alpha17

Nope mate. That's behaviour is 100% normal when driving. Only the engagement causes this issue. Talking about that 4 speed autobox...good old 121..yeah..I miss that fun! As I remember there was a slight delay when I bought the car, but the issue was highlighted about 2-3 months ago. So I went for the Toyo Inspection and they told me the issue would be fixed by the mount replacement. Even after the replacement the issue is still there. But it varies from time to time. Sometimes the gear engages without any hiccups and sometimes the jerk makes the car jump even though I push the brake pedal all the way. 95% of the time the delay is there and it is accompanied by that jumping. But the D engages completely normally without any issue. I'm really confused... I really have no idea about the last oil change since the previous owner had taken care of it. All the records are there of the oil changes from the first one and done from Au*o M*r*je. Previous owner is a relation of mine and he is a genuine person. So if the oil changes are recorded as done, Au*o M*r*je might have faked and charged him for doing the job.

Hello guys, So I noticed this issue in my Allion 260 recently. When I put the gear to R from any other gear (P or N), it takes 1-2 seconds to engage.During the delay car feels like it’s in neutral, but when it engages to R in a harsh manner, giving a jerk (like a jump). The transmission oil have been changed within 30,000km from the beginning, and now the car has only done around 12,000km after the change.What is the problem? When I went for Toyo Lan inspection, they denoted that the problem is with the engine mounts, but changed all 4 engine mounts today using genuine ones. Still the problem is there. What seems to be the problem? What should I do? Experts please give your opinions! Thanks guys p.s - After thinking more carefully I got these points about the issue. The jerk's(jump) severity is depended on the rpm level. During a cold start, the engine rpm is high, so the jerk is severe. Today, after fixing the mounts , rpm was lowered to 400-500 due to the ecu reset caused by the battery removal. So the jerk was not there at that moment, but the late engagement was there. When the engine rpm became normal after returning to home, the jerk was there. When I put the gear into R, during the delay, the engine behaves like it was put into Neutral or Park because the rpm goes a bit higher like those two gears. D is completely normal. Haven't noticed any abnormalities in D. No drop in the economy

Go to a reliable place where you can select a desired model directly from an auction. They’ll be able to explain about the auction sheet details and true vehicle condition. Make them bid for you and do the importing process. That is a lot safer as mentioned by most of the members. Usually Japanese people are honest but those SL ayyala would do their best to cheat you.

Thanks for the info mate. When you moved from original shocks absorbers to KYB, did you notice any difference in ride quality?

I currently have Bridgestone Ecopia EP150 on my car(185/65R15). Now they are on their last breath, so I plan to go for the 195/65/R15 as Toyota has mentioned this variant on tire detail sticker. So I’m interested in two models. Previously owned and proven durable(done 60,000kms) Ecopia 150 and Dunlop Veuro VE302. I have no experiences about Dunlop. Can someone share his experiences on Veuro and which is the best among them?

Finding good examples of a car like Allion or Premio is extremely hard these days as most of them have been beaten to death. Sometimes there might be better ones popping up for sale. But you have to be patient since you are looking for a nearly 15-17 years old car. Usually cars in this price range are less likely to be changed by a huge margin, so you might gain or loose depending on the market. Buying a hybrid like an Aqua is pretty useless if you do less than 1000km per month as the battery will degrade sooner. Mind that most of the Aqua batteries might be in their last breaths so you might have to keep some additional money for replacements. Fit is also a good choice, but again it’s also a hybrid, but IMO better to drive and looks better than the Aqua. Another fact is that hybrids’ values depreciate much faster than normal cars. I would never pay over 3million for an indian car. There are good cars like Mazda Axela, Honda Civic FD4 and Mitsubishi Lancer EX, which are better looking and better to drive than Toyotas. Most of them are owned by people who enjoy driving, so you’ll have a good chance of finding a nice one. As a drawback you might not be able to sell them easily. Best thing is to drive each one of these models and select the best model which suits you. Make sure to mention what are your major requirements other than the resale value as it would be easy for members to recommend accordingly.

Yeah, all the facts are very attractive. I remember how the Baic X25 was introduced by micro saying that it has a Saab engine, Aisin gearbox etc etc... But “avuruddak dekak giyama thamai baba hambenne machan” Also about the CVT, I’m really curious about getting to know how to use it. Please enlighten me Doctor. They have a horrible build quality and when you do around 50,000km, shows the signs of a 200,000+kms done japanese car. A relation of mine owns a Baic X25 from the first batch and you have to use all your strength to close the driver’s door, and the car is still around 15,000km. That’s the skill of chinese people. Their quality is depended on the price you pay. There are some high end domestic brands like HongQi, which carry price tags closer to Bentlys and Rolls. Hope you remember the chinese phone craze in SL back in 2007-2009? Those brick sized phones with TV antennas, and huge displays with cameras saying 8megapixels? Best example. Most of them died or started giving problems after few months of usage. On the other hand mobiles like Huawei P30 pro, One Plus and Xiaomi gives a real competition to Apples and Samsungs.

Sometimes, cars which have been repaired after severe crashes indicate these kind of issues (misaligned chassis). Since there is a notable difference between the left and right wheels in height, most probably its related to suspension components.

Better to stick with a non-hybrid if you plan to do less than 1000kms per month. According to what I've heard, the 2nd Generation Prius is believed to be much more robust than the 3rd gen in the battery department. If you have the need of a hybrid better to go for a battery replaced one or set aside some cash to do the replacement. @mcs627 What about suspension component replacements earlier? Did you replaced the shock absorbers? If replaced, what is the brand: KYB or Genuine Toyota? How long did they last?

Congratz mate!!!

@Magnum today I got a chance to drive a KDH205(correct me if the code is wrong) which is 3000cc and fully loaded with climate control ac. I'm really impressed how this babe perform as a van!! I never thought that I would love to drive a van. But my mind totally changed after driving it. I totally agree with every detail you provided in the review. Really comfortable in long journeys. It's not comfortable as a car, but there is a totally different way how a Hiace handles the potholes or bumps: It just gives a boat like feeling when hitting a pothole, softening the sudden impact. This is totally different from a Hilux. And man the engine is a devil on mountains. I did a few risky overtakes on a hilly road and this babe pulled like a demon. Really impressed how she performed as a van. Would really love to drive something like an Alphard.

Congrats!!!We need pictures mate!!!

What about getting something like a Civic ES5? You could easily grab one around 2.5-3 million. I mean it’s one of those true Honda’s you could buy (non hybrid and non turbo). Usually those cars have been owned by enthusiasts most of the time, so a well cared one is easy to come by. I have driven a 190,000km clocked one and I couldn’t even believe that it had done that much as the car was in pristine condition. The only problem is that the owner had moved abroad and his father hadn’t took much car of it (no tuneups or wheel alignment). But the problems you see in today’s Hondas, such as fast worn interior bits (specially the steering wheels) are not there. They were solidly built like tanks. Keep your main target as the Lancer, as I would recommend it without any doubt for comfort. Haven’t driven Mitsus other than L200 Animal and Outlander 2.0.

I don’t think that you want a manual for the fuel economy. But anyway manuals make the driving more engaging, but sometimes a bit annoying, specially in a hilly area with traffic. But most of those cars are imported with automatic transmission (cvt or automated 4 or 5 speed gearboxes), you’ll have a very narrow margin of finding a good one. Most cars with manual transmission are probably (but there are G grade 121s available) a base or a lower grade of that model, so you’ll get lesser options and less demand (I know two people who struggled to sell their G grade manual 121s). With increasing traffic I always advice you to go with an auto. So I’ll share my experience with the models you mentioned. Lancer CS3 - This is one of the most comfortable cars in this class. I once rode as a passenger in a 1300cc variant which had done over 200,000kms with horrible maintenance, and that car was really comfortable on bad roads than 121s and Axios. The seats are soft and rear end has independent suspension which would be much better in comfort and cornering. Go for a one with those teak panels and all the options, as the base grade with grey plastics looks dull and too much plasticy. 121 - had one for 7 years without any issue. Solidly built and more comfortable than a Vios or Yaris. Easy to drive with light steering and good lower end torque. Very reliable and good fuel economy. Highly recommended but the problem is there are only a very few number of good examples left in SL. If you go for a well maintained car, you’ll be on the safe side on maintenance. Better to drive than most of the newer Toyotas such as Axio, Allion and Premios. Vios - Manual version might be the best in terms of acceleration among this bunch. Thailand made with horrible leather seats and cheap looking interior. Good fuel economy. Good ground clearance. Engine is the same one from the 121. Might be equally reliable as a 121 but, build quality is not up to the standards that of a japanese, as you get more rattles and creeks from interior parts with the time being. Yaris/Belta - No nonsense basic car for daily use. Belta is a bit better in comfort side than the Vios or the Yaris. Cheap looking interior, but reliable and very economical. I personally find that the design is awful. Mazda Axela or 3 - Best handling and driving pleasure of the bunch. I test drove one to check whether it fits my requirements. For me the ride is a bit harsh and the seats are sporty with less comfort oriented. Interior space also lacks if you are closer to 6 feet. Another problem is the low ground clearance. It definietly feels sporty but not smooth, so I went for a Toyota as I prefer comfort over sportiness at the moment. But the Axela has some options that are yet to available with newer allion and premio models such as tiptronic transmission and rain sensing vipers. Axela has the best look of the bunch.

If you prefer to use your own bike for the trial, you’ll need to get it insured. I can’t exactly remember the process, but any insurance company can provide this service. Go and ask them. You can get it insured specifically for this day.

Yes. I’m yet to see a non-hybrid Fit for sale, except for the previous model. Another problem is that when you look for a particularly rare model, you’ll have to make some sacrifices. You might not get a selection of colours or grades, so you have to just go for it for the sake of buying the non-hybrid variant. Stretching the budget to go for a 1000cc Civic is a good idea. Anyway there are Toyota and Mazda models which are much better in reliability than the GP5. You can get, 2011-2012 Corolla 141 for around 4 million which is a relatively bulletproof car with plenty of agent maintained good examples available. Much more comfortable than a GP5 and has more presence and better ground clearance. But driving pleasure is not as good as the honda(would still be better to drive than the CVT equipped cars like Axio, Allion and Premio, and will have more oomph due to the 1600cc engine) Everyone’s choice - Boring 2010-upward Allion or Premio, really comfortable and really boring. Reliable if maintained properly. At the moment most ones bought for 2013-2014 Permits are up for sale due to new permits. Mazda Axela or 3 2009-2012 between 4-4.5 million. Better than a Honda to drive. Most of them have been taken care of by the owner, as most mazda buyers go for a Mazda for driving pleasure and they are enthusiasts. Plus you’ll get some nice set of options. If you can extend the budget a bit, you can get the new 2013- mazda 3 or mazda Axela. Mazda 3(brand new imports with 1600cc engine) have less options compared to the 2000cc JDM Axela Hybrid variant. Haven’t seen much JDM 1500cc non-hybrid Axelas. Without a doubt they have nice looks than any other in the list.

You should mention your requirements to suggest good examples. Anyway, buying a hybrid without at least doing 1500km per month is pointless. Also note that hybrid batteries from 2013-2014 models might be having their final one or two years.

There are only a few (might be less than 20, or even 10) 1800cc 2010 afterwards Allion/Premio are imported to SL. I have only seen one for sale yet. That’s because from 2011-2012 taxation has been increasing rapidly for higher capacity engines. But you can find a 2007-2009 one and still those would be a bit rare too(There might be one or two up for sale at the moment). 1500cc variant is just ok for daily driving. Compared to the 4 speed conventional auto gearboxes in the 2002-2006 240 Allion/Premio models, newer 260 with CVT has tuned to get better torque around 1000-3000rpm. Even in the hills I’m yet to experience any issue. But the car feels barge-like and cumbersome in corners than cars like Vios and 121. That’s due to the weight and soft tuned suspension. Those cars excel at doing long journeys than any other car in this segment. This is what I have experienced. Due to this softer suspension setting, you’ll rarely get the feeling of sticking to the seat and the car is going faster. One day I had a test, Axio 2011 and a Fit Gp5, accelerating from a stop. I know when driving the GP5 feels a whole lot faster that an Axio in any way and feels like in a totally different planet. But I was amazed seeing the Axio just went away, passing the GP5.

Sporty exterior and rich looking interior of the Sorento would definietly catch the eyes of anyone. Opposed to that Montero has a boxy design plus a cheap looking interior. But remember...Hyundai and Kia vehicles start showing their age much faster than a japanese one. They might be a real bargain as a brand new import, but as used vehicle, I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. Usually korean vehicles’ interior parts start giving rattles after sometime. Even they have used nice materials, solidity is not upto the jap standards. Montero is a pretty solid vehicle with ample of spares available. 3.2 DID engine sounds like a Canter lorry, but those engines are pretty reliable. Remember to go for the Super Exceed variant, as it would give you the best options plus a really nice sound system. Both jeeps are pretty common on SL roads, but montero is more prestigious and also in a class above the Kia.

Too sad to hear your story mate. Like others said, use a cover and give something to a security person in a nearby shop. A thief had tried to rip of my Allion's mirror too, when it was being owned by my relation, and that was even when the car was parked in the hospital. Luckily the security person had arrived on time, and still has the signs of cut by a hot blade.

Using the double tape would leave some gap. What about using rivets?

Briefly I would advice you to stay away from a 5 year old hybrid. Most Aquas had to go through pre-mature battery failing problem is SL. One of my close friend had to replace the battery around 70000km. Also don’t buy a hybrid to park it inside the garage for most of the week. Better to do around 30-40km per day to keep the battery on safe side.