16th Feb 2014, 18:59

A Proton Tiara was my ride from 1997 until 2004. I heard deprecating comments about build quality and the so-called Tiara's 'ability' to easily breakdown. Do you know many Tiara deriders call it the Proton Tiarap? Tiarap means falling flat on your belly. Which is strange considering the pedigree of the car, as it's cloned from the Citroen AX, which is an excellent small compact from France.

Me? I have only praise for the car. The Tiara was (then) bigger than the Perodua Kancil/Kelisa/Kenari series. The ride, comfort and safety level is fantastic, and surprise (!), it needs little by way of repairs. It takes a lot to stop a Tiara engine. It is that tough. My 8 years of ownership saw me just changing the radiator and the DIN-type batteries. Repairs (then) were not cheap, but were readily available. If you still have a Tiara or are thinking of buying a 2nd hand one now, there are plenty of scrap yards with Tiara 'carcasses' in Malaysia. A/C was good too.

My advice? Buy a Tiara if you're short of cash. It is a car with good handling, yet is cheap to own and repair (trust me).

Note:

A guy I know used to work for DRB Hicom car assembly plant in Pekan when the Tiara was launched. He said most complaints about the Tiara poured in only for the first year or so, when the assembly workers then were young and had trouble working to Citroen's standards. The Tiara became trouble-free after that difficult start.

30th Jan 2015, 14:26

I own a 1999 Tiara, a fabulous car. The usual knocking sound comes from the front lower arm. This part wears faster if you drive in a flood prone area. Water and mud seeps inside the mounting bushes, thus causing it to squeak. Occasionally send the car for general lubrication of suspension parts. Those who condemn the Tiara are people who have never driven it. It is a good fuel economy car. My friend owns a Citroen AX (showroom car). Once you are familiar with the car, it would feel alright. Use original parts for the best performance.