Longtermer #1, Update 19, Jan 2010: Ford Telstar 2.0i4 16v Ghia (A)

LONGTERMER #1: Update 19, January 2010: Ford Telstar 2.0i4 Ghia

Longtermer #1, Update 19, January 09: Ford Telstar 2.0i4 16v Ghia

In this blog entry, I am updating my Ford Telstar i4 Ghia. This is the 19th update.


What's up in the month of January?

As I am typing this, the Telstar covered 821km. Now, 150,205km. Previous month, it's 149,384km.  Why is it so? It's ALL Because this car had been in WORKSHOP for 1 week, due to Both Fan belt and Alternator belt snapped.

I don't have EVIDENCE, but I SUSPECT it's gotta do with 2 bottles of D'CARBO poured into my Engine back in December 31 2009 (see photo above).  Perhaps it's due to Over-revving by the person I bought the D'Carbo from?  Or 2 of my Engine mounting cracked, D'Carbo sort of vibrate the engine which resulted BOTH my Alternator belt and Fan belt snapped?  Or is it because like my dad said, the Engine is too "FRAIL" for D'Carbo?

On 17 January 2009, my car broke down (500m away from my house) after I heard a "SNAPPING" Sound.  Immediately, I knew 1 of the Belt snapped.  Stupid me went to attempt to restart the engine after the car broke down.  This might be the reason why the engine sort of "Failed".  THREE days in Workshop, after replacing both Alternator Belt, Fan belt and FAN BELT PULLEY, the car FAILED to start.  My Mechanic suspected the Gasket failed and suggest Engine transplant.

We even SOURCED an Engine and is waiting at the Chop Shop waiting to collect. God is GOOD, my mechanic decided to take apart the engine to see how bad the damaged is.  As he taking apart the engine, he found Engine "Chau Saai Waai" (Cantonese, ie. Not in order).  He Carefully, installed back the engine and MIRACULOUSLY, the car can START, back to Normal.  Hence, saving the need of ENGINE TRANSPLANT.  He charged me RM790 only.  Again, my mechanic also suspected it all started from D'Carbo.

Picture below, minutes before the Puncture...
Last  Saturday, my front left RIM is DENTED BADLY (see photo below)

and tyre punctured after HITTING a LARGE POTHOLE in Bandar Menjalara, Kepong.  I heard a LOUD "THHUUNNNKKK" and my tyre punctured.  My tenant TRIED to help me to change the FLAT tyre BUT my car Don't have the CORRECT tool to remove the 5 NUTS.

The existing ones CANNOT FIT my LENSO Smallish Lug-Holes. So cannot change the tyre. (see photo above).

I should have stopped driving the car BUT STUPID me go and slowly drive the punctured tyre from Kepong to my house in Section 17, Petaling Jaya (about 13km total)  The next day, I drove to the nearest tyre shop I can find and asked them to Changed my spare tyre.  I then drove to TEK MING Tyre shop in PJS 11/24 as I recalled them advertising their "REPAIR DENT RIMS" in Lelong.  See picture below...

They quoted me RM40 to repair my Dented rim.  The end result looks UGLY (see photo below), it became PARTIALLY BURNT.

After repairing my Rim, they discovered that my Front LEFT TYRE is UNUSABLE due to the "Sidewall Steel belt damaged".  This is caused by IGNORANT me Driving the FLAT TYRE for 13km from Kepong to Section 17, Petaling Jaya, resulting the tyre damage.  I was quoted RM150 for USED tyre of similar type with 80% thread left.  A NEW tyre would have cost RM220.

As I look around the tyre shop, I spotted these rims.  See picture above.  2009 MAZDA 6 2.5i OEM Rims.  The staff there quoted me RM800 initially, but after some negotiation, the price was reduced to RM700. Me and my dad decided to TRADE-IN the LENSO NX-01 rims for RM300 in favour of this rims...  Picture below, the RIM fitted on my 1999 Ford Telstar.  Does it looks good?

Without further ado, let’s proceed to Logbook…

LOGBOOK:

Year of manufactured: December 1998 (registered January 1999)
Purchase price: RM42,000 (Aug 2005)
Current value: RM12,000 (As at December 2009)
Depreciation per year (averaged): RM7,500
Mileage last month: 149,384km

Mileage NOW: 150,205km

Fuel consumption (so far):
BEST: 10.2km/l (24 December 2009)
WORST: 5.9km/l (September 14, 2009) => 100% City driving

THIS MONTH (January):
BEST: 9km/l on 24 January 2009 (80% Highway driving). WORST: 1st week of January: 7.1km/L, 90% City driving. I used either RON95 Shell OR Mobil RON95 only.

0-100km/h: 10.8 secs (1/1/2010). Previous run 10.4 secs (27/9/2009).

TODAY, As at 28 January 2010,

Expenses (this month)

1) Fuel expenses (RM350)
2) Parking and tolls charges... (RM50 est)
3) CHANGED 4x 2009 Mazda 6 2.5i OEM Sport Rims: Paid RM700 (see photo below).  After traded in my LENSO NX-01 17" rims for RM300.  1 used Silverstone Synergy M5 tyre: RM150.  Total RM850.

4) Labour for Changing both Alternator and fan pulley, taking apart the engine, top overhaul and putting it back: RM790.  (Better than Projected RM2300 for engine transplant).

GRAND TOTAL: RM2040.


Before I go, here's some parting shots below:

Pictures above, the newly replaced Fan belt and alternator belt which earlier SNAPPED.

Photo above: The ORIGINAL semi-bucket front seat, me find it COMFORTABLE, supportive and STYLISH. What do you think?

LASTLY, before I signed off, this is the LATEST photo of my Telstar with the 2009 MAZDA 6 2.5i 17" OEM RIMS. Man, it DOES LOOKS GOOD!

That's all folks!  Thanks for having the time and patience to read this Blog entry of mine...  See you February 28 2010 for the 20th update...  AN ORIGINAL JEFF LIM'S PRODUCTION.  My original work...

Shahriza Hussein (1943 ~ 2010)

ARTICLE PARTLY EXTRACTED from MOTOR TRADER Website. By Chips Yap.

"One of Malaysia’s first generation of motoring journalists, Shahriza Hussein, passed away last weekend, two months short of his 67th birthday. He left us peacefully, with no pain and suffering, something which I feel is the 'reward’ a person gets for having been good during his life on earth – and Shahriza was certainly a good man, kind and fatherly to the rest of us in the fraternity.

Shah, as everyone called him, was the publisher and editor of Auto International which started in 1976 but he probably never expected to be one. His early years of working were spent in the Malaysian education service as a teacher, examinations specialist and curriculum consultant.

However, in the mid-1970s, he decided government service was not for him and moved into the private sector to start Auto International (AI), which was the second motor magazine in Malaysia after Asian Auto which had started in 1973 (the AAM magazine is 'older’ but it has been circulated only to members). Although he also had other magazines, among them one which covered his other passion – hifi audio systems – AI was the one that took up virtually all his time.

By 2005, Shah decided that it was time to retire and stepped away from an active role in producing the magazine every month.  He led a quiet life at home...  Nevertheless, thanks to e-mails circulated among the fraternity, we all 'heard’ from him on and off. He also wrote some articles for a newspaper in which he related his childhood years and that was great reading. "

END OF SOURCE;
1) http://www.motortrader.com.my/NUS/articles/article_2320/page_m.asp 

My (Jeff Lim's) opinion:

In 2008, he published a NOVEL Entitled "LEGACY".  I haven't read the book but a check with the Internet shows that His book is ON SALE in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, USA and others...  Critics sang praises to his book...

AL-FATIHAH Allahyarham Shahriza Hussien.  Though you've passed away, I have this to say, you are my ROLE MODEL.   I had been READING your Magazine since 1988!  I was only 9 years old back then when I picked up and actually READ my 1st issue of Car Magazine.  It was a 1988 issue of AUTO INTERNATIONAL.   The Cover I remembered back then was a MITSUBISHI GALANT Super Saloon.  From October 1989 to 1994, I've been religiously FOLLOWING your Magazine.  In  1995, I followed my Dad to Hong Kong to Continue my Year 10 (form 4) over  there...   DID NOT read your magazine until my return from Hong Kong in October 1999.  I Enjoyed your magazine until 2005, I presumed you RETIRED as a FULL TIME editor.  

The Magazine Content DETERIORATED since 2005.  It's so BAD that by Mid-2006, the Auto International was SUSPENDED for 6 issues. The magazine changed its editor 3 times!  There were NO MORE detailed "SPECIFICATIONS" and 8 page featured car review.  Auto International goes from "1 of the BEST" Magazine in 2005 to "1 of the WORST MAGAZINE" in 2009.   

To Current Editor of Auto International.  Please bring back the OLD Review format which has DETAILED Specifications.  Currently, your Review is "SUPER BRIEF", photos were "ULTRA SMALL" and NOT Technical AT ALL.  EVEN, Weekly News Straits Times' CARS.BIKES.TRUCKS Pullout is MILES BETTER than today's Auto International.  At LESS THAN 60 pages including cover  and priced at RM8.80, it's NOT WORTH the Asking price.My advice, if you want to CONTINUE WRITING this WAY, please cut the Price to RM5.  Else, BUCKLE UP and BRING US 2004 writing format, picture quality + specifications please...

Jeff Lim signing off! -SOBBING- in between...

ARTICLE: Forget subsidies, just give me cash

Forget subsidies, just give me cash

By Hafiz Noor, The Malaysian Insider

JAN 19 — In spite of opposition that saw the streets of Kuala Lumpur filled with pro-fuel subsidy groups during the Abdullah administration, efforts to liberalise the fuel subsidy regime has gone a long way.

Out of a number of its arguments, one that criticises the untargeted and blanket nature of the policy has gained tremendous traction. The fact that it benefits those who do not need or deserve the subsidy is clearly one of the main motivators — the bigger drivers are probably cost and waste — behind the reformation of the policy.

The Najib administration is addressing this particular criticism. That has resulted in multiple novel moves and proposals from the federal government. Among the proposals reported in the mainstream media are different prices for different groups, a cap on subsidised fuel consumption and access to subsidy based on engine size. While the moves and proposals may reduce the size of fuel subsidy either in value or in quantity, the proposals may appear too convoluted.

I appreciate the government’s effort at making the policy more targeted hence, less wasteful in terms of opportunity cost. Yet, these novel ways are really unnecessary given its simpler alternatives. In fact, the more convoluted the methods are, the more complex the implementation will be. That is a recipe for a disaster, policy wise.

Just observe the recent attempt to limit the sale of subsidised fuel to foreigners at the border. So complicated was it that everybody was confused and in the end, it did not work. Consumers found ways around the restriction.

There is a better and much simpler way to do to this.

Before we proceed to that better and simpler policy, it is crucial for us to recall the purpose of the fuel subsidy. Its goal is ultimately to reduce the cost of living of the less well-to-do Malaysians. On top of that, fuel subsidy is not the only way to achieve that goal.

With that in mind, the better alternative to the fuel subsidy is a simple cash transfer from the government to those who deserve it.

Why cash transfer?

The first reason is that it paves the way for total elimination of fuel subsidy to free up the market. Since free prices signal scarcity, individuals and entities will make decisions that are more reflective of the reality of the energy market. On top of that, it creates real competition among pump owners. The same system of free prices already exists in the United States and Australia. Its effectiveness is proven.

Not only that, elimination of subsidy at the pump reduces consumption, all else being constant. That means lower carbon emissions. In times when carbon emissions are a worldwide concern and in light of the Najib administration’s promise to announce a carbon cut roadmap in the near future, this is an opportunity to integrate transportation and energy policies together environmental policy. Such integration is important given that, according to the International Energy Agency in 2007, the transportation sector was the source of 30 per cent of Malaysia’s carbon dioxide emissions in 2005.

Thirdly, cash can be used for a variety of things and not just fuel. Maybe a beneficiary of such a cash transfer appreciates books or food more than fuel. This has the potential of increasing the beneficiary’s welfare higher than what a fuel subsidy policy can bring. If the beneficiary does appreciate fuel more than anything else, then he or she can simply buy the same amount of fuel he or she would have otherwise bought under the fuel subsidy policy. In other words, there are more choices. The economics behind cash transfer is clearly more welfare enhancing than a simple fuel subsidy.

The next question is, naturally, how to do it.

If the sale of subsidised fuel is to be limited, then the government will have a good idea about the maximum amount of money it needs to spend on fuel subsidy. Furthermore, the lower the cap, the higher the likelihood a beneficiary of the subsidy will exhaust his or her quota. From there on, certain statistical manipulations can give us the size of money transfer per capita required to make the cash transfer method the equivalent of the fuel subsidy policy in terms of value.

The cash transfer itself can be delivered to the deserving via the existing tax system. Here is another beauty of cash transfer. It pays only to those who have filed their taxes. Thus, this is yet another incentive for those who have yet to file their tax to finally do so.

For those who just want to fill up their vehicles, here is another reason to support a simple cash transfer instead of an explicit targeted fuel subsidy policy: no weird rule at the pump.

So, what about it that is not to like?

*The views written here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

END OF ARTICLE.  That's all folks, thanks for reading this WONDERFULLY WRITTEN ARTICLE. 

SOURCE: 

 1) http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/opinion/alice-nah/index.php/opinion/
hafiznoorshams/50045-forget-subsidies-just-give-me-cash

ARTICLE: Loopholes for buying fuel with MyKad — Lim Sue Goan

Loopholes for buying fuel with MyKad — Lim Sue Goan

JAN 18 — This would be the busiest year for the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry. As the government is going to reduce subsidies on necessities, law enforcement officials would have to be diligent in their duties to prevent profiteers from fishing in troubled waters. Under the “1Malaysia” slogan, the government would have to take care of all Malaysians and for the very first time, it has listed turkey and pork as controlled items during Christmas and Chinese New Year.

However, there are many corrupt practices in the market, ordinary people are sometimes smarter than the officials. No matter how stringent the controls are, they still have ways to escape from being caught by law enforcement officials.

Take the implementation of buying fuel with MyKad, which is scheduled to be launched on 1 May, as an example, there are in fact many loopholes for the policy.

Under the new fuel subsidy structure, only Malaysian owners of vehicles with low engine capacity will enjoy full fuel subsidy, each person is limited to enjoy fuel subsidy for one vehicle and each person is allowed to pump limited amount of fuel every month. They have to face a lot of technical problems in order to implement such new policy.

Firstly, there are thousands of millions of different vehicles in the country. Would the government be able to match all the information of Malaysian citizens with the vehicles they own using computer system within three months? Moreover, some people have more than one vehicle registered under their names, how is the government going to ensure zero computer system error?

It is said that the government will also ask for assistants from banks, hoping to verify the information of vehicle owners through credit card records. The Road Transport Department (JPJ) will as well have to be psychologically prepared that many people may want to “change” the ownership of their vehicles to their relatives in order to enjoy fuel subsidy. Thus, it is not going to be a simple task.

In the first stage of implementation, there will be various errors and complaints for sure, including the computer system may be down; readers fail to read MyKad, no record in the computer system, some people are not allowed to enjoy fuel subsidy even thought they have not reach the limit amount yet, some small cars are not able to enjoy the subsidy while big vehicles can, or lorry drivers may complain that subsidised diesel is always sold out.

Secondly, how is the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry going to stop some Malaysians from lending their MyKads to foreigners? Foreigners may register their vehicles under borrowed Malaysian names to enjoy the subsidy. The readers in petrol stations recognise only cards but not the persons, the policy may become a profit-making opportunity for people living near country borders.

Thirdly, the policy in which vehicle owners are allowed to pump only a limited amount of fuel monthly may help to stop smuggling activities but fuel consumption is sometimes difficult to estimate. For example, we will have to consume more fuel during festive seasons as we have to return to our home towns. Also, sales persons and field staff have to go out very frequently. Such a policy will cause fierce opposition.

If a person does not purchase fuel up to the limited amount this year, could the remaining quota being carried forward to next month? How much is the reasonable fuel consumption amount? A total of 50 litres would be more than enough for those working near their houses but for sales persons, it may not enough even for two days. Also, those who cannot use up the quota may resell the remaining amount.

The government may think that the new mechanism can save a significant amount of subsidies but it does not take into account that if it is not effectively and smoothly implemented, it my affect the operation of industry and commerce, as well as cause an inflation.

The most crucial question is, how is the government going to use the billions of ringgit saved from the reduce of subsidies? The people will never wish to see their hard-earned money to be simply squandered and wasted. — mysinchew.com

END OF ARTICLE:

Source: 

1) 

http://www.mysinchew.com/node/34120

Thay's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this SECOND WELL WRITTEN ARTICLE.

ARTICLE: An approaching nightmare: Leisure days have LONG GONE...

An approaching nightmare

BY — Lim Sue Goan,

JAN 15 — The Malaysian fuel prices in 1997 was cheaper than mineral water. The price for mineral water was RM1.50 per litre while the price for fuel was RM1.10 per litre at that time.

The country was almost as rich as Arab countries. Such a scenario was not far away but a few months later, we will have to use MyKad in order to enjoy subsidised fuel. Leisure days have long gone.

Malaysians no longer enjoy cheap fuel and sugar. It tells us that our national treasury is short of money. Factors that caused the shortage of money have been mentioned for many times.

They include mismanagement, overspending, corruption, declining petroleum revenues and economic recession.

In order to increase revenue and reduce deficit, the government has to reduce subsidies (the government will reduce RM4 billion of subsidies this year) and impose more taxes (service tax for credit cards, tax on disposal of real property, as well as the Goods and Services Tax).

Therefore, the public must be psychologically prepared to face the bitterness of price hikes.

In order to lead the country out of the current economic predicament, the government has introduced a new economic model to turn the country into a high-income economy.

Firstly, the people are still not clear about the structure of the new economic model. We only know that it is going to be a knowledge-based economy that requires the creativity of the people to develop the areas of services and technology.

In order to turn an economy relying on foreign workers into a knowledge-based economy, there must be a solid foundation and conditions, such as high value-added areas, experts and research bases. And it is impossible to be achieved overnight.

Secondly, Malaysians are lack of high standard skills, effectiveness and competitiveness. How are employees going to increase the staff’s salary? The level of income is measured based on the average.

It will be meaningless if only a small number of people are able to gain high income while the majority earn less.

It is worrying that before the increase of the average income of Malaysians, we must first bear the pain of “high costs”, including the inflation brought by subsidy reduction, as well as the possible increase of water and electricity tariffs and tolls.

In fact, Malaysians earn very low incomes. For example, the monthly basic salary for security guards is between RM350 to RM400, while factory workers earn RM480 and estate workers earn RM600 per month.

These low-income earners will starve to death in urban areas and only this year, the government announces the minimum basic salary system for security guards, private clinic assistants, estate workers and those working in the catering and hotel industry. How are we going to achieve the dream of turning the country into a high-income economy?

It is reported that more and more wage earners in Singapore enjoy luxurious life in the Iskandar special economic zone during weekends. For them, luxury houses in the economic zone is cheaper compared to a three-room apartment in Singapore and the monthly house loan is even lower than a car loan in Singapore.

Even a semi-detached or a detached house is relatively cheap compared to housing prices in foreign countries or if it is calculated with foreign exchange rates. However, wage earners in Malaysia cannot even afford a RM300,000 house, not to mention a luxurious one.

Malaysians have become “second-class people” in this piece of land because of low income.

Many people are likely to become “poor” if we have to face inflation and at the same time, pay various taxes while our incomes remain unchanged. It is an approaching nightmare for Malaysians. — mysinchew.com

END OF ARTICLE:

SOURCE:

1) http://www.mysinchew.com/node/34017

UGLY MALAYSIAN: SHOPPING Ethics...

Last weekend, I accompanied my Tenant to IKEA.  Guess what?

This is a GOOD PLACE to SPOT UGLY MALAYSIAN.  Here's what I observed during the 2 hours shopping:

1) They simply park their TROLLEY in the middle / walkway.  (See photo) 

 This is what they should do:

Park their trolley at the side or ensure that it don't obstruct the walkways.

2) They took the item, from the shelf, later changed their mind and SIMPLY PUT THE ITEM in ANOTHER DEPARTMENT/ SECTION.  (See picture Below, circled)

 

WHAT THEY SHOULD DO, Put back the item back into the shelf you took from.  Where it belongs.

3) TROLLEY FIGHTING (in the event of SALE). 
They will initially line up for the Trolley, when the trolley ARRIVES, they "FIGHT" or GRAB the trolley. 

4) AS SEEN IN HYPERMARKET: Peeling onion/Garlic and left the SKIN/Outer layer in the shelf.  OR Picking MANDARIN ORANGE from one box to another.  OR Pressing the Mango, Durian. 

5) QUEUING in WRONG LANES:  Eg. 30 items but lined up in ""10 items or less" lane / EXPRESS LANE.  Or "CASH ONLY" Lane, but opting to pay CREDIT CARD.

6) HOGGING the ESCALATOR: Eg. Despite saying "EXCUSE ME" they refused to move to the left, preferring to STAND say, 2 to 3 people side by side.

7) HUGGING, CARESSING  AND KISSING in PUBLIC.  Man, 1/5 couples in Malaysian shopping mall did this.  Example are FAMOUS DJ PIETRO FELIX and his Scantily Clad GIRLFRIEND as spotted in IKEA on the 3rd week of December.   I PERSONALLY  SPOTTED THEM, while queuing for payments, KISSING, CARASSING and Hugging EACH OTHER. 


8) AND THE LISTS GOES ON AND ON... 

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

Emergency Update: Ford Telstar 2.0i4 Ghia

As I'm typing this, my Ford Telstar is still in Workshop.  The Engine BLOWN.  It all started last Sunday.  The Fan belt and Alternator Belt snapped at  the same time.  Stupid me go and attempt to start the car after the belts snapped.  According to my mechanic, what I did DAMAGED the ENGINE.

I have roughly 10 hours (tommorrow by 11am) to decide whether I should:
A: OVERHAUL THE CAR
B: Engine transplant.

I'm in a dilemma.  My dad and foreman ADVISED me to Change Engine while I want to Overhaul. What should I do?