What a haphazardly planned road trip to KL with three colleagues taught me
06 May 2023|9,582 views
Going on a road trip to Malaysia is quite a common occurrence for many Singaporeans. After all, all that has to be done is to cross the Causeway and you'll be in another country within minutes (if there isn't a jam). It has become such a frivolous affair that most of us wouldn't even bother to give the car a thorough check, or to even come up with an itinerary for a trip to Malaysia.
This time, my colleagues in the Media Team have been tasked with driving to Kuala Lumpur (KL) and back in a brand-new Toyota Aqua Hybrid on a single tank of petrol. And I, on the other hand, have been handed the keys to an 'errand car' Toyota Vios that looks like it has seen much better days, just a couple of hours before the trip.
What could go wrong, right?
Despite its somewhat shoddy exterior and funky smelling interior, the Vios seemed fine...
Collecting the loaner/rental car just hours before the trip isn't that great an idea
The first time I saw the Vios that I will be driving for the trip, it was around 6:00pm, and we were planning to set off at 4:00am the next morning in order to avoid getting caught up in traffic.. so not much time to actually give the car a proper once over.
On first impressions, the car sure looks well-used - there's plenty of cosmetic damage, the car's quite filthy, and the interior smells oddly like TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) herbs. But at least the tyres have sufficient tread life and the car starts and drives well. All good it seems!
Always remember to give the car a thorough check before setting off
Pumping up a flat tyre in the rain isn't how I envisioned the start of this road trip
For some reason, I decided to give the fluids a check before moving off and got my first surprise - the engine oil level was only at the halfway mark. While it is unlikely to cause any severe issues, I promptly topped it off to play it safe.
After picking up a fellow colleague, the next stop was to meet the others at a petrol station located near Tuas checkpoint.
Having some time to spare, I decided to give the tyre pressures a check and top them off if there's a need to.
Trying to see out of the windows and using the side mirrors is near impossible in the rain
Little did I know, surprise number two was waiting for me - the front left tyre was extremely low on air, and it sure didn't help that the air pump at the petrol station was faulty!
As though the universe was punishing me for being so unprepared for the trip, it started raining when I was driving around to look for another petrol station.
Thankfully, it didn't take too long for me to find one and get the tyres filled.
Luckily, some rain repellent glass cleaner managed to solve the visibility issues
On the way back to the original meetup point, I noticed the third problem. The car's windows were impossible to see out of, and the mirrors are practically useless in the rain. I had to wind down the window and stick my head out to ensure safety while changing lanes.
Thankfully, we managed to get just what is needed at the petrol station to solve this pesky issue - a bottle of Rain X glass cleaner and rain repellent. After a quick application, we were well on our way.
KL, here we go!
This 'fly-swatter' contraption works amazingly at the toll booths
Be sure to pack some useful gadgets!
With the heavy rain on our way into Malaysia, the benefits of applying the Rain X rain repellent became obvious. I'm definitely adding it into my to-do list before every road trip.
While I admittedly wasn't that well prepared for the trip, I did bring along a few must-have gadgets that made the trip better. The first one is what I call the 'fly swatter', something you can find at most petrol stations and convenience stores in Malaysia.
It is a plastic card holder with a long handle to allow you to reach out to tap your 'Touch n Go' card at the toll booth readers with ease - especially handy if your hands are short, your car is extremely low or tall, or if you simply can't gauge the distance to the kerb that well.
A phone holder is a must-have if you need easy, safe access to a navigation app while driving
The other gadget that I'll never go on a road trip without is a phone holder. As someone who doesn't like to have a phone holder permanently mounted in my car, I actually have a couple of them sitting around just for occasions when I have to drive in Malaysia.
While Android Auto is excellent for navigation, there are some little gremlins, like how the system restricts you from typing in an address on the go. By tacking your phone to an easy-to-reach position, you can simply access your favourite navigation application, even if the car you are in is almost 20 years old and does not have a modern infotainment system.
Thanks to these gadgets, I was able to get to KL enjoyably, and without much hassle.
There's no way one will be able to find parking in such a popular and crowded area in KL
KL City traffic is just plain nasty
After checking into the hotel at KL, we all decided to head out for dinner. Knowing full well to expect insane traffic, we settled on squeezing all four of us into one car instead of driving both out. And that was one of the best decisions we made on this trip, alongside the nice boutique hotel that we chose to stay at.
Adding to the notorious KL traffic was the confusing roads and the lack of parking spots at the popular dining location that we chose. We ended up parking around 1km away at a shopping mall's carpark as the area around the restaurant was simply too packed.
So remember this, if you have to drive around in KL's city centre, always try to squeeze everyone into one car to save yourself from some headache, and be prepared to take a walk if you want to visit the popular locations.
Picking the right time smoothened the journey as we were able to avoid all the jams
Choosing the right time to go to Malaysia is key
Getting stuck in a jam is not a fun thing to do, and luckily for us, our trip was blessed with absolutely smooth flowing traffic (except for the KL city traffic). I figured it was due to the excellent timing that we chose to enter and exit Malaysia.
We dodged the Public Holiday and long weekend traffic by entering Malaysia on a Thursday morning and coming back to Singapore on Friday afternoon. By doing so, we entered Malaysia when most people are still in the office, working away, and we left Malaysia when a barrage of people were trying to get in.
So, here's all that I have learnt from this impromptu trip. If you are planning to enter Malaysia for a road trip, always make sure that your car is prepared and safe to drive (the brakes on the Vios were juddering at speed), check the fluids, check the tyre condition and pressure, and make sure there isn't any issues with visibility. Also, bring along all the handy gadgets and be sure to avoid entering or exiting Malaysia during peak periods. Considering how we came back in one piece without any major issues, you would be fine.
Here are some other articles that you might be interested in:
Downsizing doesn't mean downgrading: Three days and 1,800km of combined driving in Audi's Q3 Sportback 1.5 and A3 Sedan 1.0
From SG to Thailand in less than a tank with Audi's Q3 Sportback: Here's how
Forget the NSHW, East Coast Malaysia is where driving fun lies
3 friends, over 700km of roads and an A4 - recipe for the best road trip ever?
Sgcarmart
Affordable Car Rental & Leasing Deals
Choose from 1000+ cars available for rent from $45/day!
- Get best deals for short term rental & long term lease
- Rent a car by day, week or month at affordable prices
Going on a road trip to Malaysia is quite a common occurrence for many Singaporeans. After all, all that has to be done is to cross the Causeway and you'll be in another country within minutes (if there isn't a jam). It has become such a frivolous affair that most of us wouldn't even bother to give the car a thorough check, or to even come up with an itinerary for a trip to Malaysia.
This time, my colleagues in the Media Team have been tasked with driving to Kuala Lumpur (KL) and back in a brand-new Toyota Aqua Hybrid on a single tank of petrol. And I, on the other hand, have been handed the keys to an 'errand car' Toyota Vios that looks like it has seen much better days, just a couple of hours before the trip.
What could go wrong, right?
Despite its somewhat shoddy exterior and funky smelling interior, the Vios seemed fine...
Collecting the loaner/rental car just hours before the trip isn't that great an idea
The first time I saw the Vios that I will be driving for the trip, it was around 6:00pm, and we were planning to set off at 4:00am the next morning in order to avoid getting caught up in traffic.. so not much time to actually give the car a proper once over.
On first impressions, the car sure looks well-used - there's plenty of cosmetic damage, the car's quite filthy, and the interior smells oddly like TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) herbs. But at least the tyres have sufficient tread life and the car starts and drives well. All good it seems!
Always remember to give the car a thorough check before setting off
Pumping up a flat tyre in the rain isn't how I envisioned the start of this road trip
For some reason, I decided to give the fluids a check before moving off and got my first surprise - the engine oil level was only at the halfway mark. While it is unlikely to cause any severe issues, I promptly topped it off to play it safe.
After picking up a fellow colleague, the next stop was to meet the others at a petrol station located near Tuas checkpoint.
Having some time to spare, I decided to give the tyre pressures a check and top them off if there's a need to.
Trying to see out of the windows and using the side mirrors is near impossible in the rain
Little did I know, surprise number two was waiting for me - the front left tyre was extremely low on air, and it sure didn't help that the air pump at the petrol station was faulty!
As though the universe was punishing me for being so unprepared for the trip, it started raining when I was driving around to look for another petrol station.
Thankfully, it didn't take too long for me to find one and get the tyres filled.
Luckily, some rain repellent glass cleaner managed to solve the visibility issues
On the way back to the original meetup point, I noticed the third problem. The car's windows were impossible to see out of, and the mirrors are practically useless in the rain. I had to wind down the window and stick my head out to ensure safety while changing lanes.
Thankfully, we managed to get just what is needed at the petrol station to solve this pesky issue - a bottle of Rain X glass cleaner and rain repellent. After a quick application, we were well on our way.
KL, here we go!
This 'fly-swatter' contraption works amazingly at the toll booths
Be sure to pack some useful gadgets!
With the heavy rain on our way into Malaysia, the benefits of applying the Rain X rain repellent became obvious. I'm definitely adding it into my to-do list before every road trip.
While I admittedly wasn't that well prepared for the trip, I did bring along a few must-have gadgets that made the trip better. The first one is what I call the 'fly swatter', something you can find at most petrol stations and convenience stores in Malaysia.
It is a plastic card holder with a long handle to allow you to reach out to tap your 'Touch n Go' card at the toll booth readers with ease - especially handy if your hands are short, your car is extremely low or tall, or if you simply can't gauge the distance to the kerb that well.
A phone holder is a must-have if you need easy, safe access to a navigation app while driving
The other gadget that I'll never go on a road trip without is a phone holder. As someone who doesn't like to have a phone holder permanently mounted in my car, I actually have a couple of them sitting around just for occasions when I have to drive in Malaysia.
While Android Auto is excellent for navigation, there are some little gremlins, like how the system restricts you from typing in an address on the go. By tacking your phone to an easy-to-reach position, you can simply access your favourite navigation application, even if the car you are in is almost 20 years old and does not have a modern infotainment system.
Thanks to these gadgets, I was able to get to KL enjoyably, and without much hassle.
There's no way one will be able to find parking in such a popular and crowded area in KL
KL City traffic is just plain nasty
After checking into the hotel at KL, we all decided to head out for dinner. Knowing full well to expect insane traffic, we settled on squeezing all four of us into one car instead of driving both out. And that was one of the best decisions we made on this trip, alongside the nice boutique hotel that we chose to stay at.
Adding to the notorious KL traffic was the confusing roads and the lack of parking spots at the popular dining location that we chose. We ended up parking around 1km away at a shopping mall's carpark as the area around the restaurant was simply too packed.
So remember this, if you have to drive around in KL's city centre, always try to squeeze everyone into one car to save yourself from some headache, and be prepared to take a walk if you want to visit the popular locations.
Picking the right time smoothened the journey as we were able to avoid all the jams
Choosing the right time to go to Malaysia is key
Getting stuck in a jam is not a fun thing to do, and luckily for us, our trip was blessed with absolutely smooth flowing traffic (except for the KL city traffic). I figured it was due to the excellent timing that we chose to enter and exit Malaysia.
We dodged the Public Holiday and long weekend traffic by entering Malaysia on a Thursday morning and coming back to Singapore on Friday afternoon. By doing so, we entered Malaysia when most people are still in the office, working away, and we left Malaysia when a barrage of people were trying to get in.
So, here's all that I have learnt from this impromptu trip. If you are planning to enter Malaysia for a road trip, always make sure that your car is prepared and safe to drive (the brakes on the Vios were juddering at speed), check the fluids, check the tyre condition and pressure, and make sure there isn't any issues with visibility. Also, bring along all the handy gadgets and be sure to avoid entering or exiting Malaysia during peak periods. Considering how we came back in one piece without any major issues, you would be fine.
Here are some other articles that you might be interested in:
Downsizing doesn't mean downgrading: Three days and 1,800km of combined driving in Audi's Q3 Sportback 1.5 and A3 Sedan 1.0
From SG to Thailand in less than a tank with Audi's Q3 Sportback: Here's how
Forget the NSHW, East Coast Malaysia is where driving fun lies
3 friends, over 700km of roads and an A4 - recipe for the best road trip ever?
Sgcarmart
Affordable Car Rental & Leasing Deals
Choose from 1000+ cars available for rent from $45/day!
- Get best deals for short term rental & long term lease
- Rent a car by day, week or month at affordable prices
Thank You For Your Subscription.
