Yeah at first i was a bit disappointed that the K5 was priced at 143,888 (OTR). But after really giving it some thought, i realised that its actually reasonable for what's on offer. Yes the K5 still lacks in refinement and handling, but can u really expect so much when ure only paying RM 143K? I paid only approx RM 105K after trading in my Vios. Imagine that.

But yes, as you mentioned, car prices seem to be experiencing an uptrend in all segments. Much like property in some ways but unlike property, its a loss right from Day 1. And ull see that many of the ppl opting for cars are actually spending above their means. Many financial experts would tell you that your car monthly installments should generally not be more than 20% of your take home salary (give and take depending on your NAV). Yet we still have many ppl (especially younger professionals) who end up spending like 40-50% of their take home salary on their car loans. And quite a number of these ppl dont even have proper medical insurance or even their own property.

And you see car manufacturers and dealers capitalising on this. Like you clearly mentioned, the Gov has a big hand to play in these pricing and for some selfish reason, the Gov seems content on increasing car prices merely to allow P1 & P2 to continue to increase profits.

Its about time the Malaysian public starts to shun over-priced cars. Its already begun in the property market. The new launches are being snapped up (mostly by unsuspecting buyers) but the investors in the subsale market are becoming more selective and refusing to pay for overpriced properties.

The power lies in the hands of the consumer and we Malaysians needs to understand that. Till then, we'll continue to see rising prices everywhere.

This post has been edited by cybermaster98: Mar 26 2013, 08:06 AM

This has gotta be the fastest recall ever for a newly launched model eh? Gosh! Hope this is the first and last. Not the kind of thing u wanna hear for a new launch this soon especially if it involves a potential fire.

This post has been edited by cybermaster98: Mar 26 2013, 11:04 PM

All recalls are 'good' whether its Mazda or otherwise and every car manufacturer in history has probably gone through a recall. But one thing that recalls do is that it erodes confidence in the brand. For Mazda this isnt good because of the timing of the recall especially for the Malaysian market since the Mazda 6 was only launched here last week. Although the recall sounds minor but in actual fact its a major concern since it involves possibility of a fire. For the recall to happen so fast its gotta be a serious issue which warranted immediate action by Mazda.

And what do you mean no recalls for VW? Google it up.

If the threat is a possible fire, u cannot possibly wait till a normal periodic service to rectify the problem. It might be too late by then.

New 2013 Honda Accord seems quite alright dont you think? I really hope Honda keeps most of the specs even when they CKD it here. If they can include all the goodies and still keep the price reasonable, it should thrash the Camry. But after seeing what they did with the CRV, i have my doubts. I guess we'll need to wait till Jul/Aug to know. But in the meatime, some info for you:

http://paultan.org/2013/03/26/honda-accord-bangkok/

It should be in the region of 200K. But it may not reach Malaysia as it would not be favoured much at that price range. The A3 is actually shorter than even the Forte when u compare overall length. The A4 was already a bit cramped inside so i would expect the A3 to be much worse especially with the centre transmission tunnel.

If u arent sure then ask. Try not to make blind statements. Being able to take corners fast doesnt mean the handling is top class. The 18 inch rims make taking corners much easier compared to my previous rides and yes in that aspect the handling is good. But handling in general refers to many other things and this is whr the K5 lacks compared to conti's and possibly the M6 as well. Trust that clarifies.

Yes i think ure right. Ive experienced the same in my ride. But the only issue is that u gotta keep 1 hand on the gear while the paddles are easier to use.

U got the F30 already? Which model?

When they cant back up their accusations they run n hide. Typical.

Is there a separate warranty for the Tribos since its a coating?

Paying for the coating is one thing. Maintaining it is something different altogether. If ure not prepared to spend the time and money in maintaining, i would suggest you stick to the polish and wax routine.

3 years should be alright i guess. But what are the exclusion clauses?

Depends. I used to do my polishing and waxing at Pit Stop TTDI for my previous Vios. Since i was a member, wash, polish and wax was only RM80. They used Maguire's. But surely not the higher end product. Before that i used to do my polishing at Cars International. My Vios had really good paintwork despite being 9 years old. Never had to repaint. Not immaculate but surely very much better than most cars on the road. U only polish once a year with a wax job every 4 months or so depending on your driving conditions.

Anyway, i dont believe in overspending for polishing and coatings. This cost isnt gonna get added on to your car value in the end anwyay. As long as the car is clean and well maintained i guess its sufficient for me.

So based on your readings for city driving, you should be able to cover about 720km on a single full tank of about 60L rite? And ull be able to drive 920km in 100% highway? That's pretty impressive for a 2.5L car. Did u get this reading from the display or the fill-measure-fill method?

This post has been edited by cybermaster98: Apr 2 2013, 10:06 PM

My car 21 months already 63,000km.