st row).
6) The 3rd row flod up and away and tied to the side of the car.  Providing FLAT floor (see picture  below)
7) Compact exterior dimensions (4215mm length - slightly shorter than the Honda City) yet LONG wheelbase of 2740mm.
8) SAFETY: 6 star J-NCAP Crash tests. Dual Airbags, ABS + EBD +Brake Assist.
9) 5 speed automatic + Drive by wire.
10) Automatic Air-cond (Climate control).  (But NO Air vents for 2nd and 3rd row seats.)
11) Can't think of anything more...

Overall exterior styling, I like the front, very stylish.  The side, OK lah!  The BACK: UGLY.  "Squashed" rear lights. The back windscreen is more protrude than the bumper.  This defies the purpose of the bumper.  (See picture below).  Oh!  Asking price: RM112,980 OTR which I find EXPENSIVE.  That's TWICE the price of Perodua Alza.  Note that this car is imported from Indonesia (NOT JAPAN).

 

There's a saying, a picture's worth 1000 words.  Without further ado, let's

proceed to the photo gallery.

 

Above: Dunlop 185/65R15 tyres.  15" x 5.5J alloy rims 

 

ABOVE: The UGLY. "Squashed" rear light...

 

ABOVE: PARTING SHOTS: Another colour, Brilliant White Pearl.  

This angle is the best looking. 

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.

ARTICLE: What is "Sambung Bayar"?

Sambung Bayar

SOURCE: http://blog.carlist.my/2010/04/news-and-opinions/sambung-bayar/ 

April 15, 2010 by tim syrlac
 

Filed under: News and Opinions 

So what exactly is ‘sambung bayar‘? This was an alien concept to me up until recently when I realised that cars were bought and sold on what felt more like a gentleman’s agreement than a binding contract.

The term ‘sambung bayar‘ really refers to an owner who is still currently servicing a loan for his/her car but wants to sell it off to a party that would purchase it and continue servicing the original owner’s loan. Up until the loan repayments are completed, the car’s ownership is then transferred over to the purchaser via a JPJ K3 form.

The seller usually gets a one time deposit from the purchaser as a guarantee of intent as well as a fallback in the event that the purchaser falls foul on servicing the seller’s loan. A simple agreement is signed between both parties at point of handing over the car, to signify that the purchaser will now continue servicing the current loan and is responsible for the vehicle itself and that the transfer of ownership will be performed upon the completion of the loan.

So what drives folks to not mind ‘purchasing’ a car without having a ownership transfer performed? One of the main reasons for this is the fact that the purchaser wants to drive around in a better car than he/she can otherwise afford if he/she were to purchase it second hand (due to second hand loan rates, heavy downpayment etc). Others purchase cars through this method because they are not able to get the credit line required for such a purchase.

Whatever the reasons for buying and selling through the sambung bayar method, it undoubtedly has its own market here locally, unbeknown to some of us – at least up until you read this article, perhaps.

END OF ARTICLE...

That's all folks...  Thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry...

The Star: Monday April 19, 2010,

Do remember that speed kills

IT WAS just a month ago that I spoke to my friend Rizal. He was very excited about his new ride, a Yamaha R1 that has a massive 180 horse-power. It is also a new model.
I was a little jealous of him getting to ride this beauty. Nevertheless, I was happy for him as a fellow superbiker.

Ever wondered what riding a 180 horsies bike, weighing a little more than 180kg, feels like?
Let’s compare the R1 to a Formula 1 car. Ferrari’s F1 car is rated at 800 horsepower, and weighs around 800kg. The power to weight ratio of a Formula 1 car is a massive 1,000 horse-power per tonne.

Thus, both the Yamaha R1 and the Ferrari Formula 1 car have a similar power to weight ratio. Which means what a Formula 1 car driver feels upon acceleration, an R1 rider similarly feels it too. We are talking about G force here.

But the similarities end here. A Formula 1 car cannot be bought from showrooms, but a superbike can. A Formula 1 car can only be driven by a driver possessing a super licence sanctioned by the FIA, the world governing body.

As for a superbiker, all he needs is a full “B” licence. To get it, all the rider needs to do is to prove to JPJ (Road Transport Department) that he is capable of braking effectively, making a figure eight and showing some hand signs when turning.

It is a far cry comparing a Formula 1 driver and a superbike rider in terms of qualifications. But they both handle similarly powered vehicles.

I am not feeling sour here or questioning my friend’s capabilities in handling his bike.
But the fact is this: 1,000 horsepower per tonne bike of his cost him his life, and his wife’s, too.
His wife was riding pillion when they crashed on the North-South Expressway somewhere around Air Keroh in Malacca. They died on the spot.

I was devastated when I heard about this as both husband and wife were great people and good friends.

Imagine the devastation caused to their families and to their daughter who is only three years old.

For those considering getting a superbike or who already own one, please remember that sometimes we may forget that riding a superbike is close to driving a Formula 1 car.
These vehicles demand our absolute respect.

The slightest mistake may cost you your life.

So besides making sure your bike is shiny and ready for that next outing, remember that speed kills.  It will take us superbikers less than four seconds to break the speed limit of 110kph. Absolute respect for your bike is a priority.

While exhilarating in the sound and shine of the bike, like a knight in shining armour heading against the wind and defying the laws of physics, please remember “it is better to be late than never.”

By ABDUL HALIM CHEW,
Kajang.

American Idol 9: Update 3: Top 9 => Top 7.

Jeff's opinion.  As a result of Last Week's Judges used their one and only save of the season on Big Mike @ Michael Lynch, this week, we have 2 elimination.  I just watched the Results show 4 hours ago live via satellite (Astro) and I dunno what to say.  All is NOT LOST...  I dished out a well written article from NJ.com.  Enjoy:

'American Idol' results: Top 9 gets cut down to Top 7 as two singers are eliminated

By Len Melisurgo/ The Star-Ledger

April 15, 2010, 7:00AM

 
SOURCE: Michael Becker/Fox

 The 'American Idol' journey came to an end last night for two finalists: Andrew Garcia and Katie Stevens.

Two of the nine finalists of "American Idol's" season 9 saw their dreams of stardom come to an end last night in a tension-filled double elimination show.

After the votes were all counted, and the revelation drama was stretched out for a full 60 minutes, the two contestants who didn't survive the cut were California acoustic-guitar hipster Andrew Garcia and Connecticut high school singer Katie Stevens.

The results weren't all that surprising, following a relentless string of flat performances by the one-time front-runner Garcia and inconsistent singing by the sometimes robotic Stevens. But many observers -- including this blogger and our many readers who took the time to cast votes in our weekly online Idol poll -- had expected 16-year-old country singer Aaron Kelly to get ousted from the competition before Stevens.

Many other polls and bloggers across the nation also had predicted Aaron would end up in the bottom two spots along with Andrew, and the popular Dial an Idol website -- which uses special computers to measure busy signals during the Idol voting hours -- projected Andrew, Katie, Tim Urban and Siobhan Magnus were all in danger of going home.

But, as always, it's very difficult for anyone (even computers) to figure out the dialing and texting habits of millions of Americans.

THE LUCKY 7 SURVIVORS
 
FoxThis was the happy group of nine 'American Idol' finalists before two of them got the bad news that they were eliminated from season 9.

So now, the competition gets even more intense, with only seven finalists left -- including two who have been struggling of late (Aaron Kelly and Siobhan Magnus), one who was voted off last week but saved by the judges (Michael "Big Mike" Lynche), and one who wasn't even supposed to be among the 24 semi-finalists and who was on the verge of elimination three times in the past five weeks. (Tim Urban)

The 20-year-old Texan, who has been nicknamed "Teflon Tim" because of his incredible ability to slide away from trouble and brush off harsh criticism, made it into the Top 24 only after another contestant was booted from the competition for violating a rule regarding music contracts.

However, Tim has made a remarkable turnaround during the past few weeks and has begun to earn a good deal of respect among the judges and fans of "American Idol," even though he clearly doesn't have the talent needed to make a run for the title.

But it's been fun rooting for this kid. He's the perennial underdog who's waging a difficult battle and somehow managing to overcome adversity and beat the odds.

A few short weeks ago, who in the world would have predicted Tim Urban would make it into the Top 7? If anything, Tim has added some much-needed excitement into an otherwise bland season of "American Idol."

Also moving to the next round, as expected, are front-runners Crystal Bowersox, Lee DeWyze and Casey James.

HIGH VOTE TOTALS
 
 Fox'American Idol' host Ryan Seacrest, center, flanked by the Season 9 judges: Ellen DeGeneres, Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi and Simon Cowell.

Last week, Idol host Ryan Seacrest said 132 million votes had been cast this season since the public voting began, when the field was narrowed down to the 24 semi-finalists. Last night, Seacrest said 34 million votes were cast after Tuesday's show -- the largest number of any week this season.

GUEST PERFORMANCES
 
Adam Lambert

 Adam Lambert, the popular season 8 runner-up who served as a guest mentor for Tuesday night's Elvis Presley-themed show, hit the Idol stage again last night and performed his hit single, "Whataya Want From Me" -- complete with smoke machines and green laser lights. Lambert sounded great and brought back nice memories of season 8.
 
Brooke White and Justin Gaston

Also performing last night were season 8 finalist Brooke White and singer Justin Gaston -- a former underwear model, a 2008 finalist on "Nashville Star," and a current star of the web reality series, "If I Can Dream."

One of the show's co-stars is popular season 9 Idol contestant Alex Lambert, who was dealt an unexpected early exit in the semi-finals. (The web series was created by Idol producer Simon Fuller.)

White and Gaston sang a duet last night and sounded pretty good. Their song is available, for free, on iTunes.

SOURCE: http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2010/04/american_idol_results_top_9_ge.html

ARTICLE: Cigarettes may contain pig blood!

To ALL Muslims smokers, this article might help you to do a double take on Smoking...   -trying to refrain from Laughing Out Loud-

Article Source:  http://www.news.com.au/national/cigarettes-may-contain-pigs-blood/story-e6frfkvr-1225847653290

Cigarettes may contain pig blood

CIGARETTES may contain traces of pigs' blood, an Australian academic says with a warning that religious groups could find its undisclosed presence "very offensive".

University of Sydney Professor in Public Health Simon Chapman points to recent Dutch research which identified 185 different industrial uses of a pig - including the use of its haemoglobin in cigarette filters.

Prof Chapman said the research offered an insight into the otherwise secretive world of cigarette manufacture, and it was likely to raise concerns for devout Muslims and Jews.

Religious texts at the core of both of these faiths specifically ban the consumption of pork.

"I think that there would be some particularly devout groups who would find the idea that there were pig products in cigarettes to be very offensive," Prof Chapman said today.

"The Jewish community certainly takes these matters extremely seriously and the Islamic community certainly do as well, as would many vegetarians.

"It just puts into hard relief the problem that the tobacco industry is not required to declare the ingredients of cigarettes ... they say 'that's our business' and a trade secret."

The Dutch research found pig haemoglobin - a blood protein - was being used to make cigarette filters more effective at trapping harmful chemicals before they could enter a smoker's lungs.

Prof Chapman said while tobacco companies had moved voluntarily list the contents of their products on their websites, they also noted undisclosed "processing aids ... that are not significantly present in, and do not functionally affect, the finished product".

This catch-all term hid from public view an array of chemicals and other substances used in the making of tobacco products, he said.

At least one cigarette brand sold in Greece was confirmed as using pig haemoglobin in its processes, Prof Chapman said, and the status of smokes sold was unknown.

"If you're a smoker and you're of Islamic or Jewish faith then you'd probably would want to know and there is no way of finding out," Prof Chapman said.

The Sydney office of British American Tobacco Australia was contacted by AAP.

A spokeswoman said a comment would be provided although it was not immediately available.

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this article...

Top 16 Ugliest Cars in Malaysia

In this blog entry, I'll be covering Malaysia's Ugliest cars in my Personal Opinion...   Here are the lists:

1) Proton Juara (aka. Mitsubishi Town Box)

2) Fiat Multipla

3) Ssangyong Stavic

4) Toyota Alphard (Back 3 quarter view = UGLIEST PART)

5) Naza Sutera (aka. Hafei Lobo)

6) BMW 7-series (1st version, 2002 to 2005.  Later facelift looks better)

7) Fiat Doblo

8) Renault Kangoo

9) Mercedes Vito

10) Porsche Cayenne

11) Porsche Panamera

12) Mahindra Scorpio

13) Chana CM8 MPV

14) GM Hummer (Any model)

15) Mitsuoka Orochi

16) Ssangyong Actyon SUV

That's all folks! Thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.

MY 1st time Driving a Diesel car... I was HOOKED.

On 31 March 2010 (Yesterday), I boldly stepped into Ford Showroom in Jalan Ipoh (Sime Darby Auto Connexion - SDAC) just to find Mr. K H Teh (the Sales Executive I met during SDAC Sunway Pyramid Roadshow 2 weeks back).

Thanks to Mr. Teh, I actually, TEST DRIVEN the Ford Focus TDCI (Turbo diesel model) for a GOOD 35 minutes. Call me Wierd but this is the FIRST TIME in MY LIFE DRIVING A DIESEL ENGINED CAR!  Man, I was INSTANTLY IN LOVE with diesel cars.  Why is it so?

It's because the torque kicked in at a LOWLY 1600rpm (hence Power Easily Accessible).  It won't go up to 2500rpm.  Thus ensured LOW Fuel Consumption.  More on that later.  This is POLAR opposite to Petrol cars where torque normally came in between 2500rpm to 4500rpm.

According to the trip computer, a RM30 (17.7L) tankful is good for 300km.  That's AS GOOD AS NGV Powered and I dare to say very close to Hybrid Vehicles.

Back to the Topic, The Ford Focus 2.0 TDCI.  This car is available only as a Hatchback body (NO SEDAN AT MOMENT) and in 2 colours only, BLACK or WHITE and is priced at RM128,888 OTR (Ie. RM10k extra VS Petrol versions).

Now let me tell you how "FUN" it is to Drive this car.  The soft diesel clatter can be heard at start up, but once you are in the car, it's whisper quiet. The Power delivery is SMOOTH and LINEAR.  It happily cruises around from 1500rpm to 2500rpm around TOWN (Thanks to the 6 Speed DUAL CLUTCH GETRAG Powershift) AND slightly higher 1700 to a LOWLY 2100rpm (at 125km/h) - side note I was "Chasing a Toyota Caldina GT4" and managed to Keep up. This is on a stretch of Jalan Kuching - Duke Highway - Sprint Highway - Jalan Ipoh.  Cheeky me was also "Chasing" an Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 V6 (for 500m before he ZIGZAGGED away (from most right lane to most left lane and turn left) using the Ford Focus TDCI.

The beauty of this car is HOW it HANDLES.  The Handling is Razor Sharp, SWEET.  The car EAT CORNERS for LUNCH.  Thanks to its Unique Control Blade Multilink Rear Suspension.  To complement this, the Focus TDCI also comes with ABS+EBD+BA (Brake assist) +TCS (Traction Control) +ESP (Electronic Stability Program).   More on Safety wise, this car achieved a MAXIMUM 5 star NCAP Crash Rating. and DUAL Airbags.

Under the Bonnet lies a Potent 2.0 DURATORQ Turbo diesel engine with Common Rail Direct Injection producing 134PS@4000rpm AND a WHOOPING 320Nm or Torque at mere 2000rpm.
Acceleration was well within the claimed 0-100km/h of 9.6 seconds.  It certainly feels THAT FAST.  (In fact a FULL 1 Second faster than the Focus 2.0 Petrol version with 4 speed Auto). 
Top speed is claimed 200km/h.

Almost forgot, the Creature comfort of the car.  It came with FULL Leather Seats, Chilled Glovebox, Dual Zone Electronic Climate Control, Rear Air Conditioning vents, Audio control on steering wheel, tilt and telescopic (4 way) adjustable steering wheel wrapped in Leather.  It also comes with 8 way Power adjustable Driver seat, 2 DIN MP3 In-dash 6 Disc CD Changer with 6 speakers.  Lastly, my favourite feature 385L boot space with 60:40 Split Fold rear seatbacks (Useful for IKEA Shopping).

Man, I LOVED THIS CAR.  I wish I got the money to buy this car.  But after 35 minutes, I RELUCTANTLY have to RETURNED the KEY to Mr.Teh (The Only Chinese Sales Consultant in the Jalan Ipoh Showroom).  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Sales Executive.

Without further ado, here's MORE Photos:

Above: Another Colour combination. White with Blue Stripe (Extra RM600). Below, The one I test driven, Black with Silver stripe.

Above: KINETIC DESIGN Body shape.  Below: Wheel size are 6.5Jx16 Alloy with 205/55R16 tyres.

 

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this Blog Entry of mine.  An original Jeff Lim's production.  Ie. My Original Work.  Before I go, here's my Parting shot: