car.

"Car" is a funny thing. Something that i fell in love since birth, for an unknown reason. The moment i came to my senses in 4 or 5 years old, i knew where my vision aims at. And fast forward to today, it's still, to me many other enthusiasts, something alive and multi-dimensional, while it can be simply a tool to the layman.

How much i like it? Look around this blog; the hobby list has it, many posts contains it, the title picture above has it, and even this address came from a car name. So much that sometimes, i'm concern that did i drive away people not interested in car on first sight of this page..

So why i like it that much? Frankly, the true reason is unknown, as mentioned earlier. But i do guess i attribute it to that fact that i can be a sense of freedom...It's something complicated; designed, engineered and manufactured after a long and complex process just for a simple and short brief: to move people.

Move people from places where other mode of transport cant bring you to. Move people faster and easier than other type of land transport. And Move people (who appreciate it) emotionally, from the design that spark feelings (think Fiat 500 or the MINI) or that sense of excitment from the way it moves throughout the journey...

And this excitment part is how some are not just a tool...it's something which you can feel. Your palms tells you how the steering react in turns, your butt tells how it rolls over surfaces, your ears tells how it sounds when you revv thru a tunnel, and your entire body feels how the car body follows through the cornering and thrust with acceleration. In the more focus'd cars you will not be devote of the above but be rewarded with this multi-dimensional sensation, with everything working in harmony to achieve it. And that excites.

Freedom, also in way of the ability to have control of it. Going to exactly where you want to go, pointing it in the direction you want. Freedom, also as in terms of expressing who you are with the car you drive. A form of self-expression, as learnt in sociology. And a society, in macro sense, it also represented by the cars on the street...A developed, individualist western nation you see sophisticated cars reflecting drivers' personality, while in a developing collective asian nation you see rational and reliable vans that seats 8 (Think toyota avanza/kijang)

And this why, relating to the last point above, that i always think that are no bad cars; each has their own purpose. Just that as i care about the journey as much as the destination, i want something that feels. And perhaps this is how the enthusiasts are differentiated from the rest..

This how this "tool" will always be different in my eyes, and i not stop lovin' it. The complex and dynamic auto industry will be where i'll (try to) belong; The sophisticated machinery will be what i'll appreciated; & Driving sensation will be my getaway from this messy society.


What's yours?


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The other day, i got a chance to lay my hands on this Suzuki Swift, 1.3 auto. And there is it, one of better steering i had tried. Meaty, with feedback on the tarmac as you turn. A neat looking car, it does feel very conti with the solid shapes it has. Interior is very spacious, generous headroom. And fortunately as the "XG" spec, it got all the niceties like digital air con, fuel economy meter, motorised foldable mirrors, etc etc. Nimble car, it is.

Sadly, the 1.3 really struggles under acceleration and uphills; you can feel the auto gear desperately shifting down to get more torque...Guess the 1.5 version will be better. Some perceived quality can be better too, like that powered windows.. And how i wish the car can be slightly more rigid and slightly more stable at high speed...

So would i buy it for my journeys (in future when i got income)? Yes, if it is the 1.5 manual version and if i cant afford the mazda2. And if i can look pass those bit of quality niggles...

the lil' cottage chalet

Fork n Spoon wrapped in red napkins, freshly cooked spagetti accompanied with tasty roasted chicken on the table, big pot of warm soup waiting to warm our stomach and lighted candles behind on the doorway warm up the heart. With this and big group gathered for dinner, it does reminds you of christmas isnt it?

Only that X'mas is half a year away...This is the OG gathering dinner, not forgetting Stella belated birthday.

Concepted weeks before amid exams, and put together in days right after the last paper, 5th of june was the day we saw the fruit of our labour. Looking at everyone happily gathered at the table for a homely dinner is the reward, and the belated birthday girl smile is the bonus. That's what that makes it worthwhile.

And the best feeling of all is knowing that you got a great team with you to make it happen. Alone you cant have brillant concepts on the theme and decoration & to actually do the deco, the knowledge of food to buy and the actual purchase and cooking, the idea on the gift and the actual making of it, and of cos, the actual clearing up and washing. And, those who willing to come down all way to the ulu ulu changi resort to make the "gathering" really like a "gathering".

The soup warms the stomach, but is the thought of all these that really warms you up. Thank you guys and girls!



(1)...the feast... (2)....the belated one.... (3)....believe it, camera was on a inverted paper cup... (4)..the wishes "enlighted".



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WISHing for the taxi?

Yes, here is the ever-present-evoxiang.blogspot-talks-about-the-car-he-drove time again.

This time, it's a toyota Wish. No intention to be a family man with a MPV; The toyota rush i booked couldnt be delivered on time in the last minute, so a discount was given for the Wish. That's what they say, unpredictability is risk but opportunity too.

And i'm glad i got the keys to it. Not only it saves the day when i got 7 passengers in the end, it was a comfortable car to cover great miles in ease. The supportive seats holds the driver in comfort, and 170Nm of torque makes expressway speed and overtaking really effortless. Not to forget that smooth and decisive 4spd auto gear. The gear stick itself, like the rest of the interior, is solid and well made in a typical toyota manner...built to last.

The car is heavy (1600kg), making it stable even at slightly above legal motorway speed. But heaviness also makes it very not nimble too; You know the acceleration is 'cos the engine got power but not 'cos the car is light. The steering is not as sharp as what we like too.

Low sitting position makes you forget you are in a 7-seater MPV, but visibility suffers; many times i have to sit up straight when driving thru tight places. A bigger side mirror is prefered, but guess that spoils the styling. 3rd row seats are not too hard to access and not too nasty to sit in, but passengers there sweated and cursed for the absent of cooling air there.

Worth a mention is that i broke my 24hours driving distance again; this time round is 340km (i slept for 1 hour only, within the 24 hr) Thankfully, the car returns 12.2km/l, which is really really good...considering that it is a MPV and 3 rows are occupied, and is a 1.8litre Automatic.

Now i understand why it was, at one time, the best selling parallel imported car in singapore...til the authorised toyota dealership cried.


But, if the fiat punto is a passion lover, then the Wish is the trustworthy business partner...When its time to say goodbye, you would hope to work with the reliable partner again but, you dont exactly miss him and feel sad.


340km...from sunset to sunrise...never felt like a Taxi as much as this before;^)

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