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MPG varies - I've gotten as high as 27mpg. It depends on terrain, how you drive (acceleration rates, highway speed (MPH drops the faster you go), and two other important things: winter gas results in lower MPG, and total miles on your car - my Rav did not get that good MPG at first, but it got progressively better until it got about 7,000 miles on it, then it was fine. Last time I measured a 90% highway trip at 70mph, the MPG was 27, which was what was advertised.
The cowl rattle has a TSB for the fix, and a good dealer will have no problem fixing it. My Rav is perfect.
I'd love an '02 but that will have to wait.
The seat belt light on the dash will not turn off and the blinking is making me nuts.
Any suggestions on how to get it to stop?
(just in case..I DO fasten my belt. LOL)
Thanks!!!
If not, hooking up the passenger seat belt still might cause the light to go out (and save your sanity) until you can get it fixed.
Thanks for the tips! I'll keep trying, then take it to the dealer and see if they will fix it if I can't figure it out soon.
Thanks.
I don't know that the RAV is more expensive than the CR-V. Maybe loaded up it is, but you may not want all the gingerbread (I didn't). And the redesigned CR-Vs are probably still selling for close to MSRP. I expect you can get a RAV for $500 over invoice at a large dealership in a metro area.
I think the RAV is a bit techier (and great in snow) with full-time 50/50 front/rear split all wheel drive. Don't know that I'll ever need that over on-demand AWD, but I like knowing I have it. Plus I like having no throttle cable or plug wires (I don't know about the CR-V in this regard).
As to the larger engine in the (heavier) CR-V, maybe you should rent a broken-in RAV, and see if the 2.0 is enough for you.
I like that there are fewer RAVs on the road than CR-Vs. But if you want more space for camping, hauling, etc, maybe the larger CR-V is a better choice. Still, the RAV is no slouch in that regard, since you can easily remove the rear seats. Plus they recline, which could come in handy for sleeping when the bears are on the prowl.
And if you drive a BMW323is, you know the pleasure of great handling.
am prejudiced.With CRV you get flip up rear window,more power,more room.With RAV4 you get removable rear seats,more nimble,and discounted
prices.If you can live with the RAV4 go for it due to it being cheaper.I wanted what the CRV
offered and did not have to wait and got it for $600 under sticker. Lucky I guess.
But one question: How much effect does the 'more power' in the heavier CR-V have in real-world driving situations?
By the way, I've seen 0-60 mph times all over the map for both vehicles, anywhere from about 8.5 seconds to 10.2 seconds.
bmw323is: I think your $4,000 additional cost figure is way high. True, you won't find a RAV4 without at least the QO package, but who doesn't want power windows/locks, a/c, cruise, 4-item sound system, etc?
Plus you can always add exactly the wheels and tires you want later on, at a pretty good mail-order price.
a .2 advantage which is not much.The roomier CRV
will have to be the clincher for me.If they
were exactly the same the ordering process for
Toyota would drive me nuts.There are so many
options to wade through whereas Honda is very
simple.You get the EX you get everything.
Anyone else have this problem??
Pam
I haven't needed it (now at 24,000 miles) but it's still good to know if the fix is effective.
Maybe, ~maybe~ in the next generation re-do. But I doubt it. That's what Toyota has the Highlander for. I think they'll keep the RAV light and well-balanced, with very good mpg figures.
i was thinking about a hybrid CRV, but don't mind branching out.
thanks.
Steve
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It's clear that the RAV4 while the most sylish, is just small and overpriced for the US market,compared to its competitors; sales also appear to be shrinking. I'm speculating that the RAV may get discontinued in the near future (just like the slow selling ECHO) in favor of the UUV. The UUV, I think was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show.
Who knows what they projected / expected? The RAV might still be very profitable for Toyota.
And if they want to market another SUV in North America, they're going to have to call it something other than UUV!
Thanks
Thanks!
Q: I have twice had the idle air control assembly replaced under warranty on my 1999 Toyota RAV4, which has about 30,000 miles on it.
Dealership representatives have informed me on both visits that it's a known problem that carbon builds up on the part, causing it to malfunction.
My warranty expires in June and I am concerned that the part will fail again, costing me $300 each time. Based on my experience, the part will need to be replaced every 15,000 miles. What can you suggest?
K.C.
A: Toyota has not issued any technical service bulletins on that problem, so it is not a well-recognized issue by the company itself. Nonetheless, mechanics already may have figured out that the part has a higher-than-normal failure rate, and that is what they passed on to you.
The idle air control assembly is attached to the engine's throttle body, which is the main element of the fuel injection system. The device has a solenoid-operated valve that regulates the amount of air going through the throttle body, thereby controlling the engine's idle speed, according to Alldata, a major publisher of automotive repair and diagnostic information.
The part, an item typically sold only by dealers, has a list price of $198.54 and should take about 11/2 hours of labor to replace, according to the Alldata rate book. At a standard $60-an-hour rate, that would add up to $90 for labor. So, the $300 price tag you mention is right on the mark of what you are looking at if the part goes bad again.
Eventually, aftermarket manufacturers will see a big business in making the part, if indeed RAV4s are dying all over the place because of a defect. That should bring the price down on the part. But that doesn't help in the near term.
It is not unusual for fuel injection throttle bodies or various parts associated with the throttle body to become contaminated with carbon buildup. In general, there are procedures for cleaning the carbon without having to replace the parts, and this may be possible for the part that has caused you problems.
Your letter suggests Toyota customer service has not responded to repeated efforts by you to get some clarification about the future warranty coverage on the part. But you should keep trying. Toyota recently extended the warranty for sludge damage on its engines after customers raised a stink about what they considered a defect.
In general, dealerships will cover certain parts after warranty if you have established that the car was being repaired for a known condition during the warranty period. This may help for the next replacement, though at some point you are clearly going to be on your own.
For the past couple of weeks, I've been looking for a 2wd, manual trans RAV4 with ABS in the So Cal area. In doing so, I've been frustrated by Toyota's marketing strategy, but learned a few things in the process.
Prices: In So Cal, you can buy a RAV4 close to or under invoice IF you take one from the dealer lot. If you want to order one from Japan, you can still get it (in four months) for $500 over invoice. The best way to start is to go to Costco.com (if you're a member), CarsDirect.com, or Carpoint.com and contact one of their recommended dealers. This way, I got good no-hassle prices from Toyota Central and Longo Toyota and a great price -- $300 under invoice -- from Penske Toyota (Sean Charbonnet).
However, I have not yet bought a vehicle. Why? Because Toyota markets RAV4s so that it can offer a very low base price (on non-existent cars that you wouldn't want anyway) and then supplies a multitude of options that seemingly allow buyers to tailor cars to their specs. In fact, only a limited number of combinations are actually imported. For example, at least in So Cal, it appears that to get the moonroof, you must buy the L package, and if you want the L package, you're going to get a spoiler and roof rack. My personal gripe is that I want a manual tranny with ABS, which appears to not exist here. (I am surprised at how few RAV4s there are in So Cal with ABS in any configuration.)
My questions:
1. Is the situation different in No Cal; in particular, can I get a 2wd drive manual RAV4 there with ABS?
2. Can a RAV4 that comes without Keyless Entry be equipped, post-production, with an alarm system that includes keyless entry?
Thanks for indulging me.
-bear
I'm located in NC and can find several RAV4's on the lot but have been to 3 different Honda dealerships and cannot find a CRV to even look at.
This leads me to believe that purchase price on the RAV4 can be had at much closer to invoice than the CRV - what have those of you that have recently purchased RAV4's been paying in relation to invoice?
In looking at the CRV Town Hall site, prices paid seem to be very close to MSRP and in some cases even above.
Also, I've been looking for a site that lists total car sales - I'm interested in knowing what CRV sales are compared to RAV4 for the 2002 model.
Thanks for sharing and your patience.
http://autosite.com/editoria/asmr/svolsu.asp
Autosite reports that in April 2002, the CR-V outsold the RAV4 in the U.S., 12,341 to 6,764.
The CR-V has always outsold the RAV as long as I've been paying attention. My opinion is that its larger size makes it more appealing to the average shopper. Plus RAVs tends to be pricier sticker-wise, due to Toyota forcing you to take a lot of options when you only might want a couple.
I think you are correct, that currently the RAV can be had for much closer to invoice than the CR-V, which is still in great demand since its re-design.
Happy shopping.
I've heard that Toyota has some people at their Executive Offices in Torrance, who may be able to help you locate or special order what you want. Try calling the office of the Toyota VP of Sales. They'll put you in touch with the right people. Good luck!
I do know from another site that there are a lot of 1996-2000 RAV owners who are, shall we say, very fond of their vehicles.
Good luck.
Thank you
I don't know of any other such source for owner's repair data, so I put a lot of stock in CR too.
My comment was an attempt to deflect any potential 'incomings'.
jtjackson: raven18 makes a good point about early RAV power, especially on inclines. I think the 96-00 RAVs were only rated 127hp. Which may be enough for your needs.
I am considering this option. My dealer says that it will take four to five months (!) and that I won't know whether or not Toyota has accepted the purchase order for a month or two. On the up side, it need not be a loaded car; I can choose exactly the options I want (as long as they don't conflict with the restrictions already in place such as "L package requires alloy wheels," etc.).
And some orders were 'lost', but the shopper did not find that out for many weeks. That would be a drag. But if you have a reputable dealer, who is truly interested in submitting your order just the way you want it, it could work out well.
I don't know if you are near any high-volume dealers in a major city, but you might find a RAV equipped close enough to how you want it on the lot at a place like that.
I think AWD and ABS can be harder to find in the warm-weather states.
I talked to a dealer today about special ordering a RAV4. He indicated wait may be anywhere from 3 to 5 months.
I'm located in NC and I'm looking for a RAV4 with Quick Order Package, ABS, Moonroof, 5 speed manual transmission, alloy wheels, keyless entry, and anti-theft deterrent. They did a search and could not find any cars with those specs and so I am considering ordering one (the ABS is the most difficult feature to locate in a RAV4).
Sales rep mentioned that pricing would be nowhere close to invoice due to the special order - we are going to "negotiate" further tomorrow and depending what we can work out, I'll decide between the RAV4 and the Honda CRV EX w/5 speed transmission.