Wahanaya.lk articles
News, model reviews, advice and plain guides to buying, selling and leasing vehicles in Sri Lanka.
Showing 146–157 of 282 articles
Sri Lanka Customs sells uncleared vehicles through sealed-bid tender sales, not live auctions. You get the tender list from customs.gov.lk, inspect the vehicle on set dates, bid, pay VAT/PAL on top if you win, then register it at the RMV using the customs letter and receipt.
Wahanaya.lk team8 min read
Compare leasing quotes by looking at total cost over the full term, not just the monthly instalment, and checking down payment, processing fees, interest type, insurance terms and early settlement charges side by side before you sign anything.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
Most Sri Lankan leasing companies quote a flat rate, which sounds low but charges interest on the full original amount for the whole term rather than on what you still owe, so it costs much more than the same percentage on a reducing balance.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
No — since January 2025, new and transferred number plates no longer carry province letters, so buying a car registered in another province doesn't force a plate change. What still differs by province is the revenue licence system, not the car itself.
Wahanaya.lk team6 min read
Most cars overheat in slow Colombo traffic because a weak or broken radiator fan, low coolant, or a stuck thermostat can't cope once road airflow drops to near zero. Pull over immediately, switch off the engine, and never open a hot radiator cap.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
No, not directly. The finance company owns the vehicle until the lease ends, so you cannot simply hand it over. You either settle the lease early and transfer ownership normally, or the new person takes a fresh lease to pay yours off.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
No — the RMV/DMT will not register an ownership transfer unless the vehicle has a revenue licence that is valid on the day you go to transfer it, so you must renew the lapsed licence first.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
Yes. Someone living abroad can give a Special Power of Attorney to a trusted person in Sri Lanka to inspect, pay for and register a vehicle, but the POA must be properly executed, registered with the Registrar General, and accepted by the DMT and the seller before you rely on it.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
The Raize and Rocky are the same car underneath, but only the Raize has an official Toyota Lanka distributor in Sri Lanka. Buy the Rocky only if the importer gives you written warranty and parts terms, since Daihatsu has no authorised network here.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
The VIC (Vehicle Identity Card) sticker is a DMT-issued identity sticker fixed inside your windscreen showing your registration number, part of the chassis number and the year it was issued.
Wahanaya.lk team6 min read
Yes, but the vehicle is usually tied to a 5-year condition from its registration date. Selling earlier means paying a 10% tax on the vehicle's CIF value to the Department of Motor Traffic before the transfer can go through.
Wahanaya.lk team8 min read
Both are budget automatics good for city driving. The Passo's bigger 998cc/1.3L engine and roomier cabin suit occasional highway trips, while the Mira's 658cc kei-car engine burns less fuel and is easier to park in narrow Colombo lanes.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
