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Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Naza Sutera Horror Stories

READ IT BEFORE Buying NAZA SUTERA. Now known as NAZA FORZA.


MY OPINION:

This is a horror story i received from my friend about an owner of a local car, the Naza Sutera. I've heard bad reviews about Naza Sutera before but this is truly shocking. Complaint 2’s in Bahasa Malaysia but I painstakingly translated it to English. It took me 1 week to figure out some of the words (using dictionary and asking friends).

This is NOT ONLY showing that NAZA Sutera’s defective, I posted this to SHOWCASE my TALENT in translating from Melayu to English and English to Melayu (coming soon).

NOTE: Naza must be guilty over these matters. That’s why they redesigned the Sutera and RENAMED it FORZA as Malaysian consumer’s losing confidence. They hope to brainwashed potential “SUTERA” buyers that their product’s now GOOD Quality. Also, in January this year, NAZA Sutera’s for sale in Singapore. Nice try NAZA, 2 years of guinea pigs to Malaysian Sutera owners before selling it in Singapore!

To those interested in Naza Forza. DON’T BUY the FORZA. You’ll be better off with ANY PERODUA. I wanted to say DON’T buy NAZA CARS BUT strangely, the Naza Citra (Kia Carens) and 206 Bestari’s quite good quality, anyone know why?

Here’s the 2 complaint letters:

COMPLAINT 1:

Dear All sutera's...

1st off all, just wanna say that this car is SUCKS!!!...sorry about my words..but i mean it...

Too many defective things goes around..below are the lists

a)wiper and signal motor KONG...(twice)
b)wiper water inside tank, always goes out (settled)
c)power window out (4th times)..on driver seat
d)rear wiper make a noise sound..
e)lamp inside cabin, sometimes ok, sometimes not..
f)fuse box under the hood, always "tercabut"..
g)box compartment (on the dash board) not functioning well due to the bad hinges
h)bla bla

i am not expecting so much on the RM36k car, but all people have to bare in mind that "Cheap things doesnt mean cheap workmanship.Cheap things means cheap materials"..all those defects are workmanship.

On the driving part:-

a)engine sound too noisy..
b)too much body roll..kancil is better..
c)breaking not good (also one of the defect..sound arised)

MY advice, please get perodua (if budget be a problems)...much2 better than this piece of metal...ITS NAZA's DESIGN FAILURE....tried to comment in NAZA website, cant access...

COMPLAINT 2

I wonder what’s the status of this complaint? It’s posted 1 ½ years ago, I hope that this dwarf’s car’s replaced or at least replace its engine. Imagine engine OVERHAULED on a 2 months old car. Here’s the LONG LONG complaint letter:

Laporan Kerosakan NAZA Sutera . Sunday, October 29 2006
Kiriman HM
(TRANSLATED BY YOURS TRULY, Owner of this blog, Jeff Lim)

For your information, next time I’d have to think more than a million times whether I’d buy a NAZA Car because of the Horrendous quality of Naza cars, I’ve bought a Naza Sutera 2 months ago on 1st August 2006 after waiting for about 4 months instead of 2 weeks as promised by FS Trading Sdn Bhd – a dealer. Here, to my utmost regret, I wish that Naza replace me with a New Car. Why? This is the condition of the car given to me:

Untuk perhatian tuan, lain kali saya perlu berfikir
lebih daripada berjuta kali jika ingin membeli kereta
kereta keluaran NAZA kerana kualiti kenderaan yang
amat teruk dan tidak menjaminkan. Saya telah membeli
kereta NAZA Sutera 2 bulan lepas iaitu pada 1hb Ogos
2006 selepas menanti selama lebih kurang 4 bulan
dimana wakil jualan tuan gagal membekalnya dalam
tempuh yang telah dijanjikan oleh pihak Syarikat FS
Trading Sdn Bhd iaitu dalam tempuh 2 minggu sahaja.
Disini saya ingin menyatakan kekesalan yang amat
sangat terhadap kereta yang telah dibekalkan oleh
pihak tuan dan memohon supaya ianya dapat DIGANTIKAN
DENGAN KENDERAAN YANG BARU. Inilah keadaan kenderaan
yang telah dibekalkan kepada saya:-


1) From the quality of the car, it’s clear that NAZA just want to make profit until ignoring the QC of the car. I made a BIG MISTAKE by buying based on the looks of the car only to realize that it’s FULL OF PROBLEMS.


1. Dari kualiti kereta tersebut adalah
jelas bahawa pihak tuan hanya mementingkan soal
keuntungan sehingga mengabaikan tentang kualiti
kenderaan tersebut. Kereta ini lansung tiada kualiti
dan saya melakukan kesilapan besar kerana hanya
memandang dari segi rupa sedangkan ia penuh dengan
masalah-masalah.

2) From my thoughts, the Quality Control division of Naza Factory failed to do a good job as Big part of Exterior and Interior have not fitted correctly and orderly. This includes plastic and steel materials were lose or not fitted properly. Moreover, the screws were RUSTY, an irony as the car’s only 2 months old.

2. Dari segi pengamatan saya Jabatan
Kualiti Kilang Naza gagal melakukan kerja dengan baik
kerana sebahagian besar daripada peralatan didalam dan
diluar kenderaan ini tidak dipasang dengan betul dan
kemas. Ini termasuk bahagian-bahagian yang dibuat
dengan plastik dan besi tidak dilekat atau dipasang
dengan kemas dimana ada yang longgar. Seterusnya
terdapat bahagian-bahagian dan skru yang sudah
berkarat sedangkan kereta tersebut baru 2 bulan sahaja
dan boleh dilihat dengan sebelah mata.

3) On the 1st week on the way driving back from work in the middle of the rain, I had to drive in wet as water seep thru driver side window (a lot). Here, the rubber used was of inferior quality or not fitted correctly. I’d sent to the service centre in Kuala Terengganu, after rectifying, it’s still not right as the door was not aligned with other doors. As a result, all 4 doors have to be knocked again to align it. It’s still not corrected as rain water now entered via rear doors. Can you imagine the inconvenience I faced due to the doors.

3. Pada minggun pertama, semasa saya memandu kereta balik daripada pejabat dan pada masa itu hujan turun; Saya terpaksa memandu dalam keadaan basah kerana air masuk melalui tingkap sebelah pemandu dengan banyak. Disini saya amati getah yang digunakan
juga tidak berkualiti atau pun ia tidak dipasang dengan betul. Saya telah menghantarnya ke pusat serbis di Kuala Trengganu, setelah diperbetulkan ia masih
tidak sempurna kerana pintu tersebut telah tidak selari dengan pintu-pintu yang lain. Jadi keempat-empat pintu ini perlu diketuk semula untuk menyamakannya. Ia masih tidak sempurna kerana semasa hujan air masuk semula melalui pintu belakang pula. Cubalah bayangkan kesusahan yang telah saya hadapi hanya kerana Pintu-pintu ini.

4) On the 3rd week on the way back from Terengganu, the steering made a Donkey sound as if the car was more than 20 yrs old. Imagine what happened to this car after more than 1 yr old.

4. Pada minggu ketiga ketiga balik daripada
Trengganu stering kereta ini telah berbunyi seperti
keldai seolah macam kenderaan yang berumur lebih
daripada 20 tahun. Bayangkan macamana kedaan kereta
ini setelah lebih dari 1 tahun.


5) On the 1st day of owning the car, the Air-cond was not Working properly. The cold air only flow out on the bottom even though I directed the air flow to the top.The next day, I took the car to FS Trading Sdn Bhd and they fixed it fitting “span”, the problem still persisted. Is it the way to fix it? It’s funny, a Big company like NAZA didn’t know how to fix an Air-cond properly, I made a complain but I was not happy with the answer by FS Trading staff saying that it’s Panel Suppliers’ fault and if I have to correct it properly, I have to send the car to Shah Alam and it’ll take more than 2 days as the whole dashboard need to be taken out. Here, NAZA did not check properly as the Airflow not in order also not noticed as it’s Defective on the 1st day I took delivery of the car. Don’t just blame the supplier.


6. Pada hari saya ambil kenderaan ini
system penghawa dinginnya tidak berfungsi dengan
betul; Angin sejuk hanya keluar daripada saluran bawah
sahaja walaupun saya telah mengubah suis untuk angin
itu keluar daripada atas. Keesokan harinya saya hanya
kenderaan ke Syarikat FS Trading Sdn Bhd dan ia telah
dibaiki dengan menyendal dengan sekeping span dan
masih tidak sempurna. Adakah begini caranya ia
dibaiki. Amat melucukan, Syarikat sebesar Naza tidak
tahu camana nak pasang penghawa dingin dengan betul.
Saya komplen tetapi jawapan amat tidak menyenangkan
kerana pihak FS Trading menyatakan bahawa ianya salah
panel pembekal dan jika saya hendak membaikinya dengan
sempurna, saya perlu menghantar kereta ini ke Shah
Alam dan ia akan memakan masa lebih daripada 2 hari
kerana keseluruhan "dash board" perlu dibuka. Disini
pihak Naza tidak membuat pemeriksaan dengan betul
kerana takanlah angin ini ini tidak betul pun tak
perasan sedangkan sebaik saya terima ia sudah rosak.
Janganlah nak menyalahkan orang lain sahaja.


6) On the 2nd day, I went to “Bengkel Naza” which is “Syarikat Mesra Harmony Sdn Bhd”, name only “Mesra”, towing fee also I had to pay. What a pity as the workshop can’t do much as it doesn’t have the proper took needed to repair the Sutera, all need to wait for Naza folks to supply, my car’s still there until today (4 October 2006), it was there since 15 September. Imagine the “Oil Seal” also took Naza more than 3 weeks waiting.


Pada hari kedua saya ke Bengkel Naza,
iaitu bengkel Syarikat Mesra Harmoni Sdn Bhd, nama
ajer mesra, upah tarik kenderaan pun saya kena
tanggung, saya bersama-sama mekanik membuat
pemerhatian ketika kereta ini dibaiki; Malang sungguh
kerana tiada banyak yang mampu dilakukan kerana di
bengkel ini tiada alatganti yang perlu untuk membaiki
kereta Sutera, semua kena tunggu bekalan daripada
pihak Naza, kereta saya masih lagi disitu sehingga
hari ini 04hb Oktober 2006 sejak 15hb September.
Bayangkan "oil seal" pun, Naza ambik masa selama lebih
daripada 3 minggu.


7) The next defect was about Water reservior for Wiper, which was not working properly, one moment fast, and another slow. Sadly, the Wiper’s not working correctly after 1 month of ownership. It’s working when I activated it but when I off the switch it’ll stop abruptly in the middle. It’s only a month, what would happen after 1 year. In workship, it’s difficult to show to mechanic as in workshop it’s OK, but back home the problem persisted. Is this the Quality of a NEW Naza. I felt NAZA didn’t care about the quality of the car’s accessory. Like “catching death” only.


7. Kerosakan seterusnya ialah mengenai pam
air untuk pembersih air (wiper) tidak berfungsi dengan
betul dimana sekejap kuat sekejap perlahan dan yang
paling menyedihkan baru sebulan "wiper" pun dah mula
tidak betul pergerakannya. Bila saya menggunakannya ia
bergerak dengan sempurna, tetapi bila saya tutup
suisnya, ia akan berhenti ditempat-tempat yang ia
suka. Sekejap ditengah-tengah cermin setelah dicuba
berkali-kalibaru ia berhenti di tempat yang
sepatutnya. Ini baru sebulan, kalau setahun mungkin ia
tak bergerak lagi. Ia amat menyusahkan untuk menunjuk
kepada mekanik kerana ia tidak stabil, di bengkel
nampak ok, bila balik ke rumah, masalah ini timbul
semula. Inikah kualiti kereta baru Naza??? Saya rasa
pihak Naza tidak ambil berat lansung soal kualiti
eksesori kenderaan ini. Macam tangkapmuat ajer.


8) The rear bonnet was also not fitted properly as it can’t be open with the key. The problem persists after repairing it. I gotta took 2 days leave just to fix the boot. Imagine the trouble NAZA created to its Consumer.


8. Bonet belakang kenderaan ini juga tidak
dipasang dengan sempurna kerana bonetnya tidak boleh
dibuka dengan kunci. Pergi baiki ok, balik rumah jadi
balik. Itulah kerja saya, kena ambik cuti dua hari
hanya kerana nak baiki bonet kereta. Bayangkanlah
kesusahan yang telah pihak Naza timbulkan kepada
pengguna.


9) The Gear stick vibrated once the engine started, like a more than 30 yrs Old bus in Rural area. At the same time, I can feel as if the Engine is falling. I owned 2 cars before and I never faced this kind of situation, especially when NEW.


9. Batang gear bergegar dan menari sebaik
sahaja enjin dihidupkan macam bas buruk yang
mengangkut penumpang dikawasan pendalaman yang berumur
lebih daripada 30 tahun dan pada masa yang sama kita
dapat rasakan seolah enjin ini nak jatuh. Saya telah
membeli 2 jenis kenderaan dan tak pernah alami keadaan
sebegini ketika ia baru dibeli.

10) The engine emitted a strange noise after 100km/h, hence I have to drive below 100km/h once I took delivery of the car. The noise was like an Aeroplane taking off. As I drive, all passengers turned panic as it’s like going to explode. I met a few owners in the workshop and they too have the same problem and it’s depends on Luck as some have this problem after 110km/h. You have to believe, it emits a strange noise, something not experienced in my 10 years plus of driving. Even my 9 years old Kancil also don’t have such noise.

When I raise up the problem about the engine, the mechanic easily and coolly said it’s due to the use of Timing Chain instead of Timing belt. I’m not a mechanic but don’t just give such excuse to get away from this problem as the engine actually not working properly and the cause I’ll explain further later. This means as if “timing Chain” did not raised the quality of engine at this time. NAZA should check properly before using new technology.

10. Enjin ini akan mengeluarkan bunyi amat
bising yang ganjil setelah kelajuan melebihi
100km/jam, jadi sebaik saya ambil kenderaan ini saya
terpaksa membawanya dibawah 100km/jam. Bunyinya
seperti sebuah kapal terbang hendak memulakan
penerbangannya, semasa saya pandu, semua penumpang
jadi panik kerana ia macam hendak meletup. Saya
berjumpa beberapa pemilik kereta ini di bengkel dan
mereka menyatakan perkara yang sama dan ia bergantung
pada nasib, kerana adanya terima masalah ini setelah
ia bergerak lebih daripada 110km/jam. Tuan-tuan,
percayalah, ia mengeluarkan bunyi yang ganjil, saya
telah memandu lebih daripada 10 tahun dan kereta
kancil saya yang berumur lebih daripada 9 tahun pun
tidak mengeluarkan bunyi sebegini.

Bila saya suarakan apa-apa yang ganjil mengenai enjin ini, dengan mudah
dan selamba sahaja, mekanik menyatakan ianya kerana ia
tidak menggunakan "timing belt" dimana ia gunakan
"timing chain". Saya bukan mekanik, tapi jangan alasan
ini sahaja untuk selesaikan masalah ini, sedangkan
enjin ini sebenarnya tidak berfungsi dengan betul dan
akibatnya akan saya Terangkan dibawah. Ini bermaksud
seolah-olah "timing chain" tidak meningkatkan mutu
enjin pada masa ini. Naza sepatutnya kena menyiasat
dengan teliti sebelum menggunakan teknologi baru.

11) The next defect was the WORST compared to the SYMPTOMS above. On the 6th week using this car with only 3000km done, in 15th September 2006, the car failed to start. After an hour trying, I shook the car then only the car started. This shocked me as I saw white smoke came out a lot, I taught the engine haven’t warm up but it persisted and water began to came out of the exhaust non stop. I switched off the engine and open the bonnet, the black oil and collant appeared to in good condition.

At this time, I was shocked as the engine did not turned off even after I pulled out the key and this SHOCKED me. Apparently, NAZA invented a “turbo without turbo“ engine. With care, I restart the engine and drove slowly to FS Trading Sdn Bhd which was about 10km away. The Mechanic checked the car and what shocked me was the temperature risen suddenly and the water was dry. What sadden me was FS Trading closed one eye on ths problem and I had to wait for more than 2 hours waiting for tow truck to tow the car to Mesra Harmoni Workshop in Taman Melati. I was told that I don’t need to pay towing fee BUT I was asked to pay upon reaching there. Consumer’s always at losing end. After inspection, the workshop cannot find the root of the problem and asked me to come again the next day.

11. Seterusnya kerosakan yang paling teruk setelah simpton-simpton diatas, pada minggu keenam dimana saya menggunakan kereta ini dan ia baru bergerak lebihkurang 3,000km; Pada 15hb September 2006 kereta ini gagal dihidupkan. Setelah sejam mencuba, saya mengoyangkan kenderaan ini maka Enjin boleh dihidupkan; Ia mengejutkan saya, dan saya perhatikan asap putih keluar dengan banyak, pada mula saya ingat enjin belum panas, tetapi ia tak berhenti dan air mula keluar melalui ekzos dengan banyak dan tak berhenti-henti. Saya matikan enjin dan buka bonet hadapan, saya periksa minyak hitam dan air/coolant, ia masih berada dalam keadaan yang baik.

Pada masa ini saya amat terkejut kerana enjin tidak
mati setelah saya cabut kunci dan ia amat
memeranjatkan saya; Naza telah mencipta kereta turbo
tanpa perlu meletakan enjin turbo. Dengan hati-hati
saya hidupkan semula kereta ini dan pandu dengan
perlahan ke pejabat seterusnya ke pejabat FS Trading
Sdn Bhd yang jauhnya lebih kurang 10km; Disana mekanik
telah memeriksa kenderaan dan apa yang mengejutkan
saya ialah suhu telah meningkat dengan mendadak dan
air telah kering. Apa yang menyedihkan saya, pihak FS
Trading pandang sebelah mata sahaja masalah saya ini
dan saya terpaksa tunggu sehingga lebih daripada 2 jam
menunggu kereta tunda untuk menunda kenderaan ini ke
bengkel Syarikat Mesra Harmoni di Taman Melati. Saya
diberitahu bahwa saya tidak perlu membayar kos tunda,
malangnya sampai disana saya diminta membayar kos
tunda tersebut. Biasalah pengguna memang Selalu
malang. Setelah diperiksa, pihak bengkel belum
kenalpasti masalah dan minta saya dating keesokan
harinya.

On the next day, I was told that the engine needed to be opened and an overhaul’s needed as water entered the engine. Earlier symptoms were because the engine is not working properly and the workshops just made assumptions ignoring my symptoms report. I wonder why 1 month old car have this SEVERE PROBLEM and IT”S A NEW CAR. Imagine what would happen after 2-3 years down the road. Consumer like me would suffer due to obligation of paying 7 years installments.

Pada keesokan hari saya diberitahu bahawa enjin ini kena dibuka dan perlu "overhaul" kerana enjin ini telah dimasuki air. Jadi yang simpton-simpton sebelum ini adalah kerana enjin ini tidak berfungsi dengan betul dan pihak bengkel hanya membuat andaian tanpa
mengendahkan apa yang saya laporkan. Saya hairan kenapa kereta baru sebulan ini telah mengalami masalah sebegini teruk dan ini adalah masalah yang serius dan ianya adalah kereta baru. Bayangkan apa akan terjadi jika ia setelah dua tiga tahun nanti. Jadi pengguna seperti saya yang akan merana kerana terpaksa menanggung sengsara kerana terpaksa membayar pinjaman selama 7 tahun.

I was disappointed that the mechanics there also failed to address the root of the problems and did NOT ADMIT that it is a “MAJOR PROBLEM”. It’s the 3rd week the car was in Mesra Harmoni Workshop, a SOPHISTICATED but no spare part and REFUSE to bear the TOWING costs of RM30 due to NAZA slow refund to their workshop, after more than 3 mts. Normally, Consumer needed to bear but don’t just blame here and there.

Saya amat kesal kerana mekanik disitu juga gagal menjawab punca kerosakan tersebut dan tidak mengakui ini masalah serius "MAJOR PROBLEM". Sekarang telah masuk minggu keTIGA kereta itu di bengkel Syarikat Mesra Harmoni, sebuah bengkel yang canggih dan gah tetapi tiada bekalan alatganti dan tidak mahu menanggung kos tunda tersebut sebanyak RM30.00 hanya kerana pihak Naza lambat membayar balik kepadanya
iaitu lebih daripada 3 bulan. Biasalah pengguna kena tanggung, saya pada mula tidak berkira soal ini tetapi janganlah asyik Hendak menyalahkan orang.

When I asked the workshop staff, he accused NAZA for not supplying spare parts and asked me to contact NAZA. Ironically, until today EVERYONE’s action were as if I’m NOT IMPORTANT. My Conclusion is that whatever happened just let consumer bear the burden as long as Company made profit until no staff’s left out, while THEY RIP-OFF Consumers.

Bila saya tanya pihak bengkel dia menyalahkan pihak Naza masih tidak membekalkan alatganti dan menyuruh saya yang menghubungi pihak Naza dan saya terpaks hubungi pihak Naza, tapi amat menyedihkan bahawa sehingga kini tindakan semua pihak seolah-olah saya ini tidak penting. Apa yang saya dapat simpulkan ialah apa pun yang terjadi biar pengguna yang tanggung bebanan janji syarikat buat untung selagi tiada nyawa yang melayang, selagi kita hentam pengguna.

On 30 September 2006, I asked why the car’s not ready, the workshop replied weare running service campaign for Naza Cars in conjunction of festive month and because my car’s case was chronic it’s not repaired on time and its also caused by delayed cylinder head which arrived 2 weeks later. Worse, their oil seal haven’t arrive. I waited and waited until I decided to collect the spare part myself.

Sir, you must understand that I bought a car to make my life easier AND NOT to burden me. The service campaign’s more important compared to my difficulties bear by me, those people who service their car have no qualms without car whereas I HAVE to BEAR all sorts of problems due to no car. They should understand my problem as it brings negative image to Naza itself.

Pada 30hb September 2006 saya tanya kenapa kereta ini tidak siap, pihak bengkel menjawab bengkel ini sedang menjalankan kempen serbis kereta Naza sempena
bulan perayaan dan kerana kereta saya mengalami masalah kronik maka ia tidak berkesempatan untuk dibaiki dan ia juga disebabkan kerana setelah 2 minggu berlalu baru "cylinder head" dibekal oleh Naza dan ia tidak cukup kerana "oil seal" masih lagi tidak dibekalkan. Satu-satu alatganti kena tunggu dan tunggu untuk dibekalkan sehingga saya menawarkan diri untuk mengambil sendiri alatganti tersebut.

Tuan kena faham saya beli kereta untuk menyenangkan hidup saya bukan membebankan saya. Kempen itu juga lebih penting jika dibandingkan dengan kesusahan yang ditanggung oleh saya, mereka yang datang untuk serbis kereta tiada masalah ketiadaan kenderaan sedangkan saya terpaksa menanggung berbagai masalah kerana tiada kereta.
Sepatutnya mereka perlu faham masalah saya ini kerana ia memberi kesan kepada imej Naza sendiri.

I hereby made a complaint to Naza and explained how the condition of the car delivered to me and request for NEW Engine as I lost hope with this engine. This is because the mechanics can’t find the root cause of problem and by right NAZA’s OBLIGATED to deliver a car in GOOD CONDITION. It’s a pity that my request’s not entertained and folks at NAZA act as if there’s no problem with the car. The Customer service centre said that NAZA will not replace the car with a new one AND they’ll just repair it only. You must imagine and understand that this is engine problem, A NEW CAR shouldn’t have this chronic problem. It’ll be better if the engine or the car’s replaced with a new one.

Disini saya membuat aduan kepada pihak Naza dan menerangkan bagaimana keadaan kereta yang telah dibekalkan kepada saya dan memohon supaya sebuah enjin yang baru kerana saya sudah tidak beryakinan dengan enjin kereta ini. Ini adalah kerana mekanik disitu tak dapat mengenalpasti punca masalahnya dan sepatutnya pihak Naza wajib membekal kenderaan yang berada didalam keadaan baik. Malangnya permintaan saya tidak dilayan dan macam tiada masalah langsung yang wujud dihati pihak Naza. Pusat Khidmat Pelanggan menyatakan bahawa Naza tidak akan menggantikan dengan kenderaan yang baru dan ia hanya akan membaiki sahaja. Bayangkan atau fahamilah ini masalah enjin, kereta baru sepatutnya tidak timbul masalah seteruk ini. Jika ia amat sedikit adalah lebih baik enjin atau kereta ini digantikan dengan yang baru.

Here, I understood that I have to accept whatever the condition of the car as if Naza supply me scrap metal I’d to accept it like it or not. Thanks for ruining my life. I was treated like a ping pong ball, being hit from left to right and Naza blaming one another until we confused and dunno what to do.

Disini barulah saya faham saya kena terima apa pun keadaan setelah saya beli kereta itu, seolah-seolah jika Naza bekal saya besi buruk pun saya kena terima samada saya suka atau tidak. Terima kasih kerana telah berjaya menyusahkan hidup saya. Sudahlah begitu saya dibuat macam bola ping pong dipukul kekiri dan kekanan dan asyik menyalah antara satu sama lain sehingga kita keliru dan tidak tahu hendak berbuat apa lagi.

In the end, consumer had to bore all problems and difficulties in terms of time, money and sufferings not only when without car to carry on daily life and possibly the loss would accumulate in years to come.

Jadi akhirnya pengguna yang terpaksa menanggung segala masalah, kesusahan samada dari segi masa,duit dan keperitan tidak hanya pada masa ketiadaan kenderaan untuk meneruskan kehidupan harian dan kemungkinan kerugian ini akan berlarutan bertahun-tahun.

Here I questioned what is consumer rights for me when this situation happens, if only repair, I felt not good and the benefits and profits’s always in Naza’s side and consumers have to be the victim.

Disini saya tertanya-tanya apa hak pengguna seperti saya bila keadaan ini terjadi; jika hanya dibaiki saya rasa ia tak memuaskan dan kelebihan serta keuntungan hanya sentiasa ada dipihak syarikat dan pengguna perlu jadi mangsa.

12) A week after the car at the workshop, I went to see and what hurts me more’s when seeing a new car akin a Junk. Most of the screws’ rusted. It hurts me most was when I was at the workship, I was rudely told off why came so fast when the car’s unknown when would be ready, no symphety at all. Is this the attitude of panel workshop appointed by Naza? There’s many claims that the workshop’s 1st service workshop in Kuala Terengganu not doing a good job. Again, always accused one another.

12. Setelah seminggu kereta di bengkel, saya pergi menjenguk dan tambah menyedihkan apabila melihat keadaan kereta baru tapi dah macam kereta buruk kebanyakan bahagian dan skru sudah mula berkarat. Paling menyedihkan semasa saya tiba di bengkel dengan sinis saya di perli kenapa datang cepat sangat sedangkan kereta ini tak tentu bila boleh siap, tiada rasa sempati langsung. Macam inikah sikap panel bengkel yang dilantik oleh Naza???? Dan ada suara sumbang mengatakan bengkel tempat saya membuat serbis pertama iaitu di Kuala Trengganu tidak membuat kerja dengan betul. Lagi sekali asyik hendak menyalahkan pihak lain.

I went there to see and get answers why new car which was so grand in television would be so badly defective but this is the RUDE answer I get especially when I paid RM38,000 for the car AND not RM3. Next, I saw the big screw which holds the tyre’s rusted and disc brakes rusted too and that was shocking as the car’s only 2 months old, NO ANTIRUST???

Lately, all the screws from front to back’s rusted. Why Naza did not test or research the parts which would be used to make this car. Please don’t be so busy finding big profits and consumer being used as guinea pig to cut costs. I can see that my grren car would not long be RUSTY colour.


Saya pergi kesana hendak melihat dan mendapatkan jawapan kenapa kereta baru yang begitu megah di televisyen itu boleh rosak sebegitu teruk tetapi ini jawapan yang saya dapat sedangkan saya beli kenderaan tersebut dengan harga lebih daripada RM38,000.00 dan bukannya RM3 sahaja. Seterusnya saya lihat skru besar yang memegang tayar telah berkarat dan disk brek juga berkarat dan ia amat mengejutkan saya keran baru 2 bulan sudah sebegini, tiada "antirust" ke?? Malah banyak lagi skru-skru daripada depan hinggalah kebelakang juga berkarat termasuk beberapa bahagian yang dibuat daripada besi lain juga mula berkarat. Apa pihak Naza tak uji atau kaji bahan-bahan yang akan digunakan untuk membuat kenderaan ini. Janganlah hanya keuntungan besar hendak dicari dan pengguna dijadikan bahan uji untuk mengurangkan kos. Saya nampak kereta ini hijau dan tidak lama lagi akan jadi warna karat.

Subsequently, the remote key problem. It’s fine when 1st time using it. But as we moved more than 50km and stopped, the remote key stopped working. This problem also can occur. It’s just 1 month, I don’t know what’s in store after this. I bought problems worth RM38,000 which ironically’s a NEW CAR. Too late to wake up and understand this problem.

Seterusnya masalah bunyi "remote" pada kali pertama guna untuk hari itu ia sempurna dan setelah kita bergerak lebih dari 50km dan berhenti; kunci "remote" tidak berfungsi lagi dan tidak mengeluarkan sebarang bunyi lagi. Tunggu sejuk dulu baru ia berbunyi, hairan ini pun boleh jadi masalah. Ini pun jadi masalah, ini baru sebulan entah apa lagi akan saya tanggung selepas ini, nampak saya membeli
masalah berharga RM38,000 bukannya kereta baru. Sedar dan fahamilah masalah saya.

Naza have made a big and stupid mistake by giving bad impressions to its costomers. If you want to know that this report might changed my friend’s decision to buy your product and lots of them ordered MyVi by Perodua which in turns benefits both parties.

NAZA telah membuat kesalahan besar dan bodoh kerana memberi gambaran buruk kepada pelanggannya. Jikalau tuan hendak tahu bahwa dengan laporan ini mungkin telah mengubah cadangan kawan-kawan saya untuk membeli kereta keluaran tuan dan banyak yang telah menempah semula kereta MyVi keluaran Perodua yang memberi keuntungan kepada kedua belah pihak.

If I had a camara, I’m sure I’ll record these other small problems which NOT Supposed to fell on new car, where I had to correct the problems myself as I’m too lazy to complain anymore as I have no ability. Eg. Seatbelt cover suddenly came off. So I went to a shop, bought a glue and gule it myself. Sutera looks “Stylish” but full of problems as if it’s made by FEET.

Jika saya ada kamera, pasti akan saya rakamkan masalah-masalah lain yang kecil dimana tak sepatutnya ada pada kereta baru ini dan ada bahagian-bahagian saya terpaksa perbetulkan sendiri dan malas nak komplen lagi kerana sudah tidak mampu. Contohnya penutup talipinggang keledar boleh tercabut dengan tiba-tiba. Jadi saya pegi kedai beli gam dan lekatkan semula. Itu pun tak reti nak pasang, boleh gila dibuatnya. Nampak canggih tetapi penuh dengan masalah, macam dibuat dengan kaki.


CONCLUSION: If there’s an Award for WORST Production car without quality, I’m confident and sure that Sutera will win this award with no protest from anyone. Here, if this car’s not corrected, I will made promotion everywhere to show how BAD the quality of the SUTERA
.

Kesimpulan????? Jika ada anugerah untuk kereta keluaran terburuk dan tanpa kualiti pada tahun tersebut; Saya yakin dan pasti kereta ini akan memenangi anugerah tanpa sebarang bantahan daripada mana-mana pihak. Disini jika kereta ini tidak diperbetulkan saya akan membuat promosi keseluruh tempat untuk membuktikan bahwa kereta ini amat buruk kualitinya.


Believe me, I’m not from Proton or Perodua but 2 cars produced by both companies I used have NO problem as worse as this ever happened to me. Eg. I used KANCIL for more than 8 yrs and it don’t have such problems.

Percayalah saya bukan dari Proton atau Perodua tetapi
dua kenderaan keluaran syarikatnya telah saya guna dan
tiada masalah seteruk ini terjadi pada saya, contohnya
saya telah guna kereta kancil lebih daripada 8 tahun
dengan tidak memberi saya masalah sebegini.

NAZA CORPORATION made this car and made the buyers as guinea pigs or R&D for the car so that costs will be bore by Consumers and NOT BY NAZA and most likely, it’ll goes on when new model introduced as long as NO LIFE’s LOSS or injured.

SYARIKAT NAZA BUAT KERETA INI DAN SETERUSNYA MENJADIKAN PEMBELINYA SEBAGAI BAHAN UJIKAJI ATAU R&D UNTUK KENDERAAN INI SUPAYA KOS DAPAT DITANGGUNG OLEH PEMBELI DAN BUKAN DITANGGUNG OLEH NAZA DAN BESAR
KEMUNGKINAN IA AKAN BERTERUSAN SEBAIK MODEL BARU DIPERKENALKAN SELAGI TIADA NYAWA YANG MELAYANG ATAU CEDERA.

In the beginning of my car’s CHRONIC damage, NAZA should take PROACTIVE action by replacing with a new unit to show that it’s fully conscientious in what it gives to consumer. Unfortunately, they ignored my claim and RUDELY and PROUDLY, “NAZA Customer Service” representative said that NAZA will NOT Replace your car with a new one, Naza will repair it when spoiled, repair again, repair until warranty finished, and this is dreaded as the spare parts and workmanship would be too expensive to take back the cost of repairing for free before warranty ends. Imagine, engine oil of NAZA’s so expensive compared to Proton and Perodua. This is just the engine oil not other spares, so difficult to supply now, I wonder how it happen?


Sepatutnya pada peringkat awal kereta saya ini rosak teruk begini, pihak NAZA patut mengambil tindakan yang PROAKTIF dengan menggantikan dengan yang baru maka kita nampak dengan jelas bahwa ia bertanggungjawab sepenuhnya dengan apa yang dia bekalkan kepada pengguna; malangnya mereka tak mengendahkan tuntutan saya malah dengan sombong dan bongkaknya wakil daripada "Naza Customer Service" mengatakan bahawa Naza tidak sekali-kali akan gantikan kereta saya dengan yang baru. Naza akan baiki bila rosak, baiki ,rosak lagi, baiki, sehinggalah tamat tempuh gerenti dan masa inilah ditunggu-tunggu kerana ia akan bekal alatganti dan upah baiki yang mungkin terlalu mahal untuk mengambil kembali kos-kos pembaikan yang diberi dengan percuma dahulu. Bayangkanlah minyak enjin kereta Sutera ini sahaja mahal jika disbanding dengan kereta keluaran Proton dan Perodua. Ini baru minyak enjin, itu belum alatganti lain, sudahlah sukar untuk dibekalkan sekarang ini dan saya hairan dimana punyanya perkara ini terjadi.

CAN you Gentlemens imagine this is just a 18 mts old car, yet had to lift engine and overhaul and it’s claimed that it’s a SMALL and Standard problems. This is a serious “MAJOR PROBLEM” not “MINOR”.

BOLEH TUAN-TUAN BAYANGKAN, KERETA BARU SEBULAN SETENGAH KENA ANGKAT ENJIN, KENA OVERHAUL DAN INI DIKATAKAN PERKARA KECIL DAN BIASA. Ini masalah serius "MAJOR PROBLEM" bukannya "MINOR".

What can be done by a poor DWARF like me? I had to work hard for 9 yrs to change a new car with hope what it’ll make my life easier. My hope is that AT LEAST I hope that the new car’s better or same quality of Kancil which I owned previously. Unfortunately, not even 2 months, I had to bear all these problems and I was NOT Confident in the safety of this car anymore.

Apa yang boleh dibuat oleh orang kerdil dan miskin sepeti saya. Saya terpaksa berusaha selama 9 tahun untuk menukar kereta baru dengan harapan kereta ini dapat memberi kemudahan kepada kehidupan saya. Bukan besar harapan saya terhadap kereta ini kerana saya beli kereta ini dengan harapan ia lebih baik atau sama dengan mutu kereta kancil yang telah saya milik dahulu tapi malangnya tak sampai dua bulan; Saya terpaksa menanggung segala masalah ini dan saya tidak yakin lagi dengan keselamatan kenderaan ini.

Disini jika apa yang saya harapkan daripada Naza tidak diendahkan saya hanya mampu berdoa pada tuhan moga kereta yang saya beli dengan tulang empat kerat saya ini akan berada dalam keadaan baik dan mohon tuhan sentiasa lindungi saya dan keluarga saya supaya selamat semasa menggunakan kereta tuan ini walaupun mulai dari saat ini saya pasti akan menanggung kerugian dari masa kesemasa.

Lastly, I wished Naza Motor and Tan Sri Nasimuddin’ll continue to be RICH and Successful on days to come by running activities to make subsequent model cars and producing more problems to buyer of Naza Cars. As far as I know, this is the 1st and last time I’ll buy a car or any car produced by Naza and it’s a sorrowful burden bore by Poor and stupid me. Naza should Understand that the buyer of Cheap cars’ only by lower-income where MOSTLY are BUMIPUTRA (Taai sei!!! - JeffLim)

Akhir sekali, semuga Syarikat Naza dan Tan Sri Nasimuddin akan terus cemerlang dan kaya raya pada hari-hari berikutnya dengan menjalankan aktiviti pembuatan kereta seterusnya mengeluarkan lagi masalah-masalah kepada pembeli kereta buatan Naza. Ketahuilah inilah kali pertama dan terakhir saya akan membeli kereta atau apa-apa kenderan keluaran pihak tuan dan cukuplah derita ditanggung oleh saya yang
miskin dan bodoh ini. Syarikat Naza kena faham bahawa pembeli kereta murah ini hanya dibeli oleh golongan bawahan dimana kebanyakannya adalah bangsa bumiputra.

To the Governments, NGO, Newspapers and those who direct or indirectly involved, pls look into or investigate this problem and I’m positive that it’s not LONG time no problem occurance and if no investigation’s made. I’m not surprised why Motor Indusry in Malaysia continue to cover it up like a Malay idiom: “Completed house PAHAT(?) Sound”


Kepada Badan Kerajaan, NGO, Pihak Akbar dan mana-mana yang terlibat secara langsung atau tidak; Tolong tenguk-tengukan atau siasat perkara ini dan saya yakin ia bukan ia sudah lama berlaku dan jika tiada jalan penyelesaian dibuat, saya tidak terkejut kenapa industri otomobil di Malaysia terus suram seperti kata perpatah Melayu lama "RUMAH SIAP PAHAT BERBUNYI".

**LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, all my comment’s focuse on my NAZA SUTERA only and it might mappen to other Sutera owners and there might be other problems. I can afford to conclude this by my observation while “Camping” in Naza Kia workshop in Kuala Terengganu and (Mesra Harmoni Sdn Bhd, Lot 7G and 9G, Jln Melati Utama 4, Tmn Melati utama, Setapak, 53100 KL). Please see for yourself if you don’t believe my words. ONE Naza Sutera sure will have more than 10 stupid problems.

** TUAN-TUAN; SEMUA KOMEN INI HANYA DI FOKUSKAN KEPADA
KERETA NAZA SUTERA MILIK SAYA SAHAJA DAN IA MUNGKIN
TERJADI KEPADA PEMILIK-PEMILIK KERETA YANG LAIN DAN
MUNGKIN TERDAPAT LAGI MASALAH LAIN YANG TELAH MENIMPA
MEREKA. INI SAYA MAMPU SIMPULKAN DARI PEMERHATIAN SAYA
SEMASA SAYA BERKAMPUNG DI BENGKEL NAZA KIA DI KUALA
TRENGGANU DAN (Mesra Harmoni Sdn Bhd, Lot 7G & 9G,
Jalan Melati Utama 4, Taman Melati Utama, Setapak,
53100, Kuala Lumpur) Tel:603-41070828. PERGI TENGUK
SENDIRI JIKA TIDAK PERCAYA DENGAN KATA-KATA SAYA
DIATAS. SATU NAZA SUTERA PASTI ADA LEBIH DARIPADA 10 Masalah Bodoh!

END OF a LONG ARTICLE. Thanks for reading this.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Gadgets 101: My NEW TOY review: K810i

I GOT A NEW TOY! Sony Ericsson K810i, Just bought on Thursday, fresh from the Phone Shop. Here’s a review of my NEW phone. Why I bought this phone? Well my reason’s stated at the “Conclusion” of this phone review.

NOTE: Got this review from http://secentral.net/forum/ (Sony Ericsson Singapore user group) forum by an Anonymous Forummer. START OF REVIEW (next paragraph onwards). My OWN Opinion’s in “Conclusion”.

When K810 was first announced in Feb 07 by SE the initial response was that it is an cosmetics improvement over the k800 cybershot series and critics was right on it. But the phone I believed are mainly targeted at those using the older K series and 1st time SE user. User of K800 should read no further as this is the same phone with just its outer makeover with no significant changes to its firmware.

The first thing unusual about the phone is its button, which hate it or love it, is it's good feel for the fingers as compare to the normal keypad generally on SE series (except W880) is all close together. Pressing wrong keys/button is a thing of the past as the buttons are very much space apart. The one thing I cant get over is the shiny surface of the keys area which attracts fingerprints and smudges like the Z610 surface, fussy user like me will give the phone a miss over this “feature”.

K810 keypad like all new SE phones have an internet shortcut button next to the call button which my seem to be an gift from heaven for tech savvy but for me it is seem to be a nuisance to user as most of the time it get activated even without most user knowledge. And yes Telcos charge you for this connection time (conspiracy between Maxis and…?!?!……<- don’t sue me).

The back of the phone is rubberize like those from the W880 which generally gives the phone a nice feel and hold as oppose to the cheap feel of the previous series.

The next best thing of the K810 over the K800 is the shutter itself. K800 shutter have the overhang and shaky feeling due to its awkward placement and the K810 have since rectified this by shaping the back profile of the phone to incorporate the shutter itself. The cuts down the accidental activation of the cam by shutter as complain by most K800 user.

Radio and Media player



K810 have an built in tuner and with the supplied headset acting as the antenna, reception of the radio channels are clear and loud.
The media player for MP3 are an improvement over the K750’s but still lose out to the W-series player but since this is marketed as a Cybershot so the comparison stops here. The player can identified song/tracks or artist by the ID3 tag on the MP3 thereby playing it or through user customize playlist.

Cameras and features

Activation of the cam can be by menu based or just simply sliding the shutter down , user will see the 1,4,7,* key symbol lightening in a blue tint as the phone transit from phone to cam mode. Each key correspond to Image size , Focus , Timer and Flash respectively . Movies record are in 3gp format. K810 like the K800 comes with the Xenon flash which adds a true flashlight capability to the mobile phone , user of K750 can forget about using this as a torchlight as the Xenon are powered by 2 large capacitor unlike the k750 2 bright LEDs.

For new user there is a BestShot™ features which let user takes 9 shot at once of the same scene, user can choose which frame is the best to choose from or all 9. Also preview of the photos taken by the cam can be access during standby mode by pressing the 2 buttons located at the top left and right of the LCD.

Firmware and Menu

SE has retained the general looks of the menu itself since the T610 days and is quite easy to use and navigate. The joystick 4 direction can be customize to individual user shortcut needs

The K810 does have the capability to upgrade it firmware over the air but the high GPRS cost may deters user from this. Flight mode is an standard on most SE models and what is does is that for places that restrict cellphone signal ,user can turn on this features.

Battery use are the BSt-33 series with the CST75 charger which have the capability to charge and use the phone concurrently and the K810 does comes with 128mb M2 supplied. BUT Only lasted for 1 ½ (18 hours) on a single charge only.


Conclusion /MY RAMBLINGS!

The SonyEricsson K810i's a good phone with good photo capability (“cybershot” mah). For me, K810 is an good choice as it’s a sizable upgrade from my SonyEricsson K618i. From 2mp manual focus with NO FLASH to 3.2mp Autofocus + Xenon flash, Also, FM Radio with RDS, Track ID. But downside, slightly bigger and heavier than my K618i.


K810i, It’s an obvious choice for me because Motorola and SAMSUNG’S OUT (NOT- user friendly, NOT used them), Nokia E65 my dad already owned one, I ACTUALLY LOVED SOME OF THE NOKIA N-series, BUT N73’s TOO OUTDATED AND TOO COMMON (August 06 model!), Nokia N70’s too bulky, Nokia N81’s Expensive, Nokia N76’s too Auntie or Ah Lian looking (RED COLOUR!!!). Nokia N77, N82 and N95 don’t bother, WAY OUT OF BUDGET. Budget’s below RM1000. Here's hoping for buying a Nokia N82 sometime Next year February (as my Next phone). I'm sure as seen in N73, by then the pricing will drop.

Note that K810i was my 2nd choice. 1st choice was SE P1i. LOVED that PDA Phone very much. But too $$. AP set RM1300!

Below, My Previous Phone, SonyEricsson K618i Black.
Also, I have 512MB M2 memory card from my K618i can transfer to the K810i (which only came with a pathetic 128MB) AND lastly, I’m used to SonyEricsson interface and SMS having owned 4 Ericsson/Sony Ericsson.

Here’s list of phones I’ve owned: NEC DB500 UK-spec (1999 till 2000), Nokia 3210 (2000 till 02 April). Ericsson T39 (2002 Apr -2004 Apr) => SE T610i (2004 Apr to 2005 Nov) => (a Symbian Nokia in between, Nokia 3230 – 2005/11 till 2006 Dec) => SE K618i (2006 Dec till 2008 March 19 and now, SE K810i (March 19 - ???).

NOTE that I owned a phone for AT LEAST 1 YEAR, Unlike Adults and kids nowadays who changed hand phone every 1 to 2 months.

The BONUS is I Bought the Phone for RM770 ONLY, AP set, warranty from “Final Choice” at a Hand phone shop in Old Town, Petaling Jaya. Original Midland phone still selling for RM1099. Wow! What a HUGE difference.

END OF REVIEW. Thanks for Reading this.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

GADGETS 101: Gadget's rechargable batteries care...

GADGETS 101: Gadget's rechargable battery (batteries) care. Especially Notebook, Handphones and Digital Cameras.

Hi, this is a new twist of this blog. I'll be writing articles, giving reviews and tips on Gadgets. Here's my 1st post:

Q: "Ever wonder why your gadget's Li-Ion or Ni-MH rechargable battery kept on losing charge or lifespan getting shorter and shorter? OR Battery suddenly goes from 50% to 0%?
A:It's because your gadgets' battery (batteries)'s not "CONDITIONED".

Q: What is "battery condition" AND how it is done?
A: Conditioning battery's where you drained your battery (wait until your gadget batteries' EMPTY) before you recharge them. Make sure you charge it full. Make it a habit to condition it often and your batteries will LAST (No joke).

Example, my 2004 DELL INSPIRON 510m laptop. Despite it's age, its Li-Ion battery is still good for 2 hours of heavy usage (Wifi and music at the same time), or 1 1/2 hour playing DVD Non stop. As a comparison, my friend's 2006 Fujitsu Laptop's battery's losing charge day by day, from 4 hrs at new to just 2 hrs MAX. Why is it so? Again, conditioning battery's the secret.

This is NOT just applicable to Laptop's battery. Any Li-Ion and NimH batteries need to be conditioned (or layman's term: EXERCISE). Remember: NO Recharging of battery if you still have 50% Charge, this will affects your battery life in near future. MAKE sure it's EMPTY (5% for Notebook and 0% for other gadgets) before you charge it.

Additional tips FOR NOTEBOOK/LAPTOP: IF YOU want to Use AC Adapter, FIRST use up all the battery, then only you plug to the Wall outlet. Otherwise, make sure your battery fully charged before you plug on the Wall outlet.

Thanks for reading this...

Thursday, March 06, 2008

FULL REVIEW: Mazda Premacy 2.0GSi

FULL REVIEW: Mazda Premacy 2.0GXi. 2001-2005


Mazda Premacy, I just seen 2 of them today on the road. Man, they still look great today (Especially in Mica Blue colour with Bodykit). Based on Mazda 323 (2001), the Premacy was imported into Malaysia in Limited Numbers in 2003 and was priced at RM132,000 initially. One year later, price dropped to RM118,000. As I do not have a Premacy to test drive, again, I dished out 2 articles on the car.

USED PRICING IN MALAYSIA: Recently, A 2004 model’s up for RM74,000 while a 2003 model’s up for 69,000. On 6/3/08 The Star Metro Classifieds (Today’s paper) however, a 2004 model’s priced at RM71,800.

Article 1, A SUPER TEST from Go Auto Australia (back in 2001) while Article 2 is from The Star Motoring (back in 2005). In addition, I’ll also feature some Owners review (Coming soon).


Here’s Article 1: Enjoy:

Article 1: SUPER TEST. Source:
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/AAE234EEE719E717CA256AAA0026E3DF

Model release dates: February 2001 - June 2005

OVERVIEW:

UNDETERRED by a lack of buyer interest in flexible, tall-roof hatches offered to date by its Korean rivals, Mazda has pushed ahead with its stylish, five-seater Premacy. Essentially a 323 Astina pulled and stretched into a shape that bridges the gap between traditional hatch and people-mover, the Premacy offers clever seating arrangements, excellent ergonomics and extremely useful - and versatile - luggage space. Although rear seat room could be better, the biggest drawback comes from a lack of performance from the 1.8-litre engine.

NOTE: However, in 2004 Mazda addressed the issue by introducing the 2.0i engine with 99kw.

THE CAR:

MAZDA used a theme called "Contrast in Harmony" in the development of its Premacy, creating a formal appearance designed to blend into the urban environment. With a pentagon at the centre grille as the focal point from the front, the overall body forms a strong wedge shape from the front to the sides, then up to the roof. At the rear, large combination lamps are used, while a V-shaped rear window aims to maximise driver visibility. Based on a combination of 626 and 323 components, the Premacy has a body length (4295mm) and width (1705mm) similar to that of a small-medium car, despite a relatively long (2670mm) wheelbase.

The Car - Seat Plan


ALL five seats of the Premacy, two at the front and three at the rear, are independent to provide good comfort and seating flexibility. Each also has a three-point seatbelt and head restraint. The rear seats can double-fold and - at no more than 13kg - be removed easily, while the front passenger seat also tilts forward. A high seating position and enormous windscreen help with driver visibility. The Premacy is designed so that even people of small stature can keep their heels firmly on the ground in a seated position when exiting the vehicle.

The Car - Seats

WITH velour seat trim standard and a soft urethane cushion adopted exclusively on Premacy's five individual seats, the Mazda mini-people-mover sets out to offer a high level of comfort for all occupants. There's no lumbar adjustment to be found, although the driver can alter the height and angle of the seat cushion. Velour trim is also used on the front and rear door panels. An armrest is provided for the driver. The rear seat back can be placed in one of two positions.

Note: IN MALAYSIA, THE PREMACY’s CLOTHED with 2 TONED LEATHER and came with 7 Seats as seen in picture above which makes it a 5+2 seats.

The Car - Luggage

MAZDA claims the luggage area of the Premacy secures enough space to carry three large (750mm Samsonite-type) suitcases upright. The maximum cargo room height measures 989mm, while the maximum cargo room width is 1330mm. Usable width space is another matter, however, with suspension intrusion reducing rear width to 990mm. The distance from tailgate to seatback (when upright) measures 965mm, while cargo volume is 370 litres. A full size spare is provided, though by doing so Mazda has foregone the ability to offer a completely flat floor. There isn't an abundance of cargo storage facilities, but luggage tie-down hooks and a power outlet are provided.

The Car - Dash


THE Premacy instrument panel is shaped in a gentle curve from the centre towards both sides and to the front - the aim being to create a feeling of spaciousness. A light-grey two-tone colour scheme is used. Three gauges are incorporated into the analogue instrument display, with oversized alphanumerics used for good legibility and easier recognition at a glance.

The Car - Controls

ALL controls are conveniently located for the driver and lights are installed in the power window switches, ignition key cylinder and glovebox for good visibility and easy operation during night-time driving. The steering wheel is tilt-adjustable and has audio controls attached for easy operation when driving. There's also a fuel cap release lever provided for the driver. The one constant source of frustration for anyone who's used to driving Mazdas - or other Japanese vehicles - is that the indicator stalk is on the left-hand side. Variable intermittent wipers also fail to get a look in.


The Car - Wheels/tyres


PREMACY rides on 15-inch steel rims with 195/55 Toyo tyres. Full-size plastic wheel covers are provided, as is a full-size spare wheel found underneath the cargo floor. Alloy wheels are available as an option.
IN MALAYSIA, the tyre size’s the same except it’s fitted with 15” Alloy rims.

The Car - Stand out features


THOUGH not the first mini-people-mover onto the market in Australia, at its launch in February 2001 the five-seater Premacy became the first to offer excellent seating versatility along with acres of interior space. The three individual rear seats each fold, tumble and are light enough for easy removal. The front passenger seat also tilts forward. Driver ergonomics are outstanding, and Mazda has found a good blend of safety equipment and creature comforts to justify the additional expense over its Korean rivals in particular.


The Car - Climate control


AIR-CONDITIONING is standard on Premacy. The heating and air-conditioning system is operated manually using a combination of three rotary dials (for air distribution, fan speed and temperature), buttons (for rear demist and air-con on/off) and a horizontal slider (for recirculation). Rear heater ducts are provided, along with a cabin air filter located at the air intake (upstream of the evaporator) which Mazda claims is 10 times more effective at eliminating toxins that its major rivals.


The Car - Sound system

A NEATLY integrated AM/FM radio with single-slot CD player and four speakers is provided on the Premacy. The controls on the head unit are large and easy to operate, while switches are also attached to the steering column for even easier operation. This latter lever can adjust the volume, radio frequency and swap between the AM and FM band. The audio unit matches the design of the instrument panel and has a flush surface, melding smoothly into the interior design.

The Car - Security

REMOTE central locking is standard on Premacy and is linked with the standard engine immobiliser system to alter the ID code each time the transmitter is operated. Any attempt to use a key other than a Mazda-supplied electromagnetic key disables the fuel and ignition systems, making it virtually impossible to start the engine. This prevents the vehicle being stolen with a duplicate key. The Premacy locks also deadlocks when the remote keypad's locking button is pressed twice or the key cylinder on the driver's door is turned twice in the locking direction. Premacy also features a steering shaft declutching device to prevent thieves from breaking the steering lock.


We LIKE: Style, versatility, ergonomics, equipment
WE DON”T LIKE: Engine performance, rear seat room



OUR OPINION

By TERRY MARTIN 5/3/2001

THE small four-wheel drive insurgence might be in full swing - but a counter-revolution is just around the corner.
It will come when the rank and file finally realise that what they've actually been fighting for these past few years is a clever vehicle that suits their suburban, not mountain climbing, needs.

Helped along by queer import rules for four-wheel drives, recreational vehicles as we currently know them have sated the Australian appetite for tall, compact, versatile, spacious and, most importantly, visually appealing transport.
But we now have the Mazda Premacy, a fine example of the new breed of RVs that satisfy all those requirements - and more - without the butch and bush pretentiousness.

While a couple of pre-emptive Korean strikes have failed to make an impact, pennies are about to start dropping and loyalties dividing as the Premacy and forthcoming rivals like the Holden Zafira and Renault Scenic mount their respective campaigns.
Priced from less than $28,000 at launch, the Premacy is essentially a 323 Astina 1.8 pulled and stretched into a shape that bridges the gap between traditional hatch and people-mover.

The result is a (shock, horror) stylish little five-seater harbouring loads of interior space, great ergonomics and clever seating arrangements, thanks in no small part to a long 2670mm wheelbase, a tall 1570mm overall height and a heritage in both driver-friendly and family-friendly interior design.
Cruise control didn't make it into the package, nor did alloy wheels or intermittent wipers. Yet Mazda has typically found a good blend of safety and attention-grabbing features to give the Premacy package widespread appeal.

Air-conditioning, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, remote locking, dual airbags, roof rails, single-slot CD stereo, electric mirrors and windows, rear security blind and power socket, velour seat trim, and headrests and three-point seatbelts for all occupants made the cut.
But what separates the Premacy from traditional hatches and wagons is its terrific use of space and versatility.

Instead of a standard rear bench seat, the Premacy has lightweight, individual pews that neatly fold, tumble and are easily removed to significantly increase upon the (already palatial) luggage space.

The front passenger seatback also tilts forward, enabling items of up to 2.6 metres in length to fit inside, and the high roofline allows tall objects such as bicycles to slot in from the large rear tailgate aperture.

The interior doesn't come without its limitations. With the (1705mm) overall width kept to 323 proportions, rear shoulder room becomes restrictive when all three seats are occupied and burly passengers will find the 435mm (outboard) seat width too narrow and the doors too close for comfort.

The centre rear seat is even tighter at 390mm and blighted by an awkward key-release seatbelt mechanism, while the absence of rear seat fore/aft adjustment means legroom will be a problem for many adults.

Other disappointments include the lack of a genuine walk-though from the front seats, the room taken up by the rear suspension (maximum cargo width drops from 1330mm to 960mm) and the failure to provide a flat floor when the rear seats are removed. Mazda Australia lost the latter feature when it specified a full-size spare wheel (a seven-seat version is available in other markets, however).

None of the above is terribly troubling from the driver's seat, where huge glass areas ensure good driver visibility, major controls are large in size and well presented, seats are comfortable (though lacking support) and storage facilities, including a deep centre console bin and a tray under the front passenger seat, arereadily found.

The stereo in particular is a model for user-friendliness and a stalk attached to the steering column makes for even easier audio operation.
On the flipside, Premacy is the first Mazda in living memory with a left-hand indicator - and that can be annoying.

Output isn't a problem on the 323, but the Premacy is forced to shift more than 1300kg in five-speed manual transmission form and performance slips from okay to average to poor as each additional passenger is bundled in.

With a small family on-board, the Premacy frequently calls upon the driver to use the light manual gearshift and keep the engine spinning well above 3000rpm. Fuel economy and interior refinement suffer as a result, but if ignored the engine will struggle under the weight, especially when travelling uphill.

Otherwise, the Premacy drive is a largely enjoyable one. The lightweight steering and useful 10.8-metre turning circle make for easy manoeuvring around the 'burbs, though the steering lacks feedback and precision at higher speeds and will throw up kickback through the wheel if the vehicle encounters ripples mid-corner.
Such conditions will also expose a degree of bodyroll and a lack of grip from the standard 15-inch Toyo tyres, while the open road reveals an inordinate amount of tyre and wind noise. Yet we'd never expect driving dynamics to be the highlight of the Premacy package.

More to the point, this flexible new-age wagon is cute, clever, clearly defined and a product of our times. The first step toward the imminent counter-revolution.


END OF OPINION by Terry Martin.

Mechanical - Engine

THE Premacy is powered by same 1.8-litre DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine found in 323 Astina and Protégé models. It produces 92kW of power at 6000rpm and 163Nm of torque (or pulling power) at 4000rpm. Claimed fuel economy figures for the manual point to 10.0 litres per 100km on the city cycle and 7.2L/100km on the highway - the automatic is slightly higher at 10.5 and 7.2L/100km city/highway. Normal unleaded fuel is used.

NOTE: IN MALAYSIA, the Premacy’s powered by 2.0i DOHC 16v i4 found in Mazda 626 with 99kw and 174Nm of torque.


Mechanical - Suspension


PREMACY uses independent MacPherson struts front and rear. The front is a lightweight, space-efficient configuration featuring vertically aligned bushings on the lower arms to enhance the rigidity of the suspension attachment for improved handling and stability - and reduced road noise. The rear suspension system features Mazda's traditional twin-trapezoidal link strut arrangement consisting of dual lateral links and a trailing link, providing long wheel travel for good roadholding and ride comfort.


Mechanical - Transmission

TWO types of transmissions are available on Premacy - a five-speed manual and an electronically controlled four-speed automatic. The final gear ratio for the manual and automatic is a low 4.105 and 4.147 respect


Mechanical - Brakes

A COMBINATION of power-assisted ventilated discs (front) and drums (rear) are used on the Premacy. The front discs measure 24mm thickness and 258mm in external diameter, while the rear drums measure 42mm x 228.6mm in internal diameter. Anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) is standard. The ABS system uses a wheel-speed sensor at each corner to detect difference in revolution, and three channels to control the front brakes individually and the rear brakes as a pair.


Did you know?
An anti-lock braking system prevents the wheels from locking and thereby maintains directional stability. EBD varies the amount of rear braking force depending on vehicle load to achieve optimal stopping performance

Mechanical - Steering


PREMACY uses an engine speed-sensitive power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering system. The gear ratio of the system is set at 15:1, which Mazda claims enables agile manoeuvrability and good handling. The support structure of the steering assembly has been changed to a bushing mounted arrangement to improve mounting support rigidity and better response to steering inputs. A sheetmetal support yoke is used on the steering gear mechanism to reduce friction and obtain more precise gearing. The turning circle is 10.8 metres.

Safety

DUAL airbags (45 litres capacity for the driver and 110 litres for the front passenger) are standard on Premacy, along with anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution. Designed in accordance with the Mazda Advanced Impact-energy Distribution and Absorption System (MAIDAS), Premacy is claimed to attain one of the highest levels of safety in any vehicle segment. The company claims it has performed well in (in-house) frontal, side-on, rear-end and pole crash tests. Pedestrian safety was also a high priority, with a good distance between bonnet and engine (to minimise head injuries when colliding with the car) and impact-absorbing bumpers (to protect the legs).

SPECIFICATIONS:

WARRANTY:
* Three-year/100,000km
* Major service intervals: 10,000km

ENGINE:
* 1.839-litre DOHC 16-valve front-mounted transverse inline four-cylinder (1991cc DOHC 16-valve, inline 4 cylinder)
* Power: 92kW @ 6000rpm (99kw@6000rpm)
* Torque: 163Nm @ 4000rpm (174Nm@4500rpm)
* Compression ratio: 9.1:1 (NA)
* Bore x stroke: 83mm x 84mm (83 x 84mm)

TRANSMISSION:
* Five-speed manual or four-speed automatic

SUSPENSION:
* Front: independent by MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar
* Rear: independent by MacPherson struts and trapezoidal links, coil springs, anti-roll bar

STEERING:
* Power-assisted engine revolution-sensing rack-and-pinion
* Turning circle: 10.8 metres
* Turns lock to lock: 3.1

DIMENSIONS:
* Length: 4295mm
* Width: 1705mm
* Height: 1600mm
* Wheelbase: 2670mm
* Front track: 1465mm
* Rear track: 1470mm
* Kerb weight: 1308kg
*Towing Capacity 1200kg

FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Average: 9.4km/litre (2.0i model)

PERFORMANCE:
Top Speed: 190km/h (2.0i Auto)
0-100km/h: 11 seconds (2.0i Auto)

STANDARD EQUIPMENT:
* Air-conditioning
* Remote central locking
* Power mirrors
* Power windows
* Anti-lock brakes
* Dual airbags
* Roof rails
* Four-speaker CD stereo
* Tilt-adjustable steering
* Leather seat trim
* Driver's armrest
* Individual double-folding and removable rear seats
* Rear power socket
* Halogen headlights
* Large Electric Sun/Moonroof



Did you know?


1) The current Mazda logo is a development of the previous "M" and was developed by Rei Yoshimura, a noted corporate identification artist. The "V" in the centre of the new symbol spreads out like an opening fan, representing creativity, a sense of mission, the gentleness and flexibility, the resoluteness and vitality that Mazda likes to think it represents

2) The size and shape of the Premacy's door openings, high hip points of the seats and sedan-like floor height are designed to enable a person of any stature to enter and exit easily with minimum change in posture

3) The Premacy's seats are designed to minimise fatigue on long drives and to equalise the body pressure distribution corresponding to changes in the occupant's posture

4) The fuel gauge has a fuel sensor mechanism automatically adjusted by a microprocessor for an accurate reading at all times

5) Premacy is the first Mazda vehicle in living memory that has a left-hand indicator stalk

6) All of Mazda's car manufacturing facilities throughout the world feature "mixed model" production capability

7) The position of the rear security blind can be adjusted in three stages depending on the reclined angle of the rear seats

8) Mazda Motor Corporation is based in Hiroshima, Japan

9) Mazda cars and trucks are assembled in more than 20 countries around the world

10) Mazda has a global R&D network with operations in Japan (Hiroshima and Yokohama), the United States (Irvine, California and Ann Arbor, Michigan), and Germany (Oberursel)


ARTICLE 2 from The Star Motoring Online:
http://star-motoring.com/news/story.asp?file=/2005/10/2/motorreviews/20051002095649&sec=motorreviews

Sunday October 2, 2005

Premier power


THOUGH I don’t foresee getting one myself, MPVs are seen as functional vehicles, more so in Asia where families are fond of cruising together; granny, teddy and all. Fortunately I was handed a pseudo-MPV – the Mazda Premacy with 130hp under the hood.

Looking more like a sports hatchback than an MPV, the Premacy’s award-winning design suits younger drivers (as well as those coerced into getting a seven-seater by granny).

The vehicle is wrapped all-round with a sporty skirting, making it look lower-set and a little more menacing than other MPVs around. There’s also a pair of spotlights integrated into the body kit, plus a spoiler on the rear roof.

However, it’s not just for the un-MPV look that the Premacy stands out. It packs a 2.0 litre, 16-valve engine that does 0-100km/h under 11 seconds (I know that's not wild but we’re talking about an MPV here).


Mazda Premacy

The bullet-shaped body definitely looks like an efficient wind-cutter, and stability is apparent.

It runs on a four-speed auto gearbox, which is responsive and smooth. A microprocessor is responsible for controlling the gear changes, clutches and fluid pressure according to the engine torque and load conditions.

The vehicle was pushed and stretched on windy roads; its handling is excellent, without a trace of instability or uncertainty, even with a load of five occupants. The suspension employs an independent configuration, and ride comfort is exceptional.
The portable fridge for a road-trip was plugged into the 12V socket located at the second row. This section seats three, with both ends having the option of large armrests. The last row is a tight two-seater. The kids will have to settle for this section – the bonus is they’ll be well boxed-in!

Air-conditioning vents are limited to the front only. Oh yes – the cabin has a nice final touch – a sunroof. It can be tilted or slid back at the touch of buttons.
When fully-loaded with seven passengers, luggage space is limited. However, the seat system is multi-functional. There are many variants depending on need.

The third row seats can be removed altogether; the centre seat (“jump seat”) in the second row can be removed, creating room and an aisle access to the back; or the second row seats can be double-folded forward.

If needed, two mountain bikes can be stowed. In other words, large or bulky items can be loaded with some adjustments. Luggage hooks are located in the four corners of the floor of the luggage space, and a convenient box is positioned below the luggage space for stowing large objects.

Dashboard and instrumentations are nothing striking; pretty standard design and layout. The auto gear shift is located at the steering wheel, which is something that really requires getting used to, especially during hard driving when gear-shifting is needed.

Storage facilities include a glove box in the dashboard, in-panel side pocket, door pockets and a centre console with CD storage space.

Safety aspects include driver and passenger airbags, plus an impact-distribution and absorption system. The four-wheel ABS helps in stopping, combined with an electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) system, which matches braking performance to the weight of passengers and luggage.

Premacy’s Clarion sound system with a psychedelic display packs a decent bass, with speakers in the front and last rows. Seats are leather, while the alarm system comes with an immobiliser.

This stylish set of wheels is imported CBU, and goes for RM135,708 (on-the-road) but there are promotions at various dealers, with prices about RM124,000.


OWNER REVIEWS: (All sourced from www.Carsurvey.org)



DELETED DUE TO COPYRIGHT ISSUES with Carsurvey.  Visit:

http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/mazda/premacy/single-page/

For whooping 13 owner's reviews...

END OF REVIEW: Once again, Thanks for having the patience to finish reading this Full review.