Happy 5th Birthday Otoreview (belated)...

I Jeff Lim, owner and editor of this blog would like to thank all Readers/Subscribers for your support.  This blog turned 5 on 21 August 2011.  How time flies...  It seemed like yesterday I created this blog.  I created this blog on 21 August 2006.   This blog started off initially as a Malaysian Used car review blog. 

As time goes by, it slowly incorperates "Automotive Industry stuff", New car review, Highlighted Roadshows, Antique/Classic cars, Product reviews, A little bit of Politics (NAP, AFTA, AP issues, Racism, Sexism), Best/worst resale values and lastly Advertorial (for Honda Malaysia and Nuffnang). 

I, Jeff Lim shall keep this blog running hoping that there's Advertisers/Sponsors and "ASSISTANT EDITOR/S" as I have to admit it's DIFFICULT updating this blog ALONE.  I SHALL GIVE my assistant editors FULL POWER to post and edit (your own post) what he/she deemed fit.  BUT PLEASE Don't delete/edit my post. 

Requirements:
1) MUST BE Passionate about cars.
2) MINIMUM 2 years experience in Journalism/OR Blogging/Writing about cars.  Those with "Advance driving course certificate" (like me) will be an advantage.
3) Self motivated/driven.
4) Being charitable.  Linked to requirement #1 as there's NO PAY INVOLVED.  Ie. I don't pay you.  YOU ARE HERE to Bulid your Portfolio (like me).  Your work will be labelled/tagged as "________'s Original Work".  Fill in your name.  Fair enough? 
5) I START FROM "0" back in 2006.  Hoping to be spotted/hired as a Car Writer/Journalists.  But I'm only a Form 5 holder.  I improved my English because I collect car magazines and been reading car magazines since I was 10 years old (1989).  My role model are "Shahriza Hussien", "Mel Lee", "Chips Yap", "Faisal Shah" and "Chris Wee".  I already built up my portfolio 1/3 of this blog were "Original Jeff Lim's production".  How about you?
Again, thanks everyone for your support...  Here's to the NEXT 5 years!

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri dan Merdeka ke 54...

Saya, Jeff Lim ingin mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri kepada semua Umat Islam, Maaf, zahir dan batin.  Be forgiving and be good, do good...

Saya juga ingin mengucapkan Selamat Ulangtahun Merdeka Ke 54.  Satu Malaysia bukannya sekadar impian, "dari dahululah kita praktis 1 Malaysia".  Saya ingat masa saya di dalam darjah satu hingga dua.  Saya "Colour blind" masa itu.  Saya ada Melayu, Cina, India dan Sikh Kawan. 

Saya, Jeff Lim ingin "sign off" dengan gambar ini:

Interesting Observation in Saigon. 3d/3n Family trip

 Interesting Observation in Saigon.  3d/3n Family trip

I just came back from Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) yesterday (17 August).  Interesting observation.  First observation: Left Hand Drive vehicles.  Second Observation: Saigon's Infested with Kapcais and Scooters.  Lots and lots of them.  They were everywhere!!!

Next observation, 70/100 (70%) vehicles there were Toyota OR Lexus.  50% were either MPV or SUV.  Heck, most of their taxis were either Toyota Vios OR Innova MPV. 

Most popular in its class includes:



Toyota Vios, Innova, Hiace, Fortuner, Altis, Camry, Sienna MPV, Highlander.

ABOVE AND BELOW: 5 Toyotas and 7 Toyotas in a ROW Respectively.

SAIGON'S Best Selling Vehicle: Toyota INNOVA.  Followed by Toyota (YAWN!) Vios.

ABOVE: NEW TOYOTA HIGHLANDER.  Below: Toyota SIENNA.

LEXUS: LS460, RX350 Harrier, ES, LX470 (Landcruiser)

ABOVE: LEXUS NEW ES330.

ABOVE: SAIGON'S MOST POPULAR CAR ACCESSORIES. Rear Kangaroo Bar.  8/10 cars have it...


Popular NON-Toyotas:
Honda Civic FD, Honda Odyssey US 3.8 V6, Chevrolet Captiva, Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter (Mostly Luxury Taxi), Ford Everest, Hyundai i10 and i30, Mitsubishi Jolie (same as Kuda 4G18 in Indonesia), Audi Q7 SUV, Porsche Cayenne, Mercedes E-class, BMW 3 series.

Above: Mercedes Sprinter "Business Class" Executive Limo

Above: Mitsubishi Jolie

Above: Hyundai i10, Below: Hyundai i30 Wagon.

Above: Honda Odyssey US 3.8 V6.

NEVER SEEN BEFORE CARS:

HYUNDAI VERACRUZ SUV 3.8 V6, 7 seater.

Nissan NEW Pathfinder

UN-Popular Cars:

Nissan (only seen 5 Nissans in Saigon in my 3 days/3 nights stay.
Mazda (same as above)
Volvo, Chrysler/Jeep (passed their showroom but hardly see any on the road), HUMMER, Volkswagen.

AUTOCAR ASEAN VIETNAM: 


I flipped thru AUTOCAR ASEAN Vietnam and glanced thru their vehicle price lists.  Here's what I found:
Most Popular Car: Vios G spec is 895 million Dong (RM55,000)
Most popular MPV: Innova Basic costs the Same as above.
Honda Civic 2.0 IVTEC costs RM90,000.  Almost identical with my dad's Civic except it's LHD and has Glass Sunroof (+) and 16" Rims instead of 17"(-).

Also, ONLY CKD Car's Cheap.  Korean cars were cheap too. Only CBU Premium Costs as much as Malaysia.  Eg. BMW, Audi, Porsche, Volvo, Mercedes Benz.  Some sort of LUXURY TAX.

Well, there's a saying, a picture's worth 1000 words.  Here are some pictures:

Where I stayed 3 days and 3 nights in Saigon...

Saigon's LARGEST Wet Market.  1000+ shops...

Saigon Local beer...

An Dong Plaza.  Saigon's version of Sungai Wang plaza.

Famous ICE CREAM PARLOUR.

HSBC Saigon.

Traditional Vietnamese Kuih Shop.

Red Devil Energy Drink

Notre Dame Cathedral.  Built by the French in 1880.

Saigon WAR Memorial Museum.  NO AIRCOND.  SAUNA Inside.

Above: Many names changes of Saigon.  As seen in the War Museum.  TOOK LOTS OF PICTURES there...  But since this is an AUTOMOTIVE BLOG, I'm not going to BORE you with those photos...

Above: Where my Dad worked...

VINCOM Centre.  Pavilion equivalent of Saigon.

PHO 2000.  Famous Vietnamese FULLY Air Cond Restaurant.

Above: PHO 2000 where Bill Clinton visited in November 19, 2000.  Double click to enlarge...

SAIGON POST OFFICE.  Estd. 1869.

Saigon Opera House.

CLOUDS.  Taken from AirAsia Airbus A320's window.

BACK TO LCCT.

That's all folks, hope you enjoy this PAINSTAKINGLY Created Blog entry.  Took me 2 hours to upload and draft this blog entry.  An Original Otoreview's production.  Jeff Lim's original work.