Uncle Luqman Drives

Today is my second dose for the AstraZeneca vaccine and for those going for vaccination, you can apply to get coupon from SOCAR that grants you THREE HOURS FREE for renting any cars except for BMW and Mini. Seeing that I've never driven an Axia before, of course I decided to rent an Axia from SOCAR to go for my vaccination appointment and I must say, driving the Axia is a massive revelation to me. Having picked the car up from its spot at The 19 USJ City Mall and sanitising it the best I could, the journey takes me through a mixture of town roads, back roads and a little bit of highway driving. The first thing that immediately stood out for me is the rather zippy nature of the car. Sure, the throttle response is a bit underwhelming as the car utilises a drive-by-wire throttle setup and it has been set up for an economical drive, but at no point do I feel that the car needs more power as I drive around town. Still, a bit more responsiveness from the throttle input would be more than...

This is another one of those personal ramblings regarding to the car scene that I'm personally involved in. Sometimes I still ask myself: why the hell am I still involved? Sure, I love cars, don't get me wrong. But as highlighted in my previous article , the communities are just garbage, one that's riddled with toxicity that just kills the fun. It is inevitable, that different people have different tastes, and it's these differences that has allowed such a beautiful diversity in not just car culture, but everywhere. However, it has also provided room for endless disagreements, bitter feelings and conflicts. Considering that this happens internally, it can be almost impossible to ignore. Sure, everyone has their own opinion, but what gets very troublesome is when they're so persistent that theirs are right and EVERYONE around them has to share the same opinion or else they're wrong. If you've been following my blog for a while, you would know that I have had ...

It's FMCO again. Despite that, cases are soaring high - with today's record being over 13,000 new daily cases - and any hopes of things getting back to normal seemed so far away. With that in mind, I figured maybe there's something that I can do to my cars at home, and as it happens, Rosanna the Kia Spectra is the perfect candidate (yes, I've named after the song of the same name by Toto). The headlamps on the Spectra has seen better days, and having seen a few videos on YouTube and asking around, I decided to jump right into Shopee and purchase the following items: 3x sand paper (800, 1500 and 2000 grit) Microfibre towel (regret) Formula 1 Headlight Restorer & Sealant It took me a few days - almost a week - but they eventually arrived, although one of them arrived earlier than the others due to it being from different shop. Even after my items arrived, I didn't jump right into it because I was just lazy and the weather is always raining. A bright and sunny day...

The advent of social media has allowed us to socialise with people from all over the world in an instant, pulling the world closer together. This has also allowed for communities of like-minded people to get together within their fingertips. In line with this, there are various communities for owners of a particular car to get together and share ideas and thoughts about their rides - even become a trading ground for cars or spare parts. Currently in possession of at least three different cars of different categories, I have at least joined groups relevant to each and every one of them. I have always recommended people to join car groups whenever I'm questioned by friends because I very much lack the technical knowledge about these cars. Look at Mercedes, for instance. I spent about two decades in my life riding in them, but that still won't guarantee me absolute knowledge for these things. Same goes to Wira and especially the Spectra, which is my latest addition to the Garage. ...

The title is definitely something I could have just post on Twitter and leave it at that because it's very much self-explanatory. But I just enjoy writing here, so consider this as an update as to what I've been up to with the Kia Spectra I bought recently as well as a short review. The Kia has effectively replaced my 220E's daily driving duties and occasionally I alternate between it and my trusty ol' Wira, since the latter is the only car that's registered for Lalamove. Anyway, there are many things I plan on sorting out immediately on the Kia, but the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) meant that the workshops are closed, so I can't get shit done. Bummer. Weirdly, the driver's side power window works. Previously, it didn't when I first got the car. Maybe I inadvertently bash it, I don't know, but it works normally and I hope it stays that way until at least workshops are allowed to be open. Speaking of opening things, the rear doors are stuck...

For years, I've been hearing about how manuals are always going to be superior in terms of fun factor and performance. To be completely honest with you, I used to really subscribe to the idea that MANUALS ARE THE BEST, AND AUTOMATIC SUCKS! Of course, as the title of this entry suggest, my opinion has changed since, having driven a large mixture of manual and automatic cars. For most cars that exist before me, the argument "manuals are better than automatics" ring true. In fact, it wasn't an argument - it was a FACT. I've driven a Wira with a 3-speed automatic and even if you offer me a million dollars to say that it was fast, I would happily turn it down and say "no" because it just isn't. I dare say that despite having 200cc more, it's slower than my own Wira 1.3 which has a 5-speed manual. The same more or less applies to my 2004 Kia Spectra. Between the Kia and the Wira, the latter felt a lot more sprightly despite the fact that it's ...

This entry I'm about to make here is bound to piss off many W124 owners. If I was still in Mercedes-Benz communities, I can expect to be flamed left and right by enthusiasts. My phone may go crazy with notifications, and maybe angry mobs may show up on my doorstep. Unfortunately, I have come to terms with that and I'm not going to apologise for being this honest. The W124 Mercedes-Benz from 1985 to 1995 isn't as reliable as you think. There, I said it. Just few days ago as highlighted in my previous entry , my 220E's air-conditioning cooling coil broke and to have it repaired, it would set me back at least RM1,300. Now, I don't know if that includes labour, and I know that it seems meaningless to some of you reading this. I know some of you are privileged enough to tell me to "just fix it". But look, it is the pandemic, and source of income has always been a problem for me, in the sense that it just doesn't exist. Prior to the air-conditioning giving w...

Some time in November last year, my dad bought a relatively rust-free 1992 Mercedes-Benz 220E Japan spec and I thought that would be the bargain of the decade. However, it gradually turn out to be a bit of a holiday romance because mechanically speaking, it was FAR from perfect. The cooling coil for the air-conditioner had recently broken, and repairing it would set us back a hefty RM1,300. At that point, I might as well get lost. Few days before, though, I got word from my cousin that she was selling her car as she no longer drives it. At first she told my mom about it, then when my mom told me, I immediately got interested and went to check it out. Then, on the evening of 30th of June 2021, I brought the car home with my dad, and by that night, the payment has been made. Neither my mom nor cousin would have guessed that I would be interested in buying something like it, but both my mom and I knew that it was definitely an absolute bargain that's definitely worth taking up. My dad...