Here's a little comparison between BLM and old saga or Iswara
For me Iswara is an OK car, everything is not good, not bad, but acceptable.
So this is my comparison between BLM and an OK car. (manual transmission)

BLM cons
pickup 0-50kmh is slightly worse than Iswara.
on paper, the interior is wider than Iswara but when you sit in it (driver) you'll feel its narrower because of the centre console and door armrest.
Seat design not suitable for big people.
Quality/design not too good - when u wind up your window fully, you can feel the door panel come inwards and goes outwards when you wind down.

BLM pros
Fuel consumption very slightly better than Iswara
Road holding is much better
higher speeds got way more power
more comfortable - if you are not too big
Way, way more room for rear passengers


Issues I have with my BLM,
IAFM noise - warranty part ordered at SC since no stock.
Thin paint, paint chipped off at some corners for no reason
Interior plastic quality not good, plastic near the foot rest got marks and colour changed because of frequent friction with shoes.
Rubber floor mats tearing.
Engine bay full of plastic stuff - radiator spare tank and brake reservoir feels flimsy.


So I would say its still a worthy buy despite the practically negative impression above. For me, gegar sini, gegar sana, I take a screw driver or spanner and tighten whatever is loose and DIY. Its kind of a hobby so I don't really mind that.

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Added on January 11, 2010, 11:11 pmOne more thing. There is a 1 second delay between pressing the accelerator pedal and the engine revving.You press the pedal and let go, 1 second later only you can hear the engine sound.

When changing gears it can be a little irritating. You must train yourself to release the accelerator 1 second earlier before pressing the clutch and press the accelerator 1 second earlier before release the clutch.

This post has been edited by black or white: Jan 11 2010, 11:11 PM