I refer to the Malaysiakini report Consumers' vote of no confidence against Proton .
I am not at all surprised at the negative comments against Proton cars. Indeed, I had owned four Proton cars in the past – first a Saga, then a Wira 1.3, followed by a Wira 1.6. The last was a Waja.
The first two didn't give me so much trouble, only the fog lamp of the Wira 1.6 used to dislodge and fall off. But my nightmares started with the Waja.
Three years after I purchased the Waja, I started to have problems. The engine would be running, but the car wouldn't move after engaging the gears. The outrageous thing was that the car would stall right at the junctions during sunny days.
After several attempts to switch off and restart the ignition, I would be able to drive on. I sent it to an EON workshop for a thorough checkup. The mechanic traced the defect to an inhibitor switch. The terminals had apparently oxidised.
He was of the opinion that it was due to a design error, the male/female plugs were fitted incorrectly. During an engine compartment wash, water had accumulated in the plugs and caused the oxidation. I had to pay for the replacement.
Money wasn't the bigger issue, but it was the great inconvenience that my family and I had to endure through no fault of ours. I heard later that this was rectified by Proton.
I changed the power windows four times (driver's side) and once each on the other doors. I paid RM430 for the first two replacements. The cables would snap or the plastic material would break and you cannot replace the single part. You have to replace the whole unit. I resorted to opening the door to pay my toll or parking tickets instead of winding down the window.
Imagine my plight! I never understood why Proton’s engineering or the Quality Control Department failed to subject the power windows to more stringent tests before the cars are rolled out. Were they too complacent? Not bothered? Or some people were ‘closing one eye’ and collaborating with the suppliers?
The door handles were also problematic. I cannot remember how many times I had to replace those miserable door handles. All you have to do is pull them hard and they would come off in your hands. I had to caution my family and friends against slamming the doors hard, lest the handles come off in their hands.
The supplier was probably using too much of ‘regrind’ material. Result? I usually ended up paying about RM35 for the raw part and another RM20 – RM30 each time to paint the handle to match the colour of my car.
No matter what they claim about improving quality, Proton will never change for the better. I am very sure the managing director Syed Zainal Abidin, is trying very hard to knock some sense into his people. But how much can he do?
The total Proton operations management and the workforce still have a diseased mindset. Twenty over years of arrogance. Bad mentality. No respect for quality. The list goes on. The typical Malaysian tidak apa attitude. That's how I describe it.
As for me, I have called it a day with Proton cars. I have suffered enough. Today, I drive a Japanese car. I am very satisfied with it. It is more expensive than a Proton. But my life and limbs and that of my family’s aren't worth sacrificing just because I want to support a national car maker. To hell with patriotism.
