Hiro

He's in Darwin.....

The import paperwork will say it is a campervan because of an import loophole which allows these style of vans (Estimas, Elgrands, Alphards etc) to be imported as a "special-use" vehicle despite the normal versions not meeting the import requirements (power-to-weight, unique body shape, published in an enthusiasts publication etc) - when they get here and after compliance they have the campervan hardware ripped out and replaced with the normal passenger interior. The Australian paperwork saying that it is an ACR30 Tarago is technically wrong, but probably says that because the import version doesn't exist in the system so it just got classified as the closest Australian equivalent (which is bad practice as it can lead to rego headaches down the path). The car is technically a MCR30 (JDM versions did come with the V6) Estima (the Tarago is an Australian name, but unlike the previous model I think there is no longer the distinction in body-width between the narrow Estima and wide Previa/Tarago). The steering wheel has obviously been changed at some point (no other reason for a Lexus badge to be on a Toyota wheel) I can't say if the engine has been changed or not, fairly sure (but not 100%) that the Estima got the non-VVTi version of the 1MZ but cam covers/engine covers can often be changed without affecting what is beneath The headunit has probably replaced some kind of EMV which would have combined a Japanese navigation unit (hence the drive under the seat), possibly even TV and the reversing camera, which means that these units probably no longer have functionality. Super Cat Me-3 is a radar detector, wouldn't surprise me if it is picking up interference due to different wavelengths used in Aus compared to Japan

It will have been done (has definitely been done many times on the ST162 and ST184 models), it is commonly called a GT2 (since it uses the GT4 engine but is only 2-wheel drive). Depending on state regs etc, doing a ST204 might be harder than the earlier models since there are significantly fewer ST205s in the country (only 77 sold from new, and private imports thin on the ground, compared to the hundreds/thousands of ST185s) in which to get a donor engine from (or 205/215/246 Caldinas), and most engineering regulations have a statement somewhere along the lines of using an engine which is the same age or newer than the car you are installing it in to.

1) GXL is not the base-model. GX is the current base model (replacing the RV, which was the second-from-base previously), and the cheapest 200-series is the diesel GX @ $78,990 2) The Landcruiser has never been cheap - even a base Standard 100-series was $53k, and that was with 5 vinyl seats, non-turbo diesel and a hose-out interior 3) Base models (Standard/RV/GX etc) were generally bought by commerical buyers (mines, Telstra etc), the 75/85 series has been upgraded/modernised to fill this gap 4) For family buyers who still need to go off-road and carry a lot of gear, the Prado fills the gap.

Note - we don't tend to have model-specific meets - we are all-inclusive and having Camry-only meets (for instance) tends to create division and alienation within the club.

Honestly, if you're still having problems with it now and you're not happy with the way Toyota has dealt with it, maybe it is time to cut your losses, sell it and move on?

And a selection of my favourite shots: Christmas lights at Hunter Valley Gardens And the fireworks Newcastle Beach just before sunset Iron Gate Estate up in the Hunter Valley - Spanish/Tuscan-style villa Cat #1 - Ellie Cat #2 - Penny

My gear (as of 03/01/2013) Body: Nikon D5100 DSLR Lenses: Nikon Nikkor 18-200G f/3.5-5.6G VR DX Series 1 Nikon Nikkor 50 f/1.8G FX Nikon Nikkor 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 VR DX and 55-200 f/4-5.6G VR DX (kit lenses stashed aside for a rainy day if I ever sell the body and move to full-frame) Tripod: Manfrotto MKC3-H01 Bag: Lowepro Adventura 160

On a couple of other forums I'm on, there are some threads set aside for general photography discussion - what gear you have/need/want, pictures you've taken (not necessarily of cars) etc etc. Over the past year and a bit I've taken a bit of a keen interest in amateur photography, so thought it would be a good idea to get something similar going here. Feel free to post up any photos you want of any subject you wish, on the following provisos 1) It was taken by you (doesn't have to be with your equipment though) 2) The shots are work-safe 3) Please try and limit the size for bandwidth reasons (something in the 1024/1280 long side max) - no Captain Megapixel 5000x3000 shots that take half an hour to load 4) Upload your photos to a hosting site like Imageshack or Photobucket and then copy/paste the direct link into image tags like below, that way those who can't view attachments can still see them (and cuts down on the hosting load that this site has to bear) [IMG]http://www.hostingsite.com/awesomepicture.jpg[/IMG]5) No Nikon/Canon/Sigma/Leica etc bashing allowed (unless discussing the quality of a particular lens/body which is known to be crap/faulty eg) . We all use different cameras, just as we all drive different cars, and brand name has almost nothing to do with the end product. If it's your first post in the thread, post up what gear you have/use too

I've always been a fan of the Series 1 corner lights, as long as they are kept polished and clean (faded yellow/orange is a bad look) :P

Nice, now you just need the English buttons and the nav sorted (although the chances of that are slim to none I reckon)

?? I don't understand what you are trying to say... The foot-operated parking brake (ie the "third pedal" in an Aurion) is used for parking only. When you are driving around and need to do a hill-start (that would normally require the use of a traditional handbrake), either keep your left foot on the brake pedal and accelerate a little with your right before lifting off the brake (aka left-foot-braking), or push the brake pedal with the ball/big-toe of your right foot and accelerate with the outside of your right foot (heel-and-toe, although you don't really use your heel any more). If you're stopped/parked and need to do a hill-start, then hold the brake with your right foot whilst you deactivate the parking brake with your left. Then shuffle your left foot to the brake pedal (note how it is usually much wider in an auto than a manual) and your right foot to the accelerator. Or just quickly move from the brake pedal to the accelerator, unless you're trying to drive straight up a cliff you won't slip back too far.

Foot-operated parking brakes (which the Aurion has instead of a traditional handbrake) have almost no modulation and are useless for hill-starts - just learn to either left-foot-brake or heel-and-toe.

All automatics have some amount of hill-holding ability due to the torque converter not being able to 100% disconnect in drive - this is why the car can inch forwards on level ground without the accelerator. Exact same thing as slipping the clutch in a manual to hold it on a hill. This is not a "feature", simply a characteristic of a torque-converter automatic transmission. Auto-hold/hill-hold as a designed "feature" is usually implemented as extra valving in the brake system which keeps the brakes applied on a hill until a certain amount of throttle is applied (or the clutch released enough etc) - it has nothing to do with the transmission at all. It is also usually found on 4WDs, often bundled in with a hill-descent control to keep at a crawl speed going down hill when off-roading.

Do it, I might finally get around to entering this year too, depending on the state of the cars. Been meaning to for a few years now...

Only because I love you...

Whenever you check the oil, always pull the dipstick out and clean the end first, then re-insert it and pull it out again. Also make sure the car is turned off and has sat for long enough on level ground to allow the oil to settle, otherwise there's no point

If you overfill the oil significantly it can reach the bottom of the crankshaft and get whipped up to hell, which pressurises the crankcase and can cause your main seals to blow out. A cm or so above FULL shouldn't matter (since the level drops when the engine is running), but 3-4cm sounds like waaaay too much. Drain it immediately until it comes down to the FULL mark, and give your engine a good clean/degrease to see if there are any leaks.

To be pedantic, anti-roll/sway bars do not make the chassis more rigid - that is the job of strut/chassis braces. Even the stiffest chassis in the world will have significant body roll if the suspension is soft. Strut and chassis braces stiffen the chassis Stiffer springs reduce body roll but decrease ride comfort as well as making the ride bouncy/stiff over dips/bumps Anti-roll/sway bars allow softer springs for ride comfort and in dips/bumps but reduces body roll by twisting when one wheel attempts to travel more than the other

Well, the old girl got a tummy-tuck today....after many moons of scraping and scratching, we finally got the intermediate pipe remade and the exhaust raised up enough to no longer fear speed-bumps, driveways, seams in the concrete and the curvature of the earth. Big thanks to Premier Exhaust, who did what others said couldn't be done, and at a decent price too.

According to the Toyota Australia website Automatic 2.2L AWD diesel models offer a towing capacity of 500kg (braked and unbraked). Manual 2.2L AWD diesel models offer a towing capacity of 550kg (braked or unbraked). 2.5L AWD petrol models offer a towing capacity of 750kg (unbraked) and 1500kg (braked). 2.0L 2WD petrol models offer a towing capacity of 750kg (unbraked and 800kg (braked). The reason why there are different ratings for different models is because towing places quite a large strain on the engine cooling system, transmission, brakes and suspension. "Harsh" conditions in Australia often refers to the heat, which obviously impacts on the performance of the cooling system as well, thus it is not unusual for either towing capacities to be down-rated for outback use or there being an optional "heavy-duty towing pack" which would usually included beefier suspension and/or extra transmission coolers.

Google will only get you so far - you need to go oldskool and crack open the Yellow Pages, and pick up the phone and ring around. Any decent smash repairers will be able to work with OEM colours, the trick is finding one that wants to do something other than an insurance job. Kanmuri, flex paint is exactly what it sounds like - flexible paint (used on parts that are expected to flex and need the paint not to crack)

Firstly, do you have a twin-turbo or single-turbo model? Twin-turbos will be from a JZA70, JZX80/90 or early JZZ30. Single-turbo w/ VVTi will be from a late JZZ30, JZX100/110 and JZS170. Past that, assuming it is completely stock (and hasn't been installed in a different car yet), looking at the sump can be a reasonable way of determining as their are 2-3 different sumps (front, mid, rear etc) depending on which model it came from.

Why would that change anything?

Corollas changed from 4x100 to 5x114.3 in conjunction with the release of the ZRE152, which in Aus was 2007. Thus, 2012 wheels will be the same PCD as 2008.