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alpha17

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Everything posted by alpha17

  1. alpha17
    I don’t have a hybrid machan.Never owned one?
  2. alpha17
    I have a bit of a different opinion. Since this is your first car, it's better to go for a popular model in SL, namely a Toyota Corolla AE100 wagon, Toyota Starlet, Nissan Doctor Sunny or a Nissan March(as mentioned by Crosswind). It's the car that you are going to learn how to maintain and look after. So a model with a good reliability record would can undergo good amount of abuse. You will drive it without knowing the issues. When it breaks you'll have to repair it. You'll have to find parts for it. So it's the car that you are going to learn. If you go for a popular model, there are plenty of parts available and most mechanics know how to repair them. If the car model is not much popular in SL, you have a hard time of finding parts and mechanics to repair it. So you would likely to get fed up of keeping a vehicle at the very first moment, like 'arabumama kadulak wela'. IMO it's better to buy a popular and a proven reliable vehicle as the first car and there are many experienced car enthusiasts in this forum who are willing to help you at any moment. Good Luck on your purchase! Cheers
  3. alpha17
    @aruntantan thanks for the information mate. I will also need to change the shock absorber in the near future.
  4. alpha17
    I too agree for that mate. It’s been two weeks since I bought the car but I had one trip to galle, one trip to Kandy,two trips to airport and one trip to anuradhapura through Matale, and I clearly see an improvement in most areas than my previous car. Most notable thing is the comfort level. Also it always returned fuel figures around 18kmpl with 3 or 4 people with A/C, which is not bad at all. I calculated the fuel figures by the top up method.Another thing I really wanted to mention is the Nanoe a/c system which keeps out the skin from drying. It just seems like a marketing gimmick, but it is a really useful feature if you spend a lot of time in a car. The problem is most SL sellers and users brag about these cars like they are the best cars in the world?
  5. alpha17
    @Hyaenidae gave you the answer mate. Anyway I’ve driven almost all the popular models in SL,you name it.I valued comfort over driving pleasure so I chose an Allion over a Honda or a Mazda this time.Anyway driving pleasure is a relative term machan.But an Allion and a Premio has a bit of driving pleasure left when compared to an Axio Hybrid.
  6. alpha17
    The paint job seems pretty decent?Well done mate?
  7. alpha17

    I’m really impressed about the fuel consumption of the Allion A15.Yeasterday had a journey to Anuradhapura through Matale and returned through Ella(340km) and It cost me only Rs.2700 using 95 octane.So the car had done closer to 19 kmpl which is kind of impressive for a car that weights 1.2tonnes plus 3 grown up people and using AC all the time.As I remember my 121 did around 15-16 for the same route.

    1. iRage

      iRage

      Well...on outstation runs that probably is the upper end of what it would average (with no highway runs). The RAV4 does about 13-14 on a similar run. The 121 on the other hand..well the transmission type would play a difference, plus the 121 would have had a bit more wear and tear...and also newer engines tweaks and tech do add towards fuel efficiency.

    2. alpha17

      alpha17

      The compression ratio is 11:1 as opposed to the 2012 model while having 1 hp less and 4Nm less torque

  8. alpha17
    Finding is good condition Premio is a bit hard. Always ask for the service records. Also don’t buy from sales. What you are searching for is a 9-8 years old car and therefore finding a well maintained one is hard as you think.There are plenty of first owner cars left still.You can consider an Allion, which is the same car as a Premio but with a bit of sporty appearance for 2-3 lakhs less.I was also searching for a 2007-2009 Allion around 4.3 million and finally ended up buying a very close relation’s 2013 Allion even the budget is very high.I’m really satisfied with the car’s maintenance since all the service records from day 1 are available.Also he is not a cheapo kind of guy so he has pumped 95 petrol and has used Bridgestone tyres all the time.So I can use it without an issue for the next 6-7 years But if you need a trouble free car without tampered mileages, you can get a nice 2011-2012 Corolla 141 GLI varient.Most of them are permit imported ones from TL and most of them have records.Also it has the 1.6 engine which has extra oomph and the 2010-2012 models are retuned to give a better fuel economy than the 2007-2009 models.Their suspension components are tuned for Sri Lankan conditions so they would likely to last over Axios Allions and Premios.With a more traditional 4spd automatic gearbox these will be as robust as the good old 121s.
  9. alpha17
    What are your requirements?If it is driving pleasure,style and options Mazda wins.But if you prefer comfort,fuel economy,resale value and reliability Toyota wins. p.s-It seems that you are refering to the non hybrid Mazda 3 which is a brand new imported one.So you’ll be getting very few options compared to the JDM hybrid variant.Mazda 3 will only have Cruise control over the Premio.Premio will have automatic climate control and adjustable rear seats.
  10. alpha17
    Have never driven one, but many reviewers said the 520d is more comfortable and refined than the A6.Also the BMW is known to have the better driving dynamics than the other German rivals.
  11. alpha17
    @aruntantan How many kms have you done when you got the bad shock absorber signs? Are the new shocks KYB Excel-G?
  12. alpha17
    Better to avoid Daewoo because parts are hard to find.The company was closed in 2011, but parts might be made by the oem manufacturers.Never have driven one.Daewoo is popular as “a brand with no parts available”. But definietly parts might be there,but you have to struggle. Also note that if a car company is broke, then there must be a serious problem with their vehicles.Probably the build quality can be an issue.
  13. alpha17
    Driving pleasure is a word that never go hand in hand with the Allion or Premio mate
  14. alpha17
    Take it to the To**ta La**a. They would do a test drive and tell. From my previous experience it's better to avoid the KYB (Sold by T**S), even it is made in Japan. After I replaced the all four shock absorbers of the 121, the car became extremely bumpy. I would never put KYB in any car again.
  15. alpha17
    If you prefer a just A-B transportation with reliability, comfort, fuel economy and resale value, it's the Vitz. It's a boring car to drive with very few options, but should be more comfortable than the swift. I haven't driven the A1 so I cannot comment about it. The Swift on the other hand is a much more engaging to drive and has a load of options plus okish fuel economy. Reliability-wise I think it's too early to comment because except for the known issue of the steering rack (which can be easily fixed at a very low price). Best thing is to list out what are your major concerns. Then make a checklist for each 3 cars. Audi A1 will give you prestige, nice set of options and more driving pleasure. On the other hand you have to spend more for the maintenance and likely to loose more value when you sell it. Swift sits between the sweet spot of the three. It's a jap ride, so it might not be hard to sell as the Audi and will provide you an enjoyable driving experience at the expense of comfort. Vitz is just basic and practical car with a good level of comfort and reliability. On the other hand it's not sporty and will less likely to turn the heads of the neighborhood when you pass by
  16. alpha17

    Finally she’s here?Thanking all the members who helped me in various ways?

    7BAD275A-7482-4D2F-8A5D-FFA32B60CD54.jpeg

    7857E524-6D59-4837-A5D0-01365E6B887E.jpeg

    1. Show previous comments  16 more
    2. Hyaenidae

      Hyaenidae

      @alpha17 apparently the  1.6L Z6 engine makes 105hp  and the 1NZ-FE makes 109hp... so you might have felt the extra 4 horses in addition to the CVT :D

      Looking forward to the ownership thread btw. Did you find someone to restore the silver trim panels yet?

    3. alpha17

      alpha17

      @Hyaenidae not yet mate.I’m a bit busy these days.The owner also had no time to fix the doors’ fabric upholstery.So I plan to visit Lal Cushion works to fix that.Also PreseaLover gave me the contact number of a known painter.Still I’m finding for a specialized place for these kinds of repairs.Plan to fix all of them before New Year?

    4. pug306xsi

      pug306xsi

      Nice and clean!

  17. alpha17
    I have been a passenger in the earliest version of the PHEV(2014) and have driven the same year one with the petrol engine.I’ve never had any experience with the CRV and Sorento,so other members will compare it. The running condition is okay.Huge tires absorb small bumps but when the road surface is uneven,it gets a little uncomfortable.On the carpeted roads the ride is really good and you can feel that the vehicle is well planted when doing high speeds.On corners the weight of the vehicle can be felt but steering is not as numb as a Toyota(PHEV version might be different due to electronics and weight differences).But don’t expect it to handle like a Vezel or a CHR.PHEV version is really good when it comes to acceleration.Interior is okay,but it looks kind of bland and bit boring.Fit and finish of the interior is not as good as a Toyota.But there is one thing I really loves about the Outlader.That’s the Rockford Fosgate audio system.The normal 6 speaker one is okay,but the Rockford is clearly miles ahead when it comes to sound quality.If you plan to buy one go for the fully loaded version with the Rockford audio system even if the price is high,because it’s really worth it IF YOU LOVE MUSIC.
  18. alpha17
    IMO the market for the 2nd hand vehicles has gone down.During october 2018 my 121 was ready to be sold for 2.95million(gave up the idea due to the inabilty to find a good car) but finally sold it for 2.85million last Monday(When I finally found a car to buy). I belive the main reason for that is the kei cars.It totally makes sense of buying a kei car unreg for around 3mil for a small family than buying a hacked 121,Allion,Axio.It has plenty of room and good fuel economy(what SL people care the most).Just memorize how it was in like 2010-2011.A very few number of kei cars were imported from japan.Cheapest famous japanese car was Vitz which was around 3mil(at that time the value of the rupee was much higher).Now most people can afford a car around 3mil.Also small cars from brands like kia and hyundai became much popular like the picanto and i10. But I don’t think that hybrids have affected the market since they have a very high rate of depriciation.As an example,take the Toyota Aqua.One of my friend bought one in 2013 for 5.3millon.Now the same car can be found around 3.4millon.Hybrids are on their own league when it comes to depreciation
  19. alpha17
    Machan IT IS NOT HIGH TECH!!! Most probably it might have been in the cars from the 90’s.It’s just simple programming done to the ecu.When the engine goes over a certain rpm limit (running) the fuel is cut off.Don’t think that it is a miracle.As far as I know there were V6 or V8 which can dissable one cylinder bank while cruising in highways to boost the economy in the 1990s. Do you know that Dynamic Radar Cruise Control,Auto parking and Pre-Crash Safety system were on the 2007 Axio?That’s pretty high tech stuff compared to this fuel-cut function.
  20. alpha17
    From what I’ve heard almost all the EFI engines do so.Your previous lancer may have had this system too. Anyway your driving pattern might have a huge effect on fuel economy too.
  21. alpha17

    ?HELP WANTED ASAP!!!?I need a good quality place to paint the interior silver panels ASAP.Please share if anyone knows.Cheers

    1. Show previous comments  14 more
    2. Magnum

      Magnum

      What silver interior parts you guys are referring to? If I remember right 26 series Allion/Premio came with beige or black interior with wooden panels

    3. alpha17

      alpha17

      @Magnum no machan there are few silver insertings.The multifunction button panel is silver.The door’s inner handle is silver.Most of them tend to wear out faster. @RuslanThere was one place advertised in fb and I went there after calling.They said that it’s the same part I wanted.But when I got there it was the chrome door opening handle.Best thing to do is repainting them.I checked with few other shops and most of them said they are not available.The thing is when I went to inspect a car in a car sale,with a mileage of 79000km(probably done more),all those silver insertings were perfect.It should have been repainted.

    4. Ruslan

      Ruslan

      I Remember once, one of my Friends Yaris Center Console which is the same color (Grey), Toyota lanka Painted it for FoF when he was doing an Accident repair.

  22. alpha17
    Is it 13 speakers or 8 speakers?(I’m really interested in audio?)
  23. alpha17
    Welcome to Autolanka! So you have almost sorted out what are the cons?.Anyway, if you prefer relaibility,comfort and resale value at the expense of handling and driving pleasure, a non-hybrid Toyota will be the best choice.Hondas and Mazdas shine when it comes to performance and driving pleasure.Those cars are also reliable, but there are some few known issues,such as the early DCT replacement of the Fit,Grace and Vezel.They are comparatively more livelier and sharper to handle,but at the same time you have to sacrifice a little in the comfort division. I too have been looking for a 2007-2008 Allion or Premio during last November but gave up the idea due to the lack of good condition cars.Swift RS might be a safe choice,but as I know many owners claim that there is an issue with the steering rack which arises after doing few thousand kms, which can be sorted out.Also you have choices like Lancer Ex,Mazda Axela 2009-2012 and Civic.Best thing is to drive them and find which suits you the best.
  24. alpha17
    PreseaLover usually import parts for his restoration process from all over the world.PM him for more details.Also try rakuten global.
  25. alpha17
    As a tourist you can buy and bring them home.One friend of mine stayed there for three months and he returned with a Premio G Superior shell and a set of chrome door moulding from air.If you plan to send a containor or a huge amount of spares,better to contact someone from there.Usually used parts get lower taxation.
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