** This article is the personal experience of a 2014 Ford Fiesta ST180 owner and does not necessarily reflect the views of WapCar McBoomPow About My 2014 Ford Fiesta ST180 In May 2016, I bought a new but old stock 2014 Ford Fiesta ST180 from Ford SDAC. This is the closest to owning a new car I've ever been. Prior to that my ownership experiences have only been with second, third, and eighth-hand cars. I won't go into why (maybe I'll save that for another day), but yeah, first new car ever. And I
Jun 23, 2020
On the surface, the air filter and spark plug you bought from your neighbourhood spare parts shop look just like the original item, except that you’ve paid just a fraction of the price you would have otherwise paid at an authorised service centre. But little do you know, the spare parts you just bought are in fact counterfeit items, not original as what the shop owner told you. Counterfeit spare parts have been floating around in the market for the longest time, but how do you identify which is
May 4, 2020
** This article is the personal experience of a 2014 Ford Fiesta ST owner and does not necessarily reflect the views of WapCar. Facebook: Daniel Tan ↓↓↓ Press Here To Share Your Story ↓↓↓ The Ford Fiesta ST It wasn’t my first choice. In fact, it wasn’t even a close second. That honour, as it happened, belonged to the other two of the trio of The Holy Trinity of Superminis that I was planning to replace my ageing dugong Toyota Vios with: the Peugeot 208 GTi and the Renault Clio RS. I was obsessed
Jul 23, 2020
Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC), the sole distributor for Ford in Malaysia, today announced its Service Promotion for the year end starting 23 November 2020 to 15 February 2021. SDAC customers can take advantage of savings up to 20 % on vehicle maintenance on selected parts and engine oils. A savings of 10 % on labour fees for lubricant, brake and timing belt packages can also be enjoyed. Furthermore, customers can benefit from a 27-point vehicle inspection conducted by Ford-certified technicia
Nov 24, 2020
Jim Hackett announced today that he is stepping down as CEO of Ford Motor Company, barely three years on the job. Formerly a CEO at office furniture manufacturer Steelcase, he succeeded ex-Mazda man Mark Fields at Ford. Hackett’s tenure at Ford was rocky. He had no experience with the automotive business but Executive Chairman Bill Ford was eager to have someone outside the company to transform the highly-traditional Ford. The results weren’t good, which probably explains his earlier-than-expect
Aug 5, 2020
Like any organization experiencing rapid growth and change, there will be growing pains. Proton is experiencing this first hand, not just with supply issues of the very high in demand Proton X50, but also shortage in spare parts supply for its service centres. To Proton’s credit, the company has taken a very brave move to publically acknowledge the shortcomings in its after-sales services. At today’s announcement of Proton’s February 2021 sales performance, Proton said it recorded its highest ev
Mar 2, 2021
Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC), Malaysia's sole distributor of Ford vehicles, has revised the pricelist of the 2021 Ford Ranger. There is an RM 1.5k - RM 2k increase across the board. This update comes after the company introduced a new 5-year/160,000 km warranty for Ranger line-up earlier this week. Here's the new pricelist in Peninsular and East Malaysia: 2021 Ford Ranger prices in Malaysia Variant Price 2.2 XL Single Cab (MT) RM 92,388 (Pen. M.) RM 97,888 (E. M.) 2.2 XL Double Cab (MT) RM 9
Feb 4, 2021
Not too long ago, there were a variety of brand-new compact hot/warm hatches being offered such as the Ford Fiesta ST, Peugeot 208 GTi, or the car in question here - Suzuki Swift Sport. Now though, they are all but extinct. However, one can still browse the used car market for one and if you’re keen on a third generation Suzuki Swift Sport (ZC32S), here’s what you need to know. Value User's Car History of the Suzuki Swift Sport (ZC32S) in Malaysia The third generation Suzuki Swift Sport, codenam
Feb 15, 2021
Bookings for the Proton X50 are opened but the obvious question on every prospective buyer’s mind is, “How am I supposed to book for a car when I don’t know the price?” Proton dealers nationwide are ready to accept a RM 500 booking fee for the Proton X50 but you can’t view the car at any showroom yet. Instead, Proton is organizing closed-door preview sessions to selected customers but if you are not on their preferred customers list, you’ll have to wait longer. With no clear indication on when w
Sep 20, 2020
Good news to old Perodua model owners because Perodua has just made body parts much easier to access! Perodua has recently invested a cool RM 7 million into centralising parts production of past models. The investment goes into a new 1,600 metric tonne press stamping machine placed in their supplier IQM Sdn Bhd’s facility. The new hydraulic press will produce parts such as bonnets, side outer panels, rear outer panels, fenders, doors and roofs for past Perodua models like the first-generation My
Oct 29, 2019
Alongside the BMW price revision announcement, MINI Malaysia has also updated the price list for 2021. Like new BMW models, standard is a 2-year warranty without free service package. But customers can opt for the 4 Years Unlimited Mileage Warranty with Free Scheduled Service (“Extended Warranty & Service Package”) at the same cost as before. For example, the MINI JCW Hatch can be purchased at a recommended retail price of RM 294,861 (OTR without insurance, with SST exemption) with the standard
Jan 18, 2021
BMW Malaysia has released the updated price list for 2021 with a few notable changes. Prices have fluctuated for some models while some remained the same, like the BMW 218i Gran Coupe and BMW X1 sDrive 18i. Here’s the interesting part – the prior 5-year warranty and service package is now optional; standard is a 2-year warranty without free service. This means prices have dropped across the board with the standard 2-year warranty, but goes back to the same price as before should customers opt fo
Jan 18, 2021
Although spare wheels are no longer offered in many premium cars (replaced with either run-flat tyres or tyre repair kits), spare wheels are still important for consumers shopping at the lower-end of the price spectrum. Prior to the Perodua Ativa’s (D55L) local launch, many Facebook users were saying that the Perodua Ativa doesn’t come with a spare wheel. This is not true. All variants of the Perodua Ativa come with a spare wheel. Full sized ones too, not those skinny 60 – 80 km/h speed limit sp
Mar 3, 2021
Ford Thailand has just launched the 2021 Ford Ranger FX4 Max, and you might call it a budget Ranger Raptor or as the Blue Oval puts it “Ranger Raptor-inspired”. The inspiration is mostly visual enhancements which include the FORD-lettered front mesh grille with a dark grey surround. This colour scheme is also applied to the exterior mirror caps, door handles, wheel arch mouldings, and rear tray surround. This buff stance continues around the rear bed with a full-length tubular sports bar, finish
Mar 12, 2021
When it comes to pick-up trucks, practically everyone’s answer is the Toyota Hilux, thanks to a solid reputation for reliability and durability it built over the years. But what about other options like the Mitsubishi Triton and Ford Ranger? Are the other trucks worth your hard-earned money? Toyota Hilux – the de-facto option for many, for a good reason For all intends and purposes, the Toyota Hilux fulfills its duty as a workhorse really well. In the event that the Hilux needs to be serviced or
Apr 2, 2020
Toyota will be remaking spare parts for their classic Toyota Supra (A70 and A80) and reselling them in Japan and overseas markets through their Gazoo Racing (GR) Heritage Parts Project. The GR Heritage Parts project reproduces and remanufactures long-discontinued spare parts for the classic Supra models. Toyota aims to make this as easy as possible - buyers can get their heritage parts from their local Toyota dealer or a GR Garage. So what’s available for purchase right now? Check out the table
Jul 2, 2020
Naza Automotive Group, the automotive division of Naza Group, announced a new pricelist for vehicles under its automotive brands in line with the Government’s announcement. The new price list is recalculated in accordance to the sales tax exemption for locally-assembled vehicles and tax reduction for imported cars until year-end as part of the national economic stimulus plan, Penjana. The revised pricelist will be effective from 15th June 2020 until 31st December 2020, and covers the wide range
Jun 15, 2020
Ford has embraced the online buying trend by unveiling the Limited Edition Ford Ranger Splash, in conjunction with the upcoming Lazada 11.11 Shopping Festival. It is the first pickup truck in Malaysia to be sold via e-Commerce. Limited to 19 units, it is actually more than the 12 units of limited edition Beetle sold by Volkswagen almost 2 years ago. And like the Beetle, the Ranger Splash will be sold exclusively on Lazada. The Ford Ranger Splash is based on the XLT+ with everything blacked out,
Oct 24, 2019
Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC), the sole distributor for Ford vehicles in Malaysia, announced their new online booking tool that allows Ford owners to make service appointments in real-time. The new real-time e-Service booking tool will allow Ford owners who are looking to service their vehicles to immediately check the service slot availability at their chosen dealership. All Ford owners have to do is log on to the Ford website and select the “Book a Service” tab. They are then required to se
Jul 23, 2020
Enthusiast cars are getting rarer by the day, especially in Malaysia. We used to see a variety of brand-new hot/warm hatches being offered such as the Ford Fiesta ST or even the Suzuki Swift Sport. Now though, they are all but extinct. Thankfully, there’s still the used car channel and myself was lucky enough to get a hold of a stock 2015 Suzuki Swift Sport - codenamed ZC32S - in manual, no less. Out of the box, the Swift Sport is already known to punch above its weight. In the twisties, it keep
Feb 13, 2021
It is no surprise that when it comes to preserving heritage models, Nissan comes up on top, as the Yokohama-based company has already introduced its Heritage Parts Program parked under the Nismo umbrella. Now, Nissan is raising the bar even higher, as they recently developed a new method to utilize robots to produce car parts out of sheet metal without the need for a die. The process is called dual-sided dieless forming, which involves two synchronized robots working from opposite sides of a she
Oct 3, 2019
Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC), the sole distributor for Ford in Malaysia, has announced a service promotion starting 1 April to 31 May 2021 in conjunction with the upcoming festive period. Ford customers can enjoy up to 20% discount on selected parts (selected Ford models) and 10% savings on labour fee for selected service packages. Ford owners are also given a free 27-point vehicle inspection conducted by Ford-certified technicians to ensure their vehicles are in tip-top condition. Additiona
Apr 2, 2021
In case you missed it, the whole of Malaysia except Sarawak will be observing the Movement Control Order (MCO) until 4 February 2021. While we can’t show our love for our cars by driving them, we can always sooth our souls with some car related action movies. Here’s a list of car movies that you can binge on during the lockdown! The rather mainstream films (No Fast and Furious movies included) Need for Speed If you’re looking for something to kick start your weekend, then Need for Speed is the s
Jan 23, 2021
If you’re reading this, you would know by now that the fifth generation GN series 2020 Honda City has just been launched in Malaysia. The 2-motor i-MMD e:HEV RS variant also made its world debut in Malaysia, and yes it’s locally-assembled too, with locally-assembled high voltage battery pack that Honda refers to as IPU (Intelligent Power Unit). Prices start from RM 74,191 for the entry S variant, which is cheaper than the previous generation model by about RM 1k, both SST-exempted prices. The gl
Oct 13, 2020
Bila datang masanya untuk memilih trak pikap, selalunya jawapan yang diberi ialah Toyota Hilux kerana reputasinya yang kukuh dan kebolehtahanannya yang tinggi setelah bertahun-tahun. Tapi, bagaimana pula dengan pilihan lain seperti Mitsubishi Triton dan Ford Ranger? Adalah trak lain berbaloi untuk wang hasil usaha keras anda? Toyota Hilux – pilihan setia bagi ramai orang dan ada sebabnya Bagi pelbagai tujuan, Toyota Hilux memenuhi kriteria sebagai trak untuk bekerja dengan sangat bagus. Apabila
Jul 20, 2020
The recently-introduced TNGA-based Toyota Yaris Cross (and its Yaris hatchback sibling) has garnered a lot of attention lately, as many readers love the way the design of the new model. But for many of us, the Yaris and Yaris Cross will remain as images or videos on our screens, as these two models are unlikely to come to Malaysia. Here's why. Wait, just how small is it? The first reason why the models aren’t destined for Malaysia is because of their size. Compared to the Yaris we’re familiar wi
Apr 29, 2020
Petrolheads sometimes have it tough. We have too many cars we want, but we have not the resources to attain all of them. Also, when given an option, we would always choose a used, fun car versus a brand-new, but more vanilla car. So, for under RM 80,000, here are 5 cars that can bring a massive smile on your faces. I’ve tried to find cars that are diverse in character, drivetrain layout, and body types as much as I can. Bear in mind that you’ll have to stump up cash for cars that are 10 years or
Jul 20, 2020
It's not an easy topic, but it's worth knowing so you can take appropriate precautions. Here's the Vehicle Theft Reduction Council of Malaysia’s (VTREC) Industry Vehicle Theft Statistics for Q1 2020. The pictures here do not dictate the exact models or variants. A lot of these cars have been in the market for years, so it's a mix of variants across different model generations. 10. Toyota Vellfire - 19 units stolen in Q1 2020 The Vellfire has grown to be a favourite among those looking for a room
Oct 3, 2020
Volkswagen Group has opened a new regional parts distribution centre in the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Johor which will serve as the genuine parts supply chain to 21 markets across the Asia Pacific region. At 50,000 square metres, the new regional parts distribution centre is larger than its predecessor. The centre contains around 65,000 genuine parts of the German group’s brands including Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi, Skoda, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. International Trade and Industry
Jan 15, 2021
You've been waiting for it, and now it's here. The compact SUV segment in Malaysia just got a whole lot more interesting with the arrival of the Toyota Corolla Cross. You've probably read and digested all the specifications and features, gone back and forth through the brochure. Established players such as the Honda HR-V, Subaru XV, Mazda CX-3 (and the Proton X70 to some extent) have had this segment of the market pretty much licked for years, especially after Toyota's own C-HR was pulled from t
Mar 25, 2021
Honda HR-V
Perodua Alza
Honda City
Honda City Hatchback
Toyota Yaris