My Test Driving Experience - Perodua Bezza

The search and decision making continues!

Oddly how God sometimes plan things so differently than what I have planned earlier.

For those who have read my previous 2 posts before would have realised that I have unfortunately experienced my most faithful 15 year old car (that also protected me from getting really hurt a quite horrible accident) has been showing signs that it is ready "to retire" and move to its "possibly heavenly junk yard" or "second life" (depending what happens to it); by deciding to randomly overheat since 1st day of Chinese New Year.

While feeling horrible of losing it to its possible "eternal end", I started hunting for a replacement in thoughts of this time wanting to make sure my parents are not suffering from my tiny (though convenient) "pegasus" while I ferry them around from one outpatient clinic to another outpatient specialist hospital that is located between 10km - 40km almost monthly.

With "little Pegasus" in its "critical rest" stage, God has HIS interesting ways landing me to test drive EXTENSIVELY by pretty much pushing me to rent a car from my desired local car brand.

HE knows I will tend to procrastinate even further if little Pegasus still could hold on one day at a time... HE tends to "forcefully" steer me to a direction to make me research further

From my first post I actually narrowed down to 2 options:

• first choice - Perodua Alza
  the cheapest MPV on the market that could not only ferry my parents, but serves very well in ferrying possible need of wheelchair in the future

• 2nd choice - Perodua MyVi
  the next best thing I would think of if I couldn't get the 7 seater and settle for a 5 seater; but that would loose the additional spaces for things like wheelchair if needed in an emergency.

Notice that I actually preferred hatchbacks? That is because I am not the best reverse / side parker ever; and having anything other than hatchback would equal to possible more scratches along the way.

My "little pegasus" has been my faithful 15 year old mini hatchback which served perfectly for squeezing into tight parking spots with ease; but having about the same size car would also mean less comfort for my now quite elderly parents... that is why I didn't consider Perodua Axia, the heir replacement for my little pegasus' model - Perodua Kancil

Then God has HIS funny "I may have a better plan" move....

As I mentioned since my current car needed a break and I had planned to return to my hometown with my parents in this probably this year's only window of opportunity, I decided to rent the car of my preferences, MyVi, after realising Alza was too expensive to buy / rent.

And HE pulled a stunt with a surprise when the rental service provider decided to upgrade my rental car without notice and extra charge... by passing me a sedan Perodua Bezza instead!

With already a little panic mood knowing that I am going to drive an auto geared car instead of a manual (that I have been accustomed to since the day I got my driver's license decades ago), I have an additional stress in my head - a sedan!

(Sedans have the "extra butt", the boot where I cannot judge reversing distance well)

Good thing is that the car's reverse sensors are very good, which was a slight life saver for me.

The first feel - driving experience

Being automated + fuel efficient, for a person who hasn't driven an auto car for a long time finds the pick-up a little slow. Many times I was honked for driving too slow in the city because it was just not really picking up until it "learns" and switch to lower gears at starting point (because I didn't know how to navigate the auto gears well).

Other than that, driving until around 90km /h (around 60 miles) you hardly feel the speed and my parents were enjoying the smooth ride; but once it hits 100km/h (around 62 miles) then I will feel the steering wheel has its "vibration" like the smaller capacity cars do.

I did have to perform an overtake into the fast lane on the highway when there was a super slow trailer on the slow lane; and so far the pickup gear change was around 1 sec but I got to press the accelerator a little more, which is technically not really fuel saving.

Second - The gear

To be very honest I have always been intimidated with auto gears as manual gears you practically do not need to glance at your gear indicator to know which gear you are on because you have memorised how the gears are located; but automated gear the Reverse is actually at the front right before Park, which can be frustrating because Reversing manual gears are always stated at the the bottom right (logic sense)

It actually took me like after 5 drives for my brain to realise that it is an auto gear; but yet I still made slight mistakes (while at stationary) when I shifted wrongly.

Third - Keyless experience

This was really nerve wrecking especially when I suddenly forgot where my keychain is not in sight, and the way to start it was a bit troublesome. One just have to remember that there are no more keys necessary.

Forth - Compartment

Though there were actually a lot more holes and hooks to convenient passengers and drivers, the compartment is actually a lot smaller even for the low capacity Perodua Kancil; and it didn't have an under-seat drawer anymore to ease driver hiding important documents / bag (for the ladies) from reach in case of anything.

Fifth - The Boot / Trunk

This was clearly a winner to my mom's heart because it was still spacious enough to stuff in a lot of things. During this trip back to my parents' house my mom has yet once again challenged a car's capacity by stuffing with a lot of things she thinks needed to be ferried back (on top of all the "move house scenario" separate bags for different purposes)!

Sixth - Fuel Saving Efficiency

Apparently the Perodua Bezza has been marketed as the most fuel saving model in the Perodua range, and so far with almost 600 km (about 373 miles) of travelling between highways and inner city jams, it was impressively affordable for that size of a sedan.

Overall - would I get it?

Overall for a cost around USD 15,000 for a brand new car, it could probably be one of the only sedans I could afford because the hatchback MyVi actually costs another 5,000 more with a smaller body.

Apparently the model I drove was a 4 year old Bezza and it is still pretty solid, but at the moment I need around 2,500 USD as a down-payment so that my 9 year hire-purchase will be less stressful; and that is still not yet calculate other expenses.

Hopefully on Monday morning later I would be able to call in to a car dealer and ask more about the price, if there is a show-room unit / a refurbished unit that could be cheaper than a brand new one. That, would really rely on the LORD's favour to direct me later.

How about you?

What are the usual indicators do you look out for when you are test driving the car you may want to purchase?