Who's Feeling Smug Now

[NMaria]

In the past I've grumbled a bit on this forum because of some reliability problems and sadly they still are not fully resolved. However, this interesting weather has brought it home to me again what a fabulous machine the RAV is in the snow, and also on ice. I think the combination of the 4WD system and the OEM tyres must be a particulary happy one because the car feels totally secure even in pretty dodgy conditions. The lane outside our house is on a slight incline and currently covered in solid ice. Husband came home (in his sporty Mercedes, bless him), tried to stop outside the drive in order to reverse in, and simply kept going with all four wheels sliding on the ice for another twenty yards before he managed to come to a halt by wiggling into the grassy verge. Me, smug in my Toyota, drove around, braked, reversed, etc. as if there was no ice at all. Fab.

I've towed heavy trailers, our caravan, crossed muddy fields, trundled around on forestry tracks, gone through ice and snow without difficulty, and can cruise on the motorway in complete comfort all day. And get 45mpg. What a machine. The reliability niggles don't seem so significant now.

Happy New Year to all you fellow RAVers out there, and happy motoring.

[anchorman]

Same to you Maria.

I've been having a little gloat myself just lately. It has been astonishing these last few days. All those cynics you know who deem it a white elephant can all of a sudden relate to my RAV - especially when they need towing effortlessly out of a drift!!!

[SQUEALEYHEALEY]

Yeah! all of a sudden there are a few less boy racers in the office skiting me about having a Girley 4X4!!

[Bezzer]

I've been away in the caravan over Christmas and New Year and came home on Tuesday, phoned a neighbour on the way back to be told our estate roads were all still snowed in, not been ploughed or gritted and I'd got no chance of getting the van back home. Decided to see how close I could get with a view to emptying the van out and hopefully having a better chance empty....but the Rav did it with no problem over thick iced roads and hard packed snow including a couple of good inclines with a fully loaded 1500kg caravan on the back. Neighbours face was a picture as he watched, he tows a caravan with a BMW 320 estate and hadn't even been able to get his car out of his drive :D

[abraxas]

I am also enjoying the lack of drama. Although I sometimes like to reassure myself by applying a bit too much power while steering, just to feel the back end fishtail to make sure that the roads are still slippery. :)

I am a bit disappointed that I never managed to get a peep out of the VSC yet, though. I had a wee bit of an unexpected slide on a tight corner the other day but no beeps or lights. I'd like to know Mr Roboto is awake and doing his bit :)

Do you all get the VSC kicking in to help regularly in this weather? Maybe I am just not driving mine hard enough. :P

[jedi134]

You need to get it side ways more, mine beeped at me the VSC light came on, and I felt it brake the wheels, Basically the Rav slapped my rists and told me to behave.

This is what I did, while traveling at around 10mph in a straight line, think i was in 1st maybe 2nd, trun your wheel slightly and put your foot down untill thr back end comes out this is when my VSC kicked in.

Make sure there is no one around thou, and make sure you have plently of room around you. An empty car park should do it.

[MarsKy]

I am also enjoying the lack of drama. Although I sometimes like to reassure myself by applying a bit too much power while steering, just to feel the back end fishtail to make sure that the roads are still slippery. :)

I am a bit disappointed that I never managed to get a peep out of the VSC yet, though. I had a wee bit of an unexpected slide on a tight corner the other day but no beeps or lights. I'd like to know Mr Roboto is awake and doing his bit :)

Do you all get the VSC kicking in to help regularly in this weather? Maybe I am just not driving mine hard enough. :P

Out walking the dog yesterday around the single track country roads up Shotts way - compacted snow and ice. Came across a Ford Puma which got stranded and helped push it onto a better road. Owner said it had taken him 4 hours to go 2 miles before getting stuck. He had shovel out and was trying everything. So...

Got RAV out and traced his route :) No problem - was even disappointed there was not even a twitch. Didn't even have to use 4WD drive-lock button.

Anyway, just bought some screenwash today for £4.99. But LIDLs are doing container with pouring spout: 5 litres/ down to -60'C for £3.99 (www.lidl.co.uk). It was -8'C at 10am today and Halford's ready mixed only goes down to -6'C. The good stuff below that temperature was £2.49 per litre.

[mick1020]

I am also enjoying the lack of drama. Although I sometimes like to reassure myself by applying a bit too much power while steering, just to feel the back end fishtail to make sure that the roads are still slippery. :)

I am a bit disappointed that I never managed to get a peep out of the VSC yet, though. I had a wee bit of an unexpected slide on a tight corner the other day but no beeps or lights. I'd like to know Mr Roboto is awake and doing his bit :)

Do you all get the VSC kicking in to help regularly in this weather? Maybe I am just not driving mine hard enough. :P

Must say , it is hard to get the VSC lights to come on when driving on public roads ..........but take it to an empty car park !!!!!!! It lets you know its still working

[James..]

I've been away in the caravan over Christmas and New Year and came home on Tuesday, phoned a neighbour on the way back to be told our estate roads were all still snowed in, not been ploughed or gritted and I'd got no chance of getting the van back home. Decided to see how close I could get with a view to emptying the van out and hopefully having a better chance empty....but the Rav did it with no problem over thick iced roads and hard packed snow including a couple of good inclines with a fully loaded 1500kg caravan on the back. Neighbours face was a picture as he watched, he tows a caravan with a BMW 320 estate and hadn't even been able to get his car out of his drive :D

Well I'm dead jealous. :( Would love to be out to play in the snow but as my windscreen wipers have given up the ghost my RAV is stranded on the drive whilst my neighbour can zoom up and down in his BMW 320. I guess it will be a week or two before the snow goes and then I have to hope for a sunny dry day to get to the garage. I'd normally be whipping the dodgy parts out myself but on a car still under warranty you don't expect the basic electrics to just fail like that. My service manager says that the linkage between motor and windscreen wiper commonly breaks on the RAV so it could be that as well. ... so for every Smug RAV4 owner, there's also a ****** off one!

[abraxas]

Anyway, just bought some screenwash today for £4.99. But LIDLs are doing container with pouring spout: 5 litres/ down to -60'C for £3.99 (www.lidl.co.uk). It was -8'C at 10am today and Halford's ready mixed only goes down to -6'C. The good stuff below that temperature was £2.49 per litre.

Wish I thought of the extra-strength screenwash. Drove to Lanark today... most of the way with a very dirty screen . The RAV OBC said it was -14 at one stage. Ah well, hanging out of the window with a water bottle works just fine. I knew that spending my childhood in a third-world country would come in useful one day. :)

Seriously, I'd like to add the non-heated waterjet thingies to my list of RAV pet-peeves right about now.

[says me, conveniently ignoring the drama-free, warm and safe 100 mile round trip in snow using summer tyres ... and focusing on one minor negative thing, of course. What did the RAV ever do for us then, eh? ]

[anchorman]

Anyway, just bought some screenwash today for £4.99. But LIDLs are doing container with pouring spout: 5 litres/ down to -60'C for £3.99 (www.lidl.co.uk). It was -8'C at 10am today and Halford's ready mixed only goes down to -6'C. The good stuff below that temperature was £2.49 per litre.

Wish I thought of the extra-strength screenwash. Drove to Lanark today... most of the way with a very dirty screen . The RAV OBC said it was -14 at one stage. Ah well, hanging out of the window with a water bottle works just fine. I knew that spending my childhood in a third-world country would come in useful one day. :)

Seriously, I'd like to add the non-heated waterjet thingies to my list of RAV pet-peeves right about now.

[says me, conveniently ignoring the drama-free, warm and safe 100 mile round trip in snow using summer tyres ... and focusing on one minor negative thing, of course. What did the RAV ever do for us then, eh? ]

I'm on 50:50 screenwash. Not frozen yet but not gone below -12C!

[MarsKy]

Anyway, just bought some screenwash today for £4.99. But LIDLs are doing container with pouring spout: 5 litres/ down to -60'C for £3.99 (www.lidl.co.uk). It was -8'C at 10am today and Halford's ready mixed only goes down to -6'C. The good stuff below that temperature was £2.49 per litre.

Wish I thought of the extra-strength screenwash. Drove to Lanark today... most of the way with a very dirty screen . The RAV OBC said it was -14 at one stage. Ah well, hanging out of the window with a water bottle works just fine. I knew that spending my childhood in a third-world country would come in useful one day. :)

Seriously, I'd like to add the non-heated waterjet thingies to my list of RAV pet-peeves right about now.

[says me, conveniently ignoring the drama-free, warm and safe 100 mile round trip in snow using summer tyres ... and focusing on one minor negative thing, of course. What did the RAV ever do for us then, eh? ]

I'm on 50:50 screenwash. Not frozen yet but not gone below -12C!

The LIDLs advert is a week in advance (as I found out today - still they do some nice McEnnedy's choc chip cookies :) ). The 5 litres/ -60'C screenwash for £3.99 isn't due in until next Thursday.

Don't buy the B&Q, Asda or Halford ready mix. The bottle in the back of my RAV was semi-solid slush. So the stuff in the screenwash tank was solid.

Incidentally, I was in Maplins in Hamilton today and I bought a wireless weather station (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=223254) on a clearance price of £59.99 (usually £119.99). Does in/out temperature, pressure, humidity, rain level, windpseed, wind direction. Sensors talk to a base unit wirelessly. Base unit can then be plugged into PC to get history of data (comes with software).

[Parts-King]

I've towed heavy trailers, our caravan, crossed muddy fields, trundled around on forestry tracks, gone through ice and snow without difficulty, and can cruise on the motorway in complete comfort all day. And get 45mpg. What a machine. The reliability niggles don't seem so significant now.

.....and I know I have mentioned it before Maria but you couldnt live in a nicer part of the world if you tried ;) What a place to be driving through the snow with a smug look on your face Love it

Kingo

[anchorman]

I pay £2.50+vat for 5 litres of concentrate which makes me errr - 10!

[Hoovie]

Hi, long time no speak chaps

Currently residing in a small village in the Scottish Borders - lots of snow just about every day since before Xmas and the ground temp in the last week or so ranging between -7 and -20

RAV4 been performing faultlessly - only problems been with lack of ground clearance so along with the wheel tracks, been digging a central rut where the centre exhaust pipe cutting though the snow as well :)

First chance I have had to REALLY exploit the 4WD and very impressed - not sure if the permanent 4WD of the RAV4.2 has any advantages over the part-time 4.3 system?

[anchorman]

Good to hear from you Hoovie.

I suppose the 4.2 with a LSD should be slightly better than a 4.3 if the VSC/TRC has been disabled.

IMHO

[jedi134]

It would probably be more robust too.

[Lordy1]

Got to say, though not experiencing the extreme temps of some people, never had the RAV's jets freeze up ! This is in contrast to my BMW 's, all with heated jets, which would freeze up at the slightest cool patch.

Regards

[cruella]

Hello Chaps/Chapesses :group-cuddles:

Even though I am only in 'that' London and not at my Ma's with her 2' plus of snow; I am feeling more than a little smug and secure. We haven't got loads of snow, but boy, we have loads of black ice! None of the side roads have been gritted and the speed mountains have been making a lot of cars fish tail and even turn right round when they pull in to let people pass on these rat runs we have for roads! :o

Apart from a couple of bottom tightening moments when someone did this right in front of me, I have trundled along nicely, with the vsc thingy only kicking in once on a very slippery corner - and been toasty hot whilst doing it! Did I mention I like a bit of heat?

[rambler]

hi folks

unfortunatly for me,i am getting loads of abuse from fellow work 'colleagues' :(

as i live 10 miles form work in colchester,and am the only one who lives in a small remote...ish hamlet,we often get 'cut off' as the small country roads / lanes get almost impassable to 2wd vehicles.

i 'invested' in my rav4 to get me to work ,but then i worry about getting home again.

we currently have about 6" here,and i got home last night night through a blizzard,but i left work earlier to ensure i did get home..safley

all the other workers there live within colchester, or houseing estates......all within, i would say 1 hrs walk (being a walker)

but will they walk to work....NO,if they cant drive in,they wont come in

as i am the only one with a '4x4',they keep saying,you should be able to get here,WHATEVER the weather,really annoys me :censor: .....starting to wish i didnt buy my rav now (wouldnt get the abuse then) and wouldnt get to work

unfortunatly the manager lives in 'ongar' near chelmsford,its about 50 ish miles ,he is there before we ALL arrive,and we open the shop at 7.30am,close at 5pm

he only has a vauxhall estate

BUT when i drive around their cars that are spinning their wheels..its great its the best feeling ! :)

[chatman]

Ranbler.... I like you live in a small village.... and around here it's all snowed up and the lanes (remember country lanes are speed related to 60mph) are all thick ice...get the odd townie I would say trying to tear along... not long before one of us locals have to pull them out of the ditches (the recent images I took of cars in the ditch...are all people who are not local to the area...Oh and there is another car in the same ditch. now.)..

The work front I have a journey of about 30 miles each way (and travel through Ongar,,and none of those roads have been gritted for ages...so far play to your boss) and get into work...in fact all the staff that live over 30 miles from work all get in no problem and on time....But those that live on the door step as such moan and groan they cant get in...cars wont work..cant get out of drive etc.... Walk you say.....ha ha ha ha use public transport..... ha ha ha

No they cant be bovered.....

[rambler]

Ranbler.... I like you live in a small village.... and around here it's all snowed up and the lanes (remember country lanes are speed related to 60mph) are all thick ice...get the odd townie I would say trying to tear along... not long before one of us locals have to pull them out of the ditches (the recent images I took of cars in the ditch...are all people who are not local to the area...Oh and there is another car in the same ditch. now.)..

The work front I have a journey of about 30 miles each way (and travel through Ongar,,and none of those roads have been gritted for ages...so far play to your boss) and get into work...in fact all the staff that live over 30 miles from work all get in no problem and on time....But those that live on the door step as such moan and groan they cant get in...cars wont work..cant get out of drive etc.... Walk you say.....ha ha ha ha use public transport..... ha ha ha

No they cant be bovered.....

hi chatman

'well said'. ......i have another worry now though,on monday (tomorow) i have to do my relief driving for our firm,we have 3 vans,....2 vauxhall movano & a transit.

the 2 regular drivers drive the movano's ,and me and the trade counter staff take it in turns each day with ' the transit'

the vauxhall's are front wheel drive,drive them anywhere...no worries,...but the transit is rear wheel drive and the 2 regular drivers wont touch it because of this.

so i could well be slipping and sliding everwhere tomorow,could be 'chelmsford run' or 'colchester,harwich run'.....I HATE REAR WHEEL DRIVE :censor: :censor:

so if i get stuck,the guv may have to pay for me to get towed out....and that aint cheap

[anchorman]

I got well and truly stuck this morning. The wind had blown drifts across the road and not unly did I ground it but It must have been super slippy stuff. I did get out backwards without having to get out and shovel!!!

[rambler]

anchorman......

do you know if the RAC or AA provide a 4X4 recovery service by any chance?

im a member through club toyota,and IF i get stuck i could give RAC a call.

[duncerduncs]

A fellow train driver at work recently bought a 2 wheel drive Ford Kuga. When I told him that my Rav has a lower CO₂ than his car and 4 wheel drive, he replied "you'll never need 4 wheel drive".

I had to laugh when he told me he got stuck on a 10% incline two weeks ago (when it first snowed) and had to sit there and watch 2 Rav 4's overtake him!!