Owner Review: A Love-Hate Relationship with A Local Hero – My 2001 Proton Wira 1.3GLi Aeroback

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Instagram: @luqcars (Luqman Hakim)

Basic information

2001 Proton Wira 1.3GLi Aeroback

Cars I’ve considered

• Proton Saga Iswara (either 1.3 or 1.5) manual
• Toyota Corolla KE70

About the car

This Proton Wira 1.3 is my first car that my dad entrusted to me after getting my driver’s license back in 2017. I’ve had it for a little over three years and it has been quite a rollercoaster. I’ve had my good times with it just as much as I’ve had bad moments with it. I’ve had so many memories, not just of the car, but the things I’ve done with the car. It’s connected me with people just as much as it has gotten me to places.

How did I end up with it?

The story of how I ended up with it begins from a family conversation over lunch at Chilli’s Empire Subang when my dad said that he has a friend who runs a used car dealer and has a Proton Wira 1.3 and asked me if I was interested. Having no manual car for myself at the time, I took it up and go like “meh, sure” and the very next day, we went to Cheras to pick the car up.

The car was typical used car – while the engine was decent, the suspension was squeaking, and the tires were absolutely bald. The car had 15-inch rims which I ran until 2019 when I swapped back to the standard 13-inch rims you see today. In fact, I’ve spent at least upwards of RM10,000 just to get it to how it is right now – going through from an imperfect phase, to half-baked modified such as straight-pipe muffler delete and cheap adjustable coilover suspension, then back to stock when things keep going wrong such as a blown head gasket, heating issues, suspension knockings, torn driveshaft, gearbox oil seal leak just to name a few. I felt like just setting it on fire and be done with it, but I had no choice but to persevere as not only was it my only car, but because I was in love with it and I’m not about to let a 3-year relationship came to an end like that.

Perseverance eventually paid off, and the old girl drives like an absolute dream even though it could do with a good paint job. Allow me to now elaborate on my points.

What is it like to drive and live with?

Let’s start by talking about how the Wira drives. It’s one of those cars that has the ability to surprise in how it goes about doing things. Maybe it’s just me who is familiar with my car, but it will forever amaze me how amazing these things handle corners. You can just chuck it into a corner and hold on, it will go around it and the hydraulic power steering provides you with enough information for you to confidently sweep through the corners, while being light to use when parking in town at the same time. The Wira remains stable and planted, even though the Wira is a lightweight car. Give it to a proper, capable driver, the Wira is virtually untouchable on a good set of twisting roads such as Genting or Ulu Yam. Despite that, the ride is never jarring. You can actually relax in this thing – the NVH isn’t as bad as you might think (come on, it’s a 20-year-old Proton) – because the ride is comfortable. The suspension soaks up bumps really well and the build quality is better than MANY of the new millennium Proton models before the Preve and Suprima S.

The performance is a bit of a letdown, obviously being an old 1.3-litre engine. Yes, the car is light, but the engine is still a small engine, and lightness can only do so much to offset what is essentially a 74 hp engine. It does offer a good amount of pick-up, even more so after I swapped out the extractor. So, if you were to drive it at normal cruising in-town speeds, it bumbles along rather nicely. If you want to drive it flat out, pedal to the metal like you’re racing in MSF, however, be ready to be extremely disappointed. The good news is that there are plenty of choices to be had in the engine swap department – whether you want to remain naturally-aspirated or go turbocharged. Just prepare the money, of course. Fuel economy was decent. Sure, it could be better, but given that the engine design dates back to the 1970s, I’ll close one eye. RM50 can last me a week with flat out driving, two weeks with gentle driving. The car is mated to a five-speed manual, of course, and the gear shifter is such a delight to use as the gate is precise and there’s a satisfying clicking feel. The clutch, too, is light and easy to control and the pedal placement is perfect for pulling off that sweet heel-and-toe rev-match every time you downshift. Overall, the Wira provides a pleasant experience in controlling it – whether sedately or at high speeds.

Moving on to practicality, being an Aeroback, the boot space is impressive. With the seats folded down, not only can I fit a bicycle, but three Cambro containers as well. As my dad now runs a food business, having the ability to load Cambro containers into it is a major benefit. When not carrying cargo, the Wira provides an ample amount of space for passengers in the rear seats and I reckon it has no problem passing the WapCar Tennis Ball test. However, those at the rear will be baffled by the manual winding windows, while the power window switches for the front occupants are at the centre console – which I personally find really inconvenient and annoying as the 1.5 model has different door cards where the power window switches are on the door itself. There’s also no cupholders, so if you’re gonna order Starbucks or KFC Drive-Thru, you better have an aftermarket cup holder fitted or have someone to hold it for you. Other than those issues, general driver ergonomics is good enough for me. I’ve also taken the liberty to replacing the stock seats with a random pair of semi-bucket seats I found on Facebook Marketplace because why not? Plus, the air-conditioning is FREEZING cold, which is the most important thing to have in our hot climate.

Unsurprisingly, the safety features are best described as non-existent. Forget Traction Control or ESC, it doesn’t even have ABS or even airbags! Although some models have ABS and airbags, especially export models. When I first got my Wira, it rode on bald tires and when it rains, scary is just an understatement. However, it did improve my driving skills in the wet. You wouldn’t want to have a crash in one of these, though, because it’s not as strong as modern Protons today. As long as you exercise caution, you will be fine. Despite the lack of ABS, the brakes are easy to modulate and if you learn techniques like cadence braking, you’ll be alright in the old girl.

It has been a long three-year journey of a love-hate relationship, and right now I have since given the car to my uncle who needs a car, but someday I will have it back and I will keep it running for as long as I can.

What have I done to the car?

I’ve done a lot of things to it since 2017, but here are just the few notable examples:

• Performance 4-2-1 extractor + custom exhaust system for a more bassy sound
• All-round heavy-duty shock absorbers with standard springs (Wira 1.6 absorbers front, 1.3 rear)
• Random bucket seats found from Facebook Marketplace
• All new suspension arms
• New tires – Viking CityTech CT6 (175/70R13)
• Engine head overhaul
• Tinted windows because necessities

Pros:

• It’s agile, making it good fun on a good set of twisting roads
• The manual is satisfying to use, pedal placement is on point
• VERY practical for carrying lots of cargo
• Decent amount of space in the rear seats
• Mechanical parts are abundant
• The ride is comfortable enough
• The air-conditioning is so cold, the car could double as a refrigerator

Cons:

• A little underpowered for my liking
• Some specific parts can be hard to find
• A VERY hot car. It is the top stolen car in Malaysia, after all

Rating:

Total Score: 3.5/5

Performance: 2/5

Quality: 3/5

Features: 3/5

Fuel economy: 4/5

Space: 4/5

Ride Comfort: 4/5

Price and cost: 3/5

Summing it up

The Wira is a robust, dependable workhorse and it is no wonder why many are still on the road 11 years after its production ended – but this also meant that the Wira is the top stolen car in Malaysia, so users, be sure to invest in a good security system.

With that said, I’ve been through thick and thin together with my Wira, and at this point it was my only true best friend. I know things aren’t meant to be forever, but I will do everything in my power to keep the car with me for as long as it is possible.

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