The Ride of My Life
I started of working back in 2000 car less. What do you expect from a fresh graduate. My first thought at that time was to save up enough to get a Kancil, suitable for a fresh grad, but not so suitable for a Civil Engineer. I did think of getting a motorcycle but I know mom would not allow it. Before I continue on, let me interject one or two facts. I’m a first-born and the rest of my siblings are still schooling. Now I have implant that fact, lets move on.
I think it was somewhere in 2002 that I get the taste of driving home a 4WD car back home. Prior to that, I’ve only driven two model of those huge car. The first one is a Toyota Landcruiser popularly known as Toyota Ninja and it was hard to drive simply because its tall and like I said, huge. The second was an Isuzu Bighorn, same feeling I have with Ninja. The car; company car actually, was a Nissan. It was huge, it was old, I have lots of fun driving it. No more feeling huge and tall, I love it. The second car was also from the same maker, Nissan Patrol.
In 2003, I switch company and I was temporarily assigned an Isuzu Trooper; or was it Bighorn, the car that I tried on the first company. Somehow the feeling was not the same, maybe because at this point of time, I’m used to driving a big car. OK that was temporary. The car I was assigned to was a Toyota Prado GX, 1996 model. I have a lot of memory with that car, learned a lot about 4WD too, since it’s an old car and breakdown is a norm. It got hit and it also got hit. I called it The White Stallion.
I had a lot of fun with White Stallion.
Somewhere in 2007, I was assigned to a Toyota Hilux a.k.a. Vigo, a project car for a project in Tenom. What I like about this car is its auto transmission, gate lever type. The other thing that I like about it is that I can easily carry my bicycle at the back. Because it’s a project car, I have to return it after the project is complete. Bummer!
In 2009, I was assigned back with the ol’ manual transmission Toyota Prado for a moment before driving back a manual transmission Isuzu Trooper, aka The Blue Stallion, the same car I was temporarily assigned to before. My company decided to sell White Stallion and buy two new company car from the sale. What I like about this one is comfort while driving long journey.
2011, I switch work again and I’m carless. Did you notice it? Never once did I mention that I actually own a car, not even a Kancil! All this while I was driving a “sponsored” car. This year, again, I’m driving a Toyota Hilux, the same colour as the one that I drove in 2007, but this time it’s mine. Yeap, IT’S MINE!
Presenting,
BoraBora.
I didn’t came up with that name. My girlfriend fiancée on the spot gave that name to him. I guess it’s better than Halim, no?
Why in the first place didn’t I take Toyota Fortuner? After years of driving a 4WD, these are my reason for picking a Hilux.
- I like the gate-lever auto shift, easy to quickly shift to D without accidental over shift to 3.
- Part time 4WD. I mainly use it on road. Full-time 4WD uses more fuel. Minyak makin mahal ging.
- I’m not planning to have big family, 3 children is enough.
- Buying fish or worst durian wont stink out the cabin part.
- Easy to carry my mountain bike.
- You can still cover the back should it rain and I don’t want to get my cargo wet.
- Toyota, easy to find spare parts and it’s cheap.
There you go. Oh and I’m not going to “pimp” that car. It’s a 4WD car, it supposed to do what it was meant for, going on and off harsh terrain. So why the hell people like to make it lowered? Other than that, unless changing to sporty rim could further save fuel, not gonna change that. But definitely going to have one customize sticker, in the shape of my blog icon, and some letters, not that “Boleh Bah Kalau Kau” or some cheesy word, none of that. The only letters & number I’m putting up is my Amateur Radio call sign.
I need to get me a mobile transceiver and an antenna.