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2008 Toyota Highlander

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Comments

  • gdkogergdkoger Member Posts: 23
    Gary,
    I too want a Blizzard pearl, but according to my dealer in Maryland, they ordered one to the specs I wanted (all the options) according to them they too were looking for one they had already made and switch it to their dealership. Is what you are saything they can't order, just like Honda. They can only request one. I have seen the make, model and options I want. But the dealer's wife snagged it, and I would of payed a lot, instead of the 1% over invoice. I also don't want the dealer badging on it. Did you put a deposit on the highlander? Also, According to my dealer, they could only order on Monday's. If this is all true, you should get yours before mine. KIT....
  • denverbriandenverbrian Member Posts: 61
    The only built-in compass on the Sport would be if you have nav. It is not anywhere in the small display.
  • denverbriandenverbrian Member Posts: 61
    If you have an axe to grind on RX300s, I believe they have a forum for that. :)

    Or, knock yourself out and buy something non-Toyota. I hear you can get great deals on Pontiac Azteks these days. :)
  • rzepa1rzepa1 Member Posts: 55
    thanks.

    And one more question ... can a dealer install factory option on a vehicle which came without it ? I am thinking
    here of homelink .... It is an option on Sport. I am yet to see one with it.
  • outsidegurloutsidegurl Member Posts: 6
    Hi, first of all, thank you for responding. Yes, I am in total agreement of everyone being happy (consumer and supplier)...as long as it's done fairly. I'm planning on ordering one if possible so I can get it just how I want. I'm leaning toward the Limited. I don't mind waiting a few months...that's why I got started a little early so I'm not pressured and I can take time to make my decision. As long as I can do it before the snow flies.
    And, yes, I just went by what the TMV said on this site, so maybe I'm jumping the gun.
    So...any info you can give me on posible options...such as the bike rack...do you know if you can get two on top? Also, do you know much about the snow option?
    You seem very knowledgeable, so feel free to send me anything you have.
    Thanks!
  • outsidegurloutsidegurl Member Posts: 6
    Thanks for responding...
    Question...
    If you purchase from out of state, does your local dealer frown upon servicing you, or are they cool with helping?
  • rzepa1rzepa1 Member Posts: 55
    I really do not care if they frown. They still get paid quite a bit by Toyota if the car is under warranty or even more if it is not (by you). I usually try to stay away from my dealer once the warranty is out. The 15/30/60K services are a joke and $200 brake is a rip off.
  • qs933qs933 Member Posts: 302
    Sorry -- I don't bike and where I live, there's no snow :); I'm sure someone here can help you with those questions, though. If I remember correctly, there was quite a bit of discussion on bike rack options earlier in this thread (around June/July).

    Good luck on your search. You've got time on your side.
  • bsmestadbsmestad Member Posts: 9
    Yep, its all about the pass through, because I'm sure not taking that infant seat out every time to move the 2nd row seat forward. As for the pass through, its not a lot of fun for me to get back there, but it can happen. My sister in law, who is only 5'1" and like 100lbs wet gets back there no problem, as does my son. As for the booster seat, I usually give him the quick once over from the rear of the car instead of hiking back there myself, as the third row seat is nice and close to the back.
  • denverbriandenverbrian Member Posts: 61
    I don't believe that the auto dimming mirror w/compass is a dealer installed option, and I'm dead certain Homelink isn't.

    I only have one garage door opener to worry about, so for me, giving up Homelink (I had it on my '05 Camry) wasn't a deal breaker. I did have to use needle nose pliers to adjust the tension on the clip on the regular opener, however - Highlander visors are quite thick!

    Homelink seems to be showing up on Sports only with certain regional option packages. If you go to http://www.toyota.com/highlander/models.html and select "Build and Price Your Highlander," then put in your local zip code, you can get to the available option package screens for your area. For instance, here in Colorado my Sport came with Option Package C, with the nav, cold weather package, and tow prep package (without the hitch receiver, the rat b****tards). If you enter 90210 for SoCal, you get Option Packages A through G - and every single one of them includes Homelink!
  • microbustmicrobust Member Posts: 56
    Thanks for that, we didn't get a chance to try the car seats at the dealer.
  • rzepa1rzepa1 Member Posts: 55
    Thank for the info. Accoding to the website, none of the packages in my region includes homelink. I guess I am going to live without it.

    Few years back I had dealer install dimming/compass on my XL avalon. Maybe I can get them to do so on Sport ???
  • sallen10sallen10 Member Posts: 30
    Unless you are desperate for a HL, you should wait for the 2009 model as HL will be widely available across the packages as Toyota has done with other similar needs and wants as teasers.
  • flormattflormatt Member Posts: 5
    Please find it here, it is a 5.6mb pdf file.

    2008 Highlander & HiHy Brochure

    Matt
  • rzepa1rzepa1 Member Posts: 55
    thanks. This is an option. Seems like most dealers around here have 1-2 of each trim in colors I do not like anyway.
  • donnieodonnieo Member Posts: 12
    Has anyone seen a sport with the 3rd row seat deleted?

    How about even a photo of it? There's nothing in the Chicago area.
  • flormattflormatt Member Posts: 5
    Look at page 9 on my pdf it looks like that large picture may be showing without the third row, I may be wrong, but I thought the third row was split and in this picture it shows just a flat back with some type of latch on it.

    http://www.gate.net/~jomatt/2008 Highlander & HiHy.pdf">
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    You beat me to it. I was going to mention the wood in the Infinity. A friend of mine has one and it's very close to the HL's. Even high gloss lacquer is distinguishable from the high gloss plastic wood.
    Mack
  • garyandersgaryanders Member Posts: 39
    Yes, I put up a $500 deposit, got an 8.50% discount off list,that is all they would go on this model since it is in limited supply. I think Toyota does this on purpose on a restyling year and stupid people like us pay the price, Ha! I am still not real sure they can place an order to Japan as my dealer said they could not. According to my experience with Toyota they come from Japan with certain packages on them and you pretty much have to take what you can get. This should get better though when they complete their new plant in Mississippi just to build highlanders. I could have to wait another month or so, just don't know. Gary
  • gdkogergdkoger Member Posts: 23
    I went back to my dealership to ask more questions. I was told they can request a vehicle twice a month, and find out 2 1/2 weeks later if their request was accepted. Depending on what is on the current line being built. I shopped around and put a deposit also, but am paying 1% over invoice. I went to three dealers, 2 of which would do the 1% now, and the 3rd would do it near Christmas or beginning January (due to the limit, they were receiving). I was supposed to find out today or tomorrow if they had accepted the request. I'll let you know..
  • denverbriandenverbrian Member Posts: 61
    The page 9 brochure shows a small pic (on the bottom, the middle pic) with a two row-only configuration.

    The third row is NOT split; it's a solid bench.
  • jathreyajathreya Member Posts: 4
    I wanted to add body side moldings (code:BM) for the Toyota Highlander to reduce door dings, etc. My dealer tells me that Toyota has put an indefinite hold on installing body side moldings, either at port or at the dealerships.

    Any idea why? Has anyone been able to get body side moldings for their 2008 Highlander?
  • sallen10sallen10 Member Posts: 30
    That's odd....I can only think that they are either (a) falling off prematurely or (b) damaging the paint prematurely. In either case I have seen two on a dealer lot in the midwest with the BM installed.
  • flormattflormatt Member Posts: 5
    I have seen tem with OEM paint on Ebay
  • qs933qs933 Member Posts: 302
    I've seen a Highlander with the moldings. I don't know if it's just me, or if I was looking at it from the wrong angle, but they looked crooked.

    I'm torn now on whether I'd want them installed. They just don't look very good.
  • lucky_777lucky_777 Member Posts: 205
    Moldings purely decorative accessories. They would only make sense if every single car on the road have exactly same height and door design. No way 1 inch wide moldings can protect a car from door dings.
  • denverbriandenverbrian Member Posts: 61
    My dealer told me this during week one of my ownership; when I returned during week three with a parts discount coupon to try to order them, the parts guy said "Indefinite hold? Hmmm...maybe on the Camrys, but my computer says I can order your moldings." So I did. We'll see when they arrive.

    We've had about 30% of the HLs in Denver with BM installed and I personally think it looks good and adds a line to the otherwise expansive, blank sheet metal of the doors.

    The supposedly OEM parts on eBay don't look correct - they seem to be missing the thinner beginning to the rear door BSM.
  • davehighlanderdavehighlander Member Posts: 4
    You can easily purchase body side moldings (code:BM)for the 2008 Highlander and earlier model years on the internet of the same quality as Toyota's but at half the price. Use a search engine like Google and type in "Toyota Highlander Parts". One of the best sources that will pop up is a link to a Texas Toyota dealership, where you can buy genuine Toyota products for your Highlander like oil/fuel/air filters, trim accessories, etc. And the shipping is free with no sales tax! :)
  • qs933qs933 Member Posts: 302
    Moldings purely decorative accessories.

    I disagree. They obviously won't catch every door (especially rear doors), but as long as the molding sticks out far enough, they'll catch some of the whacks from other people's doors.

    On the other hand, I've seen some people do two rows of moldings (not on an '08, though). That simply looks terrible.
  • 08fe08fe Member Posts: 9
    Been doing some research out here in the SF Bay Area and although the HL's are just coming in I hear Aug was a slow car sales month and dealers are well - dealing. This does depend on the dealer and even the salesman. I had a internet quote for a dealer that was 2K higher that when I went in and talked with a regular floor salesman directly.

    City Toyota ( in Daly City ) is offering a Limited 4x2 with Nav and just the usual other stuff for $600 over invoice. They did want to charge $ 562 for advertising and weren't willing to negotiate that. Total price was $ 3304 below MSRP or $ 1162 over invoice.

    I checked that price with another local dealer and they said they would match it but really couldn't go lower - said it was a good price.

    I've got a 92 4Runner that has 234K miles and still running fine so I'm thinking of waiting until Toyota starts offering rebates and maybe save 1K. Wondering when or if they'll do this - maybe after the hybrids start arriving?

    Consumer Reports says that the dealer holdback is $ 654 on the HL. Couldn't get the dealer to budge on this but they said they would throw in mudguards $99/60 but I'd have to install them myself!

    Still trying to decide on the 4x2 or 4x4. I only occasionally head to the mountains where I'd need the extra traction and wonder if the loss in gas mileage and added purchase price is worth it. Looks like the difference in MSRP between the 2 and 4 wheel drives is $ 1450. And if my math is correct the extra cost for fuel per year between 18/24 ( 4x2 ) or 17/23 ( 4x4 ) if driven 10K miles annually and gas price is $3. is only $ 98. Five year total cost difference $ 2K.
  • denverbriandenverbrian Member Posts: 61
    My hitch is on and looks quite good. I took pics but see no way to post them here in this unintuitive forum. If anyone has an easy way to do so, let me know and I'll show you.

    $216 including tax, installed.">
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    The easiest way to post pics is to put them in an album on your CarSpace page and then use the link boxes there to copy and paste the photos in the forum. The Help file explains better than I can.
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    Personally I think they look awful on the HL. And like someone else said they really don't protect against anything. But just MHO.
    Mackabee
    :shades:
  • microbustmicrobust Member Posts: 56
    Any idea why Toyota.com lists options available in my zip code (namely QM, auto rear air) but dealers say they can't find any on the computer with such an option? Is this a mistake, or is their a lag for delivery and if so how long?
  • denverbriandenverbrian Member Posts: 61
    Like I need yet another cubbyhole on the internets where things go and get lost! Sigh. OK. I tried posting pics here; they showed up on preview but not when I posted. I assume someone must "approve" the pics first. If you wanna see them now, go to my CarSpace page. I'll get them here if they're ever approved. If I remember. Sheesh.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    No approval required. There is an occasional bug with the border code in the pics and I bet that bit you. Let me try:

    image
  • denverbriandenverbrian Member Posts: 61
    Thanks Steve! If you can post both I think that would be helpful to those who are interested.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Ah, can't get that second one to post - my guess is that the (5) in the pic name is messing up the html.

    Here's the link to the album where they both live.
  • denverbriandenverbrian Member Posts: 61
    You can easily purchase body side moldings (code:BM)for the 2008 Highlander and earlier model years on the internet of the same quality as Toyota's but at half the price. Use a search engine like Google and type in "Toyota Highlander Parts". One of the best sources that will pop up is a link to a Texas Toyota dealership, where you can buy genuine Toyota products for your Highlander like oil/fuel/air filters, trim accessories, etc. And the shipping is free with no sales tax!


    Alas, this particular Texas dealer hasn't seen fit to update its website. You can't order anything for 2008 Highlanders on it yet...though I did see an auto-dimming mirror with compass for sale. :)
  • denverbriandenverbrian Member Posts: 61
    Thanks for trying, Steve. Did I mention the unintuitive and clunky interface here? :)
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    At least we update the website all the time. :shades:
  • roho1roho1 Member Posts: 318
    Hitch is basically the same as the one on my '07 HL. The only difference is the treatment around the tailpipe, on mine it goes under instead of over it.
    I must say although not bad it is much more visible than the previous non third row hitch. The third row caused the spare to be mounted underneath hence the bend in the hitch to accommodate the spare.
    Also, mine also doesn't have all that writing on it which detracts from the look I think.
    Thanks for the post, would like to see more photos posted here.
  • denverbriandenverbrian Member Posts: 61
    You're right about the writing/labels - which is why they're now gone. Dang marketing. :)

    I'm attempting to reset my album with pic names lacking parens, given Steve's theory that the parens interfere with the DOS 2.0 interface here. Once that's done, there will be multiple pics available of the hitch and rest of my gorgeous Cypress Green '08 HL Sport.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    You've been busy. :D

    image
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    You're probably dealing with incompetent dealers.
    :)
    Mackabee
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    Where's the instructions for posting a pic on a post? Could you direct me to them? Please.
    :)
    Mack
  • denverbriandenverbrian Member Posts: 61
    Very. :shades:

    Now the 1972 mainframe interface allows me to post pics - but they're tiny compared to the size you're able to post. ??

    Edited to add: Another crisis averted! You won't be able to stop me from posting all over this board! :D

    <img src="http://www.carspace.com/denverbrian/Albums/2008 Highlander 2/2008 Highlander Hitch 004.JPG/photo/v./photo.jpg" b
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Mack, pic posting instructions are in the Help link at the bottom right. Do you have one of your movie star son waxing a Highlander? :shades:

    Denverbrian, I think you just have the knack, lol. I use the url in the boxes on the full size page in your album and edit out the height/width border stuff. I think you must be getting the photo address from the main album page?
  • garyandersgaryanders Member Posts: 39
    Received a phone call from my dealer today informing me that my 08 highlander would be here between the 15th and 20th of October. I will keep you informed. Gary
  • denverbriandenverbrian Member Posts: 61
    Did I mention the interface was unintuitive? :) Good lord, go to the FULL SIZE album page and work from there - don't go to the thumbnails and do something intuitive like right-click on the file and choose "Save Location As..." or anything.

    I think I finally have this down. Now to go do something easier this evening. Like learn Russian.
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