The 18-year old jalopy has served me well, it can be said. It has to, because I pay through my nose for it.
Road tax and insurance cost me RM 212 monthly.
This year's running costs, inclusive of fuel, engine and a/c servicing and spare parts, and tyres, have already cost me RM 520 monthly.
That's a total of RM 732 monthly, or almost 25 ringgit per day!
So if I can find a car rental of that amount, I might as well rent and not have any headache from the problems of ownership.
Even now, I go to KL by bus and thereon take the LRT-MRT-Monorail route. The senior citizen discounts mean Seremban-KL is only RM 4.50, and the inner-city travel averages about another RM 4, for a grand total of RM 13 per day. The toll alone would cost RM 20, to and fro, if I take the car. What about fuel and parking fees ? And the worst part. of course, is the driving, with the damn jams.
Around Seremban I ride my 135 cc Yamaha. It outruns the fastest model of any car in town. I also beat the lights when the coast is clear, albeit the red light. Of course I've been caught, but the trick is to sheepishly grin and say sorry, and not act "loyar buruk". It works everytime. I had fallen from the bike more than once before, one time even losing consciousness and only waking up in hospital. Each time the safety helmet had saved me, thank God. That time I was unconscious, the good samaritan who took me to hospital even kept for me my wallet and credit cards and my 1990 Rolex that cost me RM 5 K then.
So my old jalopy is used mainly for the morning golf appointments, and going to the malls for provisions. Other than that, it stays under the patio roof, protected from the weather, but not from the pesky neighbour's cats who prefer my car roof rather than their owner's.
18 years is a long time, but the old jalopy stays. Why, I can still exceed 160 kph in it if I want to. Only the consumption is also 18. Miles per gallon, that is(sigh!).
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