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Comments
Dianne
You say you adjusted the roof rack bars. I'm not sure what you meant.
Did you check that the arrows on the bars are pointing toward the front? Others have had excessive noise due to backwards installation of the crossbars.
I had the roof rack (sold it - didn't want to buy it in the first place), but I noticed no wind noise while I had it on the vehicle.
Good luck. ejp
2001 L package rav4....love the vehicle.... can put up with the noise if I have to. Heard that the luggage rack will make noise but that doesn't seem to be in my case.... just the sunroof.
please respond if same case..... thanks
I hit my pant leg every time I get in and out. I have since learned to step on the bar with my heel when getting out first and then step down. It is a bit to get used to but in bad weather it will be a necessity. If it is ice or snow it may be a bit hazardous to step on this first. So yes they do make getting in and out different but I like the appearance look enough to put up with it. By the way I would suggest something like the factory ones with all the chrome they add a nice touch. If gals are trying to do this with heels forget it, it is not worth slipping on them. If you wash your own car it makes it much easier to step on these and get to the roof. But I did run out of places to step as I got to the back of the roof so watch it.
I bought the '01 RAV4 with the auto trans. I've had manuals before, but no longer want to deal with a lot of shifting in traffic. The new RAV auto trans is pretty sophisticated. I am impressed. I lock out the overdrive when I need to make a high-speed merge onto an Interstate. Other than that, I just let the tranny do its thing, and I am satisfied with the response. And the auto trans EPA mpg is rated slightly higher than the manual. After 5,000 miles, I am getting 25 mpUSg with 4WD in mixed suburban/highway driving, using regular gas.
Good luck in your choice.
ejp
I test-drove the auto 4wd and wasn't impressed with the inline acceleration for passing and overall highway driving, but it wasn't too bad. But, I place a premium on MAX performance and 90% of my daily drivers have been manual trannies in the past (I've owned 6 different Japanese "daily drivers" since '88, two of them from "premium" divisions). If you put any emphasis on performance at all and want every bit you can get out of your 4-cyl. motor while simultaneously getting decent fuel mileage, then the ONLY way to go is with a manual transmission. Larger 6's and 8's are better motor choices coupled to auto trannies. But, it depends on your needs. If I were purchasing a new RAV for primarily in-town usage, then the auto trans would suffice, especially if you're doing tons of stop-n-go driving. If you plan on commuting and do a lot of hwy driving, get the manual. Someone mentioned the auto trans got better mileage...do cows fly? I don't think so. The new RAV in the 2wd manual trans config is the highest-mileage RAV there is; it's rated for 31mpg on the hwy. I haven't done an "official" mileage test on ours yet, but it's just broken in with only 1900 miles on it and seems to be getting outstanding mileage.
Now...2wd vs. 4wd. I thought that subject was dead. Remember, the 2wd RAV is front-wheel-drive, and fwd's get great winter traction. If they didn't, then why would the majority of new cars have fwd? I lived in MT for nearly 4yrs. I was the first one to my local ski area after a large snowfall every time. I owned a '90 CRX at the time, fwd manual, of course. How'd I do it in the deep snow? Very carefully, a manual transmission, and winter tires. If you get a 2wd RAV and purchase a set of Bridgestone Winter Dueler tires (and another set of wheels would help so you could unbolt your factory tires/wheels and bolt on your winter set in a jiffy) to be used for your winter months, nothing will stop you. Everything, anything, and all possible things about winter, summer and all-season tires for cars and trucks are found at <http://www.tirerack.com>, the source for all tire knowledge. Don't work for 'em, don't know 'em, but I've purchased my last 8 sets of tires from them and a winter tire/wheel set that I've used for the past two seasons on my '96 G20. I got a nice set of OZ-brand aluminum 6-spoke wheels with Bridgestone MZ-02 winter tires mounted, balanced, and delivered to my doorstep via UPS for about $575. What's your life worth to you? If you want MAX winter driving safety, how come you haven't purchased winter tires yet? YES, they're that good. Do you wear your Birkenstock sandals year-round, even in the snow? Sure, they're great summer shoes, but they don't belong in a winter environment. So, why should you expect your "summer" tires to suffice in the winter? Oh yea, you have all-season tires, meant to be used all year round. Well, I thought all-season tires were cool until I found out about winter tires. All-season tires are like a jack of all trades. A jack of all trades is a master of none. They're meant to be used in all seasons, but they're never good or outstanding in any one season. I know people say they're tires are "good enough" for them. Well, that's fine. But, don't knock winter tires until you try 'em. Once you try them, you'll never want to use your "all-season" tires in the winter again.
Wow, what a book...sorry. My reasoning is our RAV will rarely, if ever, leave the pavement. I rather go with the mechanical simplicity of the 2wd RAV (which also gets better gas mileage than the 4wd) and spend the $600 or so to get the winter tire/wheel set from the Tire Rack this fall instead of paying the $1000-$1100 premium for the 4wd option. The 2wd (front wheel drive) RAV is probably the best choice for most drivers in most situations. Besides, if you're into real off-roading (which requires 4wd), you should be looking for a 4-Runner or a Land Bruiser instead of a car-like RAV.
roof closed)on my 2001 Rav4. Read in a previous message that one possibility was the roof rack cross pieces were not pointed in the right direction(they have arrows on them). Noticed the front cross piece arrow was pointed back not front. Does anyone know how to turn these around without much difficulty? Dealer said it would take him 30-45 minutes. This may be my answer to the wind noise but won't know until I reverse the direction.
Thanks.
When I sold my roof rack to another RAV-er, he got the crossbars off pretty quickly, but I wasn't paying close attention to how he did it. It might be worth playing around with them for a few minutes before having to take the RAV back to the dealer.
Suggestion: back off and remove the tightening knobs, then 'angle' the bar until it comes out from between the side pieces, then reverse and reposition it.
Or you might ask in the forum at rav4world.com (Antoine was the guy's name).
Good luck.
ejp
2. How hard is it to get one in blue? It seems like my local dealers only have silver and white.
The color mix that your local regional panel orders is possibly heavier ratio'd to silver, white, perhaps black... there's a dealer group who meets every two months and they are the deciding factor for all colors and options.
In your area, much like in mine, there's a good chance that they have a small ratio of blue cars, green cars, and even red cars coming. I believe that's because the white, silver, and black are all also Limited model colors... as is the gold, but you can't get gold with factory leather. They may think that those "basic" colors are more desireable. The blue, the red, and the green and the gold are also very scarce in Southern California as well. It may also be the same for you where you are looking at them. Have you asked the fleet managers or sales people at your local stores if they mind trading for one for you?
-Ret
The blue, green and red RAVs are only available as non- 'L' (base) models (as reticent implied in #126), and the manufacturer would rather push the 'L', as there is more gingerbread on it, and therefore higher profit.
Still, a base model with a QO (Quick Order) package is a pretty nicely outfitted rig, and costs considerably less than an 'L' (around $1,000 less). Worth looking around for if you like one of these three rarer colors.
Good luck.
ejp
The most noticeable exclusive items you get with the L package are the "hard" full-size body-colored tire cover and the roof spoiler. If you can live without those items, you can get a Quick-Order Packaged RAV just as loaded as an L model.
We have an L model with the roof rack, and the "arrows" on the cross bars are pointed in the right direction, I noticed. I hear a little bit of wind noise, but nothing serious at all. I took a little time to inspect the cross bars and I can't see how it would make that much of a difference even if they were installed incorrectly. They have a pretty symmetrical shape to them. But, the smallest imperfections get amplified at interstate speeds, so maybe it IS an issue. It just doesn't appear to be. We're Yakima roof rack users, and have been for years. We're going to start using our Yak-rack on our RAV soon and I'm sure the noise levels will really jump up, then. I've had our new RAV on the interstate during extreme windy conditions and I noticed that it DOES like to wander a bit on the road. It's not extreme, and it's no fault of the steering or suspension systems, it's just that the vehicle's design seems to "catch" the wind more than I'd like. It requires a higher level of awareness in tight high-speed traffic situations with high winds. Maybe all SUVs are this way...I dunno, this is our first one. It's been 11 years of cars for us, as that's all we've needed until this RAV. I had a couple of pickups before and I don't remember them "swaying in the wind" like our new RAV.
We also have the "creaking noise" at the base of the windshield, but thanks to the info on rav4world.com, we're going to see the dealer about that. It's too bad, and it's hard to believe a Toyota product has such a noise. But, it's a simple fix. We also had a nasty "creak" in our rear cargo door, but I slapped some serious grease on the hinges and all seems to be fine now that the grease worked itself in. Overall, the appearance, fit, and finish is typical Toyota high-quality.
The only other concern I'd like to mention to possible manual-transmission buyers is the seating position. I'm 6'1", and I can get really comfortable in the RAV; it has lots of room and the seats are great. I can sit fully vertical and I have about 4 inches of room or more above my head. But, my wife's short and being that the RAV's seats are fairly high off the floor and the clutch pedals are a good distance away, she has to move the driver's seat to a position that's scary-close to the steering wheel just to work the clutch properly. With an airbag in the wheel, even the new reduced-power bags, it's not good to be that close to the wheel. So, if you're a fairly short person, you may want to look into this before you buy a manual RAV.
2. Is the hard rear tire cover only available from Toyota in the L package or can you buy it separately from the dealer? Or is there an after-market source that sells these?
Steve
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Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
--Ret
Scottdude, you could go to www.caranddriver.com and check their recent test on small SUVs. Featured in the test is the new RAV in the blue color you're talking about. You should be able to get a really good idea of the shade it is. They even have a screen saver download which contains all the mini-SUVs in the test. It's pretty cool...
I also drove the Honda CR-V and liked it, but the mpg is not so great. I drive a long way to work (takes me anywhere from 30-45 minutes each way depending on traffic) and don't want to regret my purchase at the gas pump. What do you RAV4 owners think of the economy of the vehicle?
Thank you.
Adding a fairing, like the ones that Yakima or Thule sell, may probably help to significantly reduce wind noise from the roof rack.
Hope this helps!
Drew
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Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
I do not believe the mileage would be as high as the salesman says (32) if you are talking US gallons (Canadian is different).
With 5,000 miles on my '01 RAV with 4WD and auto trans, I am now getting 25+ mpUSg in suburbs/highway 70/30 driving. The sticker said 23/28, so I think it was pretty accurate. And mileage can continue to improve to 10,000 miles or more.
Good luck.
ejp
Other people are experiencing roof rack noise, not I. I haven't noticed any irregular rack noises whatsoever with our RAV, and our rack came with the crossbars installed "correctly" with the arrows pointing towards the front of the vehicle. However, if you take some time and look very closely at the new RAV crossbars, you'll notice that they're very symmetrically shaped with exception of the tightening knob locations on the leading edge. Ironically, the "correct" method of crossbar installation puts the knobs on the forward side of the bars, which should theoretically cause more noise than having them installed the wrong way. Go figure. As far as accessory rack usage, yes, I agree, if you're going to install a THULE or YAKIMA rack on a vehicle (your RAV?), spend the extra dough and get the fairing. We've been Yakima rack users for six years now, and we use a fairing. A few months of using our rack w/o a fairing convinced me to buy one! It really helps smooth out the air flow.
-Ret
Leah
I test drove a 01 RAV4 2WD 4 speed automatic. The salesman indicated that I may get as much as 32 mpg; the sticker indicated 29/22. My last two cars have been compact sedans, so I'm used to very economical cars and am wondering how much more I'll be spending on gas each month. I drive about 60 miles round trip to work each day and am wondering if I wouldn't be better off with another sedan (sigh!)
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Steve
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With this past year as an exception, I've driven 80 miles round trip to work for the past 5 years, so I know what you mean. I've been driving compact Japanese sedans for the past 12 years total. But, the RAV does get good mileage in any transmission/drive configuration, and it's the nicest mini-SUV out there that's also economical to operate, IMHO. I don't know if you'd get 32mpg on the hwy with the 2wd auto you drove, but the 2wd manual would get you really close to that mileage figure. If you're short like my wife at 5'3"(or you can't drive a 5-spd manual), you may want to "stick" with the auto, as the RAV's high seat height makes it difficult to depress the clutch pedal fully for shorter people. We purchased the new RAV to have something "different" since we've owned so many sedans. We're very happy with our purchase so far, and it's tons better than a sedan when you need it for utilitarian purposes. The folding/removable rear seats really open the little RAV up for cargo uses that a sedan can't match. Since your used to compact sedans, you'll notice the RAV won't allow you to take turns as speedy as a small car, but it does handle pretty good overall for a tall vehicle.
Ordering...we were going to order a red exterior RAV because my wife wanted that color badly. Once we found out the red exterior color wasn't available in the L package and the wait would be 3 months to get one, we drove 3 hours west to get a white exterior RAV equipped close enough to our specs for us to buy it. We're pretty happy about the white exterior color after spending the past few months with it.
Toyota claims this for 2001 RAV mileage:
2WD:
manual trans.........25/31
auto trans.........24/29
4WD:
manual trans.........22/27(23/27 with the optional wide tires)
auto trans.........23/27(23/27 with the optional wide tires)
Also, on the test drive I went on a gravel road and boy was the car jerky and bouncy! Is this normal? It seemed really odd for an SUV to bethis rough... I would have thought it would have a little smoother ride over a bumpy surface. On the highway it was great.
I'm in Northern California; I special ordered my RED 2WD/Manual/Sunroof RAV4 on December 28th. The car arrived on March 25th... almost 12 weeks exactly as promised. Best, -gsz