Kuala Lumpur - Post Report Question and Answers
What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
Most anything will do. Smaller cars with decent clearance are best, but lots of bigger vans are around/good for larger families. Roads can be rough. - May 2022
SMALL! - Aug 2018
Those without kids generally do not have cars. While they're nice to have if you want to explore outside of KL, they're definitely not necessary in the city. Everyone walks or takes Grab wherever they need to go. If you have kids you'll likely need a car to transport them and their equipment to/from school and sports. - May 2018
I would recommend buying a car here. Repairs are cheap if you have a local car. There are always lots of vehicles for sale in the embassy community. So glad we did not bring our minivan. This is Asia and parking spots are very compact. - Apr 2017
You drive on the left, so we bought a car here. We have an SUV, but it's not necessary to have an SUV. I do feel very safe in it and parking hasn't been in a problem. If I go anywhere that I know parking is difficult to find, I just take an Uber. They seem to be resurfacing many of the main roads I use in KL. There are fewer potholes now, but you can get larger potholes in older sections of town. I've heard it's a difficult and lengthy process to bring in cars from outside and there are rules to be followed strictly such as no tinted windows. With so many people getting two- and three-year postings here, it's pretty easy to get a decent used car. - Apr 2017
Malaysia is a right-hand drive country (meaning cars drive on the left side of the road). You can get by with an American vehicle with the steering wheel on the left, but parking garages and such are quite inconvenient. Better to buy a car at post. - May 2016
No such restriction but carjackings could be a problem. - Aug 2013
People drive on the left side of the road or steering wheels are on the right. Thus, parking lot entrance fees, toll plaza's, etc... cater to this arrangement. Roads in general are paved and though pot holes can be found, the government patches the areas where tourists frequently travel and/or the major highways. Do you need 4-wheel drive? Not really. The most important factor in purchasing a car locally is the tax. Expect to pay twice the cost of a vehicle due to auto tax. If you importing a vehicle, expect the same. - Aug 2011
Car servicing/repair is generally much cheaper than back in the U.S. Tinted windows can cause import problems, and left-side drive cars will cause some raised eyebrows. - Mar 2011
They drive on the other side here. Any car would be fine as long as you can get parts. Either buy it off someone leaving or order a used car from Japan or Singapore. - May 2009
Importing a car can take a while and it is expensive. They tend to hold their value though. I bought a car off of a departing expat for not much less than he paid for it. I expect to be able to sell it for close to that after almost 2 years of use. - Mar 2009
Japanese cars are a good bet here, spare parts are available. There are luxury cars here, but the way people drive, not worth the risk of the dents and scratches you will get. Motorbikes are a plague on the rode. I've seen several cause accidents from their reckless driving. Local car are made by Proton and complete junk. Keep your packages in the trunk or hidden, smash and grabs do occur. - Jul 2008
Best to buy one from someone who is selling locally. It is very time-consumming to have one shipped. Customs can make life miserable for those who need to deal with them, and it can take months for imported cars to be released. They will NOT allow tinted windows. Don't even try it. You will find your car stuck at the port and possibly will not even be able to get it. Truely, start reading the "want" ads and buy one from an expat that plans to sell it before you arrive! Carjackings are not an issue but there are loads of fender benders. You can get decent car service locally and will get over-charged depending upon who you use. You do not need a four wheel drive here as the road system is excellent. The best I have seen over-seas. However, the roads are poorly marked and it is very easy to get lost and then find that you have to drive 30 miles to turn around. - May 2008
