Owner Review: Bad fuel economy but reliable engine - My 2007 Proton Waja Campro

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Basic information 

2007 Proton Waja Campro Original

Reason why I bought this car

So this car was a hand me down from my dad but I was present during the process. The purpose of buying the car was that it was a gift to my uncle. A car for him to use since he helped my dad during his trying times. My uncle passed away sometime around 2015 so my dad inherited the car.

Car selection process

• I had a budget of:My dad had a budget of RM 35,000 back in 2011 and so he wanted to buy a used car instead of buying something new.
• Models that I have considered include: Proton Waja and Toyota vios.

The reason why I choose this car

At that time, the proton waja was considered to be a simple car. Easy to use, easy to maintain and doesn't require a lot of mechanic hours when something went wrong. It was also practical for daily use.

User experience

I have already done 30000 km.

Personally it's a great car, of course the car has its flaws like the damn oil sump but then again not all cars are perfect and that's okay. The waja has truly been an eye opener for me ever since I drove it and it made me appreciate proton for what they did back in the day. The waja, is what I would consider the best second car/cheap car to buy and own or if you wanna buy one for your kid. Unless you want a cheap car with 4 doors that is easy to modify and you want to take it to ulu yam every Sunday then look no further, the waja is here for you.

I started to drive it in 2018 and honestly the comfort level is not that great. The ride was pretty stiff and the acceleration was weak, but that was due to the fact that the Campro Original or the S4PH engine had a torque dip and so it made the car very sluggish during pick-up. However what it lacked in power, it made up for its handling. To this day, the waja is still one of my favorite proton's ever made because of the handling. The car's handling was tuned by lotus, Richard Hammond can vouch for me on that one. I took it up to Hulu Langat and Ampang point and the car felt confident to take on the curves that it faced. There is one bad thing about the proton waja, and that is the oil sump. I don't understand why but specifically on the Campro version, the oil sump is made out of aluminium instead of steel. Therefore if you hit a hard bump or in a worse case scenario a pothole, you will crack the oil sump.

The cost of repair will range anywhere between RM300 to RM600 depending on the mechanic that you bring it to. Of course the repair also includes new engine oil and a new/second hand/potong kereta oil sump. If you own a waja or plan to own one that is a campro, please just change the oil sump from an aluminium made to a steel made. Apparently, as from what I have researched, the design of the oil pan found in the proton preve is the same as the one found in the waja Campro, but the preve's oil sump is made out of steel, so please just spend a few hundred on a steel oil sump. It'll save you hundreds and even thousands of ringgit if you don't realize that you've cracked your oil sump and drove it with oil pouring down onto the street virtually destroying your engine, causing you to overhaul it, which can cost up to RM 3k or more. Fuel economy wise, if you have a lot of city driving then it won't be very efficient, however the car is very efficient in highway driving/cruising.

Ratings

Total Score: 3
Performance: 4
Quality & Features: 3
Space: 4
Ride Comfort: 2
Fuel Economy: 3
Price & Cost: 4

Pros & Cons

Pros

• The car is spacious for 4 full size adults (Asian spec).
• The car for its price handles very well so throwing into corners wouldn't be a problem.
• The engine is pretty reliable and the spare parts are easy to source.

Cons

• The dreadful torque dip doesn't help the car when it comes to picking up speed.
• The oil sump can crack easily unless you are careful with bumps and potholes.
• Almost all windows except for the passengers window regulator broke.
• Fuel economy in city driving isn't that great.

Summary

The waja is still a great car, however if you were ever going to purchase one, then SKIP the one with the S4PH engine. Go for the CPS version as it has more power and it addresses all issues that the S4PH engine had,including the torque dip. Or choose the MMC version. Less power but the motor has a lot of potential and it is very reliable. Now my waja resides with my other uncle and now as a 20 year old teen, I have the itch to buy one for myself. Maybe sooner or later I'll have the opportunity to find one that's at the right price. If you're looking for one too,specifically for an MMC version, then pro tip, don't spend more than RM10k. You can easily find ones with a well kept history and is very clean for under 9k or 8k. If you'd like to know more about my car or want to follow my petrolhead journey towards owning a waja, then just follow me on insta @tavinn_18.

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