Salam n peace to all..im a Penang Kia now in JB.
To Crapper and all ya gonnabe Putra owners...im a Putra owner and just got it on June 2006. My comments:
-first of all, i love this car so much that if i were filthy rich i would give to you one as a gift..
-1998, i saw and fell in love with at first sight..but what to do that time not affordable.
-2005, test drove a friend's 1999 model Putra..and i tell you.. the pick up and pull so damn impressive and powerful...it drove me crazy with sleepless nights...hehe..
-2006, finally i manage to buy one year 2001 model at rm40k in Penang. Stock standard N/A superb condition..14" original alloy wheels. I browsed in JB but most of them were modified..so reliability is a big concern.
Performance:
-wheelspin like crazy on 1st gear and 2nd gear...especially if on wet roads during rainy days it wont move at all on 1st gear lol! have to release the clutch to reduce the power and balance it....fuuhh stiiiiimm man..
-handsome fuel perfomance..proof? i started my journey to Penang from JB. Filled full tank in JB and took off. I used old road all the way for the challenge and fun. Do u know where i top up my fuel? at Tapah!! Mileage was 562km! Speed average 100-120kmh. What else can i say...but of course for city driving i get lesser than that but still around 400+km.
-just fixed open pod filter, not much difference but slightly better throttle respond and the macho roar from under the hood.
Problems:
-squeaking sound from suspensions..power window did not work smoothly so had it repaired and till now no issue..wiper blade are worn out and need to be replaced.
-the dashboard meters is a headache..the rpm meter is a bit crazy and works intermittently....the speedometer is fine..but the tripmeter would get stuck when i go on a long journey non stop for more than 300 kmh on highway...
-another issue is the car feels floating on top speed especially after 180kmh..maybe because of my suspension not so good and the car is generlally light. My best top speed was 205kmh
-ABS brakes are fantastic...it just slows and stops your car perfectly...but if u drive wrecklessly, then only God can save you.
So, what are u wating for laa? go and grab one before taken by sumone. I got mine from a used car but i can say its my luck that i got it in a good condition..my personal advice is you should browse through Motor Trader magazine...i saw a lot of stock putras in there and u can contact the owners directly..mostly are in KL n sleangor area.
Putra is unique because no car can be modified to look as it...compared to GTi, any satria can be converted to look like it. But i love GTis too...sexy and stylo.
All d best to u and next time when you reply here i want to hear that you have got one :)