We (me and the car) have successfully finished our unplanned Sabah tour, the first ever time I have driven the car for long haul journey, I prefer to call it as 'endurance test'. Been driving around this small and tight island for the past a year, now let's give a try on long distance drive!
04 June 2011
We left Labuan jetty via vehicle ferry to Menumbok, a small ditrict in Sabah mainland around 5pm, arrived Menumbok jetty safely around 6.30pm.
6.30pm here means the day is going to end soon! As sky are getting darker, I have to cruise along federal road for about 2 and half hours to Kota Kinabalu. It was the first time ever driving this car for such a long distance, I have inspirationally whispered to the car "come on, we are going to make it!". 9pm, I arrived Kota Kinabalu safely. Ride was smooth, suspension was so 'accomodative' to potholes, uneven road surface, overall it was very comfortable!
05 June 2011
I already have faith on the car's reliability and ability, as we have made the non-stop 2 and half hours journey last night. So the endurance test continued, to drive from Kota Kinabalu to high hills of Kundasang and Ranau. This is the base station for Mount Kinabalu climbers. It take around one and half hours climbing, with average speed of 40 - 50km/h only, beleive me it is steep! Many would go comfortably at this speed, while stressing your car, you may get around 60km/w. But it is not a good option on the hilly winding road. While climbing, I used gear 3 most of the time, most comfortable. I was worried if I'm stressing the gearbox and engine too much, and keep on monitoring the temperature gauge. Guess what? The higher we gets, the cooler the engine temperature be. I then stopped for a while by a sight seeing roadside area, it was really cold outside, even cooler than the car air-cond! No wonder the engine temperature drops.
The drive was started around 7am in the morning. I then reached Ranau town by 8.30am to have my roti canai breakfast! Right after the breakfast, we cruise down heading back to Kota Kinabalu town. The car passed second endurance test!
06 June 2011
I was on the ferry waiting list this day. I headed back to Menumbok via Beaufort town around 11am from Kota Kinabalu. Morning cruise was not as good as night cruise though. I can hear and feel the suspension vibrations, but it went off on night or rainy days. This is good symptom of 'rubber bushings' aging out as it gets more elastic in colder weather.
On the way back to Menumbok, heavy rains started to pour down, real heavy. As all other Volvos, the car still stick on the road, cruising at a safer speed of 90km/h with good vision.
Unfortunately after hours of queing, I could not get through even to the last ferry which departed at 10pm, yes 10 at night! Menumbok is such a rural area, village houses along the way, no petrol stations, no buildings a long the way. I have no choice but to make a drive back to Beaufort town, an hour drive. Beaufort is the nearest town that have hotel facilities for me to spend my night. Alone, with a dead handphone, driving constant 80km/h only as vision was not good at all, total dark plus fog started to appear! I could not imagine of what will I do if the car stopped in the middle of the road. People says 'a brick will always get you home' may be true, with the help of Allah The Almighty.. At this point of time, my confident level boost up, of how reliable the car, how dependable it is, and how loyal it is to be where I need to be (or when?).
07 June 2011
Departed from Beaufort to Menumbok again. Today I managed to get a ferry back to Labuan. All in we have covered around 760 kilometres trip.
A wonderful and unforgettable one! Bye Sabah!
04 June 2011
We left Labuan jetty via vehicle ferry to Menumbok, a small ditrict in Sabah mainland around 5pm, arrived Menumbok jetty safely around 6.30pm.
6.30pm here means the day is going to end soon! As sky are getting darker, I have to cruise along federal road for about 2 and half hours to Kota Kinabalu. It was the first time ever driving this car for such a long distance, I have inspirationally whispered to the car "come on, we are going to make it!". 9pm, I arrived Kota Kinabalu safely. Ride was smooth, suspension was so 'accomodative' to potholes, uneven road surface, overall it was very comfortable!
05 June 2011
I already have faith on the car's reliability and ability, as we have made the non-stop 2 and half hours journey last night. So the endurance test continued, to drive from Kota Kinabalu to high hills of Kundasang and Ranau. This is the base station for Mount Kinabalu climbers. It take around one and half hours climbing, with average speed of 40 - 50km/h only, beleive me it is steep! Many would go comfortably at this speed, while stressing your car, you may get around 60km/w. But it is not a good option on the hilly winding road. While climbing, I used gear 3 most of the time, most comfortable. I was worried if I'm stressing the gearbox and engine too much, and keep on monitoring the temperature gauge. Guess what? The higher we gets, the cooler the engine temperature be. I then stopped for a while by a sight seeing roadside area, it was really cold outside, even cooler than the car air-cond! No wonder the engine temperature drops.
06 June 2011
I was on the ferry waiting list this day. I headed back to Menumbok via Beaufort town around 11am from Kota Kinabalu. Morning cruise was not as good as night cruise though. I can hear and feel the suspension vibrations, but it went off on night or rainy days. This is good symptom of 'rubber bushings' aging out as it gets more elastic in colder weather.
On the way back to Menumbok, heavy rains started to pour down, real heavy. As all other Volvos, the car still stick on the road, cruising at a safer speed of 90km/h with good vision.
Unfortunately after hours of queing, I could not get through even to the last ferry which departed at 10pm, yes 10 at night! Menumbok is such a rural area, village houses along the way, no petrol stations, no buildings a long the way. I have no choice but to make a drive back to Beaufort town, an hour drive. Beaufort is the nearest town that have hotel facilities for me to spend my night. Alone, with a dead handphone, driving constant 80km/h only as vision was not good at all, total dark plus fog started to appear! I could not imagine of what will I do if the car stopped in the middle of the road. People says 'a brick will always get you home' may be true, with the help of Allah The Almighty.. At this point of time, my confident level boost up, of how reliable the car, how dependable it is, and how loyal it is to be where I need to be (or when?).
07 June 2011
Departed from Beaufort to Menumbok again. Today I managed to get a ferry back to Labuan. All in we have covered around 760 kilometres trip.
A wonderful and unforgettable one! Bye Sabah!
2 comments:
Ahmad, this 940 has k-Jet? That is amazing!
Space,
Yerp! A B230E! Not many units of this model were sold I guess, even in Malaysia...
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