KingSasanka

No Navara users here ?

Police know the persons who are involve in stealing & buying those stolen goods but they will not act and you know the reason well. You have to protect your property by only your efforts. Security Alarm and a dog are good options.

One of my friends had the same issue with his Aqua and he decide to have a dog in the house. He bought a Rottweiler puppy. If you have enough garden space, this would be ideal. Good luck.

Initially I was thinking of upgrading my old car to a new Hybrid (either to Toyota Aqua or to Honda GP) but with this falling rupees, the prices have shot up on those aforesaid models considerably. Now I am thinking of going for a used Nissan Navara (around 2008 model / Diesel / Auto) ISO a Hybrid. What do experts here think of this change of plans? Thanks in advance.

I have seen car sellers advertising that Five (05) Free Services will be given for the Toyota Aqua cars buying from them. Is it really true? I was told by someone that only the labour will be free and you will be charged for the oil etc. Can someone have experience enlighten please? Thanks in advance.

Plenty of Solar powered and motion detection lights are available on eBay.

Something good on a rainy / foggy day. http://www.ebay.com/itm/181641071634?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Cool something on a Sunny day. http://www.ebay.com/itm/181469679976?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Thanks guys for your valuable inputs. Looking for Hybrid is to save on fuel cost and I am OK with Aqua look but Honda is special. The comment on re-sale value is likely to be the tipping factor. Thanks again.

I am planning to replace my grand old lady (Nissan AD Wagon YoM 1999 & Registered in 2001) with a Hybrid. Maximum I would be able to stretch is 3.5 Million and wondering I should go for Toyota Aqua (2014 – S Grade) or Honda GP (2014) model. Expert’s opinions are sought on · Comparative performance parameters, · Likely maintenance cost (as she grows old), · Re-sell value after 5 years from now, · Any other important issues that I have to be aware of, before make the plunge, Thanks in advance.

How much would it cost me, if I entrust you to do it for me?

Thanks everyone & the typo was corrected now. I was interested in one of the Hybrids and they have electronic odometers. Therefore, I think it is better to get the vehicle tested and get a report from the Agents before buying. Thanks once more.

What are the Tell Tale signs (not so obvious even) of tampered / altered odometers? Thanks in advance.

Thanks NPP. This was what I was looking for.

So what does G and or S stand for ? None of the links given have not covered this. As a layman, am I to assume that G stands for Good and S for Satisfactory or any other meaning or none seems to know what they really stand for?

Thanks. But I am more confused than I was before.

Sadly, no one is taking this posting seriously.

Most car sellers online have indicated some grading system in their advertisements. "Auction Grade G, Grade S" etc. I was wondering how to decipher these codes. Can someone help me please? Thanks in advance.

Thank guys and it was enlightening.

This I came across in another forum and thought of sharing, in case if it will help another. This is some technical info about cars with auto transmission gears . The story is directly related to something happened to me during last few days. Non of the four garages visited by me diagnosed the troubles of my car and I almost lost few laks of money due to wrongly diagnosing and actions done by mechanics. That is why I give this information to others. One of the garages is said to be operated by a BSc qualified Engineer. (not Mr Alawaththa) The entire episode is related to a gadget called 'Inhibitor switch' and I found no one in those repair places knew correctly about it. I write this because the know-how may help someone someday. This is a long story. If you are not interested in 'gadgematics' do not read it. In auto geared (automatic transmission) cars you can see the gear position in the dash board. When you change the gear lever to P, N, D , R or 1/2 positions it is indicated by lighting the correspondent bulb in the dash board. Power supply to the starting motor is also connected through the gear lever . Power to the starting motor is only connected when you place the lever in P or N positions. Hence in other positions you cannot start the car. My problem started with erroneous indications in the dash board. When I changed to D to run the vehicle it shows N although the car runs at D. When the troubles continued I couldn't start the car at P but sometimes it get connected at R or even D. At the same time when I change the gears the engine shake like doing it half clutch in manual cars. When I changed from N to D to start running it made 'dug' sound with big shake in the engine and it jump forward with unusual high power. At this stage I consulted garage people, two places. One fellow had a test run and diagnosed 'gear cable malfunctioning' or kebal eka edila. So you have to replace the cable to get the correct indication in the dash board. For the shaking of the engine , he suspected broken engine mounts . I went to a reliable cable repair place near Subadrarama temple closer to Gram Sabha junction, Nugegoda . They correctly said no error in the cable and didn't charge me a cent and asked me to check the 'gear changing switch'. I did not know where is this switch initially. Later I found that is called the Inhibitor Switch and located externally at the top of the gearbox . I went to another garage I know. They inspected and gave reasons for the shaking of the engine when changing from N to D. Diagnosed: Engine mount failure. Some mounts broken or loosened. Replacement cost 6500 + 7500 x 2 = approx 30,000.00 He also suggested changing of the gear cable. He almost started the job but fortunately, I had an important work and took the car away. At this stage I could start the car at D or R positions and not P or N. Apart from the big shake at changing N to D or from N to R, I had no trouble when running. I was instructed by the both places if I can start at D and do the running there will be no problem at all, irrespective of what indicated in the dashboard. Sir, that is just to show you the lever position and nothing else, they said. Within one week another major trouble started. I felt the gearbox is working only at 1 and 2 gears. Normally it should change 1 to 2 at pickup and then to 3 to top levels with the increasing speed, automatically. Now it changes only once, from lowest to the next . I could not run beyond 35kmph and RPM was much higher than usual. Again I took the car to the garages . Now the diagnosis was gearbox failure. As per the experts, all the troubles I had before were signs of this final outcome. Some wheels or parts of the automatic gearbox has damaged and you can't run the car with it. Only Low gear wheels are not broken yet. Repairing is not advised and what they do normally is fixing a new gearbox. Cost of a used imported gearbox is around 135-150,000.00 No other option now. I have to find two lakhs. The total job: Engine mounts : 30,000.00 Gearbox 150,000.00 Inhibitor switch 6000.00 labour cost 25,000.00 approx. Total 211,000.00 I was not satisfied at all about these garage people in the whole drama. I asked them the functioning of the Inhibitor switch in deep buy they couldn't give me satisfactory answers. As per them the switch is to track your lever position and indicate it in the dash board and cut the ignition power when you are not at Parked or at Neutral . Nothing else. I felt suspicious. All started with wrong indication of gear positions at the dashboard . That means the inhibitor switch is broken. After that the engine and the gearbox started malfunctioning. Hence, without letting others to remove the broken gearbox I decided to check the inhibitor switch my self. I removed the battery and its underneath panel to open inhibitor switch area. Normally it is placed under battery at the top of gearbox. (see image) There was a lever to connect it to the gear cable. The cable is connected to the hand stick inside the car. Inhibitor switch rotates when you change the gears and connect particular wires to send current to dashboard and other places. I removed and dismantled the switch and found the plastic 'hand' inside was broken. Hence bought a new one paying 5,500/- with 15% discount. I connected the new one to the wires and then fixed it to the gearbox . The correct positioning of gearbox and the switch can be achieved using indicator holes. They are aligned at N position. Then you have to place the gear lever (inside the car) at N position and connect the cable to the lever at top of the switch . In this way you place N inside the gearbox, N at the switch and N at the gear lever fixed to each other. Connecting current wires to the switch was the most difficult job. It has 9 connectors. After fixing everything I started the car. Changed to D. Nothing happened. For a second I thought even first gear is not functioning. Within second car started to move. I accelerated and had a run . Amazingly everything became normal . Gear changing is as good as or even better than a new car, done at correct speeds very smoothly . No shakes. No wrong indicator lights. RPM much lover . No mount problems. Gearbox is perfect. All the trouble was due to disconnected Inhibitor switch. Not only to the dashboard, it connects power to reverse light and connects some lines to the car computer. Actually gear controlling computer 'sees' the gear position using the signal from Inhibitor switch. Without the correct signal the controller cannot guide the gearbox to change the gears smoothly. That makes it behave badly. If anybody get this type of problems better to check and replace this switch before going for big work or replacements. Later I realized there is a designers laziness involved here. Instead of getting feed back from the gearbox to 'show' the gear position to the controller, the designers has done it in a very bad way. They fixed a switch in between the the hand gear lever and gearbox and monitor the gear cable to determine what inside the gearbox. If the gear cable elongated or some connectors in the switch weathered or broken its signals become not tallying with actual position. As the controller is blind to see the actual gear box and they made it to 'think' the signal from the switch is from the gearbox it guides the gearbox wrong way. My total cost was 5,500/- +travelling. By doing it myself I saved approx 200,000.00. http://investorsentiment.forumotion.net/t4788-technical-stuff-not-stocks-inhibitor-switch#35939

Thanks.

Thanks everyone for your valuable inputs and soon I will post where I have ended up finally.

Navara was in my mind, but high Servicing costs / bigger tyre sizes etc are holding me back. If I get a Auto Gear Navara (not made in Thailand) for around 3 million, I would be interested. Thanks again and I will look at the other models that you have suggested above.

Including the value of my present car ( I was offered 1.5 Million by a broker recently), I am willing to stretch up to 3 million the most. Thank guys for your inputs.

Thanks. I do not do much running except on the E1 and back (visit our farm). Bit is extra space would be something welcome on my return trip (with little bit of this and little bit of that from the farm). Driving 1300, I felt, it would be better to have a bit of more power too on E1, most days (boring ride). Thanks again and awaits others to express their views / opinions too. Good day to all.

Presently I am having Nissan AD wagon (First series English numbers) manufactured in 1999 but registered in Sri Lanka in 2001. I was thinking of an upgrade (with part exchange) to a hybrid (Honda GP1 or Toyota Aqua) but with the new hybrid tax introduced that I had to scuttle that idea owing to financing issues. I have looked around and shortlisted Nissan Tiida and Suzuki Swift (around 2008-2010) models are as my likely upgrades. The experts / veterans idea is sought to know whether my choices are good or are there better options available in the current market place. I do not want to over stretch my ability to pay and maximum I can guess is not to exceeding 3 million (including the present value of my car). Thanks in advance.