No need to let the engine warm up in the mornings before we start to move the car!

Although you might think it’s easier on your car to let it sit and gently warm up, doing so is a bad idea for a number of reasons. Most importantly, it does indeed waste gas.

The vast majority of cars on the road today use electronic fuel injection. When your car’s engine is cold, the computer tells the fuel injectors to stay open longer, allowing more fuel into the engine to help it run cold. As the engine warms up, the injectors let in less fuel and everything returns to normal, so to speak.

The problem is, letting your car sit and idle is the slowest way to bring it up to operating temperature because it’s generally sitting in your drive at just above idle speed. And this method to warm up also invites other problems. Remember that modern cars are equipped with a multitude of devices to help them run clean, including a catalytic converter (sometimes three of them), a device in the exhaust system that works to burn off unburned hydrocarbons in the exhaust stream. A cold engine emits a far higher percentage of unburned hydrocarbons than a warm engine. Unfortunately, the average catalytic converter can’t process 100 percent of unburned hydrocarbons even in the best of times. Importantly, the catalytic converter needs high exhaust temperatures to work properly. Throw in a cold engine emitting a high percentage of unburned hydrocarbons, repeat several hundred times, and you can end up with what’s called a “plugged” converter. In a nutshell, the converter becomes overwhelmed and literally ceases to function. This won’t happen all at once but over time, the end effect is the same: poor mileage and significantly dirtier exhaust.

The best bet? Even when it’s 10 degrees F outside, start your car, let it run for 30 to 60 seconds to get all the fluids moving, then drive off gently. Your engine will warm up faster, your exhaust system will get up to temperature faster so the catalytic converter can do its thing, and you’ll use less fuel. Which is what you wanted all along anyhow, right?

If it's below zero outside, it would be a good idea to give the engine five minutes or a little less before you drive off into the frozen wilderness!

— Richard Backus, editor in chief, Gas Engine and Motorcycle Classics magazines

How fast are other cars??

Warranty Issues Settled

I've gone through months of waiting and finally, the issues with Nasim has been settled.

1) I got a refund for the battery issue which I paid.

2) TPMS changed and reprogrammed

3) I got 4 new Pitrelli P Zero Rosso Tyres for the defective tyre reported 2 days after I got my car

4) My seat slider was changed 1 month ago.

Nasim has taken the effort to ensure that they are meeting up to the warranty claims. I must say, there's been improvement and I do hope it will continue to get better.

However, there are people who thinks that I just want to make issues with Nasim and make the AW forum unhappy. Ultimately, the battle is won for now, that the Peugeot owners are getting better service from Nasim. This is proven with 3 more cars with battery issues were changed without questions asked. I will continue to strive to help the Peugeot owners to get what is right, irrespective of who is with me or who is not...

A reply from Nasim

After 1 month of persistent followups... this is the reply I got from Nasim this morning.

Greetings Mr Alan,

 

We are please to inform you on the following :

 

i) The originally factory fitted tire, Pirelli P Zero Nero is not available in the Malaysian market. However, as a alternate solution, we have managed to locate a different model, Pirelli P Zero Rosso which is equally compatible for your vehicle. As an added gesture of goodwill, we will be replacing all 4 tires on your vehicle to ensure the thread pattern match. The tires have been ordered and is expected to reach no later than this Friday (09.10.09)

 

ii) The TPMS sensor is available at our Glenmarie Blue Box. An appointment will be made for the replacement for both the TPMS and the tires as mentioned above this week.

 

iii) The goodwill reimbursement cheque is ready and will be handed to you personally during your visit for the above.

 

We would appreciate if you could let us know if Friday (09.10.09) is convenient for you to send in your vehicle to Blue Box Glenmarie for the above. I will communicate this to the After Sales Division.

 

Thank you.

 

Best Regards,

Dennis Michael

Head Of  Department

Client Interaction Center (CLiC)

NASIM SDN BHD

However, I got a call from Rahim of KS this morning asking me about when I can come and settle the tyre case, I told him I got a reply from Nasim as above. Rahim is telling me that Nasim is billing KS for the 4 Pirelli tyres which was mentioned above....

Personally, I feel that:-

1) KS took too long to give me an answer for the tyre case... its now 8 months since I sent the tyre for warranty and KS slept on the issue. Now, it looks like as if they have to bear the cost of it.

2)  Each tyre cost almost RM 2,000.00 and by changing 4 tyres, KS got to fork out almost RM 8,000 for this issue. 

Do you think its fair?? Your comments please..

Peugeot 308 GT car Review by Ben Pulman

The Peugeot 308 GT THP 175 is only a warm hatch, according to Peugeot. The pre-launch press conference was all about managing our expectations, telling us that the GT was meant to be dynamic but also allow you to cover 1000 miles without getting a bad back.

But Peugeot needn’t had worried, because this 308 is really rather good, thanks mostly to a slick new six-speed gearbox and a 1.6-litre turbo engine shared with the Mini Cooper S.

What makes the Peugeot 308 GT THP 175 stand out from all the other 308s?
All the typical go-faster goodies are present and correct. That means uprated dampers, 35 percent stiffer springs, and suspension lowered by 10mm. Peugeot claims that this has dropped the GT’s centre off gravity by 10mm.

On the outside you get a RC Z concept-inspired front bumper, a rear spoiler that apparently produces downforce, a ‘diffuser’ and 18-inch wheels. In white, and in three-door form it looks very good indeed. In red and with five doors (like our pictures) it’s smart but not quite there, especially as the stylish red rear lights no longer stand out.

Inside you get an aluminium gearknob and pedals, plus a new steering wheel.

Does it all work?
Yes, but with a but. There are a few issues with the 308 GT, so let’s get them out of the way first. In co-developing the 1.6-litre engine with BMW, Peugeot’s engineers seem to have taken a leaf out of the Bavarian’s M Division and fallen in love with thick steering wheels. The wheel is also a little too wide. If only the company has stuck with the standard steering wheel for the 308, as that’s pretty good already.

The aluminium pedals are also too far apart and the accelerator too high for any sort of heel ‘n’ toe action. But the 308 GT has a turbocharged engine so keeping it at 6000rpm isn’t the key to making good progress.

Tell me about this engine then?

We know (and love) this turbocharged 1.6-litre from ourlong-term Mini Cooper S. In the 308 it has 175bhp, and 180lb ft from 1600-4500rpm. And it loves to rev. On the same launch CAR drove a 150bhp version of the 1.6 and it felt strained, reluctant to rev towards the red line, and it was boomy at the top end.

In 175 form it’s so much better, and so smooth that you end up hitting the rev limiter often. There’s no torque curve as such, just a plateau, and you forget there’s just 1598cc under the bonnet. It can be pelted along nicely, but occasionally the 1371kg kerbweight – 166kg more than a Cooper S – made overtaking on the short straights of our Sardinian test route a little tricky.

But the new six-speed gearbox is a joy to use. It’s slick but still has enough mechanical feel so you’re not fluffing changes. Congrats to Peugeot because it’s a pretty damn good drivetrain.

And through the corners and over the bumps?

The smooth roads of Sardinia ensured a smooth ride, despite the firm-ish suspension. The 308 will need a proper drive of Britain’s unique undulations before we can say for sure, but initial impressions are of a well tied-down hatch.

It’s equally good into the corners. There’s lots of grip from the 18-inch wheels - and very little of the torque steer that can afflict our long-term Mini. The ESP is unobtrusive and when it does cut in it does so gently. Turn it off and you can feel the car slide a little more through the bends but it never becomes unruly.

CAR also snuck a drive a 308 GT shod with 17-inch wheels. This car – which won’t be coming to the UK – had a slightly better ride and marginally sharper turn-in that UK-spec cars, but the differences are minuscule. For the warm hatch customer that will buy the car the larger wheels, that make the 308 look better, are more than acceptable.

Verdict

The 308 GT isn’t a full-on hot hatch, and it was never designed to be. It’s a big car, over two metres wide with the wing mirrors out (as they should be) and that rather large glass roof is standard. The interior quality is very good, and it’s quiet. Kit levels include decent bi-xenon lights, dual zone air-con and many more bits and pieces.

Along a twisting road it might be left behind by a Mini Cooper S but the Peugeot is a bigger and heavier car, and more of a rival to our long-term VW Golf GT TSI. The Peugeot's gearbox is nicer to use and the engine more characterful. But while many might be prepared to spend £18.5k on a Golf, we’re not sure too many will spend that much on a Peugeot. 

The 308 GT is good enough that we won’t make any jokes about it being tepid - but ultimately we prefer hot, and not warm. Oh, and a basic Ford Focus ST is £18,250. Makes you think...

Maintenance for 308 THP and VTi

Here is the prices for servicing your 308 in Malaysia.

RIGHT CLICK AND SAVE HERE

Another letter from Dennis from Nasim

Good evening Mr Alan,

 

We are pleased to inform your good self that the goodwill reimbursement for your battery has been approved by the management. A cheque is being prepared and we will get in touch with you as soon as it is ready.

 

Thank you for your patience and kind cooperation.

 

Best Regards,

Dennis Michael

Head Of  Department

Client Interaction Center (CLiC)

NASIM SDN BHD

PEUGEOT CARELINE : 1-800-88-6292

FAX : 03-5569 0599

Change... its hard... but not impossible...

Guys, Its very hard to change the mindset and attitude of someone, be it an organisation. However, people will only change if.. [b]"the pain of not changing is greater than the pain of change"[/b] This applies to any change in life for everyone. We have to feel the pain before we have no choice but to move and change. Since Nasim has felt some pain, there are some good changes starting to move. The theory works. BTW, I am a training specialist by profession. I know what I am doing...

An email from Dennis (Customer Care of Nasim)

[quote]

Greetings from Nasim Mr Alan Wong,

 

Further to our meeting on the 4th September 2009, we wish to inform you that the After Sales Division is in the midst of obtaining approval for goodwill reimbursement on your battery.

 

We will update you as soon as we receive the approval. Thank you.

 

Best Regards,

Dennis Michael

Head Of  Department

Client Interaction Center (CLiC)

NASIM SDN BHD

PEUGEOT CARELINE : 1-800-88-6292

FAX : 03-5569 0599

[unquote]

Guys,

This is what I call good customer service. However, I do hope that Nasim will begin to be more proactive in handling all Peugeot owner's warranty issues. Dennis has taken the liberty to update myself on the status of the Battery issue which I had earlier.... Will keep you guys posted on the entire issue...

A PM from Intermilan to me- for YOUR entertainment purposes

I've always consider you as a friend, even if we had only meet once. But i think it about time that you have a kit kat. This issue is now seem to be very near to achieve or already reach irrevocable damage. It should be taken off the Net or tone down marginally. Let go of the emo.. Why not use the tribunal pengguna or legal option? And unfortunately, your revelation about the discussion in ZTH are just quite tasteless as the discussion itself. Two wrong didn't make it right Alan. I'm afraid it might set the tone for this to turn out to be a hardball game. Game on! David vs. Goliath. Posting your grievance in AW won't help anymore. I see it this way, by revealing the ZTH discussion, you win the battle, but that will quickly lead to you losing the war, possibly. Of course i don't know why you attack lowpro. You must got your reasons. Lastly, I do hope that the objective(s) of your struggle will be achieve. Nasim is clearly the wrong party here. But some of the way you employed to drag your point here didn't help either. From your experience, we know that they can be a s u c k e r. But i'm worried if they decided to be an even bigger s u c k e r after this episode.

{and my reply below}

Intermilan, Do I care what you think of the entire situation? You never even came and supported myself when I was fighting the battle alone. Who are you to come and PM me to tell me what I should do? I am still fighting the battle alone. What have I got to lose? What is the worse that can happen?? I have thought about the consequences, and I am all game to expect the worse. I have always thought of all of you as a friend... Derick, yourself and all the others, till I had to fight this battle alone, I found out who are my real friends... Why not, you take a kit kat and enjoy the show...!

Car Prices in Malaysia - by Syed Akbar Ali

Car Prices in Malaysia

  Digest this article, after that, you may need to vomit. What is the   Malaysian Govt doing all these while. Ripping off our Rakyat for the last   30 yrs with APs designed to benefit a few  well connected Bumis, the   UMNO/BN have robbed millions of citizens in this fiasco, under the   pretext of protecting our local industry. The Govt have forgotten we   Malays are the largest customers in the country. What is the NEP policy  doing ?? Ripping off the Malays (which forms 65% of the consumer base) to benefit a few UMNO politicians !!!

 ”We cannot choose the things that will happen to us. But we can choose   the attitude we will take toward anything that happens.. Success or   failure depends on OUR attitude”   Malaysia Boleh…Buy Malaysian Products….Long Live Malaysia.. Malaysia    Ku Cemerlang…!   BMW 535i sells for RM178,000 in the USA.

In the United States of America (a developed country which we are also   aspiring to become by the year 2020) a 2009 model BMW 535i Sedan is   selling for about USD50,367.00. This is only RM178,000 - about the  price of a Toyota Camry 2.4L here in Malaysia . The same BMW sells in  Malaysia for about RM450,000.

 BMW 328i sells for RM155,000 in the USA.

  The 2009 model BMW 328i 2 door Convertible sells for USD44,014 or   RM155,369.00 in the US . In Malaysia the same car sells for over  RM460,000. This is an untenable situation.

 Audi A4 2..0T Cabriolet Convertible sells for RM142,000 in the US.

The 2009 model Audi A4 2 Door 2.0T Cabriolet Convertible sells in the US for USD40,328.00 or RM142,357. In Malaysia the same car would sell  for about RM265,000.  VW GTI 2.0T sells for RM85,000 in the US. In the US the 2009 model Volkswagen GTI 2.0T sells for USD 24,039 or  RM85,000 only. In China the same car will cost around RM60,000. Over  here the same VW car sells for about RM200,000.

And the 2010 model Toyota Camry 2.4L sells in the US for USD 19,659..00 or  RM69,396 In Malaysia the 2008 Toyota Camry 2.4L sells for  RM170,000. Toyota Camry 2.4L, 2010 model. RM69,000 in the US  [cL: it's  RM70k in Au]

Car prices in Malaysia are about three times higher than the prices in the United States. We are a developing nation. Our land and labour costs are so much cheaper than the US . Why are our cars so expensive? It does  not make any sense. Tak masuk akal.

Then here are some car prices from our neighbour Indonesia . The Toyota  Altis sells in Indonesia for about RM46,000. The same car sells here for around RM 112,000. Again we are three times more expensive than Indonesia. 

 The Honda Jazz sells here for RM108,000.. In Indonesia the Jazz sells for RM 36,000. Three times more expensive.

We are paying ridiculously high prices (and actually impoverishing the Malays - who are the largest buyers of cars in Malaysia) to support an out of date, out of touch with reality motor car policy. 

 We are paying the highest car prices in the world to support the Proton  and other locally made cars as well as support a mind boggling AP policy    which only benefits a relatively few rich Malays. A disproportionately  large number of Malays and other Malaysians are  being impoverished to subsidise the wealth of a few inefficient rich.

26 million Malaysians have to pay three times more for their cars just to   support Proton and 120,000 people who are directly and indirectly  involved in the motor sector in Malaysia and the AP holders. That is a  ratio of 216:1.

This ratio of 216:1 is too skewed. 26.0 million happier people can contribute many more votes than 120,000 members of an inefficient motor  industry. 26 million unhappy people can change a Government. (The maths  is not really difficult here).  And this outdated policy is impoverishing the Malays more than anyone else.

 Here is some news from our DPM Tan Sri Muhyudin Yassin about our car policy. This is truncated:

  Muhyiddin assures govt support for automotive parts and component sector 

  1. KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 - The deputy prime minister said special focus   will be given to “facilitate and encourage” the development of the   automotive parts and component sector despite the current global and  regional economic downturn.

  2. “Under the CEPT and Asean Trade in Goods Agreements, Malaysia has  agreed to eliminate import duties on all products in the Normal Track on   January 1, 2010. This includes motor vehicles, auto parts and  components,” he said.

 3. He pointed out that . .. . the motor vehicle sub sector in Malaysia will not be directly impacted because of its heavy dependence on the   domestic market.

  4. “The Malaysian government recognises the contribution of the  domestic automotive industry towards the development of the country.”

Para 2 sounds promising but then Para 3 and 4 basically says that the Malaysian motor car industry will continue to be protected. This means we   will continue paying the highest car prices in the world for automobiles.

Cuba kita kira : kalau kereta Honda Jazz di jual dengan harga yang sebenarnya (lebih kurang RM36,000 saja) dan bukan pada harga sekarang   (RM108,000) maksudnya bayaran bulanan pembeli kereta akan jadi kurang,   mungkin sepertiga sahaja daripada bayaran bulanan sekarang.

  Jika sekarang orang bayar RM1,500 sebulan untuk beli Honda Jazz, kalau  harga kereta lebih menepati harga pasaran dunia, orang kita perlu  bayar sekitar RM500 saja sebulan.

Maksudnya tanpa Kerajaan perlu membuat apa pun (merangsang ekonomi, belanja berpuluh billion Ringgit duit rakyat untuk stimulus dan sebagainya) setiap rakyat Malaysia yang membeli kereta yang seharga  dengan Honda Jazz akan dapat menjimatkan sehingga RM1,000 sebulan  daripada kos sara hidup bulanannya.

 This is like giving the car buyer an RM1000 pay rise without incurring any extra costs for the taxpayer, the Government or the economy. It  will greatly reduce the cost of living in Malaysia and spur greater  economic growth too.

Tapi sekarang, yang menjadi mangsa dulu dan yang menjadi miskin dulu orang Melayu juga. Orang Melayu yang paling ramai sekali menjadi pembeli    kereta dalam negara kita. Orang Melayu kebanyakannya makan gaji - tiap   bulan dapat gaji tetap. Bila harga kereta naik gila, yang menjadi miskin  di saf depan sekali adalah orang Melayu juga.

In absolute numbers, the Malays are suffering the most because they are   the most in number among the fixed income people who also buy cars.

Some folks said the other day that Proton has 150 major component suppliers, dealers, distributors and about 500 other parts suppliers too..   Of the 150 major component suppliers, about 15 of them are listed   companies. In total they employ about 120,000 people. The Proton supply  chain is a mix of bumiputras and non bumiputras. But here is a sad
fact :  none of them are operating at their level best efficiency. 

  Our motor car policy is forcing Malaysians to subsidise Proton so that   Proton can sustain major inefficiencies in the Malaysian economy. This is   not a good thing at all.

We have to unwind this situation. Set a target of 18 months from now to   unwind all protection for our motor industry. Remove the impoverishing AP  policy also in 18 months. Let Malaysian car prices reflect world market  prices for the same makes of cars.

If a BMW 535 sells for RM178,000 in America , it should sell for a little   less here in Malaysia (our rentals and salaries are cheaper).

Fw: Car   Prices In Malaysia

  The Ministers continue making pronouncements about the car industry as   though nothing has happened. I hope everyone will please wake up. The   Government has a real chance of getting thrown out of office in about   three years. The people will not accept inept answers anymore.   The ridiculous car prices in Malaysia is an issue that is just beginning 
  to get more attention and publicity. It is going to become a really big   issue in the near future. Be forewarned.

Posted by Syed Akbar Ali

Nasim's poor warranty and backup

My car battery went dead after just 7 months. According to Nasim, there is NO WARRANTY for battery anything above 20,000km or 1 year whichever comes first! As far as I know, battery manufacturers give warranty without mileage limitations. But that is not all, I have a few more warranty claims that seems to be left unheard and no actions were taken by them. This is a letter I sent via email today to Lionel, Samson and Dennis of Naza/Nasim. Lets see how long they will reply before I take the next action. Lets see if they are the type that values customers or need to be WHACKED before serving the customer right... Here is the email:-

Dear Gentlemen,

It brings to my attention that I need to highlight this issue with your goodself as I have passed my threshold of being a nice customer. Every customer has their limits.

These are issues that Nasim has not attended to expectation and this is my first step towards giving a good chance to Nasim to react properly to the situation of my car.

Issues:-

Date: 30th January 2009 :- 2nd day of delivery... Pirelli P Zero Nero Tyre found not round, send it back to Kheng Soon. Up to now.... NO NEWS... and still waiting... after 7 months!!

Date: 20th April 2009  :- Sent car for 10,000km service at BB Glenmarie and both seats that is supposed to slide is found to have a part broken inside the seat... SC told me to wait 1 month for the part to come.. UP TO NOW... NO NEWS despite me calling customer service several times, they claim to check and get back to me, but I got NOTHING!!

Date: 24th August 2009:  Sent car for battery warranty claim as the car needed to jump start few times. Sent to Naza Klang and found the battery to be defective. Car is only 7 months old. Just hit 20,980 km. SC claims that there is no warranty after 20,000km or 1 year. However, I do not find this clause anywhere in my warranty book. Had to pay RM 688.50 for a new battery which I think the price is exorbitant. This issue should be covered by warranty!!  As far as I know, all battery manufacturers give warranty of 1 year or some even 2 years without mileage limitations. This is also proven in other car brands too. I am quite shocked to find this VERBAL rule in Naza/Nasim. 20,000km for battery warranty is as good as NO WARRANTY at all... This is getting a little ridiculous! 

Awaiting your "PROMPT" action... today's date is 25th August 2009...

Best Regards,
Alan Wong
owner of 308GT

HP: +6012-XXXXXX

c.c. Autoworld Forum, Peugeot Club of Malaysia, 308GT Blog.

Security Card for Transponder

OK... time for me to explain about the security key code...  

The security key code is for future requirements to reprogram the transponder which is a ship built in your key, should you loose your key and need to make a new one. By keeping the card, you can go and reprogram the transponder back at your Service Centre with the code, in future. I heard that the new remote key is being sold for RM 808.00 and reprogramming will cost another RM 120.00. However, you still need to cut the key with your local locksmith. That could be a few ringgit more. 

Around March 2009, all the 308 that is being delivered, were not supplied with the security card. Those delivered before that still got it, people like myself and AHWAN got the card. The reason they do not give the card to you is because,   

1) If in case you loose the card, they cannot reprogram a new key for you in future. They now have the security code stored in a database, in the internet. Only the Peugeot Service Centre can get access to it. 

2) So that you come back to them and they make money instead of doing it from a third party vendor.  

However, please note that if in case you loose your key at anytime, you can still go back to the Peugeot SC and make a new one. However, you might need to wait and pay a hefty sum for the remote key. I would believe that if you loose your key, they might have to change the code, so that if anyone who stole your previous key, will not be able to start your car.  

So, just be extra careful to not misplace or loose your key... Cheers!

Deadlocking in your 308

Deadlocking is a security device which enables the car to be locked in a way that the door can't be opened from inside or outside the car without disengaging the deadlock first.

If a car thief therefore wants into you car they have to climb in through a window and out the same way as the doors will not open without the correct opening procedure with the proper key or remote.

Deadlocking can only operate if the cars central locking system is functioning correctly. It is semi automatic and very reliable.

The deadlocking is activated either by key on a normal key locking system or by pressing the remote locking either twice or the deadlocking button on the remote.

Disengaging the deadlock is simple just open your door in the normal way and it will disengage the deadlock automatically.

How to get better mileage from your car?

Here are some tips to get better mileage once the petrol prices go up in September 2009 in Malaysia.

1. They way you drive - Rapid acceleration and quick braking increases fuel! Drive gently and you will see significant improvement in your fuel consumption of your car.

2. Improper Tyre inflation - Just 1 tire under inflated, you will realised that your car will be a fuel guzzler. Tires deflate 1 psi every 2 weeks. So, ensure that your car is properly inflated and check your tyre pressure every 2 weeks.

3. Excessive load - Don't put things that you don't need in your car. Why carry extra load? It will definitely put more strain in your engine and it will definitely increase your fuel consumption.

4. Proper maintenance and service - Make sure you service your car in time, a healthy engine uses less fuel than an unhealthy one.

5. Don't speed - Your 308 is most frugal at speeds around 110km/h. You will notice that the engine will double its fuel intake when you hit speeds around 140 km/h. The 30 km/h extra won't get you double the speed but will use double the fuel!

End of the 2 series in Malaysia

We have seen the Bestari/Peugeot 206 for a while already here in Malaysia. This will be the end of this series once they complete pushing the rest of the stock out. We will not be seeing the 207 coming to Malaysian shores which was planned earlier.

Peugeot Malaysia is looking at positioning its brand as up market rather than trying to compete with the other brands in the entry/mass level sector. Yes, they will sell less cars but since they don't have many service centres either, it would be a wise move to concentrate in giving the best service to the upper market cars like the 308 and 407, rather than they spread their resources towards a mass market where they are struggling to do a good service/warranty job.

Having said that, the 206 is a great car. Its proven to be really good in corners/handling and a great comfortable car to drive compared to the Malaysian/Korean and Japanese rivals. Unfortunately, good cars don't make a good brand. Branding is all about perception of the customer. 

There is no doubt that a lot of people know that the Peugeot cars are good. They are still asking about spare parts, customer service, quality of the Service Centre etc. This is something that cannot be built overnight. Rome was not built in a day. It would be a great move by Nasim to start working on quality, rather than quantity! 

Driving fast?? Can I?

Hey guys, driving fast is all about practice, handling and confidence... If one person can hit beyond 200km/h, with the same car, it doesn't mean another person can.

If you are new to driving fast, please do it gradually, until your confidence level builds. Safety is the main issue here. Don't take big risks. Its not worth it.

Average Fuel consumption for all 308 models in Malaysia

Currently, these are the feedback in general about the fuel consumption of the 308  

1) VTi - averaging around RM 0.17 - 0.19 sens per km* 

2) THP - averaging around RM 0.20 - 0.22 sens per km* 

3) GT - averaging around RM 0.19 - 0.21 sens per km*  

*This is based on normal city driving.  

You will be asking how come the GT is averaging better than the THP. The GT is slightly heavier than the THP too. Basically, you must know that the THP has a 4 gear automatic while the GT has a 6 gear manual gearbox. So, if you want a good fuel consumption 308, you should go for the VTi. With RM 0.17 sens per km, the average distance per fuel tank should be around 600km while the GT can hit around 530km and the THP around RM 520 km.

Why we have the PULLING TO THE LEFT PROBLEM on ALL CONTINENTAL CARS

OK... time for me to explain why continental cars have the Pulling to the left problem... Don't ask me to rectify the problem because I am in no position to do so. Not even the local distributors can do it. Just understand the problem and do what we can from our end... You see guys, these CONTINENTAL cars are made for left hand drive... Not right hand drive... So, to make the car right hand drive, they have to take the left hand drive model and modify it... All continentals are made that way because the market for right hand drives are too small to have it manufactured that way. When the car is LHD, it drives on the right hand side of the road. Roads in Europe are slanted slightly towards the right for the water to flow away when it rains. All cars are made to pull a little to the left to compensate for the slant, which is a standard bushing part used. They don't have the bushing for RHD models. Don't ask me why... they just don't have it. When the cars are being modified to the RHD market, plus our roads are slanted slightly towards the left for the water to flow away, we get a big pull to the left. This applies to ALL European cars as they did nothing to overcome this problem. So, the only way to rectify it is to go to a good tyre shop who understands this problem and get them to toe in the front caster so that the car feels straight. My car feels straight on an even road but there is still a slight pull to the left when the road is slanted, especially on highways. Generally, I am happy with this, as this is the best they can do.

Running your PUG 308

I was away from 2nd to 24th June 2009, while working overseas. My 308 GT was parked in my house and the engine was started once or twice a week by my family members. After coming home from the 3 week working stint, I began to face a few problems with the car. Here are the list below:-

1) All 4 tires have been deflated quite badly. The TPMS worked well, telling me all 4 tires needs to be pumped.

2) I received an error in my MFD stating that there is an Error with the Engine. When I sent it back to KS, the computer printout states that the turbo pressure was too high. They reset the computer, and 2 days later, the same problem occurred. This happened when I started the engine, after warming up a little, I rev the engine to 6000rpm.  But after driving for 10 days, the problem was gone...

3) DRL light bulbs blew. I first bought a pair from Brothers for RM 9.50, and it blew again after just 5 days. This time, I bought the 2nd pair from Giant for RM 3.99 and changed them without touching the bulb with my bare hands. I used a cloth to change the bulb. Its been 4 days, and its working fine.

I am away again overseas. My dad (73 years old) has volunteered and insisted that he drive my car around for the next 4 weeks. He took my car yesterday, and seems to be handling it fine. Lets pray that he will be able to handle the car properly for the next 1 month.

Checklist for new delivery

This is a checklist of things you need to check before you collect your new car. This list was compiled by Autopug from the Autoworld forum. Some items does not apply for the 308 but for the 407 models.

anti theft nut

yellow tweezer (ask SA to show you how to use it. but it is mentioned in manual so if he doesn't know, no worries)

wiper

windscreen water

seat belt

seat adjuster (whether your power or manual assisted lever works)

glove compartment

aircond - dual zone and climate control

head light

rear light

seat belt light

vanity mirror light

reading light

signal light

brake light

fog light

Moonroof (check the slider if its working)

Windows (that its working)

Keys (both keys should be able to start the car)

Seats (please ensure there are no holes in the seat)

Mats, make sure they are clean and neat.

lights and rain sensors, make sure they are working

tyre (comb thro' all 4 tyre threads), also check the manufacturing date of the tyre.

tyre pressure (usually they are over inflated. so bring to the nearest station to measure or deflate the tyre to the correct pressure. i usually go to shell since they have this digital gauge)

rim (check for any scratch or dent)

radio, cd player, mp3, USB port and iPod (and the firmware has been updated to the latest version). bring along a thumbdrive and mp3 disc for checking. for iPod you must have the Aux cable.

gps (this is updated and loaded into your software and he/she gives you the password and ID) This is for 407 model only.

chassis number (match against road tax)

road tax expiry (it is 1 year instead of half year)

reg card (if this is loan, then you should get a copy and then match details against the relevant documents)

alignment (can only check this when you drive)

check the mileage before acceptance

check body for scratches

Owner's manual, Warranty booklet.

one more to add, insurance cover note.

Once you sign the dotted lines.... it means you accepted the car as it is... please check through properly...

Reset Service Indicator

Normally, once your car needs to be serviced or, if the countdown on your dashboard tells you its time to service your car, a spanner comes out as a reminder. 

If you don't want to go back to your service centre and decide to service the car on your own, this his how you can Reset the Service Indicator on the 308.

Procedure to Reset Peugeot Service Light as follows:

1. Switch the Ignition Off

2. Press and hold the tripmeter (mileage reset) button on the dash

3. Now switch the ignition to the ON position

4. Keep the button pressed for 10 seconds

5. The display will read '0' and the service symbol will extinguish. Job done.

Sun and Surf

This is another good article from Sun and Surf about the 308 GT

CLICK HERE

Paul Tan's review of the Peugeot 308 GT

You can find it here

CLICK HERE

Engine of the year 2007,2008 & 2009!!!

 The Peugeot 308 GT has a powerplant that is not just another engine. This engine has won the 1.4 - 1.8 liter engine of the year award for 3 consecutive years in a row.  WOW! This is great to know that this car is powered by the best in its class.

BMW/PSA Peugeot Citroën’s jointly developed turbo petrol engine has taken top honours for the third consecutive year in the 1.4-litre to 1.8-litre category, despite the arrival of the all-new Toyota Prius powertrain, which was an early favourite in this class.  Dan Vardie from Autoshow in Romania is one the judges who gave the Mini Cooper S heart top marks: “This is a great, small sporty engine, with an environmentally-friendly stop/start feature. It means the car is supple and fun to drive on winding roads, but is just as good in town.”  Meanwhile Dean Slavnich, co-chairman of the IEOTYA, added: “This engine represents one of the finest examples of engine downsizing.”  Featuring innovative stop/start technology on BMW models, jurors from all regions were once again won over by this powerful yet frugal motor. As Marc Noordeloos from Automobile in the USA explains, “This engine provides a wonderful balance of power and economy. It may lack the character of the old supercharged engine in the Mini Cooper S, but the dramatic drop in fuel consumption makes up for it.”  Made from light alloy, the 175bhp unit, which powers not only the Cooper S but also the Mini Clubman and Peugeot 207 and 308 models,  features a twin-scroll turbocharger, gasoline direct injection, twin overhead camshafts, roller-type drag arms that have been optimised for minimum friction, and hydraulic valve play-compensation elements.  All this technology means not only plenty of power – and let’s not forget the 260Nm that is maintained from 1,500rpm to 5,000rpm – but also an average fuel consumption of 6.9 litres/100km (40.9mpg) for non stop/start engines. Since its introduction in 2006, more than 150,000 units of this engine have been produced and next year the 1.6-liter turbo heart from BMW and PSA Peugeot Citroën will prove to be even more popular with the launch of the Mini Cross.

 

       RESULTS  

	points
1. BMW-PSA 1.6-litre Turbo (Mini Cooper S, Clubman,  Peugeot 207, 308)	253
2. Toyota Hybrid 1.8-litre (Prius)	198
3. Audi 1.8-litre TFSI (Audi A4, A3, A5, TT, Seat León, Altea,  Toledo, Skoda Octavia, Superb, VW Passat)	184
4. Mercedes-Benz 1.8-litre turbo (BlueEfficiency E-Class)	135
5. Opel 1.6-litre turbo (Corsa, Astra, Insignia)	59
6. Fiat Diesel 1.6-litre JTD (Alfa Romeo Mito, Fiat Bravo,  Lancia Delta)	56

Collector's Item

I just got news that Nasim will not be importing in any more Peugeot 308 GT here in Malaysia. They have brought in 10 units, and apparently till date, about 6 is sold. This would mean that this car will be a collector's item here in Malaysia.

I've also checked that countries like Singapore and Australia does not have this model too. Its quite a rare car then, and I am pretty lucky to own one..

Directional Headlights

One of the few things that really amazes me is the Directional Headlights on the Xenon headlamps that comes standard on the 308 GT. Not only does the lights seem very bright, it will also move towards the direction that you turn on your steering wheel. If you turn left, the lights will turn left. If you turn a little, the lights will move a little also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joP7NykzMd8

Here is a video that was taken by Andy 4 months ago that illustrates the technology of the directional headlights on the 308 GT

Advantages & Disadvantages of the Moonroof

There are many people who are interested in the new batch of 308 THP here in Malaysia which will come with the moonroof as illustrated in my picture here. However, there were debates about its advantages and disadvantages of having a moonroof.

Firstly, let me explain that the moonroof is just a window that cannot open, unlike the sunroof, which can be opened for air/wind to come into the cabin. The moonroof only has a  slider from the back to cover the glass and all the air conditioning is kept within the cabin of the car.

The moonroof is bigger than the sunroof. Since the sunroof has the option of it being able to open for air, there are a few disadvantage that the sunroof will face.

1) leaking, once the seals are worn out, sunroofs does face this problem.

2) if you forgot to close it, and it starts to rain or if birds decide to make POO, you will have lots of cleaning to do.

Since the Moonroof does not have the option of allowing the air to enter, especially in the Malaysian climate, you will still have good cabin air conditioning being circulated within. Moonroofs don't have the leaking problem. And, it makes the car feel more spacious once its opened.

These are the disadvantages that I felt applies by having a moonroof.

1) Feels hot if its opened during a hot day

2) Too glaring during mid day

3) got to pay extra to get the moonroof version

However, the advantages are as follows:-

1) I have it and you don't syndrome (Feels good)

2) Feels more spacious

3) Kids just love it!! They can see the aeroplanes flying above clearly.

4) Very romantic if you are dating at night

5) People in buses stare at you and your car at a traffic light

6) Its a WOW factor!

Well, heard you only got to pay less than RM 3000 for the moonroof version on the THP. I would say, its damn cheap as the entire moonroof system was rated to be at least RM 15,000 more.

Only the high end cars have this feature, and its definitely a great feeling to have it on your car!

So, come join me to be one of the few who has this in Malaysia...

Tire pressure sensors quoted from http://www.sensorsmag.com/sensors/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=444828

Powering Tire Pressure Sensors

In the interest of improved safety (and better gas mileage), tire pressure monitoring systems will soon be mandatory on cars. The challenge is how to power them.

A 1977 study at Indiana University estimated that 260,000 vehicle crashes occurred each year in the United States because of underinflated tires (out of a total 18 million crashes for all reasons). In November 2000, Congress enacted the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation Act (TREAD), in part due to the more than 250 fatalities linked to underinflation of Firestone tires on Ford Explorers. TREAD mandated tire pressure sensors (TPS) on all new passenger vehicles and light trucks; many new vehicles come equipped with these devices and all vehicles are required to have them by September 2007.

TPS warn drivers of underinflation, leaks, and the loss of air pressure that occurs naturally; tires typically lose about 1 psi each month due to natural permeation, losing more in warm weather. In an under-inflated tire the sidewalls will flex excessively creating high temperatures that degrade the tire and make failure more likely.

It is ironic that, with all the sophisticated technology in today's vehicles, tires are one of the last systems to be instrumented. For decades sensors have existed to measure parameters such as oil pressure, coolant temperature, and electrical output. More recently, sensors have been added for seat belts, environmental systems, road temperature, back-up indicators, GPS locators, and other functions. While all of these systems are important, most of them do not have the direct impact on safety that tire sensors do. A recent survey by the Car Care Council found that about half of all vehicles inspected had improperly inflated tires. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that TPS systems on all vehicles would prevent about 120 fatalities per year.

The Challenges
The chief challenge to measuring tire pressure is the simple fact that the tire is rotating at high speeds and making a direct connection to a rotating tire is difficult. The tire is also exposed to unexpected hazards, water, and road chemicals and subjected to centrifugal forces that try to pull it off the wheel. All this in temperatures that can reach well over 100°F in summer and far below 0°F in winter. TPS systems must be designed to handle these harsh conditions and to meet four key requirements: They must secure the sensor in the tire or wheel, provide power to the sensor, extract data from the sensor, and display the information to the driver.

Securing the sensor in the tire or the wheel is the easiest condition to meet. Pressure sensors that can withstand the conditions in a tire are already available at reasonable cost. The real challenges are the next two—getting power to the sensor and extracting data from the sensor to the display. The most practical and cost-effective method of extracting the data from a rotating tire is to use a wireless signal and wireless communication has become the standard for TPS systems. In the complete package, the sensor measures the tire pressure and the circuit transmits it as a radio signal to the display for the driver. Power is typically supplied with a battery contained in the TPS package. A popular wheel-mounted TPS package is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Wheel-mounted TPS system manufactured by Siemens VDO Corp.

The small wireless transmitter in a TPS system is similar to that used in an auto key fob to lock your car. In the TPS system, it sends data from the rotating tire to the display reader. The antenna is located in the valve stem so that it is slightly outside of the wheel. This antenna design is an attempt to prevent the metal wheel from blocking too much of the signal.

TPS systems are designed to send a signal directly from the sensor on each wheel to a receiver and display the data for the driver. For cost reasons, a single receiver is preferred. This means that the signal from the TPS must be strong enough to overcome the attenuation and signal loss caused by the mass of the car. This requires a high-power circuit and larger battery. However, a large battery increases both size and cost and adds weight that must be balanced.

Battery life in TPS systems can be quite variable. Batteries can last for a reasonable time period when the transmitter is managed on a duty cycle and when everything goes right. However, batteries may not always last as long as expected. In many TPS systems, changing the battery requires replacing the entire sealed sensor package. Estimates of the cost to consumers for TPS maintenance run from a few hundred dollars to a thousand dollars over the life of the system.

Battery Alternatives
There is a great deal of interest in alternatives to batteries for TPS systems. One of the most attractive options is to capture energy from the moving tire with what are called "energy harvesters." A simple example of an energy harvester is the modern generator, or alternator, used in all vehicles. It is usually connected to the engine by a belt and as it turns it transforms some of the mechanical energy of the engine into electricity.

We believe that the best candidate for energy harvesting in TPS systems is the piezoelectric effect. Piezoelectric (PZ) materials can convert some of the vibration of the tire into electricity that is then stored in a capacitor and used to power the TPS system on the desired duty cycle. Potential advantages include:

• Longer life—an energy harvester could last as long as the vehicle
• Smaller size—a harvester could be smaller than a battery
• More rugged
• Lower cost—harvesters will be competitive with current batteries
• Less maintenance—harvesters will not normally need to be replaced
• No switch required for energy harvesters—batteries must be turned off when the vehicle is stationary and require a switch and motion sensor. PZ harvesters do not require this
• Lower environmental impact—harvesters are more environmentally benign when compared to the multiple batteries that would be required over the life of the vehicle

Unfortunately, energy harvesters also have one big disadvantage—they're difficult to manufacture. While PZ harvesters have been around in low-cost products, such as lighters, for a long time it is both difficult and costly to build a small, rugged system suitable for powering a TPS. Let's examine the anatomy of the device.

Anatomy of a Piezoelectric Energy Harvester
As shown in Figure 2, a TPS energy harvester is a beam of PZ material bonded to a metal conductor to form a bimorph. The bimorph is fixed at one end and free to vibrate along its length like a tuning fork. The electric current generated from the PZ material as the bimorph vibrates is captured by electrodes.

Figure 2: A basic piezoelectric bimorph

A piezoelectric energy harvester usually consists of five basic design elements: A PZ ceramic material, typically a lead-zirconia-titania compound called PZT; conductors to carry the current, typically silver, gold, or aluminum; an insulating mount to hold the bimorph firmly in place; an open space for the free end of the bimorph to vibrate (typically air); and a package, typically ceramic or metal, to protect and hold the device.

All of the above elements need to be bonded into a strong package no larger than the batteries currently used in tire pressure sensors, which are somewhat smaller than a quarter coin but only about half as thick. This presents a challenge for conventional manufacturing techniques.

Manufacturing Methods
The design requirements of a PZ energy harvester could be met by using a layered manufacturing process, creating layers of both ceramic and metal simultaneously and leaving spaces where necessary. Approaches such as rapid prototyping can be used to create models of PZ harvesters, but not actual working parts. So far, successful assembly has relied on hand assembly and machining.

EoPlex has developed a relatively new process that is capable of manufacturing PZ harvesters. This high-volume technology builds parts in layers, but can produce thousands of parts simultaneously from many different materials. These parts include active elements (e.g., circuits, catalyst beds, mixing chambers, capacitors, and piezoelectric actuators) that are produced in one step.

The EoPlex method uses printing as a forming tool, with proprietary printing pastes or "inks" acting as the building blocks to create the 3D structure.

An EoPlex printing paste looks similar to a thick-film paste or a solder paste, and consists of engineered mixtures of inorganic powders, which create the final structure, and an organic portion, which acts as the liquid carrier, allowing the paste to be printed.

The inorganic portion of the paste is composed of a careful distribution of fine ceramics, glasses, metals, and modifiers that are sintered or fired together. Since these materials are all fired in the same part, the process is called cofiring. Not all material combinations can be cofired. For example, tungsten, a high-temperature metal that requires a firing temperature of 1500°C, cannot be used with tin, which melts at about 230°C. Other materials may not be candidates for cofiring due to mismatches in thermal expansion or other properties.

The organic compounds used are proprietary blends of binders, polymers, dispersants, viscosity and surface modifiers, and other additives. These organic materials allow EoPlex engineers to create printing pastes that cure quickly between layers, carry very high loadings of the inorganic powders, print to high accuracy, and sinter to very high density during the firing process.

For components with complex open areas we use special printing materials calledfugitive, negative, or sacrificial pastes that are designed to disappear at some point in the process. Fugitive pastes are printed like the other materials and are used to form complex structures within the part. During postprocessing, the fugitive structure is removed to leave a 3D structure of channels, chambers, and spaces. Good fugitive materials exhibit highly complex chemistry. Fugitive printing inks must do all of the following simultaneously:

• Print crisply and precisely
• Cure instantly to allow other layers to be printed without distortion or "smearing"
• Expand and contract with changes in temperature by an amount similar to the other materials in the structure
• Bond well with other materials, including conductors, ceramics, metals, and glasses
• Disappear cleanly, without leaving behind any residue, ash, or contaminants
• Be able to diffuse through the walls of the part without requiring a vent
• Not create any significant stresses during removal

The requirement to maintain low stress on the part during fugitive removal is critical. Any pressure generated by the fugitive will normally occur at a relatively low temperature before the ceramic and metal precursors have reacted. As a result, the structure will be weak and can be damaged by the pressure of the escaping fugitive, unless the process is carefully controlled.

Building an Energy Harvester
The process is a good match for the requirements of a PZ energy harvester. For this application it will use five different proprietary printing materials including a tough ceramic for the outer package, a PZT material to generate electricity, and a series of conductors and contacts to collect and carry the charge (Figure 3).

Figure 3. An EoPlex energy harvester design

This energy harvester has two piezoelectric layers that are bonded to three metal layers to provide power as the beam vibrates up and down. A mass has been built into the beam to tune the arm to the available vibrations in the tire and generate more energy. The assembly is housed in a ceramic package with electrical contacts built into the top.

To build this part, EoPlex starts with the CAD model, which is sliced into a set of layers according to specific design rules. These CAD slices are used to create print screens or masks, similar to those used in circuit board printing. Screens are produced for all positive images—which are printed with ceramic or metal paste—as well as all negative images, which are printed with fugitive paste. The number of screens and the variety of images per screen depends on the number of layers that the part is sliced into and the number of materials in each layer.

Parts are printed using commercial screen printers modified to deposit the proprietary inks. At the end of the process, we will have a full slab of parts consisting of hundreds of layers made up of different images and materials. A test panel of parts 18 by 18 in. is shown in Figure 4. A red dye has been added to the fugitive material in this panel for clarity.

Figure 4. An 18 by 18 in. panel of EoPlex parts. The red material is the dyed fugitive compound

When the fugitive material is removed and the parts sintered, the parts emerge separately and no cutting is required. In Figure 5, four different demonstration parts are shown with the dyed fugitive material still present (left) and with the fugitive material removed and the full parts revealed (right).

Figure 5. The demo parts on the left show the dyed fugitive material still present while those on the right show the parts after the fugitive material has been removed

EoPlex currently develops energy harvesters for tire pressure sensors and other applications. The company also uses these same techniques for fuel cell components, microreactors, thermal management systems, and advanced circuits.

We are pleased to see that tire safety, fuel economy and the risks of underinflation are being aggressively addressed. This technology, unheard of 30 years ago when the 1977 Indiana study was done, has evolved to accommodate the development of TPS systems. We're delighted to help advance that technology even further.

Penang 15th May 2009

Klang to Penang- Toll to Toll

Left Klang NKVE toll this morning at 4:27am.

Passed Tapah R&R at 5:17am (50 mins)

Passed Gua Tempurung at 5:27am (1 hour)

Reached Ipoh Toll at 5:37am (1 hour 10 mins)

Reached Sg Perak R&R and rested 10 mins for toilet break at 5:50am (1hour 23 mins)

Left Sg Perak at 5:58am

Started raining in Taiping area, slowed down.

Reached Juru Toll 6:44am

Reach Penang Bride Toll at 6:55am (2 hours 28 mins from Klang NKVE toll)

Petrol used 3/4 tank. Top speed 220km/h. Average cruising (no rain) 180km/h-200km/h. Average cruising (rain) 130km/h. 

Pictures by Mr Kevin Han

Kevin Han is one of Malaysia's most remarkable photographer. These are pictures that he took during our session in Putrajaya. 

Playing around in Putrajaya 10 May 2009

Here are some pictures taken by my colleague of the 308GT around Putrajaya.

However, another set of pictures by Mr Kevin Han will be posted up here in probably a few weeks time.

Do enjoy the pics as we did enjoy taking them.
We parked the car in the middle of the road, there were traffic but very little cars passing. In fact, we parked the car at the wrong direction of the traffic. Risky, but... since there were not many cars moving... we were quick to get the shots we wanted.

How does twin scroll turbocharger work?

Twin scroll turbine housing. The TST housing derives its name from the geometry of the exhaust gas inlet into the turbine. Two different-sized scrolls are generally used, a primary and a secondary. Typically, the primary is open for low-speed operation, and both for high-speed use. This creates the ability of the TST to be a small A/R housing at low speeds and a large A/R at higher speeds.

TST designs are of merit in that they offer a better combination of low-speed response and high-end power. It would be difficult to configure the unit to control boost by effectively varying A/R. A wastegate is therefore still necessary to control boost pressure. Simplicity of the twin scroll turbine housing is its big selling point.

[Source- "Maximum Boost" by Corky Bell]

1 tank of Fuel trip from Klang to Kepala Batas, Penang and BACK!!

Today is one of the most interesting day with the 308 GT. I was trying to achieve to drive from Taman Bayu Perdana, Klang (which is near Pandamaran), all the way to Kepala Batas in Penang... and BACK...., with just ONE tank full of petrol!! Woah!! The Petrol attendant said its NOT possible....

So, this was a challenge... and there were four of us in the car when we set off at 9am in the morning.

We had to swivel in the Klang jam for a while before hitting NKVE. When I hit NKVE, I set the cruise control at 110km/h and we cruised all the way up to Ipoh, when one of us, had to take a leak... so, we all followed. 

By the time we reached Kepala Batas at around 1pm, the car was just about half tank of fuel, clocking 404.6 km. That moment, I was confident that we could reach back Klang with 1 tank of fuel. I went for my meeting, and by the time we wanted to head back, it was already 6pm. I kept to my composure of not wanting to accelerate hard to save the fuel and achieve what I have never achieved before. Believe me, its hard when you have the urge to just want to accelerate and feel the power. I drove slowly and kept to my discipline and with four of us again... we drove back also keeping to the 110km/h speed limit which I set on my cruise control.

On the way back, we decided to stop by Ipoh to have the Bean Spout and chicken rice. I was thinking whether its possible to meet our goal if we detour into Ipoh, which we will move into slow traffic and lots of traffic lights. However, we had nice chicken rice in Ipoh City.

Finally, our stretch back to Klang was again set at 110km/h all the way. By the time I reached back Klang town, the fuel warning light started to beep. I clocked 783.0km with 1 tank of fuel and yet, I had another 110km to go with the balance of fuel in the tank. Looking at the trip computer, I have done a 6.5l/100km which is equvalent to 15.38km/l with 4 people in the car and aircon all the way and back.

This is indeed a great fuel consumption on the 1.6 turbo engine running constantly (95% of the time) at 110km/h.

Trying to attempt - Port Klang to Penang and back WITH ONE TANK OF FUEL!!

Tomorrow, will be an interesting trip for me to Penang. I will try to drive from Port Klang, along NKVE, all the way to Kepala Batas, which I will have a meeting... and back with 1 full tank of fuel only. Estimated distance is 850km.

Do you think its possible on the 308GT?? 

Touch Screen Pioneer Player for the Peugeot 308

I stumbled in Youtube this interesting player that is fixed in a Peugeot 308.

I wonder if it can be done here in Malaysia.

CLICK HERE

VIDEO - GT compared to THP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvrGS7n_1a8

ok.. the above video is done in the morning when I just woke up so... excuse my scruffy look.

The remaining things that I didn't mention in the video are:-

1) Directional headlamps - the move left and right according to where you turn

2) Headlamp washers

3) Front parking Sensors

Pulling to the LEFT problem..

I've been always getting the pulling to the left problem with the Peugeot 308. Its a right hand drive and people from Nasim even told me that the problem is normal as the car is built for left hand drive and there is a bushing issue where these cars are built to be slightly pulling to the left as the roads are tilting towards the right, on the right lane.

However, because we are driving on the left hand side of the road, plus the roads here are tilting to the left, plus the car is built to pull a little to the left, we end up having a 308, pulling to the left issue in Malaysia.

I spoke to Raymond, who owns a 308 THP during our last TT session and he told me that the Pirelli guys in Glenmarie solved his pulling to the left issue. I was determined to solve my problem too, so I took a stroll there today and spoke to the nice people there.

They told me that many 308 came and had the same problem. So, they started working on my car.

First, they took a test drive around the block. Confirmed, the car is pulling to the left.

Second, they did the alignment. 

Third, they rotated the tires. As my car just hit its 10,000km, it was time for a rotate anyway.

They also did wheel balancing.

Finally, they delivered the car and told me it was a  camber issue, so they toe in a little and the car will be even better as time goes. I really don't know what that means.

However, I took the car for a drive and I was really amazed that the car is moving straight when I let go of the steering wheel.

I am glad that its straight now. The damage? RM 32 for wheel balancing and RM 45 for alignment.  For RM 77.00 I think it was worth it...

I would recommend those with this problem to pay them a visit. The Pirelli shop is located at the corner right in front of the entrance to Nasim Glenmarie. Its called Goh Swee Hin (KL) Sdn Bhd.

Good Luck and cheers! 

11th April Peugeot TT session

We ended up in Puchong, ABC Mamak as the Awan Besar R&R was packed and it was raining as well.

The PCM committee had a small discussion about the activities that we are going to organise for 2008.

It was a great turnout as we had more than 28 people who attended the TT session.

Peugeot Club Malaysia AGM - 29th March 2009

An eventful meeting was held on the 29th March 2009 at the Naza Boardroom in Jalan 51A/221, Petaling Jaya with 25 members attending. 

An election was done and AbangK and Pumbaah was reelected as President and Vice President for another term. Paramjit was also reelected as the treasurer. Black Dolphin (Andrew) is now the new Secretary while EPang (Eugene) is the Vice Secretary. I can't remember who were the other committee members but Andy and myself were elected in.

This year, we hope to have a better team of committee to spice up more activities for the Peugeot owners here in Malaysia. Another committee meeting will be called to address the issues and activities for the coming year.

Some of the activities discussed were Track Day in Sepang, A Day at the beach (Family Day), More TT sessions, Kuala Kelawang challenge, A trip to Gurun (Naza Factory), Bowling Day etc but nothing is confirmed until our next meeting.

We do hope to see more new members join in the club, especially the 308 and 407 owners.

Peugeot 308 GT hitting 220km/h

I tried hitting top speed with my car today but only managed to clock 220km/h as there were traffic around. This is the video of it.

The car still feels very stable at that speed. I will have to conclude that this car is very well engineered. 

The pickup from 200km/h towards hitting 220km/h is not bad too. Enjoy the short video!

If you cannot see it up here... click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P86OMbszG0

Cars Bikes and Trucks pullout 1st March 2009

OK... this is the final pullout print from the interview which was out last Sunday. Just a small portion of me and my car. OK la.. got 2 pictures there...

Interview by NST Cars, Bikes and Trucks section for Nasim's VISIONS

Today, I was interviewed by Dinesh, an automotive Reporter from the New Sunday Times' Cars, Bikes and Trucks section. They are publishing for Nasim's (Peugeot Distributor in Malaysia) VISION magazine.

Apparently, the publication will be out this weekend.

Here is a picture of this morning's section of the car.

1st Service

I hit 2200km today. Sent the car in back to Kheng Soon for the first checkup. It took only about 45 mins before the car was ready. Still did not get my manual and service book yet. Wonder how long will Nasim get it ready?

Test Trip Part 1

Today, I took a day to go around some very interesting roads which I could test the car. There were 4 adults and 1 kid in the car. They were my dad, Cindy (my wife), Musri (maid), Yongene (son) and myself.

We started from Klang at 930am, went to Puchong for breakfast. After that I drove to Kajang and then to Semenyih and from there, went towards Kuala Kelawang in a small and windy and hilly road. We stopped in Titi (a town) for a drink after Yongene vomitted due to too much windy roads. It was then I realised that I will not be able to test my car's road handling performance. We continued our journey and went towards Karak and then, heading to Bukit Tinggi for Lunch at 330pm. After lunch, we left Bukit Tinggi uphill towards Genting Sempah.

This is something I really did not expect. I set the car on cruise control at 110km/h, 6th gear, 19 degrees aircon, with 5 of us in the car and the car just went all the way up effortlessly without dropping even 1km/h. The car really has lots of power. 

I then drove up the Genting road overtaking all the cars in front of me. Obviously, the GT has so much power that most cars couldn't even catch up with going uphill. We spent the evening in Genting and then drove down towards Klang which we were stuck in Batu Caves for a while due to Thaipusam.

Overall, I covered 397 km with a full tank in the beginning of the trip. The fuel indicator still have 40% of fuel and the trip computer indicated that I could still travel 360km with the balance of fuel. Its a 60 litre tank... you do the calculations...

Fuel consumption at 80 km/h

I was testing the 308 GT today as I was not getting very good fuel consumption due to the fact that I was pushing the car to its limits for the last 3 fuel tanks.
So, to prove the critics wrong about the fuel consumption of the car, I decided to put the car on cruise control at 80 km/h, at 6th gear with 18 degrees of air-conditioning and cruise along the highway. I manage to get below 5 litres per 100 km of consumption which is equavalent to more than 20 km per litre of fuel.
For a 1.6 engine car, that is quite an achievement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbS-kCIl7Uw

The arrival of my Peugeot 308 GT

After much anticipation, the car was delivered yesterday at 5pm. The people in Kheng Soon Service were extremely friendly and walks the extra mile just to ensure that I get the car before Chinese New Year.

I took the car to the local tire

shop as I found that the car was not handling properly. They found that one of the Pirelli tire is out of shape. Its a manufacturing problem. I spoke to Ismik from Kheng Soon, the Peugeot dealer here and he is willing to change a tire for me. However, since this car is fully imported, we also found out that this tire is not available in Malaysia. However, Ismik told me he will forward the problem to France and get it rectified for me but it might take a while. I am very happy with the friendly service from this Peugeot dealer. They are really nice people.

The car generally is very powerful. I am quite amazed with the parking sensors which even warns you of objects when you come too close to them, even on normal gears and not reverse gears. There is this graphical illustration of how close the object is at the centre of the Multimedia Interface. Wow... that is really something I didn't expect it could do.