Old folks need a lot more attention but of course, if you’re young, it does not mean that you can throw caution to the wind. The same applies to old cars so if there is anything that does not feel quite right, one should seek expert help immediately. On my weekly drives to my girl’s school in the jungle and back, I would see cars, some very new ones even, breaking down by the side of the road or having a puncture…and I wonder how they can just simply drive without making sure that their vehicles are roadworthy and safe for themselves, everyone in the car and other road users as well.
Well, it so happened that I spotted a drop of oil in my car porch…
…which, of course, was an indication that there was a leak somewhere and I wasted no time at all in driving to my regular workshop to have the engine checked and the problem fixed…and at the same time, I told the guy to check everything else to make sure that everything was all right and to replace anything that was not in tiptop shape anymore.
In the meantime, I decided to go for breakfast at this coffee shop…
…a stone’s throw away. If you are wondering where this is (2.328072,111.840428), you can turn right after the traffic lights past the Sungai Merah bazaar, opposite this Methodist church…
…on the left. This coffee shop/restaurant is located in that white building and there is a secondary school too in the vicinity, behind the church.
I’ve had their kampua noodles from the stall here…
…before and blogged about it even but I’ve yet to go and check out the chap fan (mixed rice) at the stall at the back of the shop like I said I would. There is a Malay stall there now and according to the guys at the workshop, the food served is pretty good but it was not open that morning when I was there.
I had the kampua mee…
…again, white with a special request for it to be tossed in chili sauce and hence, the red colour.
I also asked for pian sip (meat dumplings)…
…instead of the few miserable thin slices of boiled meat, coloured red to pass off as char siew (barbecued meat) and yes, it was all right – not the best in town but good enough and sitting there, enjoying the noodles and a glass of kopi-o-peng (iced black coffee) sure beats standing around the workshop waiting for them to finish their job.
While I was there, I could detect the fragrance of the cooking from the stall at the back, something like egg being fried. Probably somebody had ordered their fried noodles – I sure would consider ordering something from there the next time I drop by.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
yes oil leak can be very dangerous! always advisable to get it check immediately. my colleague car caught fire due to such leaks and especially with such hot/dry weather.
Oh dear! At one time, there were a lot of cases of cars catching fire here, mainly in Kuching, I think…or perhaps the ones there were the ones that got into the news. Some of the cars were very new, actually. A lot of things in car engines are computerised now – may be some problem there…and recall of certain cars is not uncommon these days, it seems.
Cars must be checked regularly to make sure they are in tiptop condition, be it new or old. These days, original & genuine spare parts are not lasting. Feel like having that plate of kampua mee. Yummsss!!!!!….I prefer kampua mee tossed with chilli sauce than char siew oil.
Kampua here, except the one in Kanowit, never tossed in char siew oil, only Kuching kolo mee. My missus will opt for chili too, not fond of the oil, a little sweet and not to her liking.
Yes, manufacturers now are very clever – things will spoil on the day the guarantee expires. Tsk! Tsk!
Time to ask young Ms Wee to buy a new car for the daddy! 😛
I like old cars, bump here, bump there, bump everywhere, no problem at all. New cars, have to take good care, wash all the time…one bump, cry all night. No, thank you. I am very very happy with my vintage…and do note my replies to earlier comments about new cars and new things these days.
you? old? never!.. the car, old? probably 🙂 ..
yay for more kampua mee. oh you can actually special request it to be tossed in chilli ya?
You flatterer, you!!!
Yes, can ask for chili to be added. In my younger days, the local made sauce in stone jars, so very nice…loved it so much even though after eating, always lao sai! Muahahahahaha!!!! Now they use the bottled sauce, not the same anymore. 😦
My current car (a myvi) is getting to about eight years old now, so it’s definitely a bit past its middle-age phase already. But I’m thankful that even though I’m not great at car maintenance (I just trot it out to the mechanic once every six to eight months), it hasn’t given up on me yet!
6 to 8 months???? You do not use it much, do you? Every 5,000 km and it is time for an oil change and regular servicing…and every week, before driving to my girl’s school in the jungle, I would open up the bonnet and check everything, make sure all is ok before leaving the house. I guess it is not much of a problem there – can always call AA and they will come in a jiffy. Not here, call out to the Heavenly King also he will not come down to help. 😦
I prefer pian sip to char siew…
Me too…and it’s not even real char siew. 😦
It is always so nice to find and good and honest mechanic.
It is! Bet it is very expensive where you are, all this service thing. Many would probably try to fix their own cars unless they really can’t do it. I see a lot of discussion on all kinds of problems online – I help you, you help me.
My car’s now about 13 years old, getting very noisy. Thank goodness I no longer live in Singapore, where even if I could afford a car there, I can only keep it for 10 years!
Oh dear! What happens after 10 years? Scrap metal? Mine is over 20 already, no complaints but of course, I keep an eye on it, make sure it is in tip top shape at all time. Some people, as long as it can run, they do not bother. Hokkien says, oo cho boh ciak – got work, no eat!
As far as I know, there’s some complicated schemes which will cost a lot of money! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certificate_of_Entitlement
Yes, I’ve heard about that, a pain in the yunno where, making all Singaporeans very unhappy. I guess there isn’t much of a choice – Singapore is a very very small island.
So what happened to your car eventually? Any replacement needed? That reminds me, my car is due for service too… my car is more than 10 years old, I think time to overhaul since I am making full use of it each day. By the way, the kampua and piansip are still looking good!
10 years, still new. Mine is more than double that but I had it overhauled before using it on my trips to my girl’s school in the jungle, can’t take any chances driving through the middle of nowhere.
Yes, they replaced something to solve the leaking problem…and a few other things that the boss felt needed changing. He would not do that unless it is absolutely necessary like when I wanted him to change the shock absorbers – I complained that it was rather bumpy on not very good roads and he just replied, “Road no good, drive slowly loh!!!” 😀 Once the clip on the dashboard broke and gave way so there was this vibration – he just drilled a hole, fixed a screw, no more vibration! Free of charge some more. He even replaced my reverse light…twice already, also no charge. Really good, this one so that is why I am sticking to it – will not go anywhere else.
It’s a nightmare to experience a breakdown in the middle of nowhere or even in very busy traffic. I’ve seen breakdowns during rush hour and I can imagine how distressed the driver is. Your car must be in tip top condition the way you look after it.
It is and with a reliable mechanic like mine, I can just call him and give him a little bit of time, he will come to my rescue – but that is anywhere within the town area. At times, I did not even have to leave the house – just asked him to drop by to pick up the car and take it to his shop to fix whatever problem there was. I don’t think he would make his way into the jungle to save me though, touch wood…touch wood!!!
My old car is the same too. Drove it since college time. Need to bring to my dad’s shop once a while for him to check. Somehow where there is something wrong with the car, I could feel it. Haha. Intuition. Or maybe we know as we drive every day.
Best to get it checked if we feel anything. The guy will see and then tell me, nope, nothing wrong…and I would go off, no charge. No consultation fee, not like going to the doctor. 😦
Payday disease. Muhuhu. Hopefully nothing serious.
Nothing incurable. Safety first, money is secondary.