FULL REVIEW: Peugeot 405 GTI

In this blog entry, I'm covering the timeless Peugeot 405 GTI (SRI in UK). The Peugeot 405's on sale in Malaysia from 1989 to 1994 (for GTX), 1991 to 94 (for GTI) and 1994 - 97 for SR/SRI. Today, as at August 2010, a used Peugeot 405 can be bought from as little as RM4,000 for early 90s model to RM12,800 for last model 2.0SRI engine (ie. 1997).

As usual, I don't have a car to test and brag about it. All is NOT LOST, I dished out a COMPREHENSIVE 8 page review from Highway Malaysia February 1993 issue by Uncle Chips Yap, A review from Autoweb (UK) and 7 owner's REVIEW from ALL OVER THE WORLD. Ie. 2 from UK, 1 from USA, 1 From Australia, 1 From Finland, 1 From Sweden and Lastly, 1 from Malaysia.
In a meantime, ENJOY THIS WELL WRITTEN 8 page COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW painstakingly scanned and typed by Jeff Lim (your's truly)...


Cover feature: Peugeot 405 GTI: Injected to inspire!

European manufacturers have traditionally had longer model runs than the Japanese, emphasising and giving priority to long-term value rather than matching changing customer trends.

As such, every car that is designed has to be done with serious consideration for long-term appeal.
It has to be technically advanced to start with and have styling which will not get out of fashion too quickly. The Peugeot 405 is an excellent example of this design philosophy.

The significance of this midrange model, which has a development costs of RM1.5billion, was apparent even when it was introduced some years back as it wom the European car of the year in the 25th tear history of the annual contest.

In fact, 54 out of 47 journalists who were judges from 17 European Countries voted of it, awarding an unprecedented 464 points (over 100 points more than the 2nd placed car).
Given such strong endorsement by an independent group, Peugeot distributors all over the world have enjoyed strong sales and the model continues to be popular. To date, over 1.5 million 405s (of which 1.3 million have been saloons) have been produced and sold in more than 111 countries.
Malaysia was the 1st country in the Far East where the model was assembled locally and the total number of assembly packs shipped (worldwide) has been almost 59,000 units.
The 1st version assembled in Malaysia was the 405GTX, which had a single carburettor 1.9 engine. At that time, the specifications were appropriate for the market and the car were undeniably good value for money.

And at that time too, there also was concern that the service network of the previous franchise holder was not quite ready for engines with computerised engine management systems.

"THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 405 WAS APPARENT WHEN IT WON THE EUROPEAN CAR OF THE YEAR AWARD WITH MORE POINTS THAN ANY OTHER CAR BEFORE"
When the more forward-looking MBF group came into picture a couple of years ago and took on the Peugeot franchise, the 405 range was enhanced with the addition of the more powerful 405GTI,

As the "I" suggests, this 405 has Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) to boost engine output, bringing the car right up to date for the 1990s.  With so many new cars having EFI, were we keen to find out how the 405 GTI would compare and if its age was of any consequence.
But getting a car was somehow difficult as MBf-Peugeot were not initially geared for such an excercise; in fact, they had thought that no magazine would be interested in their product with the many other new cars around.
But thanks to the efforts of Jeff Yee, their marketing manager, HIGHWAY MALAYSIA was able to get our hands on 1 unit for a close look.


TIMELESS STYLE:

But before we tell you our findings, let's consider the styling. With its rounded edges and wedged profile, the 405GTI has a certain dynamism to it and blends sportiness with elegance.

This is a real demonstration of the mastery of the Pininfarina studios in Italy which have collaborated with the French stylists at Peugeot's own design studios in La Garenne on virtually every model, giving a timeless quality in each shape.

If one were to look at the Peugeots over the years, the styles for each generation would be clearly evident throughout the range although they may overlap.

In most of the "05" generation (the designation is our own, not Peugeot), there is a similarity in the front and rear ends, a crisp "Peugeot Look" if you want to call it that.

Refinement is all over and in little details like concealed rain gutters, bumpers tightly flushed against the body-work, thin roof pillars, undershield for the externally-stowed spare wheel etc...

Even the glass is almost flush against the bodywork, aiding aerodynamic efficiency which is 0.31Cd - still quite credible for 1993.

In fact, aerodynamics played a key role in the final shape of the car and over 550 hours were spent with scale models and full-sized prototypes in Peugeot's St.Cyr wind tunnel on the outskirts of Paris, supplemented by similar testing at Pininfarina's premises in Turin. THe 0.31Cd is actually a bit higher than that is really possible for this shape as the basic versions with skinny tyres and 1 door mirror
can go down to 0.29 (and that was back in 1988!).

For the dual purposes of differentiating the 405 GTI from the GTX and also to improve high-speed stability, a rear spoiler is fitted.  This is quite a plain one compared to the wedged type more common in today's cars. Nevertheless, looking at its design, it should provide the same benefits as the venturi space formed is of the same size.

The designers obviously gave much attention to aerodynamics, not only with respect to the penetration of the 405GTI through the air, but also to enhance driving safety. This is evident in the design of the windscreen wipers where a spoiler is mounted on the wiper arm to ensure that it doesn't lift at high speeds and reduce wiping effectiveness.

Additionally, the washer jets are incorporated in the spoiler to spray water onto the glass more efficiently. Quite likely, these ideas came out of the experiences of developing cars for the tough African rallies, a Peugeot speciality.

The bodyshell itself has also been designed for longevity and ease of repair. Much attention was placed in having structural members that would collapse in a low-speed accident without distort­ing the rest of the bodywork.In addition, the front wings are detachable and the rear wings can be removed without removing the rear windscreen. And to fight off corrosion, up to 67% of the steel panels are galvanised or electrozinc­coated.


PROVEN DRIVETRAIN

Under the bonnet is a transversely­installed powerplant which comes from the same Peugeot XU9 engine family as the 405 GTX and 205 GTI and, inciden­tally, the Citroen BX19GT and ZX 1.9. For Citroen, being a part of the huge Peugeot PSA conglomerate, it made a lot of economic sense for them to use a well­proven engine developed by Peugeot although they may have tuned it to their own specifications to some extent.

The long-stroke engine has a dis­placement of 1905 cc and uses one of the newer Motronic (3.2) computerised engine management systems for controlling the fuel-injection system. Running on 97 octane unleaded or leaded petrol, the engine develops a beefy 90 kW of power at 5000 rpm and 167 m of torque at 4500 rpm. All-weather starting, continuous peak performance and minimal adjustments are needed for the ignition system as it is transistorised and has no moving parts to wear out.

The valvetrain of this 4-cylinder engine uses ajmlt-drtve)l single overhead camshaft for operating the two valves for each cylinder in the light alloy cylinder head. We're not trying to make a case for non-multivalve engines but while this two-valve arrangement may sound dated, there are still merits to it in terms of the way the torque curve goes (slightly flatter than for multivalve designs) and a bit simpler maintenance.

Drive goes to the front wheels through either a 5-speed manual gearbox or 4-speed automatic the former having a top gear ratio 0f 0.757:1 that brings revs down to just 2750 rpm at 100 km/h. However, to maintain a degree of flexibil­ity throughout the five gears, a 4.062 final drive ratio is provided.

UNIQUE REAR SUSPENSION

All four wheels are independently sprung using a the suspension system that looks pretty simple, but considering that Peugeot has been so active in rallies, one can expect that many innovations have been incorporated to provide a good bal­ance of handling sharpness and ride comfort.

Up front are MacPherson struts, coil springs encircling telescopic dampers, and a 19 mm diameter anti-roll bar. The springs are eccentrically aligned for lower friction while the lower wishbones "oscil­late" to damp out road noise.

For the rear, there are transverse torsion bars (19.6 mm diameter) with trail­ing arms. But unlike other similar layouts, that of the 405 GTI is unique in that the telescopic dampers are slanted to about 45 degrees. While this has no effect on damping performance, the boot space can be larger (due to less intrusion) and this is improved by the external mounting of the spare wheel. There's no need to worry about the spare wheel being stolen because it has a restraining bolt which can only be accessed when the boot is opened. And as for dirt causing the spare to deteriorate, why worry? The other wheels are also subjected to the same conditions and in any case, there's a shield around the wheel too.

"The 405 GTI has a certain dynamism to it and blends sportiness with elegance ..... a real demonstration of the mastery of Pininfarina. "
Disc brakes are fitted all round and those in front are vented to keep them cooler for fade-free operation. A large booster multiplies the hydraulic pressure and two circuits are used to ensure that total loss of retardation is not likely in the event of a leak in the system.

The steering system uses a low-ratio rack and pinion system which is power­assisted. .This is linked to the height­adjustable steering column by a collapsible shaft. Tests by Peugeot have shown that the design shaft collapses enough to cause the steering wheel to be pushed backwards (during a 48 km/h frontal impact) only 46 mm - 64% less than EEC standards.

SPACIOUS AND 'CONVENTIONAL'INTERIOR

At one time, French cars were notori­ous not only for their individualistic styling but also interior designs that were very 'different' from those of cars from other countries (Citroens being the most often-mentioned examples). But since the mid-1980s, French designers have been less radical in their approach, and the 405 GTI is fairly 'conventional' in that sense.

In developing the 405, roominess was a major requirement and this has been achieved - with good headroom - in spite of the sharp rake of the windscreens front and rear. Legroom is more generous than one would expect of a car with a 4.4-metre length although the wheelbase is a spacious 2.67 metres.

Most dnvers - even those more used to Japanese cars - should feel com­fortable with the dashboard and layout of switches, apart from adjusting .to the European way of positioning the sig­nal and wiper stalks (left and right, respectively, with the horn activated by the left stalk). However, the stalks have a nice solid feel and seemed easier to manipulate than what we find in Japanese cars.

A simulated leather material is used for the thick steering wheel rim, perhaps to complement the 'GTI' image. It was not appreciated by any of our testers because it was too hard for one thing, and also made a firm grip difficult due to the slipperiness.

FUNCTIONAL DASHBOARD

The instrumentation is comprehen­sive and easy to read although the cali­brations are a bit fussy. There are many warning lights in prominent positions and a 'STOP' warning is positioned where it will definitely catch the attention of the driver - dead centre. This warning will come on when the oil or coolant levels are too low, both conditions likely to cause severe and expensive damage to the engine. There's also another warning to indicate when the operating tempera­ture is too high.

One reminder we found useful was the one for the headlights, which is given with a warning light and a buzzer. Quite obviously, this warning was intended for temperate countries where people often have to switch on their lights because the ambient lighting is dim in winter. For Malaysia, it is no less useful because there are many occasions in a heavy downpour when it's advisable to have the lights on, and many people might forget to switch it off later.

The driver sits in a commanding posi­tion on a firmly padded seat but has to reach out to get the left door mirror in the correct alignment as there is no re­mote control. The seatbelt upper anchor­age is adjustable while the backrest angle can be fine-tuned by means of a rotary knob.

The dashboard presentation is gener­ally neat but the moulded polycarbonate has a hard, plasticky look about it. Nevertheless, it is unlikely to rattle as it is has a one-piece construction.

The ventilation controls are straight­forward and the blower does not com­pletely stop spinning. This ensures that the internal air pressure is always marginally higher than the outside so that there will be less tendency for dust to seep in. Of course, if you open the doors or windows, then it's a different matter altogether!

We liked the folding flap which con­ceals the radio/cassette player. It's such a simple and inexpensive idea, yet the French and Italian manufacturers seem to be the only ones having it.

The equipment level is not much less than most Japanese cars of this class and just about everything needed is there. However, power windows are only fitted to the front doors as the rear ones need human power to operate.


SPACE FOR THREE

In the rear half of the cabin, things are just as ergonomically sound. The door openings are large so getting in or out is easy. Once inside, three adults get to sit on comfortably padded seats with a good backrest angle. Only two-point (lap type) seatbelts are provided for the outboard passengers, something which we hope will be upgraded in due course.

We mentioned the good capacity of the boot earlier and should add that it has a high sill like older generations of cars. Although a cut-away between the light clusters would be nice, we found the sill not very problematic but we must confess that we never had to heave a heavy suit­case over it (the heaviest object was a camera tripod!).

The overall fit and finish of the car gets top marks, which is not unusual as, the car is assembled in Oriental Assem­blers, Johor, where the Honda Legend is .also assembled along with the whole Mercedes-Benz local range .


AN EXHILARATING ­EXPERIENCE

With its 1.9 litre engine developing 90 kW of power, we looked forward to an enjoyable time testing the 1040 kg car, especially since the exhilarating experi­ence of some of our testers with the 405 GTX was still fresh in the mind.

The 405 GTI did not disappoint. Predictably, a high top speed of 190 krn/h was attained without much difficulty in spite of the engine's newness. This was reached with the fourth gear as fifth would lose a few km/h that could never be regained.

There was also similarly impressive performance in acceleration, the engine propelling the 405 GTI to 100 krn!h in 9.9 seconds, close enough to the claim of 9.7 seconds.

There's a muscular feel to the engine all the time, giving it a behaviour that is more powerful than the figures on paper. This is mainly because of the strong torque (thanks to the non-multivalve design) which makes even top gear usable for some overtaking manoeuvres.

The ratios are well selected to give low rev-high speeds for expressway motoring and sufficient flexibility in con­gested town roads.

While the high fifth ratio does help to shift the engine's upper-range boom to well beyond the cruising speed, the thrashy engine noise quality is still audi­ble from inside the car and rather obvi­ous on the outside. We feel that more insulation in the engine compartment area would be in order. After all, protect­ing the environment is not confined to keeping the air clean but also reducing the level of 'unnatural noises'.

Given the low weight, good aerody­namics and efficient engine, it was hardly surprising to record a fuel consumption of 9.9 kms/litre, good for a car with 90 kW. The fuel tank, larger than many cars in this class at 70 litres should thus be good for at least 700 kms making the 405 GTI a good choice for use to drive the whole North-South Highway when it opens. The brakes had a firm, progressive action which inspired confidence. But on slippery surfaces, the feel was not as good and needed adapting to.

IMPRESSIVE HANDLING

For all their past outlandish slfyhng, the French have always been compli­mented for endowing their cars with above-average handling even though external appearances suggested other­wise. The 405 GTI is no exception and can be said to still be a highly competent handler in its class.

There are no vices in its handling and its stability gives one the impression of being in a bigger car. Little understeer occurs and the rear wheels contribute usefully to the action of cornering. Misjudge a corner or panic and let go of the accelerator pedal and the 405 GTI just tightens its line. Slippery surfaces may have the rear wheels shifting a wee bit but the Michelins which came stan­dard with the testcar proved their worth most of the time by gripping tenaciously.

Overall, we would say the balance is excellent and even if there is any transition into understeer, it is so gradual that a new driver will be able to apply correc­tion instinctively.

For someone more experienced, 'fun' can be included in the description of handling.

But it seemed strange that the steering, though power assisted, had a heavy feel to it. Although no one complained (on the contrary, our testers thought it was better weighted than many other cars),

the extra effort needed to turn was noticeable enough to cause comment. Perhaps the front suspension geometry is responsible for this as the emphasis may have been on straightline stability to ensure safer high-speed driving.

"Terrific" and "great" were among the comments on the ride comfort writ­ten in our logbook by the various people who drove the 405 GTI. The suspension

is not overtly soft, as the lean of the car might suggest but it is supple and care­fully damped without being harsh. Dips and bumps get ignored most

of the time and there's hardly any wallow or float. The only demerit was an occasional ten­dency to shift shghtly on a certain type of undulation.


MATURITY OF DESIGN

Manufacturers often explain that going racing has helped them make a' production car better and the 405 GTI certainly shows such 'transfer of technol­ogy'. But more than just learning how to extract higher performance from a basic design, the engineers have also been able to give the car superior ride and han­dling, often difficult to achieve in a com­plementary fashion.

For those of you who left the 405 GTI off your list when you decided you could afford to buy a car again (thanks to the lifting of hire-purchase restrictions), we highly recommend its inclusion. Besides, the RM86,000 pricetag is really quite worthwhile when you think of the maturity of the design you are getting. •


SPECIFICATIONS:

PEUGEOT 405 GTI (Model code: 15BD62)

Distributor: MBF Peugeot Sdn.Bhd
Assembler: Oriental Assemblers Sdn.Bhd. Johor


ENGINE:

Code: XU-9J2(D6D)
Location: Front
Capacity: 1905cc
Bore x stroke: 83 x 88mm
Compression ratio: 9.3:1

Cylinders: 4 in-line, transversely mounted
Valve arrangement: SOHC, 2 valves/cylinder
Cylinder head: Light alloy
Cylinder Block: Cast iron
Fuel feed: Electronic Fuel Injection (Motronic 3.1)
FUel: Leaded/Unleaded

Max power (DIN): 90kw@5500rpm (125hp@5500rpm)
Max torque: 167Nm@4500rpm
Ingition system: Solid state fully electronic


DRIVETRAIN:


Driving wheel: Front
Gearbox: 5 speed Manual

Ratios:
1st.....3.454
2nd.....1.850
3rd.....1.280
4th.....0.969
5th.....0.757
Rev.....3.333
Final drive ratio: 4.062


BODY AND CHASSIS:


Bodystyles: 3 box, 4 door saloon
Claimed Cd: 0.31

Front Suspension:
Independent MacPherson struts, lower wishbones, dampers, coil springs, stabilizer

Rear suspension:
Independent, trailing-arms, torsion bars, dampers, stabiliser

Steering system: Rack and pinion, power assisted
Wheels: 5.5Jx14, pressed steel
Tyres: 185/65R14 steel belted
Front brakes: Vented Discs
Rear brakes: Discs

DIMENSION AND WEIGHT:

Overall Length: 4408mm
Overall Width: 1714mm
Overall height: 1406mm
Wheelbase: 2669mm
Front track: 1450mm
Rear track: 1436mm
Kerb weight: 1040kgs
Turning circle: 10.6m


PERFORMANCE:

Top speed: 190km/h
0-100km/h: 9.9 seconds
Average Fuel Consumption: 9.9km/L (28.3mpg)
RPM @ 100km/h in top gear: 2750rpm

NB: Performance tests were carried out at 630kms on a test vehicle supplied by MBf-Peugeot. Actual performance may vary depending on mileage clocked, state of engine tune, atmospheric conditions etc...

WARRANTY AND PRICE:

Warranty: 12 months/unlimited mileage
Retail price: RM85,858.05 (incl. 12 months road tax and insurance premium, private registration)

Price includes:

Air conditioner, front power windows, central locking, rear seatbelts (2 point), Michelin tyres, anti-theft system, rear spoiler, sump guard.

Colour choices:

White, Red, Metallic Beige, 2 shades of Metallic Grey, Metallic Blue, Metallic Red, Silver, Green (extra of RM1,826 for metallic finish)

END OF SPECIFICATIONS...

Again Article and specifications SOURCE: Highway Malaysia, February 1993 issue. Page 22 to 30. By Chips P.S. Yap.  But painstakingly scanned and typed by Jeff LIM, NO JOKE, 8 pages in total. Wow!


Let's proceed to Another review from UK:
Used Peugeot Car Review (www.autoweb.co.uk)

Used Peugeot 405 (1988 - 1997) Car Review

Performance: ***1/2
Comfort: ****
Handling: ***1/2
Economy: ***1/2
Image: ***1/2
Styling: *****
Equipment: ***1/2
Build: ***1/2
Depreciation: ***
Insurance: ***1/2


FRENCH LESSONS

BY JONATHAN CROUCH



The 405 was the French manufacturer's first attempt at a front-wheel drive mid-size car. It replaced the much-respected 505 and had quite a reputation to live up to. That it became a huge success for Peugeot is due mostly to a superb chassis plus strong and reliable mechanicals.

 There was also an incredibly wide model range that seemed to offer something for every niche of the family and company-car markets in which it competed. The 405 saloon was replaced in 1996 by a similar looking model, the 406, though the new car was substantially changed. In the eight years that the 405 saloon was in production (the estate lived on into 1997 until the 406 version arrived), it helped Peugeot gain a big increase in UK market share. It also gave the company that elusive breakthrough into the fleet market, helped by assembling the 405 at Ryton to give it a 'Built in Britain' image.
History
January 1988 marked the launch of the 405 in Britain with a choice of 1.6 and 1.9-litre carburettor engines as well as an injected 1.9. Six months later, the performance model arrived, bearing the curious name of Mi 16. Estates arrived in October 1988 and a four-wheel drive Mi 16x4 was released in late 1989.

Diesel cars were also available right from the start. These were immediately a great success and the 405 was, for a long time, the best-selling diesel saloon car in Britain, with the choice of 1.9-litre normally aspirated and, from August 1988, 1.8-litre turbocharged units.

A facelift was announced for the sales rush of August 1990 and consisted of revisions to trim levels and a more attractive dashboard. Just over two years later there was another facelift when catalysed two-litre petrol engines replaced the 1.9s. The interior was again revamped, the boot’s opening was lowered to ease access and the suspension was improved.

Power steering became standard on all cars in March 1994 and air-conditioning was added across the range (excluding the entry-level Style) along with remote central locking. A driver's airbag was added in August 1994. Luxury two-litre petrol and 1.8 D-Turbo Executive versions arrived early in 1995 and the Quasar models in June.

The estate line-up was revised in February 1996 when the 406 saloon replaced the 405; these versions soldiered on until the 406 estates were ready for launch in February 1997.


Opinion

Attractive looks, a well-designed and hard-wearing interior and frugal engines, particularly the diesels. The estates are very roomy and handle well too, unlike some rivals. The huge choice of models can be difficult to wade through but essentially, the lower-order cars are not really very well equipped so try for the highest specification you can afford.

Problems?

Some engines were problematic, particularly the 1.6 and 1.9-litre carburettor units. Hot starting can sometimes be difficult, so you should notice any problems straight away. Also check that cambelts were changed on schedule. Faulty power steering pumps, noisy gearboxes and rumbling driveshafts are not unknown, either.

Cars with unassisted steering may be too heavy for some people to park, so try one for yourself. Power assistance was initially optional on all but top models but became standard in 1994.

Build quality was frankly poor on early cars with rattles and misaligned trim often ‘standard equipment’. The interiors are fairly hardy, though. Check that all the electric gadgets work – make sure the windows and sunroof close as well as open. Many of the later cars had standard air-conditioning so check that it delivers icy air and cools the car down quickly. If not, you may have expensive repairs ahead.
Road

The 405 was always the driver's favourite in the contemporary Mondeo class, along with that other excellent handler, the Nissan Primera. If you need a family car but the driver in you is worried about the prospect of landing a boring rep-mobile, fear not – the 405 is a bit special in a sea of fairly ordinary cars.

Overall

A car thoroughly worthy of your hard-earned savings. The diesels have a reputation for longevity and excellent economy and Peugeot oil-burners are also amongst the most refined to drive. With so many models to choose from and a huge number sold, the 405 of your choice shouldn’t be too hard to find.

Good luck in finding a GOOD Peugeot 405.
SOURCE: http://www.autoweb.co.uk/car-review/peugeot%20405%20(1988%20-%201997)

END OF ARTICLE...

Without further ado, let's proceed to Owner's review:

Source: http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/peugeot/405/
Owner 1:

Peugeot 405 SRi review from Finland

"Ahead of its time, classic"

What things have gone wrong with the car?

Electric window switch broke.
Rear breaks (disc) were stuck when I bought the car. (The car stopped with the front brakes only).
Peugeot has been so far a lot more reliable than Buick.

General comments?

Very comfortable ride.
So far it has also been reliable.
Performance is surprising, 0-100km/h takes only 9.5s.
Fuel consumption is only 7.3 litres/100km on highway.
Overall very good car.



Owner 2: Peugeot 405 GRI review from Sweden

"Nice car of the late 80s"

What things have gone wrong with the car?

Nothing wrong, but usual wear and tear replacement in a new brake plate.
New part of exhaustpipe also replaced due to rust.

General comments?

Nice design for an 17 year old car and no rust.
It´s a fun car to drive with moderate power that will give you enough power to overtake that annoying cargocarrier or bus on the road.

Basic model; no power-steering and minimum electrical gadgets in the cabin.
Nice suspension and smooth to handle.
Boot surprisingly large. A family of four will do well in terms of space.
Quite cheap spearparts to buy and an overall simple car to fix with.

If you like a car that has a reliable engine and if you´re not out to outdo your neughbour´s new car then a carefully selected 405 should fit you well.


OWNER 3: from USA. (NOTE: Peugeot Pulled out of North American market in 1992.)

1989 Peugeot 405 Mi16 review from North America

"Fast, fun, rare"

What things have gone wrong with the car?


I bought the car used (for next to nothing), as a fixer-upper to supplement the SAAB. Expecting it needed a couple thousand in work,

it turned out to need suspension bushings, thermostat, timing belt adjustment, CV boots, electrical repairs and a host of other things,

that ended up costing me more than double what I thought it would. But considering cosmetically the car was in incredible shape,

and the miles were reasonable, it's been worth it. And since the repairs, it's been very reliable.
General comments?

A total blast to drive. This car handles better than almost any other FWD car I've ever driven. Whatever Peugeot did to the suspension, they did it right!!

One of the nicest revving 16 valves engines out there too. Incredibly comfortable seats too, front and back.

The interior build quality is very mediocre, and the car rattles like crazy. But open the windows, turn up the stereo, keep the revs in the 3500 to 7000rpm range, and you fall in love with this car instantly.
Even at 11 years old, the car still looks modern. And it gets a lot of looks from other Euro car drivers.
If Peugeot returns to the US, the new 407 will be on my shopping list!!

OWNER 4:
1989 Peugeot 405 Mi16 review from Australia and New Zealand

"Mi16 - "Engineered to be enjoyed"?... you better believe it!!!"

What things have gone wrong with the car?

- Recently I replaced the exhaust gasket next to the oxygen sensor, as well as the catalytic converter.



- New front disc's and pads at 210,000kms, EFI fuel line replaced, modulator, clutch cable clip, driver's side power window, engine mounts.

General comments?
A Peugeot Mi16 represents a remarkable balance of comfort and performance.

No one will argue, (no one with much sense) over the value and awesome performance characteristics Japanese built cars possess, or potentially with modifications. Having said this, my stock standard 1989 model Mi16 provides me with a motor that wants to be driven hard, and handles like you had died and gone to heaven.

The interior is loaded with all the creature comforts, power you name it! The option pack includes rear head rests, sun roof, and leather upholstery. One feature of the Power Steering is that at low speeds it is light to handle, when at higher speeds the Power Steering stiffens to give you a more responsive feel of the road. This along with the ABS brakes & suspension set up which includes anti roll characteristics adds to the exhilaration you receive when taking this puppy through tight bends throughout the country side.

The 1.9L pulls you off at the lights adequately, in low rev ranges, but once you take her past 4-4,500rpm, she really hauls!. Keeping her in high rev ranges while down shifting before planting back on the power exiting that tight corner, will have you singing the praises of the Mi16 and the good people at Peugeot, in much the same way as I am now.

The overall comfort can be attributed to the semi-bucket seats with lumbar and head support, there is also a center arm rest that you'll find yourself using.

Needless to say you are reading one happy customers review! Purchasing a car (or any car) with 198,000kms you need to expect some repairs as my car is now 16 years old. The import thing to remember is that it is all relative, I purchased this car for AUD$7,900 when it sold new for about AUD$52,000. If that equates to a slightly higher service bill, then so be it.

The greatest tragedy of all is that the Mi16 is a discontinued series.


OWNER 5:

1992 Peugeot 405 SRi review from UK and Ireland
"Hidden gem"

What things have gone wrong with the car?

Oil breather pipes clogged up with creamy gunk (common fault).
Radiator leak.
Intermittent running probs, sometimes lovely, sometimes a dog!
N/S CV boot, N/S/F wheel bearing.
Sunroof gave up the ghost.

General comments?

Despite these niggly problems I love this car! The gunking up of the breather pipes and oil filler had me worried briefly (cylinder head gasket?). Finally found that removing the two air breather pipes going to oil filler unit helped an awful lot & made no difference to the engine. The gunking problem is very common in these cars and can seriously affect engine performance, so make sure all the oil pipes are removed & cleaned with petrol when you do an oil change. Also check the filler unit, it has a gauze filter inside & may well need changing (only £10 from a dealer). Contrary to what some garages may tell you, it is an easy job! Get the Haynes manual & do the work yourself.

Found that changing plugs to Bosch super 4's and changing leads made a noticeable improvement to engine.

Sound system is fantastic for this level of car, boy is it loud!!
Handling is excellent, very predictable understeer at the limit.
Suspension... unbelievable, speed humps... pah!!
Seats are sporty but very comfortable, even on long journeys.

Overall, I would recommend these cars highly, look for one that has been maintained properly and you have everything you could need from a car. Best of all, they are ridiculously cheap to buy & insure!


OWNER 6:
1992 Peugeot 405 SRi review from UK and Ireland
"SRi? Something really interesting!!"

What things have gone wrong with the car?

Brakes grinding.
Door locks and mechanisms replaced on both sides.

General comments?

I find the Pug 405 a really nice car to drive. It's the first Pug I've owned.

I installed a Sony CD and head set up, where I found the wiring more than odd. Thankfully the Haynes manual for the 405 gave me a great hand.

The seats are fantastically comfy and I find the cabin layout OK, but not ideal.
The SRi model has just the right amount of goodies I like, ABS, PAS, Electric windows and 6 speaker setup.

The get up and go on this car has certainly not got up and gone. For a car over ten, it can still kick some!!!


LASTLY: OWNER 7:

1995 Peugeot 405 SRi review from Malaysia

"The best car, nothing comes close!"

What things have gone wrong with the car?

Air-conditioning: the system was refurbished by replacing the dryer, compressor, expansion valve and cooling coil. Total replacement of all the parts. The circuit for the blower tends to have weak connectors and has changed to simple wire connectors. The wiring seems to change to dark brown, oxidised through time.

Forward suspension lower arm bushes are the main maintenance to be carried out. Due to bad roads and hundreds of speed bumps, the front lower arm bushes tends to wear out fast, especially the left one (always hit potholes with it).

Bulletproof engine, reliable and economical for a 2000cc car. stepper motor needs regular cleaning. So far only normal oil change and spark plugs. Timing belt and bearings are changed every 70k kms and water pumps at 140k km. Still returns 28mpg urban and 38mpg highway.

Plastics seems to be soft and degrading. Apply silicone polish to reduce wear.here, it is very hot and humid, which affects all the rubber and plastic parts very quickly.

General comments?

The car is seriously quick, provided you have the momentum and speed. Has the ability to hang to a faster approach on a bend due to excellent suspension and steering geometry, which most japanese cars tends to back off. Handling is very entertaining on twisty mountain roads, steer by throttle, brake late, fast in, fast out. If the entrance speed is too hot, just ease the throttle, the car will get back in line.

Very comfortable long distance tourer, able to maintain maximum speed for 3 hours without overheating. Able to outperform most "sporting" car and very comfortable too. Excellent suspension, a balance between comfort and handling.


END OF SOURCE:

http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/peugeot/405/



THAT"S ALL FOLKS, Thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.

FULL REVIEW: 1997 Honda City 1.5EXI-S(A)

FULL REVIEW: 1997 Honda City 1.5EXI-S(A)

In this blog entry, I'm covering 1997 to 2002 Honda City 1.5EXI-S(A).  The City is 1st on sale in Malaysia in 1996 with a 1.3EXI engine.  9 months later, 1.5EXI-S Manual and Auto were introduced along with a price hike of between RM5,000 to RM7,000.

Here are the used prices of Honda City 1.5EXI-S (Researched by Me):

Year:.............1997......1998.....1999.....2000.................2001..............2002
Price (RM):   18k........20k........23k.......26k (28k)........30k (33k).......34k (37k)

NOTE: 1) (VTI - VTEC LEV) in Bracket, 2) 2000 onwards were face lifted
and known as City TYPE-Z.  See pictures below:

As usual, I don't have a car to test and brag about it.  ALL is NOT LOST...  I dished out a WELL WRITTEN review taken from Highway Malaysia December 1997 issue by Uncle Leeps Lee.  IN ADDITION, I also dished out 3 owner's review from Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka respectively.  ENJOY!

HONDA CITY 1.5 EXi-S (A)

BETTER PULL FOR THE MONEY

By Leeps

It has been less than a year since the Honda City was launched before a bigger engine model was introduced. This is the City 1.5 EXi-S or 150 'C-Class'. However, there appears to be no let-up in demand as 2,000 Citys 1.5 were sold since its quiet entry in July.

Apparently, the 1.5-litre model was slated to join the City line-up even before this Honda was launched in Thailand. The decision to include the 1.5-litre model was obviously spurred by the then-imminent arrival of the Soluna, Toyota's 1.5-litre 'Asian Family Car'.

As for Malaysia, local Honda distributor Kah Motor Co Sdn Bhd has opted to promote the City 1.5 instead of the 1.3, much to the dismay of some. With a smaller displacement engine, the City 1.3 was affordable to many who wanted a Honda. With the City 1.5, the price was increased by about RM5,000 which led to some cancellation of orders. At prices varying between about RM69,600 and RM72,500 for a standard model with manual/automatic transmission and solid/metallic paintwork, the City still remains a more affordable option to the Civic.

Unlike before, the City 1.5 is a completely different model from the Civic, which is now solely a 1.6-litre model. The closeness in engine displacement is no longer a matter of personal preferences and budgets for a car within the same model range. It has become a matter of looks and tastes.

A 'CIVIC ENGINE'

The engine powering the City 1.5 is still from the Civic line. Compared to the 1.3, the stroke is longer at 84.5 mm (76 mm) while the bore is a constant 75 mm. This has resulted in an undersquare configuration which means better pulling power. The compression ratio is higher at 9.4 (9.0) and there is now 77 kW (105 bhp) at 6500 rpm (69.8 kW/95 bhp at 6400 rpm). Torque is 134 Nm at 4600 rpm (115 Nm/4700 rpm). The City 1.5 is only heavier by 8 kgs and thus enjoys a better weight-to-power ratio of 12.8 kgs/kW (13.9 kgs/kW).

There are also some changes in the 4-speed automatic transmission to accommodate the higher power outputs. Second, third and fourth gears are higher in ratios since there is more torque now. In fact, third gear is an overdrive at 0.972.

DRIVING THE CITY 1.5

As one of our staff has a City 1.3, we had the rare chance to gauge the City 1.5 back-to-back. The better torque has definitely provided for a more relaxed driving ambience. There was no need to prompt the accelerator often to get it down to second gear for that spurt of speed or pull to get going quickly.

The City 1.5 has ample torque to sufficiently quick pick-up for overtaking on the highway and when going up mild inclines. This feature also helped to give the City higher corner speed through winding stretches, encouraged as well by the proven all-independent suspension with a MacPherson strut at each wheel and the 175/75 SR13 Dunlop LeMans J-Cinq tyres.

With less of a need to kick down and get second gear, there was less of a jerky affair while driving. Although some improvements were made with the automatic transmission, it still didn't perform as good as that in the Civic. It is getting there though.

Our acceleration runs confirmed the City 1.5 as a quicker car. It was clocked at 11.5 seconds for the 100 km/h sprints which the City 1.3 did in 13.2 seconds. On kickdowns, the City 1.5 covered the 50-80 km/h runs in 5.6 seconds, a second faster.

Despite the slight differences in transmission ratios, road speed through the gears were similar–58 km/h (60 in the 1.3) in first, 104 km/h in second and 160 km/h in third. The auto changes occurred between 6100 and 6500 rpm. This was also similar at cruising speeds, with the engine running between 2800 and 3100 rpm (2600 and 3000 rpm) at 100-110 km/h.

As is typical of Honda engines, some mileage is required before optimum performance can enjoyed. That in the test City 1.5 was no different, having covered slightly above 1,000 kms when we borrowed it. Thus the top speed we attained may not be indicative of the true potential of the car in this respect. If it is like the City 1.3, it should do above 170 km/h, if not 180 km/h, with more mileage.

The difference in interior appointments aren't much. The extras come in a central console bin and a door armrest for the front doors. All the windows are electrically-powered (only the front ones for the City 1.3).

"Would you buy the City 1.5?" we asked the staffer who owns a City 1.3. The response (which we also tend to agree with) was this: "Now that I've driven it, I do regret not waiting for the 1.5 to come along. The better pull certainly makes for more comfortable and relaxed driving. But with the gloomy economic scenario, I think I will keep my City 1.3!"


SPECIFICATIONS

HONDA CITY 1.5 EXi-S (A)

Distributor: Kah Motor Co Sdn Bhd

Manufacturer: Oriental Assemblers Sdn Bhd, Johor

ENGINE
Location : Front, transversely mounted
Capacity : 1493 cc
Bore/stroke : 75.0/84.5 mm
Compression ratio : 9.4:1
Cylinders : 4, in-line
Valve arrangement : SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
Cylinder head : Light alloy
Cylinder block : Light alloy
Fuel feed : PGM-FI electronic multi-point fuel injection
Petrol : Unleaded only
Max. power (DIN) : 76.5 kW/6500 rpm
: 104 bhp/6500 rpm
Max. torque : 134 Nm/4600 rpm
Weight/power ratio : 12.8 kgs/kW
kW per litre : 51.2 kW
Ignition system : Electronic

DRIVETRAIN
Driving wheels : Front
Gearbox : 4-speed automatic with lock-up torque converter
Ratios : 1st - 2.722
: 2nd - 1.500
: 3rd - 0.972
: 4th - 0.738
: Rev - 1.954
Final drive ratio : 3.937

BODY & CHASSIS
Bodystyle : 3-box, 4-door saloon
Side impact bars : Yes
Front suspension : Independent, MacPherson struts and coil springs, transverse links, stabiliser bar
Rear suspension : Independent, trapezoidal links, MacPherson strut and coil springs
Steering system : Rack and pinion, power-assisted
Wheels : 5Jx13, steel
Tyres : 175/70 SR13
Front brakes : Ventilated discs
Rear brakes : Drums

DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
Overall length : 4225 mm
Overall width : 1690 mm
Overall height : 1395 mm
Wheelbase : 2500 mm
Front track : 1454 mm
Rear track : 1454 mm
Ground clearance : 168 mm
Kerb weight : 978 kgs
Fuel tank capacity : 45 lits
Turning circle : 9.6 m

PERFORMANCE (tested)
Top speed : 160 km/h
0-100 km/h : 11.5 secs
50-80 km/h : 5.6 secs
RPM at 100 km/h in top gear: 2800 rpm

N.B. Performance tests were carried out on a testcar supplied by Kah Motor Co Sdn Bhd with 1,000 kms on it. Actual performance may vary depending on mileage clocked, state of engine tune, atmospheric conditions, etc. Dunlop LeMans J-Cinq tyres with optional alloy rims were fitted on the testcar.

WARRANTY & PRICE (as at December 1997)
Warranty : 24 mths/40,000 kms, whichever comes first
Nett selling price : RM46,032.94
Excise duty/sales tax : RM22,617.03
Retail price : RM71,970.57
Insurance : RM2,073.50
Roadtax : RM218.60
Price includes : Air-conditioner, audio system, central locking, anti-theft system, anti-rust, strut bar. For metallic paint, add RM526.35.

N.B. Price shown for private ownership, is applicable to Peninsular Malaysia only. Nett selling price is the government approved price, excluding excise duty and sales tax. Retail price includes roadtax for one year but no insurance coverage. For East Malaysia, the price will be slightly higher due to shipping charges. Insurance premium is based on recommended value of RM71,000 for a year's comprehensive coverage without deduction for any No Claim Discount (NCD) bonus. Ownership claim fee (applicable for H-P financing) of RM50 is included.

END OF SOURCE: Highway Malaysia December 1997 issue by Uncle Leeps Lee..

Let us proceed to Owner's review: SOURCE:

http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/honda/city/

Owner 1: 2000 Honda City Type Z review from Malaysia

"Excellent car handling and Excellent fuel economy!"

What things have gone wrong with the car?

My metal door handles are badly scratched due to wear and tear and probably age. I intend to change it though.
Other than that my electronic stuff like the back shades are spoilt!! but its small matter... the other electronic works great!

General comments?

It handles like a Honda EKG Civic 1996-1999.
The Car is low and when you drive you can feel the road at your feet. You are stable when you take corners.
Pickup is great compared with other cars I've driven. I'm always faster than other cars when the light turns green.
Original made in Japan and Thailand parts and accessories are still widely available until today.
I Love the Rims! although its 14" but it looks damn awesome! Like the Honda Integra sports rims. Mine is the full Specs! So it has all these extras.

Owner 2: 2000 Honda City Lxi review from Singapore

"It's an economical and a reliable car"

What things have gone wrong with the car?

Noisy tyres. Maybe I'm too used to handling my old Honda civic.

General comments?

Mine is a 2000 model. It's comparatively cheap to maintain and fuel comsumption is comparatively low. A 40 tank of petrol can clocked 450km driving in Singapore city and 510km in Malaysia's expressway. My car has already travel more than 100,000 km and the engine is still at a healthy state.

Owner 3: 2002 Honda City review from Sri Lanka

"Great car for everyday use"

What things have gone wrong with the car?

The spark plug wires had to be replaced at about 48000Km mark. Replaced with four Honda originals from the dealer at almost 8000LKR. Service at the dealer was of course excellent and the staff were very knowledegably - they knew what to look at check for the problem I was having.

General comments?

The car handles well and responds quite quickly for inputs.
However, the car could do with just a few more horse power. Pickup at lower RPMs is good, but higher RPM's are not so good.

The engine is great for fast moving traffic and for overtaking... however, driving in stop and go traffic is a bit difficult because the 1st gear ratio is too short and the 2nd gear ratio is a bit too tall. Going up mountains is not a problem, even when loaded with 5 people and luggage.

There are however small niggles – seat belt shoulder height can’t be adjusted, the windshield washer does not automatically switch on the wipers, there’s no steering wheel adjustment, front seat don’t adjust back enough, coin holders aren’t big enough, etc.

The A/C cools extremely well, but seems like the side vents are not spaced properly as the air hits the drivers and passengers shoulder more than going to the rear. These may seem like nitpicking, but some of them get to be quite irritating on the long run.

On the whole, it’s a great car. The seats are comfortable and the pick up is good too. Fuel economy is very good - although I only get about 12km/ltr, but that in heavy traffic and driving with a heavy foot. The trunk/dickie has a good amount of room plus there’s a full size spare. After owning two other Hondas (both Civics), the City has isn’t limitations, but is still a very nice car.

END OF OWNER'S REVIEW...

That's all folks...  Thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.   

FULL REVIEW: Nissan Bluebird 2.0SSS-G @ Altima

FULL REVIEW: Nissan Bluebird 2.0SSS-G @ Altima


In this blog entry, I’ll post about 1993-1997 Nissan Bluebird 2.0SSS-G.. By end-94’ its no longer called “Bluebird”, rather its name changed to “Nissan ALTIMA”. Leather seats, alloy rims added. The car’s on sale in Malaysia Locally assembled (CKD) by TAN CHONG in Segambut, Kuala Lumpur until End-1997. By then, it was replaced by Cefiro 2.0i V6.

It’s available in BOTH 5 speed manual and 4 speed Automatic and back in 1993, it was priced between RM90,000 to RM96,000 OTR. Today, as at November 2009, a used example is yours at the following prices:

Year: 1993........1994………..1995……..1996……..1997
Price(RM): 10/12k….12.8/13.8k…15/16k……17/18k…..20/21k
(Man/Auto)

Note: Averaged price between August to November 2009 as advertised in The Star Metro Classifieds and Motortrader (last 10 issues).

I STRONGLY RECOMMEND this car, a very WORTHY BUY especially at these prices. Truly BEST VALUE for money. Why? READ ON…

As usual, I don’t have a car to test drive and brag about it… All is not lost… I dished out a VERY WELL WRITTEN ARTICLE published by my ALL-TIME FAVOURITE MALAYSIAN MOTORING MAGAZINE: “HIGHWAY MALAYSIA”, July 1993 issue. Sadly, this Magazine became a victim of 1997 ASIAN ECONOMIC CRISIS, last issue being published in October 1998.

Without further ado, let’s proceed to this WELL WRITTEN ARTICLE by its editor, “UNCLE CHIPS P.S. YAP”.

NISSAN BLUEBIRD 2.0 SSS-G: “RETURN OF THE TRIPLE S”


“Unlike most new models, the new Nissan Bluebird 2.0SSS-G is one car that we have encountered twice before its official introduction in Malaysia. Regular readers will recall reading about the new Bluebird in our February 1992 issue, following the Nissan Organised preview for Asian journalists in Penang. After a 50km drive on the twisty Balik Pulau road, we came away impressed, expressing admiration for the new and higher standards and lauding Nissan for the bold new styling concept.

Then, in December last year, we again met the Bluebird during a tour in Nissan facilities in the USA, driving its American made cousin, the “ALTIMA” between Los Angeles and San Diego. The Nissan USA people were proud of the Altima because its body was designed by Americans at Nissan Design International (NDI) Studio in San Diego. It had also been selling remarkably well since being launched in August.

And the car still had not been launched in Malaysia, NOT until May 1993! (NOTE: 15 months after Asian Premiere).

GETTING USED TO THE MONOFORM:




The other helpful thing about the delay of the Bluebird is that people now see the styling as LESS RADICAL. When we 1st saw in Penang, we thought the monoform shape too unique and even the Tan Chong Motors people had some reservations about its acceptance by Malaysians.

But we believed that it would “grow on you in a year’s time”. And indeed, looking at the Bluebird now, it appears contemporary because we now have similar rounded, wide-bodied shape in the Honda Civic (EG), Toyota Corolla (SEG), Mazda 626 and Ford Telstar – all of which came AFTER the Bluebird appeared in Japan, by the way.
So the people at NDI deserve a pat on the back for their belief that the styling trend would go in such a direction.

NDI’s proposal was chosen after a competition between Nissan’s stylists in Japan and NDI’s All-American team. The proposal by the Japanese stylists was thought to be ‘Uninspiring for the 1990s’ whereas NDI’s fresh, non-linear approach was bold – a genuine mould breaker - and just the thing to take the Bluebird away from the Conservative image it had acquired over the past decade, its rather insipid name notwithstanding.


The American way gives the occasional ‘great leap forward’, as evident in the Bluebird, but the Japanese one produces fewer mistakes. So what was eventually done was to use the NDI proposal and have the major engineering part be done by Japanese at the Nissan Technical Centre – a prime example of Cross-Pacific collaboration which, at times was done real-time by satellite.

Surprisingly, what seems to be like a very aerodynamic form yields a Cd of only 0.35. But this can be brought down with optional Rear spoiler to 0.34 for RM800 extra.

LARGER AND MORE POWERFUL:


The new Bluebird (the 9th generation of the model line which started in the mid-1950s) is longer than its predecessor by 65mm but almost the same width. It’s wheelbase of 2620mm is 70mm more than before and it is 30mm taller. The kerb weight has also gone up by slightly more than 100kgs in-spite of using lighter materials in many areas.

Only 1 engine is now available for the New Bluebird, partly because the 1.8L version of the previous generation didn’t sell too well and also because the Distributor wanted the “SSS-G” specification which is used only for the sporty versions of the Bluebird.

As many readers may remember. The Datsun 1600 SSS (or triple-S) was a 1970s saloon slanted towards performance in the same vein as the BMW 2002. The Ford TX3 didn’t exist then and if you wanted something muscular for street use, the SSS was it.

The last Bluebird SSS sold here was the last of the rear-wheel-drives (RWD) introduced in 1981. It had a twin-carb 1800cc engine and was loaded with goodies. Subsequently, the model specifications were toned down and the car was marketed more as a comfortable executive sedan.

Now the “SSS” badge returns and the new Bluebird is powered by a variant of the sophisticated SR engine series, the SR20DE. This DOHC 16valve engine is related to that used in the Nissan Pulsar GTI-R and produces 106.6kw @ 6400rpm with 178.4Nm torque @ 4800rpm.

Notable features of the engine include a long, large-diameter intake manifold, ‘aerodynamic’ ports that accelerate mixture flow at medium-low speeds, an aluminium oil pan and the use of Y-shaped rocker arms that reduce valve system inertia and help enhance intake efficiency.


The engine management system, known as Electronic Concentrated-engine Control System (ECCS), uses a 16-bit microprocessor to maintain the engine’s functions at peak efficiency. ECCS also controls the fully sequential fuel injection system to squirt a precise amount of petrol into each cylinder according to its own intake timing.

The engine has Chain-drive for the camshafts, not a Timing belt drive as used in many engines to reduce chain noise. According to Nissan Engineer, chain drives are becoming popular among Japanese manufacturers as it has been found that belts snap too easily.

The chain used in the engine is a single-roller chain that is light, durable and only marginally noisier than a belt. It has a semi-hydraulic half-ratchet chain tensioner to avoid clutter from the chain being loose and extend engine life. Like the Sentra, Cefiro, the Bluebird’s engine hooks up to a propriety diagnostic unit.

Both manual and automatic transmissions are available for the new Bluebird which, of course, has the driving wheels at the front. The lightweight 4-speed automatic transmission uses tandem servos to improve downshifting response.

HEIGHTENED DYNAMICS:

To meet to customers’ expectations of the “SSS” badge, the chassis and suspension have been developed for heightened dynamic performance. The front and rear suspension systems are mounted on sub-frames which reduce noise transmission while helping to increase compliance. Attaching the steering gear box to the subframe also help increase mounting rigidity.

The front suspension is ‘universal’ in arrangement, ie. MacPherson struts, coil springs and telescopic dampers. At the rear is the Super Toe Control (STC) Suspension, a passive form of rear-wheel-steering to neutralise the bad effects of forces exerted on the wheels. This also uses spring struts and employs 2 parallel links of uneven length to control toe angle. A more detailed explanation of the STC suspension is given BELOW: (double click to read it)


Disc brakes are fitted to all 4 wheels (ventilated in front), ABS is NOT INSTALLED though, as this is still a costly item. Standard wheels for the car are 6JJx14 pressed steel types which are shod with 195/65HR14 tyres. For RM1300, one can opt for the JRD 5-spoke alloy rims that are virtually identical to the original Nissan design. (see picture below. Picture also shows the optional rear spoiler RM800 extra which brings the Cd down to 0.34 (from Cd 0.35).


MORE RIGID, MORE SAFE:



Structurally, the new Bluebird is quite advanced as it uses 1-piece side body panels which have better rigidity. With computer analysis and simulations using Cray supercomputers, the engineers were able to increase torsional-rigidity by 40% and flexural rigidity by 10%. The overall feel of the car and its stability during lane changes is more secure with this increased rigidity. The car has large crushable zones at both ends which suppresses sectional deformity to protect the occupants from impact forces. There’s also protection from side-collisions by beams installed in the doors.

In dealing with noise and vibration, measures taken include using 2 hydraulic engine mounts that reduce low-frequency engine shake, smaller holes (for wiring and other linkages) between engine compartment and cabin, abolition of speedometer wire cable (an electronic speedometer is now used) and 3x front door sealing.

Given the modern methods of assembly and the use of galvanised steel for many panels, the Bluebird should last a long time. The car consists of more than 110 recyclable plastics and other rubber parts.

LUXURY SALOON AMBIENCE:

The longer wheelbase is fully exploited to create a cabin more spacious than the exterior suggests. There is efficient packaging and shows how well the interior designers adhered to “Neither TOO MUCH nor TOO LITTLE” theme. In fact, when the roominess inside is experienced, all thoughts of the unimpressive Cd will be banished!

Although this is a sport sedan, the interior does not reflect it and instead has the ambience of a luxury saloon. This not only comes from the classy wood panelling that stretches across the centre of the dashboard but also in the quality of the materials used.



For the driver, everything needed to drive the car safely, comfortably and enjoyably has been put within easy reach and view. The placement of the master switches for the power windows on an inclined panel is practical and makes operation easier.

The driving positions is adaptable to many different body shapes as there are 2 facilities for seat height adjustment and an adjustable steering column. Though the door pocket presses against the seat, it’s a good idea as it prevents making seat adjustments while driving.

The 2 door mirrors can be folded inwards by remote control, a feature which we thought unnecessary but later proved to be useful. Motorcyclists appreciate it if you fold the mirrors in when driving in a traffic jam allowing them to squeeze past without banging the mirrors!

The high roofline makes the rear part of the cabin more spacious. The seats too are generally proportioned and there’s a centre armrest. Seatbelts are provided for 3 persons, the centre ones being ‘lap-belt’.

But the mounting of the amplifier (a high-tech sound system available for RM3,600) under the front passenger’s seat does not seems to be a good idea. Rear passengers would put their shoe on it, we feel.

By using a space-saving resin fuel-tank design, not only can the Bluebird carry more fuel but there’s also better boot capacity of 395L.

ON THE ROAD:

Recollections of the old SSS, though vague, whetted our enthusiasm for testing the new Bluebird (our testcar comes with 5 speed manual gearbox) and we were not disappointed at all.

The 1st few runs (we normally do 10) for acceleration times were impressive as the car clocked low 9s with an average of 9.2 secs from 0-100km/h. With the air-conditioner on, the time only changed by 4/10ths of a second, a far cry from the days where the difference would be 1-2 seconds.

The Bluebird charges up to a high cruising speed very easily and it doesn’t take very long to reach the top speed of 195km/h, which we could only achieve in 4th gear at 6800rpm. Stability at that speed was excellent and inspired much confidence.

In the lower speed ranges, the ‘oomph’ available depends on which part of the torque curve the engine is at; up to about 3200rpm, the tractive power is moderate and would require a downshift from top for passing quickly. However, after 3200rpm, the torque generated is stronger and the car surges ahead very impressively. In driving dynamics, the new Bluebird is a paragon of balance and fine handling. It is also an entertaining car to drive on secondary roads while inherently good as a highway cruiser – roomy, fast and comfortable.

Torque steer is well suppressed and there’s unerring directional stability all the way to high limits. Crude or untidy cornering styles don’t upset the car as its roadholding keeps everything under control.

All our testers liked the car’s handling and found they could drive really hard without fear of anything untoward happening. Even when understeer was provoked, the car would ‘put up a hell of a fight’ (as 1 tester described it) before losing its grip. For most situations, lifting off will bring the car back into chosen line again.

No one on our test team could remember what the old SSS felt like though it probably had a good ride due to its independent rear suspension. The latest SSS also has an-independent rear end and as expected, it soaks up bumps effectively. The suspension is supple and yet not floaty in speed.

MUSCULAR SPORTS SEDAN:



Throughout our testing, there was this constant feeling that the new Bluebird is a REALLY GOOD CAR. Question was, what was it that made it feel that way?
After many hours of discussion, this was the sum-up; a very well-executed machine all round with qualities that a wide spectrum of drivers would appreciate.

At RM90,641 (OTR Incl. insurance, 5 speed manual), the new SSS quite obviously does not cater for the same sort of buyer as its predecessor did in the 1970s. But it might be perfect for someone who did own the original “triple-S” and who misses the pleasures of driving a muscular sports sedan. In his middle-age by now, he wound also wish for more comfort and more space, both of which the new Bluebird offers.”

SPECIFICATIONS: (double click to enlarge)

–END OF REVIEW-

NOTE: It took me THREE-AND-A-HALF HOURS to painstakingly TYPED word by word (10 pages!), Scanned and resized the image and post it in this OTOREVIEW Blog! You should thank me for it…

That’s all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this LONG ARTICLE. It actually ran up to 10 pages! Unlike today’s CAR MAGAZINE where Car reviews are BRIEF @ 3 page-per-car average (some are JUST SUMMARY!) and NON-technical.

Eg. Asian Auto, Torque, Auto International. Auto International USED to be DETAILED review – also 8 pages per “COVER Featured” car + FULL SPECIFICATIONS, but NOT ANYMORE! The magazine Contents are deteriorating since 2005. What happened Mr. Shahrizan Hussien? – FOUNDER & ‘OWNER’ OF THIS MAGAZINE).

MAN! HOW I MISSED the GOOD OLD “80-page Auto International” (Now reduced to a pathetic 60 page + cover) AND “THE LATE” HIGHWAY MALAYSIA. In my HUMBLE OPINION (IMHO), STILL THE BEST MALAYSIAN CAR MAGAZINE BY FAR. No CURRENT Malaysian car magazine can MATCH ‘HIGHWAY MALAYSIA’. KUDOS to the 2 editors of the magazine, UNCLE CHIPS YAP and UNCLE LEEPS LEE. Again, Sadly missed…


References:
1) Highway Malaysia July 1993 issue. Page 22 to 32 by Uncle Chips Yap.
2) Motortrader magazine (Last 10 issues). For used ‘Bluebird Altima’ pricings
3) The Star Metro Classifieds (Last 10 days). Latest being 21 November 2009 (Sat).