Toyota Highlander

jb0110

I just put a couple of hundred miles of highway mileage on my new V6 AWD HL. One thing I noticed was the RPM was a bit higher than my 4 cyl. Camry at the same speed. RPM was 3000 @ 75mph - 250 higher than the Camry. Is this normal for a V6 engine? Does anybody have the gear ratio information on the HL? Thanks in advance.

a2esq

OK, now I am intrigued. I would love to get gray leather on the HL (even if it means a wait) with Indigo Blue exterior! Can you explain the process? Is there a way to "order" the car in this manner? Is this even possible?

tonychrys

Yup, about normal for the V6 3.0L.

cliffy1

The Southeast Distributor, SET, will put aftermaket leather in the Highlanders. You must buy it from a dealer in that region. Keep in mind though that this leather is NOT backed by Toyota's warranty nationwide. It is only covered in the SET region. If you want gray leather, and you don't live in the Southeast, buy one with cloth and have the dealership add aftermaket leather to it. Just about every dealership in the country has the ability to do this.

svtcobraconv

Kelley's shows the following axle ratios for AWD:

4 Cyl 3.48 Ratio
V6 3.29 Ratio

I have not been able to find the transmission overdrive ratio.

Camry 4 cyl auto shows 3.73, which would seem to contradict, but again w/o OD ratio you can't really compare.

roussel

Picked up our HL yesterday, and was not really intending on getting the extended warranty (7 yrs/75K mi.), but offer from dealer sounded good so we bought it anyway since we are sure of keeping this vehicle. Is $1300 a reasonable price or did we overpay? Dealer said these are selling at $2K+. BTW, we really love our new car and got a really good deal with the fully loaded limited edition -- $3K below MSRP after going back and forth to 2 dealers thru Costco & Autobytel!

tbear4

Hey tlcjac-

Where in Central Illinois did you see such a vehicle? I'm from IL and now living in IN and can't find such a critter. Every dealer tells me how "limited" the options are for the HL's. What color was it?

Thanks.

tlcjac

I live in Peoria, and this Highlander also has a sunroof. That means that "unlimited" Highlanders have come equipped with pretty much anything the Limited's have. I think we are going to buy this today, because it is just what we want.

Hope you all find the one you want. This board is so GREAT! Keep posting.

gluiz

Limited's have an ambient temperature function as part of the main display. You can cycle to it along with ET, MPG, etc. Knowing this, there is probably an easy way to add a temp gauge for a non-Limited by the wiring should be there. Somebody with a factory manual should be able to figure it out.

Also, if I remember right, the HL has a windshield wiper deicer also. I'd have to look it up again but I think it is part of the Heater Mirrors option.

G

dniehus

First, you got an excellent price on the vehicle. Dealers in our area haven't come down that much yet. Best so far is $1800 over invoice (which for a loaded Limited is about $1200 below MSRP, give or take...).

It pays to shop around for warranty coverage as well. You got an OK price, not terrific (especially for only 75,000 miles; 7 years usually includes 100,000 miles). Toyota's platium coverage doesn't offer a 7 yr/75,000 package. Who issued your coverage? Also, you didn't indicate whether you have a listed coverage or an exclusion type plan (the latter is generally better because it covers everything except those items listed). You also didn't indicate whether you have a deductible (generally policies are offered with none, $50 or $100). Sorry, but if you paid $1300 for a listed coverage policy for only 75,000 miles, you did NOT get a good deal. The dealer who told you that these policies usually cost over $2K is a sheister. He only told you that to make you think you got a good deal at $1300. I have gotten (so far) estimates for Toyota Platinum coverage (the best Toyota offers) for between $1000-1200 for 6 yr/100,000 with $50 deductible. You need not buy from the dealer where you bought your car and you can buy the policy anytime during the factory warranty period.

road__runner

My dealer checked the computer today and in our region (OH,IN,KY,TN) every sunroof Highlander
has the Limited package !
He did confirm that the UNLimited sunroof Highlander is available in other regions.
He said it might be possible to trade with a dealer outside the region, but with demand so high
it sounds like a long shot for the near term.

parman4

Macmac, re your question who has better gas..
For all intent and purposes, all gasolines are the same and are normally comingled in storage prior to delivery to a station.
the DIFFERENCE is in the additive they add to the gas before it goes to the station. Some oil companies, majors for example, may have their own proprierty additive. Other comapnies merely use a generic additive at the minimum dose level to meet government requirements.
Only a few gasolines are truly segrated from all others. here in the east they are Amoco Premium and Sunoco Ultra.

roussel

Thanks dniehus for the input. I know we didn't do well on the extended warranty, it is the GOLD plan with $0 deductible. Anyway, we'll be going back to the dealer today to re-do the sales contract because the center console and wheel locks they promised to add to the vehicle will not be available soon. So, good thing this happened, 'cause we changed our minds in getting the warranty, too, after I searched on the internet about pricing (WarrantyDirect and 1SourceAutoWarranty have good deals), and you're right we can purchase it later. Thanks again!

road__runner

Is the tow hitch offered by Toyota on the Highlander a 1-1/4 or 2inch receiver ?
Does anyone offer an after market hitch yet ?

thanks

rsholland

If the Highlander has the heated front windshield wiper deicer, even as an option, that's great.

I'm not as up on Highlander options/content as I am on Subaru options/content.

Bob

roussel

I was able to get the extended warranty -- Toyota Platinum -- 6yr/100K, with $0 deductible, for $1025. I think I got a good deal on this one (since I got almost the same price quote from WarrantyDirect and 1SourceAutoWarranty), after re-doing the sales contract and was able to negotiate on a much lower price on the extended warranty. It really helped reading the discussions here at Edmunds.com.

gluiz

I looked up this feature in the book and I must ammend my comment. The front wiper deicer is an option and it is part of the heated mirrors. When you turn on the mirror defroster, the wiper defroster also turns on. However, the deicer is only part of what they call Type B vehicles which I have no idea what that means. My theory is it is Canada. You can tell b/c the heated mirror switch will have a picture of the side mirror and the windshield. Mine only shows the picture of the mirror (yes I turned it on and the wiper/glass did not get hot and the mirrors were toasty). Anybody have the picture of the windshield on theirs?

G

chucknmil

So far, our 4 cyl HL is on a 20 MPG. This is a few less than we expected....anyone have any ideas - besides slowing down in this incredible machine?

Also, a rattle/vibration was solved by my wife: a ROOF Rack bar needed one knob tightened! Duh.

We're in this one for the long haul...Excellent Toyota product...Every bit as promising as our 1987 Camry - now with 270K!

mhplummer

Does anyone know if the highlander is or will be avail with the upgraded rear view mirror (is it electrochromatic) with compass?

I know this is avail on the RX and on Camrys.

rsholland

Subarus equipped with the heated windshield deicer have visible embedded wires, like those found on the rear window defroster, at the base of the windshield, right where the front wipers are parked. Look to see if your car has those wires. If it does, then you have that feature.

Bob

bironb

I am presently considering a base Highlander 4WD V6. In Canada there are no packages between the base and Limited and for some reason the powers that be at Toyota Canada decided not to include a tonneau cover in the base version or even as an accessory for the foreseeable future, it is only available as part of the Limited package ($9,600). My feeling is that a cover is a must these days for security reason for the concealment of parcels, luggage, ect. from prying eyes. This is the only aspect that is preventing me from purchasing the vehicle at the moment. I am being too paranoid about vehicle break-ins?

msu79gt82

I am also interested in getting a cargo cover, but not for security reasons. I'm not too sure how much they prevent break-ins. Surely no one leaves obviously valuable items lying around in plain view all the time. Do they?

I want one for heat/sun protection. I would like to keep the sun from beating down on the rear contents.

jerryo1

Picked up my new limited yesterday--paid $975 for 7 yr, 100m Toyota warranty and was $2,300 off of MSRP on car. I found I could have gotten warranty cheaper but would have paid more for car, so life's a balance. Wife is driving car today--go figure.

bertcherylg

I believe dealers can vary the price quite a bit for the warranty. I was dead set against a warranty (that's why I buy Toyota's), but the dealer offered the gold, 7/100,000 with $0 deductible for $580. I paid a bit more for the car than I've seen posted here ($1,500 under MSRP), but it was from a small town in CA and the exact configuration I was looking for. (4x4, V6, SR,BE,TO,VD,LL,EJ,LA,CF in White).....GREAT CAR!

dniehus

Congratulations on a great price for your new wheels. If you don't mind indicating, in what part of the country are you? Dealers in the Phila. area haven't moved nearly that far -- some are $1500 below MSRP, but as of this past weekend, some are (unbelievably) still asking MSRP (pigs). Still have 2 months before I'm ready to buy, so I'm hoping for more movement. Anybody have recommendations for volume dealers in the MidAtlantic area that price their HLs realistically? Thanks.

roussel

jerryo1, is that the gold or platinum coverage? dealer said platinum does not come in 7yr/100k, only 6yr/100k, but the gold does. is that what your dealer said, too? i was thinking of getting just the gold coverage (for $925, for 7yr/100k, $0 ded) but i wanted to have the radio/casette/cd changer (incl in platinum) and other stuff covered by the warranty, plus for sure we'll reach 100k first with all the travelling we're used to. i think we all got a good deal! ENJOY YOUR NEW CAR!!!
bertcherylg, that's a great price on the gold coverage.

roussel

got our limited HL from hanlees toyota in davis, ca for $2900 below MSRP (thru costco). another dealer in roseville, ca has offered $2800 below MSRP (thru autobytel). tip: only deal with fleet managers.

weichi

My 'unlimited' HL has the windshield wiper deicer option. The control button is located on the left of the dashboard and it also turns on the side mirrors defogger at the same time.
I tried it yesterday and the bottom of the window warmed up at the level of the wiper's rest position on the driver's side only (whereas both side mirrors warmed up).
According to the owner's manual, the icons on this button differ if the option is available or not.
Hope this is useful.

dshenmdyn

Sorry for this stupid question:

What is "fleet manager"? Are they different from regular sale persons?

rsholland

I see by your profile that you live in Canada. I'm wondering if USA-spec Highlanders have that electronic front windshield deicer, even as an option? Anybody know for sure?

Bob

pyrman7

Roussel-those prices are unbelievable!Were they thru an online buying service?Fleet manager?Looking at HL limited-MSRP of $34,960.What's a good target figure?

rfhou

seemomgo-I have the gray "port" leather installed by Gulf States. As far as the install on mine: the front seats are about as good as the factory leather. The fit of the leather on the rear seat is off a little. Also, the rear passenger side seat is blemished. That is, the leather is "crinkled" and feels thinner. I'll be asking them to look at this during the first oil change.

mhplummer-My HL came with the compass/auto dim mirror. I was pleasantly surprised by how well it works. This was also installed at the port by Gulf States.

For the record, the guy's in Conroe gave me $1,500 of my Limited a month ago. This is an awesome Car, I mean Truck, I mean SUV. I'm not sure what to call it, but I love it.

hugotung

To AKG,

As I've posted in #1071, I live in the Phoenix metropolitan area and bought our HL from Camelback Toyota. I worked with Sam Sanchez who is a fleet manager at the dealership.

Our HL has keyless remote entry, it is part of CQ Convenience Package.

Hugo

drew_

You can always ask the Toyota dealership's parts department to order you the cargo cover. Or better yet, how about getting your salesperson to throw it in as part of the deal?


Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards

jerryo1

At first dealer indicated that the only a 6yr 75,000 was available but when I pushed him, the 7yr, 100,000 was available--not sure what was going on there.
I bought my Highlander in Richmond at McGeorge.

svec7186

i just found a NJ dealer http://www.bctoyota.com/ thats is taking $1000 off ALL cars. they show 2 HL in stock

dianne4toyota

Question: what's the going rate for 4wd Highlanders? I mean, those of you who have purchased or are amidst trying to and getting quotes?

I have a VERY good reason to ask, and I really prefer an email answer to let me know? I am getting calls and emails of neighboring dealers (and some even pretty far away!) who are upset with me for blowing out 4WDs right now, and frankly, I need a little ammo to cover my tail to show I am not "unfairly and singlehandedly" destroying the Highlander 4WD market.

Signed,
Dianne who will NOT let anyone price-fix me into submission. No way, no how.
dianne@earthlink.net

zman3

Dianne:

I can't help you out since I am not purchasing, but what are they proposing? You all conspire to charge the same price (MSRP)? As many people have said many times, let the market determine the price. You go girl!! (No offense intended).

rsholland

Very interesting post. Are these other dealers suggesting illegal or unprofessional tactics? I'm sure everyone here is pulling for you.

Bob

cliffy1

The Toyota hitch has a 2" receiver.

dniehus

Perhaps it's time that the Federal Trade Commission did a study of price collusion among auto dealers. This is very anti-consumer. There is no reason for there to be a $4000 spread between invoice and MSRP on a fully loaded HL Limited. This on top of the holdback? Give me a break. Of course I'm willing to pay a "fair profit" (which obviously means different things to everybody -- most consumer mags suggest 3-5% over invoice). But, we're not there yet by a longshot. The dealers need to quit price gouging potential buyers.

dianne4toyota

Honey, bite your tongue. (LOL) I think they are scared that I am really selling these for that pricing... and they ought to be, because I am. Meaning, that their market strategy for getting MSRP or full marked-up retail will never work if someone knows how to reach me first.

I can't call it a conspiracy, because it really isn't. It's BS, but I want my ammo before the S part of the BS hits any fans here.

Dianne
O:>

dianne4toyota

That's why there is a "MSRP" in all cars sold on these shores right now... Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price. A fellow decades ago named Thomas Monroney made that an issue and subsequently a reality.

Now, dealers are free to use that as a guide, mark up over that, or sell for less. You don't like a dealership's price, move on, easy as that. If you are a business owner, no doubt you can appreciate free trade and not having some organization peering over your shoulder to fix your pricing. That's even more insane than collusion.

Dianne

john_lise

I wish I had dealt with you, Dianne. I had to do big time research, but managed to deal with the sales manager instead of salesperson who didn't bargain in good faith. I offered 4% over invoice, he said 5% would be the best he could do (this is about $2800 under msrp). I accepted and am the proud owner of a fully loaded V6 AWD LTD!!

I live in Nova Scotia (Atlantic) Canada. Although we are on different coasts and thousands of miles apart, I still think supply and demand dictates to the market. As you probably already know HLs come two ways here: base and fully loaded! If the dealers in Canada can offer the HL V6 LTD AWD for $2800 under MSRP, then why can't you. Tell them to put that in their pipe and smoke it!!!

Good luck!!

roussel

fleet mgrs are those guys who will not hesitate to show you the invoice (in black&white) and be honest with you with how much profit they want, so there are normally no more lengthy negotiations (our deal took about 15-20 mins!)costco referred us directly to the gen. sales mgr of hanlees toyota in davis, ca, they are a small dealership and don't have fleet mgrs under the gen sales mgr. big dealers usually do. prior to this, i went to 2 other dealers, just happened to walk in and find out how much their asking prices are (i'm very much prepared to negotiate, i know the invoice price of the car, and all options), and to no surprise, they won't even go below MSRP! unbelievable! since this was our first experience dealing with fleet mgrs, i am not sure if you can schedule an appointment yourself to talk to them directly. hope this helps.

roussel

i requested a quote thru costco.com, and they emailed me with the dealer who will be contacting me. i did the same thru autobytel.com and referred me another dealer who contacted me the same day.
i got the HL with limited package (LL), side airbags (BE), towing prep package (TO), sunroof (SR), cd changer & 8 speakers (EJ), leather seats (LA), carpet/cargo mats (CF), and glass breakage sensor (V2) for $30,700, MSRP is $33,590. dealt with gen. sales mgr.
good luck!

drew_

is on now! (5-6pm Pacific/8-9pm Eastern). Hope to see you there!
http://www.edmunds.com/chat/freewaychat.html


Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards

needsahl

Dealers in SW florida still want an arm and a leg( over MSRP ). Anyone in my area had any luck buying one ? Going to try Costco. Will let you know how that goes

uncleoscar

Does anyone know the availability of parts? HL was sideswiped - damage reserved to driver's side.
Body shop says at least a month. $6000 estimate priced out using RX300.

dmichel

My dealer provided me with option codes, which I can't decode on my own, even with the consumer reports report. Any help on the following:
DR
VQ
WL
GN
SK
V5