Longtermer #1, Update 19, Jan 2010: Ford Telstar 2.0i4 16v Ghia (A)

LONGTERMER #1: Update 19, January 2010: Ford Telstar 2.0i4 Ghia

Longtermer #1, Update 19, January 09: Ford Telstar 2.0i4 16v Ghia

In this blog entry, I am updating my Ford Telstar i4 Ghia. This is the 19th update.


What's up in the month of January?

As I am typing this, the Telstar covered 821km. Now, 150,205km. Previous month, it's 149,384km.  Why is it so? It's ALL Because this car had been in WORKSHOP for 1 week, due to Both Fan belt and Alternator belt snapped.

I don't have EVIDENCE, but I SUSPECT it's gotta do with 2 bottles of D'CARBO poured into my Engine back in December 31 2009 (see photo above).  Perhaps it's due to Over-revving by the person I bought the D'Carbo from?  Or 2 of my Engine mounting cracked, D'Carbo sort of vibrate the engine which resulted BOTH my Alternator belt and Fan belt snapped?  Or is it because like my dad said, the Engine is too "FRAIL" for D'Carbo?

On 17 January 2009, my car broke down (500m away from my house) after I heard a "SNAPPING" Sound.  Immediately, I knew 1 of the Belt snapped.  Stupid me went to attempt to restart the engine after the car broke down.  This might be the reason why the engine sort of "Failed".  THREE days in Workshop, after replacing both Alternator Belt, Fan belt and FAN BELT PULLEY, the car FAILED to start.  My Mechanic suspected the Gasket failed and suggest Engine transplant.

We even SOURCED an Engine and is waiting at the Chop Shop waiting to collect. God is GOOD, my mechanic decided to take apart the engine to see how bad the damaged is.  As he taking apart the engine, he found Engine "Chau Saai Waai" (Cantonese, ie. Not in order).  He Carefully, installed back the engine and MIRACULOUSLY, the car can START, back to Normal.  Hence, saving the need of ENGINE TRANSPLANT.  He charged me RM790 only.  Again, my mechanic also suspected it all started from D'Carbo.

Picture below, minutes before the Puncture...
Last  Saturday, my front left RIM is DENTED BADLY (see photo below)

and tyre punctured after HITTING a LARGE POTHOLE in Bandar Menjalara, Kepong.  I heard a LOUD "THHUUNNNKKK" and my tyre punctured.  My tenant TRIED to help me to change the FLAT tyre BUT my car Don't have the CORRECT tool to remove the 5 NUTS.

The existing ones CANNOT FIT my LENSO Smallish Lug-Holes. So cannot change the tyre. (see photo above).

I should have stopped driving the car BUT STUPID me go and slowly drive the punctured tyre from Kepong to my house in Section 17, Petaling Jaya (about 13km total)  The next day, I drove to the nearest tyre shop I can find and asked them to Changed my spare tyre.  I then drove to TEK MING Tyre shop in PJS 11/24 as I recalled them advertising their "REPAIR DENT RIMS" in Lelong.  See picture below...

They quoted me RM40 to repair my Dented rim.  The end result looks UGLY (see photo below), it became PARTIALLY BURNT.

After repairing my Rim, they discovered that my Front LEFT TYRE is UNUSABLE due to the "Sidewall Steel belt damaged".  This is caused by IGNORANT me Driving the FLAT TYRE for 13km from Kepong to Section 17, Petaling Jaya, resulting the tyre damage.  I was quoted RM150 for USED tyre of similar type with 80% thread left.  A NEW tyre would have cost RM220.

As I look around the tyre shop, I spotted these rims.  See picture above.  2009 MAZDA 6 2.5i OEM Rims.  The staff there quoted me RM800 initially, but after some negotiation, the price was reduced to RM700. Me and my dad decided to TRADE-IN the LENSO NX-01 rims for RM300 in favour of this rims...  Picture below, the RIM fitted on my 1999 Ford Telstar.  Does it looks good?

Without further ado, let’s proceed to Logbook…

LOGBOOK:

Year of manufactured: December 1998 (registered January 1999)
Purchase price: RM42,000 (Aug 2005)
Current value: RM12,000 (As at December 2009)
Depreciation per year (averaged): RM7,500
Mileage last month: 149,384km

Mileage NOW: 150,205km

Fuel consumption (so far):
BEST: 10.2km/l (24 December 2009)
WORST: 5.9km/l (September 14, 2009) => 100% City driving

THIS MONTH (January):
BEST: 9km/l on 24 January 2009 (80% Highway driving). WORST: 1st week of January: 7.1km/L, 90% City driving. I used either RON95 Shell OR Mobil RON95 only.

0-100km/h: 10.8 secs (1/1/2010). Previous run 10.4 secs (27/9/2009).

TODAY, As at 28 January 2010,

Expenses (this month)

1) Fuel expenses (RM350)
2) Parking and tolls charges... (RM50 est)
3) CHANGED 4x 2009 Mazda 6 2.5i OEM Sport Rims: Paid RM700 (see photo below).  After traded in my LENSO NX-01 17" rims for RM300.  1 used Silverstone Synergy M5 tyre: RM150.  Total RM850.

4) Labour for Changing both Alternator and fan pulley, taking apart the engine, top overhaul and putting it back: RM790.  (Better than Projected RM2300 for engine transplant).

GRAND TOTAL: RM2040.


Before I go, here's some parting shots below:

Pictures above, the newly replaced Fan belt and alternator belt which earlier SNAPPED.

Photo above: The ORIGINAL semi-bucket front seat, me find it COMFORTABLE, supportive and STYLISH. What do you think?

LASTLY, before I signed off, this is the LATEST photo of my Telstar with the 2009 MAZDA 6 2.5i 17" OEM RIMS. Man, it DOES LOOKS GOOD!

That's all folks!  Thanks for having the time and patience to read this Blog entry of mine...  See you February 28 2010 for the 20th update...  AN ORIGINAL JEFF LIM'S PRODUCTION.  My original work...