2006 Toyota RAV4

jimd4

I am with you Wizz. When I get a new car I work lower with each refill unitl I see how close and how many gallons it takes when the gauge is on close to empty, empty and "very very empty". Then I drive till I am empty. I have had two Audis with no problems. I drive till trip computer says zero and then get gas in the next few miles. It has an 18.5 gallon tank. The only time I feel up early is if I am in a remote location or turnpike with long distances between service centers. I often put in 17.8 to 18.1 with no problems with pumps or such. I have done this with all my cars in the last 10-15 years.

jimd4

Actully it is very easy over 10 tanks or 3 months etc. And you can get a good idea of speedo/odo errors if you check with a GPS once. Usually those errors are small.
MPG is not to be life's work and most people are just trying to see if they are in the ball park +_ 1 MPG or so.

avrguy73

I am not concerned with gas milage. I know what I get. Remember, there were a few people here stating they were getting 30 MPG with the V6 in 60% hwy and 40% city driving.
I am just not buying that, no matter what.

I am happy with the I4's 21-22 MPG.
Cheers!

llkc04

OK, so now i think I must have done my mpg records wrong from what you all are saying. I down loaded a fuel purchase record from fueleconomy.gov and filled it out and did what it said. I'm going to give you my numbers and you can tell me If I was right or wrong. Sorry if i did it wrong. the dealer filled it up the first time and I drove it until the light came on and a little further. when I filled it up it had 341 miles on it and I put in 13.09 gallons in it. we then went on a trip from tn to miss, the next time the gas light went on (and a little after) we filled up again. the mileage before fill up was 738 miles and we put in 13.12 gallons. Then we drove around on vacation and made it almost all the way home and drove 9miles past the light (i wrote it down)comming on and when we pulled in the mileage was 1118 and we put in 13.30 gallons. I calculated 29 miles for the last tank because it came out for 28.96 for me so I rounded up. Sorry if I've messed this up but I'm just learning to keep and figure mileage records. Let me know what I did wrong. I would like to say that we drove VERY conservativly Not going over 65 (mostly under) and in town slow starts and not over 45. I did this to see what I could get if I drove carefully because I want to get great gas mileage. thanks and sorry for the trouble. by the way it is a 4x2. If you need anymore info let me know.

mterrell

yea just had mine repaired . Im not kidding a pebble on the interstate cracked mine. In Virginia they can repair if its just a nick. If not you get stuck paying the deductible. cracked easy and they need to be checked.My grand am has taken some bigger hits and never cracked.

jimd4

Your getting great MPG with your drivng style and that is what counts.

avrguy73

llkc04, Ok what brand of gas were you using? Must be some rocket fuel. lol

Well I am happy for you. Mine is far from that.

llkc04

my husband likes BP gas, so thats what we used. did you check my numbers, was I doing it right?
thanks, L

toyzrule

Just picked up my new V6 Ltd with everything but the DVD player. Boy, you guys weren't kiddin' about the scoot they've got! Passed my first vehicle coming home, and it was NOTHING. Zip, zip, zip and I've got a light foot. It's a good thing, 'cuz I could see speeding tickets rack up pretty fast. Does anyone know where I could find a nice chrome bumper grill for it? That, and perhaps other RAV4 accessories? :shades:

njawdriver

Does anybody know when the features of the 2007 RAV4 will be announced??? I've been holding out for bluetooth (and improved cupholders!) but don't know how much longer my '97 Subaru will last (great car - over 200,000 miles, but near the end and Subaru can't figure out that they need to offer electronic stability control on ALL new models).

2007 Initial Order Acceptance Month:6-12-06
2007 Initial Production Month: 08-06
2007 Initial Delivery Month: 10-06
All dates subject to change

Source: http://www.donlen.com/buildstart_toyota.asp

jta

I'm also holding out for a 2007. I was told the features I want will NEVER be found on a lot in the Midwest, so I would need to special order my Rav. The dealer also said the wait could be 3-4 months.

I'm also curious as to what changes will be on the '07's. Don't care too much about blue tooth right now, but I suppose I could use it with my Pocket PC to play MP3's over the stereo ?

Any new colors being offered?

jimd4

Only the Toyota gods no. I spoke with one dealer who said 2007 RAV4 comes out Spring 2007. That could be dealer baloney

orioninil

V6 Limited 4X4
50% city / 50% Highway (estimate)
BP 87 Octane

Method: Fill-up and wait until pump shuts off automatically

Averaging 24.83 mpg

Trip Miles Total Miles Gallons MPG

67.2
327.1 394.3 13.155 24.87
281.6 675.9 11.041 25.50
281.4 957.3 11.443 24.59
229.4 1186.7 9.765 23.49
323.3 1510 12.795 25.27
247.9 1757.9 10.372 23.90 (A/C)
241.9 1999.8 9.228 26.21

24.83 (AVG)

A/C indicates that I had the air conditioner running for the majority of the tank.

ateixeira

Fill up, zero the trip odo, then fill up again and do the math.

For one tank, the accuracy will vary, sure. But when you calculate your mileage for many tanks, as orioninil has, the average will be very accurate.

Mid 20s, in this case.

-juice

thecat

I wouldn't count on any changes being made for 07. If you're holding off your purchase for bluetooth and re-designed cupholders, I'd suggest you just go buy one now. Bluetooth is not a given and the cupholders are not a major issue. I put rubber can insulation sleeves (cozzies) in the cupholders and the problem is solved. As an added bonus, it now has an insulated liner.

avrguy73

I think we should define "city" here. When you say city driving, is that suburbs or block to block traffic lights? Does it include crawling traffic? because it makes a difference.

Just the other day it took me 30 minutes to do 5 miles.

klcrd

Thanks for your input. I did quiet a bit of research on online, on reviews on the Rav 4 and most car magazine editors did perfer the v6 for many of the reasons you mention. But it was nice to hear it from someone who is in the real world driving a Rav 4 v6 each day.

Once again

Thanks

Kevin

kdhspyder

I'd go with Donlen.

jta

    "Only the Toyota gods no. I spoke with one dealer who said 2007 RAV4 comes out Spring 2007. That could be dealer baloney"

That is definitely Baloney! All new orders taken as of June 12th (?) will be a 2007 unless it can be filled with a model already slated for production and isn't committed. Delivery of the 2007's is in October. (2006)


 I have found that most dealers, especially salespeople, aren't as knowledgeable as I am about their products. Which is why I hate dealing with them. I especially get irritated when I catch them in a blatant lie, or just plain showing their ignorance. I am in sales, and I believe you should know what you are selling.

As far as the 2007 Rav 4's, there should be some information out already with updates and changes, because all orders placed with Toyota today, even for stock, will be for 2007 models. All 2006 production is booked. It's just a matter of time before we see it. I'm just kinda hoping sooner than later.
I'm hoping for a new color.

 

orioninil

I'm not sure there is an exact defintion.

Here is mine.

Highway driving - going at a consistent rate of speed with little variation (no stopping).

City driving - is everything else (including suburban driving) - no speed (throttle) consistency (stopping, starting, braking, sitting, cussing, etc.)

jimd4

Ok well let us know when you get your 2007 RAV4 sales brochure with the colors and options spelled out.

I just spoke with my local dealer who knows I want to eventually get a 2007 and has been very honest on RAV4 delivery and price info in the past. He has no info on 2007, knows nothing about 6/12 as a 2007 order start date or when any 2007 info will be out. He said they are still scrambing to fill orders on the present models and sell anything they can get their hands on in a week or two.

rodsterin_fl

Well, if your figures are right you are getting 30MPG. You really cannot count the first tank since you do not know how many gallons were put in. So, start with the first tank fill, From that you drove 777 miles and used 26.42 gallons.

What kind of driving? Highway only, Did you use the AC?

Your mileage is very high but continue to check it. The magazine reviews are starting to emerge with 25 mpg overall, listing highway around 27-28mpg for you model.

tidester

stopping, starting, braking, sitting, cussing, etc.

Thank you! I've always wondered about the discrepancy between the EPA mileage figures and the real world. Obviously, they left out the "cuss factor!"

tidester, host

avrguy73

lol tidester

jimd4

Anyone have the charcoal cannister and hoses under their RAV4 ripped off from going thru 3" highway water at highway speeds?

Was reported elsewhere on RAV4W.

meesh1947

That was me!

Canister and hoses were replaced this morning under the "Good Will" policy. No Charge

BOB

jimd4

Ok, one poor guy said he had to pay $150!

quickdtoo

That was what Meesh was told by his dealer, in the end they didn't charge him for it. But they also didn't install any kind of shield to prevent it from happening again! Here's what happened with some possible fixes....

The whole story!

wizzobutter

Can anyone tell me whether the 2006 RAV4 has bumpers rated at 5 MPH or 2.5 MPH? I once said I'd never buy a car if it didn't have 5 MPH bumpers. I just realized I never checked the RAV4's rating. I witnessed my 1999 Camry get hit in a parking lot by an woman going in reverse at about 5 MPH. My Camry lurched forward, but the only visible damage was a slight scuff. Since she didn't speak English, I motioned her to leave.
I've also been hit twice while stopped at a stop light, once by a man in a very old Volvo with poor brakes, and another time by a woman distracted by kids in her minivan. No damage occured those times either. I know Toyotas are usually 5 MPH bumpers.

andrelaplume

Well, as for the rear bumper I can not say but the rear bumper but my wife backed into something and it put a nice dent in the bumper cover...the whole cover is being replaced but I expected it to be a bit sturdier. On the other hand, our '96 RAV had no rear bumper at all!

scottyg1234

I can't say about the bumper, but I was in an accident in my new '06 Rav, I was at a stop sign, the car behind me thought I had left, and he accelerated into me. The damage was over $5,000, and the bumper assembly was on backorder to Japan for over 2 weeks.

toycash

Feature info should be out soon, but isn't yet.

According to the '07 intro schedule from Toyota, the tentative on-sale date is 8/18.

rjones396

I have something on my (TBD) RAV4 called a rear bumper applique (EF) $75 The sales guy could not really describe it but it sounds like what you are talking about (or maybe its a $ 0.25 decal). It was on my car but not part of the standard base V6 package they order in the ohio region.

rjones396

I just ordered the V6 after driving both. The 4 cyl was fine when cruising but was noticably noisier than the V6 on acceleration and way noisy when you kicked it down. Of course you could get a 4cyl limited for about the price of the base V6 so it depends on the features you want for the money.

rjones396

This was one of the (few) complaints that CU had with the RAV4. How tall are you?

rjones396

I was told (by a dealer) that Toyota does not ship new models (07) until the previous year vehicles are gone! That protects the dealer from loses!

jimd4

Well since the dealers have little stock it will not take long for them to be "Gone" And I doubt that Toyota sits there waiting with an idle production line or 50,000 2007s on the dock in Japan waiting for each dealer to sell his last 2 RAV4s.

lir

"I was told (by a dealer) that Toyota does not ship new models (07) until the previous year vehicles are gone! That protects the dealer from loses!"

Well then that would be like next week here because they hardly have any. Might be the reason why I hardly see any on the road. I hope Toyota doesn't 'underbuild' for 2007. I also hope that some of the options such as side/curtain airbags and cargo/floor mats are a standard feature. And while I'm hoping, they should make the Ltd. with standard leather and moon roof. All the options made me crazy this year...these so-called 'packages' force you into purchasing options you might not otherwise get.

jimd4

Well what you say about the packages makes sense but I would not hold my breath. That is not the Toyota way it seems. And I think until the next factory opens in 2008, Toyota probably built all they could in 2006 and will do all they can in 2007. There are cars around, the SE distric has almost 600 in or coming in and if the process holds should get 600 more so on the list in a day or two. but the Sport and Limited v6 are a very small part of production it seems.

Once we see the number of "coming in" cars fall sharply at SE distric or fitzmall we can guess that the 2006 build is over.

vsoars1

I got one of the first V6's in Texas. It came with the TOW Prep. No one, not the dealer or hitch companies could get anworking electrial connection. Called Toyota USA, got the $150. connect system and a 26 page "How To', was told by dealer he didn't know how much they would charge to put it on since they had never done it. He said it was so simple a child could do it. After 8 hours, an elcetrical engineer still couldn't get the power to connect.
Toyota has sold something that it has not trained the dealers to work on and the dealers are indiferent to the problems.
Looks like it is going to be a great vacation of NOT flying my glider.

jimd4

Well if your smart enough to fly the glider, you can install the harness. There are detailed instructions with pictures on RAV4W from an owner who has installed it. It is time consuming but not rocket science. Several people there have had it installed by their dealer in less than 2 hours.

Take a look. If all the harness is now in your truck then the hard part is done. There are only two connectors to mate under the dash as I see and that is where your dealer could screw up. He gets paid to figure this stuff out!
Here is a link to the US instructions: http://rav4world.com/tsb/2006/06_trailer_wire_harness.pdf There are detailed connector tables at the end.

Here is ia detailed word document with pictues. The wire connect info is at the end
http://www.brandhollow.com/rav%20harness/rav_wiring_harness.htm

There are differences if you already have to tow package so the Toyota instructions are a little tedious too!

Good luck and remember to keep the nose down and the airspeed up!

quickdtoo

I'd be changing dealers!! If they're that inept, I wouldn't want them to touch my Rav4!! My dealer installed the harness with no problems, many owners here and at R4W have done the install themselves as jimd4 stated!!

jimd4

Your so right!

What brand of hitch is that you have on there? It looks like if you were standing up 5' behind the truck you really would not see much of it beside the actual hitch point.

quickdtoo

It's the Toyota 3500lb hitch. With all the confusion at the time of purchase with the salesman thinking the tow prep pkg came ready to tow and then finding out it wasn't, before I signed the final papers, he agreed to install the hitch and harness for $450 out the door including the hitch cost which I reluctantly agreed, in the end it was a bargain!!

jimd4

So does that hitch fasten with just the four vertical bolts that the aftermarket ones use or does it have the side plates and bolts some people refer to on RAV4W? Any idea who the actual manufacturer is?
Thanks

quickdtoo

Donno who the mfr is, but The 3500lb Toyota hitch uses the same 4 mounting points as the aftermarket hitches do, but in addition, it uses another one on the bottom of the frame rails that is ahead of the rear 2 on each side, plus those on the sides of the passenger side frame and 2 additional mounting locations on the outboard side of the driver side frame rail. The hitch frame rails that mount to the bottom of the vehicle's frame are about 18" long compared to what looks like about 10" long on the aftermarket hitch. There's also an attachment point to the rear bumper frame extensions on each side.

I couldn't get a good angle for the pic without the rig being on ramps, but the 3rd bolt is just out of view at the bottom of the pic.

Driver side view looking slightly toward the front, the out of focus part at the top is the main cross tube.

matthattan1587

Hey I am looking into buying a new SUV to replace my 04 Honda Accord. The Accord has been great, but I would like to change things up and buy a small/midsize suv that has more power than my 4 cylinder 160 hp Accord and handles like a car. I am considering 5 SUVs: Nissan Xterra, Toyota Rav 4, Honda Pilot, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the Ford Explorer. So far I have only driven the base model Xterra and loved the way it drove, but would like to add more accesories. The power from the 265 hp is great and I like how Nissan designed its interior and exterior. I am looking into the SE model in Night Armor with an optional Grille/Brush guard. Is the Xterra the way to go or should I look elsewhere? I am worried about the gas mileage of the Xterra as well. Please let me know with you guys think!
-MM

lir

All of the SUV's you mentioned have really poor fuel efficiency, except for the RAV. So if MPG is of utmost concern, then there's your answer. :shades:

heel2toe

Yeah, and all SUV's suffer pretty badly (at least on the highway) in comparison to similar size/weight/gearing/engine passenger cars.

It's fun to try to explain the CRV/Accord mpg difference, heh.

matthattan1587

I wish the CRV offered a V6 engine and changed the styling. I hear the new CRV will look like the new Acura RDX coming out this summer. I think that it will come down to the Nissan Xterra and the Rav 4. I have yet to test drive the Rav 4 so I will have to see how it drives.