Nonsense You!!!

Lookout Point, Ampang + Sawadee88 Thai Food

2012-01-01T15:41:00.000-08:00

Lookout Point in Ampang... a well known tourist spot in Ampang with what is undoubtedly the best view of KL. The vista opens up below you revealing the beauty of KL and its iconic KLCC Twin Towers and also the KL Tower.

What's the 'Point' of this post? Well, aside from the 'Look'... food and photography.

The view truly is fabulous and even though you have been to the 'Point' and 'Lookout' (pardon the English...) before, the view still takes your breath away.

However, the Lookout Point is famous for the view but maybe not the excellent quality of food that is served as a side dish to your meal. Are there any alternatives to the restaurants at Lookout Point?

It has also been a while since I went there and I wanted to compare the pictures taken before with my trusty Canon S95 and also recently with my new Fuji X100. Compact P&S vs Compact APS-C? We'll see...

The view truly is spectacular...

Is this the only option?

If you love the view but prefer to have your dinner somewhere else first before adjoining to the Lookout Point for the after dinner view....

Find out more after the link below:

Most people coming to the Lookout Point often end up here or some of the other restaurants there. The view while dining makes the whole experience worthwhile but food is never the reason people visit the Lookout Point.

Aside from the restaurant in the middle of the jungle that is also a popular alternative accessible from the main road not far after you pass the Lookout Point on the other side of the hill towards Hulu Langat, there is another alternative less than 10 minutes drive away.

Just continue on the road all the way down the hill until you reach the bottom and at the traffic light in front of the mosque continue straightish towards the Kuala Klawang road. Keep going about 1-2km and you will see the signboard for this restaurant... Sawadee88.

Apparently they are quite famous in their original location at Chan Sow Lin and have just recently opened up this Main Branch in the middle of nowhere. This is the address printed on their menu.

Nice decor and ambiance with a manmade pond and also some modern attap roofs.

The food is quite decent and reasonably priced. If you like the view at Lookout Point and feel like some Thai food, this is the place to be.

On to the Lookout Point!!!

Canon S95.... quite decent actually.

Which is which? S95 or X100?

Any guesses? S95 first, followed by the X100.

Canon S95.

Fuji X100. Nice Fuji colors and Dynamic Range...

Here's a longer exposure with the X100. 3.5s f2.0 iso200. A bit too overexposed for my liking.

If you haven't been to the Lookout Point, definitely go check it out! If you're looking for a reason to visit again, have some great Thai food at Sawadee88 before heading to the Lookout Point to enjoy the view.

Cheers!!!

Johor Premium Outlets (JPO) @ Kulaijaya, Johor with the Fujifilm X100

2011-12-11T18:48:00.001-08:00

OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE JOHOR PREMIUM OUTLETS ON 11th DECEMBER 2011

Passed by the JPO a number of times on the NSE on the way down south.

The JPO actually soft launched on 2nd December 2011 and so happened that I was on the way down to JB on 3rd December... Thought of dropping by and checked the website at http://www.premiumoutlets.com.my/ to get the directions to the JPO.

Funnily enough although the JPO is listed as being at Kulaijaya, you have to exit at Senai (U) to get there. It's fairly straightforward after you exit the NSE and there are plenty of signboards leading you to the JPO.

When we got to the JPO, there was a MASSIVE jam just to get into the place!!! Not wanting to get stuck in the jam I decided to turn around and head back to the NSE and vowed to return another day.

It so happened that I was in JB again for the weekend and we decided check out the JPO on 11th December which so happened to also be the official opening of the JPO by none other than our Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Hmm.... better get there early then....

The JPO opens at 10am and we arrived there at 9:30am. There was still parking available but it was filling up fast...

This was the picture of the parking lot at 10:30am... FULL!!!

First impressions? Wah... Looks exactly like the outlet malls in USA. It was only later that I found out that it was indeed managed by the same people that run the Premium Outlet malls in the USA.

Since the JPO only opened at 10am. A quick stop at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for a morning latte.

Open walkways but with strategically placed crossings in case of rain.

Check out the line at COACH!!! Waiting for it to open.

'Live' mannequin at GAP.

I like how the backdrop at Levi's was lighted up.

Self-portrait with my Fujifilm X100.

My favorite shot of the day... coffee and my X100.

What guys do while the women shop...

Before leaving we bumped into none other than our PM.

My verdict on the JPO?

Definitely worth dropping by if you happen to pass by. It's not really all that big so can't justify a trip there on its own. Make sure you get there early.... for these few months at least. It really does fill up very quickly.

Prices? Some cheaper and some not so cheap...

If you haven't been to an outlet mall in the US, just come to the JPO. It's the same except you don't have Obama walking around...

Canon PowerShot S95 vs FujiFilm Finepix F100fd

2011-01-11T18:27:00.000-08:00

Just got my new toy...

A Canon PowerShot s95. Since I'm currently using this camera, I can't use it to take pictures of itself soooo..... this is what it looks like. I don't have such a shiny table to take this picture so its obviously not taken by me.

My previous camera was a FujiFilm Finepix F100fd which I had bought based on this review:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q408premiumgroup/

This is what it looks like.

Why then did I buy the F100fd and now the S95?

The reason I went with the F100fd in the first place was due to its superior low-light performance.*
* compared with other compact cameras at that time.

I have always believed that something should be 'fit for its purpose' and I wanted a camera that could take decent low-light pictures without using a flash. I am often asked why I don't just get a SLR and main reason is portability. I like to carry a camera around with me all the time and lugging a HUGE SLR around did not really appeal to me. Besides, with the number of people carrying SLR's nowadays, I also didn't want to look like a 'poser' as well.*
* not that I'm implying that everyone who carries a SLR around is a poser.

SO..... at the time the F100fd was touted as having some of the best High ISO low-light shooting capabilities. I must say that it was certainly a big step up from my previous PowerShot and the quality of the pictures was quite impressive.

Canon subsequently released the PowerShot S90 which boasted a f2.0 lens which promised even better low-light performance. I almost bought one at the time but I didn't quite like how the front control ring felt and there were also universal complaints about how the control ring on the back did not have any indents to prevent it from moving.

And then Canon released the S95 which fixed these issues and I couldn't resist.

So far, I am really happy with its performance and have no regrets purchasing the S95. The f2.0 lens has really made a difference and the feel and quality of the camera is great.

So how do these cameras compare in low-light conditions?

First up, the FujiFilm Finepix F100fd at ISO1600.

To be fair I shot the scene again with the F100fd at ISO800.

Because of the brighter f2.0 lens the Canon S95 could shoot at ISO1000.

No contest. The S95 is noticeably sharper (check out the wording on the notices) and less grainy. Works great!!!

The S95 also has a special low-light shooting mode which shoots at ISO3200 and reduces the pixel count to 2.5 MP.

Still acceptable if a little more grainy.

Compare this with the F100fd at ISO3200 which is virtually unusable.

The Canon S95 is GREAT and it suits my purpose. Still compact enough to be carried around everywhere I go and still capable of decent low-light shots.

1JZ Water Pump

2010-08-21T19:19:00.000-07:00

The 1JZ has been pretty reliable if compared with my old M50B20.... BUT.....

Recently there was a problem with the 1JZ's water pump. My water pump recently started to have a slow leak which required me to top up the water every so often. When the car went in for some work to the suspension I decided to get the water pump changed as well.

If you check around the 1JZ water pump is one of the things which is often discussed. Why?

Because its so EXPENSIVE!!!!!

This is what the world's most expensive water pump looks like.... (World's most expensive to me at least...)

Before you start panicking and start to sell your organs to pay for a new water pump, the good news is that some 1JZ's have the cheaper water pump.

There are two main variations to the 1JZ water pump and it depends on what type of fan your 1JZ has. Some come with a viscous clutch type fan, some have an electric fan and finally some, like mine, have a hydraulic fan. I personally like the hydraulic fan as I find it quiet and powerful.

If your 1JZ has a hydraulic fan then you had better start choosing which organ you would like to sell in case your water pump fails....

The reason it is so expensive is that the water pump also contains the hyrdraulic pump that runs the hydraulic fan and hence the frankly enormous size of the water pump as can be seen in the picture above. The hydraulic pump also comes with an electronic actuator to control the speed of the hydraulic fan.

A new hydraulic water pump (???) would set you back around RM2k. A used water pump can be found for around a 1/4 of the price.

I felt that the water pump is a critical component so I decided to sell an organ and get a new one installed.

So far so good.....

Honda NSX by Format67.net

2010-07-22T16:55:00.000-07:00

Amazing video of an amazing car...... with the voice of my racing hero Ayrton Senna.

Sit back and enjoy....

A visit to my mechanics.... 1JZ-GTE, 2JZ-GTE and SR20DET

2010-06-13T22:50:00.000-07:00

Visited my mechanic again the other day to check some issues with my 1JZ E34. Saw a couple of 'interesting' conversions while I was there.

First up, guess what has just gotten a new heart? Not just any heart but a 2JZ!!!

Frankly, it looks a bit like a Toyota Unser from the front but its actually a Toyota Prado Landcruiser.

The 1JZ was specially modified to fit on the original gearbox housing so this is actually a 4WD, 2JZ!!!

Two bimmers....

One with a 1JZ...

The other with....

Nissan SR20DET.

Debadging the E34

2010-05-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

Posted the pics of my E34 on bimmerforums.com and some of the members there suggested debadging the E34.

Hmmm..... any comments?

With badges:

Debadged:

BMW E34 1JZ-GTE Pictures

2010-05-23T17:14:00.000-07:00

Finally managed to shoot some more pictures of the E34 after all of the upgrades.

Still not too bad looking for a 17-year old car....

Update on Proton i-Care my A**

2010-05-01T20:31:00.000-07:00

Just an update on my earlier rant about Proton here:
http://theseech.blogspot.com/2010/03/proton-i-care-care-my.html

Just when you thought there was no more hope and that your Proton will never be serviced and you have to drive it until the engine seizes and then go out and buy a Perodua Alza.....

I managed to finally get through to the i-Care line and managed to speak to Liza. More on her later...

How can one company be so bad and yet so good at the same time?

First it was the inability to get through to any of the lines to schedule a service. Then it was the absolute total inability to get through to the parts department to check if the parts ordered under warranty are here (I still don't understand why I need to call them and why they can't call me instead). Then it was the parts that were ordered for my car but was used by another car.

BUT.....

Ms. Liza was absolutely fantastic. When I finally got though to the i-Care line, she was fantastic. Patiently listening to my situation and offering to sort everything out for me including scheduling the service, checking the parts AND returning my call after she had arranged everything. ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!!

If you're her boss please give her a promotion... (or maybe not, then there would be no one to pick up the phone!!!)

Then there's the service advisor, En. Azri. Really nice to deal with him as he's very professional and pleasant to talk to. Got most of the things sorted out and even managed to ensure that there were no greasy handprints left on the car after the service. Thumbs up to En. Azri as well.

If you're his boss, please give him a promotion as well...... (or mayb not, then there would be no one to service the car!!!)

Anyway, after the initial frustrations, Ms. Liza and En. Azri more than made up for the aggravation. Nice to know that there are still some people who still care about doing their jobs well. Cheers...

E36 1JZ- Taken at my mechanics workshop

2010-04-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

Proton i-Care? Care my A**

2010-03-25T21:20:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to book the Exora in for its 10,000km service at the Proton 'Center of Excellence' and I have been calling them at the numbers provided 80269333 and 80269167 for A WEEK!!!!! NOBODY HAS PICKED UP THE PHONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nevermind.... I called the Proton i-Care line at 1300880888. It rings and then a message asks you to hold on while they connect you to an customer service rep, it rings some more and then it tells you that no one has picked up and ASKS YOU TO CALL AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a load of CR*P!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Center of Excellence my A**................

Replacement Battery ah? No need lah.... just buy a new phone!

2010-03-21T20:49:00.000-07:00

That's what I was told by the salesgirl when I went looking for a replacement battery for this...

I needed a second phone and it so happened that my sister had a Nokia 8800 lying around.

After using it for a few days, I must say its quite a nice phone and it did cost around RM3k new. The phone has a nice and solid feel to it with the brushed stainless steel cover and the slider is just awesome with a ball bearing mechanism and a smooth action and a nice metallic click to it when opening or closing.

It is also a decent phone albeit with a small screen (by todays standards) and perhaps less functionality. The only fault with it was the battery which as expected does not last very long after heavy usage. So went looking for a replacement battery, a BL-5X.

Went to MidValley and the official Nokia store did not have one. Went to 1 Utama and met the salesgirl who told me, "Replacement Battery ah? No need lah.... just buy a new phone!", at the official Nokia store. She said that the battery cost was very high and suggested that I just buy a new phone. Throw away a RM3k when new, top of the line, Nokia for an entry level Nokia just for the sake of a new battery???!!!

Finally went to a 'Hello' Station shop near Jusco and they HAD one battery but sold it the day before. What is this man? Suddenly all of the Nokia 8800 (and there can't be that many of them) users are looking for batteries? Anyway at least the salesman there was understanding and offered to order one for me. So.... will be waiting for his call..... hopefully.

Maybe its a conspiracy by Nokia to stop producing replacement batteries so that their sales people can tell people, "Replacement Battery ah? No need lah.... just buy a new phone!".

E34 1JZ Exhaust

2010-03-18T17:47:00.000-07:00

Decided to carry out some minor surgery on my E34 1JZ-GTE. After the heart transplant, I kept the stock center silencer and exhaust muffler in my attempt to keep the car as 'stock' as possible.

The exhaust note was actually quieter than stock to the point that you may have mistaken the 1JZ for an electric motor. I began to suspect that the exhaust might be overly restrictive when there were some boost fluctuation issues at full boost, approximately 0.7 bar.

So without carrying out any further or more scientific diagnosis of whether this issue was indeed caused by the exhaust....

Out with the blow torch.

Decided to just remove the center silencer and keep the stock exhaust muffler for the moment.

The offending item removed.

Initial impressions are that the engine seems to be revving easier with less restriction but then again I might be crazy and imagining things. The engine now has a note but it's still very very quiet. Unfortunately there's an irritating resonance now on light throttle openings. Its not very loud but still.....

However, one things that I did notice was that the maximum boost was up slightly to 0.8 bar vs. 0.7 bar with the silencer installed. This doesn't really make much sense as the wastegate is still the same and theoretically should have maintained the same maximum boost of 0.7 bar.

Can I notice any increase in power due to this 0.1 bar increase in boost pressure?

Most definitely........ NOT.

I may be crazy but not that crazy. There seems to be an improvement in response but can't say I can feel any power increase......

Hmmm...... maybe time for a straight through muffler.

Proton GTR

2010-03-10T18:08:00.001-08:00

Proton GTR.

Jap Swapped E34 on Bimmerforums.com

2010-03-04T16:08:00.000-08:00

Never thought I'd get mentioned on bimmerforums.com but I found this link on one of my favorite bimmer forums (ahahahahahah) aside from BMWCM.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1411274

Most comments were on the cost of the swap vs the cost of maintaining the original M50 engine.

Hmmm.... need to 'correct' some of their misconceptions.

Oh nooooo..... somehow I knew this was going to happen.

2010-02-23T17:03:00.000-08:00

Just saw this thread on ZTH.

http://www.zerotohundred.com/newforums/perodua/323775-can-perodua-alza-1-5-a-go-up-genting.html

Can a Perodua ALZA go up Genting ah?

JUST WHAT IS UP WITH THIS BLOODY GENTING BUSINESS EH?

How come no one asks if a lorry carrying your coffee and toast for Old Town Cafe can make it up Genting?

How about if the lorry carrying tons of petrol for the Esso station can make it up there?

What about the lorry carrying toilet paper for the First World Hotel? Judging by the number of rooms there, they should need a fair amount of the stuff sent up on a daily basis.

How about when Lim Goh Tong first built the place. Did anyone ask him, "Eh, Uncle Lim. Your lorry carrying TONS of building supplies can go up Genting ah?".

I would like to propose to both Proton and Perodua to come up with something like this:

CERTIFIED: THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TESTED AND CERTIFIED. CAN GO UP GENTING LAH!!!

In the interest of all these "Can go up Genting ah?" people, ALL our local car magazines should make it MANDATORY to test ALL vehicles up Genting during their road test....

Got 7 seats? Check...

Got engine? Check...

Got 4 tires? Check...

CAN GO UP GENTING??????? Check...

Maybe a better question would be, "Can a 10-year old Kancil 660 with 5 rugby players loaded up with toilet paper make it up to Genting?".

Toyota 1JZGTE- Shell 97, V-Power and Petronas 97

2010-02-07T19:37:00.000-08:00

Have been filling up with Shell 97 and V-Power since transplanting the 1JZ into my car. The fuel economy is pretty horrendous at 350km for every 50 liters. Others have reported some increase in mileage from V-Power so in the interest of 'science' I decided to run the car on a few tanks of V-Power.

Those scientifically and statistically inclined among you might bemoan the fact that this isn't a controlled experiment, too many variables, blah, blah, blah.... but this is the best that I got.

Based on the price of 97 @ RM2.05 and V-Power @ RM2.38, I would have to hit around 400km per 50 liters to 'breakeven'. So...... can't say I noticed noticeable (or statistically significant) reduction in fuel consumption much less to approach the breakeven point of 400km per 50 liters.

How about power you say?

Errr..... based on my butt dyno..... can't say that I noticed any increase in power either.

So what do I do next? Fill up with Petronas 97. More to stop the bleeding of RM119 every time I fill up but also to try out another brand of petrol.

WOW!!! As with my Exora, the engine feels much smoother. (No, I don't work with Petronas.)

It really does and my logical side of me struggles to find a reason why this is so. Am currently calculating the mileage or should I say kmleage to see if there's any difference in fuel consumption but the results may be a bit skewed for this tank of Petronas 97 due to a 'spirited' drive along KESAS last night.

Based on the initial response, I'll continue to fill up with Petronas 97. Will try and control the right foot and see what sort of kmleage I can get.

2010-01-28T18:09:00.000-08:00

Thought this was quite cool.

I know I'm a bit strange.......

Proton Exora 5000km service. More problems but great service!

2010-01-14T18:36:00.000-08:00

Just sent the Exora in for its 5000km service. What exactly does 5000km service mean. Does it mean service the car AT 5000km or does it mean service the car AFTER 5000km from your last service? Logically shouldn't it be 5000km AFTER the last service?

Anyway, I waited for 5000km after the last service and due to the extended Christmas and New Year Holidays and a trip down south to JB and Singapore, by the time the Exora was booked in to the main service center it had hit 6700km. The Service Advisor didn't say anything about it so I supposed it wasn't that critical. More on this later.

Firstly I would like to say that the SA this time was efficient, helpful and very friendly. Thumbs up to En. Azri.

Faults to report:
- High pitch whine (no, not the whining of those non-Exora owners that keep asking, CAN GO UP GENTING AH?) whenever the engine reaches 3500 rpm. I told the SA that I suspected that part of the exhaust heat shield might be loose and vibrating.
- Water entering the passenger side main headlight. Actually this only happened once after washing the car but since it was still under warranty I reported this fault to them.
- Slight crack on the front passenger side door handle.
- Something loose in the indicator signal stalk.
- Some squeaking noise coming from the front passenger seat.
- To replace the rusty brake drums as reported at the last service.

Left the Exora there for the whole day and returned to pick it up at 6pm.
- High pitch whine fixed. (As for the whining of non-Exora owners who ask CAN GO UP GENTING AH? please check this out: http://theseech.blogspot.com/2010/01/definitive-answer-to-so-how-ah-exora.html)
- One brake drum replaced. (Apparently they only ordered ONE instead of one SET.)
- All the other items on order..... which brings me to my next point.

While the SA, En. Azri was fantastic, the spare parts department is something else.... Proton spare parts department is terrible. They are supposed to call you when your parts arrive BUT..... never do. When I try to call them, no one picks up the phone.

Also the mechanics that work on your car keep leaving greasy hand prints on the interior.

So after everything was done, the Exora feels much smoother and the annoying whining is gone (hopefully also from the CAN GO UP GENTING AH? camp.)

While driving back I noticed that there was a sticker on the windscreen saying next service 10000km. I am still wondering if it means servicing the car AT 10000km or after another 5000km. If I went back at 10000km it would mean that the Exora would have only traveled 3000km + since its last service.....

Would I still recommend buying an Exora? Most definitely. Most space for the money (which is what you want from an MPV). Superior handling and comfort (many passengers have complemented the ride quality if compared with the Toyota Avanza or other similar MPV's).

The DEFINITIVE answer to the "SO HOW AH, EXORA CAN GO UP GENTING AH?" question.

2010-01-14T18:05:00.000-08:00

So how? CAN GO UP GENTING AH?

Personally, I still don't know lah. I know the Exora can go to JB and also Singapore but Genting? Not yet.

But maybe this will help:
http://protonexora.com.my/2010/01/11/eocm-conquered-genting-highlands/

or from Paul Tan:
http://paultan.org/2010/01/14/eocm-2010-genting-highlands-road-tour/

For those that are still skeptical, there may be a possibility that Proton hired a few trailers to tow hundreds of Exora's up to Genting but then the question would have to have been, "SO HOW? A TRAILER FULL OF PROTON EXORA'S CAN GO UP GENTING AH?".

Next time you go up Genting and see an Exora there perhaps you can ask them how much it cost to tow their Exora up Genting...... AHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHAHAHAH.......

Shopping down under...

2009-12-31T19:31:00.000-08:00

Down under Malaysia that is....

Started our shopping expedition at Bugis Junction. Why Bugis Junction? You would have to ask the boss for the answer. I'm just the tour guide/bag carrie/photographer/etc.

While waiting for the bosses to return from their pillage (and supporting the Singapore economy) I managed to get a few pictures of some children playing in the fountain at Bugis Junction. This is almost like a mini-attraction in this part of Singapore.

After doing our part for the Bugis economy. We headed to the mecca of shopping in Singapore, Orchard Road to do our part in supporting the economy of our southern neighbor.

I'm told this years Christmas decorations were not as good... maybe they look better at night or maybe its the recession. COME ON PEOPLE, SINGAPORE NEEDS YOUR HELP otherwise next year you'll have to bring your own Christmas decorations to Orchard Road.

After Orchard we headed to the Marina Bay area.

We stumbled upon an exercise session for those who had too much Christmas pudding.

Some shots from around the area. The Fullerton Hotel.

Clark Quay or issit Boat Quay. BTW, Quay is not pronounces as 'ke-way', its 'key'.

As this river will be part of Singapore's fresh water supply, the Singapore government has spared no expense to clean up the river. Its so clean that some kids decided to jump in for a swim.

Our very own Maybank in Singapore.

Spot the boss... and the shopping...

The Marina Bay Sand 'Integrated Resort', apparently we are not supposed to use the word 'Casino'. Most impressive. Worth a visit once it opens in 2010.

The white stuff floating in the bay is from some New Years celebration event in Singapore. Thousands of balls were released into the bay.

The Singapore Flyer, please do not call it the Eye over Singapore. Its the Singapore Flyer! Attached to it is the tallest 'Christmas Tree' in Singapore.

Maybe they haven't seen our Malaysian version. All it needs is some Christmas decorations.

The famous Singapore Durian. Don't know the real name so dunno what else to put down but everyone knows that its called the Singapore Durian.

As we were heading from the 'Durian' to the nearest MRT station, there was an 'art' exhibition in the walkway...

A final picture from our mission to support the Singaporean economy.

Exploring the land down under...

2009-12-31T18:31:00.000-08:00

Exploring the land down under..... under Malaysia, that is.

Had a long break over Christmas and New Year holidays and decided to take the kids to Singapore.

Now where's the map?

Guess where we're at?

No, they're not last minute Christmas shoppers on Orchard road....

We're at the Singapore Zoo!!!

Lions...

Tigers...

Elephants...

No really.... real elephants!

Gives new meaning to the term turning on a dime.

That looks exhausting.

Polar bear.

Rhinothesaurus.... err where's my spell check.

Even my 2-year old daughter knows what these are so no description required.

The reptile section.

And finally...

Now where did I put my deodorant?

Overall, the Singapore Zoo was great. It was very well designed and as 'natural' as a zoo could be. The zoo was also quite large and very natural. There was a play area for children which had a mini water park also. Didn't get any pictures of that but it was worth the trip over there.

Now, need to visit our own Zoo Negara for some comparisons.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW 2010!!!

2009-12-31T18:19:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas.....

And a Happy New Year!!!

Have been away in JB over the holidays. Look what I found in JB. A GIANT Christmas 'tree'.

All the best for the new year.

Proton Exora Problems

2009-12-31T18:15:00.000-08:00

The Exora has passed the 6000km mark and is due for its second servicing. Aside from the question of 'Can go up Genting ah?", the next most popular question would be, 'So..... what has broken on the Exora?'.

Aaaaahhh, the question of Proton build quality. Let's see what has gone wrong in the first few months of Exora ownership.

There was an issue with a knocking sound coming from the front suspension. When the Service Advisor (SA) was informed of this he needed no further explanation. It was almost like, 'Ah..... the knocking sound. Right, any other problems?'. Apparently this was a common problem in early Exora's and was rectified at the first service.

Aside from that we also reported that the rear brake drums were rusty. I expected them to remove the wheels and spray paint the outside of the brake drums but instead the parts were out of stock and had to be ordered. Proton WAS supposed to call me about the availability a week or so after the first service but so far...... no one called. I will give them a ring before I send the car in to check on this. There is also a whining when the engine gets to around 3.5k RPM. I suspect the exhaust's heat shield is loose and vibrating at that RPM. Will get it checked at the next service also.

A plastic trim piece covering the hinge on the rear seat has come loose (its quite easy to step on it when you are seated at the back) and needs to be replaced. The passenger side door handle cover has a small crack. AND.....

This happened the other day after washing the Exora.

All in all, nothing too major but disappointing nonetheless. Would I still buy one? Of course! The handling is a revelation and the space is amazing. Hopefully nothing else breaks..... need to find some plastic wood to touch.

TOUCH THE SCREEN!!!!!

2009-12-23T16:42:00.000-08:00

Saw this at one of the electronics stores in KLCC the other day.

Look, its your everyday 70" LED TV costing RM199,999!!!!!

I couldn't help but notice the notice (heheheh....) next to it which from afar seemed to ask people to 'Touch The Screen' of this TV which cost more than most houses in Malaysia.

TOUCH THE SCREEN!!!!!

Or maybe NOT!

Which also brings up the point that I would be pretty unhappy if I just splashed out on a TV which cost more than a house and I accidentally 'Touched The Screen' and as implied in this notice cause some damage to it.

Maybe it should say DON'T TOUCH THE SCREEN ESPECIALLY WITH ANY SHARP OBJECTS SUCH AS KNIVES, AXES, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING INTO AN AIRCRAFT!!!

Random Pics

2009-12-23T16:19:00.000-08:00

I thought this looked pretty cool so I snapped a couple of shots.

Klang BBQ- Hing Ket Grill House

2009-12-20T21:47:00.000-08:00

Went for dinner with my cousin and his wife in Klang. In my opinion the best crab I have EVER eaten (but then again, I don't really like crab so haven't eaten in that many places. However, I do LOVE this crab though so it MUST be pretty good.).

Anyway, the restaurant is quite far away (not like this is going to stop the food crazy Malaysians from going) but it was still full when we got there. It's located on the old road in Kg. Jawa, Klang leading to the hospital. Didn't bring my GPS so can't give you the coordinates but it might be better if not too many people find it as it was crowded enough as it is. :-)

On with the food. As the place was famous for its BBQ Crab and Lamb (which is another MUST try), we obviously ordered those two signature dishes.

Started with the 'lai liew har' or literally translated 'pissing prawns'. Very good! Must try also.

The other table ordered the 'Fook Keen Meen' or Hokkien Mee so if another table is ordering it then it must be good right? Actually, its OK. I prefer the thicker more burnt version and this was the more watery type.

And now, THE LAMB!!! Errr.... or what's left of it. Trust me, ITS VERY GOOD! MUST TRY!

While waiting for the crab.... my cousin ordered the stingray. OK lah. Can eat.

Looks nice doesn't it?

Finally what we've been waiting for. THE BBQ CRAB. Notice the absence of any sauce or other garnishing. This is simply the BEST way to eat crab. MUST MUST TRY!!!!

Aaaaahhhhh...... very satisfying. The meat was sweet with a tinge of the salty sea. Fantastic....

Thankfully the place is in the middle of nowhere which no one can find unless someone brings you there or by GPS. Its already full as it is. Luckily no one reads this blog so there shouldn't be more people going there anyway......

BBS Center Caps (0924282)

2009-12-15T19:30:00.000-08:00

After completing the engine transplant and repainting the wheels, the only thing missing was...

The center caps for my BBS RX wheels.

It has been quite an adventure sourcing for the center caps as the BBS center caps are of a different size from the standard BMW center caps. I was actually looking for some black/white or carbon fiber look BMW center caps to complete the look of my newly painted anthracite colored wheels but it was impossible to find any that could fit.

So had to go with the BBS center caps. They were sold locally but VERY EXPENSIVE so with the wonders of the internet...

Look what came in the mail today:

Will post some pics of them fitted to the wheels when I get the chance.

(Must be careful where I park the car from now on...)

BMW E34 Toyota 1JZ-GTE Transplant Guide

2009-12-14T19:48:00.000-08:00

Before deciding on the heart transplant for my beloved E34 I spent quite a bit of time researching the various options and the 1JZ-GTE in particular. The details of the transplant can be found here:

http://theseech.blogspot.com/2009/11/bmw-e34-toyota-1jzgte-twin-turbo-heart.html

For those wanting to perform a similar 'upgrade' (or sacrilege, depending on who you ask), I have decided to put together a short guide to make it easier for those who are planning to journey to the dark side.

One of the best articles on the 1JZ can be found here:
http://us.lexusownersclub.com/documents/1JZ-GTEarticle1.pdf

I found it most informative and it is a must read for anyone contemplating this swap.

First, the basics. There are three different models of the 1JZ-GTE to choose from.

The latest 1JZ-GTE is equipped with VVTI and is a single turbo configuration. Visually the 1JZ VVTI has a new valve cover to distinguish it from the older 1JZ's. This is a picture of one installed in a BMW E36 that was also done at my mechanics. The engine is still quite new so the halfcuts prices are still quite high but there is much more torque lower in the rev range thanks to the VVTI.

The earlier two versions are quite similar but there is an important difference which we will get to in a moment.

1JZ-GTE v.1

1JZ-GTE v.2

(Pictures from diamondjapanese.net)

If you take a look at the pictures, both engines look quite similar with the addition of a traction control system before the throttle. This is the easiest way to distinguish between v.1 and v.2.

Of more importance is the change that has been made to the PCV valves.

(Pictures from http://www.autosoftsys.com/supra/pics/newstylesml.jpg)

The older 1JZ's had a shorter hose to the PCV valve which can result in premature turbo failure due to excessive intake of oil into the turbos. This was corrected on the second version with a longer hose to the PVC valve.

A very useful site for more 1JZ swap info:

http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29117

For my conversion I used the original 1JZ radiator along with the stock hydraulic fan. This works great and is very quiet. The additional electric fan on the M50 can be removed as the hydraulic fan is powerful enough by itself. If I'm not mistaken the 1JZ v.1 has a clutch fan similar to the M50 (please correct me if I'm wrong). Another reason to go with v.2 if possible.

Hope this helps some of you who are planning a similar swap.

Perodua Alza vs Proton Exora

2009-12-13T18:10:00.000-08:00

Your Exora got enough power ah? Can go up Genting ah?

I can't tell you how many times I have been asked this same question. The only people asking are those who don't own an Exora. I haven't heard any of the owners complaining...... err maybe that's because its no use complaining AFTER buying one. But anyway, I think its fine even fully loaded with 6 adults and 4 children (albeit smaller children). NO, we didn't go up Genting but driving around town is fine.

What's up with this Genting business anyway? Is this something like a Nurburgring thingy with Malaysians? Instead of quoting a 'ring time perhaps cars in Malaysia should be sold with a label...."Genting tested and approved!!!". Even lumbering lorries can make it up Genting. The question is NOT "CAN GO UP GENTING AH?" rather it should be "How fast can you go up Genting in your Exora". Then my response would be "Faster than walking but probably slower than an EVO X." The most pointless question I have heard so far.

It's a 1.6 liter MPV with a HUGE and spacious interior. So far I haven't heard of an Exora rolling down backwards after failing to 'GO UP GENTING'. Please!!!! Just stop with Genting question already. ITS NOT A SPORTS CAR!!!!!

ITS AN MPV!!!!

Which brings me to my next point. Why would you even buy an MPV? Surely its not for the 0-100 times or how fast it laps the Nurburgring. I bought one because I wanted the space and flexibility to carry 7 people when required and for this purpose, the Exora is HUGE! No, its not Alphard huge but compared with the other sub 100k MPV's or even the Stream and Wish, its HUGE!!!

Which brings me to the new Perodua Alza. Firstly I must say that I am probably bias as I bought an Exora but what's the point of the Alza? If it was cheaper than the Exora then ok, it could be positioned as a budget MPV but if you take a look at the price list, its pretty much the same price as the Exora. The base Alza is the same price as the base Exora and the top spec Alza is the same as the M-Line Exora. So what's the point?

Its not very big.

It looks like a stretched Myvi and would be a great choice for those that want a stretched Myvi but as an MPV, I can't see the point. It also has a feature which is common with the Avanza and also the Grand Livina in that the rear seats cannot be folded individually so its either both back seats up or both back seats down. How is this important? MPV's typically either carry people OR luggage and only the biggest ones can do both (if you pack less luggage). Having a split rear seat allows some form of people AND luggage carrying ability.

So, if you want an MPV, buy an Exora. If you want a bigger Myvi, buy an Alza.

Only one question remains. Can a fully laden Alza GO UP GENTING????!!!!

Nissan 370Z at 1 Utama

2009-12-05T22:30:00.000-08:00

Was in 1 Utama a couple of days ago and saw this:

I wonder how much these costs...

One cool looking strut bar...

Overall, quite a nice looking car. Those funky headlights do look better in the metal. Quite compact also so should be pretty good to drive.

BMW E34 Toyota 1JZGTE Twin Turbo Heart Transplant

2009-11-30T01:59:00.000-08:00

Due to heart failure of the original BMW M50B20 (520i) engine and the extremely costly experience of maintaining a Bavarian heart with original BMW parts for the past 2 years or so. As the cost of a used BMW M50B25 was very expensive and likely to cost the same to maintain, I decided to transplant a more reliable Japanese heart into my beloved BMW. I know, I know, BMW purist all over the world will be moaning about purity etc, etc. but hey, its my car and 280hp and Toyota reliability doesn't sound so bad to me after blowing a fortune maintaining my original BMW engine.

Enough about philosophy and on with the show....

BMW M50B20 (520i). Before:

Toyota 1JZ-GTE Twin Turbo. After:

The journey....

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away.....

Wait, wrong story. I bought the BMW E34 520i in early 2007 and have tried my best to keep to its German heritage by replacing and repairing the car with only original BMW parts. I had just spend a small fortune (to me at least) to fully refurbish the gearbox (which was giving me problems) with the intention of keeping the car in stock condition for as long as possible. Unfortunately, fate had other ideas and my M50B20 engine decided to blow its top and thought mixing engine oil and coolant together would be a good idea.

This was the last straw and after finding out that a good condition M50B20 was difficult to come by and that the more readily available M50B25 (from a 525i) would cost a small fortune (to me at least), I decided that it was time for a change. After much thought and research, I decided to go with the Toyota 1JZ-GTE Twin Turbo as the engine (or halfcut as we call them in Malaysia) were about a third of the price of the BMW and after factoring in the massive amount of labor and fabrication to install a Toyota engine into a BMW, the total cost was still quite similar.

So a date was scheduled for the open heart surgery and the car was trailered to the operating theater and the offending item was removed.

The oil sump of the 'new' engine had to be modified to fit the original BMW engine bay.

The new heart being fitted.

Toyota? Yamaha?

Custom engine mountings being fabricated.

Toyota 4-speed automatic.

Intercooler. I went with a black 'stock' looking intercooler as I did not want to attract any unwanted attention.

Engine installed. Now the hard part, wiring.

The battery also had to be relocated from the engine bay to under the rear seat. Most of the E34's had their battery in this location but for some reason, mine was in the engine bay.

While the car was in for surgery, I decided to get the wheels repainted to an anthracite grey.

I also custom fabricated a panel for the boost gauge and turbo timer. Finished off with a 3M Carbon-Fiber sticker.

One of the requirements I had for the transplant was that I wanted the engine bay to look as 'stock' as possible, like it would have looked if BMW and Toyota decided to get married and have a child. As such, a lot of care was given especially to the wiring and the use of the original Toyota air intake assembly.

Overall, I am really happy with the results and the 280hp that came with it.

Some pictures after surgery.

The Toyota ECU is located in the same place as the stock BMW ECU.

The original rubber seals were reused to ensure the ECU is sealed off and the original routing for the wiring was reused.

The complete Toyota air intake assembly including the cold air intake snorkel.

The front of the engine bay had to be modified slightly to get the cold air intake to fit.

The original BMW brake master cylinder could not fit and was replaced with the original Toyota version.

The front mounted intercooler.

Stock looking front end.

The standard 520i exhaust was used for the complete 'stock' look. I didn't want to go for a custom made exhaust as I wanted it to look and sound like a stock BMW 520i.

The completed engine bay.

The original BMW gear shift was reused and the panel for the boost gauge and turbo timer installed.

Closeup of the 3M Carbon Fiber sticker.

The original BMW instrument cluster was also reused and everything works expect the meter below the rev counter used to calculate the MPG.

Some exterior shots of the car with the wheels. For a full description of the detailing work carried out check out my post on my other blog:
http://prodetailing.blogspot.com/2009/11/bmw-e34-post-heart-transplant-detail.html

The new Japanese heart is smoother and definitely much, much more powerful than the original German heart but what I'm really hoping for is that it will be more reliable also.

My wallet needs a break...... or I'll be the one needing a heart transplant soon.

Just updated another post with some technical information about the 1JZ:
http://theseech.blogspot.com/2009/12/bmw-e34-toyota-1jz-gte-transplant-guide.html

Brisbane

2009-11-29T22:35:00.000-08:00

Was in Brisbane recently for a seminar. Thought I'd share some pictures of my trip over there. As the seminar was about 1 1/2 hours drive north of Brisbane I flew direct to Brisbane by MAS rather than Air Asia as Air Asia lands in Coolangata which is about an hour south of Brisbane on the Gold Coast. The weather while I was over there was thankfully quite cooling which was a welcome change from the sweltering humidity of Malaysia.

On with the pictures:

They gave me a room on the very top floor. The strange thing was the lift didn't go up all the way to the top floor. I had to get off one floor below and walk up a flight of stairs but the upside was the view...

In Malaysia we keep complaining that our signboards are blocked by tree branches, etc. Well guess what...

Check out this corridor at a shopping mall. One of the longest and narrowest I have come across. Leading to the..... toilet.

One of the MOST impressive things I saw while in Brisbane. A fan at Bunning's Warehouse. Its GIGANTIC!!!!

Some early Christmas decorations on a real tree at Surfer's Paradise on the Gold Coast.

Sculpture of kangaroo's on the streets of downtown Brisbane made from used car parts.

A live band playing on Sunday morning at the Queen's Street Mall. A popular shopping destination in Brisbane.

This was something quite unique. A temporary DJ was setup in an open area and started playing latin music and people were dancing the night away. Quite a sight to see.

This was a 24hr pancake house located in an old church. It made for quite a different ambiance from your usual restaurant. It must work also as the restaurant was packed full of customers.

A statue outside the courthouse.

Day and night. I think this was the government building in downtown Brisbane.

Casino.

The city of Brisbane itself was quite picturesque with a river running through it and lots of bridges. It was especially pleasant around my hotel where you could walk across a bridge to Southbank which is a park and cultural area within the city. Some random shots of that area.

The bright white color thing is the middle is this.

This bridge was quite unique as the floral print was actually projected onto the bridge with projectors at night.

Highway on the river.

Visited Surfer's Paradise on the Gold Course on one of the days. It was nice and the touristy thing to do but upon recommendations from many of the locals, I took a drive up north to the Noosa Heads National Park. It was really beautiful and worth the journey. Highly recommended! Much better than Surfer's.

Some pictures of the park.

We originally followed the trail that goes along the water and thought we'd turn back at the end but once we got to the end there was another beach on the other side of the hill so we decided to walk over there to take a look.

Once there we saw another trail at the other end of the beach and kept going through the forest until we made it back to the starting point.

Quite a journey but the weather was quite pleasant. In the end we walked on trail 4, 5 and came back by 2.

I left for home the day after. Some final pictures of the International Terminal at Brisbane Airport while waiting for my flight to depart.

Thanks for looking.

RON 95- Shell vs Petronas vs Caltex vs BHP

2009-11-25T16:54:00.000-08:00

What's the deal with RON95? Technically speaking, if your car was designed for RON95, there shouldn't be ANY difference between running your car on RON95 or RON97 other than the damage to your wallet. Technically it should make NO DIFFERENCE AT ALL!

Why then has there been so much debate and discussion about the different brands of RON95 since it was released a couple of months ago? Isn't RON95, RON95? Whether its Shell, Petronas, Caltex or BHP, RON95 is RON95.

Or is it?

I have no idea why but I have been a Shell user all of my motoring life. (Maybe I like seafood and shells, maybe the red and yellow logo reminds me of a Big Mac or maybe Ayrton Senna drove a McLaren-Honda power by Shell when I was young and impressionable). Whatever the reason it has ALWAYS been Shell. The only other petrol I had EVER used was Petronas and that was because I was running out of fuel while trying to drive a Honda City from KL to JB back to KL on one tank of fuel (but that's another story).

Why then have I tried four different types of RON95 during the past few weeks? Could it be a sudden allergy to seafood or maybe its due to Shell now feeding a horse instead of a Big Mac. OR could it be that THERE IS A DIFFERENCE?

It all started when I read an article in CBT in the Sunday Times. The reviewer tested the Exora fueled with Shell RON95 and he made a comment that the car seemed more responsive and that there was no loss in power. (Which is logical since it was designed to run on RON95). So after such a fantastic review I decided to try it out on the Exora. Can't say I really noticed any difference (which is good) but after some time we (as in myself and the boss who drives the car daily) started to notice that the engine seemed a little rough at higher RPM's. Could it be the fuel? In my blind devotion to McShell, I continued to use it even though the engine was a little rough as I could not believe it could have been the fuel.

BUT there was more and more debate on the local car forums on the various types of RON95 available and the general consensus was that the fuel from good to bad was: BHP/Caltex/Esso-Mobil/Petronas/Shell. What? How the mighty Shell has fallen. Some time later, Shell released a newer version of both its RON95 and 97 with improved fuel economy, possibly due to the poor feedback but the damage had been done. I didn't really see a difference between the old RON95 and the new and improved RON95. So..... I decided to try Petronas.

WOW!!! What a big difference!!! The Exora seemed more powerful and was most definitely a lot SMOOTHER and even the boss noticed it when she drove the car. HOW CAN THIS BE? It doesn't make any sense at all.

Since the Petronas was such a big improvement over Shell, I decided to fuel up with Caltex since it was supposed to be one of the better RON95's but after one tank the boss commented that she preferred the Petronas. Was going to try BHP on the Exora but there wasn't a BHP station near my house so it was back to Petronas.

I did manage to try out the BHP on another car and I found it to be LESS powerful than Shell but the fuel economy seemed to be a LOT better. Again, HOW CAN THIS BE? Will be on the look out for a BHP station to try out the fuel on the Exora.

Unfortunately, this probably marks the end of my long and faithful relationship with Shell.....

Now, where did I put my Bonuslink card? I'll probably redeem a crustacean eating horse.

Disclaimer: From all of my previous posts, it is clear that I am talking nonsense so if you are a lawyer from Shell or Caltex please note that these are my personal opinions and results may vary. Please consult your fuel doctor or better yet, try out the fuels and judge for yourself.

Trip to Lumut

2009-10-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

Some pics from a recent family trip to Lumut. Stayed at Swiss-Garden Damai Laut but had makan mostly around Sitiawan.

This set of pictures were taken near a restaurant recommended by a friend. Nice views.

Picture of the restaurant. The food is decent and very, very, very competitively priced. Head to the Kg. Baru Ayer Tawar National Service Camp. The restaurant is just opposite. Nice views while you have your dinner.

Relaxing on the beach with my daughter.

My two little angels.

JPM Motorsport Berjaya Hills Hillclimb

2009-10-11T17:34:00.000-07:00

Attended the JPM hillclimb event at Berjaya Hills on 10th October 2009. Quite a number of rare and exotic supercars were taking part.

Nice parking lot.

Lamborghini LP-640

That massive exhaust isn't all that it seems.

A white LP-640 at the parking lot.

Very rare limited edition Aston Martin DB7 Zagato. Built to commemorate the end of the DB7 production. Built with a special roof and larger front grille among other changes. The V12 sounded supremely smooth.

Two Jaguar E-Types were also there. One hardtop and one convertible. B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!!

Plenty of Nissan R-35 GTR's.

Gemballa Cayenne.

22" rims!!!

Nice details.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage.

Plenty of Lotus Elise's around also. This one was covered with carbon fiber.

Porsche GT3 RS.

Old and new. CSL's.

GT40 replica.

The last car down the road in the classic division was this....
Lamborghini Countach!!!

Nice to be able to see so many cool cars in one place. Now just need to figure out how to buy one of these to get into the next hillclimb......

For some comments on the condition of supercar paint, check out my detailing blog:
http://prodetailing.blogspot.com/2009/10/supercar-paint.html

188888km

2009-09-18T17:29:00.000-07:00

Noticed the km reading just before starting the car.... What a coincidence.

Proton Exora 1000km Service

2009-09-15T17:45:00.000-07:00

Just got the Exora serviced.

Waited until it hit the 1000km mark before calling up Proton to book a date and time for service. Wanted to carry out the servicing at the main Shah Alam service center and had expected to get a service date in the next few days but I was informed that the earliest date was in one weeks time.

One week later.... 1177km on the odometer. Next time must learn to call up earlier.

Was told to come in at 9am. So got there at 9am. The place was packed!!! Full of cars waiting to be serviced. Registered and waited for a few minutes before being attended to. Quite professional as the floor mat was covered with paper and the driver seat covered with plastic.

Had a few faults to rectify:
- a rubber piece was found in the engine bay. Gave the piece to the service advisor and asked them to check where it fell out of.
- an air cond vent on the second row was stuck and broken so asked them to replace it.
- complained about a knocking noise from the front suspension when going over bumps. The SA seemed to know what the problem was and informed me that Proton has changed the design of some parts and they will fix it for me.
- the rear drum brake covers were slightly rusty so I asked them to look into it.

Left the car with them and was told that they will call when it is completed. They also mentioned that they were closing around 5pm.

4:30pm- No call from Proton but decided to head down there to see what was going on. After some checking, was told the car was ready but the bill was not done yet so had to wait while that was being prepared.

Bill came up to RM111 for the semi-synthetic oil and oil filter. As for the problems, was not informed where the rubber piece came from. The vent was replaced. The knocking sound has been fixed. Was told that the drum brakes had to be ordered and that if they did not call me in one week, that I was to call them to check.???!!!???

Was not too happy to find numerous greasy fingerprints all over the car. Even on the steering wheel and on some of the seats. What's the point of covering the driver's seat with plastic when everywhere else is being touched by greasy fingers. Was not too happy about that. Also found the area around the oil filler cap dirty as if the oil was spilled and later wiped off. I can't believe they don't have a proper funnel to fill the oil.

Anyway, drove the car back and started to clean all of the greasy fingerprint marks from the paint and seat and also cleaned up the oil stain at the oil filler cap.

I wasn't expecting much from Proton but was disappointed that they did not take more care in making sure the car was kept clean.

Should have taken pictures to show the SA next time the car is serviced.....

Proton GPS aka Lokatoo aka MyNavi running Garmin Mobile XT (GMXT) + Malfreemaps.com

2009-08-28T19:23:00.000-07:00

The Proton Exora came together with a free GPS.

Map Screen:

After using it once, I didn't think it was that great. The maps were not all that detailed and the driving directions were not that accurate. An example was when the GPS wanted me to drive another 2 km to make a U-turn when there was a roundabout just 100m in front of me.

So..... went on an exhaustive search on the net to find a solution.

Found out that the Proton GPS aka Lokatoo was formerly sold under the MyNavi brand. Not sure what GPS software it runs but the maps are provided by TM. All this sounds good so far but then you are dependent on TM to update the maps and Points of Interest (POI) which doesn't sound so good anymore.

The unit runs on Windows CE 5.0 so after some searching I found out that Garmin Mobile XT (GMXT) could also run on Windows CE. So went to LowYat and got the software installed. After looking at both Malsingmaps.com and Malfreemaps.com I decided to go with Malfreemaps.com as the maps are free and constantly being updated.

So, after much searching and some initial issues with the installation.....

So, to all the Proton GPS owners out there, it is possible to run GMXT which is so much better and has so many, many, many more POI's.

Proton Exora Review

2009-08-26T04:09:00.000-07:00

DOES THE EXORA HAVE ENOUGH POWER? (Can go up Genting ah?)
WHAT IS THE FUEL CONSUMPTION?

Just refueled the Exora for the first time since taking delivery of the car. Filled up 50 liters after 493km. Approximately 10.5 l/100km or RM0.189 per km. Have been driving the car very gently as it is still during the first 1000km break in period and been trying to keep the revs below 3000 rpm for this period.

The biggest question in everyone's mind that is asked by everyone who has come to know that I have bought an Exora is whether the 1.6 liter Campro CPS has enough poke to push the Exora along. I have to say that after driving around for a week, I have been pleasantly surprised and found the power more than sufficient for the style of driving more suited to MPV's rather than if the Exora was a Evora (of the Lotus variety). Driven like a MPV, the power most definitely OK. The gearbox only shifting down another gear when going up a steep incline. Even so, it didn't really struggle up the hills that it encountered.

I am certain after being properly run in, the Campro CPS would loosen up nicely and gain some power in the process. Fuel economy should also come down a little.

Am awaiting the first experience with the Proton service center. Will report on that when the time comes...

Moving the Car Detailing Post to prodetailing.blogspot.com

2009-08-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

Have decided to start another blog specifically for car detailing.

prodetailing.blogspot.com

Please check it out to follow my detailing adventures.

Shit Happens

2009-07-29T19:26:00.001-07:00

This is what happens when you spend hours detailing your car the day before....

Meguiar's M105 Review

2009-07-27T18:03:00.000-07:00

Finally gotten a bottle of M105 to try out. Many thanks to fellow Meguiar's Malaysia forummer KC for splitting the 1 gallon bottle with me.

So much has been said about the cutting and finishing ability of M105 so I was looking forward to trying it out.

On with the review:

Washing the car with NXT Car Wash. (Note the lack of a second bucket. I prefer to hose off the wash mitt instead of using another bucket as I feel the second bucket tends to get quite dirty and it seemed easier to just hose it off.):

Clay after one section of the hood:

Drying the car with the Water Magnet:

Taping off for the test:

Malaysian 'Sun Gun':

Lots of swirls and scratches (it was quite a challenge to capture these on a white car):

Makita 9227C with Solo Light Wool Cutting Pad + M105:

W7006 Cutting Pad:

Priming the Pad with the KBM method:

The M105 with W7006 didn't do much so on with the Solo Heavy Wool Cutting Pad:

The M105 + W7006 Cutting Pad. Still some visible swirls:

The Solo Light Wool Pad still left some swirls so on with the Solo Heavy Wool Cutting. Result!!! Substantially less swirls:

Followed up the M105 with M80 and NXT Tech Wax 2.0.

Got done quite late at night but managed to take some shots of the car before calling it a day.

Thanks for looking. Comments are always welcome.