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  1. Agreed, but the lanes are not wide enough. They should have had 3 lanes to allow heavy vehicles to run on, people find it hard to overtake them on the Colombo-Negombo road as it is. Moreover these vehicles should not be traveling at 100kmph+, & some of them are in pretty bad state & don;t even have working indicators or brake lights so they should be checking their road worthiness prior before being allowed on, which is highly unlikely. The idea of a 40ft container fishtailing at high speed or not being able to slow down in a hurry doesn't sound too appealing. They should be allowed on, but to run at slower speeds. This would still make the journey faster than the normal routes as the speed would be constant.
    3 points
  2. Soon after your puberty MINIACE
    3 points
  3. LancerL, the problem is components inside a petrol engine is designed to run with petrol which is a liquid not gas. Gas over time causes valve seats etc to regenerate. A proper gas conversion should actually replace these components with a type suitable for running gas, which is what factor manufactured gas fuel cars have. Like everybody else my personal recommendation is not to bother!
    2 points
  4. The idea behind this document is to create a guide to buying a used car in Sri Lanka. This is just my preliminary draft, and if it's useful I hope the experts here will add/edit it, and create a final detailed guide, which maybe could be posted somewhere in autolanka (if they think its useful) Buying a used vehicle in Sri Lanka (This applies to purchase of a used car regardless of the price/age, and applies to all registered and 'reconditioned' vehicles.) 1. tests you can perform: ================ Engine ==== Before starting: - check the engine oil. Is it at the correct level? Yes: OK/Owner topped up No: Owner does not top up, engine burning oil, etc Color of oil - Light brown/colorless - engine is running reasonably good/recent service - black - engine running bad/never serviced Note: diesels tend to have dark/black engine oil After starting Did it start easily? Yes: OK No: problems in engine/battery/starter motor/tune/etc. does the exhaust show visible smoke (white, black, bluish or grey smoke)? this coud indicate engine problems such as oil burning, worn engine etc. -- note: diesels do occationally smoke a bit, especially under acceleration does it maintain operating temperature? - listen to the engine in idle - do you hear clattering, rattling, or any odd sounds? they could indicate various problems ranging from bent valves to broken mounts? note: diesels are somewhat louder than normal gasoline engines Test drive =========== Lets say you decide to go for a test drive.. .. Step out of the vehicle, and ask the owner to get it out of his driveway/car sale etc. As he does this observe the vehicle, and see if it smokes or struggles during the procedure. Look at the place where the vehicle was parked. If there is visible engine oil/coolant, etc this could indicate problems in the vehicle. (water may be visible from the car's A/C, this is normal). Ask the owner to drive you: 1. Along a rough road (so you can test the suspension) 2. On a good road, ask the owner to drive up to at least 56km/h (or whatever local speed limit) so you can see how the vehicle performs at high speed. Turn OFF the radio and A/C and listen to the car for rattles/hums Tip: a hum from front/rear may indicate need to replace wheel bearings (or what our people refer to as razors) - Stop the car and ask the owner to back up a small hill, and observe the car exhaust for smoke, this is a good test of the clutch/etc. Actual test drive: - First make sure the vehicle has insurance and road licence which are valid. Ask to see them. Then test drive the vehicle very carefully. Make sure you have a good flat road and there is very little traffic. Remember its an unfamiliar vehicle and proceed with caution. First, test the clutch and brakes. The clutch should engage neatly before releasing the pedal fully. If it engages very late, it could mean a blown clutch plate. If there are clutch/brake problems, don't drive any further, and ask the owner to resume driving. And ask yourself whether you are sure you want to buy this car, from someone who couldnt even do basic maintenance. Reviewing the owner How the owner behaves during the test drive can give you a clue of how s/he uses the vehicle in real life. For example: - Does he roll down the window and drive (even though there is an A/C) - this may indicate that the A/C rarely worked. - Does he drive like a rally driver (in which case you can buy the car if you are willing to buy an extra engine, transmission and suspension) How has s/he spent on the car? If he has spent a lot on cosmetics while ignoring real existing mechanical problems, then you should probably consider another car. Is s/he straightforward and honest? Does what the owner says match up to what you see? For example, if the owner said the car had 2 owners in total and the log book copy shows 4 owners, then they could be lying about other things, and you should be cautious. Sometimes owners make mistakes, or simply don't know an answer, but overall if the owner appears to be honest and straightforward, that is a positive sign. [Ask Questions As you review the car, ask questions from the owner. If you see anything odd, ask about it. If the owner is honest and straightforward, its a positive sign. Try to gauge how much of what the owner is telling is the truth. A good way to do this is to pretend you don't know something and ask a question. After the test drive ============ After you return to the owners house/car sale, ask the owner to pop the hood and inspect the engine. - check temperature management. The gauge inside the car should be half or less. Aside from the gage, the engine should be reasonably managing temperature and the fans should be working properly. - Carefully tap the radiator cap with the tip of your finger. If it burns your finger off, the temperature management isnt good. Similarly the engine bay should not be boiling hot (unless it's a Nissan ) Physical inspection of vehicle ===================== 1. Visual inspection: simply look at the car - see if the lines are straight. Look at the paint. Uneven areas could indicate repainting. - look at the wheel arches. Look at the brakes. Look under the car (front/rear) If possible, take the car to a service station and inspect the underneath. If this is not possible, try to look under the car and see what is visible at least - (carry a flashlight with you when you go to see the car). - look for rust, damage, etc. - look at the engine compartment. Are there odd wires and do things look as if they have been messed with? Sometimes legitimate mods (e.g. alarm systems, aftermarket headlamps) require new wiring but if you see a mess inside, it probably means the wiring has been messed up by local mechanics in which case you should think carefully whether you really want this car. - (If the vehicle is cold) carefully open the radiator cap - check if it contains coolant, and if there is any signs of oil (could indicate a head leak) Look at the engine. If it has a slight layer of dust its OK. If it is shiny and has a layer of oil that means it has been washed at a service station. I prefer a car which has a normal slightly dusty engine vs one that has been washed and scrubbed to 'look' new. - look for leaks in radiator pipes. (with the engine off) remove the engine oil cover - if you can see nice clean silver metal with perhaps yellow brown color (engine oil) this is a positive sign. (note: diesels do tend to have dark/black engine interior, this refers to gasoline vehicles only). - Look at the fluid levels of the various fluids (power steering, brake fluid, auto transmission if auto) - if they are not up to level it could indicate leaks or careless owner. - if the vehicle is hot you may be able to open the radiator overflow tank (be careful) and check if he uses coolant. Not using coolant indicates: 1. Owner is an idiot 2. Radiator has leak and owner is topping it up with ordinary water. Either case, don't buy the car. 2. Tap test gently tap the body of the car, with a fingernail (dont rap it loudly) as you walk around. Check the hood, front left and right side and back carefully, also doors (as these are the main accident prone areas). Other general ideas: - Ask the owner what maintenance was performed. If he tells you a list of things replaced/repaired, this is usually a good sign and means the owner took some effort to look after car. - check the mileage? Mileage can be modified - but if it corresponds with the appearance of the vehicle then it could be accurate. - ask for receipts particularly for the timing belt/clutch etc HAS THE VEHICLE BEEN SERVICED/WASHED? If the owner was so cheap that he couldn't service the vehicle before he sold it, then do you really want to buy a car from him/her? *Exception*: Sometimes the owner may be actively using the car in which case it may be a bit dusty but all the same he/she should have washed/serviced/detailed the car within a few days of deciding to sell it. Now Consider the actual condition of the vehicle and make a list of all problems you encountered: Scenario 1: vehicle has major problems which can be fixed ===================================== for example: - Clutch plate gone. - brakes not too good. -minor suspension probs (e.g. weak shocks). - minor engine probs (e.g. poor tune up). Indicates that the seller was a cheap idiot (or typical local) Verdict: Buy with caution, knowing there could be other existing problems, and repair BEFORE YOU DRIVE said vehicle. Scenario 2: Vehicle has minor problems which can be fixed later ========================================= - A/C not running cold enough. - Minor dings, dents, scratches. - Minor cosmetic issues. Verdict: Buy the car, but set aside money to fix those problems later on. Scenario 3: Vehicle has major problems which can't be fixed easily =========================================== - Chassis problems (cracks/bent chassis) - major engine problems (e.g. grey/white/black smoke, burning oil, head gasket leaks) - major suspension/mechanical problems - gearbox problems which would necessitate replacing gear box... so on. Verdict: don't buy the car, unless you own a garage, have a million to spare, or are plain crazy. Other costs Aside from the above, there are a number of things you usually have to do, when purchasing ANY used car. These usually include: - Insurance & road licence. - 4 tires. - full service/oil change/air filter etc. - brake pads/etc - New battery (if existing battery not too good). - Timing belt (if close to 100k km's or multiples of that). Many people will say they replaced the belt, they could be lying. It's easier to spend 10k and replace it than to undergo a broken belt and engine rebuild. If they have replaced the belt, you can get a good garage to visually inspect it. signs of a good vehicle: - Vehicle is clean. (As in, the owner has washed, cleaned, and serviced it.) - is in good mechanical condition (good engine, transmission, suspension, brakes, body) - owner has focused on maintaining the mechanical condition of the vehicle - Vehicle has been maintained properly and scheduled maintenance has been done, e.g. brakes, clutch, timing, etc have been replaced at the proper intervals as necessary. - owner cares about vehicle, services regularly, engine oil is not dirty - owner is upfront and honest about any flaws. - owner uses a good garage for maintenance, and used original/quality components Suggestion 1: To all the experts here, can you please add your comments/suggestions tips on buying a used car. Suggestion 2: Would it be possible for Autolanka readers/Admins to set up a car pricing guide? This could be something updated regularly to show average true market values (like edmunds.com) and be useful to people looking to purchase a car. If any Autolanka readers have suggestions on what they check when buying a used car, please add them here. Update: Top gear have some excellent tips here:
    1 point
  5. Hi, I heard about a circuit which can fix to any 5Fwd cars/vans to increase the fuel Consumption extra 20-30%. See below ads, http://allinone.lk/index.php/clasifields/item/10_services/53_electronic-fuel-server- http://www.autobase.lk/directory/find/category/0/city/0/page/16/keyword/- I'm using a Mitsubishi ASP model (1991) Manual car (1500cc engine). It does only 8-9Km/1ltr within city limits. I thought to fix this equipment (only Rs 2500-2900) to my car but need an advice before making the deal. I called them to check more details and they said that it worked for 3000+ cars so far. Please advise. Regards, Irosh
    1 point
  6. I have posted about Ultrasonic cleaning in detail in a previous thread. By the way it is the best way to clean the injectors. In summary the injectors are removed with care. Placed in a bath and Ultrasonic waves applied. The Ultrasonic waves resonant with the micro particles and dislodge them. At the end you get a well cleaned injector. Then they can proceed to a fuel flow pattern and fuel flow volume test. This will show you about any further blockage and also about any malfunctioning injector. I have done this at D**O and they are professionals in doing this. Now your injectors are clean, but not the intake manifold, fuel lines, combustion chambers etc...You may need to do a throttle body cleanup, air system intake cleaning and probably an additive to the fuel tank. Good products are available in SL. By the way above is the full procedure for cleaning the fuel system. BUT, as Sylvi suggested please focus on your problem. Because some of above or all may not be applicable. If you can be more specific, we may be able to help.
    1 point
  7. 'osanda19', Fuel savers never work if they work manufactores will fix them to their Automobiles there are number of patents in USA. MOST EXPERIMENTED FUEL SAVER IS MAGNETIC SAVER. Some time back big timer imported the system to srilanka and had very good advertising and a marketing team to market them that too failed. I have build the electro magnet fuel saver according to USA specs but that too failed. If the importer agrees to your conditions fix same and give your report. Sylvi Wijesinghe.
    1 point
  8. http://youtu.be/jou8JA-lxt8 R.I.P Ronnie James Dio (July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010)
    1 point
  9. 'osanda19', This subject discussion was there early on the A/L forum. If you belive them you can try. Request for money back letter of guarentee. After 30 days trial.Or pay in 30 days if it works. Sylvi Wijesinghe.
    1 point
  10. 'arun-online', First of all do you have any problem how many kilometers your vehicle had done. What made you think to do this job only if there is a fuel effciency drop or any other miss on the engine, you have to attend to EFI clean up. Do not misunderstand my post. Sylvi Wijesinghe.
    1 point
  11. 1+ the area i live in is shared by a lot of container traffic. gotta say those guys dont stick to speed limits as it is. most of them speed down even narrow roads. the only reason accidents are a little less cos everyone one else have no choice but to get out of their way. If those trucks are allowed to speed down on E01, it will be a death trap to other road users. The road is not wide enough to people to avoid a pileup. Also on the topic of transport through trains, imo...developing that is a much better solution for the long term. We have a decent rail network and it's the mis-managment and lack of planning that hasn't got it anywhere.
    1 point
  12. You just get the shell and a bmw diesel engine under the permit scheme. So it probably might fit in the permit bracket. However, it will be the 328i that will be launched first. So it will take some time for the 320d to come in. Also, I doubt if the f30 will be stripped down by the BMW AG just to meet the permit scheme of SL unlike which they did for the e90, which was a model being phased off at the time
    1 point
  13. Let the mechanic remove the injectors and give u. Also let him remove the throttle body, fix new plugs (if necessary) and change air/fuel filters (if necessary) Ultrasonic for injectors. I've only done it at ASNU @ Talangama Koswatte 011 2888898. Not sure about the areas you mentioned. Perhaps a resident in that area can help. Around 6000 if filters and plugs need replacing
    1 point
  14. It's actually a good idea to allow heavy vehicles on expressways. Development of a country like Sri Lanka depends heavily on road transport of goods, because our railway system is cr*p, we don't have stable internal waterways and air freight is virtually non-existent. By all means, cargo should be allowed on the expressways. BUT the drivers should be trained and certified for expressway driving and heavy vehicles should be inspected prior to letting in to E01. Hope this happens before the first pile-up on the E01.
    1 point
  15. Both Toyota And Honda have pretty reliable Hybrid systems. if you ask me to choose i would go with the Toyota. My girlfriend owns a Civic hybrid and its been running great except for the Cvt transmission vibration (if you get regular transmission flushes with Honda CVT Fluid this problem will come in at higher mileage). on the other hand Toyota, i haven't heard anything wrong with their system. i have seen a Camry hybrid taxi with 280,000 Miles in Washington D.C with still original parts until this day. i have also seen quite a few Prius's making up to 200,000 mile mark. if you look at statistically, battery failures in hybrids are very low. All batteries reduce its capacity and eventually fail. Longevity of the battery depends on the weather, how often you drive the car and the luck.
    1 point
  16. hahaha "we can do it without any harm to any person or any place" good ol days
    1 point
  17. You dont make sense. Just cos you use the word 'maybe' doesnt mean you can ramble any shit that's in your head. Maybe your mom accidentally or purposely dropped you on your head when you were a baby.
    1 point
  18. carboy2011 !! yes, here we can see few versions of TRAD sunny. 1.Half light version 2.Full ight version Half light version 1.4FWD version with semi optioin ( A/C P/S ) black carburator model. came with 1300cc engine 2.5FWD version with full option Ex Saloon 1500CC carburator model. 3.5FWD version with full option Ex SaloonGII vertion 4.5FWD version with full option Super Saloon 5.5FWD version with full option Super Saloon Velvet interior 1500cc EFI engine which called highest grade on Half light vertion. Full Light Version 1.4FWD version with semi optioin ( A/C P/S ) black carburator model. came with 1300cc engine (B12) 2.5FWD version with semi optioin ( A/C P/S ) Electric carburator model. came with 1500cc engine (a) one came with semi option luxary interior (FB12) ( other one came with normal interior ( may be B12) 3.5FWD Ex saloon vertion Full option Electric carburator model. came with 1500cc 4.5FWD Super saloon vertion Full option Electric carburator model. came with 1500cc 5.5FWD version with full option Super Saloon Velvet interior 1500cc EFI engine which called highest grade on Half light vertion. chk the ad # Full light 5fwd vertions are having a good market than other ones. fuel consumption is between 12-15kmpl. these i have leared when i was hunting for a trad sunny few years back. i may be wrong on some informations. if so pls correct me. Good Luck !!!!!
    1 point
  19. For a fast bike you must ask the new nestomalt ad girl (Chathurika Peris). Shes got a bike that can even outrun 4x4's damn! btw congrats on your new bike carbon have fun!
    1 point
  20. As for me the HV battery is the least of my worries. It's The auxiliary 12v battery which will die after 5 years. Recently I did a general inspection of my car at Toyota Lanka. The inspection covered comprehensive analysis of the hybrid system as well as mechanical parts. My car is 4 years old and both batteries are still healthy.
    1 point
  21. Tks watchman, just didn't see it coming
    1 point
  22. It referrs to numbers like 1111, 7777 etc which kinda look cool. Btw, I hope you realize that you're reading an article from 2005.
    1 point
  23. Hi, When i went through the following link http://www.lankabusi...p?nid=487115293 I found the wordings "vanity Plates" & "Golden Numbers", Can anyone elaborate on this, Thank you
    1 point
  24. Im not quite sure of the resale value since the battery of hybrid vehicle is expensive, when you use the car for more than 3 years, then I think the resale value will be lower to that of a conventional gasoline or diesel vehicle since you have to replace the battery. I just calculated the cost of fuel for a normal gasoline vehicle and a hybrid for a period of 5 years and added the value of a battery to the hybrid car, then the cost was more or less the same.
    1 point
  25. As a Prius gen2 user I can comment only on this. Fuel economy combined 21km/l. Maintenance is almost same or less than conventional vehicles since it's hybrid system is very reliable. There are few places which bring down spare parts. And few places to do maintanance including toyota lanka. Resale value is high at the moment as there is a big demand. There are very few known issues related to the hybrid system.
    1 point
  26. The answers to most of your questions aren't available since both cars only entered the market last year. So we can't comment on things like resale value, availability of spares, known issues as most of them haven't broken down or sold yet. The only thing to point out is that the hybrid synergy drive of the Prius is a much more advanced and efficient system than the Insight (the prius is a true hybrid able to blend in power from the battery and the engine simultaneously rather than one or the other)so theoretically it should have better fuel consumption. It is also the best selling Hybrid in the world so if I really wanted a Hybrid it will be the one I will chose. For reviews go to parkers.co.uk and select the model.
    1 point
  27. It's registered as an invalid carriage... meaning a vehicle to be used by a disabled person. There are three wheelers, cars, vans and also there is one Peugeot 406 I am aware of, that uses PZ- plates. Many of these vehicles were bought by ex-service personnel, who were disabled in action. I believe there were significant tax concessions for these vehicles. However, it is unclear whether the vehicle will continue to retain PZ- plates or not, when it is transferred, because the purpose of these vehicles is for use by disabled persons and if it is transferred to a non-disabled person, the purpose of the vehicle is changed. Also note that if the PZ- plates are to be changed, the vehicle class also must change (ie. from Invalid Carriage to Motor Car). There may also be taxes involved. If you are contemplating on buying one, it's best to avoid it.
    1 point
  28. Hey, how old is your mom?
    1 point
  29. Too bad you didn't start a post earlier. But good. Ta ta. Good bye. Don't let the door hit you on your way out.
    1 point
  30. ha ha.... guess this hybrid thing has two extreme for and against crowds.... makes our otherwise routine days a bit brighter... because lets face it... no matter what most people in SL want a car to go from point A to point B in 100 Rs or less... u cant really blame them.... for them its starting the car pushing the accelrator, go, park, come back..
    1 point
  31. Ha ha ha..!! Good fun. What about a third option, "Dont know. Maybe the guy is just plain old stupid." You should also vote Californican mate..!
    1 point
  32. i drove 2 vtec eks for 3 years and this is what i experienced. eks are very famous for uneven ware out of tyres no matter how many times you get your alignments checked. D15 B engines are famous for idling issues and need frequent cleaning of idle control valve. all the door stoppers (detent rods) tend to make noses and becomes rough when time passes. both ek and eg is famous insufficient air condition due to the small condensers they use. a lot of ek's have issues with front windshield beeding since it tends to go out of shape and need replacing. rear suspension tends to give you enough troubles if the trailing arm bushes and other links are not genuine or not in good condition. oil leakages from tappet cover packing is something you would experience after the engine runs about 120k kilometers. Theres absolutely nothing wrong with the CVT GEARBOX. its just that people didnt know how to maintain them. be ready to replace the power antenna after some time (if you have got a one in your car!) thats all i could retrieve at this odd time of the day
    1 point
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