Toyota Highlander

cageym

I recall some discussion of trailor hitches this summer, but can't seem to locate them now. At the time I didn't think it was much of an issue (I got the tow prep package on my '01 HL Limited AWL, though I didn't really intend to get a hitch until maybe a year or two down the road), but things have changed and I'm in the market. So I will appreciate advice and counsel on what's the best way to go. My recollection is that people were reporting good luck with Hidden Hitch or something like that?

Thanks for indulging me!

ted83

Your best bet is probably Hidden Hitch part #70777. At www.hiddenhitch.com you can see the hitch and print the installation instructions, but you can't order it from them. You can go to www.begeco.com and order it for about $110.

If you will pull a trailer with lights and/or electric brakes then you need the wiring harness. Your best bet there is probably www.toyotaguys.com.

captainkirk

My wife and I are considering purchasing a Highlander when our lease expires in a few months. Almost everything I have read in this discussion area praises the Highlander. That's good to hear. I think I saw a discussion area specifically on Highlander pricing but can't seem to find it again. Any idea as to where this discussion subject is located? Also, has anyone purchased a new Highlander in the Kansas City, Missouri area. I am looking for a good dealer in the area. I'm not opposed to going a few hundred miles to get the vehicle from a "good" dealer if that is what it takes. I'm assuming I will probably have to order what I want because almost no one here in the KC area has any units in stock for immediate delivery.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

ted83

Correction to my earlier post. You can order the hitch at www.bageco.com not www.begeco.com. Sorry about that.

genemachine1

Help I am being charged 500.00$ for the TOYOTA DEALERS ASSOCIATION. Is this what everyone is paying? My dealer says he has to pay this amount. Is this true? Got a good deal on the highlander,$1000.00 over invoice--2002 LIMITED. I hate to pay the 500, but will if dealer has to pay this cost. Thanks genemachine

suvshopper4

genemachine1: Check over on "car dealer's dirty secrets" (or some such name) thread. There are some helpful "insider" guys over there who will be able to tell you if the charge is 100% real. Be sure to tell them your region, because this charge varies accordingly (if it is an advert fee).

cliffy1

I'm going to nit-pick for a bit here so bear with me. You are not being asked to pay the TDA fee. The dealer pays it on his invoice. If you have seen an actual invoice, you may be under the impression that you are paying it as well. What you are being asked to pay is a retail price. What the dealer pays is a wholesale price and that price to him includes a regional TDA fee. This fee ranges from a flat $250 to over 2.3% of total invoice.

It sounds like your dealer is being pretty up front with you by sharing his wholesale cost with you.

acurahad

New engines are built to close tolerances. Get an attorney, an force dealer to replace the engine with a new engine, not a rebuilt engine. Todays engines do not take alot of abuse, when they are run without oil. The dealership is at fault, period!

d2000one1

http://www.auto.com/industry/iwirh10_20011010.htm

little_pogi

Getting a your HL replaced may be a difficulf and expensive option. You will definitely have to go through litigation to justify a damaged engine requires the replacement of the vehicle. From a pratical point of view, the extended warranty offer may be your best option. Make sure also you get this in writing and will be honored by any Toyota dealer.

I'm not surprise the Envoy got Motor Trend truck of the Year award. If someone will give me a free Envoy or HL, I'd choose the Envoy. Back then when I was looking for a SUV to buy, the Envoy and the HL were the two finalist. With my hard earned dollars to spend, I chose the HL and have no regrets to this day.

gwkiser

Yeah, I was considering one but they hadn't hit the dealer. Then they finally came in but we had already bought the HL. Then the Envoys hit the dealers again.....something about front wheels falling off. What a miraculous recoverly for them. In less than 8 months they go from literally "undrivable" to the best in the class. Hmmmmmmmm........

d2001one1, which are you going to buy??

norm949

Thanks, gwkiser, for the pointer to the fog lights info. Guess I'm not the only non-Lim owner who finds the plugs odd looking.

On a related topic, does anyone have recommendations as to the best place (online) to buy accessories? Specifically I'm looking for a Tonneau cover, cargo net, aluminum wheel locks, and touchup paint (for the inevitable chips). TIA!

spfotey

maybe that will be a new thread -- tho i never thot i would say something like that. i wonder if gmc has their reliability problems addressed at all. has anyone driven this and compared it to others??

d2000one1

I will purchase the Envoy! I've driven the MDX, Highlander, and Explorer and the Envoy gives me more of what I'm looking for. It is truck-based and it has a smooth ride. The Explorer, even though it has independent rear suspension, doesn't ride nearly as well as the Envoy. The MDX and the Highlander both have great ride quality, but they should because they are car-based. I want a truck... but I don't necessarily want it to ride like a truck!! Therefore, the Envoy is the right choice for me. Not to mention it is beautiful, the engine and transmission, the features... I will be purchasing one as soon as I close on my house on Oct. 26th. On the 27th I will be at my local GMC dealer to finalize the deal that I've already negotiated.

ahlin

It was interesting to note that the Highlander was rated at the top in the October Consumer Reports ratings while the Envoy was at the bottom of the ratings. Now Motor Trend has rated the Envoy as best SUV The difference between the two publications is interesting to say the least.

allen66

Hi everybody

I recently purshased a 01 HL 4cl, AWD. I love the car and it has plenty of power, especially going up/down mountains here in utah.

I was wondering if anybody has good suggestions regarding an entertainment center to be placed in the center console (I do not have the factory console, so maybe I can place the entertainment center there.

thanks

drew_

FWIW, perhaps if you read the following regarding Motor Trend's awards, you'll see why it's not really surprising that the Envoy won:

http://www.autoextremist.com/archives/991012/index.shtml


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

tbuchta

You know, on paper the envoy is a very impressive vehicle and if GM could deliver a quality vehicle like Toyota they would deserve the award. Unfortunately the recalls and Consumer Reports dead last rating for the envoy indicate something else..

gwkiser

OK, congratulations on your decision to buy an Envoy. I hope you enjoy owning it as much as we Highlander owners have enjoyed owning them. So, you go your way and we'll go ours. BTW, if you already made your decision on the Envoy, why did you come to this forum?

candyman85233

I cannot believe Motor trend made the Envoy SUV of the year. Well, I cannot blame them for wanting to give the US economy a boost and for being patriotic over the current events, so they had to pick an American company as GMC. The HL cost $3000 less and is a far better value for the money! Oh well. I don't think Envoy owners get people coming up and asking about the HL like I do now, out of the blue. I LOVE MY HL!

sybele

Hi everybody. After reviewing the toyota website, I still have two questions.
1. Does anybody how much would the video entertainment center cost?
2. Was the bluestone metallic color dropped for 2002?

jrfiero

I had the pleasure of using my spare tire, and I see in the Owner's Manual (p215) it lists a "tool bag."
Are we supposed to have one? (I don't)
Do any of you have one?
Easy to check, just lift up the rear mat and spare tire cover, and its location is in the plastic tray on the right, at the front ahead of the jack handle.
I can report that:
The jack works fine (but could use a little lube on the threads).
The wimpy little lug wrench also works fine, and can easily put more than the recommended 76 ft lbs on the lug nuts.
The wheel lock 'key' can be used without removing its tie wrap - just slip it off the lug wrench, and use the lug wrench right over the tie wrap. Unfortunately, the tie wrap broke when I was trying to slide it back on the lug wrench the second time, after reinstalling the repaired tire.
The full size spare actually has the same wheel as the other four, not some black steel wheel!
There's plenty of room under the spare cover to store various pieces of 'stuff.'
Thanks,
Jonas

alimin

sybele: No, I don't think the bluestone color was dropped in 2002 - I own one. (For awhile though, the 2001 Toyota website color selector didn't have that color visible - but if you rolled the mouse to the right of the first row of colors, you'd hit an "invisible" button with the bluestone color). But I just checked the color selector on the 2002 HL Toyota web site and the bluestone color is very visible among the exterior color choices. Of course, the bluestone is the exact one for me! This vehicle is so exciting to drive, I really look forward to every opportunity to turn the ignition key.

alimin

gwkiser

Uh, er, OOPS!

Well, that's the response I got from Toyota (ok, ok, not an exact quote!) when I emailed them back in May about the "tool kit" illustrated in the owner's manual. My guess is that they were going to include one but later changed their minds about it. Nobody got one and all the HLs on the lot didn't have one in them either.

runpanther

So should we demand a tool bag or what??

gwkiser

Well, you can demand all you want, but you won't get one because they don't exist in the parts system. No part number, no part. I even looked at the RX300 bag and wasn't impressed. I remember the bag alone was listing for $15, minus the tools. My intention is to go out somewhere and locate a small hard-cased kit that will fit in the back storage area. While it won't have the Toyota logo on it, I'm sure it will serve the purpose just as well.

BTW, I was fortunate to get a $75 Restoration Hardware gift certificate from Toyota US within a couple of months after buying the HL. I know some others here did too. Now I'm curious as to whether or not that was some sort of "compensation" for the lack of the tool kit.....

Maybe you new owners should email Toyota at http://toyota.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/toyota.cfg/php/enduser/home.php and see what they say.

Good luck.....

sybele

Alimin thanks for your response. Bluestone is one of the most attractive colors. It makes the HL standout.

Is there any special financing incentive? I didn't see a wood steering wheel listed in the options. Do you think the Camry's would fit?

cliffy1

The short answer is... thar aint none. The long answer is, I think they do provide one for the European market and possibly the Canadian market. We in the US must suffer with only the basics to change a tire and must buy our own tools.

stever

solace7

I'm trying to buy a HL in North Florida. My dealer says they have located one in Naples, about 300 miles away. They can trade one of their HLs for the one in Naples, but the salesman will have to drive it down and bring mine back.

I'm concerned about the salesman driving on I-75 during the break-in period. I understand you're not supposed to go over 55 mph for the first 1000 miles. Is this correct? I thought I had read that on this site. My dealer says there is NO break-in period on the Highlander. Is thus true?

HELP! I have to give the dealer an answer ASAP on whether I want this car. I know I don't want it if the break-in is ignored. Traffic on I-75 averages about 75 MPH, and anyone driving 55 would be run off the road.

anthony921

....for the 'secret' mid range radio adjustment. To me it really does make a considerable difference in the sound. The same thing works in my wifes 2001 Rav 4. I'm curious.....why would Toyota 'hide' this option ?

gwkiser

Definitely a break-in period...1500 miles no faster than 55mph. Says so in the manual. Some people recommend not driving it at a constant speed for long stretches during the break-in period also. Maybe they can truck it in or you can catch a commuter flight or one way car rental or bus??? How about a buddy driving you there? Buy him a good lunch before heading home. Don't think I would trust the salesman to bring it to you.

joseph38

To: bpl1

Is there any freight and pdi on top of your $33,737? I live in Toronto too and want to follow your way.
Thank you in advance.

Joseph38

solace7

Thanks for the info. This is strange - the salesman swore there was no break-in period. The Sales Manager got on the phone and swore there was no break-in period. He said he'd be happy to put the Service Manager on the phone to tell me the same thing.

I'm assuming it would void the warranty to take a HL with 0 miles and drive it all day at 80 MPH. Yet this is exactly what they propose to do.

gwkiser

Just for you, I went into the garage and dug out the owner's manual.

OK, tell them to get off their lazy _sses and go read page 179 in the Highlander owner's manual. BTW, the very first thing listed is in BOLD TYPE.

" Break-In Period

Drive gently and avoid high speeds.

Your vehicle does not have an elaborate break-in. But following a few simple tips for the first 1600km (1000 miles) can add to the future economy and long life of your vehicle.

Do not drive over 88 km/h (55 mph).

Run the engine at moderate speed between 2000 and 4000 rpm.

Avoid full-throttle starts.

Try to avoid hard stops during the first 300km (200 miles).

Do not drive for a long time at any single speed, either fast or slow.

Do not tow a trailer during the first 800km (500 miles). "

Now, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't have much confidence in somebody who's too lazy to learn about the vehicle they're selling and even less about the one who is going to be working on it. I ran into a few snags when dealing with our sales guy, but he did know about the break-in period. Bottom line: If the deal is that good, go get the vehicle...don't trust them to bring it to you. As you stated, they're going to be cruising at 80mph all day long. Whether or not this is a violation of the warranty is debatable. However, it clearly isn't beneficial for the "future economy and long life of your vehicle".

Good luck.

msbrown

I have been following this forum for some time and it helped me make the decision to buy my HL (thank you very much!). I remember reading many posts ago about the popping noise coming from the moon roof but can't remember if it was just from heat expansion or a quirk in manufacturing? TIA

ehl3

Many thanks to all that have posted to this board since I started reading it last May.

We finally received our factory ordered HL a week ago, exactly as the dealer projected. Ordered 5/29, delivered 10/11 as a 2002. Thusfar, everything has been perfect. No glovebox rattle. No A-pillar noises. We have the base radio and the "trick" doesn't seem to work, though. Either I'm doing something wrong or Toyota changed something for 2002.

We had ordered the "much-maligned" center console, but the 2002 standard console is a huge improvement; somewhat similar to those in the Lexus 300RX. There is also an armrest in the backseat for 2002 that I don't think was there for 2001.

The prices changed a bit from 2001 to 2002, but the deal ended up at $177 over 2001 invoice. With several unusual PIO options, I haven't taken the time to see if I did better or worse with the 2002 pricing. For reference: V6 2wd (Silver), Tow Prep, PIO leather, PIO step bars, mats, roof rack, daytime running lamps $25,300 pre-tax, $26,979 including tax & tags. Add $150 for the 15% titanium window film being installed today. Gald we ordered and passed on the Toyo(Profit)Guard and power seats (the manuals work great and move in all of the same directions - maybe even a bit more upward play). Hollywood (FL) Toyota - ask for Israel Washington - Fleet and Internet Manager.

No complaints whatsoever. I even paid with a personal check.

20.5 mpg first tank, heavy city driving. Personal mechanic told us not to get too excited about the 55mph break-in for what that's worth. Oil is getting changed at 500 miles, though, regardless.

While the dark blue looked great clean, I think we'll appreciate the silver more over time.

Again, many thanks to all. Particularly Cliffy and svtcobradroptop (amazing how quiet the truck is after getting out of my 98 Cobra hardtop).

Updates as we experience them.

suvshopper4

The RAV4 break-in guidelines in the owner's manual specify 55mph. I'm told, however, that the manual for the same vehicle in Europe shows a higher speed. Could it be that Toyota is going by the average speed limit in a given country?

In any case, varying the revs is what is most important. Not too long in any one rev range, which is why they tell you not to use cruise control during break-in.

mikey00

I guess you can say it's both heat expansion and a quirk in manufacturing. The moon roof is made of both plastic and metal. After sitting in the sun for about 20 minutes or even just a warm garage, then driving with the A/C on the moon roof pops as the plastic and metal contract at different rates. This can be minimized by directing the A/C vents away from the moon roof. But it still pops. It just takes longer. Some owners on this forum claim the dealer has fixed this by placing felt between the plastic and metal. My Lexus dealer tried a few times on my RX but was not successful. Maybe next time. Until then I just keep the sun shade closed. This also prevents it.

solace7

Thanks again gwkiser! You're a life saver!

The dealer called back today, and said they would be trucking the HL from South Fla. to my dealer, and taking one of his HLs in trade. It'll probably cost me an extra $200.

They must have pulled out the manual and realized they were about to [non-permissible content removed] the deal - and they were already obligated to trade with the Sarasota dealer. I don't mind paying for it to be trucked, but if it arrives with 300+ miles on the odometer, I'm raising all kinds of hell.

kath00

We just (6 mo ago) bought a car that was 250 miles away and they traded and brought it here via car carrying truck for no extra cost. Sounds like your dealership is a bit "shady" since I never heard of someone offering to drive a brand new vehicle 300 miles just to get to the dealership in the first place. My first car, a Pontiac Firebird, was purchased in San Francisco in 1990 and brought from Utah on a car carrier for free. The second came from about 150 miles away. Hmmm.

ltw1

Maybe you can get them to give you a good warranty package free for letting them bring up the car. I think I would try it then you could feel alittle better about the purchase.

irishcasey

Just wondering how you decided on the 4 cyl? My wife will be driving the HL around town and we will tow nothing. Do you think the 4 cyl is a good choice for this vehicle? Cliffy what say you? Thanks.

irishcasey

I leaning towards the 4 cyl but my wife wants leather seats. Your earlier post mentioned PIO leather. I'm in the dark can you explain? The dealer mentioned sending it our to a local shop for Classic Soft Trim leather. Anyone have experience or thoughts on how to get leather on the 4 cyl and how much it will cost. Thanks much.

suvshopper4

irishcasey: I've heard good reports on that aftermarket leather installer you mentioned - better quality leather than Toyota's, more interior pieces covered, and many color choices. The RAVers who I heard this from were pleased with the results. Cost for a RAV was about US$1200, if I recall correctly (?); expect more for the larger Highlander. If you take it to the installer directly, you could save money. But if there is a problem, you might want the dealership's leverage (assuming they'll get involved) to get it sorted out.

PIO is port-installed option - Toyota workers at the port of entry do the installation. I don't know if the leather option is one of these. Kinda doubt it.

I've also heard that the 2.4L 4-cyl HL was not a dog, and for your needs (no towing) it might be just fine. I'd definitely check it out; gas cost savings over the years would add up.

Good luck.

kdubs1

I am inching closer to ordering a 2002 HL, and am focussing on options.
Opinions appreciated:
Limited questions: Is the sound system upgrade available on the Limited that much better than the base? How about the electronic climate control and other goodies?
Unlimited: Is the 2002 center console trimmed with the same silvery plastic as on the dash?

octothorpe

I've been starting to seriously look for price quotes for a 2002 highlander with the intent of purchasing immediately. I am frustrated though by the dealer inconsistencies.

I have gone through Toyota's website, and I want to start with a V6 AWD w/Popular Combo B, add a rear spoiler and charcoal leather.

One dealer told me:

"The V6 4x4 model is not available in the level that you requested. Toyota sends this model out in three different levels from the factory and is not allowing special orders at this time."

Has anyone factory ordered, or seen options for, a 2002 recently? (vs. ordering a 2001 and getting a 2002). It's confusing to me if Toyota advertises 4 popular combos on their website, but ships only 3. I can also see that maybe Toyota wants to stop the special orders and get caught up on the backlog...

osoriob

Question for ehl3!

I was reading your post and I noticed you mentioned as an option for the new 2002 HL that you just received PIO step-bars, are you talking about the running boards or did your dealer actually install step-bars and if so can you tell me what brand they are and the approx price?

I went to look at a HL the other day with running boards installed from factory and I was not impressed with how flimsy they were, considering the $625 listed on the window sticker. I think step-bars or tubes are more durable.
any comments are welcome.

osoriob

impe

I have the Port Installed Option (PIO) step bars on my 2001.

My HL is black and the step bars really look good against the black; they are very solid - I am 242 lbs and they hold my weight well. As I remember it, they were $425 but I cannot remember if that was invoice or MSRP price.

BUT! They are mounted so close to the body that the dog is the only family member who uses them on a regular basis.

Thanks,

Impe

sdhillon

Any thoughts on the difference between these two options.

What exactly are the benefits of one over the other?

Are they really necessary?

Thanks

Sdhillon