I booked my Proton Saga on 6th January 2008. It was my very first car, and it was booked on my birthday. Then, the Proton Saga,known as the Saga BLM, just got itself re-imaged by Proton, and so the Saga BLM was the second generation of its kind. I didn’t test drive the car because when I booked it, it was not yet launched.
I remember telling the salesman that I didn’t want to choose my number and opted a running number for my Saga BLM instead. He registered QAL2161, and that was the official name of my new, silver coloured Saga BLM.
For almost eight years, my QAL2161 had my back and I must admit, it had done me so much during those years.
It not only took me from point A to B, but also drove my friends and I, all the way to Kudat, from Kuching. It had stops in Mukah, Miri, Sibu, Bintulu, Sri Aman, Betong, Sepitang, Brunei, Limbang, Lawas, KK and so much more.
Aside from that, my dear QAL2161 also became my moving truck when I moved to my new house, and it became a ‘lorry’ when I needed to bring a wheelbarrow, an eight step ladder, pots, earth etc. It was also used in carrying stuff during Tweet-Up Kuching, so it did, in a way, serve the people of Kuching.
At work, it’s like our unofficial ride to brunch as well, being one of the most frequently used compare to the rest.
In 2013, it was my wedding car, and a year later, it also hosted my first child, and worked without a problem. QAL2161 was very reliable, and had no problems going through almost all of my demands, which included negotiating rough roads, uneven terrains and floods.
There had been plenty of memories with QAL2161, but as she aged, she has started to drink more petrol with her latest count at 11.5litres/100km. For a 1.3cc car, that’s a lot. There had also been a few teething issues which are demanding major repairs, so keeping her around wasn’t economical.
In terms of safety, her ability had dwindled, and with Kuching roads experiencing floods every now and then, there was an excuse to need my ride to something that suits the current situation.
Well, on the 29th of September 2016, I said goodbye to this reliable workhorse of mine, despite feeling sad I’d have to let her go. It is never easy to part ways with something so close to you, and QAL2161 was one of those to me.
I washed and cleaned her up, and took my final photo with her before handing her over to the car dealer. Coincidentally,it was also the same day Proton decided to introduce the third generation of the Proton Saga in the market, hence making QAL2161 stay with me for one full Proton Saga generation.
I hope the dealer would fix her up nicely, and she would serve her new owner well for I only hope for the best for her. To be honest, she is still ‘a babe’ from the outside and looks like new from both inside and out.
THANK YOU SAGA BLM QAL2161, YOU WILL BE MISSED.
