After 23 years..Proton Saga sneaks in...

[Caaa]

1st model is 1985, after 23 years, Proton Saga 2008 has finally come to our shore:

 

http://www.carbuyer.com.sg/2008/07/10/proton-saga-sneaks-in/

 

Checked with my friend, unlike stated in the above link, the price is SGD40K (after discount here and there), its with SRS airbag but only for driver, no ABS, and that's their top of the line

 

No showroom display yet....

[Route88]

http://www.proton-edar.com.my/index.php?page=newsaga

 

Looks like H Accent....comes only 1.3L

[Caaa]

Thought it look more like the Aevo Sedan?

[Route88]

Not the new one, 2004

 

[Caaa]

Sorry don't understand???

[Tkseah]

Looks good.. next time i can consider..

[Bearbear1494]

Seems like quite a value-for-money package if at $40K. Cheaper even than the new Perodua Viva at $42K, while being bigger in size & engine capacity. Specifications seem similar for both, except that the Viva has ABS & comes with a standard bodykit. Worth checking out.

[Minicop]

1st model is 1985, after 23 years, Proton Saga 2008 has finally come to our shore:

 

http://www.carbuyer.com.sg/2008/07/10/proton-saga-sneaks-in/

 

Checked with my friend, unlike stated in the above link, the price is SGD40K (after discount here and there), its with SRS airbag but only for driver, no ABS, and that's their top of the line

 

No showroom display yet....

 

Woh, much more expensive compare to MY price. It is selling like RM35K in MY. Hmmm.

[Anakin]

saw a jb one ... looks quite small in size.

[Tkseah]

That's the case with buying Proton and Perodua.. it's way cheaper across the border..

[Altivo]

i think end of the day, it boils down to reliability issues

 

Consumers put the brakes on Malaysia's Proton

 

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Proton's highly publicised campaign to hike sales appears to have hit a road block, with drivers saying they will snub the national carmaker in favour of foreign models.

 

Proton last month launched a "zero-defect" campaign aimed at erasing a persistent reputation for poor quality that has left it struggling to compete against Japanese and European carmakers.

 

Proton managing director Syed Zainal Abidin also announced plans to fit all models with natural gas tanks from October to help motorists beat the rising cost of fuel - following a 41 per cent petrol price hike here last month.

 

But a snapshot of consumers in the capital Kuala Lumpur by AFP on the weekend shows many critical of the carmaker after a string of bad experiences.

 

"I am not convinced they can improve the quality of Proton cars," said R. Shangmugam, who now drives a Honda after owning three different Proton models.

 

Shangmugam, 40, said the rear axle of a Proton Saga that he owned in 2001 broke off - while he was driving.

 

"I saw the rear wheels roll past me. Proton lacks quality," he said, adding that his Honda, which he bought last year for a reasonable price, was fuel efficient.

 

Proton was established 25 years ago by former premier Mahathir Mohamad as part of an ambitious national industrialisation plan.

 

But its market share has slumped over the years, as it faced difficulties coping in a new deregulated market.

 

The government has urged it to forge a partnership with a foreign automaker to give it the expertise and economies of scale that it needs to survive, but talks with Volkswagen and General Motors have collapsed.

 

Announcing his campaign on June 27, Syed Zainal said 60 per cent of defects in Proton cars were due to poor quality components from vendors, but admitted the rest of the blame fell on the firm's workforce.

 

The 45-year-old engineer who took the helm two years ago urged workers to focus on quality control, which is critical to profitability and overseas exports.

 

But Ismi Ismail, 43, said he will not be swayed to return to Proton.

 

"I will not buy a Proton car. For me Proton has an image of producing poor quality cars," he said. "Proton can bring a new car and we can see whose car will face a problem within the first six months."

 

Ismi said he bought a Proton Waja for his mother five years ago and faced regular problems with the power windows.

 

"Each time I had to pay 200 ringgit to replace the part. I got fed-up and we subsequently sold the car and bought a four-wheel drive Isuzu vehicle."

 

Ismi said he recently purchased an 18-year-old Volvo, and was confident he would have fewer mechanical and parts problems than a new Proton.

 

Proton said in February it had made net profits for two quarters in a row, thanks to lower operating costs and increased sales.

 

However, it still booked a net loss of 32.92 million ringgit (US$10 million) for the nine months to December, although it was smaller than the 590.448 million ringgit loss a year earlier.

 

Taxi driver K.C. Swaran, who uses a Proton Saga for his business, lists a range of problems including a rattling dashboard but said its engine was reliable.

 

"If I get a chance, I will go for a Nissan car. There is quality workmanship in Nissan cars," the 54-year-old said.

 

"After six to seven months acquiring my new Proton, its dashboard rattles and emits noise," he said.

 

Swaran said he lost money every time he went to the Proton workshop to have the problems fixed.

 

Former Proton owner CL Cheah, 32, said he sold his nine-year-old Proton Satria last year and wanted a second-hand Japanese car, which he said had more standard safety features like airbags and an anti-lock breaking system.

 

"I am looking for a used Japanese car. Even if it is a used car, I think I will face less problems than a new Proton," he said.

 

"From day one when I got my Satria, it had a rattling noise which just could not be fixed. As time passed, I got used to it," he said. "The parts are cheap to buy but they do not last long."

 

- AFP/os

[Caaa]

Woh, much more expensive compare to MY price. It is selling like RM35K in MY. Hmmm.

 

 

Was told there is 3 trim level in MY....SG given top of thr range, think MY top range selling more than that? Anyway not surprising lah, right here many thing also higher price.....

[Caaa]

saw a jb one ... looks quite small in size.

 

Sat in one during company meeting at MY, outside looks small, heard is same platform as Savvy, but inside is surprisingly roomy, good head & leg room.

[Caaa]

Was told Proton export line is different from local by a few friends, so far my company Waja has being problem free, especially compare with some Jap make. Guess sometime depend on luck? or maybe export proton is having better QC?

 

Anyway, my boss opinion is driving MY National car in MY is always safer as we need to travel to MY for some business, so far so true....hopefully

[Altivo]

that's what i heard too.

[Caaa]

I believe so far their newer generation of model (from Gen 2 or even include Waja) has no major issue.

 

My personal experience show that other than not as refine workmanship (as compare to Jap), the rest of the stuff are ok, considering their cars are reasonably well spec with lower price tag.

 

In fact I enjoy driving them (mostly Waja, a few times Gen 2) on NSH, the road holding are much better many 1.6L japs, maybe Lotus do a little magic for them...?

[Beehive3783]

47K with COE? I say forget about it.. rather pay a bit more for Lancer GLX.

 

---

July 10, 2008 Proton Saga sneaks in

Second generation model comes 23 years after the first one THE SAGA CONTINUES This car has been a runaway success in Malaysia with long waiting lists for delivery, will this translate over here?

By Justin Lee

SIX MONTHS AFTER its launch in Malaysia, the new Proton Saga will make its debut here at this Sunday

[Caaa]

Bro, u didn't read my post.....the price is $40K, think $47 is with overtrade kind of things...... Maybe u buy they give you $7/- worth of petrol?