alpha17

@Hyaenidae @iRage @kush @TG10E24 I ordered the part on 9th March and when I tracked it, indicated that it arrived to SL yesterday (13th). I asked the seller to mention it as a gift item, so he said that he did so and mentioned the value indicated as 5. I would most likely to be called to Kandy post office for clearing. Can you explain about this value indicated and how to act at the post office?

Toyota Harrier or Lexus RX300 2007

This topic have been discussed extensively in this forum. To make it clear I’ll brief what’s good and bad. Good -Looks cool and has lot of options -nice to drive with sharper handling and good performance -good fuel economy -high ground clearance -speaker system is really good Bad -Dual clutch replacement around 80,000kms and cost around 200,000 -most of them have tampered mileages -ride is considerably bumpy on bad roads -front wheel slipping issue (this is going to be a real headache on unpaved roads, hilly areas and on wet roads) -still haven’t heard about battery replacements but likely to arive within next 2-3 years -interior parts like seats and steering wheel starts to show their age earlier than other brands -some minor errors might arrive like dashboard lights being turned on without a reason, oxide build up inside the push start button I have driven one and know a few owners who are friends of mine. One had to replace the dual clutch system. Driving is relatively more engaging and sharper than mainstream Toyota cars.But Most members members including me, have seen stalled Vezels with opened bonnets many times on sides of the road?. It’s not a bad car, but there are some minor issues. Most people claim that the dual clutch is a failure of the car but it’s happened generally due to the tropical climate of SL and endless traffic conditions. If relavent precautions are taken from the early life of the vehicle, the dual clutch system might serve for more kilometers. Another thing is that if your budget falls in the starting prices of a particular model, you would likely to find most of the vehicles are in not satisfactory condition. If you can atleast extend your budget by anothe 3-4 lakhs, better condtion examples can be found with service records. If you really love to own one, just go ahead and buy, but be ready for the replacements. Some people say that 90% those clutch plates can be recalibrated amd repaired for much lesser prices, but we cannot be sure of that.

Anyone knows a place??

Can some one recommend me a place to buy used alloys?

Thanks @Davy. I decided to take a line from the battery without destroying the original look of the car. The I’ll add a relay. The head unit has the remote turn on wire. Also plan to add just plain black wire for the battery power line to make it look more original-like?

Axio non-hybrid is really good. It comfy with a proven reliable powertrain. For me it’s miles ahead than the hybrid variant. Also consider the 141 2011-2012 model. Most of them are imported for permits and maintained from Toyota lanka due to warranties. It has a further more reliable and simple powertrain than the 161 variant. The car is a bit bigger and really looks better than the 161(for me). Since it’s specifically manufactured for Sri Lankan conditions and therefore the suspension components are likely to last more than the jdm versions. Also you can go for an 2010-2012 Allion within that price range, but remember that most of them have been abused. Still you’ll be able to find a good one with records. Those are not meant to be nimble as the gp5 ,but are much more comfortable and spacious. Also there is the new Suzuki Swift RS, but the price may have gotten really high due to the budget. I’m a Toyota fan, but I’m unbiased when suggesting cars to the others. A poorly maintained Allion/Premio can cause you more problems than a GP5, so whatever you buy, make sure it’s properly maintained and well taken care of. Make sure that the car has not met with a major accident. But repainted buffers, fenders are nothing to worry about(caused by small accidents such as scratches and dents). I also went for hunting few months ago and if you need any information feel free to PM

Aqua will be less costly to maintain. I cannot exactly comment about the battery, but keep in mind that Aqua batteries have a lifespan around 5 years. Some owners claim that they have done well over 100,000kms without an issue. When you use the Gp5, the dual clutch oil needs to be changed for every 5000km or atleast 10,000 kms. It costs around rs.3000-4000(correct me if I’m wrong). Make sure to put it into S gear while in traffic and try your best to avoid traffic conditons. Also be gentle with the accelerator. The gp5 has a much more complex but clever gearbox system. There is a video on youtube. Search it as “Honda earth dreams hybrid”. The video demonstrates how the system works. The system has more wear and tear when compared with a normal autobox or a CVT. But the system is really a joy to drive. I have to say that gp1 is one of my favourite cars to drive. As I know the insuarance costs are a bit higher. I’m also yet to hear about a battery issue on the newer honda hybrids. But sooner or later it will arrive. By the being of time, those clutch replacements and battery replacements will likely to reduce costs since there are a huge number of cars in SL. I know a person who owns both a Grace and a GP5(which was purchased few weeks ago). He’s pretty satisfied with them. He does closer to 30,000kms per year, so hybrid is benificial for him. He imports zero mileage cars and use them for about 5years and then sell them without battery replacements. His Grace might be now closer to 80,000km. You cannot be asured that your DCT won’t give a trouble.Best thing is to set aside around rs.200,000 when buying a car for the running repairs. Don’t be hesitated to go for a GP5. Even those Allion/Premios have high cost replacements too.

Thanks @Davy. The amplifier is 100 watts.Not 1000 watts. How to wire it from the lighter or the audio system?Is it safe?

Thanks @Davy.So I have a few questions. 1. About the relay, what is the type I should use? Is there a specific number, voltage or amperage? Please recommend me one. 2. I watched a review about one installed in a Civic. He has mentioned in the comments that he used the cigarette lighter to get the 12v. Is it possible? 3. Can I use a piggyback (add-a-circuit) fuse holder to form a new line from the car’s fuse box? Is it safe to use?

The hybrid variant goes over 5.5 million and I think that you have mistaken the gasoline variant which is for sale from 3.9million. I would definietely choose a Lexus over an Euro for their bulletproof reliability and smoothness(boring).

Agree with what matroska said. As I know, the hybrid battery of the Aqua will last around 5 years. The lesser you use, faster the battery deteriorate. A hybrid battery requires to be charged and used everyday, otherwise the cells get damaged. The main reason to go for a hybrid is the economical benifits. I did a basic calculation explaining how many kms are required to cover the battery cost of a hybrid. Basically you need to save Rs.300,000 to regain what you paid for the battery (assumimg that you replaced a “brand new” battery just after buying the car and I’m being really optimistic that you can get a brandnew battery for 300,000?) So you need to save atleast Rs.5000 per month. Now lets assume that Aqua has 18kmpl average monthly economy and Vitz has 14kmpl average. When we calculate the cost per 1km: Aqua-7.167 Vitz-9.9. So let’s round up as Aqua Rs.7 and Vitz Rs.10 per km. By using an Aqua, you’ll be able to save Rs. 3000 per month and Rs.180,000 for 5 years. But to be on the safe side you must do atleast 2000kms to cover up the battery cost. Then the hybrid depreciation is likely to scrap away about 500,000-600,000 after 5 years. Think how much you will loose. Anyway those figures are not accurate, but a bit closer. It explains that going for a hybrid for economical benifits is not benificial at all. I mean only for economical benifits?

The sub has no remote turn on wire, since it originally came intergrated into the Bose system in Mazda 6. So I have to connect it through fuse box to sync it with ACC turn on. Or else I have to use the direct line from the battery and use a relay to connect the remote turn on wire of my head unit and then the sub can be connected. Also many people recommend using a relay to stop a “pop” the device makes when turning on. But no ond has clearly mentioned about the power line.

I’ll search for it mate.Thanks

Why no relay? Then how can I get it synced with the head unit? Please explain

In my previous 121 it was wired like this. Direct line from the battery. Can I make a new connection by adding a new fuse to the fuse box? A power wire running from a battery kinda destroy the original look?

Thanks mate. I really appreciate the 121 for it’s driving. Easy to drive but the engine has considerably more oomph than other 1.5l cars due to resetting the ecu and flooring for about 20 minutes. This made a considerable difference. I don’t specifically hate any car, but I really can’t bear with the people who put all kinds of racing quotes decals on Marutis and wagon r s. Also there are people who owns these Allion 240’s and just 1.5l econoboxes have their fb bio as “racing is my soul” “street racer”. Even saw a Premio in Wennappuwa area saying that “speed is my greatest asset” and laughed from my a**. Yup, I remember when the 121 came out. I have to say that even in most of the Toyotas like Axio,Allion and Premio have improved what was in the 121. Engine is the same but feels much different than the 121. Gearbox is different. But overall the suspension system has only minor changes. When driving the current car most things remind me of the 121.

I’ll probably consider about it. From where did you get it? BTW I agree with konos. Nice interior?And those leather covers really blend well.What about adding a polished aluminium trim? Will look nice with the contrast?

Hello guys, Finally ordered the Bose spare tire subwoofer and it’s on the way. Can’t wait for it. Since it originally came with Mazda 6 and Nissan Murano, we have to do a little amount of extra work when wiring. The sub has a 100watts amplifier inbuilt with a 6.5’ subwoofer. Only problem is that it has four wires coming out, one for +12v, ground,signal input +,signal input - . It doesn’t have a remote input. So I plan to add a relay and connect the car’s dvd player’s remote switch to the relay. So I have these problems. 1.Do I need to find a specific relay for the task? What is the most suitable type? 2.Can the subwoofer be wired from the fuse box rather than from the battery, since it’s not a huge amplifier? 3.Is there any way to run wires without piercing the firewall? 4.I heard that the wire can be run through the fender. Is it possible? Electrical experts please help me. I want the system to be installed without ruinning the original condition of the car and that’s what I chose this sub. It looks completely like an OEM unit. Another fact is that I don’t want thumping bass like a private bass. Just a nice bit of low end to my existing system. Also I don’t trust mechanics around this area due to past experiences I had. So help me with your knowledge. I will do a review of the unit after installing it, since it would be helpful to people around here.Thanks for reading Cheers!!!

It’s not just the engine swap mate...You have to change your gearbox too. The V8 engine is much larger and heavier than the diesel engine. The engine you might be planning to install should be the 1VD-FTV diesel which came with the Land Cruiser 200 Series(Sahara as they call it). It weighs nearly 390kg and the hilux might came with a 2l or 3l(correct me if I’m wrong)engine which weighs under 200kg. That’s nearly twice the weight of the engine. So the front end will dive down. Also the chassis are not made to carry that much of weight in the front.There are mechanics who can make this a reality, but in SL they are rare. Most of all, the purpose you really want is to go faster while listening to that v8 growl, but with a vehicle like that you won’t be able to do so due to imbalance.If you really want more power try to do some modding to the current engine. Add a turbo if available. Make necessary tweaks required for performance and you’ll be able to smoke 80% drivers in roads. If you really need a swap look out for the v6 version which is a petrol.Hope this helps

I you live around Colombo then spares would be not much of a problem, although they are a bit expensive. But they are real head turners. Try to get a 407 as it looks really awesome. I’ve heard in some reviews that the road noise levels are a bit high. Contact the member “tilvin”. He owns a Peugeot.

Sometimes the rear buffer can make the sound, as I remeber I also had to face the same thing. Due to day to day driving the buffer had some scratch marks and got it painted. But after that I experienced a vibrating sound when travelling on bad roads.When I checked, the nuts were not tightened enough. Took it to a garage and tightened the screws of the buffer and never heard that again. Usually a windscreen cannot vibrate as it is fixed using gum. Check using water (use a bucket and spill) whether there are any leaks.

Nope mate. I never used dashboard polish. It is existent on my Allion too. But there is a special 3M tint to eliminate that and costs about 13,500.

A close friend of mine had to replace his personally imported Aqua’s battery at 73000km(this story have been mentioned for over 6-7 times?).Costed 300,000 for a reconditioned one. For the DCT clutch replacement, it cost about 200,000 according to a friend who did the replacement to his Vezel. If you can do some research and contact few places you can get it done for less than 200,000. Just like Matroska said I’m yet to hear about the Vezel,Grace or Fit battery went kaput. Among the two, I would go with the GP5 without thinking twice due to sporty drive, space, looks and material quality. But If you are doing less than atleast 1000kms per month, there is no point of going for a hybrid. Or else buy an Unreg Vitz and drive it happily for 2-3 years (5+ years can be done without an issue) and get a better one after.

Not at all mate?I really appreciate your comments.This is just a review about one of the cheapest cars made by Toyota Japan. But still I love the car very much. I had great memories with it. Went to some of the most important occations in my life in this car. So I really love it. Saw it even in a dream a few days ago Love is a personal thing, so better not to mention about it?