Using Of Automatic Cars By Driving Schools In Malaysia

A comment on should the Driving Schools / Institutes convert to using automatic cars



Sooner or later, driving schools and institutes in Malaysia have to switch over to “automatic” cars. Currently, most concerns are using Kancil vehicles. The question of using a small Kancil car surfaced with its introduction into the arena of driving institutes years ago.

Some critics argue it was not a suitable car to use. How can students, learning in such as small car handle a 1300 c.c. vehicle later on? That’s their argument. They have a point here.

Whether Malaysia’s accident rate has risen or fallen, for that matter, is questionable. To date, no “survey” to verify or deny this assumption has yet been done.

The “hot” topic facing the country today is whether to use the automatic car by the driving institutions appear to be the question.

Should we use or shouldn’t we? Let’s consider it carefully. There will certainly be the “pros” and the “cons”.

The nation is facing a downturn in economic today. In such dire situation, where hundreds if not thousands of factories, offices and other businesses are “closing shops” all over the country, is it economically viable for one industry – the “driving school” industry to be thinking of suddenly switching over to using the automatic car?

Using “auto” cars means disposing off the old Kancil cars, securing bank loan, which may last anything from 10 years to 15 years. Can you imagine a RM45,000 car loan on a Viva model? What about the interest on the loan? Not forgetting the huge amount of 1st party insurance and special insurance coverage that’s required.

Take out your pens and pencils. Do a simple calculation. I’m sure you can come up with a figure that would certainly make you see stars!

Let me remind you once again. You don’t have to fly up the Columbia spaceship to see the stars. The wise decision therefore is if you ask me, forget the whole idea. At least for the present moment.

Let’s allow the world economy, Malaysia’s economy especially to improve first before we think of any fancy ideas to use the automatic car.

Think of how driving school instructors are to make the next payment on the current loan for the present car. That should actually be the pertinent question now!

Servicing an automatic car is not going to be an easy task. Parts are expensive. Workmanship is another. Lack of qualified personnel, the mechanics and the special machines required. All these will definitely raise maintenance of the automatic car.

Don’t ever forget, petrol consumption, as some critics claim will increase by some 30% over the manual models.

Cost of running a car, an automatic one, is bound to rise. Eventually, who is to bear all these extra expenditure?

The driving schools and the institutes? Certainly not. It’s going to be passed on the consumers. Prices of learning driving today, with the old manual models is anything from RM750 – RM1000. Can anyone imagine 2 children learning “driving” at the same time? Don’t forget too, some have “twins”, you know.

This article has concentrated on only 2 reasons why we should think over carefully before we finally make our final decision. To get “auto” or not, is the question! And believe me, it’s an important decision.

By | 2012-11-02T12:26:19+08:00 August 23rd, 2009|Driving Schools|2 Comments

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2 Comments

  1. Kelly August 14, 2012 at 8:20 pm - Reply

    Hi there

    I’m currently in Sydney and would like to apply for an Australian Driver’s License using my current Malaysian driver’s license. I was told I need a letter from JPJ that states when my license was first issued, something like a letter that extract my driver’s license record and history.

    Is this something you’re familiar with? As I’m overseas its difficult for me to apply such letter and I would like to extract the record but still keep my Malaysian driver’s license.

    Thanks for your help.

    • Cikgu Yap August 16, 2012 at 4:01 pm - Reply

      If not mistaken, you can get an extract of your driving license from your state JPJ office for RM5 – RM10. Failing which, try JPJ Putrajaya.

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