Category: Car speak

BMW EfficientDynamics – Day 1

I love driving. Fast. My personal record was doing a 3-hour from Johor Bahru to Petaling Jaya, and I stopped for a nice lunch & two big scoops of Baskin Robbins for dessert. I’ve been a passenger in a rally car in action, doing 90kmh at a 90 degree corner…man, I live for things like these. Being in a really fast car doesn’t scare me, but being in a slow car driven by a n00b scares me more.

So I was damn excited when I was invited to be a participant of BMW’s Eco Bloggers Diesel Drive. The core of the drive was BMW’s EfficientDynamics concept. It’s a continuous strategy by BMW to reduce fuel consumption & emission levels (the Efficient part), while at the same time enhancing the vehicle’s performance and driving pleasure (the Dynamics part). Although it’s already a 10 year old concept, it’s only introduced to Malaysia recently with the availability of advanced diesel engines in October 2009.

#1 – Eco Bloggers Diesel Drive
BMW EfficientDynamics

Most people think that diesel cars are a nuisance to road users and the environment, with their dirty and smelly emissions but those days are bygones. With the advancement of engine technology and better quality diesel, diesel cars are on par with petrol cars, if not even better. There are concerns about its performance though, like its lack of horsepower. But horsepower is urm, horseshit. Ultimately, it’s the torque that a driver feels and the massive torque certainly makes up for the diesel cars’ low RPM. 3 letters to sum it up, F.U.N!!!

#2 – Sashi a.k.a The Man.
BMW EfficientDynamics

The day started at Mandarin Oriental with Sashi the corporate communications manager a.k.a The Man giving us the lowdown on EfficientDynamics. I only had about 3 hours of sleep so I didn’t absorb much of it. Sorry, Sashi. All I wanted was to get into the car and drive. My partner was ShaolinTiger. Then we adjourned to Dewan Filharmonik where all the cars we’re going to drive were decked out like superstars. Man, I felt like a superstar!

#3 – In front of Dewan Filharmonik, KLCC.
BMW EfficientDynamics

We were assigned car Number 1, a 320d Sports. Why is it called Sports? Well, it’s got a pimping M3 bodykit & suspension but it’s not really an M3. Apparently the 320d would hover above the tarmac and is unstoppable if driven in its default shell, hence the heavyweight M3 accessories to weigh it down so to speak. So wild, right?

#4 – With the 320d Sports.
BMW EfficientDynamics

Lo and behold, we’ve got police escort from KLCC all the way to Petronas in Mutiara Damansara! Thank you Petronas Dynamic Diesel!

Ivan Khong was our convoy leader. He is awesome! More about Ivan later in this post.

#5 – Ivan Khong.
BMW EfficientDynamics

ST was the first driver and we were flagged off. To be honest, I really wish I was driving this leg because driving with a police escort means you could go really fast with underprivileged mortals eye-ing you with envy from their boring vehicles, nyahahahhaa. It was truly an extraordinary experience!

#6 – Flagging off.
BMW EfficientDynamics

#7 – Police escort. I was in car Number 1, just behind the Lead.
BMW EfficientDynamics

You know the massive jam at the turnoff to LDP in TTDI? We got out of the jam in exactly 2 minutes and 56 seconds. Can you say WTF again? It felt realllllllllllllllly good, man.

#8 – Video of police parting traffic for us in the middle of TTDI

We reached Petronas Mutiara Damansara in record time. Then we were each given a RM40 Mesra vouchers which we spent on junk food and water.

#9 – Ivan pumping anti-foaming Petronas Dynamic Diesel into the beemer.
BMW EfficientDynamics

After getting the car ceremoniously refueled for the first and last time of the journey, we made our way towards Belum Resort in Pulau Banding by the Temenggor Dam.

#10 – To North South Highway.
BMW EfficientDynamics

It was a really fun drive, namely because of Ivan. He has the funniest vocabulary but is very strict! He has no qualms reprimanding us over the walkie-talkie for driving like assholes hehehe. I supposed if it weren’t for him, some of us would not have made it out alive. Case in point, Suanie who was almost killed by Eyeris. “Tickle the throttle” will forever be etched in my mind.

We swapped drivers a couple of times. Stopped by Ipoh for lunch and then made the last leg of the journey to Belum Resort. I got to drive up the winding, bending roads uphill to Belum Resort. I haz adrenaline!!!

#11 – Passing a bridge.
BMW EfficientDynamics

#12 – My lansi driving mug. I drive with one hand like Ah Beng one.
BMW EfficientDynamics

So the drive up the winding roads was awesome. I was determined to follow Ivan (lead car) and KY who was by now, in front of me. I was steady….till I reached this sharpass bend where I was going 140kmh and I was turning so much that my arse began sliding to the left and I was like eff this shit, I’m just gonna floor it. I made it and when I come into a straight road, I began to pussy out for the rest of the journey haha. Apparently the beemer’s Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) lights were blinking :P

And then we reached paradise….alive & kicking. They fed us with champagne.

#13 – Bubblies.
BMW EfficientDynamics

#14 – Belum Resort.
BMW EfficientDynamics

#15 – Obligatory camho picture.
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#16 – Obligatory hotel camho picture.
BMW EfficientDynamics

#17 – The beautiful room.
BMW EfficientDynamics

#18 – Another obligatory hotel camho picture.
BMW EfficientDynamics

We showered, rested for a bit and then it was dinner time.

#19 – The outdoor dinner area was so beautiful…
BMW EfficientDynamics

Huai Bin managed to find a jenga set and we proceeded to play drunken Jenga.

#20 – The Evil Jenga. That’s KY on the left before passing out.
BMW EfficientDynamics

#21 – Robb‘s lost count on his number of glasses.
BMW EfficientDynamics

As for myself, I don’t remember much of the night….

Stay tuned for Day 2!

Other bloggers:

Suanie
Eyeris
ShaolinTiger
KY
Huai Bin
Tey Cindy
Ringo
3iling
SaiMatKong

JGM 7620 is an effing retard.

This morning, I woke up happy and gay thinking I could go to work early. Lo and behold, guess what I found?

JGM 7620 is an effing retard.

JGM 7620 is an effing retard!

Not only did she not leave a note with her number, she probably thought she had done me a favour by giving me a 4 feet gap to come out. Stupid brainless bitch.

I toyed with the idea of smashing all her windows but then a bystander told me to just call the cops, which I did.

Long story short, bf took me to work in the end albeit 15 minutes late. When I was at work, bf called me to tell me that cops had arrived at the scene. I had a conversation with one of the cops and he told me it’s a hard case for them because I was supposedly in the wrong too, for parking on the road shoulder and should they tow her car etc, it might backfire on me if she counter reported or something retarded like that. I asked the cop how much would my summon be, and he replied that it would cost me the grand sum of RM70. I told him blatantly that I’m willing to pay that just to get the bitch’s car towed.

In the end, he said he will settle it for me so I really don’t know what happened after. The whole day I was fantasising about how to wreck her car if it’s still there by the time I get home from work. In fact, a friend direct messaged me on Twitter with the suggestion, “IF that car’s still there, break some raw eggs on it. When the sun comes up, the eggs will set. Can’t wash it off. Seriously, it works”.

Alas, it was gone when I reached home. But now another Kelisa is parked right in the same spot -__- WTF is wrong with these people man??? Luckily, due to its small size, I’d be able to maneuver my car out. I’m so glad I’m moving to a different area soon because this place is beginning to be infested with inconsiderate, retarded assholes.

We’re doing the final inspection of the new place tomorrow morning and then we should be getting the keys. Gawd I can’t wait to move out!!

I just bought a car (kinda).

Today I paid the booking fees to the first ever car I’d own with my hard-earned $$$. I was bent on getting a car today and I made it happened. In the morning I took several hours to print all the necessary payslips, bank statements etc; bad decision cause I ended up causing emoCharlie, Ah Horng, Kerol and ST to only have lunch at 3pm :P Should have just photocopied everything at the bookshop.

I was supposed to view 3 cars in 3 entirely different locations – Cheras, Kota Kemuning and Klang. But due to my chronic lack of mojo in printing shit, I ended up missing the Cheras appointment and went only to two locations.

First car was at Kota Kemuning. The pictures on the classifieds looked so promising, the blue colour totally appealled to the sanguine part of me and the 17″ rims…..man, I felt like I was owning it. Alas, it was not meant to be. There’s a reason why the interior pictures were not shown. It was rank. The seats were dirty and the owner had a cheapass pre-amplifier installed right on the side of the centre dashboard. Wasn’t even classily done, dude literally drilled onto the side and screwed the effing thing on. It reminded me of some 80s taxi. Then he had a bigass but cheapass sub-woofer installed in the boot, taking about 3/4 of its space. And the worst thing, the box was skinned in some colourful marbled wrapping plastic. In my mind I was thinking, what the eff was he thinking?? Not to mention, he got some ill-fitting middle console installed which rattled like a budget airplane.

Trying to keep a straight face, I went through the motions, test drove it, made some comments and then I was out of there. Before we left though, I told the fella that I was going to view a different car before making my decision. He smugly responded that I will definitely go back to him again. I smiled. I could have said no effing way but I kept my mouth shut.

On the way to Klang, I was filled with disappointment. I thought maybe I had set my expectations too high. Maybe I shouldn’t expect it to look mint. Maybe buying a used car isn’t such a good thing to do. We reached the place at about 4.30pm. They spoke mandarin, smattering of cantonese and even lesser english. Luckily Carol was there to translate for me.

Jaison, the guy I was dealing with took me to the car. It was dark grey, fully tinted & kitted out. No Transformers stickers or bumper stickers that reinforce lack of wit. So far so good. Then he opened the door for me, I climbed in…and plonked my arse onto mint leather seats. My buttocks were happy. Dashboard was clean and hardly any scratch. No ill-fitting consoles. Did I mention it has genuine leather seats?

I took it for a spin. I was happy with the drive. Then my 6’5″ bf gave it a try too. He was comfortable, both as a driver and a passenger. I asked Jaison for the price. It was a grand one thousand ringgit lesser than my initial budget. I almost yelped in happiness but I maintained face. Then the boyfriend stepped in to negotiate, pushing the price further down by about 3K. We shoke hands and the rest is history.

So I went all the way to Klang to buy a car, with a Penangite as my translator, another Penangite as my dog sitter and a European who haggled RM3000 down. Can’t wait for next week!

p/s: Nicklaus if you’re reading this, yes you have a reason to celebrate now and can stop whinging about not being able to go anywhere.