So far, the Sportage looks positve to me, how is the SC? Which SC to go to?

I am only keen with a SC which allows me to talk to the chief mechanic face to face at the service bays. I am doing that with my current SCs for my cars and also with my previous cars. I am not keen to talk to service advisors which are basically messenger boys to the service guys.

Plus SC must have competent mechanics which can solve problems, not try to solve problems.

Any Naza Kia SC to recommend?

As for safety issues, I dun think customers are allow to enter the service bays. No service centre will want to take responsibility on any injury might cause to the owner in the process. Request to talk to chief mechanic in the customer lounge is reasonable if you ask me.

Running two service centre in Ipoh, I always insist the customers to stay in customer lounge. Will arrange chief mechanic or service advisor to explain to the customers if anything arise matter that required detailed elaboration.

Sorry, I cannot agree with you on this unless I know the chief mechanic is competent. Most SC will try to bullsxxt their way. I don't have the time to keep bringing the car back for service or minor adjustments.

I personally know the GMs of my current marques and the chief mechanic of the SCs, both will collect my cars for servicing and delivered them after servicing.

From your words, I do able to interpret that you able to judge how competent a chief mechanic by seeing him doing the work, and you know what he is doing is CORRECT or WRONG, based on your technical experience.

I never know that standing beside the car looking at the chief mechanic doing the work, is consider able to judge the competency of the chief mechanic.
Btw, most chief mechanic is doing the monitoring work in the service centre and most works are handled by the normal technicians.
Chief mechanic is doing the supervisory work all the time if you don't know.
Customers are not being trained to the safety procedure while at the service bay, so are customers actually "advisable" to be there?


I don't think of knowing the GMs of your current marques will help in judging the chief mechanic competency.

This post has been edited by allenultra: Dec 30 2012, 10:59 PM

HAHAHA, you are interpreting me wrongly. I prefer to know the chief mechanic personally as well and to know what is happening to my car. It is just my preference.



Knowing the GMs usually ensures the car is serviced properly, I use the word 'usually', not 'always'. This is my personal experience.

This post has been edited by lunchtime: Dec 30 2012, 11:05 PM

Hm. My service advisor got to his post after being a mechanic for a long time. So he really knows the cars, probably better than the mechanics. But yes, I also like to watch my car when repaired. My SC lets me do that, of course they won't take any responsibility should something happen, and that's fine with me.

@sanadi: Yup, that would be ideal. A proper 4 or 6 point harness and a racing helmet that is attached to the seat too. Some cars come like that from the factory. But try explaining to your wife why she needs to climb into the car, and then spends a minute or two putting on the seatbelt. If people are too lazy to put on a 3 point seatbelt, which is really quite user friendly... imagine them having to do all of those things.

@zweimmk: Fifth Gear has done a few of those tests, ADAC too. But it is not done on a regular basis, more to show off that you shouldn't drive too fast, and that maybe crash test standards should be raised.

So lunchtime, did u test drive the Volvo?

This post has been edited by EnergyAnalyst: Dec 31 2012, 07:49 AM

Not yet, busy with year end holidays and shopping My other half insist on me shopping ALONE for cars

I don't know if you want to drive one though. My Sister in law used to drive a XC90 a few years back and she was forever complaining about the car electronic problems and high fuel consumption.
Didn't really ask her for details though, it got stolen shortly after

I suppose the tagline Volvo for Life has some truth in it.

Contis and its reliability problems are forever an issue, which is another factor pushing me towards the Koreans. The issue with the Japs are the tone downed specs.

Real-life small-overlap collision happened in Penang.
Notice the silver color front metal bumper, 80% (approx.) still intact. On the contrary, LH side fender, wheel, front strut assembly, firewall, A-pillar and B-pillar all crushed.
This Porsche definitely drive at speed way beyond IIHS's 40mph small-overlap crash test specifications.


Note: Click image for thread link.



This post has been edited by Bubble Ring: Feb 8 2013, 12:06 PM

Another real-life small-overlap collision.


Note: Click image for thread link.

What car "was" that? crumple zone all the way to the rear seats

I think this is a different situation. Full frontal with a pole. (Ahem.)

Solution could be similar though, the front end needs to have a very strong bar so that the violent forces are evenly spread out, or better yet, redirected so that the car can move on rather than coming to a full stop.

The car was a Honda Integra DC5. Cars aren't built with hitting a thin object like a tree in mind. So while the whole of the front end might have been strong enough (probably not, due to high speeds) a small section of that front end surely can't stand the forces. Hit a piece of meat with a hammer, and the hammer will stop. Use a sword or sharp knife and it will go right through it.

This post has been edited by kadajawi: Feb 8 2013, 01:08 PM

Lol

That pic gives new meaning to the word "treehugger"

This post has been edited by dares: Feb 8 2013, 01:22 PM

We shouldn't laugh though, whoever was in there won't be worrying about resale value anymore.

Due to drop in resale value , Camry owners compromise and keeps mum,
only if somebody loose their life than Malaysians will jump and yell, they never belief in taking proactive role to do damage controll

Due to drop in resale value , Camry owners compromise and keeps mum,
only if somebody loose their life than Malaysians will jump and yell, they never belief in taking proactive role to do damage controll

nice sharing..
seems like toyota owner doesnt like to bangkang.. haha

Latest results from IIHS, it appears the new Civic and Mazda6 did quite well. Waaaayyyy better than Camry.

Civic 2013


Mazda6 2014


Volvo XC60 2013


SoS

This post has been edited by dares: Mar 8 2013, 10:16 AM