Hidden Costs

Some people don't realise that buying a car entails numerous other costs which they might not have taken into consideration. It's much more than just the monthly loan repayments (NOTE: I am talking of ordinary blokes out there like me, who earn a living working for other people or for the Govt.).

I recently had to service my car air conditioning because it wasn't as cold as before. In fact it was literally blowing hot air in my face. The cost: RM90/ for the R134a compressor oil and gas.

Other things that happen are accidents. Even if you are careful, others might bang into you and that is exactly what happened to me. Read here. The repair job, plus a new bumper and repainting made me poorer by RM400/. Read about it here.

I also decided to change all my four tyres as I noticed that they were quite bald and got myself the cheapest in the market, Sime Monza HR7. It cost me RM95/ per tyre. However, they gave me a discout of RM30/ for trading in the old tyres. Where in the World do any tyre shop allow you to trade in your old tyres? Only in Kedah.

Those who look down on the Sime brand of tyres. Let me tell you something. Continental Sime Tyre Sdn Bhd, which makes Sime tyres, is a Malaysian joint-venture company between Continental AG of Hanover, Germany (51%) and Sime Darby Berhad, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (49%). The JV agreement was signed on February 26, 2003.

It has two tyre manufacturing companies: DMIB Berhad with its factory located in Petaling Jaya, and Sime Tyres International Sdn Bhd located in Alor Setar. Marketing and sales is carried out through Continental Sime Tyre Marketing Sdn Bhd.

Other brands made by the company are: Continental, Dunlop, Barum, Sime Tyres and Simex. My friend working with the company confided that all the tyres are made in the same factories using the same rubber compund and same technology. The only difference are the treads.

Now back to my story, the four new tyres plus the alignment cost me a total of RM390/.

Total cost on my car this month alone not counting the petrol and the monthly loan repayment comes to RM880/. Thank God! I don't drive a BMW or a Merc.

Related links:

- Continental Sime Tyres

TAGS: Proton Car maintenance Continental Sime Tyres