HauptmannUK

Tokico make good quality shock absorbers (they are part of Hitachi and an OE supplier to Toyota). KYB (also Japanese) are another OE supplier. I think both companies manufacture in Thailand - probably similar price and quality. Obviously I have no idea what state you shocks are in, but ideally replace all 4 shocks. Gas filled shocks have pressurised nitrogen in the cylinder to stop the oil from foaming when the shock is being worked hard. DefiNitely an advantage on bumpy roads.

I assume you mean Yaris Ativ and you are referring to the reversing camera which displays on the 7" head unit screen? If the display works normally in other modes (radio etc) then the fault is either related to the camera or its wiring. The camera is located in the boot lid above the number plate. The wiring runs from the boot lid to the body of the car - check for damage. When the cameras themselves fail its usually due to water ingress - look for water behind the lens. I suspect pressure washing at car washes might be to blame. Its a relatively common problem in UK on all models of cars. Replacement of the camera is easy but in UK the cameras are extremely expensive from Toyota (over £450 last time I bought one - that ฿18k) - don't know Thai price but brace yourself for a shock!

I have dealt with stripped fill/drain plugs quite a number of times. Usually the result of backyard mechanics over-tightening...... If in an aluminium housing its invariably the housing that strips and a Helicoil is required. If into a steel/cast iron housing it is usually the plug thread that strips. The way I have generally got these out is weld a short bolt onto the head of the plug. Then clamp Mole grip on bolt head and turn whilst pulling outward.

There's rather more to it than that. The Celerio has a 3-cyl engine whereas the Swift has a 4-cyl unit which is smoother and delivers more torque. The Swift has higher gearing and so at a given cruising speed its engine will be operating at lower RPM. The Celerio has relatively low geared steering and considerably more body roll than the Swift. The Swift is simply more sophisticated and more capable at highway speeds - no surprise since it sits above the Celerio in the Suzuki line-up. I can't think of any normally-aspirated 3-cyl city car that I would want for regular motorway use. The new 'Third Generation' Celerio promises to be a big improvement over the current model since its built on a slightly cut-down Swift chassis (Suzuki 'Heartect' platform).

Seems unlikely...but its easy enough to remove the starter motor and then check the pinion and ring-gear for any damage or misbehaviour...

Not clear if you want new or used. Be aware that Suzuki Thailand are still selling the second generation Celerio. A new third generation Celerio was launched in Japan last year and is on sale in India. Its a big advance in that it uses the 'Heartect' platform of the latest Swift (and other Suzuki cars). Both the Swift and Celerio use the Suzuki K-series engine. 3-cyl in the Celerio and 4-cyl for the Swift. Its extremely reliable. We have a lady customer in the UK with 300,000 miles on her Swift and the engine is original! Gearbox is either an Aisin-supplied manual or Jatco CVT-7. The Jatco is the same unit fitted to the Mitsi Attrage, Nissan Almera etc. Not the best but OK if you change the fluid periodically. The manuals suffer from worn synchromesh on 3rd gear but its relatively cheap and easy to replace. Both cars have cheap and flimsy-feeling trim but it does seem to last better than you'd think. For me the Swift is the obvious choice if you're going to drive outside the city. Celerio is fine in town but struggles on the open road. The Swift actually rides and handles very well for a small relatively cheap car.

Kick/scuff plates nowadays are decorative trim. If you step on them regularly then consider them 'sacrificial' and replace them when they get shabby. Cheap from Lazada... Toyota dashcams in Thailand/Malaysia seem to be repackaged and Toyota-branded Chinese units (maybe Toguard). They are adequate and without any 'bells and whistles'. My only interaction with a Toyota dealer was Toyota Thonburi in Bangkok - I was pretty impressed but of course an awful lot is down to the particular individual who serves you. AFAIK all new Toyotas get a free 1k km check.

Until 2018 I was a UK DVSA designated MoT tester (UK yearly roadworthiness test). Minimum pad thickness specified in the tester's manual is 1.5mm - anything less is a fail. 2.5mm or less is an 'advisory'. You can check pad thickness relatively easily by removing a wheel and measuring the thickness of friction material remaining on the metal backing plate. O.E. Toyota pads have squeal pins clipped onto the pad. These will squeal at about 2mm. IF the pad is a 2.5mm then personally I would replace. Check the discs for lipping/pitting at the same time - they may also need replacing. I recommend buying genuine Toyota-supplied pads (usually made by Akebono or Nisshinbo). Labour should be around 30 minutes, including lube on the slide pins. Pads (guess) ฿1.5 - 2k for OE axle set (4 pads).

I think the Thai market demand for manual transmission cars is very low and in fact many models are only available with auto. For example I believe Toyota saloon cars are now only available as auto. I remember a friend of mine wanted to buy a small eco-car with manual trans and the only one he could find at a dealer was a Suzuki Ciaz - and the manual spec car was very basic (cheaper trim, narrower tyres etc). Commercial/agricultural vehicles such as pickups are often available as manual.

You can enter UK on expired UK passport (but not enter other countries) but best to carry some evidence of citizenship (e.g. UK birth certificate). Similarly can enter Thailand on an expired Thai passport. But the real problem might be persuading a carrier to accept you!

Yes, property in UK is doing well. Owning a chunk of a successful business also works!. I get some income from our family used car sales and repair business in UK. Used car prices in UK have gone through the roof. Prior to Covid our margin was 8%, now around 25%. Not strictly passive income because I do dabble in the business when back in the UK (more out of interest than anything) - but basically we have staff running the business and I just sit back and receive my share of the profit.

What?!! Are you serious? If true then that would explain the knowing smiles from the village ladies..

My wife and her friends always call me 'Ham Yai'...

We move around between our house in Udon, condo in Pattaya and house in UK. I tend to get tired of Udon after a couple on months. Our house in the UK is in a nice village but I find it a bit too quiet. Pattaya is an easy place to live and makes a great base for travelling around Thailand and SE Asia. I never really get bored there. As Samuel Johnson famously said, ' when a man is tired of Pattaya, he is tired of life; for there is in Pattaya all that life can afford.”

Well done to the Thai police for apprehending this knuckle-dragger. Hopefully he'll serve some time and be deported/black-listed.

Not clear if this was lithium or not, but the number of fires caused by these things is concerning. Friend of mine in Korat had his eBike battery go up in flames. Luckily it was being charged in an outside storage area but he said the fumes were horrendous. In London the London Fire Brigade are concerned about the growing numbers of eScooter and eBike fires. I wouldn't charge one inside a house or condo... https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-fire-brigade-escooter-ebike-battery-fires-lithiumion-batteries-b990942.html

The current model Fortuner 4WD system is not an All-Wheel-Drive system. The Fortuner can be used in 2WD, 4W-High and 4W-Low. 2WD is the normal mode for high traction surfaces (that includes wet tarmac/concrete). 4WD-H is meant for low traction surfaces such as dirt roads and conditions of snow/ice on surfaced roads. The parameters of the electronic stability control (VSC) and traction control (A-TRC) are altered to allow more slip. Paradoxically using 4WD-H on high grip surfaces at high speed could result in less stability than 2WD. 4WD-L is for low speed off-roading. Diff locks on etc. 4WD does not help at all with aquaplaning but may help if you hit deep standing water asymmetrically at speed. At the end of the day if you are not going off-road or on dirt roads then the Toyota 4WD probably a waste of money. Keep in mind that the current Fortuner design is well past its sell-by date. Its an archaic design largely targeted at developing countries and based on the HiLux pickup. Toyota have developed a completely new Fortuner based on their TNGA platform (Lexus LX, Tundra) to launch in 2023. If you want maximum stability and traction on high-grip or mIxed surfaces then look for a car with a permanent automatic all-wheel drive system such as Subaru.

I made enquiries about this around four years ago. A Thai friend of mine is a doctor at Samitivej hospital. She put me in touch with Ramathibodi hospital who apparently can do mp-MRI and have a track record in PC diagnosis from mp-MRI. However they were quoting me a similar price to a UK private facility and since I was going to UK anyway I decided to have it done in UK. Price was c.฿44000 I think... Not cheap.

What year and what engine? In UK the Diesels have had a dealer-level recall due to intake shutter valve sooting up.

Nine times out of ten a complaint of creaking when going over bumps at low speed, which goes away in wet weather, is down to anti-roll bar bushes. The creaking is due to relative motion between the rubber and the anti-roll bar. Normally when they are a few years old and harden a little. A little rubber grease or silicone grease will quieten them down. Do not use motor oil or oil-based greases because these might damage the rubber. Wishbone bushes, control arm bushes are normally coaxial bonded metal/rubber bushes and they do not creak or squeak unless the bush is breaking up. In which case you have to replace it. Ball joints can creak if water has entered and they have become badly corroded. Again, they must be replaced. Localising a creaking noise by ear can be difficult because the noise 'telegraphs' along components. The way I do it is rest my hand on the suspect part and get someone to bounce the vehicle, then you will feel the vibration (creaking) under your hand. In the case of the OP I would suggest a shot of lubricant on the ARB bushes will get rid of the noise.

Main difference between Euro 4 and Euro 5 Diesel is that 4 is 50ppm sulphur and 5 is 10ppm sulphur. That leads to a minor difference in DPF loading. Both standards allow for 7% FAME. Should not lead to noticeable change in fuel consumption. Problem in Thailand you can't always be sure what you are getting.

B7 indicates that the fuel contains 7% biodiesel. Another parameter is the fuels CIN ('Cetane number'). A higher Cetane number indicates a greater propensity to autoignite. Its the opposite of 'Octane number' for petrol. Most cars require a CIN between 45-55. In most countries fuel must have a minimum CIN of 50 or thereabouts. Fuel suppliers tend not to put CIN on the pumps - its possible the different fuels you are using have different CIN and this will result in slightly different power and economy. Higher CIN gives more power.

My wife wanted a new Yaris in April. Cash purchase. She wanted a colour and trim level (with couple of options) that was not in stock anywhere. Dealer said they could do a factory order - would take 3 weeks and they'd require ฿50k deposit. They offered a substantial discount, inc. insurance, 3 years servicing inc., mats, tints etc... I was very very skeptical about the 3 week build time, but wife went ahead with it anyway... Anyway, true to the salesman's word the car was ready bang on three weeks, with the options she'd ask for. On collection there was production documentation in the car showing it left the line four days before we collected it. After 1000km she went back to the dealer for a free check. They noticed a blemish on the inner sidewall of one of the rear tyres and so replaced the tyre. The dealer really was exemplary. Toyota Thonburi on Lat Phrao road, Bangkok. The location is horrible but very good customer care. I should add that my family business in the UK is motor trade (used car sales, servicing, MoT) so I am not easily impressed.

https://www.sunearthtools.com/dp/tools/pos_sun.php This might help.

The sun's position/track varies throughout the year. There is plenty of free software on the web to enable you to produce the solar ephemeris for your location.