gunat

I know this may stray from your original idea...but have you given thought to the new L200 Pickup? IMO, it has one hell of a presence in terms of looks- saw one on the road y'day. Unimo has the 2.5 turbo on its website, but i'm not sure if thats the same blinged out version i saw y'day. Note, that the Montero Sports is based on the L200 chassis/frame. So its not as comfortable as the Montero. In terms of looks, its getting quite old now (design has been around since 2001) Good luck in choosing!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6528087.stm Hilarious! For those who aren't privy, Clarkson first beat to death a Kelisa, then raised it by a crane and blew it up... On DVD "Heaven and Hell"...best and worse of cars...

Congrats Supra_N- welcome to the VW circle!

Don't say you weren't warned Anyways, this is going to be the most Painstaking, Pissed off, liberating, and satisfying experience you will have with a car. (Yes, i used those four words together) As someone said earlier, attend to the mechanical stuff first. Leave your interior as the LAST task, because believe me, its going to get messed up in the meantime. If you need any assistance, let me know, and i do my best to help out. Good Luck!

NGK's on Carina GT; Bosch on VW (how is your car hunt? Did you get something?)

I'd fall under "periodic" coolant checking, which is usually at service time. Having said that, I found this great BP coolant- no water needs to be added, and its kept my engine nicely below the half way mark for the last 2-3 years (i just renewed the coolant about 3 months ago). I'd recommend. To answer the questions: a ) Typically, the older cars which have engines that are...errrgh..."seasoned" tend to loose water after a run. Having said that, i've seen some classic cars that never drop their levels! In the end, it depends on the condition of the engine. The newer cars are far better- however i've noticed that those cars that have had radiator replacements *may* have fluid level drops in daily running. I discovered when searching for a used radiator for my car in Delkanda, 85% of the units had leaks. Unless you go check yourself, there's a chance to end up with a lousy replacement. b ) Remedies- Replacement radiator is the easiest, although not the most cheapest or convienient. I've seen this "Stop leak" bottles which you can apparently add to the radiator, and will 'plug' the leaks...although i'm not convinced. Also, check on all your hoses...if cracked/hardened, replace. Water pumps too, can be culprits, but not too often. If you've still got more water loss than usual, it might be good to take a precautionary measure of emptying your sump to see if water is entering the lubrication line- a clear indication that your engine is in need of rebuild.

To echo the above, while spark plugs are a critical factor in how well an engine burns fuel, i am not convinced spending Rs*000's just to get "better" plugs is the way to go. I tried out Iridiums, and they didn't last even a year. I now get the basic NGK G-Power or recently, the V-Power plugs. The important task is to regularly check on the condition of your spark plugs and replace when necessary. A new plug is far better than a fouled expensive one.

This may be a long shot, but if it isn't the ball joints/Rack ends...take a look at your brake calipers- there's a rubber boot that insulates the moving parts of the unit. If this rubber wears out, you *can possibly* have noise.

Yes! Use it regularly!!! Because of our climate, dust, etc...most have the tendency to be left closed. This is the worst enemy...Disuse. Even if it means leaving your windows up, AC on, and sunroof open, it a worthwhile exercise. Probably best done late at night when there is little traffic on the roads. As for applications- I've heard tha same rumour of applying a cream/oil of some sort on the beadings, but to this day, i've never seen such a thing. As for vinegar...i can see our local ants taking care of the rest!!!

Thanks Pericles.

Hey Guys Someone i know has issues with the Sunroof on their Hyundai Coupe- actually one issue- needs to replace the rubber beading that surrounds the glass... The agents, Hyundai La*ka, said the only way was to replace the entire sunroof assembly which costs around 150k (yeah right!!). Does anyone know of a mechanic/outfit that is good at such repairs? Also, I've heard of a ex-Hyundai La*ka mechanic who's started his own operation, but i don't know who he is, or how to contact him... Any info you guys can share appreciated! cheers

Good luck SN- just as the others have said, be patient and selective. Spending time now in finding the right car will save you time later in cleaning it up!

Supra N Have you found the car you want? I sent you an email w/some buying hints taken out of the Haynes Manual... Or have you shifted your interest to the Capri?

600k sounds crazy, but if you look at the prices in the UK for mint condition Beetles, thats about right. Limited edition SuperBeetles in mint condition sometimes approach 10k pounds...for a car that has been made in the millions...its pretty impressive.

As far as Mercs go, its a good car- bulletproof engines, if maintained correctly. The model to have is the C250 turbo diesel... But, if i was to compare that to the BMW Diesel, there's just no competition. The Merc is sluggish, noisy, and just can't pull off the perfomance cred that the 320d does.

Supra N... email - gu***@gmail.com Let me know as soon as you get this...

Yes, its hard to find a car thats unmolested...and even at that, it still involves restoration. Ideally, the 1300 is the cheaper option since you'll then leave room/money for restoring a car. I recall seeing a yellow 1303 for sale in Kohuwela about 6 months back. No idea who it belonged to or if it changed hands. A common myth is that the dynamo set up is undesirable- my car has a dynamo, and i've had absolutely no problems in the 15 years i've had it...apart from slightly dimmed lights at night time, everything else is fine. Not to say the conversion is a bad thing, it only makes the car more efficient, electrically speaking. I'm told that there are better cars to be found in kurunegala and ratnapura...although i don't know how true this is....

Hey Supra-N Good to hear you're giving the Beetle some thought. I have a '72 1303 which i've maintained for the last 15 years or so... Buying a Beetle is a minefield- there's enough out there, but very few in good condition. If i was to give you any advice: - For Looks, comfort, the Superbeetle is best (ie. 1302/1303). It also has a larger tank (range!) and a little more space in the..errrgh... Boot since the spare sits flat. Since it rides on a modern Golf Front suspension (Mcpher's front, trailing arm rear), you can also take to adding fat wheels and rims without too much issue. Series 2 and above came with the more-modern 4 lug setup. However, parts are far more expensive for this car. I'm not talking about engine...just the body, interior and cosmetics. The front struts/coils will set you back a few...but worst of all is the steering box. Its a worm and roller set up, and easily wears out with abuse on our roads- which is how i found my car initially. So far i haven't found anyone who can restore the steering box to near original spec. I'm resigning myself to getting a reconditioned box from the UK...for 200 Pounds!!! - the more basic 1300 is far more easier to restore and maintain, especially if when looking at the cost fact. Slight differences are a small fuel tank, upright spare, narrower cabin, conventional front suspension, dashboard a part of the body. Electrical wiring far more simpler and easily repaired. Both models share mix-mashes of the engines, and are interchangeable with little or no modification. Watch out for blown engines (smoking, unbalanced idles a good sign) One other key point to look for: Chassis structure. All beetles have what is call a "Chassis Head" which essentially is the intersection point in the chassis between the main floor section and the front suspension. All beetles are prone to high corrosion in this area and the head is likely to 'crack' once it wears through. Indication of this (apart from visible signs) is a detached steering feel (ie. "i'm turning one way, the car feels like its going the other way!). Repairing this is a rather complex operation since the rigidity of the car comes from the chassis and body combined, but you can't work on the head without removing the body, which compromises the entire structure,etc, etc.... Anyways, let me know if you've found a car...i can let you know a few more points to look for.... Good luck!

Just as an FYI: the 924 was Porsche's saving grace in the late 70's during the oil crisis. It is however, based on Audi-VW mechanicals (gearbox- Audi, engine- VW). Originally commissioned by VW as a new sports car, It became the entry level car for Porsche and helped finance the continued development of the 911. The 944 basically became the 924 on steroids... Restoring the 924 could potentially be easy when it comes to mechanicals...however everything else...who knows. I remember seeing a 944 S2 (early 1990's model) w/ British license plates about 5 years ago on havelock road...but never again. Was being driven by an older gentlemen quite spritely.

Cheers Dimma! BTW, the RX looks fabulous. I still haven't seen it in the flesh since you bought it...! Funny enough, i saw a KC plate Blue 8 with white stripes down the centre this morning on my drive to work. Was at the Keells Super @ Mt.Lavina Junction. Looks like a Viper GTR from a distance!

I believe Uncle Bri also had a very original white GTi which was sold abt 3 years back. It was a 1600 Gti... Does anyone know if the 1900 Gti was brought down (unless thats the blue car of course...)

I hear what you're saying- but, if you look at most other operations, none come close in terms of giving a decent overall package. Each step of the way, the guys checked in with me- without being patronising. As far professionalism goes, they're in my top 3...and as far as i'm concerned, in Sri Lanka, very few businesses make the mark. Most treat customers like crap. I would recommend them for cars with older paints/repainted. But for brand new paint jobs (such as Velocity's) i would think that can be done at home with a good wax....

Supra Natural- i noticed that the AS200 on Dutugamunu street is gone- did your friend make the purchase?

Its definitely an AS200 (160 bhp 6 cylinder)- the RS has a completely different engine block and the Cam Cover is very different. The vibration is mechanical IMO- either mounts, transmission or something like that. However, i'm no mechanic so i could be wrong. Given that this is a RWD car, perhaps i'm hearing the drivetrain or something... BTW, apparently the price was jacked up recently...so i guess he's trying to make some bucks off this car.

I also checked this car out. Looks good at first glance, but its had some accident damage on the drivers side and the repair has been very sloppy. 1999 Model, 71k mileage. Auto (not tiptronic though). Interior is in very good condition. Tires are relatively new, 17" alloys are scuffed/curbed. There's a odd vibration/sound in the interior when the car is running...not sure what it may be because the engine sounds fine...