For many motorists, having their vehicle damaged by flooding can mean a very expensive repair bill. If they have insurance coverage that includes flood damage, then they won’t be so badly impacted but many motorists do not have such cover as it is excluded. It can be included (along with other additional cover like windscreen breakage and passenger liability) for an additional fee and if you do live or park in an area that is likely to flood regularly, you may want to add on such coverage.
For those who will have to pay the bills themselves, companies like Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) and Tan Chong Ekspres Auto Servis Sdn. Bhd. (TCEAS) have a Flood Relief Assistance program for Nissan owners whose vehicles have been damaged by the floods. The program offers a discount on parts and labour, extended repayment on the total bill, and free towing services (terms and conditions apply).
Discount and extended repayment plan
A discount of 20% discount will be given on parts and labour charges used for repairs of flood-damaged vehicles. All Nissan Genuine parts used come with a 6-month/10,000-km warranty (whichever comes first).
Understanding that there will be other heavy expenses, especially if the home has also been flooded, owners can repay the total bill over a period of up to 12 months under the Easy Payment Plan.
Also available are Free Towing and Door-to-Door Towing service for vehicles that are badly affected by flooding. The Collect & Deliver service for usual maintenance service over the weekends is also now available.
Special upholstery restoration prices are also available at RM1,655 nett for sedans and RM1,988 nett for MPVs, SUVs, and pick-ups or vans.
Nissan owners can contact the Nissan Customer Care Centre Hotline at 1800-88-3838 for assistance. To locate a TCEAS outlet near them, visit www.tceas.com/servicecentre.
Vaccination does not make you immune to COVID-19 infection. You can still get infected and you may not show symptoms but spread the coronavirus. Do not stop taking protective measures such as wearing a facemask, washing hands frequently and social distancing.
There have been women in motorsport for a long time and the FIA (the world body governing motorsport) even has a Women & Motor Sport Commission which aims to create a sports culture that facilitates and values the full participation of women in all aspects of the sport.
In Malaysia too, we have a number of women who participate in motorsport and one who has stood above the rest this year is 35-year old Leona Chin. After an impressive season-opener which saw Leona grabbing 2 wins in the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS), she was back at the Sepang International Circuit to tackle the remaining 2 rounds of the championship.
While Round 3 ran in a similar format as the first 2 rounds, the final round came with a different challenge where it was a 300-km endurance race, with double points to the finishers. It was on this final showdown that Leona and her team pulled together to not only win the race, but also collected enough points to be crowned as the Overall Champions in the Malaysia Touring Car (MTC) category. However, the journey to the top was not an easy one as the journey was littered with challenges that could easily alter the course of the race.
A satisfying finish
The start of Round 3 was not what the team was hoping for as troubles had appeared on the car which had hampered the driver’s pace during practice session. Unfortunately, due to a tight schedule, there was not enough time to rectify the issue before qualifying, and the pouring rain just made things a bit more challenging. Despite these setbacks, the 2:43.236 clocked during qualifying was good enough to earn them a P3 in class to start the race in.
But the streak of bad luck did not end on the first day as in Race 1, Leona encountered some misfiring issues which had forced them to spend extra time in the pits for repairs. While the team did their best to fix the problem, the same issue lingered after they rejoined the race. The extra time spent in the pits meant they were two laps behind the race leader, forcing them to settle with a P7.
However, their luck was about to turn the other way around as the few hours before Race 2 were put into good use by the crew to return the car into optimal condition. This time, Akina Teo started the race and he played it safe during the start as the mixed conditions of the track resulted in some nasty crashes in the early stages.
Once the cars were scattered, Akina got to work and started to make up positions along the way. Backed up with vital information provided by the team manager, he was soon pursuing the MTC front runner for the race lead. Making the move at the final few laps, Akina performed a clean overtake on his opponent and brought home another win for the team.
Crowning of the champion
With 2 races down, the focus was shifted to the final 300-km race as the double points finish could play a big role in the championship decider. Akina drove the first stint and he put in a good pace before passing the wheel to Leona. While the team did encounter a few issues along the way, the problems were ironed out quickly and Leona was able to resume the strong pace that the team carried.
This race however came with a bittersweet moment as with 10 laps to go, MTC race leader car #15, which was also under the same outfit as Leona, was involved in a crash at Turn 4. This was no doubt a disappointing news to the team, but it had also reignited the possibility for Leona to win the championship title. Before the crash, they had done an early points calculation which had put Leona as the 1st runner-up for MTC.
At this stage, all they had to do was to bring the car home as the nearest rival was one lap behind. Finally, after 52 laps and over 2 hours of racing, the #7 Suzuki Swift crossed the line not only as the 300KM MTC race winner, but also as the Overall Champions for the category. It was a big moment of joy and relief for Leona who had been chasing the title for years.
“We were all very happy when the results came out. We have been in the industry for many years and were always looked down upon. Today is redemption!” she said.
It has been a fruitful year for Leona as she not only clinched the 2021 MCS MTC Overall Champion title but also won the prestigious 2021 Sepang 1000KM Endurance Race which was held earlier in November. “The achievement for today and this season is not just about the driver, but also about teamwork. Everyone in the team really helped a lot in the strategy, and also in preparing a really good car,” she added.
While the price is an important factor when you buy a new car, you should also consider the larger ‘package’ that a brand offers. You are going to have the car for a while and having an enjoyable ownership experience where the dealer looks after your needs will make a difference to that experience. How the company cares for its customers is also very important.
Honda Malaysia, for instance, has a high standard of customer care and that is now being demonstrated by its Flood Relief Programme to provide aid to Honda customers whose vehicle have been affected by the recent floods. With this programme, repair services with reduced parts prices for affected Honda customers at the flood-stricken areas will be available until January 31, 2022 (terms and conditions apply).
Honda owners who purchased their vehicles from authorised Honda dealers in Malaysia will be entitled to a 25% discount on genuine parts when they bring their vehicles to any authorised Honda service centre for an assessment and inspection service, as well as repairs.
Owners who have chosen Honda Insurance Plus (HiP) can enjoy a free inspection (terms and conditions apply) for their vehicles to ensure that they are safe to drive and in good running condition, especially after the floods.
In addition to providing towing service for vehicles damaged by the floods to the nearest authorised Honda dealership, HiP customers are entitled to receive flood allowance of up to RM1,500 to alleviate their burden. At the same time, Honda Malaysia is working closely with the insurance companies to expedite the claim process for affected customers.
“We are deeply saddened by the floods that have inundated several states in Malaysia, which resulted in the evacuation of many people from their homes and caused significant damage to their properties and motor vehicles. Striving to be a company society wants to exist, we continue to look for ways to help the communities around us who are in need. We hope that with the rolling out of this Flood Relief Programme, we can help to relieve the burden of our valued customers. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people who are affected by the floods, and we hope everyone continues to stay safe during these challenging times,” said Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director & CEO, Madoka Chujo.
For more information on the Flood Relief Programme and HiP, owners can call Honda Malaysia’s Toll-Free number at 1-800-88-2020 or visit www.honda.com.my.
If the way the GR Supra looks is not sporty enough for you and you live in North America, there’s an opportunity to get one which is more exclusively styled and also limited to only 600 units. It’s the GR Supra A91-CF Edition which is said to be the most exclusive Mark 5 Supra to date. Customers can choose either a 3-litre or 2-litre engine, the former an inline-6 and the latter, an inline-4.
On the outside, the A91-CF Edition has handmade carbonfibre on the front splitter with larger canards, while its carbonfibre rockers define the sides. Around the back, the carbonfibre treatment continues, with a duckbill spoiler catching the air as it flows off the rear glass, and larger, lower canards doing so down below.
This aero kit isn’t just for looks; its functional purpose improves downforce and stability during both everyday drives and hot laps around the track. Additionally, unique 19-inch wheels sport a matte-black texture that complement special edition’s matte-grey Phantom paint colour, besides Absolute Zero White and Nitro Yellow which are other colour choices. Additionally, depending on the version, there are also colours like Nocturnal, Renaissance Red, Tungsten and Turbulence Gray.
The cockpit is also given an exclusive touch with refinements throughout. A red-and-black theme is used and there’s Alcantara and leather trim. The sport seats have red stitching details with 14-way power adjustment as well as heating. Carbonfibre is also used inside for some interior trim, while the 3-spoke steering wheel is leather-wrapped and sport pedals are standard.
For the 2021 model year, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing engineers boosted output of the Supra’s turbocharged 3-litre 6-cylinder inline-six from 335 to 382 bhp, a 14% increase after just one year on the market. Torque has been increased by very slightly to almost 500 Nm and peaking 500 rpm higher.
The 2-litre 4-cylinder engine shares much of its technology with the 3-litre unit, including a twin-scroll turbo, direct fuel injection and continuously variable timing on both the intake and exhaust camshafts. It delivers up to 255 bhp/400 Nm to take the Supra from standstill to 60 mph (96 km/h) in a claimed 5 seconds. An 8-speed transmission is standard for both engines.
The Supra 3.0 chassis was also tweaked heading into its second year of production. Lightweight aluminium braces were added to increase lateral rigidity, along with front and rear bump stops and new damper tuning. Revised programming for the electric power steering, Adaptive Variable Suspension, Vehicle Stability Control and Active Differential have improved stability through quick transitions, such as compound turns.
Although the Mitsubishi Triton truck, XPANDER MPV and Outlander SUV have more ground clearance and can cross flooded stretches of road without much problem, the recent floods in many parts of the country have been extremely severe. In many areas, the water level has been so high that vehicles have been almost fully submerged. There’s no way that any vehicle can escape from damage in such an extreme condition and for owners, there will be an expensive repair bill.
To help ease this unexpected expense (especially at a time when many are facing financial challenges), Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) has a flood relief program for Mitsubishi owners in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and Pahang who have suffered vehicle damage due to the floods.
Discounts on parts and labour
Under the program, Mitsubishi vehicle owners (who purchased their vehicles from authorised Mitsubishi Motors dealers) will be given a 30% discount on Mitsubishi genuine parts and a 50% discount on labour costs for all repair work done on flood-damaged vehicles at authorised Mitsubishi Motors service centres. This offer available until January 20, 2022.
Free or subsidised towing services
In addition, MMM will also support Mitsubishi owners by offering free towing services. All the owners need to do is to contact Mitsubishi Assist 24Hrs customer careline (MA24) at 1-800-88-2166 to request this service which will bring their vehicle to the nearest authorised Mitsubishi Motors service centre. In the event that they do not use MA24 and do not have insurance coverage for towing there vehicle to the nearest authorised service centre, they can still apply for rebates worth up to RM300. However, they are required to lodge a police report concerning the vehicle being caught n a flood.
“Our thoughts are with Malaysians impacted by the aftermath of the flash floods tragedy. All of our service staff and authorized dealers are ready to assist our Mitsubishi owners with their affected vehicles. We hope that this flood relief program will help ease the burden of our customers going through this difficult time,” said Shinya Ikeda, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia.
Although Mitsubishi vehicles have high ground clearance which enables them to cross flooded roads and rough terrain, the recent floods were severe and many vehicles were damaged by water reaching above the window level.
For further information on the flood relief program, call MMM’s Customer Careline at 1-800-18-8161. To locate an authorised Mitsubishi Motors dealership, click here: www.mitsubishi-motors.com.my/service-locator/ .
The floods have affected thousands around Malaysia and for many families, there will be big expenditures ahead as they repair and replaced damaged property, not to mention the tiring job of cleaning up houses that were flooded with muddy water. And then there will also be the costs of repairing cars that were flooded; as you will have seen in pictures, it’s not just vehicles parked at home but also some that were on roadsides and got submerged.
The repair costs can run to many thousands and electronic systems that need to be replaced will be expensive. Not to mention the fact that the vehicle, even after being cleaned, is likely to have a smell and might just not feel the same.
To help relieve some of the stresses and reduce expenses, a number of car companies are offering assistance to their customers. The latest to announce such an initiative is Proton, which will offer a 20% discount on selected parts as well as a 20% discount on labour charges for all customers affected by the flood who have lodged a police report regarding the incident. Additionally, towing charges of up to RM200 as well as cleaning charges for the exterior and engine bay up to RM100 will also be borne by the company.
“Exceptional circumstances require an exceptional response. Proton will be working hard to ensure we can repair cars as quickly as possible and advise all affected customers to visit our authorised service centres to enjoy these benefits. Furthermore, our genuine parts are offered with a warranty so they can be assured of the quality of the repairs,” said Roslan Abdullah, CEO of Proton Edar.
Although Proton has a factory in Tg. Malim, Perak, its original factory is still operating in Shah Alam, near to where much of the flooding has occurred. According to Encik Roslan, the company has been lucky the production lines were spared from any flooding. However, more than 1,000 of its staff have been affected so the company is mobilising Kelab PROTON, an in-house social and wellbeing organisation for all staff, to create care packages and offer clean up assistance to them and their families.
Encik Roslan advises those who require assistance and information on vehicle repairs to call PROTON’s customer care line at 1-800-88-8398.
NIO may not be known in Malaysia or even in most countries, but it is one of the steadily growing car companies from China which started business focusing on just electric vehicles. It’s a ‘new generation’ carmaker, just 4 years old, and already has at least 4 models on sale. Though most of its sales are in China, it has also entered Norway and next year, will be in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark. By 2025, NIO expects to have a presence in over 25 countries and regions worldwide.
Joining the carmaker’s 4 models in 2022 will be a new model known as the ET5. It is the brand’s most compact car to date and used the concept of ‘Design for Autonomous Driving’ during its development. It has the latest NIO Autonomous Driving (NAD) systems with NIO Aquila Super Sensing and NIO Adam Super Computing. Additional NAD features will be gradually introduced after further development and validation.
Having started off with electric vehicles, NIO has naturally gained much expertise in developing fully electric powertrains and now has various types for different models. For the ET5, it will use a high-performance powertrain with proven dual motor architecture. This consists of a 150 kW induction asynchronous motor in the front and 210 kW permanent magnet motor at the rear generating peak torque up to 700 Nm.
Straightline acceleration is impressive with 0 to 100 km/h achieved in a claimed 4.3 seconds. The range claims are also impressive: reaches over 550 kms with a 75 kWh Standard Range Battery; over 700 kms with the 100 kWh Long Range Battery; and over 1,000 kms with a 150 kWh Ultralong Range Battery.
NIO developed and promotes the battery-swapping concept which reduces some cost to the customer who can then pay for fresh batteries when swapping. Since opening the first battery-swapping station in China in 2018, it has set up over 500 stations and by the end of October this year, 4 million battery swaps had been done. The NIO Power Swap is an automatic process where the car parks itself inside a station and it takes less than 5 minutes. The company also has 6,000 Power Chargers and 10,000 destination chargers across China.
A NIO Battery-Swapping station in China.
With these new generation of carmakers, the question of experience in making cars safe is sometimes asked. They may be able to have great designs and advanced technology but what about the car’s performance in accidents? According to NIO, the ET5 has been designed to meet the stringent 5-star C-NCAP (China’s NCAP) and Euro NCAP standards. This is achieved using an ultra-high-strength steel-aluminium hybrid body with the very high torsional stiffness. The ultra-low centre of gravity, at 482.6 mm, and wheel track of 1685 mm, are also said to enable the ET5 to achieve a rollover-resistance rating of 1.7, above the US NHTSA’s 5-star criteria.
The sleek 4.7-metre long body is aerodynamically efficient with a Cd of 0.24, important for an electric car. Contributing to this level of efficiency are the rear ducktail spoiler and details such as the air curtain, flush door handles and frameless windows that create cleaner lines. Its form draws on the fluid silhouette of the ET7 while the muscular haunches are inspired by the EP9 supercar.
Evolving NIO’s concept of the ‘second living room’, the cabin of the ET5 was inspired by trends in furniture, fashion, and footwear, so it’s a sophisticated space with a warm touch. A larger glasshouse and panoramic glazed roof create a bright interior complemented by natural and organic hues including the brand’s new Terracotta, a deep and fiery orange.
Recycled and more sustainable materials are used as much as possible. The Clean+ sustainable fabric not only forms a relaxing cocooning ambiance but is also said to improve the acoustic performance of the cabin. Smart invisible air vents were developed for a neater and more cohesive design whilst a 256-color ambient light feature offers the chance to create an atmosphere to suit various moods. The standard audio system uses Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 surround sound system.
Set to be an industry first, the ET5’s PanoCinema is a panoramic and immersive digital cockpit with Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies. NIO partnered with NREAL, an AR device company, to jointly develop AR glasses (exclusive to NIO) which can project an effective screen size of 201-inch at 6 metres.
NIO also collaborated with NOLO to jointly develop the VR Glasses that employ ultra-thin Pancake lenses, to create a binocular 4K display effect. The 10.2-inch HDR instrument cluster boosts the vividness of images.
The ET5 will be priced from RMB 328,000 in China (about RM216,700) but customers can also get subsidies to reduce the cost. First deliveries are expected to start in September 2022 although before then, the flagship ET7 will have started going to customers in March.
The Nissan X-Trail Hybrid, which has been on sale for some years now, is being recalled by Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn. Bhd. (ETCM) to enhance its Engine Bay Harness – Hybrid Power Line. It is understood that the Hybrid Power Line could be damaged due to interference with the edge of engine or transmission control module bracket.
The affected units of the model, coded ‘T32’, were manufactured between June 2018 and May 2021. Units produced from June 2021 onwards have already had the fix, so they are not affected by this recall.
X-Trail Hybrids manufactured from June 2021 are not affected by the recall.
If you are not original owner
ETCM will contact owners of the affected SUVs based on contact details registered with them. The notification requesting them to bring their vehicles in will come from Tan Chong Ekspres Auto Servis Sdn. Bhd. (TCEAS) in the form of a letter or by SMS/Whatsapp. It is possible that vehicle ownership may have changed over the years and the current owner may not receive such a notification. In this case, contact a TCEAS outlet for assistance and to make an appointment as well.
As always with such recalls, all labour and enhancement parts for this campaign will be at no cost to owners.
Certain TCEAS outlets have extended operation hours and are open 365 days a year. This will make it easier for vehicle owners to service their vehicles on weekends and public holidays.
To locate a TCEAS outlet, call the Nissan Customer Care Centre Hotline at 1800-88- 3838. Or visit www.tceas.com/servicecentre.
Volkswagen offers discount, interest-free repayment
Owners of Volkswagen vehicles who have had their vehicles damaged by the floods will be pleased to know that if they use authorized Volkswagen service dealerships, they can get 30% off parts and labour for repair works. This offer is available from now until February 28, 2022. Owners are encouraged to download the new Volkswagen Cares app (Apple App Store/Google Play Store) to redeem the flood relief support voucher. Terms and conditions apply.
To further alleviate the financial burden that many may be facing, there is also an easy payment plan where owners have the option to spread out their bill over 6 or 12 months with no interest charged (terms and conditions apply).
“All of us at Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia are deeply saddened by the flash floods that struck Malaysia over the weekend. Our thoughts are with those who are impacted and are facing loss and damages in the aftermath. We hope that our assistance will help to relieve the burden of our owners during this difficult time,” said the company’s Managing Director, Erik Winter.
BMW Group Malaysia offers reductions and rebates
BMW Group Malaysia is also offering support to its customers with up to a 20% reduction on parts repair for BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad owners affected by the flood over the weekend. Authorized dealerships will also provide an RM300 rebate on the towing cost for affected owners. The reduction and rebates are valid until January 31, 2022.
“Following the flood cases that have been reported in various states in the country, we remain committed to deliver peace of mind for our customers throughout their ownership experience, even during this challenging time. To this end, BMW Group Malaysia and our network of dealers stand ready to provide our customers with the needed support when it comes to their vehicles,” said Hans de Visser, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia.
To obtain support, owners can contact their preferred authorized dealership or contact the BMW Roadside Assistance for more information. Alternatively, they may also contact the Customer Interaction Centre at 1 800 88 3000.
