Hi everyone, I am really glad I came across this topic, and I would sincerely appreciate some advice from all the sifus here regarding my old Myvi.

This car holds a lot of sentimental value for me. My mother bought it back in 2006 and later passed it to me in 2008—along with the responsibility of continuing the loan repayment. I’ve been driving it ever since, but due to work commitments, I had to stop using it in 2024. Since then, I haven’t been able to maintain it, and now that I’m back in KL, I’m hoping to restore it for daily use.

Unfortunately, the car has suffered quite a bit from being parked under a tree for almost a year. The paint is in terrible condition due to bird droppings, and to make things worse, there was an ant nest nearby—I’m not sure if they’ve made their way into the car. The last time I checked, the car wouldn’t start, and the interior has developed a strong, damp smell.

I want to refurbish the car completely, but I’m not very familiar with the technical details of car restoration, and with my current schedule, I would appreciate some guidance from those with experience. My key questions are:

How much estimate would a full refurbishment cost?
I am looking at repainting the entire car, replacing the interior seats, upgrading the infotainment system, changing the steering wheel, car battery, absorbers, exhaust system, spark plugs—pretty much everything that needs fixing. If the engine turns out to be in bad condition, is it possible to replace it entirely? And if so, what kind of cost should I expect?

Where can I find a reliable workshop in Seri Kembangan that can handle everything?
I would prefer to go to one place that can manage all the necessary work instead of running around to different workshops. I’m looking for a fair price with good workmanship, as I want to avoid unnecessary markups or low-quality repairs. Any trusted recommendations?

Long-term restoration and maintenance
This car is very special to me—it’s the only gift I have from my mother. If possible, I’d like to keep and maintain it for as long as I can. Given its age, what would be the best way to ensure it remains roadworthy in the long run?

I would truly appreciate any advice, suggestions, or recommendations from those who have experience with car restorations. Thank you in advance for your help!

If a car been parked for long time, you want to start but car wouldn't start - usually it's the car battery that got drained out. Change the battery that's a start.

Interior smell could be due to growing mold.

If you really want to proceed for the vehicle, be prepared to foot up at least 2k I would say for upkeeping the vehicle based from your info.

I'm not an expert but based on my recent quotations/purchase, these are the estimates for my 2011 Toyota Altis, these are only for references, for your car might be a little cheaper and also can get cheaper price other than going through official SC:

If the cost of refurbish very high might as well getting axia e rahmah brand new 💯🚀🔥

wow necro-ed tered.

if you have the budget and always use the car for daily office, high mileage daily & bring family around (main car), just sell it off while it still have some resale value and change to a new car. can't justify the cost for peace of mind .

if its just a beater / 2nd car to go pasar/ masjid /LRT /send kid school/office <10km daily , just refurb and continue use it . Its a myvi, parts are everywhere.

Plus the maintenance of the old car very high and would be endless of repairing here and there 🚙🚗🤔🔥