Leaderboard

Ended up with a Y11 AD wagon for the workhorse assignments. Sadly it's time to let the starlet go...

Australian drivers vs Sri Lankan drivers

Honda really pulled a sneaky there didn't they? Rather than equipping the car with actual TPMS hardware they came up with a software workaround using existing wheel speed sensors to guesstimate tire pressure! Owners be like "we've been in forests less shady than you, Honda!" 😅

Correct 💯your chance now brother

That is not confusing at all. Makes perfect sense.

Is there any car that is NOT ridiculously priced in SL ?

Dad shared this snap and looks very well kept with full service history from Toyota.

Now I am lost 😅

oui oui....pardon....was a bit busy and stayed away from online activities The picture above is the rear light of the barstadized car in SL...so here is smething that will actually help you identify the car...

Do you have a self adjusting drive belt tensioner? Maybe it's the same sound as in that reddit post

In my case sounds more like a loose spinning chain noise. I thought it might be the timing chain but it doesn't happen in idle or when revving in neutral

my Nissan N16 (QG series engine) 1.6 manual had the issue of RPM going up crazily and it had 2 issues i) Idle control valve was faulty ii) ECU had an issue (it had got damaged due to the faulty ICV valve as per the guy who fixed the ECU ) both above issues were fixed and now working fine

Hey, yup got a tune up done and didn't have an oil pressure warning or knocking sound since; it's very quiet now. As for the TPMS, it looks like the one on the Civic is a little weird or it may just be mine. I used to never get any alert on the TPMS during daily driving in traffic despite tyre pressures being quite off (I check my tyre pressure at the shed every month out of habit and could see the fluctuation). However, if I hit the highway or drive at faster speeds, it then tends to detect the pressure difference. In this case, however, it never popped up. What's worse is that after changing the 4 tyres, those folks pumped them up to 40-42psi. That caused a major rattle everywhere as the vehicle was so bumpy. Got that checked and reduced down to 32psi on all 4; much smoother since then. Not once did the TPMS go off though, oddly. I wonder if it only picks up these differences when driving at higher speeds for a while as opposed to stop-start traffic. EDIT: Found this thread that explains why the TPMS might be a bit weird on the 10th gen onwards: Getting the entire front-end dismantled tomorrow to check for any worn bushings and especially that weird intermittent metal scraping noise. Hoping for the best. BTW, do any of you know a good place that does plastic welding? I have a broken mounting hole on the lower lip of the front bumper and need that fixed; the entire lip itself is quite pricey and not worth replacing for just that damage.

Are we like going with a theme here ? A car that at first glance most mistake for a Mazda due to design similarities to one of their famous models. This was the outcome of an abandoned project by a Japanese musical instrument maker, a German designer and this automobile manufacturer. The project name sounds like it is some Airbus aircraft After the project was scratched the Japanese designers who worked on the project went on to design this car. ***What a lot of people don't realize is that the musical instrument maker had a stronger relationship with this manufacturer rather than the auto manufacturer it has a close relationship with now.

It is. The TPMS on the model, at least in my experience is quite paranoid and triggers a warning at the slightest difference of pressure in one tyre. The ONLY time it failed me was, understandably on one occasion when all four tyres had an equal drop in pressure.

Well,the tennis player was born in 1981 and the vehicle was given this name in 1990/1991 way before the tennis player became famous. The name, if memory serves me right, is Latin and the manufacturer had gone to the extent of finding a word that went along with the name of its best-selling mid-sized car (which was actually a class leader until the early 80s). This particular vehicle, when first released is 1991 was actually quite groundbreaking for its rear suspension system and its car-like design.

Yes..in SL they are...because our Lankans believe if a car does not have those stickers it has been in an accident and the glasses have been replaced....also the JAAI sticker is loved by Lankans to support their mileage roll backs. Now that those stickers are not there what or what will we Lankans do ? Maybe the car sales people will put them on themselves Costs anything from 500LKR upwards. Investing that money in a good maalu paan or a koththu is a better investment. Yes...maybe wait to see if someone else answers? Some hints maybe ? Troubled Japanese company (but then which one isn't right?) Rebadged by another Japanese automaker famous for kei cars (only to have recently gone with rebadging the Toyota equivalents).

May I put something to keep the thread going? Saw this today near our capital. Looking at the number, I thought maybe this is a fresh import?

Yeppers, Geely Emgrand EC7 gets quite fairly priced for what it is because nobody wants it But I'd pick a manual one if I were in the market tbh. Way better VFM than a 90s Jap abused to hell and back by local baiyas

So ridiculous squared or cubed...(i.e. Ridiculous to the Nth power)

Pocket Rocket 🚀😃 https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-news/toyotas-new-pocket-rocket-takes-shape-2026-toyota-starlet-gr-revealed-in-fresh-renders-as

Just that with the full kit...there is another one with just the body kit and suspension..quite a few normal 141 Axios with just the body kit. I doubt the legit one and half legit one is for sale. Which is why I suggested that they could get a 141 Axio and do the build themselves.

Congratulations on the new ride brother.

Congratulations!

Good news Dad settled with a 2008 NCP110 Toyota IST 1.5CC petrol (1 NZ - FE) coupled with CVT box It has done around 140k and looks like very well maintained This won't cater for the 4WD requirement so the solution is to drive the car up to a place where it is safe to drive and then get the Bolero truck out from the land to travel the rest. Bit of a process but better than maintaining 2 vehicles at home. Thank you all of you guys for your support as always! Regards, JC

At the inspections? What I have heard is that it is with the inspection report (nothing new there). What some known people told me (and one of them was a Japanese party...does not sell cars to SL and says he would rather starve on the street). is: The inspection reports (and registration documents) never put the Year of MANUFACTURE. Only the year of FIRST REGISTRATION. Apparently, these guys first requested the date of manufacture which was denied as that can never be ascertained without the manufacturers themselves looking at serial numbers and their records. Apparently, the Lankan policy is such that if the date of manufacture is not known, it is set to be January of the following year. So our guys are supposedly buying "2022" models and then forging the inspection reports with a newer date. So why the duty reduction ? Not enough imports and estimated tax revenue is not what the government expected? So..in other words we have created a screwed up scenario ? THe question I have is even if they reduce taxes...do people have money to actually buy cars? True people yap this and that but when they see the actual bill do they really have the buying power? The government can't slash the taxes by that much. Even if they slash it at some point they are going to have to raise it again, restrict financing % for cars or increase interest rates to curb imports because every monkey with their uncle's mistress will be importing new cars (let's not forget that interest rate hikes will effect all kinds of borrowing). I feel those who actually have the money probably can afford to buy a some practical car even at the current rate. The sad reality of Lankans is that the masses just go and buy cars they simply can't afford. All these guys talk about the landed costs but no one seems consider the cost of borrowing the money.

Ah but I see they are going to offer the Grandis which will be a rebadged Renault in Australia. Meaning that Renault might keep the brand Mitsubishi. Maybe they didn't go the three way with Nissan and Honda because of their affiliation with Renault. I don't know. We will have to wait and see. I hear that Tesla 'maybe' interested in Nissan and the Nissan shares have shot up with the news.

@john cooper gave the answer let him put the next trivia

WHAT GIVES A CAR A SOUL? Sometimes, when I lay awake in bed thinking about my car, I wonder if my car is laying awake in the garage thinking about me too. It's probably not, but I'd like to think that my car is more than just a rolling piece of steel, glass and rubber. A noisy Subaru is definitely not short of character, that's for sure, but can a car be some sort of transient being? Can my car, or any other car for that matter, become...alive....*cue creepy music and stormy sounds effects* Some cars have more character than others the day they roll off the assembly line. An STi is going to have more spunk than say a Toyota Camry, but does that translate to it having an actual soul? When I sit and think about it, maybe it's not so much the car's character that give it a soul, but it's something that blossoms over time. Maybe it's a high millage machine that refuses to die. Maybe it's a car that's been beat up in an accident but still drives straight. Maybe it's a car that's been on the road for more than 40 years and you cherish it more than your wife, but you won't tell her that because you know that would mean you'd be sleeping in it. Maybe it's simply a car that brings you joy in some way that another car can't. So after much deliberation, I came to a conclusion. I think the soul of the car is tied to two things: 1. The car's character, and the attachment that you as an owner have to it. 2. The life that the vehicle itself has lived, regardless of the owner. As I said before, while each car is something unique by itself, the longer that you own your car, the more of an attachment that you form with it. You learn all of it's little secrets, and what it can and can't do. You know what feelings are normal when you're behind the wheel, and when something is wrong. You know what noises it makes, and which ones are worth listening to. Sometimes if you whisper sweet nothings to it, it listens and magically starts to run better. But more than all of that, you share moments with your car that nobody else can take away from you. Traveling to far away lands, sliding sideways through snowy roads, and making friends (both of the human type and the machine type) along the way. But like real people, cars have flaws too. A Toyota MR2 would love to kill you on a daily basis if you're not careful, but yet there's people that still love them for their faults. Hell, people even give their cars human names too. If that's not some form of attachment, then I don't know what is. So through it all, a car begins to take on almost a life of its own. When I first bought my Subaru in 2009, I didn't know diddly squat about anything. I couldn't drive stick, I've never owned a turbocharged car, let alone any kind of foreign car. But not long after I bought it, we started to share moments. I got the hang of shifting down pretty quickly (after being honked at a lot), started leaning more about what makes these cars tick (and just cars in general), and because of the Subaru community on NASIOC, I met a lot of great people who would become equally great life-long friends. No matter what we did though, we did it with our cars. Cruises through the back roads of Wisconsin, weekend retreats in Michigan for SnowDrift weekend, and taking turns going down the drag-strip for the Subaru Shootout. Next thing you know, I'm standing up in these people's weddings and I'm doing motor swaps in their garages for the first time. It doesn't take much for things to snow ball into something bigger, but I can trace everything back down to a single decision to buy my car, which is pretty remarkable. The other aspect of a machine with a soul is the physical aspect of the car itself. While a new car is beautiful and pristine to look at with it's shiny paint and rust free body, it's almost a blank canvas in a way. The vehicle hasn't been used. It hasn't lived a car's life. There's something to be said about seeing a survivor classic car, or a 20 year old machine that's still chugging away on the road, caked in rust and dirt. A car like that earns my respect in my book, and all of the door dings and chipped paint along the way is just a way the car shares its life story with anyone that comes in contact with it. For example, I'm pretty sure the hood of my car has more craters in it than the surface of the moon, but that's because I don't let it sit in my garage. My car sees a lot of highway miles because of my travels to work and other little road trips. I have door dings galore because the previous owner had kids and liked to ride their bicycles, and that just so happened to also be in the garage next to the car. You can do the math with how that worked out. The dent in my front fender is from an accident I had when someone cut me off, just a few months after that exact same fender was repaired because I pulled a car out of snowbank and it wanted to thank me with a kiss. My roughed up front bumper is from hitting a snow bank while attempting to do a standing 180° turn at Sno*Drift last year - my bumper is evidence of how well I executed it. The fact is that if you look at my car, you can see all of the imperfections, but they tell a story. While my car is no show car, and I still try my best to keep it nice, these things happen. But when it's all said and done, it's what makes my Subaru, my Subaru. And the best part of all of this is that when I decide to sell my car, those little imperfections stay with the car as if to say "This is what I've accomplished". The next owner will be able to make new memories with it, but it can't take away the moments I've already shared with it. And it's the memories we share with our cars that leaves the most lasting impression. It's the stories you'll tell your friends or your kids someday. It's the reason why I've written about my car and why, despite its flaws, it was such a memorable vehicle to own. Because after you give up your keys to some new owner and say goodbye to your 4-wheeled friend for the last time, that's all that you'll be left with. So enjoy the moment, savor the memories, and drive it like you love it, because there isn't any shame in letting your car live a fun life too. Link to original post

If things go well behind closed doors, we might have one of the most refined off-roaders ever. I hope, Nissan under the bonnet, Honda Inside and Out and Mitzi for 4WD systems

So the Van is currently being fixed ATM. As expected Lankan car owners specially van owners do no maintenance. Suspension repairs are alien. Only what needed to work to run has been “fixed” and that too in a crappy way. I am adding receipts for future reference and to help others. Parts we are using are the best available in the market. Power steering rack is beyond repair, will be replaced with a Recon unit. Starter motor has been serviced/repaired. Alternator has been fixed. Brake discs have been “faced” lol (pads are at about 60% ) Whole bunch of front suspension parts went in. work in progress- This was a list of known issues and maintenance I wanted done (not including the suspension) Will I be able to finish everything in one go? I’m not sure honestly due to time consumed. But I will get everything major before I bring it home. Sump oil leak Power steering ✅ Coolant tanks AC Compressor Clutch Alternator ✅ Install shocks ✅ Tappet sound Rear differential nut Dunu shackle Injectors Diesel pump Starter motor ✅ Wiring Door pins Rust spots Polish Horn Fluid change Eco test license Alignment/ balance Thermostat Undercoating So far total cost for van including purchase and repairs along with spares and other unique accessories is at around 3.75 million. After this semi restoration it will go to about 4 million. But by then it will be in excellent running condition and some. What needs be done from there is a proper paint job and some love on the interior. That will stretch it to around 4.8 million, but by then it will be mint and in factory fresh condition. The “mint” condition vans advertised want anything from 6.8 to 9 million. I think this is a good deal. Mostly because I know that it actually was restored well, unlike the guy who wanted 8 million on one van(that he claimed was the best delica in the world) that is 80% rusted off.

Since @Gummybr was the first to suggest what the car was, can we have him take the quiz floor ? Yes..the car is a J55 Toyota Land Cruiser. At the time of release the Americans found it so ugly that they nicknamed it the "Iron Pig" This would be the start of the Land Cruiser wagon series....I found the car cool in the early 80s as it was one of the main cars in the TV series "Born Free"

Oh good ! Yeah....not many original Noahs from that period around. Most are poor conversions.

Good news, The KR's and CR's are out of the list after Dad checked a few of the locally modified SL "Noah" Dad was adamant that he is no longer pursuing them unless they are listed as genuine Noah's (which is highly unlikely) Dad went to check the handful of them, late registered, listed "Just buy and ride" along with premium price tags. So no more Van models in the list 😄

Yesterday I was passing the teledrama location of 'doo daruwo' and I remembered this model. Rs. 15mil for this is a lot I would say.

Ok so I had enough with the issues and took the car to C*r C****s. Glad I did since they found out the cause for my suspension woes. Apparently the inner CV boot and tie rod ends were messed up. They also said that the rack was gone, but didn’t really inspect the whole thing, so it needed to be checked separately. I also have some weak rear shocks as the car once hoisted had its rear wheels move into the shocks even with a little push (shouldn’t be the case). This means that the car can’t even take its own body weight and hence needs those 2 replaced. Also found out that the rear wheel alignment that the dealer did last year caused a misaligned rotation marker, so it’s difficult for anyone to figure out the exact angle now just by looking at it. Needed a few more things done too, like an engine tune up as it was noisy on idle (guessing carbon build up thanks to the crappy 0w20 Performax oil they used). Will swap out for a good 5w30 next service. Took the report to the dealer as I wanted to show them what they kept shrugging off for the past several years. They were so defensive at first and when I forced them to check it out, they admitted the tie rods were worn as there was considerable play. When asked if they checked it this way before, they said they didn’t since the test drive down their “boralu paara” was fine. They also tried to say that just because there are oil stains on the CV boot doesn’t mean that grease is leaking; asked them to change it anyway since it’s most likely cracked. They did say that the rack ends were ok though, but I’m going to get that specifically checked elsewhere. Rear shocks will be replaced later from outside as I can’t be dishing out 98k per strut at the dealer. Anyway, the ride is super smooth now on the front end. Just like the good old days when I purchased it. A few more fixes and it’ll be as good as new!

Get it checked by an electrician, looks like an electrical fault.

Changed the rear struts finally as it was extremely weak. But apart from that, there was a weird issue with the rear camber and as per the dealer, there have been a bunch of other CR-V's and Civics that came in with the same problem. They had to do some lathe work on the arms to get it sorted. Apart from that, there seems to also be a bit of play on the rack and it's most likely one of the bushings that's worn down. The front links also seem to be a little shaky, so that's due for a change. However, just when I thought I was getting things sorted out, ended up with a flat tyre that I didn't even notice and drove around with it unfortunately. Only realized once I landed the front right tyre over a metal manhole cover and it felt like an earthquake. Tyre had to be replaced, so I got 4 new Yokohamas... yes, another major expense there. Had to replace the rears anyway since the Continentals were nearly completely worn out (uneven wear due to previous suspension issues). The only issue though is that after that knock, there is a very slight intermittent squealing noise like those from the brake wear indicators on the affected wheel. It isn't the rim or anything either since that was swapped to the rear. Got the alignment re-done and there's no damage, but I guess something's off alignment at the rotor or pad level. Hoping it isn't the wheel bearings that have got some play since that's usually a pricey repair. The woes never end!!

Man sells his Dacia 1300 after 34 years of ownership

I don't think there is a significant change in prices, more so, I think the prices have gone up a little bit in a lot of the lower end cars like GP5, Swift, Vitz. Also, I saw a convoy of GR Hiluxes in Duplication Road with Garage numbers ripping through the streets. It was a sight to be seen!

Well done ! You might have signle handedly just artificially inflated Emgrand prices. Pretty soon we will be seeing Emgrands with gold badges getting sold for 5x the current price

True this. All are seems to quote starting price of the base model with no any options like you mentioned in a previous post. A capable buyer would buy a decent new car and settle while the mass seems to doing is artificially dragging used car prices down. When seeing all these FB page posts atc it's just pathetic. Now that the first vessel arrived, their desperation seems to have doubled. 😃