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, so there's no way of opening them. It's fine now, since you can't carry more than one person in it due to the SOP set anyway. But I do need working rear doors for when I store things at the back seats, and it's just massively inconvenient having to somehow reach from the driver's seat.
The exhaust might have suffered a blown mid-box or something, making it ridiculously loud when I'm flooring it. However, I quite like it to be honest. Reminds me of the time when I fitted a stupidly loud exhaust on my Wira when I was in college. The look of disdain I get from bystanders and pedestrians are hilarious. Of course, the difference here is that my Kia is actually capable of cruising quietly, but for the most part I just love to push the throttle a teeny bit more just to hear that PRANGGGG!! Though, I really shouldn't be doing that too much... because the Kia is quite a thirsty car - something the previous owner had told me of. But I guess it's better than either the 220E or any other SUVs we've had in the family before and currently...
Since I'm talking about the fuel economy, I might as well talk performance. Obviously being a 1.6, it offers more power than my Wira. However, there's not a lot of activity until you get it up to about 4,000RPM where the Kia noticeably takes off. The other car I recall doing this was a Waja fitted with the original Campro engine - nothing much at the low down, but pulls hard at the higher revs. It can be a little sluggish to accelerate at first, especially considering that it has a 4-speed automatic, but when driving on the highway, I would say it's where this drivetrain setup excels.
Get on the highway, foot down a little and keep your O/D off and watch the speed rise. 80.... 100.... 120.... 140.... 160.... it keeps pulling, never seeming to run out of puff. The only thing that would have prevented me from going any faster was the lack of highway space at the time, and the suspension definitely needs attention. Maybe the absorbers and arms were on their way out, but I reckon it's good for at least one more year before I have to bin them all for new ones. But hey, it is cheaper than a motorcycle. It's unfair to expect a lot now, isn't it? Still, it feels stable at higher than average speeds, so I can only imagine how much better it will be with new suspension components. But that's for another time.
Despite it's shortcomings, though, I quite enjoy driving it as it is. There are things that will require attention at some point as mentioned above, but right now it remains a solid, dependable, rough and ready daily workhorse, so I might as well just leave it at that. There's no point to go completely insane on what is essentially an A to B. Of course, improvements will be made just to make it better. But I can live with it now as it is.
Which brings me back to the very title of this entry: I have grown rather fond of this Kia. No, I've grown VERY fond of the Kia. It doesn't have a lot of redeeming features to make it a special car on paper, but I believe a car is special when it becomes yours and you spend time with it. The problem with that now is not only do I refuse to sell the Kia to anyone, but I begin to get comfortable with pushing it. It has been barely a week, and I'm pushing it the same way I push my 220E - not as hard as I abuse my Wira, but not exactly gentle either. So far, I've never made the tires squeal, and I hope to keep it that way.
My dad had a point: why do I bother with the Kia if I could just use that money to fix the 220E's air-conditioning cooling coil? But the 220E needs tens of thousands of ringgit just to make me happy on top of that cooling coil, and those are money I simply do not have. The Kia? It's the price of a motorcycle, but instead you get a nice, solid, reliable car that's rough and ready to go. Need I say more? I might have to spend on the Kia sooner or later, but at the very least, all I have to worry about is maintaining it.
What's next for the Kia, then? The steering wheel must go as it's worn out, and the rear doors need to be opened. I am also waiting for my things to arrive so I can restore the headlamps since it's faded. I will be updating on that headlamp restoration soon. If I have money and feeling gatal, I might even dump in fresh bucket seats to take the place of the stock ones. Okay, I am getting carried away.
With that said, I plan on keeping the Kia, maybe until the car became practically impossible to maintain. So far, I've joined a few Kia Spectra owners group in Facebook and WhatsApp and they will definitely be massively resourceful in my adventure with the Kia. You know what? I shall give her a name - and NO, I'm not naming it Zakia. I will, however, come up with a name by the next update.
Thank you for reading and hoping to see you in the next entry!
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