Proton Question

[Genie47]

Not just Kia and Hyundai. Chevies are making a killing in the budget car market in MY. Most of the MY car buyers are running away from Proton. Aiyah! If kenna swallowed by Ford then swallow lah! At least can keep jobs in MY. I think Dr M will be very laukui if some "Western Imperial Colonialist" gets hold of what should be said in Proton.

[Silverarrow]

Not just Kia and Hyundai. Chevies are making a killing in the budget car market in MY. Most of the MY car buyers are running away from Proton. Aiyah! If kenna swallowed by Ford then swallow lah! At least can keep jobs in MY. I think Dr M will be very laukui if some "Western Imperial Colonialist" gets hold of what should be said in Proton.

 

The thing is, Proton approached Ford with the hope of being swallowed up by the latter so that they can cash out before the $h!t hits the fan. Unfortunately, Ford saw the writing on the wall and basically told Proton to take a hike.

 

The trouble with Proton, besides a lack of brand equity and competencies, is that they were asking for huge capital injections and more technology transfers while offering minimal stakeholding and nothing much else in return. Such is the shameless mentality of these inbreds that they even had the nerve to demand for special treatment from outsiders.

[Seansene]

Mitsubishi chose an ideal time to dump their Proton shares: just before the 2004 General Elections, when the Malaysian government were utilising taxpayers' savings to prop up the KLSE in order to create an impression of a strengthening economy. Proton shares were suspended from trading under the pretext of restructuring, so as to allow Khazanah to pay off Mitsubishi a handsome premium that escapes disclosure and compliance with trading rules.

 

Seeing that Mitsu itself is in trouble - with Daimler Chrysler pulling the plug on the Jap company - I don't see the point in them being weighed down by another dud...

[Vit4wd]

Is the Wira really that bad?

 

The 1990 Lancer on which the Wira is based on wasn't that bad. But trust that bunch of lazy, parasitic monkeys to screw up a decent product with build quality that has decended far below the levels of generally accepted shoddiness.

 

At these M/sians worked hard to manufacture a product. They have to make a profit to survive... unlike some shameful a.s.s that forces car buyers to buy useless '5 figure sum' pieces of paper to register a car

Edited April 26, 2004 by Vit4wd

[DarkLord]

[Vit4wd]

Now at S$48,800 for Proton Wira 1.3, incl leather seats... best time to buy!

 

Jap engine & reliability, yet cheaper than Korean price - Hyundai Accent 1.3 S$49,888

[Nitrate]

wah, u're really a proton die-hard!

[Vernon]

Wah, your english very good leh. Are you a journalist or something?

[Leshackks]

Proton's business doesn't look like its in very good shape now with Mitsu pulling out of their partnership, and the 2005 AFTA lifting of vehicle tariffs[:(]

 

On proton cars, I wud not dare to influence ur mind to invest in them, but Mitsu dump their share for their debts accumulated are to high for them too bear. Furthermore, they need malaysian market to increase their global sales volume.

 

Secondly, new generation models are an improved lots (i wud not comment on the first batch) as proton are utilising the lotus engineers on the r&d section. Al vehicle prototype (starting from waja onwards) are tested in overseas labs. The new manufacturing plants which include several new sections are all included this time is ready and running.

 

Current partners with Protons for R&D and engine developement are lotus and volkswagon.

 

Take your choice, bros. do consider as buying a car is easy but mantaint them is not. Teh spares is considerable cheap if to get in Spore itself or better alternative is to do it in JB.

 

The choice is yours. One man's meat is another man poison...

[Leshackks]

DR M won't laukui wan lar... he now eng eng cheng cheng sit in petronas twin tower... he will say if without him then my go down... otherwise y he step down...

[En0203]

Now at S$48,800 for Proton Wira 1.3, incl leather seats... best time to buy!

 

wah, how about 1.5 one? how much? parf ler?

 

by the way, are u working for proton?

[Vit4wd]

Latest update: Proton Wira 1.3M is now only S$46,800 - prices reduced by S$2K. - The Wira 1.3M is now also the 2nd cheapest in Singapore, after the Picanto 1.1M.

 

At its peak, it was selling for S$65,000!!!

 

No leather seats this time, but I am sure you can ask for free reverse sensor and sports rims as they are desperate to clear the current stocks.

 

1.5M costs S$3K more, ie. S$49,800. OMV is S$8,800. Hence PARF at 10th year is S$4,840 (55% of OMV). Only manual avail. Auto stocks sold out.

 

I don't work for Proton. But ever since I rented the Wira 1.3M, I have been very impressed. Budget car price, but you get reasonable maintenance costs and lots of spares easily avail.

 

It withstood my hard driving and trashing very well, compared to the Hyundai Accent 1.3M (regd in 2001), which started to have some funny sounds coming from the front axle after some hand brake turns and skids.

 

I rented both these cars several times, and over the few Wiras that I trashed, ALL survived, but not a single Accent survived.

 

I also loved the Wira's exceptionally spacious interior and fuel economy - 12 to 13km/l under hard driving conditions. The boot can also swallow 2 golf bags with ease.

 

The 12 valve SOHC Mitsubishi engine(found in the '88 Lancer) loves to be driven hard but also has sufficient low end torque and the engine was surprisingly refined and quiet for a SOHC 12 valve. Of course, you can never compare with the VTEC or VVTi engines. But it still does its job well without complaining.

 

If you'd ask me for any down sides of the Wira, I can only find 1 - the very low sitting position which does not give a commanding view of the road ahead.

 

Otherwise, for such money, one cannot complain. Where else can you get a Brand New 1.3l saloon with the interior space of 1.6l saloon at 1 litre car prices? And a low annual depreciation of only S$4,200?

 

Even the Kia Picanto 1.1M is selling for S$43,999 and the Perodus Kelisa 1.0M is selling for S$46,900. No doubt that the Kelisa is fast in pick up for a 1 litre and has the strength of the Daihatsu 16V DOHC engine, and the Picanto is spacious for its size and has very good low end torque (but it has NO temperature gauge), I would still go for the Wira anytime, obviously for practical reasons.

 

One can always go for the more established brands like the Sunny and Vios etc, but is it worth the money when cars are a depreciating asset and the maximum legal speed limit is only 90km/h. And on normal streets, with a speed limit of 50km/h, even driving a WRX will not get you to your destination any faster.

 

Even thought I drive a Corolla, my heart still goes all out to the Wira.

Edited November 23, 2004 by Vit4wd

[En0203]

wah bro, u do handbrake drift on cars one ar?

 

4.2k depre per year.. hmm.. maybe can go phyco my fren get one liao

 

but are u sure it can get ur 12 to 13 km/l on hard driving?

i think even 1.5 one won't give u these FC on hard driving

 

as for the low sitting position, i actually feel that it's acceptable. in fact i quite like the steering feedback of wira, my current sunny doesn't give me good feedback from the tires at all.. sigh

 

as for 'quiet' SOCH engine i tend to disagree. i find wira's engine quite noisy above 3k rpm. but it has got very good low end torque thanks to the SOCH 12V layout. but because of the 12V again it runs out of breath easily on high rpm

 

and talking about space... tell me about it, my sunny has longer wheelbase than the wira but my father's wira actually felt more spacious inside

[Vit4wd]

Perhaps the 12 to 13km/l for hard driving is not a fair figure, as I also travelled on the highway and accelerated normally on the roads.

 

I only dragged and tested the car on some big empty deserted plots of land.

 

If immediately after topping up, I trash the car and top up petrol immediately after, then it may be a more accurate indication.

[En0203]

just asked my fren to get one wira but he refused to do so coz he's a malaysian

he told why should he spend SGD$50k on a car that he can get in less than RM$40k in MY

[Vit4wd]

Tell your friend the Wira that we get in S'pore is export quality, and is superior compared to the local M'sian ones. My M'sian friend told me this.

[Nightfalls]

installing a temperature gauge won't cost 3K more leh....

[En0203]

Tell your friend the Wira that we get in S'pore is export quality, and is superior compared to the local M'sian ones. My M'sian friend told me this.

 

haha this one i also know but how much better is still a question mark