Friday 17 August 2007

PROTON PESONA

I may not like the way my country is being run by the last PM and the present PM but please do not get me wrong, I love my country. I love things Malaysia but being a consumer I do not like to be cheated.

I saw in Acciacatura's blog a picture of the new car PESONA. Is it pesona or persona? Ah, whatever. It looks nice but definitely not LATEST. The Gen2 looked quite okay when it was first launched but somehow not so nice now.

Let me relate my experience with Malaysian cars. My first Malaysian car was bought in October 1988. It was a Gerimis Grey 1.3 Saga Hatchback. I was so eager and proud to drive my very own Malaysian made car. After taking delivery of the car in Prai, I drove across the bridge to greet my wife who I was sure was eagerly waiting. Before the middle span which was about 8 kms from where I took my car, the speakers suddenly gave problems. I got sound only through 1 speaker while the other, like Malaysian government servants, decided to take a break. Along the way that lazy speaker comes alive only when it felt like it. My wife who only listens to music but couldn't differentiate Mono from Stereo had no complaints.

The next day I took the car back to the service centre and was given the address of a a distributor of Korean made appliances to look up the problem with my stereo system. At the distributor, they said that it wasn't the speaker but the main set that was at fault and duly changed it. On the way back I heard rattling sounds from the back and since I had not got on the bridge yet I made my way back to the service centre. After checking, they found out that they need to apply tape on something to absorb the rattles. Taped after only one day.

My next proton was a 1.5 saloon. I had no problems with the electronics or mechanics but one day a boy knocked his bicycle at low speed into my front door. You would have thought that i had a major accident by the look of the massive dent my front door carried.

My next new proton was a 1.5 Auto which gave me no problems since I used it for only a few months. I had to sell it when I got into USM on half pay to study.

After graduating, with debts to settle I could only afford a TIARA which cost me 36K. That was the biggest mistake I had ever made. It over heated many times. The aircond acted like the speaker I mentioned earlier and the spare parts were ridiculously priced. I mean, this is a cheap car. Only poor people like me would buy a cheap car. Poor people need cars that don't give them too much problems simply because they are poor. In this case the TIARA was priced and aimed at the poor but the spare parts sent shivers down my spine. Their justification was, the spare parts were French. I don't care if the spare parts were Mongolian just don't rob me. It just don't make sense. They sell it cheap and many poor people bought the cars and then they robbed us when servicing and replacing parts. What a caring National car maker. Just imagine the drive shaft cost me RM900 for a pair, the brake pads, RM250 and the oil-filter RM35.

To make matters worst about a year after making that bad buy, the brought the price down to 26K with full specs. After going about 5 years, and countless over-heatings, I decided to dispose of the car. I only got 8K for it.

I changed to 2 used wiras after that and than bought my present one a new 1.5 wira auto hatchback. Before even a year, my power window kaputed, my central locking a became bossy, the front bonnet was sometimes difficult to open and the boot acted likewise. The plastic whatever you call it at the front door fell off and had to be permanently riveted to the steel frame.

Now I see this PESONA and wonder what kind of problems would it give. I don't have any complaints with the engines since I know next to nothing about engines. My complaint is that they don't have quality control at PROTON. Hey, I am not the only one complaining you know. Their assembly is shoddy resulting in flooding and poor body alignments making boots and bonnets difficult to open and shut. The biggest complain is that the parts that they source out to local vendors are almost useless. First world infrastructure? Their plastic parts are inferior and the alarm systems and central locking systems and the power window units are simply fucked up.
The question is how could they accept these defective devices anyway. They know of the complains arising from these inferior devices but they just couldn't be bothered. Now they are whining about dwindling sales. If the PESONA is equipped with parts and devices from the same vendors and off the same quality it will go the way of the Gen 2 and Tiara. People buy because it is a novelty and when people hear complains about failing parts, devices and poor fixing, they may opt for more expensive foreign ones.

Common PROTON, if your officers are on the take by accepting inferior products from your vendors then sack them and terminate those useless vendors of yours. Buying a car is not like buying a lighter, it is a big investment and no one likes to get or feel cheated after investing so much. Wake up you idiots.

41 comments:

Mr. Right said...

Damn true. Everybody... ok, almost everybody have their own nightmare experience with national cars. I used to drive my family saga and my own wira. Never once I feel 100% sure that I will reach my destination. Takut je kalau-kalau enjin mati tengah jalan.

Off topic. Masa pelancaran hari tu, Mawi minta colour merah, wah demandind dia sekarang.

ardy said...

And they wonder why Proton is in bad debts!

I'm not sure how things are being done over there, but there is definitely something wrong with the management. The QC also seems to be closing one eye, that's why most all of the cars are defective.

You're lucky, I'm still driving my Tiara (and forking out a lot for repairs!)

Kerp (Ph.D) said...

and not to forget faulty auto wind-screens. baik wira baik waja. aku paling boring bila naik kereta tak boleh nak isap rokok. lagi2 time jam.

Unknown said...

Mr, Right
What to do itu saja family car yang aku mampu. Kalau nak tukaq lain pun kemungkinannya proton jugak la atau pun kali ni mungkin try MYVY pulak.

Unknown said...

Ardy,
They should know that it is the quality that is bogging them down. Improve on the quality and maintain the pricing I am sure over time sales will pick up.
Tiara? Itu memang nightmare on Elms Street bagi saya.

Unknown said...

Kerp,
I try to avoid hitching a lift in a no-smoking car. So inconsiderate to us poor smokers. The world sucks man. Everybody is against us smokers. We must fight back.

Kerp (Ph.D) said...

couldnt be more right la cikgu. i thought smokers r dying breed but actually no. only the percentage of non-smokers that increases.

i havent been in my brother's car for sometime cos i cant even smoke in it. he's such a geek. i'd rather use mobiliti, a public transport for wheelchair-user. i can smoke if i were the only passenger. how cool is that..hahha..

Unknown said...

Kerp,
Lets burn all anti-smoking literature and come out with our own.

monsterball said...

kata tak nak...So hard to get into your blog for few days..and also few others too.
Need to get programmer to check my system. I know you are not blogging me out...hahahahaha
Proton cars...I bought few for my staffs and am using perdua "kembara" and "kellisa" cars myself. I love those cars.The only Proton I like was my Knight and the Wira..both gave me good resale values.
Gen2 and Tiara are idiotic people with no brains to design such cars ..with no marketing skills...but with one track mind to attract ladies only..yet tall ladies are finding such a car so akward to get into it....totally no resale values.
hi KTN and all visitors here......Susan has achieved one million hits few hours ago.She is the first lady blogger to achieve that. Take care.

Unknown said...

Monty,
Thanx for informing me about Susan's mullionth hit and thanx for continuing to visit my blog.

Anonymous said...

haiz... bautan malaysia.. really suck la... very not happy to tis new car design la.. i saw the news paper.. tis car is design by 3++ person... i wander.. is tat they are not design but just slp there? it was totaly " gen 2 " wat... the look change abit oni... simply call 3++ person to " pull " the gen 2 bac side to make it longer and call it " pesona "?
1.6 engine car oni sell 4+k something??.. means it already " very " save cost to make tis la... must be another low quality car la i think......
if our country technology is not tat good compair to other but at less the design we can do better ma...
haiz...
i love my country.... but i wont buy any proton car
and one thing
perdua is much more better la compair to proton....

Unknown said...

Anonymous,
You are right, I saw the car in more detail today in one website and the design sucks. The interior has no class, it is a a hybrid of savvy and gen 2. What shit they are giving us. They always come out with obsolete designs. Look at Perodua. Why can't they learn from Perodua?

Anonymous said...

Tuan Nazir,

My missus is still driving her Proton Satria and in two months time, it will be ten years old. It never gave her any problems and the only times it cannot start in the morning is where the batteries are flat and dead. She used to ply KL-KLIA for 4 years, when she was with Flight Ops for MAS.

My first car was a 1.5I Megavalve Auto, when my father gave me the down payment upon returning from studies. It was a generous downpayment as my pay was very small (compared to peers who joined merchant banks) as I chose to start with an audit firm.

A year later I traded that for a Wira 1.6 Auto till after I got married, I joined a property development company and opted for a 4WD SUV (due to 'massive expansion' and work requirements).

When I joined a plc in 2002, as a GM, they issued me a Proton Perdana V6 (I had stingy owners!). I allowed my staffs to use the car and it heavily plied the North-South Highway diligently every week (sometime twice a week, end-to-end) as we had projects at every corners of Malaya.

I have had no problems what so ever with any of the Proton models, except for dead batteries and air conditioning ran out of gas etc.

If only my 'circumstances' would fit into a Proton, I'd go for it any time.

Unknown said...

BigDog,
Its been quite a while. Thanx for visiting. If only I could say the same about my experiences with protons. Do you know how many over-heatings I had despite religiously sticking to my service appointments? Sometimes I feel downright depressed and cheated, even with the WIRA. The engine is okay but not other things. I am particularly sore with the TIARA. For a cheap car with very2 expensive spare parts, it is very unbecoming of a national car. Don't they know that poor people can't possibly afford the ridiculous prices of spares for that cheap box car?
Thanx again for visiting. How's your daughter? Still blogging?

Anonymous said...

Salam Cik Gu

I must salute you Cik Gu, for still going for the national car after all the problems that you have accounted.
I have the same experienced with my first new car back in the 90s, a Proton Saga (Mema Engine) , I don't have any problems with the engine but the built quality is really shit to say the least.
I hope,no I do not want HOPE but demand from those in the big top of proton buck up. Don't cheat the people any more.

Anonymous said...

I guess I was lucky all these while with all the Protons that passed through my path. My wife's Proton Satria, despite the typical women negligence in her even to look occasionally under the hood, the car never fails (Occasionally, the car won't start because the battery is dry or something!). And for four years, she plied 80km daily to then newly opened airport in Sepang.

Yes she is still blogging. Thanks for asking.

So what happened to Man. Utd against Man City????

Hehehehehehhehehehehehehehehhehe :)

Anonymous said...

Kata Tak Nak, I had checked that persona 2 days ago. Here are some of my findings that might interest you and all.
1) It is an extended version of Gen2 no doubt.
2) That side mirror control located on driver's door. Careful if it rains heavily while you open the door. Short circuit lah.
3)If you have the chance , check out the rear passenger doors. You will notice the rubber seal liner from the door and the car body DO NOT MEET! If you close the door , there is an about 30 mm gap between the two liner ends. Definitely MASUK AIR when it rains heavily.
My findings on PROTON Centre Of Excellence service ? Teruk lah!

Unknown said...

Bru,
First its the car that I can afford and next, it is after all our own car, cheated or not.

Unknown said...

Biggum.
Yeah, rub it in. This is how I see myself, A Muslim, A Malay and A Manchester United fan in that order. 3Ms

Unknown said...

Banboo River,
Thanx for the info, since the hollidays have started I am thinking of looking the PESONA up, will look into what you have said. Its a Gen2 with a hard on.

Anonymous said...

haa... is me again.... i tell u guys.... i tell all my fen about the pesono degign..( call 3++ person to pull it and make it longer)...haha.. all fren agree...i hope u guy support my thinking...
even we din have the best technology
but at less we can get a good look design.....haha...
elric here

Anonymous said...

adui,walaupun dia punya lahir salah tapi jangan marah dia la.marah orang yang lahir dia la...stupid brain.design suck thing!!!lame shit!!!!i agree,,i love my country but i dont love country product!!!

aN_archi said...

I think Proton designers can learn a lot from the design of the Citroen 2CV a all time great classic. Check this series out :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd8klplbIAw&mode=related&search=

Anonymous said...

I love Malaysia as a country, its people and its multi culture society,but if come to quality of proton cars, i think a lot of improvements need to be done.
As a national car makers your product indirectly reflects the ability and commitment of a nation to produce a quality products, so don't shame all malaysian in the eye of the world by producing a low quality product.
Advice:Pls learn from japanese and german car manufacturer.

Unknown said...

Anonymous,
With the price of foreign cars sky high and the affordability of most Malaysians being as it is, Proton knows that it could get away with shoddy produce. What happens is that the people would rather suffer and pay more for quality foreign cars than suffer using a poor quality local car hence the drop in sales. To regain people's confidence takes a long time. Even if the Pesona is really good and up to mark, it still takes time to persuade Malaysians to shift back to the Proton label.

Anonymous said...

helo u guys..

i do not know much about cars, but i just recently get to really checkout the pesona. i terexcited tengok space kat bonet the car becuz the ngv tank in my ad resort is soooooooooooooo obvious, i started hinting my hubby about buying pesona. but then on second thought risau pasal buying a newborn car ni. do not know what problems that might occur. and lagilah after reading all the things u guys wrote.. *sigh*... i think i'll wait a while... ( hubby mesti happy..)

Unknown said...

Mommy Mikail,
Thats the right thing to do. You should wait a while and let the whole euphoria die down first. Then if the thumbs up is given, go a head a buy.

Unknown said...

They should named it GEN 3 instead of PESONA..it's not a new model but an upgrade version of GEN 2. Satria NEO is a better design...Proton people have no taste..no arts...

Unknown said...

Ferio,
Actually I kind of like the Neo but not the PESONA aka GEN3. Shit the nerve of those guys, trying to cheat people.

pedangsakti1809 said...

I wish proton QC people has some pride and dignity in doing their work. As it is they are just not amanah in earning a living, be a true muslim please and be accountable.

As for the Pesona/Persona or Gen3..do NOT gamble and buy one. Gambling is haram.

Myra said...

hello guys

Thanx for the info..
i do not know much about cars..tau pakai jer...
I am thinking of looking the PESONA..
Damn true... i think i'll wait a while..

Anonymous said...

Ya i agree. why don't proton make Satria Neo with sedan 4 doors? I think that will be nicer then current gen3/pesona... other than this, they need to improve the quality of the accessories & parts as well. or else ppl will not buy proton again!

cooknengr said...

There are pictures of Pesona with "two fuel gauge" in the same instrument clutter in Kuching, it is real ?

Anonymous said...

Susah-susah.. naik kereta sorong je lah... tak pun naik kereta lembu. Tak de ke kilang kereta lembu kat Malaysia ni?

Anonymous said...

Korang ni la. jangan nak kutuk ajer proton ni, tau la proton ni ada banyak isu. usia pun muda lagi, baru je menjangkau 20 tahun dalam bidang automotif ni, korang kena faham la, jurutera dalam proton ni banyak yang belajar sendiri, sampai bila nak menuntut ilmu yang dah 'ketinggalan' dari mamat2 kat jepun tu. takkan dah 20 tahun pun nak 'merangkak' lagi, sekrang la proton kena bangun. dah nama pun 'muda' banyak la salah silapnye. macam korang la jugak, tipu la kalo korang cakap masa muda2 dulu korang tak penah buat salah dan silap, tak kira la dengan mak bapak atau sesape pun. nak bangunkan satu2 model kete ni bukan senang, nak buat satu jenis pintu kete pun perlukan modal yang besar, yelah walaupun orang kutuk macam tin melo la, apa la, tapi kalo dah rakyat Malaysia tu sendiri takda semangat patrotisma utk beli barangan buatan Malaysia, macamana proton nak hasilkan suatu yang berkualiti pada harga yang rendah. maknanye, lagi banyak korang beli, lagi rendah lagi harga barang tu, ada faham?-ni asas maa..mustahil la tak faham. proton sekarang ni, masih lagi 'belajar' dalam peringkat 'cuba dan jaya' atau bagi mana2 mamat yang tak menggunakan Bahasa Malaysia (try and error) dalam Bahasa Inggerisnye. jadi, dalam peringkat ni, proton kena la dapat sokongan penuh dari korang. dulu pun samsung dari korea tu ada reputasi buruk, dan hampir2 nak tutup syarikatnya, siapa yang selamatkan diorang kalo bukan rakyat diorang sendiri..korang tau tak perkara ni? tak ramai yang tau. sama juga macam daihatsu, toyota, mitsubishi dan nissan, masing2 ada sejarah kemajuan diorang. mana ada orang lahir2 terus ajer boleh berjalan, terus je oleh main piano, terus je boleh buat bom nuklear..mesti mau belajar dulu maaaa...sama la juga macam proton. kalo asyik nak komplen ajer, jangan beli kereta Malaysia, naik aje teksi, takpun naik basikal, kurang le sikit pencemaran alam, anak2 kecik pun sihat. ni belagak, orang nak pakai kete, korang pun nak pakai kete. sedarlah wahai rakyat Malaysia yang sombong.

Unknown said...

Anon,
Kalau kelemahan tu sebahagian daripada kelemahan yang biasa yang dialami oleh mana-mana pembuat kereta yang baru mula nak bertatih, buleh dimaafkan, tapi kalau kelemahan tu luar biasa seperti kronisme dalam melantik vendor yang takdak standad dan mau untung lebih saja, sapa nak tolak ansur. Masalah proton senang diatasi. Lantik vendor tanpa pilih bulu dan orang besar proton jangan pelahap duit dari vendor ni semua, maka berkualitilah kereta tu.

Anonymous said...

salam,

tu sebenarnya berpunca dari sikap amalan tak profesional yg telh menjadi darah daging org2 msia, di mana kroni dan sekutu dgnnya sentiasa mendapat priority tuk jadik vendor walaupun sparepart yg dijual tak bermutu. now i have my kancil, once i coming back to msia 2010, i opt for toyota..IF, proton still doesnt progress much..thats the way i show my protest!

Anonymous said...

I have no problem with the Proton. Currently I using a Satria, and I already convert around 80% to mitsubishi part included engine, interior and exterior..so my car 100% no prob..:)

Anonymous said...

salam....
aku kesian kat kebanyakan pemilik keta proton yang tidak bernasib baik. aku antara yang bernasib baik. first keta aku proton saga 2nd hand 1.3 orient, takder major problem. paling kuat pun driveshart bengkok setelah 5 tahun pakai.. keta 2nd tu.. pastu aku bagi keta tu kat adik aku. kate kedua, aku pakai tiara first keluaran. keta baru.. takder major problem gak.. paling kuat driveshaft rosak. tu pun dah pakai lebih 7 tahun.. tujuh tahun ye!! pastu abang aku nak beli dari aku, apalagi jual la.. keta ketiga aku keta iswara 1.3 a/b. tiga tahun dah aku pakai, takder major problem!! dah lebih 500K kilometer paling kuat pun ganti timing belt.. baru je ganti!! aku cadang nak bagi keta tu kat bapak aku pastu nak beli persona.. auto lah pulak.. aku harap nasib aku dalam memiliki/memilih keta proton masih baik.. syukur pada tuhan... adios!! amigoss!!!

Anonymous said...

kalau korang nak tau!! toyta(toyota) mase usia dia 20 thn!! mase pandu uji naik bukit tak kuat, undur balik.. tapi org jepun tetap beli toyta.. sebab nak support buatan negara sendiri(nipon).. tengok sekarang toyta dah boleh naik bukit, F1 pun dah masuk... he..he..he.. adios!!




lagi byk producktion utk satu2 model tu.. lagi rendah kos die.. cam model vios hampir mencecah satu juta unit setahun.. sebab tu boleh kasi murah.. tak murah sangau la..

Anonymous said...

Hi Cikgu, nice to know you .i had used this tiara car since 1996 , and still using it until today,and now gavernment want it for 5k , i wonder i am lucky or the once ,i had spend 13k for maintenance and repairing so far. Rm 1240 for a pair of Ricambi drive shaft ,Rm 360 to change key ignition lock ,Rm 420 to change the radiator tank , Rm 245 for signal switch ,i love my country , like u too , but for proton tiara ,i cry no tear.

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