If you’re guessing that this post is going to be about all those innards, pork or whatever, then you are mistaken.
It’s about my ol’ faithful, the Proton Wira 1.3…
*Archive photo*
…that has been with me for so many years, since 1994, 24 years to be exact.
I was kind of distressed when I read in the news the other day that they will cease producing the spare parts soon after the report about how it is the most popular target among car thefts not because of the car per se but for the parts. Good grief! Wouldn’t that make the situation worse, especially when the parts are no longer available?
Well, it so happened that my missus was reversing the car that day and I saw the reverse lights blink and go off almost instantly. Of course I took it to my regular workshop right away – I do that all the time the instant I feel that something is not right so as to keep it in tiptop shape at all times…especially when I have to drive it 100 km X 2 or at times, 4, on the pothole-ridden Pain-Borneo Highway every week to my girl’s school in the jungle and back.
I often see cars breaking down along the deserted trunk road, some very new ones even and I certainly have no intention of having that happen to me. Touch wood!!! For one thing, I sure would not want to spend all that money to get a new car and subject it to all that abuse, driving on the kind of road we have here. Often has it been said that a car is a man’s wife and seeing how they drive their nice and new flashy cars so very recklessly and at neck-breaking speed and with no respect and consideration for the law and for other road-users, it makes me wonder if they treat their wives that same way. Tsk! Tsk!
While I was at the workshop, the boss said he was going for brunch at this coffee shop close by, right opposite, in fact…
*Archive photo*
…and invited me to come along. That was almost lunchtime, around 11 already, and I did have breakfast that morning but I just tagged along to keep him company.
I had the pain sip, dry…
…and yes, it was very good and he had the kampua mee…
…that I had before, twice, but with pian sip instead of the thinly-sliced char siew wannabe (boiled meat coloured red), once tossed in chili sauce…
*Archive photo*
…and another time, white…
*Archive photo*
…and yes, I did like the noodles here, both times.
They traced the fault to the switch controlling the reverse lights and thankfully, they had no problem whatsoever in getting the spare part to replace it. In the meantime, I asked them to change the engine oil – I use the better quality one and they tell me I would only need to change after every 7,000 km but I would do so once I’ve gone past 5,000 like when using the regular one. My old car may not look all that nice on the outside but yes, it is still running perfectly well, praise the Lord…
UNCLE LAU CORNER (2.328131, 111.840397) is located back to back with Udak Kitchen which is to the left of Everwin, Sg Merah along Lorong Sungai Merah 2C, off Jalan Teng Chin Hua.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
When I saw the title, instantly kueh chap came into my mind. Indeed a good practice to have the car checked regularly for safety measures and some more you have to drive so far every weekend to send yr girl back to her school but some people won’t do that unless something serious happens. I would love the pian sip.
Yes, my cousin from Bintulu was here not too long ago and on the way back, they had a puncture because they ran over some huge pothole. “Luckily, the spare tyre could be used,” she said. Obviously they’re one of those who never check their spare tyre to make sure it can be used in case of an emergency.
You have a good mechanic. A good honest mechanic can be hard to find.
Yes, I used to go to another place – the boss let his son run the place, he would disappear and the son would let his worker do everything. Problems never ended, repaired once, twice, three times…still not ok.
Every since I found my present guy, I never bothered going anywhere else. Very good, very dependable – anything wrong, I will just call him and he will show up, never mind where I am…and small matters, he will not charge, so nice.
Wira is a very lasting car.. my friend also has one till today, hers is the 1.5 and more than 20 years of age too.. 🙂 But on and off, she has to repair here and there… old faithful like yours… sentimental..
Mine does not give me much of a problem so other than the regular serving, changing the engine oil and filter, there may be a little bit of this and a little bit of that few and far between. A lot of people say it is a good car but fuel consumption is not so economical. Well, Sibu is a very very small town and we hardly go anywhere on most days – the only thing is having to drive to my girl’s school once or twice a week.
wow – 24 years means you’ve diligently and devotedly maintained the vehicle really well – i’ve only had two cars in my life, one from 1999 to 2009, and another from 2010 till now – the second one is already showing its age, and it’s not running as efficiently as it used to …
Oh? You have not been taking good care of it, have you? Only 8 years, definitely not old yet.
You have maintained your car very well. That’s very wise!
My dad was quite fanatical about his cars, spotless at all times and very well-maintained and cared for. I guess a little of it has rubbed off on me but no, I am not up to his standard. People used to fight to buy his car, should he decide to sell – as good as new!
Best to have it checked regularly…
The pian sip is calling out to me, hehe…
Yes, cars are like humans too – must go for regular check-ups, any problem, nip it in the bud before it gets too serious.
It is time to get new car. But since you maintain your car well, it is still working. Like mine, almost 20 years. Getting a new one this year and this old car, I going to pass back to my dad. It belongs to him. At least I am getting my own car after all those years. Lol.
I am NOT going to drive my new car on the PAIN-Borneo Highway – the condition is getting from bad to worse. It was pretty good before the construction started – not so good when my girl was posted there but with the upgrading works, it got better and better and I was very happy driving to her school and back but my happiness was short-lived. Politics!!! Asked for a highway so a highway you’re all getting and in the meantime, all of us have to suffer – not that there are that many cars, the volume is actually very small, not like in West Malaysia. We don’t really need a highway – a good, well-maintained trunk road is good enough. So until my girl gets her transfer, thank God I have my very reliable Wira!
Ha, I have that same car when I lived in Malaysia, very reliable. I got a company issued one (a fancy one) but still used this, easy on the petrol as well
In Auckland, fuel economy is important as it is so big. Here in Sibu, it is not so bad, small town. Before one song finishes on the radio, we would have reached our destination already.
You took good care of your Wira! That is why it is still a Wira despite the age.
BTW, the pien sip look so plump.
One of the nicer ones around town. The kampua is good too.