Good morning to all Lowyat forumer and wishing you all Happy New Year 2014, have a great and prosperous year ahead!! The mentioned car above is a Toyota Avanza (M) and currently this car still having overheating problem from time to time. I would like to share my experience here and hopefully any sifu out there can help me to identify what is wrong with my car.

The car was bought as second hand at mileage clocked @60k back in 2009 and ever since then it does not give up any problem. Car was sent to regular service at our regular mechanic workshop @every 6k mileage and no major part was replace/repair.

On one fine day while I was driving, I notice the temperature meter goes up to about 3/4 of the meter and immediately I stop at road side and check (waiting for the engine to cool down first of course) only to found out the radiator tank is empty!! I pour in water and drove to my usual mechanic shop. Upon checking the mechanic could not find any leakage and he suspect the piping has leakage. I asked him whether he could identify the leakage but he say no. He advise me to change all piping just in case and I trusted him and proceed with the changes. Total damage is RM1k.

After ~2weeks, problem occur again. This time my car was idling with air cond switch on. Suddenly there is no more cold air but instead hot air was blown via the aircond outlet, temperature was check at that time but still looking good. While approaching home, temperature meter shoot up again and upon checking radiator tank is empty...again  I check the under carriage and notice some water leakage below engine compartment. Next~~send my car to the mechanic shop.

This time the mechanic still could not find the root cause but he give me 3 choices:
    1. "Repair with low cost" - He suspect engine issue and say do engine top over haul as he suspect the engine   
         (No guarantee)           piston block has worn off and thus producing excessive heat  He also say
                                          something about due to the engine problem then water sip into it and evaporate faster 
                                          This method will not guarantee that the overheating problem will stop
                                          occurring bcz he is not sure where goes wrong.

    2. "Repair with high cost" - Same explanation as 1. He suggest to do engine overhaul. He say this method will
         (guarantee)                 guarantee the overheating problem will not occur again and the I can continue use
                                           my car for another 5 years like that.

    3. "Repair with moderate cost" - Same explanation as 1. He suggest to swap engine with those half cut shop or
         (guarantee)                         recondition engine. This method also can guarantee that no more over
                                                   heating problem in future.

Does engine over heating will result in changing engine or overhauling it?? I am not sure whether I could trust my mechanic anymore bcz I got a "fishy" feeling from him  or I am wrong?

You mean the cap where we open and pour in coolant?
Thats why he suggest me to swap engine or do engine overhaul? 
Yes, I informed the mechanic about the leakage which I found earlier but I could not pin point the exact location. The mechanic did pour in water and try to see where is the leakage, he rev the car, on aircond to max and let the car stay like that for few minutes but there is no water leakage that time and water level in radiator still remain as normal. That is when I leave the car for the mechanic to further troubleshoot and gods know what he do next for checking.

Update: I just recalled that the mechanic also show me the exhaust pipe where there is water coming out. He says due to engine problem, the water from radiator leak through the engine and come out from exhaust 

So I would take it as water coming out from the exhaust tip is normal??    If I do remember correctly, my 3 years Saga FL also showing sign of water coming out from exhaust tip, but that is during cold day when I am leaving for work.
If this method works, I dont mind trying out 
For the sake of my curiosity, when you are saying "burs-up", how bad would it be?? LIke open a carbonated can after well-shaked? 
I wish it is a GOD car    Perhaps it is just a God-car-alike in disguise 
Yeah I am planning to do so. Thanks.