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alpha17

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Everything posted by alpha17

  1. I would rather go with the trustworthy car with all the records. If non of them have the records, better off with the Vios. A relation of mine owns a pre-facelift Vios. With the body kit, spoiler and factory fitted alloy wheels, Vios looks much cooler than the Axio, but still it’s just a Yaris or a Belta with 1500cc engine. It’s not comfortable or well put together than the Axio. The engine is considerably rough than the one in the Axio, while sharing the same(due to some minor changes in JDM models). But performance wise Vios is better. You’ll get more options than the Axio X grade since the Vios has almost all the options available in the Axio G grade. Has a better audio system with those parcel shelf speakers, which can easily be upgraded with high end ones. Then the Vios has a sportier ride while the Axio is more comfort oriented. AFAIK, the 2010 Vios also shares the 4 speed auto box compared to the CVT box in the Axio, while the latter should be taken care of more frequently. So it’s your decision..
  2. So after a long time, decided to leave a post for this thread. It’s simple less no of cars = less amount of information So people are curious and would attract for a lower priced, well maintained alternative than a Toyota. I remember when I was new to this forum, I had made up my mind to go for an Axela or an ES5. But finally ended up with a Toyota which served me for 7 years without any issue. Then for the 2nd time, my mind was like playing badminton between Lancer EX and FD1 but finally ended up with another Toyota. Toyotas are all alike. Boring to drive, but reliable and comfortable. But Honda, Mazda and Mitus are more engaging. Many places know how to repair a 121 and parts can be found everywhere. But that’s not the case with above mentioned brands. Some parts like genuine filters are hard to find and mechanics are rare around my hometown, so I ended up with a Toyota. Still I bring down all the required genuine spares from the agent and get them installed by a trustworthy mechanic....So not much of a difference ne??
  3. Yes, I should take her to some gearbox expert...When I changed the mounts, all of them were worn out, so it was a requirement at that time.
  4. Calibration?! This is the first time I heard that word regarding CVT..Please give me more details
  5. I don’t know what you are saying as 15-18kmpl (town, outstation or highway). For town limits, unless you travel in mid night, those figures are just a wish. A hybrid might be able to give those figures in short distances, but not in heavy traffic. Now there is a huge popularity for Raize, but would give you 1-2 more kmpl than your Swift(or maybe similar). Still it’s early to predict on their characteristics as the car is yet to be imported. Vitara would be out of your league as it has the same engine on a heavier vehicle which would give lower figures for FC. Then you are left aside with SL typical car buyers’ favorite cars. Allion and Premio. A 2013-2015 one can be grabbed in the given price bracket, where 90% of them being owned by permit holders. So most of them might be well taken care of. Better to go for less mileage one. Fuel figures totally depend on the driving style. I manage to squeeze out 20.X kmpl average figures (according to the trip computer) when traveling at 12-2 AM with a light foot recently. When traveling to places like Matara, using the highway, gives an average around 18kmpl for the whole journey (60% highway travel). With stop an go heavy traffic the figure might drop around 10-12 kmpl. For normal journeys with mild traffic with a distance of 60-70km, expect around 15kmpl. All those figures are based on the car’s on board trip computer and pumping 95. Most of the time I drive with an extremely light foot. It’s not a car to be driven enthusiastically, since on the corners, being ponderous and floaty. Still, it gives what Toyota is better doing at. Comfort and Reliability. For long journeys they outshine all the others from the same category with ample space, soft suspension, low road noise and ion generating AC. So it’s totally upto your decision. Else you can go for a hybrid like the new ugly AF Prius?
  6. Few days ago, I changed the CVT Fluid using the genuine products. Previous fluid was in pristine condition since it’s only about 18,000km after the change. But the problem is still there, without any difference. Can someone enlighten me what would be the issue, and a good place around Kandy or Kurunegala to get it fixed. thanks
  7. Does the crystalline tint reduce the dashboard’s reflection on the windscreen?
  8. New version

    ️I’m a politician but I’m not a thief

    ️I’m a prostitute but I’m still a virgin

    ️I have a 2002 Corolla 121 but it has done only 95000km?

     

    1. AVANTE

      AVANTE

      Foreign case, who has been the 1st owner of a 121 but hasn't used it much and with a genuine 95K mileage: BuT thAts noT TruE!!!

  9. I usually watch Mat Watson’s reviews on Carw*w. He’s pretty unbiased and able to review any car from a Celerio to a Flying Spur and then to a LaFerrari. He gives a well explained review of the Corolla.
  10. I’d probably stay away from Indian made Hyundai. Without a doubt it’s the Vitara to go for.
  11. This is the direct competitor for the Vitara, but for me considering the looks, the Vitara seems to have a more conservative approach while the Raize having a sporty approach. Of course the latter might become more popular. Before deciding upon one, better to compare both those models and select the best one. Still it’s early to comment on reliability and fuel figures, but “EVERYONE WHO EXPECTS TO BUY A RAIZE SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER THE VITARA”.
  12. Seems that people are eagerly waiting for the Raize. Even in the Corolla Sport video review done by the E*ak*ri, every 1 out of 5-6 comments are asking to do a review of Raize.
  13. This might be a process which could be similar to that of ERC code unlocking in japanese Toyota players. Usually there are apps for unlocking the Toyota player but here it’s a Kenwood, so the process might be different. Check this manual. But it’s in japanese language, so open it on your laptop and use google translator real time translation through camera. You can search for the the resetting topic in the Contents using the camera to translate. Sometimes they might not have it included in the manual. http://manual.kenwood.com/files/MDV-D403Full_manual_1.pdf Better to check the google and youtube for several guides, as I hope the rarity for this type of audio system makes it a bit harder to find the proper guidance to do so.
  14. Seems pretty unacceptable given the size and engine capacity of the car! Yes, you need to rev up the engine, but my Allion gives better figures (according to the trip computer).
  15. For something like this, it is not acceptable as a Merc. It’s true that lower end Mercs are not up to the quality standards that of the S classes or Maybach. But assmblu of those lights are usually done by humans, who has well trained eyes to identify those little imperfections during the assembly. Like others said, it might be a car which was repaired and sent to SL with fake documents. If it’s imported from the agent D*MO, hands down; Merc build quality problem.
  16. It’s the CV joint. But too early given the mileage of the car, unless the mileage was altered by the previous owner.
  17. Is the Merc W212 E200 pre facelift a good choice in terms of reliability? I’ve seen many commenting about Mercs return to the days before 1995 from this car. Seen few with over 150k kms looking rock solid without wear in the interiors.

    I’m not expecting Toyota like reliability, but if it has no serious issues costing 2-3 lakhs a time (like the infamous BMW N47 Timing chain failure) I wouldn’t hesitate to take one home just for sheer comfort and prestige! Seems a bargain for 7-8 million than paying for a 2016-2017 Premio. Would buy something like a Viva Elite or WagonR for bad road trips?

    1. Show previous comments  3 more
    2. tiv

      tiv

      It’s a dream to drive and sit in though, I didn’t even notice the hum after driving noisy 3pots and large diesels

    3. alpha17

      alpha17

      I also read about the airmatic problems, so it won’t be there in the E200/E220 as 99% of them has the normal adaptive dampers unless purchased as an option.

      @tiv that’s something to think? Thanks mate

    4. alpha17

      alpha17

      @tiv is it a diesel one? Seems that 2.2 cdi diesels are prone to this timing chain problem with a replacement cost around 900 euros. 

  18. Next thing they might be eyeing should be the 1000cc Civic and 1000cc Vitara?... They still cannot find an exact base to increase the taxation on them...
  19. Without even thinking further, go for the Vitara. It’s one of the “more car for what you pay” type deal, because the taxation is low, you’ll pay more for the car, which gives you a better car.
  20. Waiting till a new profile to show up named like ; “DFSK”, “Glory580”, “DFSKGlory”, “DFSK580” or likewise including DFSK related words. Still no one in the forum?

    1. Show previous comments  1 more
    2. Car Doctor

      Car Doctor

      No one will start a profile after seeing how you people are judgmentally criticizing DFSK 580. Already it’s visible in the roads! It will definitely find its way with out autolanka! 
      ( PS you can now see how Autolanka judges will chase after this post! Ha ha ha )

    3. alpha17

      alpha17

      Here comes the guy?

    4. AVANTE

      AVANTE

      It's fascinating how marketers can lose their dignity and stick to a specific car brand no matter what :0

  21. @Lahiru Sachintha I should really appreciate you for sharing these information, which might save another innocent car buyer’s hard earned money?
  22. During the last 6-7 years, the demand(mostly imports) for the Compact Crossover SUVs have been significantly increased in SL car market. This spark was first ignited by the introduction of Honda Vezel making those crossovers popular among Sri Lankans. Most car buyers started to think that having a compact SUV is pretty beneficial when poor roads scraped the underneath of their Premios, Allions and Axios. Another factor is the low engine capacity of these crossover SUVs, which is a nice invitation to the buyers in a country where almost 95% of the petrol vehicles imported have an engine capacity below 1500cc. After sometime the turbocharging craze began with the introduction of Audi Q2, Honda Civic 10th gen and Toyota CHR. With the help of turbocharging, now the power of a 2000-2400cc engine can be extracted from a 1500cc engine. Since then SUVs like CRV started doing the trick. Now most people in SL have lost their faith on the Honda’s i-DCD hybrid system in Vezel, Fit and Grace. So the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross was born… Overview We all know that as a vehicle manufacturer, Mitsubishi haven’t been much successful during the previous two decades. Even the Lancer was killed from manufacturing. But when it comes to the Eclipse Cross, seems that Mitsubishi is giving a fierce competition towards other similar SUVs in SL market such as the CRV and Vezel(a subcompact crossover SUV). One major thing that the Eclipse Cross stands above the others are the amount of options available throughout the range. On the CRV we have to step up to the top of the range model to get all the options. But with the Eclipse Cross G and G Plus (which are mostly imported to SL) have almost similar amount of options except for the infotainment system with the touch pad in the G Plus variant. What I drove is a 1.5 Turbo/CVT G variant with full time 4WD. When we talk about the exterior design, without a doubt everyone loves the front end design. Its muscular and sharp, but without being overly flashy like the body kit loaded CHRs. When we walk towards the back, we totally forget what the front end looked like. Totally different compared to the front design and for me it looks kind of awful. It looks similar to something like a Honda Insight, but always reminds me of the Pontiac Aztek (what Walter White drives in Breaking Bad) which is regarded as one of the ugliest cars of all time. But here its better than the Pontiac Aztec, nevertheless most people wouldn’t be happy with the back end looks unlike the front end. But for me, the overall design of the CRV is a bit better and looks bigger than the Eclipse Cross. So let’s move to the interior. Interior Here in the photo, it's the G Plus version, which comes with the factory fitted infotainment system Mitsubishis are famous for having cheap and plasticky looking interiors from the past. But here they have a much better interior design. It looks better and richer than what we have seen in the Outlander, which is a bit boring and less attractive with a plain design. The silver inserting with the combination of the piano black plastic panels certainly gives a rich and upmarket feel and for me, it’s the best interior I’ve ever seen from a Mitsu. But remember that those piano black panels are easy to get scratched and attract fingerprints. Dash design of the Eclipse Cross is much sportier than what you get in the CRV, even though CRV with those teak panels looks more premium(but dull) despite the awful placement of the gear shifter. If you plan to bring down one, better to go with a fully loaded one which has done few kilometers in Japan, because adding options such as sunroof and leather seats additionally cost around 400,000 LKR. The driving position is spot on with all the controls are in easy to reach positions. The position feels sporty with the steering wheel setup and the height really gives the confidence and “king of the road” feeling. This design gives you the feeling that everything is wrapped around you. All doors have soft padded armrests and plenty of spaces to store bottles and your stuff. There is a head up display which shows the speed and the digits look a bit small for me. Seats are comfortable with good side support, but they are on a little firm side. Plenty of headroom and legroom are there for all the passengers I never found it lacking space, specially in legroom department. The standard 6 speaker audio system is great when you compare with the systems you get from Toyotas. Has thumping bass (which most owners in SL are looking for) but the vocals are a bit laid off and lacks the top sparkle in the trebles. Overall most people would be in love with the system. You can squeeze out the maximum by installing something like a Pioneer or a Kenwood aftermarket player if you have the G or a lower grade. I haven’t come across the in-built unit with the touch pad in the G Plus unit, but it might be better as Mitsus always had good audio systems (mostly in the bass department) in their vehicles from a long time. I still remember cranking up the volume as a kid in a 16 Sri Mirage till the bass hits the chest. There is a one with a Rockford Fosgate audio system but I haven’t come across that system in the JDM Mitsu site. Thus they give you the option to add premium speakers for front and rear, which might be better. There are few disappointments in the interior. One is the Speedometer and the Tachometer. They have been directly taken out from something that was made in 2007-2008. Looks dated and boring as it doesn’t match with whole interior design. For me the boring to drive Toyotas have better looking meter panels even in the 2007 era. Anyway it’s only a little thing. Another problem that I had to face while driving is the Gear position of the Auto gear shift level. The indicators in the shifter panel seems misaligned with the lever and there was few times I have mistakenly put into the N instead of D after starting the car. Maybe this is because I’ve been used to the gate-type shifters. Other than that I personally don’t like the design on the seats. Looks a bit flashy, something like an Alto. So let’s move onto the part which makes this car really stands out among others.. Driving Simple. Best of both worlds. Most compact crossover SUVs have firm suspension (Vezel owners know what I’m talking about), even though they are less enthusiastic on corners. But here it’s a totally different story. I travelled on some bad roads, climbs and on a stretch. Suspension soaks up most of the potholes and imperfections on bad road while keeping the car without swaying. Comfort wise, it’s on par with cars like Axios and better than Aquas, Fits and Graces. But when you push it to a corner it stays flat without much body roll. On cornering you feel that you have plenty of grip even though it sits high. Another thing is that the car feels rigid on corners. Trust me, you can do some really enjoyable driving from this babe! I mean it has the perfect balance between comfort and handling which is a really tricky job to achieve from an economical car like this, while being a crossover SUV. I drove the CRV and for me it feels a bit choppy on bad roads. Steering is a bit of a let down when you consider with the other characteristics, because of being light and numb. But still, it is sharp. Sometimes I felt that it is not nimble as the Vezel (maybe due to the size). Then the engine. When I drove the CRV for a short distance, I noticed that the power is a bit hesitant on the lower end. But when you put your foot down the engine comes to life. I noticed the laziness in the throttle similar to what you get in a Grace or a Vezel when travelling at low speeds. I also mentioned earlier in this forum about how all the Honda i-DCD hybrid systems feel a bit hesitant to start climbing hills, and surprisingly, even being a non hybrid and a CVT, the CRV also waited a second or two to start climbing the same hill. In the Eclipse Cross, power delivery is flawless and feels punchy throughout SL street legal speed limits. I did floor the throttle for a brief time period and ended up speeding up to 120kmph without breaking a sweat. Power is always on demand and surprisingly I did not experience any issue in the acceleration department like the CRV. So thumbs up for the engine performance. But the car that I drive had the full time all-wheel drive system so there might be some improvement in grip and acceleration levels over the 2WD version. Brakes are okay, without any significant feature to highlight. The vehicle is surprisingly quiet on roads with minimal road noise levels, so you hardly feel the actual speed. When we travel around 60kmph gives the feeling of driving at 40kmph, because of this isolation. There is a slight issue and that’s the engine noise. From the outside, the engine is significantly louder than most of the 1500cc cars like Premios and Axios. The radiator fan kicks in frequently worsening the situation. The engine can also be heard as a slight whirling when traveling with a light foot, which seems as a slight noise because only a little amount of road noise is entered into the cabin. So the engine noise is highlighted. So let’s move onto economy. Economy The fuel figures are a bit like a mixed bag. When the car was brought home from Hambantota, on 92 octane, showed a figure of 12.3 kmpl which is a bit on the lower side. After few days, averaged shrunk to 6-7 kmpl territory on 92. It had 2500km on the clock when it reached home and after the 92 ran out, 95 was pumped. Still the car has rarely left the town, but gives a figure around 8.5 kmpl, which is good for a AWD vehicle. Final Words IMO, I think Mitsu have really done something this time after being out of the track for couple of years. For me, this is the best to drive among CRV and Vezel, with a nice balance between comfort and handling. I have not yet driven the Peugeot 3008, which is considered to have a better interior and better driving experience, but most people in SL would look for a Jap made vehicle. The CRV has a much more bigger and muscular looking exterior plus 7 seats, but the Eclipse Cross is better to drive and more comfier. CRV has a kind of premium looking interior with teak panels, while the Mitsu has a modern looking sporty interior. For owners who are looking for a premium feel, I think they are better off with a CRV while the ones who are looking for a sporty yet comfortable ride might be satisfied with the Eclipse Cross. Also the options like the touch pad navigation system, Head-up displays, panoramic sun roof plus the sporty front end design would like to grab attention of most buyers. Still none of us could comment on reliability department as the vehicle is very new to SL. But I will always recommend this over something like a Premio, Vezel or a CHR for bringing down for the permit, because you get car-like comfort and “go anywhere” ability with the Eclipse Cross. Only downside is the fuel economy, but I think it’s a bit early to comment on the exact figures. Therefore it’s always safer to avoid the 4WD versions. But I personally believe that a person who can afford to bring down such vehicle can handle a bit more cost for the fuel. Thank you for reading!
  23. If the UK grey imports have DCT, better to stay away from them. UK is also a country with a cold climate throughout the year. So the DCT might face the same issue here like the Vezel. What’s worse is finding the DCT clutch pack which might cost a fortune when importing to SL!
  24. What about Challenger motors in Pothuhera? They have their own spare parts shop. They’ll do it for you. Trust me, their work is the best I’ve seen so far and speedy too. A bit expensive. But totally worth it if you are living at least 50-60km closer to Kurunegala.
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