https://www.facebook.com/107267658569369/

My86drives, Jalan Selesa 2, Taman Gembira, Kuala Lumpur (2024)

19/03/2024

A quick run to Pekan, Pahang along the Pahang river from Termeloh.

08/03/2024

Something isn't right with the car.

1) missing rear diffuser
2) missing Tomei 60s
3) mixed up rims

Wadahel?

10/02/2024

Happy Chinese New Year!
สุขสันต์วันตรุษจีน!

06/02/2024

The Sepang International Circuit recently changed its name to Petronas Sepang International Circuit(PSIC). It is confirmed that track rental will be increased by up to 40% and rumors are saying that Formula 1 might return to Sepang in 2026.

19/01/2024

I've had 8000kms since I collected my swapped FA24 Toyota 86 in October 2023. The swap is probably the best 'modification' if you are a NA purist. The additional horsepower and torque is pleasant and I am loving every bit of it.

It's due for service and my choice of engine oil is the enhance Lukoil Genesis 5W30 ,fully synthetic formula. Thank you

Last but not least, my Toyota 86 is serviced and maintained in Glenmarie. They are one of the best boxer engine specialist in Glenmarie with many years of experience.

09/01/2024

It was Merry Christmas & Happy New Year celebration with a group of close friends since high school to at in Damansara Heights. The food is as good as it looks and the environment is cozy.

31/12/2023

The last wash before the New Year!

23/12/2023

Picked up a tree because of christmas is just a few days away!

29/11/2023

After I returned from my "Tour De Thailand", work caught up on me and finally I'm back to share with you, my faithful followers about the last part of my trip. After I left Phuket, I continue south to Krabi.

The road to Krabi was both fun and boring. The fun part is that you'd see limestone formation throughout the entire journey. The boring part is the road is quite straightforward and it was raining 50% of the journey and this is where I almost died! I didn't so it's a good thing. I literally drove past a intersection full speed because I was distracted - thanked god almighty there was no passing cars at that moment.

Arriving to Krabi there was a short burst of excitement, it look like rest of Thailand again , feels like Phuket but not as white. Prices of food, shopping normalised here like most part of Thailand. I just loved the vibes in this tiny coastal town. The main tourist activities here is to do island hopping - which is not my thing. I love shopping so by night time, I walked to the night market. It's not as happening but there's everything you need including lots of delicious street food.

I left Krabi about 11am the following day and continued south towards Hatyai - my final stop before returning home in Kuala Lumpur. As usual, I didn't take the short or easy route. I drove past Trang towards Satun and Hatyai and it's about 100km extra. It was raining heavily so the 350KM took me approximately 6 hours with a few stops in between. Hatyai is home! You can read about my Songkhla recomendation in my personal IG .my86 , read it up!

All in all, I've driven approximately 5280KM the entire trip and refueled my car 12 times amounting to 13800baht(RM1840) for petrol only. Thank you for reading and that concludes my "Tour De Thailand" for 2023.

KL - Kuala Dungun - Tanah Merah - Buketa - Surat Thani - Bangkok - Kanchanaburi - Sangklaburi - Huahin - Ranong - Phuket - Krabi - Satun - Hatyai - Sadao - Bukit Kayu Hitam - KL

19/11/2023

I have decided to use JPJ Halal registration plate after two fancy plate saman in 3 years.

Harap Maklum

07/11/2023

I came back last weekend on the 4/11 and have driven 5278KM in the last 18 days across Malaysia and Thailand.

I started my journey from Kuala Lumpur -Kuala Dungun - Tanah Merah - Surat Thani - Bangkok - Kanchanaburi - Sangklaburi - Hua Hin - Ranong - Phuket - Krabi - Satun - Hatyai - Sadao - Kuala Lumpur.

There are many nice scenery, historical landmark, cultural, people, food and amazing driving roads throughout my journey.

I will be sharing two more post to conclude my Thailand road trip soon!

Thanks for reading!

02/11/2023

Today post is all about Phuket! I'm finally here and I spent 4 days exploring Phuket .I try to visit as many places possible and drive as much as I could around the island.

Phuket Island is undeniably popular with tourist from all corners of the world. The roads in Phuket Island is significantly different compared to mainland Thailand. In Phuket town, roads are narrower and always busy (reminds me of Georgetown and Ipoh). Driving from Phuket town to Patong Beach, you'll find yourself in a very steep 2-lanes hill climb followed by very steep multi-curve downhill decline too.

The westcoast is "touge-able" if you are start early or very late at night. I will recommend you to drive the entire westcoast starting from Rawai - Promthep - Nai Harn - Kata - Karon Patong - Kalim - Kamila - Banana - Nai Thon - Phuket Airport.

Fyi, please watch out for half naked white people on scooters and white backpackers walking on the road shoulder. They are dangerous.

If it's your first time to Phuket, I will recommend you to also drive up to Big Buddha and visit one of any restaurant near the peak to enjoy a panoramic view of the Island. The road is not in the best condition but doable. You can also hop onto ATV if that's your thing.

Shopping on Phuket is very good. There are high-end shopping in Central Phuket Mall or you can spend hours walking in Phuket Old Town for gifts, local Phuket delicacy, cafe, bars and massage parlour. If you don't mind the heat, you should visit the biggest Supercheap Store(it's almost like NSK) in Phuket Town. Patong Beach and Bangla Road is the worst and best place to be at the same time. Why is it the worst? The typical night market offering is more expensive here and you have to haggle your way down to reasonable price. Why is it the best? There's so much vibes here - alcohol, w**d, muay thai and pretty much everything you can imagine. If you are driving into Patong, you can park safely inside Jungceylon or Central Patong Mall.

I hope this gives you a rough idea of what to expect in Phuket!

Thank you for reading!

31/10/2023

There are nothing much to do in Hua Hin except for night markets. If you had to visit Hua Hin, you must check out Cicada Market at night. Lots of food, arts and craft store and musics.

I left Hua Hin the next morning and continue my drive south to Ranong. It's an approximate 370km. I took a right turn in the Chumpon intersections. The last 120km from here onwards are sweepers, tight turns and most excitingly is driving alongside Kra Buri, the river that borders Thailand and Myanmar.

Ranong is a small Thai/Myanmar town with lots to offer. There's beautiful lookout point and view of the beautiful sunset across 'The Southernmost Point of Continent Myanmar'. On the other side is the Raksa Warin Hot Springs ♨️. The hot spring here is very similar to the ones you will find in Japan. There's a public sharing and private bath with a small fee.Just a little further, there's road sign pointing to a mountain pass " 10km to Ranong Canyon" - you guessed it. Attack mode!

*Please check My86Drives YouTube Channel for video.

The next morning, I decided to ran in the small town and bumped into the morning market in Ranong. It reminds me alot of old Chow Kit Market in Kuala Lumpur - it's chaotic. After packing up, I left Ranong and continue southbound about 320km to Karon Beach, Phuket.

The drive to Phuket is ordinary, nothing spectacular but towards the Khao Lak, you'd get an amazing view of the ocean - much like the road from Tanjung Bungah to Batu Feringhi. I didnt stop in Khao Lak and continued to Phuket.

Arriving in Phuket, you'd be greeted by a checkpoint gate. It almost feels like entering Singapore 25 years ago but without the passport and security checks. Phuket immediately felt different from the rest of Thailand, the roadworks are slightly different, the traffic signages are slight different. Phuket felt like a combination of Penang and Ipoh with similar Peranakan history. There's so many similarities yet so many differences. Fun fact - The word Phuket came from a Malay word Bukit.

More about Phuket on the next post! Thank you for following and reading my stories 🙏

30/10/2023

I've driven over 3500km in the last 10 days in Thailand. In this article I will be answering some questions from you. It may help you plan your own roadtrip into Thailand.

How to drive into Thailand?
There are 8 borders between the two countries across 4 states, Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan. The most popular ones are Bukit Kayu Hitam/Sadao in Kedah and Rantau Panjang/Golok in Kelantan. You will only require your car geran(original) and compulsory insurance (CI) for RM30. If you are driving someone elses car, on top of the said documents, you will also need an authorised letter from the owner.

What petrol to pump in Thailand?
The most popular station and the one I always recommend is PTT. It's everywhere across the country. You will ask for Gasahol95(38-39B/L) or Benzine Ron95 (49-51B/L). My car is remap and tuned to use RON95 specifically because I need it Thai friendly. Not all stations offer Benzine, in these dire situation you can also top up with fuel additives.

Is Thailand driver friendly?
Highway speed is 90 and 120km/h. This roadtrip, I notice them to be quite law abiding. 90% of the time they are all within speed limit and everyone moving equally between 90-110kmh. There are also noticeble more speed camera on highway. Having that said, there is no overtaking or slow lanes in Thailand like how we understand in Malaysia. You will see heavy truck or pickup hogging the right lane but it's acceptable. You just overtake it on the left lane - it's acceptable too. USE YOUR SIGNALS! Thailand drivers will also prompt road hazards with emergency signals , perhaps something Malaysian can learn along the way. Thailand highways are mostly non-toll, dual carriage way and they are in top condition with clear road markings. There are u-turns on the right lane, so just watch out for cars on the right side when approaching a u-turn.

There's no toll roads?
There are tolled highways in Bangkok. They are also overhead bridges and I paid in cash 40B each time. They also accept debit/credit card but noticeble mostly are cash transaction. There are also similiar system like RFID/Fast Payment lane but it needs registration - too much for foreign cars.

Touch N Go E-wallet?
In Thailand, it's call Prompt Pay and it's a popular QR transaction in markets like in Malaysia. You can activate your Touch N Go but they are not always compatible. My best guess is that not all Thailand bank is participating this sharing program yet. I will suggest that you exchange enough cash prior to your trip.

Can you smoke Canabis?
This is a very popular question. Canabis or w**d is legal here and there are lots of dispensery all across Thailand especially in popular area. There are 3 main type of canabis available in local dispensery namely Indica, Sativa and Hybrid. You can buy a good roll between 120-150B. I'm not telling you more or encourage you to smoke so please google and smoke responsibly.

How's the FA24 on my 2012 Toyota 86?
The engine is significantly more power with a wider power band from between 3000-6500rpm. You don't feel the engine holding you back like in the FA20 especially on hillclimb. You will feel the engine pulling as soon as it hit power band. The engine is also much quieter than the FA20 - it doesn't idle like a broken lorries anymore. The FA24 also makes my Toyota 86 a very good gran tourer - with the slightly higher torque, driving on high speed or maintaining at high speed is a lot lighter and less tiring. Currently, my FA24 is tuned with RON95 with aftermarket header and exhaust - in the right hands, I am sure it will produce more power.

*The photo is taken in Ranong, Thailand

28/10/2023

(Recap) I was seriously lost inside the rural and farm roads of Kanchanaburi. The army stopped me knowing I shouldn't be there. We exchanged a few words(hardly any conversation) and let me go. I continued my journey and after about 40 minutes, I found the main road and finally arrived at Ban Phu Nam Ron Border Gate(Thai/Myanmar).

It was a very popular border gate up until COVID-19 strucked. Foreigners would come and do a "Visa Run". Now it's just a ghost town with closed shops and almost lawless. I am usually quite brave but this time I did not leave my car, I made a U-turn and left as soon as I arrived.

The next day, I continue driving north to / Mon Village. The last 50 km stretch is all winding 'touge' road. My Toyota 86 came alive, handling each turn without hesitation. The FA24 and 4.8 final drive is a perfect combination as I was shifting between 4th and 5th keeping the car in the mid-top power range whilst maintaining a balance weight shifting.

Mon Village is popular for its iconic wooden bridge, one of the longest in the world too. The wooden bridge was also recently featured in a Hollywood sci-fi movie, The Creator. Mon Village is also a melting pot for Thai-Burmese ethnicity since it is is the other Thai/Myanmar Border Gate about 20km north from the village. Knowing me, I drove to the border gate and it's not without another drama. I was stopped by another Army block, they held my passport and we try to exchange words with no Thai and little English. I told them I wanted to visit the border to take a few photographs. They don't understand why and I couldn't explain myself. In the end they figured out themselves, they let me go with a condition that they will keep my passport and retrieve when I'm done taking photos at the border gate. I didn't just come back with some photos, I also bought a carton of Myanmar Coca-Cola! Hahaha

This mark the end of and the next morning, I will be heading south , 480km to Hua Hin. My last time in Hua Hin was 2018 and sadly this coastal tourist town took a big hit from COVID-19. The street used to be lined with businesses and tourist but now it's very much quieter.

26/10/2023

I stayed in Bangkok for 4 nights and I didn't do much driving in the capital. I was there for a family event, my cousin's wedding.

I left Bangkok on Tuesday and headed Northwest to Kanchanaburi City. It's located about 2 hours away from the capital and it was a pretty straightforward drive with normal traffic. Heavy rain started pouring within the first hour of the drive but cleared as I move further away from the coast.

Kanchanaburi is a large province with lots of tourist attraction such as the popular River Kwai Bridge , Wat Tham Suea, Prasat Maung Tam Historical Park, Krasae Cave/Death Railway just to name a few.

River Kwai Bridge is located in the city is probably one of the most iconic landmark due to its dark and conflicted history during WWII. If you love ancient history, Prasat Maung Tam is not to be missed. It's a ruined from the Khmer Era similiar to Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

If you have good legs, a short walk up the stairs to Wat Tham Suea(Tiger Cave Temple) will reward you to a panaromic view of the vast paddy field. Look closely and you'd also find many hidden cafe and restaurant -a good spot for breakfast or for lunch.

Kanchanaburi province is really big and each attraction is at least a good 30 minutes drive from each other. Prasat Maung Tam Historical Park is huge but the actual archeological site is not. When I was there, I feel like playing Zelda or Tomb Raider real life. Hahaha!

The next stop after the ancient site was the Death Railway(Krasae Cave). This is a popular site(why? when you see PRC tourist it's popular tourist site). You get to walk on the railway and potentially get knocked down by train. I am not joking because it's an actual train line. I survived - 🙏

Realising there was still time, I decided to drive towards the Ban Phu(Myanmar/Thai Border). I was taken into rural and farm roads. It's like a maze and I was lost, seriously lost. I started on tarmac then on concrete and ended up on dirt road on some parts. I was stopped by military police because they probably think I shouldn't be there.......

25/10/2023

I really got lost in Thailand's rural road inside Kanchanaburi province. The rural roads is like a maze. You'll start with tarmac and later concrete then it's suddenly dirt.

Stay tuned for the next article on my roadtrip in Thailand. I promise I will talk about the new FA24 as per requested.

20/10/2023

Day 1 : 580km

I started driving on the 18/10 from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Dungun, Terengganu for work and left on the same evening to Tanah Merah in Kelantan.

Day 2 : 580KM
I left early morning and arrived in Bukit Bunga/Buketa border at around 7am. This is the nicest border crossing in Malaysia! Last year I've had an episode with my documents but through kindness and sweet talk, they let me through. I made sure papers are good this year and it went smoothly. From Buketa immigration I drove through the same road through Narithiwat and Pattani into Hatyai and arriving in Surat Thani about 4pm. No drama!

Day 3 : 680KM
I woke up early , went for a quick run nearby hotel, shower , had my breakfast and left Surat Thani at 7am. Its gonna be a long drive today so I make sure I take it slowly and safely. The furthest I've been on these road is up till Hua Hin in 2018. So I am excited what lies ahead of me. No drama , just slow and steady. I was maintaining average 100km/h all the time to maximise my miliage - 510km/42L refuel. Originally GPS said, 8 hours but ended up 11.5 hours later, I arrived in Bangkok.

The final 30km going into Bangkok was tiring due to Friday traffic. It's no joke when everyone jokes about Bangkok's traffic. Then again !

How's the FA24?
The FA24 with the 4.8 Final Drive is amazing. The RPM is a little high on the sixth. Was doing 112km at 3500RPM, that said the engine is punchy with low-mid end power which means I didn't have to do much , just tekan and the car will go!

How's the fuel consumption?
I made sure the engine was tuned to be "Thai-friendly". I am using gasahol95 (38.20baht/l) and managed about 500km per 40++L refuel. It's not bad at all!

Let me know what else you'd like to know! Ask me in the comment section below👇

19/10/2023

The FA24 engine was pretty much brand new with just a little under 1000km. It needs a run-in and where do you think it's the best place for do 5000km?

You guessed it!

18/10/2023

New decals, redecorating my rear quarter window!

14/10/2023

The Toyota 86 was left in workshop for about 8 months before receiving a new heart transplant. I bought some interior trimmings and accessories to elevate the aging look of the car.

- Carbon Fibre Style Door & Center Console Trim
- Bride Seat Cushion Support
- Kamatto Floor Mats.

It definitely need a new coat of paint soon.

12/10/2023

The wait for the FA24 transplant is finally almost over. Everything is set, tuned and almost ready to roll. Just minor adjustments, finalising the little things before it's ready for collection.

I got to spend some time with the car today and everything felt in place as is, the way I liked it. I don't have much to share at the moment , all I could say is the FA24 is significantly more powerful then it's predecessors FA20.

I'm expected to collect the car over the weekend. Following that, I should be able to put more words into the emotion and experience of the transplant.

28/09/2023

MF Ghost Anime is set to launched next month in October! It features the iconic red Toyota GT86 with the silver 86 numbering on the doors.

If you don't know, MF Ghost is also related to Initial D.

25/09/2023

The Corolla AE86 was launched in 1983, a lightweight and simple rear-wheel drive sports car. If you're a car lover looking to satisfy your desires for something fun to drive ,the GR86 40th Anniversary Limited, 200 units only.

Created based on the Japanese market’s top-spec RZ variant, the Toyota GR86 RZ 40th Anniversary Limited Edition is available for the Japanese market only via lottery. Two colour options are offered with the Toyota GR86 RZ 40th Anniversary Limited Edition, namely white and red. Both colours are paired with a series of black elements to create a two-tone effect.

Other upgrades include an aggresive-looking GR rear spoiler, a set of 18-inch dark grey aluminium wheels. Like the Toyota GR86 Trueno Edition, Toyota Japan has fitted the GR86 RZ 40th Anniversary Limited Edition with Brembo ventilated disc brakes, as well as Sachs (ZF) absorbers.

As for its powertrain, it is still powered by the same 2.4-litre inline-four Boxer engine paired with a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. This results in a total of 228 hp and 249 Nm, with power sent to the rear wheels.

24/09/2023

It is a great opportunity for me to be next to one of the best GT World Challenge teams in Sepang Circuit yesterday. JOHOR Racing , JMR Racing's Mercedes-AMG GT with Prince Jefri Ibrahim & Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim.

20/09/2023

Bought some c/f interior trim from 9.9 sales to refresh the aging interior.

Next is have the alcantara wrap on the meter panel cover and the plastic bit from the headunit across the passenger side a/c vent.

Do you have any contact? Share them with me. Thx!

26/08/2023

They left the engine at the store so have a great weekend guys!

25/08/2023

If you had follow my page for many years, you'll realise that I love to explore and travel. Unfortunately my Toyota 86 suffered a catastrophic engine damage earlier this year.

The decision to go with the GR86 - FA24 engine swap was planned after a few months sitting idle and finally it's in the works now at Eng Kok Motor, Klang.

It is expected to complete within 1 to 1.5 months, hopefully to be ready for the upcoming 5000km, 2 weeks road trip in Thailand in mid-October 2023.

Meanwhile, I apologize for my absence in the last few months. Having that said, not having the Toyota 86 didn't stop me from traveling domestically or abroad. I am still travelling and exploring!

Can you guess some of the places in the photo?

16/08/2023

My Toyota 86 was abandoned for the last 6 months since February. The car suffered a catastrophic engine failure but instead of going the easy route of rebuilding or replacing another FA20 , why not FA24?

The sourcing of engine and swap took a little longer than anticipated but finally the work for a new heart has begun.

14/08/2023

It's almost like a pattern, it's my favourite pose or is it coincidence? Nevertheless, thank you everyone for trusting me with the 86 X BRZ Malaysia.

My86drives