Apple woes

A quick glance at Apple's share price now shows USD450 bucks a share. Thats a long way down from less than a year ago when Apple was trading at nearly USD750.

People are starting to say the same things that I was saying a few months ago - what is Apple going to do different from the past, to make their products desirable again. Apple themselves is sending out reassurances to the public with Tim Cook saying things like new products will be launched and promising shorter release cycles for new products. There have been rumors of lighter iPads, bigger iPhones and even an iWatch.

Will any of these increasingly desperate looking maneuvers work? After all, what has Apple done in the past to make their products desirable in the first place? Was it to copy what other companies were doing and releasing products faster to meet customer demand and competitor moves? The answer is no.

Steve Jobs understood that his purpose was not to build stuff that people wanted. His magic was to build stuff that people thought was crazy and did not feel they wanted. I still remember five years ago when the iPhone was launched. Apple a phone company? Bah. And a phone without a keyboard? Like what was that about?

I guess the Apple boffins would be thinking hey, we've done a phone, what else can I get consumers to buy and I guess a watch is a great idea since most people use watches and phones on a daily basis. Do I think an iWatch is a good idea? You know what, I think it would appeal to boffins but I dont get a sense that it would catch on in a big way. I could be wrong though.

I personally think Apple will lose the Phone and Pad war. Samsung's copy drones will just copy the heck out of anything Apple comes up with. Apple will become a middling USD200 dollar company soon. However, Apple has bales of cash in its war chest. If I were Tim Cook, I would be looking to move to another green field to apply Apple's transformation and design genius to.

If I were to give a suggestion to Apple on what would work, it would be for some iCar accessories. Cars are notoriously sucky when it comes with user interfaces and interior design and some manufacturers just do not get it. Like have you seen the interior of the latest luxo barges e.g. Jag XJ, Cadilac etc. A lot of wood, a loot of leather and outdated looking dials and clocks. Apple's expertise on UI would transform how we would interact with a car. Can you imagine a really large iPad like screen in the dashboard area in the middle of the car? Cars of the future would be like the deck of the Starship Enterprise with just a few panels and could be operated using "touch". Now that would cool won't it? Apple, are you listening?

Why Singaporeans drive the way they do

There have been a whole bunch of news of how bad drivers in Singapore are and theres a perfectly reasonable explanation - you have the

1. rich towkay or expat who drives like he (or she in the case of the towkays or expat wife or wives),
2. you also have the typical harrassed executive who after a whole day of being pissed on at work wont take any crap from other drivers,
3. then theres the totally irresponsible taxi driver and bus driver (why would they they dont own their own vehicles) and
4. the crazy lorry/pickup/van driver who gets paid by trip;
5. worst of all, you have the women drivers who are just plain dangerous - sudden and/or persistent braking and generally driving with little road sense and awareness of whats happening around them. 

With this circus on the road how do you expect the "bad driving" situation to inprove? As a guide to new drivers on Singapore roads, avoid the above mentioned moron drivers and vehicle types and also the following passenger cars whose drivers/buyers tend to be the worse culprits when it comes to bad driving:

• Most Nissan sedans - especially the Sunny and those people who moved on to Latios, Sylphys and Cefiros. Bad drivers who dont know what a good driving car is buy Nissan sedans.
• Mercedes E-class drivers - they jolly well act like they own the road dont they?
• Alfa Romeo drivers - these guys and girls think the road is their speedway. Also most likely to "jam brake" to test the reflexes of the drivers behind them.
• Honda Stream/Toyota Wish drivers - especially those that have been "benged" up.
• Large SUVs e.g. Toyota Fortuners, BMW X5s - who will swerve into your lane probably because they cant see you while sitting so high up
• Drivers of a small French make e.g. Citreon C4, Renault Megane tend to be shitty drivers. Same Nissan syndrome as above.

Oddly enough, the drivers of supercars or sports cars are the tamest drivers of all.

The most expensive piece of paper in the world

Before you buy a new set of wheels in Singapore, you have to get a Certificate of Entitlement - a piece of paper which accompanies each vehicle that basically allows drivers to use the car for 10 years on the road.

The price for that piece of paper has recently risen to almost SGD100,000 (about USD80k). The last I checked, USD80k could buy your a nice Porsche 911 in the US or the UK easily. USD80k could even get you a house in some places.

That piece of paper is just the beginning. Cars themselves are slapped with a 150% tax when they arrive on Singapore shores. The result? Even a relevatively modest set of wheels like a Honda Civic costs SGD163,000 here.

I must confess that I love cars. My favorite programmes to watch on the telly are the UK shows such as Top Gear, Fifth Gear and Wheeler Dealers. But at the current state of affairs, getting a nice car in Singapore is pretty much the doman of the uber rich or the expats with a fat car allowance.

I have thought several times of leaving this island to go somewhere where sense prevails - somewhere like Australia or New Zealand where prices of things are on a more sensible scale. I guess thoughts like these probably cross the minds of most Singaporeans occasionally. What holds us back is the thought of family that we would leave behind. When push comes to shove, I am sure many of us will reconsider our options in the years to come.

Auto gearboxes a cause for bad driving

A colleague of mine TW recently made a remark that the prevalence of cars with auto gearboxes on Singapore roads has resulted in driving standards getting worse.

His logic was that drivers using traditional manual gearboxes would be more in tune with what the car was doing. Also having to operate a manual would mean that behaviours such as using a mobile phone while driving would not be possible (not taking into account contortionists who are able to hold an iPhone between their shoulder and neck ;).

I tend to agree with his theories. Drivers are getting lazier nowadays. Even signalling is become rarer on Singapore roads. Alas, with the demise of manual cars (you can't actually buy a manual car anymore unless a special order is made) this theory is a moot point.

VW Golf GTI MK V

Golf GTI. All the car a person needs. That's what Jeremy Clarkson mentioned, not in those exact terms, but its definitely what I feel about mine.

It ticks all the right boxes (at least for me):

• Power - check.. not the most powerful but enough not to complain most days
• Practically - check.. as a people mover, it isnt the biggest and it doesnt have the 7 seats which would be nice to have it you need to ferry children and other family but seriously how often would you do that... as a load carrier its great. I even brought my new Herman Miller chair back home in one.
• Fun - check... nippy handling and great road feel and steering feel. Not as good as a good rear wheel drive though but definitely not something I complain about a lot.
• Comfort / Luxury - hmmm.. I have a Mk V and not the new Mk VI which has a new fangled adjustable suspension setup that can change the damping rate from Comfort to Sport on a whim. The Mk V also doesnt have the thickened glass windows that the MK VI does to cut out outside noise. To be absolutely honest.. this is not a car that can cocoon you and destress you on the ride back home after a brutal day at work. Its ok but definitely does not tick the comfort box.

I still love mine though..

Life with a Honda Civic 2.0Si

The first drive back home with this car was ok. Salesman gave the usual walkthru at Kah Motors Ubi, I got into the car and made the long drive back to the west. Car felt good.

But little by little, the bumpy suspension, squeaky brakes, misaligned steering, "clacking" windshield wiper rubber, windows which got stuck while winding up and the pong whenever the AC starts up in the morning started to get to me. All within the first month of ownership.

I have always wanted a Honda Civic way back in the late eighties when I drove a friends fourth gen hatch. The rear opening window was a great idea and the nice ride and great 1.6L engine (this was before VTEC) was smooth and zippy.

Unfortunately, this 8th gen Civic gave me all sorts of niggling reasons to get rid of it. Its a tin can.

5 months on, the suspension has softened and I am getting quite fond of the smooth and powerful engine. But I have a sneaking feeling I will get rid of this car before long. VW Passat seems a logical choice. VW GTI still calling for me...

2008 Mazda 3 mini-review

We did a test drive of the 2008 Mazda 3 the other day. I cannot think of a better choice for someone looking for a keen drive that costs less than SGD60k, and yet is practical for people-carrying. A good suspension setup, fine steering and ok looks both in and out round out the plus points for this car. Good enough boot space and cubby holes as well. Other specs - 0-100kmh is 11.5s, fuel consumption is around 12km/l with the provided 16in wheels.

The only weak link was the slightly anaemic 1.6L engine, however, the saving grace was that the engine was smoother, and not as weak and raucous compared to the Ford Focus. Also, the car isn't exactly a looker as well, the bodykit makes the design look busier than it should and it looses out to more organic designs like the Honda Civic but then, it is nearly 20k less than the Civic and therefore makes good economic sense.

Best color for the car: Black or the Dark Grey.

2007 BMW 320i mini review

In between Harry's classes, I typically have 1.5 hours to burn. I usually waste time window shopping during the short amount of time to myself but last Sat, I stepped into Performance Motors to test out the BMW 320i since I knew they had an Singapore Air Show edition selling for SGD127k apparently sans Xenons and Cruise control. The "regular" 320i costs SGD134k.

Performance Motors sales people are among the most unwelcoming around. They typically loiter around the main door, sizing up each person who enters - and probably wondering - does this bugger have the money to afford a BMW? After spending a good 20min in the showroom, mainly stepping in and out of every BMW model, someone finally approached me and a sales person was assigned to me - a man with grey hair.

The test car was a light green 320i. Initially step off was weak and the steering felt oh-so strange after 3 yrs with a Jap car. The steering is missing the accuracy and fluency of the old 3-series I reckon. The engine - supposedly a more powerful version of the old Valvetronic model wasnt too impressive as well - where was the damn power?, I felt. All the time, I was wondering.. what the heck is BMW doing? The interior was so-so, the exterior styling is weak (especially the rump area) and the stereo is still the same underperforming one. Bottomline - I dont think any BMW with a 4-cyl is worth buying. In fact, I would only truly lust over the Z4 coupe. However, my sis's 523i was a much more involving drive compared to this 3-series. How the mighty have fallen.

Best color for the car: Graphite. Nobody does metallic grey better than BMW.

2007 Suzuki Swift mini-review

We have been on a car hunting spree recently. After heading to the Suzuki showroom at least 2 other times without doing a test drive (Champion Motors staff look very bored and the place is truly dreary!), we finally mustered up the courage to ask for a drive of the Suzuki Swift 1.5A last weekend.

The car itself doesn't look small up close - namely because it is tall but the interior is tiny. The boot especially is really tiny - much smaller than the Honda Jazz and the Golf. I would place the boot to be the same size as the Mini-Cooper - which means really small. Being a family man - things like "can it fit a pram" will concern me and the boot space looks barely able to accommodate. Suzuki provides a 2 level rear boot shelf though, so u COULD probably fit a pram below and groceries above on the shelf.

Don't expect too much in terms of interior build quality - nearly everything is nasty nasty hard plastic. The steering wheel, although ugly, feels pretty good though.

During the test drive, which was strictly via the route (grouchy old sales man really irritated), the car exhibited exceptionally zippy handling. I haven't tested the Mini but it sure was close to go-kart handling. Again, the car was let down by the engine. Hardly a bad engine, it was fairly revvy and nice but to be frank, the power wasn't there at all. I would recommend anyone considering the 1.5A to get the 1.6 Sport version instead, however, the pricing of the sport version at 63k is a bit steep. The 1.5A version that we tested went for around 54k (still steep if u ask me, Champion is making more money than it should with their cars, go PI!).

I liked the Swift. It really is, at half the price, the poor man's Mini (the Cooper costs SGD103k). Unfortunately, because of the space it provides, it is great only as a second car for family men.

Best color for the car: White or Blue Graphite.

VW Golf GT mini review

1.4 liters isnt a lot. A large PET bottle of Coke is already 1.5l.

Which is why it is amazing that that same exact 1.4l can power the new VW Golf GT from 0-100kmh in 7.7s. I had a test drive today at VW Singapore and the power that this little gem can produce is truly amazing. The SGD80k Golf 1.6 FSI I drove beforehand had a full 200cc over the GT, and it felt pretty good. However, the SGD98k GT felt like a totally different car altogether even though it looks externally not much different from a regular Golf. It handled better, it was more precise and the power... oh boy the power...

Of course, it isn't just the TSI engine that makes such a difference between the GT and the regular 1.6 Golf. The GT has VW's 6 speed DSG (think smooth gearchanges) and also VW's sports suspension that lowered the car by 15mm in addition to a nicer cabin with sports seats and nicer steering wheel. Which all serves to add up to one big question - why choose the 120k GTI over this baby?

Best color for the car: Chili Red or Black.

Ferrari Enzo Test Car (Kyosho Mini-Z MR02MM)

The Ferrari Enzo is one of the premier supercars in the world today (out of production) capable of 0-62mph times of 3.6s and a top speed of 217mph. Even though others might be faster e.g. the Mclaren F1 (243mph) and quicker to 62mph i.e. Bugatti Veyron (2.5s, the Bugatti also can reach 254mph), I dont think any supercar can match the sheer looks and presence of the Enzo. Even the name Enzo sounds good. Imagine telling pp that you have a Veyron.. the looks you would get.. what Veron huh... blahaha

Well, I can boast that I have 2 Enzos... a Black Test car version and a Red one for everyday driving.. ha!

Lamborghini Jota (Kyosho Mini-Z MR015MM)

The Lamborghini Jota was a one-off make of the Miura made by one of their ex-employees. Most of the changes made to create the Jota were internal - namely the aluminium construction and the tweaked engine! I loved the Miura, one the sexiest cars ever made (especially the lime green ones) so it was easy to decide that I was going to get a Jota for my first Mini-Z. Plus the fact that the alternative was a really crappy Ford or a Alfa.

I hope the rumors of a new Miura are true, at least the prototypes look cool..

This car, as well as the new HSC concept by Honda are some of my top cars to look forward to in the coming years.

As for the Mini-Z version of the Jota, I usually drive it at home on my shiny wooden floor and the car really likes to do donuts. Cant say I complain about the power as well however full power will make the car skate over the floor. It probably will do well on a proper RCP track since then, it wont skid and slide so much and have much more traction. It runs on an i-Series board which I have not been able to get much documentation on from Kyosho. Seems fine so far.

Next car up... Civic, Golf or ...

After looking at the list of cars endlessly over last few months, the same few cars stand out in my new car search:


Honda Civic 2.0 - around 80k, has pretty ok power (0-100kmh is 9.2 sec) and its the overall practical choice with enough space. Good fuel consumption too. There are tons on the road here in Singapore though... bleah







VW Golf GTI - around 125k, great car with power (0-100kmh is 6.9 sec, DSG version), handling and space but it is pricey, the GT is an option at 99k (0-100kmh is only 1 sec slower)but you will always have that niggling feeling that you should have probably have gotten the GTI.

Mazda MX-5 Miata - I have loved this car from college days. now with a new retractable hardtop, it is even more desirable (0-100kmh is around sec). However, it is hardly practical for a family with one kid and maid so I will have to put it on the backburner until Harry grows up.. It shall be mine...:)...

Fourth Gen BMW M3

This is the concept model of the new M3 coming out in 2007/2008. Well. Officially this is a concept but in reality, the production model is nearly identical.


Looking at the shape of the car, I would guess the first reaction for most BMW-petrolheads would be to welcome the move by the designer to make this M3 much more distinctive looking compared to the standard 3-series coupe. According to BMW, only stuff like the doors and some inconsequential stuff like the petrol filler cap are the same as the coupe.


That being said, this M3 looks like a lame duck. The power bulge on the bonnet is too big and conspicuous and to be absolutely frank - it still does look too similar to the standard 3-series coupe. Seems like all they changed were the wing mirrors - these are ugly!, and the body kit, and the quad exhaust at the back. The basic E92 3-series coupe is not as elegant looking as the previous E46 version. Whereas the E46 looked taut and lean, the E92 basically looks fat and has weird proportions. It shows a basic lack of good ideas at BMW and dont get me started about the cabriolet version.

Don't get me wrong - I love Beemers. But something has gone wrong with the design team at BMW and my advice for all potential M3 owners is to get a Audi RS4 and enjoy that car for 7 years until BMW get their act together.

2007 Ford Focus mini review

A car is a symbol of how a guy wants to be portrayed.

This statement is true. The classic way to see how a guy thinks about himself is to look at his car: BMW- aggressive, show-off, the ultimate yuppie machine, Audi -boring, pretentious, mechanical, a style freak, Merc - symbol that you have"made it", French car - trying to be different, Italian car - masochist, Japanese car - boring, etc...

Then how would you label the guy who chooses a Ford? Well, Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson seems to have soft spot for British cars especially Fords so I would say... a Ford is a car for the middle aged man who knows about the above and doesnt want to buy the makes listed bcos of it. Ok, he doesnt want to be typecasted. That sounding exactly like me nowadays, the other day, my wife and I stepped into the Ford dealership and asked to try out the Ford Focus.

The Ford Focus 1.6 is an interesting car. It will forever be in the shadow of the VW Golf but yet, desperately tries to show that it is different. The previous version, for example, was rakish looking, was designed with lots of ovals, and a zig zaggy interior that gave me an instant headache. It was supposed to be a really good drive though but had a buzzy engine that lacked soul and Ford sold tons of them. I think Ford knew about the zig zaggy headache I had because the current Focus has a exterior styling that is safe, a little too safe - kinda boring. The interior does look much better than the previous car - especially the Ghia version with the auto climate controls and the soft touch plastics.

At around 65k SGD for the non-Ghia version (the Ghia version has uprated bits like sunroof, leather trim and better plastics), it is certainly affordable for a 1.6l car. Amazingly, the sedan is cheaper than the hatchback, an admission that the sedan shape hasnt caught up in terms of looks. On the test drive, the salesman encouraged me to drive enthusiastically to test out the cars dynamic handling. Disappointingly (to him), a corner taken at 60kmh from Queenwsay to Commonwealth was all that I could muster but the car does handle very well. The same buzzy engine is still there though and that is disappointing. The basic spec is also very good, with all disc brakes and the boot is a decent shape. Sound system isnt too great though.

My conclusion for the Focus - I might consider it if the Ghia version was cheaper but the VW Golf still has it beaten when it comes to overall comfort and refinement. The ST version is a stunner though and is a great and cheaper alternative to the VW Golf GTI.

Best color for the car: Dark Blue

Toyota Harrier.. long term drive

After owning this baby for one year.. some thoughts..

Build quality - Top notch.. although the paintwork is rather thin.. super quiet inside as well. The pano roof is very cool.. Harry loves it! Opticron gauges are cool.

Engine - very very smooth, although it struggles when pulling a car that weighs nearly 1.5 ton. Needs an extra gear - surprisingly it only has 4 forward gears. Hardly use the tiptronic, except for dropping a gear from third to second sometimes for extra pulling power for overtaking ... although cannot compare to a 6 cyl. Comparing this 2.4l engine with a Corolla's engine or another makes 1.6l engine is like night and day!

Drivability/handling - Despite reviews that it handles like a car (who are these idiots who say this!?), the handling cannot be compared to a non-SUV because of the high ride height and CG. You cannot corner aggressively with this car! Everytime you corner, u can feel the tall tire walls flexing... ok, slight exaggeration here.. however, ride comfort is excellent and the tall riding position cannot be beaten.. the view up here is great!

Practicality - this car is super practical - it can carry a ton of stuff, large items as well if you fold the rear seats. Easy to park and drive. Fuel consumption is pretty good for such a heavy car... we manage to get 9km per litre on average..

UPDATE in 2006 - Batteries died within 1.5 yrs... consequence of all those little lights inthe cabin.. after changing to Michelin tires.. the ride and handling of the Harrier has improved dramatically.. cornering, ride comfort and general confidence has improved... beware the stock Goodyears from the factory!



My baby on zero wheels during her tire change at SE...

VW GTI MARK V ...tested in 2005

The more i look at this baby, the better it gets... for what its worth, i think it looks best in white which was what my old mk2 was in... it is waaay better than the mk4, which we had also..

My thoughts about the best parts about this car after a test drive - 200bhp engine is a dream with enough power and handling to drive like a rally driver AND with the refinement to drive like the 1.6l golf. interior is really nice but feels a bit cramped in all black. the highlight of the interior has to be the steering wheel with the neat cutoff at 6 oclock. time to start saving my pennies...

Best color for the car: White