Hidden Costs

Some people don't realise that buying a car entails numerous other costs which they might not have taken into consideration. It's much more than just the monthly loan repayments (NOTE: I am talking of ordinary blokes out there like me, who earn a living working for other people or for the Govt.).

I recently had to service my car air conditioning because it wasn't as cold as before. In fact it was literally blowing hot air in my face. The cost: RM90/ for the R134a compressor oil and gas.

Other things that happen are accidents. Even if you are careful, others might bang into you and that is exactly what happened to me. Read here. The repair job, plus a new bumper and repainting made me poorer by RM400/. Read about it here.

I also decided to change all my four tyres as I noticed that they were quite bald and got myself the cheapest in the market, Sime Monza HR7. It cost me RM95/ per tyre. However, they gave me a discout of RM30/ for trading in the old tyres. Where in the World do any tyre shop allow you to trade in your old tyres? Only in Kedah.

Those who look down on the Sime brand of tyres. Let me tell you something. Continental Sime Tyre Sdn Bhd, which makes Sime tyres, is a Malaysian joint-venture company between Continental AG of Hanover, Germany (51%) and Sime Darby Berhad, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (49%). The JV agreement was signed on February 26, 2003.

It has two tyre manufacturing companies: DMIB Berhad with its factory located in Petaling Jaya, and Sime Tyres International Sdn Bhd located in Alor Setar. Marketing and sales is carried out through Continental Sime Tyre Marketing Sdn Bhd.

Other brands made by the company are: Continental, Dunlop, Barum, Sime Tyres and Simex. My friend working with the company confided that all the tyres are made in the same factories using the same rubber compund and same technology. The only difference are the treads.

Now back to my story, the four new tyres plus the alignment cost me a total of RM390/.

Total cost on my car this month alone not counting the petrol and the monthly loan repayment comes to RM880/. Thank God! I don't drive a BMW or a Merc.

Related links:

- Continental Sime Tyres

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Congrats Alex

Wrote this much earlier but forgot to post it up.

At the A1 Grand Prix series (the eighth round ) in Sentul, Indonesia, on the 12 of this monht, Alex Yoong drove a great race coming in second place podium spot in the dramatic Feature race and a fourth place finish in the Sprint race.

It us the best results for A1 Team Malaysia and the first podium finsh for Alex Yoong.

The teams are now in Monterrey, Mexico for the A1 Grand Prix of Nations (24 – 26 February).

Cheering for Alex and the A1 Team Malaysia.

MOU between Mitsubishi and Proton

According to a press release on Mitsubishi's website, they have signed a memorandum of understanding with Proton Holdings Berhad for wider areas of corporation between the two companies.

This event was witnessed by Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz, Minister of International Trade and Industry.

The agreement includes cooperation in the following areas:
· Product development of new Proton vehicles
· Supply of components between Proton and Mitsubishi
· Technical support for production engineering and quality control
· Optimization of Proton's manufacturing facilities

Read the full press release here.

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