Wahanaya.lk articles
News, model reviews, advice and plain guides to buying, selling and leasing vehicles in Sri Lanka.
Showing 98–109 of 282 articles
No. In Sri Lanka the registration number belongs to the vehicle for life, not the owner, so when you sell your car the number plate stays on it and passes to the buyer. If you want a particular number on your next vehicle, you must apply for it separately at the DMT.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
A squeal at start-up is almost always a worn or loose fan belt (serpentine belt) or a weak belt tensioner slipping on its pulley.
Wahanaya.lk team6 min read
Yes, in most cases. A Grama Niladhari, Justice of Peace, or staff officer must certify your transfer photograph, and if your current address isn't on your NIC, you also need a separate GN residence certificate before the Department of Motor Traffic accepts your papers.
Wahanaya.lk team8 min read
Yes, you usually can, but only if your lease agreement doesn't ban commercial use, your insurer agrees to cover hire-or-reward driving, and you give PickMe or Uber your revenue licence and insurance. Skipping the insurance check is the costly mistake.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
You need the original CR book, a valid revenue licence, insurance and VET certificate, signed MTA 6 and MTA 8 forms, and NIC copies for both parties. If there's a lease or mortgage, add a release letter from the finance company, and the buyer now needs a TIN.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
Keep any advance small and only pay it once you've seen the vehicle, checked the CR book matches the seller's NIC, and have a signed, dated receipt stating the amount, the balance, the deadline and what happens if either side backs out.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
A permit car first entered Sri Lanka on a concessionary duty, so it was cheaper when new, but once it's secondhand you must compare mileage, condition, CR book history and any unpaid duty, not just the permit label, to see if the price gap is real.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
Start it weekly, keep the battery charged, keep tyres at correct pressure and move the car every few weeks, keep the tank fairly full, and don't leave it with an expired revenue licence or insurance if it's still parked on the road.
Wahanaya.lk team8 min read
If your vehicle won't be used for a while, apply for a Notice of Non-User at your Divisional Secretariat instead of renewing the revenue licence. It costs far less, stops the late-renewal surcharge, and can be held for up to two years.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
Yes, you can legally sell a car privately on installments, but you can no longer hold the CR book as security until the buyer finishes paying, because the DMT has banned 'open papers' and will strictly enforce the 14-day transfer rule from 1 December 2026.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
Compare the odometer against the car's VET emission test history (which logs mileage every year), its service records, and the Japan auction sheet if it's an import. Worn pedals, seats and tyres that don't match a low reading are the easiest giveaway.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
Sudden high fuel use is usually low tyre pressure, a clogged air filter, worn spark plugs, or heavy traffic and AC use — check these four first before suspecting a serious engine fault.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
