Arguably the most anticipated car in the first quarter of 2005 in Malaysia, the E90 is truly a remarkable piece of automotive brilliance. Not only did it have the looks but also the handling and power to match it.
So when I was on my way to a Putra LRT station, my eye caught a 2005 Honda CR-V parked beside the road. As usual I couldn’t help but wonder what could have possibly prompted the owner to purchase such a bland looking vehicle? I admit the previous model was quite a catch and looked very appealing but in all logical sense, the newer model should, must be presented in a more enticing package. Sadly, it isn’t so in this CR-V case. The 2005 version looks boring and the least bit of exciting. You actually have to tell people that it is brand new or otherwise they wouldn’t know. Then I realized something else.
The CR-V is not the lone case in this country. There are many instances where the first time you lay your eyes on them you know it is a horrifying looking car and yet sales continue to venture into the thousands every three months. The best example would be the Hyundai Accent. It is so hideous I would get no nearer than 30 feet of it. How about the Hyundai Sonata? Many people say that it looks like the Jaguar XJ or X-Type. Well, those people are wrong. It TRIED to look like an XJ or an X-Type but failed miserably. It is fair to say the Sonata is for the people who couldn’t afford a brand new Jag but could settle for a poor imitation of it. Although the upcoming model does looks better but one couldn't help noticing too much resemblance to the Mazda 6. Setting Korean cars aside, let’s move to a premium car which in this case I would like to point out the new BMW 5 series. Again, the handling and luxurious features are truly in a class of its own but I must say the styling just couldn’t be more off. It looks so bulky. While the previous models emphasized on sleekness, this one just looks like a Sega Saturn rather than a Sony Playstation. While video gamers have a better sense in preferring the Playstation compared to the Saturn, the same couldn’t be said about BMW enthusiasts. They would buy anything with the BMW logo on it. Regardless of beauty or logical sense. And don't get me started on the 1 Series.
Moving back to our local market I would like to point out the Toyota Avanza. For the first quarter of 2005 this is the second highest selling vehicle in Malaysia, inclusive of imported and locally produced cars. The top rank belongs to the Proton Wira Aeroback 1.3 (A). The Avanza effectively beat, never mind the imported brands, but also the Waja, the Gen.2, the Kancil and the Kelisa. You should notice that in the road nowadays they are practically everywhere. And yet, when you look at them, I don’t think that the first thing that crosses your mind is, “Oh look at that! It’s so beautiful! I have to get one of those!”. The wheels are too small, the stumped rear is an eyesore, the bodywork looks more fragile than a Coca-Cola can and the worst part is Malaysians still buy them in the bucket loads because “they’re new”. Well, I’m pretty sure that tagline would only work in the first 6 weeks and then it just becomes another unattractive and uninspiring vehicle count. And when something ridiculous happens at large it is almost certain Americans are no so far off the picture. Chevrolet is launching a direct rival to the Avanza. It’s called the Spark. It’s going to be cheap, practical and hugely successful despite the fact that it looks like a high-strung bug.
After considering all this, I came to the obvious conclusion that Malaysians generally have a poor sense of taste when it comes to buying cars. Rather than accepting this fact throughout, I did a little survey of my own, just to prove my instincts that there are some of us who really know what makes a beautiful and worthy car.
So I began asking around some of my closest friends. The results were more than comforting. Of course, my male counterparts have no problems at all when it comes to automotive pristine. My schoolmate Gambit prefers the Aston Martin Vanquish. Jedeh thinks the Mazda RX-8 and Mazda 6 are a catch. Big Show likes the X5. Tomok fancies the Altezza. So with that settled, I moved to more daring grounds and asked the women. Since I suspect women don’t consider the styling of their vehicle among the top priorities in their lives compared to Dior's new line of make up or Chanel's Spring/Summer handbag collection. Should I come across a dodgy response, it would surely come from this group of people undoubtedly. Turns out I was wrong. Zalina thinks the new Porches were gorgeous. Jes wouldn’t mind driving around in a BMW or Merc Cabrio. Way back I remembered Sasa just fell in love the Porsche Cayenne, Aritha thinks the new VW Beetle cute and Regina practically drooled when the word R34 Skyline is mentioned.
All in all I think I am fortunate to have associates who know and appreciate beautiful cars. But what is the explanation behind all those 4-whell craps scattered everywhere on Malaysian roads? Well, one good reason I can think of is money. Malaysians, in general, prefer to shop, particularly with cars, with monetary factors in their minds. Hence, the Avanzas and purple colored Gen.2s. Also practicality, which explains the cargo-like Unsers. One couldn't really blame them but despite all this I still think Malaysians should improve on their sense of vehicle appreciation because just like any other investments, a good car is worth the money even though you have to spend a little extra for it. I am a firm believer of that. Fortunately, so does my father.
Malaysians still lack the knowledge of reliability, build quality and depreciation value when it comes to purchasing cars. Space and affordability are the ONLY points of concern. Sure, they will argue that all they want is something to get them from point A to point B. But what if after 6 months, that ‘something’ could only get you halfway through to point B because it broke down while on its way? What is by the time you return to point A, you found out the headlights suddenly went dead and you can’t travel around at night during the weekend because the spare parts shop will open only the coming Monday? Then comes the electric windows that wouldn't wind down, the hollow dashboard and the vibrating steering wheel everytime the speedometer reaches 80 km/h.
As a final word, I would like to hand out certain advices for those who are contemplating on acquiring a new car. Avoid the Skodas because they define ugly, avoid French cars because they’ll broke down even before you turn on the ignition, avoid the Hyundai unless it’s the Getz, avoid Chevrolets unless it’s the Aveo, Japanese makes are always reliable although styling can be a hindrance sometimes, Kias are no better than Proton or Peroduas and if you have a problem on how to chose a good looking car, bring along a 12-year0old boy and let him tell you which car he would like to be driven to school with without being feeling embarrassed. Previously owned cars which are more than 5 years old are bound to have problems. Those aged more than 10 years are likely to spend more time in the car repair shop than in your driveway in the first few months should you choose to purchase it. And you can figure out the costs.
(Clockwise from top right) Toyota Avanza, Chevrolet Spark, Honda CR-V, Toyota Unser, Hyundai Sonata, BMW 5 Series
No comments:
Post a Comment