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alpha17

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Everything posted by alpha17

  1. Don't consider about the hybrids, as most of the batteries are in their last breath at the moment. If comfort and fuel is a priority then, a Toyota would suit you better, but most of them have been abused by the owners. Considering that fact, you'd be better of with something like a Mazda or Honda, but you'll have some issues when sourcing parts from Badulla area. The 141 corolla which is brand newly imported is a good choice, as most of them have been imported for permits and maintained by the agents, so you'll be getting a more trustworthy car. On the other hand it would not be economical as other Toyota cars, but easier to maintain than an Axio. A relation of mine who lives in Diyathalawa avoided the 141 in their 2008 permit, considering about the bad fuel economy.
  2. Saw an Axio Hybrid passing by, revving the engine...Man!! It sounds like a sewing machine???

    1. Show previous comments  2 more
    2. iRage

      iRage

      Why on earth would you rev a Hybrid ?

      And how on earth does @hrm no what a cat getting electrocuted sounds like ? (strangely, I do not recall my father in laws car making any weird noises in the winter...damn..now I am going to be tormented by this till I find out....and winter is still a good 2 months away !)

    3. hrm

      hrm

      @iRage It's a loud meow sound (when the engine kicks in). Then suddenly it stops (cat dies :( )

    4. alpha17

      alpha17

      I mean there is nothing left when you rev over 4000rpm... @hrm I recall what you say?. When you start the car, engine comes to life and again, after sometime, the engine stops. And the cat thing is totally true?. And one thing I recall...when the engines of the hybrids stop, the silencer makes a sound like farting:D

  3. There are ones in the Ebay, costing around $55+ shipping. Most of these parts are from chinese manufacturers, so cannot guess about their accuracy and durability. Su* L*nka and other sellers must be selling the same ones as I couldn’t find anything like a Bosch product.
  4. And of course collected the vehicle from the Union Place showroom. We should award the branch members for their devotion for delivering those DFCCs to eagerly waiting owners, on a day after several bomb blasts in a highly restricted area... At least say it’s April 2nd... This guy doesn’t even know how to lie???
  5. Sometimes having thoughts to move onto a new Civic Hatch... Only reason that keeps me pulling away is the low ground clearance, which is a must for me:wacko:

    1. Show previous comments  16 more
    2. AVANTE

      AVANTE

      @alpha17 95 on an allion is unnecessary right? Unless of course you are pumping that IOC stuff (i dont remember the name).

      Also, since it's now lower why not just slam or hellaflush that allion with some Modellista or similar body kit & add a twin turbo setup, an ECU chip & 650cc injectors along with hoosier drag radials and some brembo brakes. Just saying...

    3. iRage

      iRage

      You should know....driving around with worn out shocks is not only a safety hazard but can lead out to other components wearing out prematurely. It can even lead to interior bits starting to make little vibrations....

    4. Magnum

      Magnum

      I got like 100-120mm of ground clearance at the front of my Hiace and the front tyres are further away from the front bumper compared to a car. You get used to the lower ground clearance after a while, your driving style will change over time. For example, when you come to a start or end of a hill/slope you will get used to going over it at an angle and also start spotting the smoothest line to tackle it :D 

  6. I think that Suzuki Vitara offers more bang for the buck than the DFCC 580, but lacks 7 seating option, 1500cc turbo engine (suzuki has 1000cc turbo) and dual ac. It has all the options available in the DFCC + Safety features like Blind spot monitoring, Auto breaking etc..+Hill start assist+available panoramic sunroof etc... If the ground clearance is not an issue, I would definitely go with the CIVIC hatch which has a load of other options such as adaptive dampers...
  7. @PreseaLover welcome back mate!!
  8. I remember one of my relations used to own one during 2007-2008 era. It had a good fuel economy, but it started giving them trouble and sold after a few years. They are not built to last at all, and at that time Koreans didn’t have a good build quality. At that time, it was not a bad car at all, considering the age, but now I cannot exactly tell how reliable they are. There was a Kia Rio near our home during the same era, but that owner suffered a lot of problems from it. Due to a steering system’s failure, the car met with a crash which is a bit creepy as the car was about 3-4 years after registration. We started seeing him using his old Lancer box more often than the Rio, as it was in the motor garage for most of the time. But he told us about the good fuel economy.
  9. He never commented saying this car is built in China...I currently have an AE100, but this Chinese car is better in every way...This Chinese car's doors are heavier than AE100 and almost weighs like a Palath Sabha Pajero...It is the best hatchback for the price...It has full options...China is a nice country...They have a nice ongoing airport project....blah...blah...blah... and then at the end, the review of that particular vehicle done in Chinese or Russian
  10. One question. From which branch of Uni**d Mo**rs did you buy your car?
  11. Am I the only one who thinks this @Saranga_S +@Roshan321 IS a teenager whose father owns this DFCC 580?
  12. When I read the X-trail’s control arm thing, my mind told me @Saranga_S and @Roshan321 are having some kind of a connection. It’s really awful to see how this guy tries hard to give other members a good impression about a crappy vehicle?. Pathetic!
  13. The reason why chinese cars are not popular among people is their bad reliability in the past. As an example the Geely cars have a bad reputation in SL due to reliability issues. Same thing with the Ssangyong, which is a Korean manufacturer. For 2008 permits, Kyron and Rexton were ordered in heaps as they seemed a real bang for the buck during that era. Then after sometime, they started giving numerous trouble and after sales service was very poor. A relation of mine owns a 2016 Rexton which has done around 40,000km(brought brand new). When you grab the interior door handles to pull the door, it creeks. Closing a door gives the impression that the parts are not well put together. The seats still have the polythenes on them, but the dashboards and interior parts shows the age of the 150,000+ km done Japanese car. This is totally unacceptable for a vehicle costing around 8 million to buy, where you would be able to buy a 120 Prado which would serve without much of an issue for another 5-6 years or even a decade. I have driven the DFSK Glory, and for the price, it seems a nice bargain. 7 seater with some attractive options such as; leather seats, DVD player with reverse camera, teak panels all over the cabin...etc. Drives ok without any noticeable issue. But again, when you get inside, feels that it is not built to last. But a member who owned one explained about all the repairs he had to do during the ownership, which pretty disappointing. The 580 might have rectified most of the issues, but I personally would not pay around 6 million for a car from a manufacturer with bad reputation for reliability. Sure the 580 has some nice set of features, but most of them can be fitted to any car without much of a hassle, like the TPMS system. When I checked with the photos, most parts of the interior are made using hard and cheap looking plastics, but dunno how they long they would survive under SL conditions. I personally believe that DFSK needs more time as a car company to release more reliable products as Korean manufacturers like KIA and Hyundai took around a decade to bring their quality closer to that of japanese ones. They have proven their reliability in other countries like UK and USA. Then someone would ask, why people are going for Maruti Suzuki from India. Simple. The Marutis were here in SL for a pretty long time, and they are simple machines with no fancy electronics and heaps of sensors. So they are easy to maintain and a typical makabass would be able to fix any issue. They are reliable too even though build quality is acceptable for the value of the car(now they are overpriced). I think the DFSK 580 seems like a nice bargain for the price, but for the same price a person can get a well made and solid japanese car like the New Suzuki SX4 which would serve for another 1-2 decades without much hassle. I personally think that for any chinese vehicle, one should not pay over 4 million.
  14. I don’t think that 141’s parts are that much rare in SL, because the car had been imported in heaps for the 2008 era permits. AFAIK 141 carries the same doors of the Axio, so no worries for them. I checked the quick sale site and most of the body parts are available there. If any model had been imported in large quantities to SL, parts are available. There is a bit of rarity in parts, because they were not so popular as the Axio. Another fact is that most of the body parts importers are sourcing out parts mainly from Japan, as there were no 141s manufactured for the Japanese domestic market. But now it’s been well over a decade since the car was introduced to SL, you might not need to worry about importing body parts. But you might have to search a bit. That’s all. What you said about importing parts from Dubai is not correct, because the same car was sold in countries like Thailand and Singapore, where there are plenty of importers to source you the parts. But I don’t think that you’ll not be able to find body parts in SL, as it was a bit popular car in SL. If something cannot be found, just get it imported from Toyo*a Lan*a and the insurance guys would pass you the required amount of money. p.s - Why worry when you are from Kurunegala? There are plenty of car parts available there.
  15. C-NCAP uses economical materials for the obstacles, such as cardboards and plastics. That’s why this DFCC is having 5 stars. When you run a proper euro or jap car through the course, the C-NCAP facility can be awarded 1 or 2 stars, not the car
  16. I haven’t driven one yet. Yes, it has the Skyactive engine, which would give you a slight bump of power over the Axio, but 2-3 kmpl less. They are really good cars but the 3 which is the brand new imported version of the Axela gives less options(not even automatic climate control). For sure they are nicer to drive than a Toyota.
  17. It’s the non hybrid version that he wants mate
  18. Is it worth 4.1 million? - Yes, when compared with other Toyotas it’s better. Common problems - No any serious problems. But look if the CVT gearbox is maintained properly by changing the fluid on time (40,000km intervals). If the car has done over 100,000km, some running repairs should be done such as engine mounts, suspension, steering rack and AC compressor. Fuel economy - If carefully driven, 11-12 kmpl in traffic,16-17kmpl in long trips and around 20kmpl in highway can be achieved.(There might be 1-2kmpl differences, but trust me, the 161 is a fuel efficient car) There are some downsides I noticed. -The interior is a bit of a let down. Cheaply built, but would stand the test of time. Meter panel looks like taken out from a Vitz. -The engine is a bit unrefined and noisy when stationary, but can’t be heard when driving (This is when compared with cars like Allion and Premio) -Boring to drive with numb steering, but easier Overall I find it a bit better for long time usage than the Hybrid variant. Hybrid versions might be in their past breaths of the battery. Most of the 161 non hybrids are brought down under permits, so they have been properly taken care by the owners. That’s going to be a huge plus point when compared with the 2007 Allions and Premios which have been hacked. Any recommendations - There are Allions and Premios for the same price manufactured in 2007-2008 where you would be having an extremely narrow chance of finding a good one. They share the same powertrain, but are noticeably more comfortable and refined. The 161 is a good car for just A-B transportation with good fuel economy and less hassle for maintenance. Then you’ll have the 141 2011-2012 variant which are brand newly imported and most of them have been maintained from Toyo ** Lan**. They are designed for SL road conditions and have normal automatic gearbox (not CVT) so requires less maintenance. I prefer the look of the 141 varian over the 161 due to looks, but that’s my personal taste. Also you’ll get no Smart Key and Push start in the 141, but the interior is a bit better in the 141. The 2011-2012 version engines are a bit different than the older version, which would be better in terms of fuel economy and performance (1600cc). There are some other good cars like Mazda Axela 2009-2012 model which is more sporty to drive, but would be a bit harder to sell and harder to maintain if you are far away from a main city like Colombo, Kandy, Matara or Kurunegala.
  19. The thing is you are trying to market your company’s SUV here, where no one would be able to believe you. To cover up that you are not a marketing guy, always brings up the point that you are going to buy this, but no fair reasons are given to avoid it. Please do your DFCC marketing somewhere else. Maybe your village’s “handiye the kade” or “linda laga” people might believe you. Then bringing up the NCAP rating. Micro panda was labelled the safest compact car. But now no one buys it now. Whatever so please stop this nonsense marketing. Most of the members around here have plenty of experiences about vehicle in SL and overseas. So no one is going to believe what you are saying. Go open yourself a blog and then brag about this DFCC. @iRage shall we stop this tread? Otherwise this marketing guy would not stop posting till death.
  20. වෑව්!!! ඩී.එෆ්.සී.සී ඊස් ඕසම්! Nice try of marketing! Why don’t you advertise it on a weekend paper rather than in a forum where no one believes you?
  21. With your requirements, you’ll have to look for a Toyota. Allion and Premio will fit into your budget, facelifted 240 series or 260 series. Go for a one with all the service records, but good examples are pretty hard to come by. They are good cars for fuel economy and comfort but if you’re a person who enjoys driving, you’ll have to look elsewhere(Honda or Mazda, but your requirements would not be met). Be patient and find one. Also you’ll be able to get a 1000cc unreg Vitz, which is not a bad car either, as it would be less of a hassle to maintain. When going for a car like Allion/Premio always set aside at least some money for the running repairs such as AC compressor, engine mounts, steering rack or the suspension. In that case Vitz is better, as you’ll get a newer car. Don’t go for a hybrid if you don’t do at least 1500km per month. If so, go for a one with a newly replaced hybrid battery. Again, you’ll have the 2007-2010 Axio. This shares most of the mechanical parts with the Allion/Premio, so the same story applies here. Always make sure that the mileage is correct. Ask for the service records and eco test reports to confirm the mileage. Patience is the No.1 requirement when buying a used car in SL. Make sure to get the help of a person who can assure you that the car has not been met with any accidents. Never be in a hurry to grab one. Again, if you prefer buying an unreg Vitz from a car sale, make sure to get a help from a friend to check whether the auction sheet is true, as most of the unreg cars sitting in sales might be repaired ones with altered auction sheets. There is an page is fb who search whether the auctions sheet is an original one. Good luck!
  22. That’s some job?. Still I even don’t have the guts to take off the doors of my 5yr old car. I installed a Bose spare tyre subwoofer from a Mazda 6, but didn’t ran the wires from the battery. A crossover is needed to squeeze out the max, so plan to get a passive FMOD one.
  23. First of all, the review is a joy to read with a bit of humor sprinkled. Really enjoyed reading it!!! Totally unbiased... Thumbs up for that??? There were some interesting facts I came to know about this new kid on the block. One is that it has JBL sourced speakers, which really makes me eagerly waiting for one to be tested out. What are the modifications you did to the Bose system in the Leaf? I’d really like to know? Again, a great and honest review??
  24. I would personally stay away from the 3008. The car is still new, so we cannot guess how it would held up against SL weather. Also the Peugeots are famous for not-being-reliable. But design wise Peugeot wins. Montero would be the safest bet, because the 2013-2014 models have been here since 2006 with being subjected to minor changes. Another fact is that it is built to last. I personally don’t like the interior designs and materials used(too plasticy and the interior is not plush when compared with something like a prado). But I would held up well against a lot of abuse for a long time. The engines and gearboxes have been here for decades so maintaining one in any place around SL would not be a problem.
  25. The 260 would be slightly better because the CVT keeps the engine spinning at the most efficient rpm. During long trips the 260 would definitely give better fuel figures. There are few points that you should be aware of: A budget closer to 4million is the territory of the lowest priced 260s show up and highest priced 240s show up. So you’ll be having a marginally better chance of getting a good 240, but you might be paying closer to that of the price of a 260. Again getting a newer car is always the best thing, but most of the 240 and 260 are beaten to death by now. So you’ll have to be extremely careful. Considering the 260, it’s a bit harder to maintain than the 240(cvt gearbox requires oil changes at every 40,000km, otherwise the unit will fail)and the AC compressor, engine mounts and shock absorbers require replacements around 100,000km. But most of the 260s might be well over 120,000kms so you’ll only be having some minor fixes to be done. 240 is easier to maintain in every way, because the powertrain is simple and parts are a bit cheaper. But 260 is a bit more comfortable and powerful than the 240. I had a 121(which shares most of its parts with the 240 such as engine and gearbox )previously and now I own a 260. 121 was cheaper to maintain. Both 240 and 260 are good cars for what they are (comfort and economy) but they are boring to drive.
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