Toyota Highlander

shl72953 · June 2001

I bought in early Feb. and the first few times I hit the brakes I ended up activating the brake assist. Now I seem to barely touch the brake and it works fine. I think it's just a case of getting used to it.

raybear · June 2001

There is an additional advertising fee on the invoice which is legitamate. I'm not familiar with any other fees other than gas ($6). Sounds like he's setting you up for a bump.

awchan13 · June 2001

Most vehicles only have two screws holding on the plates that I've noticed. There are a few solutions to your situation, you can try using felt stick on pads (like the ones they put under lamps) between the vibration points. That would probably be the easiest. Or you could ask around at car audio stores. They'll for sure no the best way tohandle the situation. They've got all those bass woofers in their car vibrating everything, so they know how to get things to stop shaking. Good luck. I don't have a border around my plate, and I don't notice any annoying rattling. Try taking it off.

bcnewen · June 2001

I noticed the same thing. I am picky about my cars and did not want to take a chance on having the plate bump the back door each time the door closes and getting scratches. I went to Home Depot and bought a pack of clear plastic bumpers which have self sticking adhesive on the back. I stuck these on the back of the plate so the plate cannot touch the door. I did the same on the front plate since it looked like it maight do the same thing due to the air flow past it. I think Toytota should provide a nice molded part to go under the plate that would prevent this. My 4Runner had one that worked well.

bcnewen · June 2001

I have noticed the glove box rattle and found a very elegant solution tonight. I removed the two screws which hold the latch in place from the inside of the glove box door. I cut small squares (about 3/8" X 3/8") of electrical tape and placed 3 layers over each screw boss on the back of the latch. The tape acts as a spacer between the latch and the door. I cut out the screw holes in the tape. Put it all back together and no more rattle. A very nice fix.

maulana · June 2001

dear Nofeer:

first of all, again congratulations on adopting an angel. I know your lives will be enriched.

I posted a lengthy two part messege (2763-4) about our decision making process with respect to the HL vs competition as a family car.

Here are two issues I would humbly suggest to think about:

1) do you want/need the AWD feature? We did, and it drastically cuts down the options adn increases the price. If you don't, there are many other choices to look at.

2) the two most appealing ones to us were the HL (which we decided to go with) and the Passat Station Wagon. This is what fits in the back of both: a big suitcase, a small suitcase, a stroller, and a fold away portocrib.

The HL, of course, had some more space left over. It does fit in the Passat Wagon, but there is little room left after the above. We ended up going with the HL because almost always we have "more stuff" than the items I mentioned above, and I rather err on the side of a bit extra space.

I think either one of those would be a great choice. Our own choice was that if you have other kids or need the extra space, then the HL is the better choice. If you have only one kid or can compromise on space, the Passat with 4motion is very competitive.

Write me back if you have any questions, and I'd be happy to share more experiences.

all the best.

jimxo · June 2001

Found this at the Nissan Maxima discussion.

http://community.webshots.com/user/vinceburlapp

Nice job Vince.

gpolt · June 2001

Jimxo/Vince,

Great photos and drawings. It's sad to see what the HL could have been had Toyota penned in lines more stylish than those of a Forrester on steroids. Still, there's something to be said for saving $10,000 over the Lexus.

outrun · June 2001

Edmunds just tested a fully loaded Highlander (which still lacks a bit from what the RX300 offers). They quoted over $35,000. I got my RX300, loaded to the gills with Navigation, for $40,000. Take out the Nav, and it'll drop to $37,000.

For $2k, I'd rather have the far superior dealership and service experience.

-Craig

alsop · June 2001

Hi, Craig (outrun) - Thanks for your post; I did not know Edmunds had tested the HL until your posting. Regarding the price difference, I think the earlier posting regarding the RX300 and HL difference of $10,000 in some cases perhaps can be true, depending on type of vehicle and options, and based on BOTH vehicles True Market Value or "real life" deals. In the case of the tested vehicle, from what I come up with using my off the cuff figuring, which I am very willing to have put up to a challenge in case I am wrong, is the Edmunds True Market Value difference between an RX300 with options similar to the tested HL and the tested HL is actually $4,346. Using Edmunds site and getting options as close as I could (again, I'm willing for someone else to challenge that - I'm a novice at this), the RX300 with options similar to the tested HL, has an MSRP of $42,055. As you noted, the tested HL was quoted at over $35,000....the actual quote, and the fiqure I got from figuring it myself on edmund, is $35,055 MSRP. So, the MSRP between the tested HL and a similar RX300 (and I point out, this is just a novice "for-the-fun-of-it" as close as I could get...I am willing to be challenged) is $42,055 - $35,055 which comes to $7,000 even. Now, moving on to the Edmunds TMV...the TMV for ZIP code 93422 (mine) for the RX300 is $38,266 verses $33,920 for a difference of $4,346...I find it amazing how the percentage changes between MSRP and TMV. Of course, for working stiffs like me who finance, that $4,346 turns into a bigger difference over the years, plus a small cost in increased sales tax for those of us in states that have it. By the way, adding a nav system to an RX300 similar to the tested HL brings the TMV of the RX300 to $40,019...so, if your RX300 is similarly equipped to the tested HL plus your nav system, you paid about the right price according to Edmunds TMV! Anyway, just a bit of fun and games on my part! Bottom line is, RX300 and HL owners both have fine vehicles, in my humble opinion. /Ron

outrun · June 2001

There are a few HL's in our parking lot at work. It's a little tough, from the outside, to imaging that it came from an RX300. But look inside, and it's almost identical. I think both look nice on the outside.

I contemplated getting a Sequoia at first, but it was too big for my wife to drive. So we went to test the MDX and RX300. She fell in love with the RX and the rest was history.

Now I get stuck with the '96 Accord. Go figure.

-Craig

gpolt · June 2001

Keep in mind that you're making your comparison off of the current RX300 that is heavily discounted because it's nearing the tail end of the run. You can be certain that brother Lexus won't be so generous when its product is the new kid on the block. Further, the typical Toyota buyer is not as discriminating as the Lexus customer, therefore many Toyota buyers are willing to forego the bells and whistles (i.e. Limited, Sunroof) and purchase a V6 4wd for 29K or 30K, whereas most of the RXs come loaded and for 2003 will be $40,000 out the door, IMHO. [notwithsatnding an energy crisis that deflates the value of the entire class]

batia · June 2001

I am still shopping for my HL, but I had a chance to take a copy of a dealer invoice and study it. Some dealerships are publishing their invoices on the net, i.e. Toyota of North Hollywood: http://www.toyotanh.com/test1.2/inventory.asp?make=toyota&model=highlander&pages=1

I noticed a couple of things:

1. The invoice is called Memorandum Invoice. What does it mean?

2. The total price of the vehicle consists of a) base model price + b) options or FIC (factory installed equipment) price + c) fuel/admin charges ($6 in LA) + d) delivery processing and handling fee ($480 in LA) + e) TDA (Toyota dealer advertising) price ($270 in LA).

I can understand why the dealer asks for those items all, but e). Some claim that it is not negotiable, but I believe TDA is not something that a person gets, when they buy a car, so it should not be included in the calculations.

Most of the time I found the MSRP and invoice prices to be consistent with those published here on Edmunds.com, although some options cannot be found on Edmunds.com (i.e. SS - Ss Tube Steps By Steel Horse, V2 - Glass Breakage Sensor (GBS), VIP - V.I.P.-RS3200 Plus Sec System, WL - Wheel Locks (Alloy or Steel) etc.).

I always try to negotiate prices based on invoice. During the last three years I bought one Camry and one Corolla, both at the dealer invoice price. Right now dealers are resisting to the idea of selling a HL at invoice, and the best I’ve got so far is $700 over invoice with one dealer and a hint that $500 over invoice might be possible with another.

raybear · June 2001

And no, you can't discount TDA. It's real. $500 over is rare but possible in your area, $700 more likely. I don't think we'll see invoice deals anytime soon.

msmdr · June 2001

Hi Folks,

Thanks to Tom (Tex) and Brandon (Osoriob) for the oil filter information. Much appreciated as I will not always drive 30 mi to the dealer for an oil change.

And to Anthony921,hlfan, & shl72953 re soft brakes, I have had my HL now (6cyl, awd, emerald green) for almost 5 weeks now. Thank God, have gotten by the breakin 55 mph period last week. Previous to this had 12 yr old Chevy S-10 Blazer 6cyl, 4wd but no anti-lock brakes. Do the brakes feel soft on the HL? Yes, but perhaps this is why. I've never had a car w/ ABS before.

My local Massachusetts newspaper, which has a special auto section once a week, just ran a self-test with the title, What do you know about anti-lock brakes? I learned from the test that it is characteristic of those brakes to feel "soft". That they help you keep steering control in an emergency stopping situation. That it DOES take longer to stop with this type of braking system. That you should NOT pump these brakes but put your foot on them and press firmly. So you give up a little braking distance for better control in quick stops. I have had to make a couple of sudden stops for drivers cutting me off at higher speeds. The ABS controls kicked right in as I could feel it, and the shoulder belts grabbed tight. Was good to know they work.

Today, I was entering the interstate after stopping for gas, and by mistake had lowered the back window behind me a few inches, which I haven't done before. I do not usually think to do that because all of my previous cars have been two door. Now I understand about the noise that all of these people have been writing about. I was playing the radio and thought it all of a sudden had a terrible connection with a garbled transmission; then I thought it was a traffic helicopter hovering overhead. I eventually found out that it was the window's being down a few inches. It was enormously loud and VERY irritating. I won't be driving with the back windows down again. Sympathies to those whose families need the windows down. I hope you find the cure.

Otherwise, I love this car. I find that the engine moves forward with so little noise or effort, even on steep grades, that most of the time you can't even hear that it's running. People continue to ask me what the car is. I have seen only one other around here in New England SUV-land. Today, as I waited in line at the Dunkin'Donut driveup for iced coffee, a guy drove around the lot 3 times trying to find out what I had. When he still couldn't see, I lowered the window and told him. I have put silver (to match the wheels) and lighter green 3/4" pin stripes on the two rising angles toward the front and back on the side panels. It really accentuates the lines and looks very sharp.

Thanks for all of the useful information from all of you that I continue to find on this site.

cliffy1 · June 2001

Those of you not happy with this feature don't live in an urban area do you? The fact that you don't allow access to the passenger door the first time you hit the button is of great comfort to HL owners in more urban climes. If you need to let the crew in, simply hit the button again. It will not wear out your thumb to do this.

raybear · June 2001

But Steve, doesn't that make it harder to use as a getaway car?

cliffy1 · June 2001

ummm... yeah.

stever · June 2001

Thanks for the heads up on the Highlander review. We've now linked it in the Additional Resources box on the left.

Steve
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edmundted1 · June 2001

Well, I'm very new to hitches. I'm wanting one for a Yakima bike rack that will go on my HL. From a previous post I guess I'm going with the hidden hitch, but I'm a little nervous about installing it. I'm fairly practical but sure no mechanic. And yes I do change my own light bulbs!

Seriously, can those that have installed this hitch please give me your comments and any advice. I'd greatly appreciate it...thanks!

dean2sm1 · June 2001

Since I have a bad shoulder,it cost me about $30 more to have it put on at a Hitch Place, but if you can get a friend to help, you can easily install the Hidden Hitch 70777 in 20 minutes. Three bolts on each side.

hawkeye70 · June 2001

I installed the Hidden Hitch #70777 and it was my first hitch installation. It was easy-just followed the instruction sheet. Mine was delivered by UPS and had been dropped(or thrown) and one of the mounting brackets was bent about 1/4 inch inward. When I went to install it, it appeared that the mounting holes were not punched in the right location, but all I had to do was bang it back with a hammer and a 2x4 and it fit fine. It takes a little muscle to get the bracket past the tail pipe, but not too much. Go for it!

gasman1 · June 2001

I obtained 22.2mpg on an 820 mile trip without really trying (time was more important on this one than mpg). Mostly interstate (65-80 mph). A lot of 2-lane road through small towns with stops and several hills and curves. Great trip! Excellent travel vehicle.

gunga64 · June 2001

gasman1

4 or 6 cylinder 2wd or 4wd and ac on most of the time?

nora4 · June 2001

When will the 2002 Highlanders be on the lots? I am helping my parents purchase a Highlander and trying to decide whether to wait. There are no good deals in the Bay Area in the airfield, CA area. They want up to $7000 over sticker (much)
I live in San Leis Obispo area, anybody had any luck with a dealer in my area. I would like to offer from $500 to $1000 over invoice and buy it.

alsop · June 2001

According to a sales manager I spoke to this week, the 2002 Highlanders will be out in September or October. I have also seen a Web posting somewhere that mentioned October, too. Regarding the California Bay Area and the Central Coast, I bought a 2WD V-6 in San Luis Obispo last week, but I'm afraid I can't be much help with pricing - I did not deal very well at all..I think I paid too much...but hey, too late, and I have a good vehicle that I like. I paid, from the info I have anyway, less than $1,000 over invoice. HOWEVER I took $1,300 less for my trade in than I had planned and what it was worth, in my opinion, in order to help get the overall purchase cost down. So, sorry that I cannot give you an idea on dealing since my trade in and my poor dealing would be like comparing apples and oranges. However I can tell you they were great to deal with; and my salesperson had said they could try and find my a Highlander of my preference, or at least close to it...however for me that ended up being one they had in the back lot, with the shipping plastic still on it. As you know, there is only one Toyota dealer in San Luis Obispo; the only other place I looked was Santa Maria, but I did not deal with them, just checked out their Highlanders. Good luck!

sreilly26 · June 2001

We are looking at purchasing a Highlander and we decided to only look at the 2WD. We are finding that most dealers stock more 4WD. I have heard that always on 4WD can cause problems and is worse for fuel economy.

Can anyone suggest pros/cons to the 2WD/4WD choice? Should we just pay the extra and get 4WD?

Thanks

spali1 · June 2001

sreilly26: It really depends on where you live and what the winter weather is like in your area. I live in the southeast and I had no reason for the 4WD. Yes the 4WD will decrease your fuel mileage to some extent. More moving parts = more weight and friction. 4WD = more up front expense on the sale. I have a 2WD with VSC and it performs great in the rain. I would think that the 2WD with VSC is the way to go for a lot of people. - Unless you live in an area that gets slammed with snow year after year. Also, insurance rates tend to be a tad higher with 4WD since there is more to fix in the event of an accident. People tend to buy 4WD for one of 2 reasons: Ego (gotta have it syndrome) OR an actual need for the extra traction because of weather conditions. My opinion? If you live in an area with medium to light snow - get the 2WD. Why pay for something that you don't use.

cliffy1 · June 2001

AWD just handles better. Any time you go into a hard corner, it is better to have an AWD than a FWD. In fact, for an experienced driver, RWD is preferred to FWD. Rain, ice and snow exaggerate the benefits of AWD, but even on dry pavement, AWD is better in a corner and particularly in a panic cornering maneuver.

stached · June 2001

I think I read it here before, but I can't find the answer after searching like crazy: What are the different "tricks" that can be done with the Highlander's keyless remote, and how do you do them? (I thought I remembered reading that it could open/close all the windows and sunroof with a certain sequence....among other things)

Thanks in advance for the response!

gasman1 · June 2001

Sorry about including the essentials...

V-6, 4WD, with AC on the entire 820 miles and obtained 22.2mpg. Average speed was 72mph, but had it anywhere from 65-80 for most of the trip.

mikenhgolf · June 2001

I just bought 4 Cyl with AWD. Seems peppy nuff, however the engine is louder and puts in some work in uphills? Any opinions from fellow 4 Cyl drivers?

gunga64 · June 2001

Sound like you did real well, may I suggest turning off 4 wheel drive on the next trip you may get a little better mileage. But this is encouraging.

anthony921 · June 2001

.... www.rateitall.com It was in first place for some time but has now dropped to 4th place. I'm sure with a little help we can put it back in first place. If only a few of us would respond to the site and vote, I know it will return to it'd rightful place !!!!

drew_ · June 2001

The Highlander has a permanent AWD system that sends power to all wheels at all times. It cannot be turned off and even if it could, you probably wouldn't notice a different in fuel economy, partly since it's designed to run at all times anyway.

Drew
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Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

rafferty1 · June 2001

I am thinking of purchasing the highlander but
am not happy with the console sold as an option
by toyota for the vehicle. does anyone know
of a better alternative? thanx

dmills7938 · June 2001

I test drove a Highlander this weekend and thought it was great except for a very strong wind vibration noise that develops when the rear passenger seat windows are down and the vehicle is traveling at above 30mph. The vibration was so bad it shook the car and gave me a headache. This problem does not happen when only the front windows are open or all windows are open. Does anyone out there know what causes this problem and how it can be corrected.

summer10 · June 2001

I'm interested in finding out about any changes in the 2002 Highlander - fabric, dash changes, etc. A couple of dealers have told us they will be the same as the 2001. Surely there will be some differences, besides the price. Does anyone out there know?

dean2sm1 · June 2001

What octane gas did you burn?

litzinger · June 2001

Any guess on when these might be out? I'd like to factory order as soon as the 2002 is available. One dealer mentioned that they'd be on the lot in Sept and can be ordered 30 days prior- but I'm sure he was guessing. A second dealer said they've already stopped making the 2001 models to prepare for the 2002's.

Sounds like the rule of thumb on a good deal is $500-$700 above invoice. Does everybody think that will be realistic for 2002's when they get released?

edmundted1 · June 2001

The Highlander is not alone with respect to the painful wind vibration noise that everyone has been experiencing. I owned a Honda CRV and the exact same noise occurred in it (I thought my ears were going to explode). The solution on the CRV was to open the rear windows and then partially open the front windows - just a little bit until the wind vibration noise quit. That combination ended the unbearable wind noise in the CRV. Maybe it will work with the HL, I don't know because I won't have mine for 2 weeks. I hope this helps....

dmills7938 · June 2001

Does anyone have any experience with side window wind deflectors? Does this help eliminate the wind noise vibrations (an engineer neighbor of mine calls this noise harmonic distortion).

engage · June 2001

Msmdr,

Do you have any pictures of the pin stripes you put on your highlander? How much did it cost?

Thanks.

lsos · June 2001

Hello everyone! My lease is expiring in month and my choice probably will be HL, but here in Detroit I wasn't able to get it in good price. Any advice in good dealer in MI, OH, IN & IL? Also I am thinking to go to Canada for HL. Probably it's already discussed, but could you give some reference where I can get such kind of info??? BTW I heard I couldn't buy direct from Toyota? Thanks in advance for help.

cageym · June 2001

Aside from the obvious (price) does anyone have any thoughts about the Highlander vs. the Lexus RX300? As I look at it, by the time you get the Highlander 'tarted' up like we're thinking we'll do (leather, moon roof, etc.) you're definitely getting into the Lexus price range. And the Lexus does have a longer warranty, which is appealing. Seems like in major ways we are talking about identical vehicles here.

murphyirishwol · June 2001

I purchased a Highlander in April. I drove it off the lot and home on the Interstate to discover VERY, VERY loud wind noises, my daughter and I could hardly talk to each other. To make a long story short, I have had the vehicle in 3 times for repairs and still get some noise on windy days. Not to mention the strikers are set so tight, that you almost always have to close the doors twice, slam them at that. I am in the process of arbitration, have had little luck with the dealer and factory rep.. I have had conflicting information. I called another dealer in my state, he had sold 11 Highlanders with no complaints of wind noise or any other. While the factory rep. told me it was a wide spread problem.
My only other complaints are the location of the shifter in the console (just try and use the ash tray). And the location of the beverage holders on the floor.
So if your are considering a Highlander, I'd suggest you do some interstate driving. Don't let yourself be in my situation, with the dealer offering to buy back the vehicle with over a $3000.00 loss for their factory defects, assuming no tax and license refund either.

brad_22 · June 2001

I'm curious to hear what these wind noises sound like. Mine certainly doesn't make any noise whatsoever...it'd be interesting to compare with one that does.

Also, check out this TruckTrend article about how the HL handled in the snow:

"http://www.trucktrend.com"

gwkiser · June 2001

I thought I read somewhere that the RX 300 is due for a model update/change (new body, etc?). This may have an impact on the discounted price of the current model Lexus. It was my experience that there was about a $3000-$4000 difference on comparably equipped vehicles. Whether or not you choose to spend the difference is a personal decision. I chose the Toyota product for several reasons INCLUDING the fact that if I didn't like the service department at one dealer, I could take it to another (something I cannot do were I to choose a Lexus in my city of over 1 million population). Having spent many occasions riding with my brother-in-law in his '99 base model RX, and now he in our '01 HL, we both agree that the fact that they come out of the same plant in Japan lends them to very similar build quality and ride. Additonally, the drive trains are the same.
There is no doubt that you DO get additional benefits from buying the Lexus product like the REAL wood on the dash, different leather style, etc. The question is whether or not you believe that those benefits are worth the additional expense. We bought a HL V6 2wd Ltd. with leather, CD changer, tow prep, center console, wheel locks, and 5 pc carpet mats for $28, 200 +TTL. List was $31,300. Good luck in you shopping.

batia · June 2001

Bought a 4x2 6cyl Vintage Gold w/ Ivory Leather trim HL Limited past weekend. Paid $300 over invoice (which included TDA and destination) + $995 for 7yr / 75,000miles warranty. Got it from Family Toyota in San Juan Capistrano, CA. I think I got an OK deal on the car (invoice price is what I would be happy with). I am not sure about extended warranty though. I did not do much research on warranty prices and was caught off-guard when was offered it. After some negotiations, I decided to get it, since I am planning to keep the car for a while and factory warranty is only for 3yr/36,000miles.

impe · June 2001

I got the HL FWD,V6, Limited w/ Moonroof, Skid control, tow prep, JBL 6 CD, step bars, mat set, and Factory leather. It is a great vehicle but I wish now that I had gotten the RX.

I had made a so-so deal on the HL and was waiting for it to come in when just for the heck of it I looked at the Lexus. While I could not get a good deal on the HL what with the new car Hype and all, I found out too late that Lexus (at least in North GA), is discounting the RX, so that I could have gotten the Lexus for about $4000 more than the HL. With the Lexus, I would have gotten black leather instead of the light brown, a really nice center console, two power seats with memory, backseat center armrest, a longer warranty, and the snob appeal of the Lexus name.

I was about to back out of the HL deal but when I got to the dealer, the car was there 3 days early and I said What the Heck - the HL is good enough!

Now I wish that I had gotten the Lexus. I guess I will just have to suffer with this HL for the next 5-10 years.

I just went from the North GA mountains to Ocala FL and back, and was very pleased - no wind noises, very comfortable and quiet; really nice trip. I kept cruise on 70 most of the way down and got 24.4 - had cruise on 75 most of the way back and got 24.3 - this is very good mileage for a vehicle of this size ---- But still... well, you know!

Impe

Toyota Highlander

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