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Chery Tayang OMODA 5 dan 4 SUV Bersiri Tiggo Pro Di Malaysia

Chery Malaysia akhirnya kembali secara rasmi di Malaysia dengan mempertontonkan lima model SUV seperti OMODA 5, Tiggo 4 Pro, Tiggo 7 Pro, Tiggo 8 Pro serta Tiggo 8 Pro e+ (PHEV).

Setelah sekian lama akaun Facebook rasmi beberapa model Chery diwujudkan oleh Chery Malaysia, ini merupakan acara fizikal pertama Chery di Malaysia di bawah pasukan baharu.

Kesemua model yang dipertontonkan merupakan model semasa mereka manakala Tiggo 8 Pro PHEV pula membuat penampilan pertamanya di Asia Tenggara hari ini.

Kesemua model ini dilengkapi teknologi canggih, reka bentuk terkini dengan kelengkapan premium bersama-sama sistem keselamatan yang lengkap. Acara selama dua hari oleh Chery Malaysia di Setia City Convention Center menyaksikan lebih 100 peserta menjadi rakyat Malaysia menjadi yang terawal untuk merasa sendiri model-model baharu dari Chery.

Chery Tayang Model Baharu Untuk Pasaran Malaysia

Bagi Chery, mendekati pengguna amatlah penting. Selain menawarkan kemajuan dari segi teknologi, kualiti dan reka bentuk, acara preview ini juga merupakan platform untuk mereka berinteraksi secara langsung dengan pengguna di Malaysia.

Preview ini bakal mengukuhkan penyelidikan pasaran yang dilakukan Chery kerana acara ini membolehkan mereka mengumpul maklum balas pengguna yang menyeluruh bersama kenderaan sebenar bagi memahami kehendak dan kemahuan pengguna di Malaysia dengan lebih mendalam.

OMODA 5

SUV segmen-B yang merupakan pencabar kepada Proton X50 dan Honda HR-V, OMODA 5 direka mengikut falsafah ‘art in motion’. Kereta ini disasarkan kepada golongan muda yang mahukan SUV bercirikan futuristik bersama teknologi pintar seperti sistem ADAS dan skrin berkembar yang besar di ruang kabin.

OMODA 5 dikuasakan dengan enjin 1.6L TGDI yang mampu menghasilkan 197 PS bersama 290 Nm tork dan digandingkan bersama kotak gear klac berkembar automatik 7 kelajuan untuk memacu roda hadapannya.

Tiggo 7 Pro

Selain itu, Tiggo 7 Pro pula merupakan SUV segmen C yang menawarkan 5 tempat duduk bagi menggugat kedudukan pesaingnya seperti Proton X70 serta Peugeot 3008.

Model ini menawarkan keseimbangan antara gaya bandar dan ciri mewah.

Sementara itu, Tiggo 4 Pro pula bakal ditawarkan untuk golongan muda dengan gabungan unik teknologi dan keselesaan. Dari segi saiz, Tiggo 4 Pro merupakan model paling kecil di dalam keluarga Tiggo Pro.

Walau bagaimanapun, Tiggo 4 Pro dan Tiggo 7 Pro menggunakan enjin yang sama, iaitu enjin 1.5L TGDI bersama transmisi CVT yang menghasilkan 108 kW (147 PS) dan 210 Nm Tork.

Tiggo 8 Pro & Tiggo 8 Pro PHEV

Bagi model terbesar dalam keluarganya, Tiggo 8 Pro pula disasarkan  pada para usahawan dan professional melalui gabungan teknologi, sentuhan premium serta versatility 7 tempat duduk. SUV besar ini menampilkan rekaan dalaman yang mewah berbanding model Tiggo yang lain.

Tiggo 8 Pro dikuasakan dengan enjin 2.0L TGDI dan dipadankan dengan transmisi 7-kelajuan DCT yang menghasilkan 187 kW (254 PS) dan 390 Nm tork.

Untuk model PHEV pula, enjinnya berganding bahu bersama Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT) yang menampilkan dua motor elektrik yang menghasilkan sembilan mod operasi termasuk operasi series dan parallel, menjadikannya yang pertama seumpamanya di kalangan jenama China.

Menurut Pengarah Chery Malaysia, Leo Chen, sebagai salah satu peneraju ekonomi di ASEAN bersama industri automotif yang maju, Malaysia merupakan pasaran strategik dalam rancangan globalisasi Chery.

Sebagai pengeksport kenderaan penumpang nombor 1 di China selama 19 kali berturut-turut, Chen yakin bahawa Chery boleh menyumbang secara positf kepada industri automotif Malaysia dan terus memacu pembangunannya.

Bila Kereta Chery Bakal Dilancarkan Di Malaysia?

Setakat ini, masih tiada pengesahan daripada pihak Chery sama ada bila model-model yang dipertontonkan ini bakal memasuki pasaran Malaysia. Kami turut diberitahu bahawa ciri-ciri serta spesifikasi yang ada pada kereta yang dipertontonkan ini masih belum diputuskan.

Apa yang kami tahu, untuk fasa pertama Chery di Malaysia, mereka bakal memperkenalkan 4 model seperti Tiggo 8 Pro (ICE + PHEV), Tiggo 7 Pro (ICE + PHEV), Tiggo 4 Pro (ICE) dan OMODA 5 (ICE + BEV) di pasaran Malaysia. Antara kelima-lima model yang disebutkan, yang mana satu pilihan anda?

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Toyota HiLux gets big air after skidding on greasy road

It’s easy to feel extra secure when driving a bigger vehicle such as a pickup truck, but as this Australian demonstrates but careening off the road and up in the air after failing to stop for a right turn, grip is a fickle mistress.

A video uploaded to Dashcam Owners Australia shows a Toyota HiLux driving somewhere in Queensland (Pinjarra Hills, just outside Brisbane)  in wet conditions, going at moderate speed. It looks like the area had just experienced some rain and the roads were still greasy.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary except when the truck had trouble stopping for a right hand turn with its rear wheels seeming to lock up. Things got significantly sideways and the driver was forced to drive into the grassy divot. 

The HiLux was still carrying some decent speed when it was launched up in the air and from there it was just a matter of gravity and luck. 

It slammed nose first into the ground and proceeded to roll at least once before coming back to rest. The car that recorded the incident even made a u-turn a little further up the road, perhaps to lend a helping hand.

By the time the witnessing vehicle came back around to the scene, the pickup truck was nowhere to be seen in frame. It most likely came to a halt somewhere further off the road, out of harm’s way. 

From what we know of the aftermath, the two occupants walked away with no injuries. We can surmise that the HiLux was a double-cab variant and one that is rather recently produced, meaning it would likely have a decent assortment of safety features. 

While pickup trucks, in comparison to conventional passenger cars, are generally more hard-going and can handle themselves in off-road as well as wading through floodwater thanks to their higher ground clearance, they can be trickier to control on the road and especially at higher speed. 

All terrain or even the more road-friendly highway terrain tyres are much more ribbed and, though disperses water more effectively, generally have a smaller and less consistent contact patch with the road surface. 

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The 2023 Honda Civic Type R has arrived in ASEAN

The 2023 Civic Type R has arrived in ASEAN – coming to Malaysia soon?

According to Vietnamese website Autopro, Vietnam will be the first country in ASEAN to get the FL5 Civic Type R, as it will be launched at the 2022 Vietnam Motor Show (VMS), which starts tomorrow.

The portal also stated that the FL5 generation Honda Civic Type R would be handed to customers on October 30, which is basically right after the end of the Vietnamese motor show.

The fastest-ever production Civic Type R is expected to be sold in Vietnam at a price below 2 billion Dong( RM382k), making it one expensive machine. 

The Civic Typer R is no longer made in Swindon UK, and the cars to be sold in Vietnam are imported from Japan.

According to the website, Vietnamese Civic Type R fans have been waiting a long time for a Civic Type R to be sold in the country, as Honda teased the 5th-Gen at the 2018 VMS motor show but never sold the car after the exhibition.

The 6th-Gen Type R is built on the 11th-Gen Civic platform and carries over the 5th-Gen Civic Type R’s engine but with a few tweaks. We all know that the 2023 Honda Civic FL5 Type R is the most powerful Honda Civic Type R to ever come out of the factory, and one of the reasons for this is due to a new turbocharger.

The KC20C1 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the FL5 now pushes out 330PS and 420Nm of torque, where previously it was only rated at 320PS and 400Nm of torque. 

We guess the big question is when will we be getting it in Malaysia? Well, we Malaysians received the FK8 Civic Type R after Indonesia got theirs, so perhaps we will have to wait for a reveal in Indonesia before knowing when we will receive ours. 

The FK8 was sold in Malaysia for RM320k, and if the Vietnamese Civic Type R’s pricing is anything to go by, you can expect to pay just under RM400k for the new Civic Type R. Worth the wait and price?

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iCarData: The Best Time To Buy/Sell – Toyota Vios G (2017)

For some great deals on a used Toyota Vios G with a 1 year warranty & no hidden fees, check out CARSOME. If you’re not happy with your purchase, bring your car back within 5 days to get a full refund. More info here. If you’re looking to sell your current car, we have a solution for you too. Trade-in your car with carsome.my and get up to an RM1,500 discount voucher for your next upgrade.

What was once a staple for Malaysian car buyers has over time become a more difficult proposition to sell–at least this is the case when we talk about the Toyota Vios and its various generations. 

This B-segment sedan proved to be hugely popular through its first two generations, but by the time the third generation rolled around some omissions in equipment made it difficult to compare against its direct rivals.

Still though, the Toyota Vios has sold in significant numbers even until today, though the highly varied range of variants has been pared down to a more streamlined set of choices. 

Looking at the 2017 model, there was a mild model enhancement in the form of equipment and buyers had a whopping six different variants to choose from – including what would be the last of the manual Vios offerings.

The entry-level variant was known as the J, coming with fabric seats and a very basic head unit setup, as well as missing much of the luxury and convenience items. 

While the top-end TRD Sportivo variant came with everything that the GX variant had, and threw on some aesthetic items as well for a more aggressive look. 

The spread of models fell between the RM 76,500 and RM 96,400 marks – a novel idea when you consider the range-topping B-segment models have now breached the RM 100,000 mark.

There also has to be some consideration for the fact that the recently updated offerings from Perodua boast significant equipment advantages as well as a revised powertrain with a CVT-type automatic transmission at an altogether lower price point, which then drives traditional B-segment sedan offerings up and out of their usual bracket.

With all of this in mind, the ultimate point in purchasing one of these would have to be for the better build quality, ride quality and insulation, plus the fact that you get a full-sized boot as the Vios is a sedan (over a more pertinent hatchback offering at a more competitive price).

Here’s the breakdown:

Vehicle variant: Toyota Vios G (2017)

As mentioned earlier, the Toyota Vios came in many flavours for the 2017 model year but this G variant happens to sit roughly in the middle of the line-up – meaning it gets a little bit of the equipment, but not quite all of the gear like the GX variant would. 

Still though, the G badge represented a range-topper for most of the years of the Vios’ production run, with the TRD Sportivo variants bringing only aesthetics. In this case, the Toyota Vios G was going for roughly RM 89,900 back in 2017.

2017 Toyota Vios G

Year
Car Age (Years)
Avg Advertised Price (RM)
Retained Value Percentage
Depreciation Percentage
Cumulative Depreciation Sum (RM)

2017
Launch year

69,537.60

77%
23%
20,362.40

2018
1
66,386.00
74%
26.16%
23,514.00

2019
2
63,205.98
70%
29.69%
26,694.02

2020
3
58,470.88
65%
34.96%
31,429.12

2021
4
58,371.58
65%
35.07%
31.528.42

2022
5
60,308.17
67%
32.92%
29,591.83

There was a significant hit in first year depreciation of 23%, which is surprising though it could be attributed to dealer discounts given at the time that were lowering the overall retail value of the car and making it somewhat more appealing as a proposition.

From there onwards we see a 3% to 5% depreciation per year until the fourth year of ownership where it seems to stabilize around the 35% depreciation mark.

As is the case with all data, 2022 represents a bit of an anomaly as waiting periods for new cars are at an all-time high with various microprocessor shortages and supply cutoffs all around the world.

This in turn drove second-hand car residual values up – hence the higher listed value for 2022.

This then means that the best time to pick up a Toyota Vios G would be in the fourth year or later, as prices would have somewhat stabilised. 

Historically the Vios does continue to depreciate beyond the seventh year, though the depreciation tends to be slow as the car does have its inherent strengths.

Chief among these is the unerring Toyota reliability – which also stems from the fact that the Vios is a simple car. 

One of the criticisms leveled against it at the time was that it wasn’t as technologically advanced as its rivals, but this in turn made it a more realistic car to own over a longer period of time, with low costs of maintenance and few if not no issues. 

After all, its tried and trusted powertrain is likely to outlast you and your children with regular maintenance.

The data here tends to be similar with other variants of the Toyota Vios as the only reflection would be in the higher starting price and higher residual values. 

In that sense, which variant of the Toyota Vios you choose really depends on what you prefer–a base spec Vios J works great as a workhorse (and has that manual option if you value a bit of spirited driving), while something like the Vios GX would give you the largest amount of equipment without the TRD Sportivo styling if you prefer something more understated.

Check out used Toyota Vios G with a 1 year warranty & no hidden fees, on CARSOME. If you’re not happy with your purchase, bring your car back within 5 days to get a full refund. More info here.

If you’re looking to sell your current car, we have a solution for you too. Trade-in your car with carsome.my and get up to an RM1,500 discount voucher for your next upgrade.

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Volkswagen is bringing back steering wheels with push buttons

Volkswagen is planning to bring back push buttons for their steering wheels and it’s based on what their customers want.

Thomas Schäfer, Member of the Board at Volkswagen AG and CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, recently posted on his LinkedIn page regarding the brand’s strategy to become ‘the most desirable brand for sustainable mobility’.

Push-button steering wheel is making a comeback

There were basically three key points that Thomas drafted in his post, but the second goes like this:

“We are sharpening our portfolio and our design, plus creating a new simplicity in operating our vehicles. For example, we are bringing back the push-button steering wheel! That’s what customers want from VW.”

Currently, all the latest models from Volkswagen come with touch-sensitive controls not just on the steering wheel but on the centre console as well. We can probably guess that the ones on the steering wheels are a bit too sensitive for the likings of fellow VW owners.

You’ll find these touch-sensitive controls on the latest 2022 Volkswagen Golf R-Line, Golf GTI, Golf R, Tiguan Allspace, Arteon, and of course, the all-electric ID.4.

VW’s electrification & digitalisation

As for the other two points brought up by Thomas, Volkswagen is working hard to achieve the brand’s full electrification by 2026. The pipeline includes launching ten new electric models around the globe and in every relevant market.

Malaysia has just witnessed the official preview of the Volkswagen ID.4 earlier this month during the 2022 Volkswagen Fest. The official launch is just around the corner, and hopefully, the price would competitive enough to make things even more interesting for EV enthusiasts here in the country.

As for his last point, it’s pushing on digitalisation throughout the customer’s journey. Several markets like Germany, France, and Italy are able to complete the car buying process entirely online and more markets will soon follow suit.

 

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Auto news

Volkswagen is bringing back steering wheels with push buttons

Volkswagen is planning to bring back push buttons for their steering wheels and it’s based on what their customers want.

Thomas Schäfer, Member of the Board at Volkswagen AG and CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, recently posted on his LinkedIn page regarding the brand’s strategy to become ‘the most desirable brand for sustainable mobility’.

Push-button steering wheel is making a comeback

There were basically three key points that Thomas drafted in his post, but the second goes like this:

“We are sharpening our portfolio and our design, plus creating a new simplicity in operating our vehicles. For example, we are bringing back the push-button steering wheel! That’s what customers want from VW.”

Currently, all the latest models from Volkswagen come with touch-sensitive controls not just on the steering wheel but on the centre console as well. We can probably guess that the ones on the steering wheels are a bit too sensitive for the likings of fellow VW owners.

You’ll find these touch-sensitive controls on the latest 2022 Volkswagen Golf R-Line, Golf GTI, Golf R, Tiguan Allspace, Arteon, and of course, the all-electric ID.4.

VW’s electrification & digitalisation

As for the other two points brought up by Thomas, Volkswagen is working hard to achieve the brand’s full electrification by 2026. The pipeline includes launching ten new electric models around the globe and in every relevant market.

Malaysia has just witnessed the official preview of the Volkswagen ID.4 earlier this month during the 2022 Volkswagen Fest. The official launch is just around the corner, and hopefully, the price would competitive enough to make things even more interesting for EV enthusiasts here in the country.

As for his last point, it’s pushing on digitalisation throughout the customer’s journey. Several markets like Germany, France, and Italy are able to complete the car buying process entirely online and more markets will soon follow suit.

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A Hyundai IONIQ 5 just powered a hotel!

Now there’s an idea, an EV that can power up all you would ever need when braving the great outdoors.

We all know that electric cars have this unique feature where they can practically turn themselves into a big power bank, but never in a million years did we think it could be used as a power source to power up a hotel.

This is exactly what Hyundai UK did as they have created the world’s first car-powered hotel, offering the most unique off-grid experience of 2022.

Situated in Essex, just an hour from central London, Hotel Hyundai is centred around a luxury cabin. Everything from the lights and all amenities is powered by Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 and its Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology.

The IONIQ 5 is able to power the hotel via its V2L feature, which supplies AC power (230V/50Hz) up to a maximum of 3.6kW (or 15 Amps). An adapter from the car provides energy to the hotel, as well as a socket which standard domestic appliances can be plugged into.

According to Grace Dent, curator of Hotel Hyundai, this is not just an exhibition as they are actually iniviting guests to stay at the Hyundai Hotel. 

“We’re looking for unique, memorable stays more now than ever and this is a delicious blend of innovation, luxury and comfort that gets you thinking. I hope this three-week pop-up hotel is just the start for this concept of a car plugging in and powering a luxury experience like this,” said Dent.

With more and more of us wanting to experience the great outdoors but without the discomfort associated with it, an electric car might just be a great tool for those camping trips, as it can pretty much power all of those appliances you have at home.

All we need now is a 4×4 electric vehicle that has a V2L feature, and you’d be pretty much set for an overnight camping trip nearby. Okay, can someone import a Rivian into the country already? 

The cool EV pickup truck can even be had with a “camp kitchen” that tucks in between the truck bed and the cabin. The mid-spec Rivian R1-T, which retails around RM280k in the States has a quad-electric motor setup that pushes out 754hp and 1,120 Nm of torque. Its 135 kWh lithium-ion gives it 438km of range, which should give you enough juice to go to a nearby campsite. 

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Ducati one step closer to MotoGP triple crown

The recent 2022 Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia MotoGP round at Sepang saw Ducati clinching the team’s world title.

For the second year in a row now, Ducati has been a dominant force in MotoGP with this back-to-back team title wins as well as the constructor’s title for the past three years. This time around, they’re closer than ever to winning the ultimate MotoGP triple crown and that’s all up to their factory rider, Francesco Bagnaia, as they head to the final round of the year.

*Image credit: Ducati

Bagnaia vs Quartararo, Ducati vs Yamaha

The battle for the rider’s world championship crown is now a two-horse race between Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s defending world champion, Fabio Quartararo.

Last weekend’s race at Sepang saw one heck of a nail-biting race between Francesco Bagnaia and Gresini Racing MotoGP’s Enea Bastianini who also happens to be Bagnaia’s future teammate come 2023. Bagnaia got the win, but it wasn’t enough to clinch the rider’s world championship title as Fabio Quartararo crossed the chequered flag in third place.

The gap in points between these two is 23 points, and the last race will offer only 25 points max to anyone who crosses the finishing line in first place.

*Image credit: MotoGP

14th or higher for Bagnaia to seal the deal

The final MotoGP race of 2022 will take place in Valencia, Spain on November 6th and it’ll be a tall mountain to climb for Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo to defend his championship title as Bagnaia concluded the Sepang round with a lead of 23 points.

This means that in order for Bagnaia to become the MotoGP world champion (and Ducati’s dream of winning the elusive triple crown), the Ducati factory rider only has to finish the race in 14th or higher. The only way for Quartararo to win the title is if he wins the race in Valencia and Bagnaia crashes out or finishes out of the points (below 15th).

It’s been a long wait since the last time a Ducati rider was crowned world champion, which was Casey Stoner way back in 2007. That 15-year wait might just end next month if and only if Bagnaia plays his cards right.

*Image credit: MotoGP

The tension is higher than ever, but the odds are in Ducati’s favour. But then again, this is MotoGP and anything can happen. Remember 2006 when the late Nicky Hayden secured his first-ever world championship title in the last race after Valentino Rossi crashed out?

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Can the 2023 Toyota bZ3 become ‘the Corolla’ of EVs?

Newest in the Japanese automaker’s line of full EV models, the bZ3 looks to unseat rivals such as the Tesla Model 3 as the go-to everyday mid-size electric sedan, a spot that was synonymous with the Corolla in its heyday. 

Can history repeat itself?

The bZ3 and its previously revealed fully electric sibling, the bZ4X, are anomalies in the larger Toyota automotive universe as the company has been vocally conservative about EVs in general, suggesting that the future landscape will rely on a variety of technologies following the depletion or collective governmental barring of combustion-powered vehicles. 

Apart from the bZ line, which is set to expand to a line-up of 6 models by the end of the decade, Toyota is still fully onboard with hybrids while also keeping busy with hydrogen fuel cell technology like we’ve seen in the Mirai. 

Based on the e-TNGA platform, the bZ3 also integrates batteries supplied by BYD. At 4,725mm long, 1,835mm wide, and 1,475mm tall, the car occupies a similar footprint to the Model 3 as well, and its chinese-sourced components are meant to give it a technological and emotional link to the market where Toyota plans to focus their sales effort most: China. 

The onboard lithium ion phosphate (LFP) battery has been developed for greater energy storage density and capacity retention, claiming to hold 90% of its charge even after a 10-year ownership period.

Toyota has not revealed the exact kilowatt-hour (kWh) count just yet, but says the bZ3 is capable of 600km on a single charge, no doubt thanks to its slippery exterior with a drag coefficient of just 0.218Cd, which just edges past the recently revealed IONIQ 6 from Hyundai. 

Sadly there are no power figures to dissect either, but we should expect around 200PS from a front-mounted electric motor since that’s what has been slotted into the bZ4X. Beefier units and all-wheel drive should be on the cards too, just further along its model life cycle. 

With all Chinese EV brands preparing to spread their influence all over the world, Malaysia included, it’d be nice to see one coming from a company as familiar and trustworthy as Toyota. Sadly, at least for now, the bZ3 is destined solely for showrooms in China.

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Malaysia GE15: Get your car ready for that trip back home to vote

With GE15 just around the corner, many of us will be travelling long distances in November to conduct our statutory duties, so it’s best we check on our cars to see whether they are fit to go on a long journey. 

With the announcement that polling would be held on November 19, the GE15 circus is officially underway, and undoubtedly many of us will be travelling back to our home town on this date to elect our preferred candidate.

With long journeys and major congestion expected to take place around the date, it’s best we get our cars in tip-top condition to avoid any breakdowns. 

If you have been keeping your car in good nick, it still won’t hurt to give it a second look as you want it to be in its best possible condition, especially if it has to go through the expected congested roads in the upcoming weeks.

To help you stay on top of your car, we’ve listed some things you should be looking at.

1.Tyre condition

The problem is that tyre wear can creep up on you, and you may go from having some tread to no tread at all – just taking a quick look at all four of your tyres before you get in can be done in under a minute.

2.Brake condition

Brakes are one of the critical components in a car that keeps you safe from harm. If you’re not sure what you are looking at, pay a professional to inspect them for you, but generally you can see how much meat is left on your brakes by just looking at them.

3.Lights

Dealing with dim lightbulbs is something you don’t really notice until it’s too late, so it pays to check them before rolling out 

4.Oil Level

This isn’t something you commonly find to be an issue with newer cars, but it may be wise to keep an eye on your oil level before heading out on older cars 

5.Radiator fluid

Checking on it periodically is the best way to tell whether you have a serious problem on your hands, so have a few drives before you go interstate and check the radiator fluid levels.

These are generally the more important things to look at before heading out on a long journey. If you want a more thorough list of things to inspect, click here, as they might actually be the difference between a smooth journey and an interrupted one. 

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