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  1. Planning a road trip to KL (one of the cars is a Tesla Model Y) and seeking advice of EV owners who have driven up north (KL and beyond) on recommended stopover locations for fast EV charging. Preferably with a place to sit down, drink coffee/ makan while we wait. a. Based on my googling, it is either Shell Pagoh (1x180KW) or TNB (2x90KW) at Ayer Keroh (north bound). https://maps.app.goo.gl/wqyJj36uXMA2z9Y6A?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/wqyJj36uXMA2z9Y6A?g_st=ic b. Will be staying at Bukit Bintang area and the plan is to juice up at Tesla DC chargers at Pavillion. Was told they are already operational but on Tesla MY website, it is still "Target opening date to be confirmed". Anyone has latest updates? c. South bound. Thinking of charging at Shell Tangkak (1x180 KW) or Petronas at Ayer Hitam (2x180 KW and 1x 50KW chargers). https://maps.app.goo.gl/8iSF3awZHHA2KTGc6?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/UxrpkYZGUrZeW5Fj6?g_st=ic All inputs (need to download apps, etc) / updates are welcome. For comments relating to the inconvenience of EV charging, etc, please go to this thread and contribute although the negatives are probably very well covered by now. In short, let's stay focused/ concise on the topic so that others can benefit from it. Thank you.
  2. Hi everyone, I am planning a trip to Cameron Highlands later in the year. Not the first time driving up but am just concerned about the recent changes post Covid. Hearsay now need to pay kopi money if go through customs especially if travelling with family. Any bros know if this is true?
  3. I recently headed to Scotland for a seven-day road trip with my sister, and it would be an understatement to say that we didn't do much planning ahead of time. Hell, I only packed my luggage about six hours before my outbound flight from Singapore. We figured that we could make it up along the way (and we pretty much did). If you're thinking of making plans for a road trip holiday to Scotland, here are seven tips that I have gleaned from my time there. 1. Pick the right car Choosing the 'right' car can really make or break a roadtrip. In many ways, it's a balancing act - you could go for something affordable, compact and fuel efficient, but compromise on boot space, engine power and driving fun. Alternatively, you could opt for something more premium and high-performance, but that obviously comes at a greater financial cost, petrol and otherwise. I'd really recommend something that's comfortable and easy to drive (you'll be doing many hours of driving) and has good amounts of space. Having heated seats is also a big bonus during the winter time. The Skoda Superb that I elected on manages to strike a great balance. It's easy to drive, comfortable over long distances and has an enormous boot. At the same time, the 2.0-litre engine provides plenty of punch for the occasional frisky driving, while still being reasonably fuel efficient. 2. Pack warm, very warm It gets cold in Scotland in November. In places like Fort William and Inverness, temperatures can easily drop to sub-zero. So, you want to make sure that you wrap up and keep warm. Bring gloves, a beanie, and a comfortable and thick down jacket. The weather can be quite erratic too. A bright sunny day can be punctuated by the occasional 20-minute torrential rain, or you might get a persistent bout of light drizzle. Be sure to pack an umbrella and a waterproof outer layer, too. 3. Make sure you have data Especially if you're heading out into the countryside (where Scotland is most beautiful), you want to be sure that you have mobile data. Beyond just navigation, it also lets you search for nearby attractions, places to eat, and perhaps the nearest petrol station as well. This is especially important if you don't have a clearly planned out itinerary (like us). You don't want to be reliant on finding a wi-fi hotspot - there'll be long stretches of road/driving where wi-fi is simply not an option. Having data also ensures that you have ready access to Spotify, important during some of the longer stretches of driving as you move from one location to another. 4. Indulge in local delights Yes, most people probably know about haggis, a Scottish dish of sheep puck that's famously divisive (I personally really enjoy it). But, there's plenty of other local fare to be enjoyed, most notably the seafood. Additionally, be sure to also chat with the locals. The Scottish people are an extremely friendly, charming and humorous bunch. It might take a moment or two to acquaint to the heavy Scottish accent, but once you do you'll realise that the locals are a deeply sardonic and yet warm and welcoming bunch of people. 5. Start each day early In the wintertime, the sun sets around 4:30pm every day. And, when it gets dark, it gets really dark. To maximise your daylight hours, you should start each day early (the sky is bright by about 7:30am each morning). Take full advantage of the available daylight hours by going on morning hikes up to some picturesque locations, visit as many whisky distilleries as you can cram into one afternoon, or just soak in the crisp air and blissful serenity. 6. Drive safe The roads are largely quiet this time of the year, and Scottish drivers are generally very courteous, but you still want to be careful. You'll encounter many narrow single track roads, and potholes are fairly abundant. It would also be wise to stock up on snacks and water whenever you can. Snacks are useful for keeping yourself alert and awake, especially on long journey or when driving at night. Also, if you do decide to drive at night (or basically anytime after 5:00pm in November), you want to be extra careful. Between towns, the roads are long, narrow, windy and 100% unlit. 7. Pray for good weather There's not much you can do in terms of 'plannin'’ the weather, but pray nonetheless (do a rain dance if you have to). Having good weather (ie. no rain) can make all the difference between a cheerful and a dreary, depressing day. It also means that the hundreds of photos you take will turn out much more vibrant and beautiful.
  4. Just back from a road trip to USA. Thought good to share what I have learnt along the way as there is definitely a learning process for those not used to driving LHD cars in winter climate. This is not going to be exhaustive handbook but just some pointers to help in the itinerary planning process. Winter tires necessary for winter climate going up Canada? This had been one of my biggest worry as I have read that winter tires are compulsory for cars in Canada. I am concern as I will be travelling to Niagara falls at Canada side. Online research did not provide me with a definite answer, other than that it is compulsory for cars from some time ago. Taking to a few Canadian angmos also did not yield any definite answers, but their cars are definitely with winter tires. So that added to my worries as what if my rental car collected from Washington DC got turned back at immigration checkpoint. I felt relieved only when the staff at Thrifty assured me that their fleet comes with all weather tires which would be good for going up Canada, that the winter tire ruling is only for cars purchased in Canada but not on rental cars. So indeed it went smoothly through the Canada leg without any issues. Road travel during winter Another concern is whether winter tires or even tires chain necessary during winter. The answer is not necessary. What is confusing is that different states have different policies with regards to this, but mostly is about permitting and not about being mandatory. But most car rental companies would not allow tires chains as could damage the tires. When there is snowing, can see specially equipped pickups or trucks with shovel busy plying the roads to push the snow away. You will also observe many black "gravels" on the road during winter, which have been dispensed from these vehicles which are salt used to de-ice the road. They could be brown or black depending on states. Be careful when driving over bridges as bridges will freeze before tar road to create slippery surfaces when temperature dips. It would be good planning to start driving only after 9am when the sun is already up to reduce chances of accidents due to car sliding on roads as seen on news, another good excuse to wake up later. On days when snowing overnight, be sure to cater at least 15min to warm up the car and turn on windscreen heating coil to thaw the front and rear windscreens. Rental cars should come with low grade ice scraper with a brush end and a plastic pointed end. Use the pointer end to scape the ice then use the brush end to remove the ice. Very easy to do. Also remember to be de-icing wiper fluid from Walmart or petrol stations to topup the fluid tank. Normal water will freeze at tubing outside the hood thus not able to clear up the windscreen when needed. My rental car will squirt some water when toggle to do windscreen wiping, and with normal water even if can come out will freeze at windscreen causing it to be more blurry. But with de-icing fluid, the wiper is able to clean up very nicely. Also try not to drive after sky darken from about 4+pm till 6pm depending on states. USA span across 6 timing zones for those not initiated. Due to poor time management, I have to drive a few nights till 8pm to reach my destination. Very bad decision thinking back. Roads in USA is not like over here with street lights all over. Even across those inter-state expressways, there are no street lights at all so is almost pitch dark. So driving at night has a tunnel effects which worsen because you can only see slightly ahead and there are many winding roads. The drivers there also do not have a habit of turning on high beams during my time there. Frankly with cars going at excess of 65 mph, it is really quite harrowing to do cornering without any lights. After awhile, I learnt to form "packs" with cars nearby to take advantage of lights thrown from the cars, especially big trucks which are more brightly lit-up. With that, I do not have to constantly toggling the hi-beam lights. Try to constantly glance at the nav tools (handphone with Google map in my case) to keep note of the road ahead to avoid being surprise by sharp turnings. I have been using Google Map exclusively without any problem. Another event to look out for during winter is when there is snow blizzards. It could descend quickly and reduce visibility to less than 100m and caused severe chain collision accidents. A 40+-cars accident occurred just early this month due to snow blizzards, with another major accident last week due to icy road conditions. So have to watch the weather updates on TV or accuweather website for alerts. Road manners of typical Americans I would rate them very poorly. I have been tailgated by big trucks and smaller cars even when I am already going at above permitted speed on that road and keeping to the right most lane, and I mean really close as at times cannot even see bumper. The drivers will not horn, maybe too polite, but they sure keep up the pressure by driving really close to you. And they also do not slow down to let you pass when you try to enter the road through slip road, even worse than on our roads. This make driving at night challenging when you need to drive to nearby mall or restaurants for makan and need to do many turnings across many roads over short distances. It would be good habit to go through the route before proceeding to know where you will need to turn thus going to the correct lanes before that. Really a letdown as I have not expected this level of aggression there. Driving in Malaysia and Australia and Japan are much easier as their drivers are more forgiving. Topping up Gas In USA the gas stations all have different prices unlike over here. The prices just across the street could be lower by 10 cents so if you trying to save some money better do some checking first. I rely on the Google Map extensively as it will display the gas prices for most stations. As I need to topup gas almost everyday, I will search for gas stations nearby hotels or restaurants along the way to see the prices. Depending on states or locations, the prices for Regular gas, which is RON87 unleaded, could vary from USD 2.10 to USD 3. So if you are running abit low on gas and you checked that the gas station near your destination is much more expensive that at the meal stops, then better topup gas first. Payment is quite easy - either at pump itself or counter. For payment at pump, you just need to slide a credit card into the pump machine to authorize payment, then remove nozzle and select which grade of petrol, then start pumping away. After you put back the nozzle, payment will be completed automatically and you can press to get the receipt. Alternatively, you can go to the counter to pre-pay an amount of petrol, go to the gas pump and select the fuel grade and start pumping. This method is more troublesome as you need to calculate roughly how much gas to topup. But good thing you can go back counter to get refund on un-used gas if you have paid extra. Rental cars I used rentalcars.com to book my rides as I found it to be significantly cheaper than going to the individual rental car sites with same ride and rental terms. I had reserved a Nissan Quest through Thrifty, but on the day of collected was offered alternative rides. The staff at the counter just told me to collect any of the 8 ro 9 MPVs at a section of the carpark, where there were some Chevrolet Pacifica, Dodge Grand Caravan, and a Toyota sienna. The cars frankly are not that clean and I chose the cleanest which is a Chevrolet Pacifica which did not come with sunroof unlike other rides. But I figured it is winter so this feature not important at all. All the full-size MPVs are frankly about same size and definitely good enough for 4 pax with the luggages. And with 3.6L V6 engines definitely can run quite effortlessly. I also opted for the Platepass feature which allow electronic payment of toll fees like our ERP. It is quite necessary if need to travel from Washington DC to Niagara falls as there are many toll roads along the way. Without the option, I would need to pay an admin fee of USD15 for each toll payment which will add up quite rapidly. It is also for peace of mind as it meant one less thing to worry thus can enjoy the trip more. Moving Around New York As not advisable to drive in NYC, it is better to choose an lodging near outskirt of NYC with easy access to bus or subway stop. One such option is Meadowlands View Hotel which is close to a bus stop that can bring you into Times Square in 35min. The hotel also provides paid shuttle bus at higher costs but great convenience especially during winter as you do not need to walk to the bus stop. I only did the High Line, Chelsea Market, Twin Tower Memorail Park, Staten Island loop ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, then eat Vietnamese dinner at Broadway area before catching the Mean Girls show. Then just walk to Rockafella Tower and Times Square before heading back hotel past mid-night. Due to time constraints, have to forgo Central Park. Only consolation is manage to take picture of the theater where Stephen Colbert shoot his daily show which is just behind the theater hosting the Mean Girls show which cost a bomb, USD100/ticket for middle row seats. Moving Around Washington DC By luck it happened to be on a Sunday That I was in Washington DC. I said lucky because the notorious parking happen to be free every Sunday. I reach there at about 10am and still manage to find a parking spot near the Air and Space Museum. It would be good to park at the mall as it is really close to the Smithsonian museums and the Lincoln Memorial, just make sure to be there before 930am to be kiasu. Manage to cover only that and the Natural History Museum where the famous movie was shot on location. There are really a lot to see if you want to pore over every exhibits which will take about 1 day to cover each museum properly. But if you in a rush, covering 2 museums is the max I would recommend given that all open from 10am and close at 530pm. Lunch can eat at the food trucks aplenty at the Mall area instead of inside the museum for price and variety. The Mall area is not referring to shopping malls but the vast green grass area spanning the museums and memorials. There is option to take the Circulator bus if do not want to do the walking, as not recommend to shift car around as parking spot is really difficult to find after 11am. It is also not recommended to stay inside the area as parking is a killer. I chose to stay at the Courtyard Marriot which is walking distance to the White House, which turned out to be a bad decision as parking there cost USD 44 before taxes which is just slightly cheaper than at Niagara hotel of USD 50 at Canada side. And I reached the hotel only after 10pm after having dinner at nearby Luke Lobster which is quite good imo, so could have driven another 20min to outside DC for cheaper hotels as not enjoying any benefits of staying there. The White House is losing the allure for me as it is my thinking that Trump has cheapen it since taking office, so never bother to stop and take pictures with it, just drive by only. Booking hotels The hotels in USA nowadays mostly come with free breakfast for those mid-range like Hampton Inns, Home2Suites, Best Western, Fairfields, Red Roof, etc. I stayed at almost different hotels each night so have quite good sample size haha. The free breakfast would come with basic hot food like scrambled egg and sausage, fruits corner, DIY wafer making, cornflakes, milk and juices, coffee/tea. Not elaborate or definitely sufficient. There would mostly have a coffee/tea corner where guests would be able to make their drinks to go or just sit at the comfortable lobby area to enjoy. The prices for 4 pax for a 2 queen/double bed room can range from S$90 to $250. I prefer Hampton Inns which cost mostly from S$120 to S$150 before tax. The hotels at Niagara Canada side are killer at > $250 inclusive of breakfast, before the parking charge of USD 50. But the view is definitely worth it. Ok I will stop for now. Feel free to add in your experience and tips for the benefits of those thinking of embarking on a road trip there. I would recommend to consider at west side instead of east side as there are more nature parks to enjoy. I will post my itinerary later on. Also bear in mind need to cater clothing for wide variation in weather if intend to travel from upper North down to South tip. For example, Niagara side could be dipping below freezing temperature while Florida could be enjoying 20 degree celsius on same day. Cheers.
  5. So what’s the big deal running around the West Coast ? well no.. not where the greater southern waterfront is.. it’s the Pacific West Coast and the PCH aka Pacific Coast Highway A little jaunt from Seattle down to SF with side trips to Olympic National Park and some other nice spots. This journey offers nice B roads, lots of scenery and good food I wanted to try a car which I might consider buying and I wanted a SUV so it came down to the RAV4 or the CHR depending what was available. Both use the same 2.0l with the CVT As fate decided there was only one .. my Black Steed fitted with 18” rims no less. The C-HR is no stranger to us, it’s a ubiquitous PHV in Singapore but here it uses a 2 liter naturally aspirated engine with the same CVT tranny. The car had to take two of us along with luggage and two weeks of shopping, which is no mean feat, I’ll have you know... Thankfully it was up to the task, swallowing four bags, two backpacks and a large box with great aplomb. Sure you need to fold down the seats if you want quick access and the sloping rear hatch doesn’t do its load carrying function any favors. The interior is tighter than a Vezel but for us it was cosy. The front seats wrap nicely around you and it sits a lot lower than the typical SUV. But then again it’s no real mud eating 4x4, more of a hatch on mildly elevated stilts. The interior is typically Toyota with the omnipresent retro clock and the diamond shaped motifs all over. The build is excellent with no rattles, even after 21000 miles of abuse by other renters. It won’t impress those looking for all round soft touch materials but thing look built to last. The cockpit wraps around the driver and controls generally fall into reach easily. The short stubby gear shift is solid but I wished it was longer. No paddle shifters sadly and no HUD. But here stateside you get a full suite of features with CarPlay and a real set of safety features. Lane departure warning, rear side detectors, blind spot detectors, and my favorite: active cruise control. More on that later... Visibility, like space is a bit compromised at the rear, although front visibility is excellent. The upside of such a compact car is that you point and it zips through, parking is easy and your fuel consumption is great. 33.5 mpg great in fact, which is around 14-15 km/l, which helps when the fuel tank is quite small.. You get DRL here with a full LED headlamp package and CarPlay but the stereo is decidedly weak.. it begs for a ICE and speaker overhaul.. Cool CHR logo when you open the door .. The engine has been with us in many iterations and being a naturally aspirated engine it doesn’t give that kick when you take off, but at highway cruising it is more than adequate. It also has enough power for the mountain roads and the CVT pairs well to keep it in the power zone. Furthermore with varying road speeds, frequent gear changes won’t upset or burn out the clutch because there isn’t one ☝️. On the open road you can easily hit high speeds and wind road is ok, allowing you to talk easily. No Lexus silence here, but it’s fine. Tire roar on lousy interstate sections does get fatiguing but they are only intermittent thankfully. But onto that active cruise control... it measures distance and allows the car to adjust speeds accordingly ... very neat and will slow the car down then pick up speed to keep up with the car in front. With car like agility and a lower stance you are encouraged to take corners more aggressively and the chassis is nimble. This car shares the BRZ chassis and it shows.. in winding roads, where road holding matters more than power, you can show larger capacity engine cars a clean pair of heels easily and you can corner 10-20 mph more than the suggested speed on the sign. Throwing it into bends will bring a big smile on your face. I think the 2l is a better match than the 1.2 turbo we have in long distance driving. Lapping up the miles in my Black Steed has been an absolute joy 👍 More on the sights and food soon 😉
  6. I have been planning this road trip for a couple of months already. Read through the various blogs of ppl who have done the same road trip. Also find out what is the current procedure to cross the Thai border at Sadao. Booked the hotels, printed and filled the necessary forms to cross into Thailand by car. Arranged with my brother to come along with me for the drive up to Bangkok, then he flies home from Bangkok. My wife will fly into Bangkok and join me on the trip back to Singapore. So its basically chiong all the way up and take the scenic route back while enjoying the drive. SG -> Hatyai -> Surat Thani -> Hua Hin -> BKK -> Hua Hin -> Surat Thani -> Hatyai -> Ipoh -> KL -> SG The day before the set off, filled the car to the brim and took photo of my odometer as this is going to be a very long road trip. 6th July 2019 (Saturday) Kiss and hug my wife goodbye and set off at 4am to pickup my brother. I didn’t want to set off so early but my brother wana avoid the causeway jam. There were indeed no jams at all and we are into NSHW. I took the first drive. Stopped over at Pagoh Reststop for pee and topped up TNG card. We switched drivers, my brother took over the drive. Next stop was Tapah Reststop as the sun begin to rise. Fuel the car to the brim and I drove now. Our initial plan was to stop at Alor Setar and enter Thailand the next day. But since we are so early, might as well try to enter it the same day. By 1pm, we arrived at Changlun town. It is the last town in MY before reaching the border. It is only 10km to the border. We went to the Petronas station for fuel and to get our 3rd party Thai insurance and white card. Then drove further ahead to a coffeeshop for lunch, our first meal of the day. We had bak kut the and was pretty disappointed as there is no pork ribs. Owner said the ppl here are stingy and not willing to pay so cannot cook pork rib. So funny. Anyway, just fill the tummy and move on. Arriving at Bukit Kayu Hitam, MY side is a new custom and immigration building. No tolls/road charge/VEP to be paid. Just stamp passport and we are off, same as SG/MY crossing. However as we exited the building, we are stuck in the jam already. Traffic has built up from the Thai side till MY custom. Inching forward every few 5-10mins, it was painful. When we were near the Thai immigration checkpoint, the police ask my brother, the passenger to alight and go through the normal walk-in immigration. He did the same for cars around me, asking passengers to alight. When I was just four cars away from the counter, I messaged my brother to check where he is in the human queue. Alamak, he still queuing at the outside of the building, not yet even enter it. So I did what everyone in front of me did, I called my brother to come over to my car and we will clear immigration together. The process is very weird. You drive up to the counter, everyone alights from the vehicle and stand in front of the counter to clear immigration. The immigration officer don’t care how many ppl in the vehicle, he will just process your documents. So thatz what everyone did, calling their passengers to join them at the counter. The human queuing also has those tour buses passenger so would take longer time. After having my passport stamped, I proceeded to the counter in the next building to “import” my car into Thailand. There was no queue at all here. I walked up and let the officer process the documents. He printed out the importation form and told me to let officer sign and remember to return it once I exited Thailand. As I begin to walk away, the officer shouted at me to come back. He kept saying let officer sign and point to his back, the other guy seating behind him. I tot I was to drive the car up and there is an officer at the gate to sign it. So I handed the form to the officer to sign and he also reminded me to return the form upon leaving Thailand, otherwise 10,000 baht fine. By then, there was a guy walking to me and told me that my car has breakdown as my brother was unable to start the car. Therefore there was a jam at my lane. Oops, went back and saw my brother trying to start the car to no avail. Then spare remote I passed to him got no more battery juice and he don’t know how to start it manually. Faster start and drove off!!! Took us a total of 2 hours to clear this Thai immigration. Woohooo, we are in Thailand. As we were stuck in the jam, I quickly made an online booking with The Regency at Hatyai for the night. We gave up our hotel in Alor Setar and went straight into Hatyai. Hatyai is 50km away from Sadao border, the drive there was smooth. Not much traffic jams. Using Waze to guide us there. The Regency has underground private carpark and it is in the night street stalls area, just opposite Lee Gardens Plaza hotel. Very well known area. The hotel room was dated, like in the 80’s feel. We rested in the hotel room till dinner time and proceeded to take a tuk tuk to Greenway market for dinner. After that we came back to the hotel area and walked the street stalls. Then we rest for the night. Makan photo here : https://www.mycarforum.com/topic/2711591-makan-in-thailand/?p=6711758
  7. If everyone here can have a opportunity to drive any car up from Singapore to Penang, what car will you take up and drive? With over 700km of road for you to drive. What car would you choose? I will choose BMW M2 Competition.
  8. Jeremy Clarkson, one of the hosts in The Grand Tour, has revealed that the team wanted to do a road trip in Middle East be backed out over safety concerns. The outspoken host wrote this in his Sunday Times column that the team was considering a trip from Saudi Arabia across to Cairo, Egypt but decided against it. “This would be an epic journey, except it would mean crossing the Sinai peninsula and, thanks to Isis, the chances of us all arriving on the other side with heads were slim,” he revealed. As seen on British publication Express, The Grand Tour looked into Thailand’s Andaman Islands but decided against filming there due to the presence of a violent tribe on one of the islands. It also added on that a trip to Australia would not be possible because it wouldn’t be interesting enough to fans and media scrutiny in the country could make organizing such a trip difficult. There is no official news on when the The Grand Tour’s fourth season will premiere and the new season will focused exclusively on specials where the trio will be doing road trips in different parts of the world.
  9. So I did a 4D3N road trip to Cameron Highlands & Genting Highlands last weekend. Having been to Cameron three times (Rode up twice, drove up once) and Genting (Rode up once, coached up numerous times when I was much younger), this was my first time renting a car in Malaysia to drive up. To those who are interested in renting a car in Malaysia to self-drive up north, here's my personal experience with Wahdah. I will also include some places that I visited in Cameron and maybe Genting. Rented from https://www.wahdah.my/ due to reasonable rates and ease of convenience. Wahdah offers pick up services as near as Caltex JB Sentral which is right beside City Square Mall in JB for a small fee. 1. Easy to understand and navigate website 2. Pretty wide range of cars from the Malaysian brands, to the more common Japanese and Korean cars. Good mixture! Such as the small Perodua Axia, Myvi, Bezza, Proton Saga to the usual Honda Jazz, City, Kia Forte, Toyota Vios, Sienta, Camry, and even the super big Hyundai Starex etc. Prices indicated on this page shows the rate for the entire duration of your booking, not inclusive of other options such as additional driver, pick up and return fee, and also refundable deposit, just to name a few. You can select for prices to be shown in SGD, RM or USD. The next page will allow you to select extra options and all charges are indicated clearly. 3. Easy submission of documents - passport photo, driving license onto website. Just snap photos on your phone and upload it. 4. Confirmation details (in pdf file) sent to my email right after I confirmed my booking. 5. Live chat. Any questions, just use their live chat feature. I had to add an additional driver one month after I made the booking and it was a breeze. Confirmation email was sent to me right after I submitted my payment details. 6. Check your booking by just logging into your account. 7. Contact person details for your booking is also indicated on your booking slip, just in case. I whatsapp-ed the person just a day before my trip just to be sure. Paid RM 704.90 (SGD 235) for my trip from Friday to Monday, inclusive of collection, return fee and additional driver. You can choose collection and return time. Mine was collect 7am at JB Sentral and 11pm return at same location. There is also a refundable deposit of RM 300 which will be refunded to you at least 15 days after returned of car. Renting a car in Malaysia is a good alternative for those who don't wanna risk driving your own car up north for various reasons. Renting a car in Malaysia is also cheaper than renting a car from Singapore to enter Malaysia for those who do not have a car. For my trip, my friend and I rode our cheap kup (motorcycle) into JB and parked in a safe location there. This way we didn't have to take a bus across the causeway etc.
  10. I know there are lots of threads about malaysia etc. Have read comments by @enye, @dleodleo and many others in desaru and other threads. Maybe can get specific comments for stuff to do for kids in MY. Planning a 4 (maybe 5 day road trip) in June to Kidzania KL. Driving in daytime and need for regular toilet breaks for the kids will take quite a while to get to KL. Day 1 - drive up to Petaling Jaya area Day 2 - kidzania Day 3 - Farm in the City and ? drive down to Malacca to stay one night (The long drive is quite sapping for me, so i prefer to make the return trip to SG a shorter one) Day 4 - nuah and return to SG If i stay a day 5, what to do around the area? Going up Genting is an option but probably seems a bit short to go up just for 1 day... District 21 seems good, but maybe my 4 year old son can't enjoy much. 10 best things to do in KL with kids. http://www.kuala-lumpur.ws/magazine/10-things-kids.htm
  11. MCF HangOut to Tasmania! Ready to hunt for the Southern Lights? Do you want to bring your children to experience the Authentic Farm Stay? And are you up for an epic self-drive adventure? This time, we partner with Jetabout Holidays to UnDiscover Tasmania and share with you some of unforgettable experiences you can do in Tasmania, Australia! Saturday, 6 April 2019 | 10 AM - 1 PM Venue: CoSpace Park (search in Google Maps) 43 Science Park Road #01-11 Singapore 117408 Nearest MRT: Kent Ridge (Free parking available during weekends!) UnDiscover Tasmania with Jetabout Holidays, and stand a chance to walk away with $200 worth of Travel Voucher! Registration has been closed. You may have a whole list of a wish list to check in the year 2019. I hope that 2019 have been treating you so far so good and one of my wish lists is to see Southern Lights this year! Southern Light in Lake Pedder. Image credit: Jensen Chua Photography Tasmania is the ideal location to see the Aurora Australis because sightings are common in many parts of Tasmania’s southernmost regions throughout autumn (March to May), late winter (July to August) and early spring (September to November) And the best time to spot the aurora is from June to September during the winter months as it gets darker earlier, presenting more precious time to capture the Southern Lights. Self Drive in Tasmania, Mt Wellington. Image credit: Jensen Chua Photography Oysters, Cheese and wine are part of Tasmania food traits! Image credit: Jensen Chua Photography During the event, we will hear from Jensen Chua, (associate instructor at Canon Imaging Academy, EOSWorld Council Member, and Singapore Garden Photographer of the Year 2015-winner photographer) who will share his unique experiences and adventure in Tasmania! Curringa Farm Stay. Image credit: Jensen Chua Photography His drive itinerary ranges from Southern Lights experience, Curringa Farm Stay, Mount Wellington and Cradle Mountain wilderness to authentic experiences at Port Arthur Historic Site! Cradle Mountain National Park. Image credit: Jensen Chua Photography Sheffiled, quirky rural town where history and art merge to create an entire town of murals. Image credit: Jensen Chua Photography Port Arthur Historic Site, a huge former convict settlement built in the 18th & 19th century is a popular historic landmark. Image credit: Jensen Chua Photography Tasmania, an island by itself. And the best way to experience Tasmania is self-drive. From coast to coast, you will discover coastal drive to national park to beaches. It could be one of the best holidays you never forget! Credits: https://www.discovertasmania.com.au/ Learn more about Tasmania with us, and enjoy the 1-day-only exclusive promotion! Program: 10.00 am - Registration 10.30 am - Editorial talk by SGCM Deputy Editor, Mr. Nigel Yong 10.45 am - Tasmania presentation from Tourism Tasmania's representative 11.00 am - Hear Jensen Chua's unique experiences & adventure to UnDiscover Tasmania 11.15 am - Q&A session + Prize for souvenirs 11.30 am - Tasmania self-drive presentation from Holiday Tours’ Aussie Specialist 12.00 pm - Food & Gourmet Tasting Session of Tasmania products 12.30 pm - Lucky Draw; Stand a chance to walk away with a $200 Travel Voucher! UnDiscover Tasmania with Jetabout Holidays (Nature, Wildlife and Gourmet Experiences)
  12. Hi all, This thread is to recommend some of the undiscovered places in Korea for those who love a little adventure to self-drive or go on a driving holiday to explore Korea. To start off, we would like to share more about what you need when preparing your driving holiday in Korea. The PASSPORT to driving in Korea: International Driving Permit Korea Driving Tips Stay tune to this thread as we bring you more information to inspire your driving holiday in Korea! Brought to you by: Korea Tourism Organization
  13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYbeTmIvbJE&t=104s Having trouble with video shooting while on a vacation or didn't know what to do with hundreds of photography you've taken ? ( Not an advertisement of affiliation post ) Well I have just the right tips for you to share when I did this recent very short trip to Penang. Using the Canon Hybrid Auto mode on the camera feature I am able to capture still photograph with video all at the same time at a snap of one single shutter press. What's great is the Hybrid Auto edits and stitch all the video together for you so you only need to upload the final finished hybrid video to your Facebook or YouTube without even going through the hassle of a video editor. Find out more on this cool feature and for those who didn't want to know about this Canon ( because you are a Nikon fan , hahaha ) do check out the scenery in Penang !
  14. https://youtu.be/3AYVHIp8Qtc Has anyone driven on the Atlantic Ocean Road, Norway before? Care to share your experience? http://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/norway/164-atlantic-ocean-road-norway.html
  15. Hokkaido everybody! This time in MyCarForum, we have teamed up with FollowMeJapan (FMJ) - the leading travel agency in Singapore where they specialise in tour packages within Japan. This time round, it’s specifically in Hokkaido, the best place you can do a self-drive holiday. And since autumn is coming, we will be gathering with FMJ to present to you a customised self-drive holiday, available only for MyCarForum members. Members who are joining the holidays will be experiencing long winding roads, autumn foliage and a surplus amount of fresh seafood and ramens. And before we take you one step closer to that, we would like to invite 50 members to join us for an MCF Hangout at Toyota Showroom in Leng Kee. The relevance between the carmaker and FMJ is strong because of the partnership between the two brands. SIMPLY PARTICIPATE IN THIS SURVEY AND STAND A CHANCE TO WIN $300 WORTH OF SHOPPING VOUCHERS! 1 lucky participant will win $100 NTUC voucher 20 lucky participants who will receive $10 NTUC voucher each! Selected survey participants will also join us for a wonderful event on the 18th August 2017, 6 PM onwards at Borneo Motors Toyota Showroom, 33 Leng Kee Road S(159102). Event Schedule 1830 - Start of registration - Buffet dinner to be served 1915 - Toyota Singapore says Welcome! A Welcome speech from our co-sponsor. 1935 - SGCM Editorial Talk - Special mention of the All New Toyota Harrier and Toyota Altis. Our journalist will share some driving insight when you are doing a self-drive holiday. 2000 - FMJ's Talk 2030 - Treasure Hunt 2045 - Lucky Draw & Group Photo 2100 - End of the event Join the survey here!
  16. After 10yrs, its abt time for me to make the road trip back to Phuket!!! Cant wait for it to happened. http://www.mycarforum.com/topic/1941799-road-trip-to-phuket/?hl=phuket
  17. Hello, came to know this place on yesterday, Sasaran. very interesting natural phenomenon which only happens 4-5days per month, a mirror effect location: Sasaran, Selangor situated approximately 1 hour away from KL Once you reach Sasaran, you'll have to take a 45minutes boat ride out to the Straits of Malacca so, anyone been there before? worth going?
  18. Bros I figured that I want to do a little road trip with friends before I have to give up my car.. See some of the nice places around M'sia, and not just the typical stuff. The plan is to go in October just before the school holidays, or end of Sept.. so I can also see the East coast before the annual monsoon. Some ideas: Perak rice fields Makan in Ipoh Tasik Kenyir in Trengganu Food in Penang I won't mind stopping in Malacca along the way, but I have been there a lot of times If anyone has a similar plan or done this before, please share, thanks! Also please share if you have tips on food spots, places to stay (under $100Sin), and sights to see. Cheers
  19. Currently on a road trip to the national parks in yellowstone and grand Teton. Will only be here for a few days before moving to San Francisco but I will not be driving there as opposed to driving to the national parks in USA. Yellowstone and the old faithful geyser Some scenery And you don't need a big car. I got the economy kia model.
  20. Anyone went?? Looks better than Legoland one.
  21. Scooting around the world on a Vespa http://www.todayonline.com/lifestyle/travel/scooting-around-world-vespa Juvena Huang is much like your regular Singapore girl the colleague you go to yoga lessons with, or your best friends earnest kid sister with a love for bikes. But unlike most, the 27-year-old is also embarking on a trip around the world today. On her Vespa scooter. Alone. This journey started because a good friend passed away in 2009, revealed Huang. He was a motorbike rider who was always taking long distance rides to countries around the region and spoke of riding around the world. Nothing happened to him until the rare occasion he decided to drive. He ended up in a car accident which took his life. The uncertainty and brevity of life struck me hard. I wanted to do something crazy for once. Visit her blog or Facebook for updates: http://thewanderingwasp.blogspot.sg https://www.facebook.com/thewanderingwasp Hats off to this lady!
  22. I had booked air tickets to Perth in April for 10 days. Planning to do a road trip. I like free and easy. As this is my first time to Aus, would like to find out more. Few questions: 1. Visa, When should I get it done? What are the charges and procedures? Can it be done online? 2. Transport. I am looking to rent a car but on second thoughts, was considering a camper van which I can stay in. Is it safe? 3. Attractions to recommend? Skip the bustling city please. I want something peaceful and relaxing. Prefer sea view, landscapes. What are the must see locations? Trip advisor seems to recommend alot on museum (no no for me, I might fall asleep). There are so many choices and I guess I might not have the time to do all the sightseeing. Is Rottnest worth 1-2 days? Accommodations? I know it is a bad idea to only walk in and do bookings but as we are doing road trip it becomes a hassle to do any advance bookings. (Back to question of camper van) I had been given some advice by friends not sure how true it is: Do not drive after 5-6 pm (Dangers such as kangaroo or lousy view) Doing road trip, just randomly walk up to backpacker inns Lastly, please recommend me places for cheap seafood!! Especially oysters!!
  23. The Ring. The Green Hell. Whatever its nickname, Germany’s Nurburgring is worshipped by driving enthusiasts everywhere as one of the longest and toughest racing circuits in the world. Built in 1927 but modified several times since then, the heart of the Nurburgring is the Nordschleife (“North Loop”) – located about 170 kilometres to the east of Frankfurt, 20.832 kilometres in length and with no less than 154 corners, many of them blind ones. It’s a one-way toll road open to the motoring public, whether in a car or on a motorcycle. You could drive there in a beat-up jalopy and they’ll still let you do the “loop”, but you wouldn’t get anywhere near the current lap record of under 7 minutes (achieved by a Radical SR8, which isn’t really a street-legal car in my book). My ride wasn’t radical, but it was capable of attacking the Ring, thanks to a turbocharged 3-litre 6-cylinder pumping 320bhp to the rear wheels through an 8-speed automatic. It was a BMW M135i. Why not a 420bhp M3, you ask? Well, I planned to use the same vehicle to tour Europe after my hot laps on the North Loop, so I needed something more economical than a 4-litre V8. Also, I figured that a “slower” performance car would be safer for me on the Nurburgring. As I was there on a Sunday just after lunchtime, there were almost as many spectators (complete with picnic baskets and zoom lenses) as drivers. Pulling up to join the line of cars waiting to enter the monster, I started feeling a little inadequate. While my machine wasn’t the least powerful in the snaking queue, it was definitely the only one that was 100 per cent stock. As far as I could tell, the minimum modification in my group was either a lowered suspension or a deafeningly loud exhaust system. Some cars had both. Finally, it was my turn at the toll barrier, which lifted and allowed me onto the track. Then it started to drizzle… Great! My very first lap on an unfamiliar circuit, in a fast car that didn’t belong to me and it had to rain on my parade. The rainfall also made me think about insurance coverage in the event of an accident (apparently, I was covered as long as I could prove that I wasn’t timing my lap). And my 75-year-old dad was seated alongside all this while. I silently cursed myself for not practising beforehand on a Playstation, and for not reading the Dummies’ Guide to the Nurburgring that a kind friend had e-mailed to this Ring rookie. Thank goodness the M135i (pictured) has traction control and dynamic stability control – I kept both systems switched on. When an E36 M3 in front of me fishtailed and went off the track within just 20 corners, I was glad to have the M135’s electronic guardians on standby to save my skin if needed. I didn’t pussyfoot around, though – this adrenaline-fuelled Singapore lion overtook a Scirocco, complete with roll cage, and dashed past a 911 GT3. I even managed to catch up with a CR-Z mutant hybrid that was spitting flames from its exhaust pipes. I felt like a “Yang” Senna and the feeling was good, until a 1985 Golf GTI passed me on the outside of a corner and promptly deflated my overboosted ego. After four laps back to back on the partially damp, partially dry track, there was perspiration on my skin and pain in my hands. Tackling the Ring was hard, and I tried hard. Most importantly, I survived the drive, even though my hands were aching so much afterwards that I couldn’t Whatsapp my friends about my “adrena-Ring” rush. Yes, 10 minutes per lap is nothing to write home about, and I doubt Nissan will be hiring me to help break the production car Ring lap record in the next-generation GT-R. But at least I’ve ticked one big box in my boyracer bucket list. This article was written by Yang, freelance writer for Torque.
  24. 'Wanna do a 8-weeks SIN-THAI-LOAS-CHINA-MONGOLIA-SIBERIA trip in a 4x4 convoy?' Someone I know who co-drove a 4x4 from London-Europe-India-Singapore few years ago asked me in June this year. After juggling some dates (prior travel commitments), I managed to find 2 weeks in August which I can fit into the end June to end September full trip (about 60days) as a part time member of the 4x4 convoys of about 15 modified vehicles. I joined the 60 strong group at the two flag-offs in SG and KL in end June, but didn't follow the 1st segment ie SIN-KL-THAI-LOAS-YUNAN-GUIZHOU. I flew Sin-Beijin-Zhangjiajie in early Aug to join the group when they reached Wunan from Guizhou. The group consists of both seasoned/hardcore 4x4 adventurers and first timers like me. It's a mix of nationalities - MY, SG, AUS, INDON, PRC, CANADA, NORWAY, etc. From Wunan, we travelled thru about 7 provinces, 2200km+-, including 黄山, 南京, 徐州, 青岛, 烟台, etc, then a 7 hours car ferry to 大连 where I left the group and flew home. The group continued to inner Mongolia from there, then into outer Mongolia, Siberia. The total distance is about 23,000km if I had taken the full trip starting from Singapore!! Well, I hope to do the full trip if I have the opportunity again! Pics showing some of 4x4s, mid night petrol stop, the mountains where movie Avatar was filmed.
  25. Our day at the scenic and peaceful hill resort of Cameron Highlands soon came to an end. But the mood wasn't at all dreary, because we left the best for the last - a one-night stopover in the town of Melaka. First, some group shots to capture the memories. Soon, the convoy was good to go. Traffic was relatively light, and we were lucky to make it to our night's stayover before dusk. That gave us some time to explore the town. Of course, we had to pay a visit to the famous food streets. The hotel had a rustic feel to it, similar to the shophouses we have in Chinatown. The day ended with a night trail, where we took a short river boat tour around the small town. Next morning, it was time to head back home. The guys from Idemitisu made sure the cars were ready for the final leg of the road trip. While all good things come to an end, the trip was definitely a fruitful one. The cars ran smoothly and faultlessly throughout the entire journey without any hiccups. The primary data from the trip is also very positive. From the data collected from the road trip, Idemitsu's Extreme Eco 0W20 and 5W30 grade engine oil achieved the most significant fuel savings of 9.1 percent and 6.2 percent respectively. Road trips can't get any better than this.
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