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Dianne
dianne@earthlink.net
We traded in our '98 Camry to get the HL, and the drive is very similar. The HL handles corners very well, and the ride is super smooth. I would recommend the V6 over the 4-cyl. for a couple thousand more, especially if you plan to keep the car (less strain on the engine). Although crash tests are not yet available, we feel comfortable that the HL will perform well if not excellent (look at the Sienna, Camry and Lexus RX300).
The only compliant is the absence of a center console (available for about $150). The HL is a great SUV for those that appreciate nice driving and extra room over a car. If you can wait for the prices to drop? do so, but personally I think its a great value regardless.
thanks
I'm glad you are enjoying yours!
Dianne
Now when it comes to pricing, comparing a similar equipped Escape and Highlander (minus tonneau cover and alloy wheels) the price difference is $7,105 MSRP more for the Highlander. Perhaps it is not a fair comparison knowing Ford quality and reliability in general compared to Toyota's but it does seem to be somewhat overpriced to me, no.
TIA
Somebody, who sells Toyota, suggested to take the Ford Explorer approach which is to reduce tire pressure.
This post about it costing more to add the console after the car lands confused me. Isn't the PIO-port the arriving port in the US?
Ordered a center console, sight unseen, from my dealership, as long as it comes in under $200. Kinda hoping it looks like the Japanese one but almost anything is better that that dead space between the seats. Of course, I'm not married so don't have to worry about a place for the wife the put her purse and since I'm retired I don't worry about putting a brief case in that spot. Under either one of those circumstances, I would probably leave the space alone.
The other issue is the warranty. If the selling US dealership does what it is supposed to do, there is no problem. They must enter the VIN into the Toyota system. If they don't, you have no warranty. If they do, you have the same warranty any other used (yes, these are technically used cars) car has.
Anybody considering a new HL needs to be aware of these issues because a dealership who is selling them will not tell you. If you don't care about resale value or slightly different equipment packaging, they can make for a very good deal.
Di
I second (or third - I tried to ask once before the request that anyone who has had a chance to check out the console append their impressions.
The dealership only had 2 on the lot.In this part of the country ( northeast)they'll be a longer wait for a larger selection. I'm pretty much sold on Toyota and a big part is due to you !
Tires are overinflated for vehicle shipping and storage. Check the tire sidewall to get a sense of what a reasonable tire pressure should be. The sidewall will probably state 35 as the max, and if so, 32 should be fine. I believe that many Ford Explorers were inflated (deflated?) to 26 lb or so.
C'mon folks, the correct pressure for a given car and OEM tires is always in the inside of the driver's door area or the glovebox. No guess work needed.
Proper tire inflation is serious business. In the case of the Ford Exploder, their marketing/design guys made an improper decision in favor of a "better" ride than what the vehicle was designed for.
Is there a power socket in the console? And do the cupholders fold away at all?
The highlander is cross between an entry level luxury car and an SUV and in this respect it measures up beautifully. This vehicle has a great ride, refined interior (on limited), good looks (toyota conservative), relatively good gas mileage and still provides some utility (3500lb towing, 4wd, interior space).
Since I'm car shopping, I have driven 10 or so different vehicles in the last 2 months and the highlander is the best (although not perfect - hate the shifter and miss the console) match to my needs. And I don't plan to off-road, especially not with my $35000(US)
vehicle.
For those who like to compare:
pathfinder - gas hog; typical unrefined choppy/bouncy ride (grand cherokee does it better); cheap looking leather
grand cherokee - too unreliable (but nice)
escape - cute and great value but can't get over the wind noise
RX 300 - over my price range; highlander has slightly more truck-like styling
4runner - need a step ladder to get in
The other great thing about the highlander is that it happens to be a Toyota! You don't see any posts here about staying away from a first year vehicle. Go look at the Escape forum and you'll see what I mean.
Dianne
1. Where do they put the 6 disc changer when you get the option EJ?
**The changer is in the stereo, in dash.
2.What happen to edmunds prices on the Highlander V6 4x2 and the prices?
**I do not know!
3. When edmunds list a 3% cashback does that apply to all of the cars that toyota sells.
**I know that regionally, there are rebates on certain models at times. I know there are no incentives on Highlander. I do not know what you refer to here.
Dianne
If you are indeed familiar with most of the posts and previous discusions on this forum, then you will know that quit a few people are balking at the price of the HL. You mentioned that Toyota is targeting entry level with this SUV. $35K is not entry level. Infact for that price you can get an Acura MDX (base level - which is much more car tha the HL will ever be. In fact you can get a very nicely equipped Lexus RX300 for not much more than $35K.
The HL is a very nice car, but not worth paying $35K for. Of course you can get a nicely equipped HL (with entry level packaging) for less than $35, but that is not the level you are considering.
If you have not driven/looked at a base Acura MDX you owe it to yourself to do so. Base MDX MSRPs at $34850. This has more luxury, more room, more features, more engine, etc than the HL.
As far as buying a first model year vehicle, heres my .02: in 1991 I bought the first model year Toyota Previa ($19,000). 10 years and 170,000 miles later it still drives in many ways like a new vehicle. The only thing I have ever replaced were rear shocks......and that was after probably 100,000 miles and being on a lot of roads I never should have been on in the first place! Toyota has replaced a bunch of stuff on this van for nothing.....new stereo, some engine parts and some seat cover attachments. That van has never let me down! You might pay some extra but in the long run the Toys are FAR more durable and reliable. I would say the first year is the BEST year to buy.....because they retain their value and there might be a small discount (before everyone sees how good they are and the price runs up).
Well, in my case I decided against the MDX for a very specific reason. Lexus, Acura, Infinity etc. are considered high end brands and everyone thinks you have to be rich to own one (i.e. if you drive a 35k BMW people think you're loaded but not if you drive a 40k full size pickup). As a salesman (in my industry), I want my customers to know that I am successful but not to think that I am rich. So that brings me back to my slightly overpriced but conservative Toyota.
I live in Canada, and for some strange reason they only offer this vehicle in a basic v4, basic v6 or v6 with the limited edition. So if you want aluminum wheels you have to buy the fully loaded version that costs $9000(canadian) more than the basic v6 (with steel wheels).
Is it a part-time AWD that kicks in when the tires slip (like the Ford Escape) or is it an AWD system that is on all the time? What is the ratio between front and back?
FYI, the Highlander (when equipped with VSC) adds a stability control/traction control system. VSC = Vehicle Stability Control. This system drastically helps to prevent skids from happening at all (hence significantly reducing the likelihood of rollovers as well). The Acura MDX does not have such a system. FWIW, the MDX's AWD system is not a permanent system. As you accelerate, the torque to the rear wheel progressively diminishes until the vehicle is 100% FWD (reactive vs. proactive) mode.
Drew
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Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
Righttt..... So if you bought a Ford Explorer, the recommended no-guess, do-what-you-were-told tire pressure was 26. If you looked at the sidewall, you would see a number that the "marketing/design guys" did *not* recommend. Yet, according to you, Ford Explorer owners should have followed the "marketing/design guys", `cause then they wouldn't have been "guessing"
I am shopping for my first SUV. I haven't test driven any yet, but a V6 Highlander Limited is high on my list. I have a specific question to Highland owners or who have test drove it. I read from Motor Trend that the RPM of the highlander at 60m is around 2750(?). This seems to me is on the high side for a V6. If this is true then at highway cruising speed the RPM would be well over 3000. It is certainly much higher than the other two cars in the MT review. Both the Buck Rendezvous and the Ford Explorer are under 2000 at 60m. I am concerned because I understand higher rev means more noise, poorer fuel economy and more engine wear. I wonder if this was a typo or they used numbers from the 4-cylinder. Can anybody comment?
This is my first post. Please bear with me if I made any mistakes.
Thanks!
I read some of your posts on the 4WD systems vs AWD systems forum and they were very informative (almost too much info!). In fact I think anyone buying an SUV should at minimum take a look at your post #2 in that forum.
Thanks
Wally
So what's your point?
We finally agreed on $ 28,000, about 6-7% over invoice.
can anybody give me an idea on this, I have to go to the dealer tommorow to give them the check.
thanks
Good Luck... Hobie