Monday, December 6, 2010

The Cost of Owning a Vehicle

Congratulations, you finally got the keys to that pride and joy you've been dreaming of for the longest time. Sacrificing the inumerable teh-o-ais' at the mamak just to scrape together the down-payment necessary to get tied down with a 5/ 7 year loan, you beam ear to ear as the salesman give you the final briefing.

I didn't sacrifice my sessions at the mamak for my car but the down-payment came from a timely bonus from my now ex-employers Ford Malaysia. It was around October 2003 when I purchased one of the last Proton Iswara sedans ever to roll off the production line. It was a metallic grey, 1.3 basic model, but in my eyes, it was a Rolls Royce. Purchased with the sweat of my brow (wow), I spent the next 7 years servicing the loan, maintaining the car and learning a few lessons along the way which I would like to share with you

Purchasing The Vehicle

Firstly, I learnt that although the prices for the vehicles are generally fixed, scouting from dealership to dealership may actually get you a better discount. As car sales get more competitive, dealerships may offer discounts or throw in extra's such as extended warranty, tinting of the windscreens (be sure to ask what brand - you dont want the tint to be discolored or peeling after one year) and other accessories. Write down the options, compare prices before you commit.

Also, do not stop just at that. Calculate the interest rate and scout around. Various banks/ dealers have other rates that are more attractive. I remember purchasing my car a RM33,000.00 and after interest, I paid RM45,000.00 for the car. That's the price of going for the low down-payment option. I can only sympathize with people who tool 9-11 year loans on their kancils/ kelisa's.

Ask the salesman to provide you with the service schedule and cost. You will get a fair idea of how much the regular maintenance service is going to cost for the warranty period.

NOTE : Do not modify your vehicle during the warranty period. Some manufacturers are more tolerant than others and after-market modifications usually end up having your warranty null and void. That also applies to having the vehicle serviced outside (ie, cheaper workshops). While its true that an oil change may cost about 3 times more at a dealership, you're paying for the expertise (although in some cases, I beg to differ), genuine spare's and warranty.

In my case, I only went in for 1 service and that was it! I sent the car in at 7.00am and was told that I can only collect the car at 7.00pm. 12 hours to change engine oil? A typical 20 minute job? Also I had some problems with the steering which they could not solve at all. So kudo's to Proton at Glenmarie. It was fortunate that I know a little bit about vehicle maintenance and a Proton is fairly easy to work on. I wouldn't try it with the newer vehicles which require ECU resetting after an oil change - ie certain Volvo models.

Wear and tear is also a point of consideration here. Remember, you're gonna be stuck with the car for some time. Be gentle when closing the doors. Excessive slamming is not only going to cause rattles, it is also going to damage the power window motor located inside which is composed of mostly plastic. Also, go easy on the humps (stop sniggering). Speeding over road humps will cause unnecessary wear and tear not only on the absorbers and springs, but also the suspension arms. These days, they come complete with bushings and are not cheap. Replacing the whole assembly is another clever idea the manufacturers came up with to save time and increase profits.

Check the engine oil, water and tyre pressure regularly. This sometimes mundane and cumbersome task will save you the RM necessary for Christmas shopping down the road. As they say, prevention is better than cure. Later I will elaborate on how you can save money and gain some satisfaction on doing you own DIY maintenance. Happy motoring.

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