I gave my preview back to Gabby thread, and a more proper 1 this time. For your pleasure reading only. If not interested, please skip. I'd say, we all GaGa owner should atleast test a Gabby once in a life time. I'm serious!!!
I wish to put up my review on my test drive impression with a Savvy Manual 2006, hope this can get some feedback from senior member to further advice me. If you're too lazy to read, please scroll down all the way to the bottom to find out my highlights. Please help this poor soul to find his way to own an affordable Savvy, coz I LOVE SAVVY
As a SAGA BLM owner, my first impression seeing the car was a shock. The car has an inch thick of dust covers everywhere. The seller use his key to manually unlock the door, didn't even bother to engine check, immediately crank the engine for me. He was claiming the aircon is VERY COLD. So I hop in and blast until fan speed 4, I can feel the coldness, but the air wasn't blowing right. I asked his permission to dismantle his glove compartment, and found his pollen filter has been totally clogged up. As I took out the pollen filter, some hair clip, dead spider, dead cockroach, and many more fall off. The aircon seems hasn't been serviced since 2006. The seller immediately got shocked, and told me he hasn't seen any pomen that dress in long sleeve + neck tie in slack(I was wearing industrial VIKING safety shoe though). He was impressed as I even helped him to dust off the pollen filter and I can now feel the air blowing even fan speed is 1. For a 6 years never serviced aircon, I'm impressed by the cooling performance.
I was expecting original coil mat, even without coil mat atleast a rubber mat, but there isn't! The seller said, owner's kid spill milk on those mats, couldn't be clean anymore as the car would smells like rotten dead rat. So, I don't give a crap, since rubber mat only worth 4 bucks/piece. Immediately I hop on the car start driving. The clutch is surprisingly efficient. When I release the clutch pedal, I think its fully tensioned and need to readjust to a slightly lower position. Found out from seller, he just took the car to replaced the complete clutch set that cost him almost RM900(not sure whether its genuine). As we driven off, I heard engine roaring quite rough. I took a wild guess, is it supposed to be the teppet sound? Later I off clutch(stepped on the clutch pedal) and let the car free roll, surprisingly there aren't any noise generated. So, I have no idea whether its engine or the gearbox got problem.
Here comes the gan jeong part. As we hit open road, I slam on the throttle... the throttle response is IMMEDIATE!!!! 999x faster response than my Campro Twin Cam! But then, despite the RPM was soaring up, the speedo isn't showing significant speed increase(I certainly sure it wasn't the clutch spin). I'm not sure whether its because of the under power designed drivetrain required higher RPM to achieve lower speed just like the Campro? I wasn't really hitting the top speed as the seller is sitting besides me. We diverted into smaller road and start whacking corners. I am deeply impressed by the handling of Savvy! It show some decent bodyroll but within tolerance. However, traction wise is much... I repeat, MUCH better than my BLM. Despite its tall body, but it doesn't feels like Kenari/Kelisa/Kancil/Viva/Myvi
AT ALL. I've got the feeling of driving a suspension well tuned Wira/Lancer. Above all that, the best part is the suspension doesn't feel any harsh to my butt. Running through pothole, the car will feel a very mild/muffled bump on the tyres but that's it. No more extra movement/swaying left/right. I am very surprised by the super comfortness ride/handling despite the car is very dirty and scratches here and there. We hit the brakes hard several time on the way back, and those brakes responded quite numb. I had to reassured my braking distance far before the car stopped.
I went down the car and did my final inspection, found the top mounting nearest to the power steering reservoir has totally gone. Would that cause the vibration to resonated in the cabin? Or is it because of the engine has badly run down? Or is it the gear box got problem? I couldn't decide. This is the 1st time I have my hand on a Savvy. I reconfirmed the brake fluid is
BLACK SESAME PASTE color, radiator spare tank is dark chocolate in color, so as the power steering reservoir is dark color. I didn't even take out the dipstick and check, rest assured the car has NOT going through ANY maintenance. Centre lock has gone, alarm not working. Didn't get to check the CD player as I didn't bring, but radio is functioning. Overall, I was surprised by the handling and comfortness of a badly ruined Savvy. For a car so badly maintain, its suspension still felt much-much similar to a 2010 SAGA(if not better than a SAGA). The paint on the bonnet already faded. The left(passenger side) fender had accident before(can never cheat a guy who work in general insurance industries). Passenger side both front/rear doors got scratches by hitting the curb during cornering. Front and rear bumper, usual bits and lumps during parking, minor kisses unavoidable. Both side headlights are also faded(not sure what to expect, do I need to look for BOSCH logo?).
Last but not least, I managed to negotiate the price until RM7000. So, gentlemen(and ladies if there's any). Would you mind to help me up a little bit by providing some advice based on my finger snapping typing of these long paragraph grand father story? You guys are the king of Savvy, and I certainly can't afford to buy a new 1 from show room, and therefore searched for the cheapest available option. Please enlighten me if there is alternative. Please let me have a rough idea how much I need to prepare to fix this car if I were to buy it? Some highlights below:
HIGHLIGHTS
1) Engine sounded very rough, not sure its teppet sound or gear box sound
2) I tried to squat down and see the bottom of the engine bay, no significant oily. The fella hasn't wash engine yet. Its dusty, but NOT oily.
3) I notice the steering rack is wet, was worried and checked, found its aircon water dripping down from the condense pipe. Is is supposed to have a hose to drain the condensed water?
4) Brakefluid seems a must to change if I own the car, factory is DOT3? DOT4? DOT5?
5) Radiator tank must be rust until mother also cant recognize already, changed 1? Or send for flush job?
6) Worst case is, if gear box KO, how much can replace 1?
7) If engine KO, how much full overhaul?
Appreciate if you can take a little time to help me up here. For the price RM7000, I would expect NOT spend any thing more than RM3000 to repair the car. Your help and useful advice will be much much much appreciated 
Sep 3 2012, 07:50 PM
Seriously.... aih... I oso dunno how to say if compare to GaGa 
Despite the similarity between hatchback and sedan, but but but... aih... 
lemme find better words for describe before I put up a full preview. No picture taken, due to owner against it. I'll try to describe as close to reality as possible, so you guys get to picture my experience 
Suruh 911 jgn rush lar, nanti pak Dabid kasi bikin ambulans tu 
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On the other hand, maybe David will come up with the guide first.
HOWEVER, I would like to guess when doing all that stunts, you'll still have a budgeted amount of "comfortness" in a Pug, whereas inside the GaGa cabin, all those 财神 lar, 招财猫 lar, Doraemon lar, Patrick lar, Poop bear lar, will be rolling all over the place. I have not driven that car before, but did an inspection on accident car before 
Yes you're right! Already accident! It was a frontal side impact. Surprisingly, the strut tower region still intact despite cross member/subframe ady patah 
I made that choice base on reliability/performanceand its the most reasonable price tagged among all other bling-bling hose. Alternatively, you can go kedai logam look for shower head type of steel braded hose oso. Spray the end joint so it looks like HKS lar, but the inner core reliability is your own responsibility though 
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