Ask The Guide

I would advertise it privately, eBay is one to do that, but there are websites like CarsGuide and AutoTrader as well. The wreckers won’t give you much for it, and I doubt you’d get much at auction.

It sounds like a speed warning alarm, which should be able to be reset. Check your owner’s manual that should tell you how to do it.

You probably could, but before you commit I would line them up to make sure the 2006 alternator would fit the later model. If they do, and I expect they will, you should be okay.

You’re pretty safe with either car in terms of reliability, but resale would favour the Honda.

It would be worth $5000 to $7000.

The Elgrand is quite reliable and at 100,000 km or so verified by the auction house should give you good service for some time to come.

It is impossible to say that you won’t have any trouble in the future, but it might well do another 200,000 km with minimal trouble if you continue to maintain it and fix any problems that develop when they occur.

You are right to want to get the manual back, and if the dealer is unwilling or can’t help them contact Toyota direct (1800 869 682) and request their help. At the very least the dealer should be able to give you a report on the service history of your car, which should help when it comes time to sell it.

What they were referring to is the automatic burn of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF), which collects carbon in the exhaust while you are driving along, and then periodically goes through a cleaning process in which the accumulated carbon is burnt off. The burn-off happens automatically without you knowing it’s happening, but it needs regular freeway type driving for it to happen. If your travels don’t involve any freeway travel then the burn-off might not happen and you have to take it to a dealer to have it done manually. From what you tell us about your driving I would say it doesn’t suit a diesel, and you would be better off buying a car with a small petrol engine.

It’s possible water has got into something in the engine bay when you were cleaning it, and I doubt it would come good just by driving it. Get it to a dealer or mechanic to have it checked.