I fgoing to Ipoh, It's better you go up using Tapah & down via Spg Pulai.. Really a waste if you going up Spg Pulai & bck to Ipoh via Tapah.. does not make sense at all..Nowadays, going up via Tapah might be even faster than Spg Pulai bcos the jam at few towns in CH b4 reaching Tanaha Rata or even Brinchang!

Thanks cute_boboi for saying Tapah is less steep and slower pace.

Cute_boboi, do you recommend uphill via tapah ?

My car is manual vios and will go for pre-trip inspection by AA. Their tests include driving, i think is for braking and handling.

>10 trips to genting, i think you drive better than me because our cars both 1.5L.

I am trying to improve my skill because i think that is the reason why my car broke down at Genting. At that time, people said i should not keep changing gear because it wear off the clutch, just use brake to slow down. I could not remember, maybe i depressed clutch and move for too long. Hope the clutch problem dont come back. Question 1, How to save on the clutch ? I dont know how much is the repair cost for brake problem and cannot remember my clutch repair cost. I am more willing to use foot and hand brake even if there is braking smell and stop the vehicle on a safe spot to rest the brake. Without clutch, my car cannot move at all ! despair.

i have to go now, to be continue.

My advice through Genting driving, mine is manual 1.3 myvi. I don't really like foot brake as it'll spoilt the disc brake faster too, clutch is known to be the tougher part.

I balance my clutch all the time to reduce the usage of footbrake, more to engine breaking, except for those annoying bumps which of course i need step on foot brake.

But the most i try is tap a bit only. Hope this helps.

Aiyoyo! you all describing driving as though the road to Cameron is like going for a 4WD adventure trip. As long as you are a careful driver and also not like the Ah Beng's in Vios or Myvis then any road is fine. Both roads or all three roads for that matter is safe, I mean really safe. It is the drivers that are dangerous! In fact driving via Tapah is more safer due to the attention you will be giving to your driving and slower drive but compensated with a shorter distance if you are from KL. If you are coming from Ipoh or going to Ipoh take the Simpang Pulai road. Choose the route because of the location you are coming from not driving skills or more likeyour confidence in your driving.

I assume you from SG direct to CH, then to Ipoh, back to SG.
If you want slower pace like 40-60km/h (or maybe even slower if a lot of traffic), use Tapah to go up. Nearer also.
If you like faster pace, use Sg. Pulai. you can go like 50-80km/h average.

Downhill, I suggest you use Sg. Pulai, since you detour to Ipoh.

Genting: Going uphill, I always maintain 2nd and 3rd gear and rev at 3-6k rpm constantly. I do not change gear very often, especially at tight corners. Downshift the gear BEFORE you turn into a tight-corner, so that you can maintain momentum. Do not de-clutch or ride half-way on it, confirm burn very fast. Either fully pressed, or fully released.
If you go into a tight corner at 3rd gear and lose momentum in the corner, then only you start to downshift, your car will suddenly slow down a lot. Then the clutch is working extra hard due to friction of de-clutching and re-clutch different gear.

Going downhill, I do not race or follow the speed of cars in front. I just let all of them smoke me. I ride on 3rd gear mostly at left lane, did NOT step at all on accelerator from hilltop until Awana. Just let the momentum pull the engine. Do NOT step on clutch also, let let it fully engaged. Same rule, either fully engaged, or fully pressed. No half-half or balance clutch. Decide 100% on which gear to use.
Brakes only used sparingly at corners, mainly engine braking.

Therefore, my downhill time is longer than my uphill until Genting Sempah. I step-on-it to go uphill most of the time.

The Genting way of driving, does not apply fully to Fraser/CH. You need to try and test your own driving style to fit the speed you want, the braking, how fast cornering you want, etc.

Confirm one lah. My 9 years old car, change brake pad once only. Clutch pad not yet change. Mechanic and car dealer says still good. Driving style matters, and there is difference between driving in city/highway vs uphill.

Just to share about "going downhill", since I am from Sarawak and Sarawak road is...hmm......
Use third gear (auto and manual) and footbrake. Control speed below 60km/h to reduce death risk, reduce tension on brake pad and reduce engine brake tension
If there is anything that pop-ups in between the road, such as monkeys fall down the tree, u will be able to brake in time without crashing out of lane and no monkeys were harm in the braking :3
Since engine is in front, the front is heavy when going downhill, emergency brake with high speed would fail so badly (what my dad always taught me), and it burns the brake pad; and don't let engine scream too loud, that is a bad sign (low gear, high speed when going downhill)

Anyway, guys, thanks to the previous posts. I am going to Cameron by the end of June, will share out my experience in this forum as well :3



My fifty ringgit (ugghhhh...i hate it when people put their "my two cents" thingy here)

This post has been edited by feitan: May 22 2012, 04:15 PM

I have been looking up the technical part. http://www.mrfizzix.com/autoracing/weighttransfer.htm
Braking actually shift more weight to the front making the rear brakes less effective. I will add my luggage or spare tyre in the boot to put add pressure on the rear. Braking is not desired. Down shift of gear and let to the engine roar in acceptable range and a bit of understeering is better than braking. in the this video http://www.trackpedia.com/wiki/Oversteer, it advise us to separate braking from turning to prevent oversteering.

This post has been edited by heng23: May 22 2012, 06:24 PM

OT: technically, this may be true for rally/racing/touge, but for our normal drive uphill, I'm not sure how applicable % to each of us.

Also, if you notice, the engine is normally position slightly to the driver side (right-side) and the weight distribution on left/right is affected. The way you put those fat & heavy passengers will also affect the effect of cornering left/right. Technically, it will affect cornering.
However, again, it is applicable to racing bla bla bla...

You don't want to go deeper into negative-camber, etc. for better cornering control, after all, this is a traveling thread. Enjoy the trip!

Good advise on the speed, especially the rev at 3 - 6k rpm, important information to novice like me. The proper usage of clutch confirms my understanding too. I think i used gear 2 or gear 1 in Genting going downhill and spoilt the clutch.

Do people in this thread share photos since this is a travel and living thread ?

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Added on May 22, 2012, 9:43 pmThanks Fei tan for sharing. Your advice reconfirms what i have read in this forum and internet for the past few days. Your dad is so nice. People like me live in the city, miss out on terrain driving.

Remember to check back this forum, I will report on the hotels, food, shopping since i go on 2 june 2012.

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Added on May 22, 2012, 9:56 pmi shoot models too. But my dates are already fixed 2 june 2012 (ipoh), 3 to 4 (CH), 5 june (ipoh). Dont mind cost sharing for models.

This post has been edited by heng23: May 22 2012, 09:56 PM

I can't find any job vacancies in Cameron Highlands now.. Recently I have the same thought as you, working at Cameron Highlands if possible. Does anyone here got any ideas for front office vacancy?

Seriously, Cameron is ghost town if not weekends or holidays.

Most of those small hotel/hostel are manned by own family members to save cost.
Restaurants are near empty.

Front-office ? Bank ? Starbucks ?

Frankly, the humidity/wetness in Cameron is high. Be prepared when get old, to get "foong sap" (wind wet ? )
Arthritis ?

Nope. I personally had drove using that road for several times. Just that I requires link or reference to "convince" some local bus to drive up there for an incoming group tour. Although the road had been officially launched, the route is showing C156 (if not mistaken) in Google map. Those bus driver not so convince to use the road as they claim the road is not properly maintain as holes/landslide in certain part of the road. They had decided to use Tapah road instead... Haiz, plus they from Bentong. I wonder why they need to use a long way instead of shortest path to reach the destination!?

Until now, still no luck of getting that resources. Wonder has anyone come across this articles or news? If yes, please drop me a link to the following reference. Tqvm.

anyone stayed in heritage hotel before? is it good?

everyday is offering a deal for this hotel:

http://www.everyday.com.my/coupons/tr/cch2010.ec?6832

Sometimes, the bus drivers do not want to take risk on:
- rarely used road.
- too few vehicles use.
- longer non-highway - more risk of accident due to corners, narrow roads, etc.
- buses brake constant going downhill on longer road.

Therefore, they prefer to take longer distance with highway, can't blame them.

However, if coming from Bentong, your recommended route is the nearest.

Understandable their intention!

From Bentong, roughly bout 2hours and 30minutes able to reach via sg koyan route. If using Tapah, it will takes bout 5hours plus to reach, tolls and petrol somemore...

anybody went to Cameron recently? How is it during the school holiday on weekdays?

What is the recommended pressure of tyre for going up to cameron?

Whats the temperature now in Cameron? Dont wanna be sweating like in KL

BTW, bro, frm Cameron, which route to take to Sg Koyan & how's the road condition?

Yesterday drive from Kota Bharu via Gua Musang - Lojing route for 4 1/2 hour.

Common sense-lah. How high can CH temperature goes? The hottest probably ~ 26-27C but on avg, Day time temperature should be ~ 19C (Raining/cloudy) til 24C (Hot day). During night time..Avg shoud be from 16C-20C but it can drop to 14-15C.

Anyway, Here' a good weather forcast & almost realtime CH temperature:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/1735261
http://worldweather.wmo.int/020/c00076.htm