Folks: Vehicles can last long if checked regularly PROPER and scheduled maintenance plays a major role in ensuring any vehicle, be it new or old, is roadworthy. Au Young Keen Kiew, who drives a 1974 Volkswagen Kombi, said vehicles, new or old, required regular maintenance to keep them in tip-top condition. “Cars that are properly serviced and maintained can still be driven. There’s no doubt about it. “It is how one continues to maintain their vehicles that matters. “It does not matter whether these cars are older than 12 years,” he told The Star. “Not all old and vintage cars are rickety, broken and unsafe on the road,” he added. Au Young, who runs an entertainment business, also said not many people could afford to change cars every 12 years. “If a car is still roadworthy, I don’t see any reason for people to stop using them,” he said. The Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) had recently stated that vehicles aged above 12 years were considered “less safe” and could pose risks to road users. However, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi clarified at the Dewan Rakyat last week said that there were no plans to cap the numbers of years that a car can be on the road. Au Young also said there were no statistics to show that old cars were involved in more accidents than new cars. “Most accidents occurred because of speeding and the drivers carelessness,” he said. Process engineer Lau Hong Seng, 32, who drives a first generation Austin Mini Cooper Mark 3, said all vehicles, like any other machinery that was not properly looked after, could break down any time. “Be it a 35-year-old or a five-year-old car, it could happen to any vehicles,” he said. “But I actually do feel much safer driving in my car compared to driving an old Proton Saga,” he added. Lau also said that he checks the engine oil of his car once every month to ensure there was no leakage. “I constantly check my car to make sure everything is in working order,” he added. Former used car dealer Chow Kum Chuan, 68, meanwhile, said he has been driving his 1964 Morris Miner for about 50 years and that the car did not give much problems. “I don’t agree with the statement issued by Miros that cars aged 12 years and above pose high risks. “Those who said this probably don’t have much knowledge about cars,” he said. Chow said spare parts for his cars were also easily obtained through the Internet when necessary. “There are a lot of dealers and manufacturers in the United Kingdom who can produce the parts that I need,” he added. Perak Vintage Car Club chairman Yap Kwai Wah, 70, who has been driving a MG Midget for about 38 years, said cars made back in the old days were sturdier and more stable than some of the newer vehicles now seen on the road. “Old cars were built to last, unlike cars today that focus more on aesthetics,” he said. “I believe if I were to continue maintaining my car, it could be roadworthy for the next 50 years!” he said with a chuckle.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 01:40:30 +0000