[ericpok]

Do note that the S-Max on display at the Curve is not the specification that they will be bringing into Malaysia. The actual specs are on the leaflet on the car itself!

Kevin is right ! I went to curve to check up the S Max, but unfortunately the show unit was seriously deviated from the specification which announced during the launching, listed below the findings :-

1) No Xenon light and head lamp washer

2) No LED day running light

3) No Ford HMI screen

4) Tyre size was 215 / 50 R17 instead of 225 / 50 R17

5) No leather seat

6) the colour of the show unit was light blue which not was the offering colour specified on the catalogue

Can anyone know which show room have the S Max show unit that complied to the announced specification.

[daffo]

Actually the Mazda8 is also at the end of its cycle. The engine is outdated compared to Mazda6. I have driven both Grandis and M8. The Grandis is nice, but the engine and gearbox is totally out of date and it is no longer even available in Japan! M8 is very quiet and smooth except there is hardly any power. There were only 6 people in the car and the M8 could not even pull fast enough to overtake. That was the reason I gave it up.

In terms of service, spare parts and resale value, no other companies except the T, H and N could give high points. And there is no good MPVs from them unless you go for recond. I have made up my mind not to get recond ( so I don't have to fatten the pockets of the open AP holders' pocket ). In reconds you also get warranty or recall issues, so no difference.

Will be going to the Curve to see the S Max tomorrow. It is good on paper but until I see and touch it with my own eyes, I am not convinced.

If you go through the Ford forum, there is hardly any complaints about the service centres unlike the Naza, Hyundai and Peugeot, which is a good thing. Or may be there are too few Fords on the road. But I see quite a good number of Fiestas in town though.

Yes, M8 is under power. I concluded that too. Grandis is nice but I am just concern about what Mitsu will be doing with it. One interesting thing that you did point out is that M8 is near its cycle. Would SMax be rebadged under Mazda? Perhaps a M8 replacement? Yeah, Ford has lesser stake in Mazda now but the collaboration would still be on.

[daffo]

Allow me to sidetrack a bit, just to share about the MPV news. I just heard that Hyundai Malaysia is giving Starex a new facelift with the front grille given a chrome touch Alphard-like. But it is not merely cosmetic change. If what I am hearing is true, it would also be given Power Vacuum sliding Door, ESP, turnable 2nd row seat and Nappa Leather seat. All for just an additional of RM5K that brings its price to RM156K. I think they are looking into launching it within this month. Certainly an option for someone looking something like Alphard but not interested in recond thing plus paying much lesser.

[Kevin]

Yes, M8 is under power. I concluded that too. Grandis is nice but I am just concern about what Mitsu will be doing with it. One interesting thing that you did point out is that M8 is near its cycle. Would SMax be rebadged under Mazda? Perhaps a M8 replacement? Yeah, Ford has lesser stake in Mazda now but the collaboration would still be on.

The M8 is under-powered and under-speced! The Grandis is also under-powered and drives like a boat!

Ford no longer owns any shares in Mazda and there is almost NIL chances of any future rebadging between the brands.

From what I know, there are no Malaysian spec S-Maxs in showrooms yet. Will update once I have news

I think the S-Max is a steal at its estimated price but I am sure the car will not sell because Malaysians have poor taste! So I'll just book a 2011 unit in early 2012 with a nice deal thrown in

[matchip]

The M8 is under-powered and under-speced! The Grandis is also under-powered and drives like a boat!

Ford no longer owns any shares in Mazda and there is almost NIL chances of any future rebadging between the brands.

From what I know, there are no Malaysian spec S-Maxs in showrooms yet. Will update once I have news

I think the S-Max is a steal at its estimated price but I am sure the car will not sell because Malaysians have poor taste! So I'll just book a 2011 unit in early 2012 with a nice deal thrown in

I think S-Max potential buyers will love this even more, http://www.zercustom...Ford-S-MAX.html

[daffo]

The M8 is under-powered and under-speced! The Grandis is also under-powered and drives like a boat!

Ford no longer owns any shares in Mazda and there is almost NIL chances of any future rebadging between the brands.

From what I know, there are no Malaysian spec S-Maxs in showrooms yet. Will update once I have news

I think the S-Max is a steal at its estimated price but I am sure the car will not sell because Malaysians have poor taste! So I'll just book a 2011 unit in early 2012 with a nice deal thrown in

Ford does own 3% stake. Very minimal after major sale of the stake though but they do have collaboration when they first started the investment at 7%. With 3% there would still be chance of S-Max being sold under Mazda branding especially if there are real financial savings in doing so. This is something remote for now, so I am not considering anything like that when come to making the right choice for me in getting the MPV I want.

Come August, it would be about 4 months later we are entering 2012. Announcing a Ford of that pricing would be subjected to immediate depreciation that can be felt almost immediately when the calendar rolls to next year. Hence like you I am also hoping to have better packaging when they are forced to sell due to the fact that 2011 quarter-end does not spur their anticipated sale target.

I think Malaysians do have some taste but there are hard facts that resale value of the car depreciate a lot and this sentiment affects majority of the potential buyers. Couple this fact with another that these uninformed buyers view these non-dominant car brands would suffer from the difficulty to get spare parts and poor after-sale support, the number just shows when the market announces the car-sale statistic report. After all, how do we explain that people who are willing to depart with around RM 200K of their money would choose recond/2nd hand materials instead of new better car?

[magura]

Allow me to sidetrack a bit, just to share about the MPV news. I just heard that Hyundai Malaysia is giving Starex a new facelift with the front grille given a chrome touch Alphard-like. But it is not merely cosmetic change. If what I am hearing is true, it would also be given Power Vacuum sliding Door, ESP, turnable 2nd row seat and Nappa Leather seat. All for just an additional of RM5K that brings its price to RM156K. I think they are looking into launching it within this month. Certainly an option for someone looking something like Alphard but not interested in recond thing plus paying much lesser.

Wow, Thanks for the info....thats what i've been waiting for...a proper 7 seaters Starex with walk through in 2-2-3 seating arrangement (prefer this to a 2-3-2 arrangement due to its convenience to walk between rows to attend to kids & toodlers). The current 11 seaters have only lap belt for the remaining row & not suitable for attaching childseat. The rest of the Starex are great, almost 400nm of torque & good FC

[Kevin]

Allow me to sidetrack a bit, just to share about the MPV news. I just heard that Hyundai Malaysia is giving Starex a new facelift with the front grille given a chrome touch Alphard-like. But it is not merely cosmetic change. If what I am hearing is true, it would also be given Power Vacuum sliding Door, ESP, turnable 2nd row seat and Nappa Leather seat. All for just an additional of RM5K that brings its price to RM156K. I think they are looking into launching it within this month. Certainly an option for someone looking something like Alphard but not interested in recond thing plus paying much lesser.

Are they giving 3-point seat belts for all rear seats this time? Otherwise, the Starex is not on my list.

[ymfoo]

Kevin is right ! I went to curve to check up the S Max, but unfortunately the show unit was seriously deviated from the specification which announced during the launching, listed below the findings :-

1) No Xenon light and head lamp washer

2) No LED day running light

3) No Ford HMI screen

4) Tyre size was 215 / 50 R17 instead of 225 / 50 R17

5) No leather seat

6) the colour of the show unit was light blue which not was the offering colour specified on the catalogue

Can anyone know which show room have the S Max show unit that complied to the announced specification.

The one in the Curve is a pre facelift 2.3L unit. Apparently they are not allowed to show the new unit until the price is finalised. The SA told me his boss told him the final price will be more like 180K. We'll see to that.

He also mentioned that there is a unit of the new S Max at the yard of PJ showroom and he can bring me to it if I am really interested.

[ymfoo]

Allow me to sidetrack a bit, just to share about the MPV news. I just heard that Hyundai Malaysia is giving Starex a new facelift with the front grille given a chrome touch Alphard-like. But it is not merely cosmetic change. If what I am hearing is true, it would also be given Power Vacuum sliding Door, ESP, turnable 2nd row seat and Nappa Leather seat. All for just an additional of RM5K that brings its price to RM156K. I think they are looking into launching it within this month. Certainly an option for someone looking something like Alphard but not interested in recond thing plus paying much lesser.

Now that is some news!!

The Starex is really gigantic. Can it enter underground parking lots??