Different Prices For Similar 2007 Xt5S

[notfes53]

Hi All,

We've had six previous Toyotas - two of them RAV4s. I currently have a company BMW but am leaving the company soon and we've decided it would be better to own our main car in future. We always liked the RAV4 and so have it on our shortlist. It will have to be used as we want to own it outright, and my maximum budget is about £15,500 to £16,000, although I'd be prepared to spend less . Obviously reliability is important as well as getting good value. Unfortunately I do like extras such as Sat Nav/Bluetooth and heated leather seats, as well as cruise control, and I've had very good examples of these features in my recent BMW and also in my two sucessive Toyota Prius since 2005.

I've now been looking at acquiring an XT5 - diesel manual (although I've nothing against automatic) - around 2007, on an 07 plate. We looked at one at a dealer which will be covered under the Toyota approved scheme and the dealer has a sticker price of c£15,995; the car is in good order with one previous owner and a FSH - it's done somewhere in the region of 45K miles.

I checked on webuyanycar and, if it were my car they would offer me £12,555.

I also ran a check on What Car? and their predicted dealer price was around £13,000, and their suggested trade price was only £10,365.

Whichever figures I use from the two websites, there's a big spread between these figures and what the Approved Toyota scheme dealer is asking.

So here are my questions:

1. Has the recent winter weather had a dramatic upward impact on dealer asking prices?
   
2. Are all RAV4s currently scarce, and fetching more than you'd expect?
   
3. Is the XT5 model particularly scarce/deserving of a premium?
   
4. What sort of amount is reasonable for a Toyota dealer to work on as margin when offering a car through the approved used car scheme?
   
5. Is £15,995 over the top? It's on the limit of our budget, but I don't want to pay way over the odds, and would have liked to add some warranty and possibly some detailing/protection product.
   

Any advice will be very welcome. I cannot find another car that fits this spec (XT5 - diesel - manual), nor any other at the same price that beats it either!

Thanks in anticipation

[davidisom]

Hi,

We recently purchased an XT5 - July 2010 and went through the exact same process as yourself. Yes really the exact same thought process.

My Opinion is

1. Yes all dealers have taken advantage of the winter weather to maximise what they get for RAV4 and other SUV's

2. Plenty of base models out there but even for these they are asking silly money.

3. YES and YES and to be honest they are really worth the extra premium in my mind as I like toys

4. Toyota Dealers seem to want an extra £2K normally. I do not think they are worth it unless you are really scared of car buying

5. For 45K miles I think that £15000 should be the maximum you should pay.

We ended up with a Automatic Petrol. Considered around 20 cars. If you can wait till change of plate you will find supply will increase and also I expect that prices will have eased as weather scare should have gone by then.

The RAV4 does hold its price really well and I would not take to much notice of webuyanycar prices as it is for desperate or lazy sellers. As for What car and the others they did not seem accurate for RAV4 XT5 as it really does hold a premium.

At plate change time I would guess that you would be able to find RAV4 XT5 Manual Diesel with 30-40K for around 14000 private or non Toyota dealer quite easily on a 57 or maybe even an 08 plate.

We purchased petrol as we wanted an Automatic. I found a 56 Plate December 2006 one owner 13000 miles and paid £13500 private.

A month or two later we could have had a choice of several from dealers with between 15-30K miles for £14500 - £15500 Petrol version is a little cheaper.

I do not regret buying RAV4 it has been great car so far with only a few compromises as I have been used to luxury cars the last being a pre-registered Lexus LS460 SEL - £55,000 and BMW 740 before that @ £44,000

I hope you find what you want

David Isom

[anchorman]

The XT5 was equiped to virtually the same level as a T180 but without the run flat tyres and D-CAT system so it is arguably less troublesome. For me the target would be the age and ideally you will be looking at a build date of post May 2008. By this time a series of engine modifications to eradicate oil consumption and possible cylinder head gasket problems were complete.

I had 3 Series touring as my last company car. It was horrendously troublesome but very comfortable. It wouldn't move an inch if there was any snow on the ground.

Get the right RAV and you will be delighted with it.

BTW, start off by only using high grade diesel which will make it quiter and reduce the chance of long term problems with EGRs and injectors etc.

[duncerduncs]

A quick look at the Parkers website (more reliable than the what car? site) shows that a 2007 07 plate XT5, with 30000 miles, would be £15,540 at a franchised dealer.

I would say you should be able to negotiate the price down to around the £15k mark

[notfes53]

Thank you to all for such speedy and expert advice.

I'll keep you posted on developments.

[MarsKy]

Thank you to all for such speedy and expert advice.

I'll keep you posted on developments.

The best thing to do is go onto seller websites and see what the range of prices are on the actual market, for example:

• Autotrader
  
• Carmony
  
• Toyota's own used car website
  

You might even find something better/ cheaper.

Edit: then print out anything cheaper and barter with your dealer. That's what I did on my T180. Note that it's easier for them to throw in optional extra "freebies" than give you cash off, so you should try a mix (e.g. cash off and a fully fitted tow bar, or style pack or protection pack - I got all four!)

[benxt5]

I bought my xt5 in late august 2010. I also wanted all the toys so held out for the top spec. I have a 56 plate with 45k miles and paid £12.5k from a car supermarket. I suppose it's more of a gamble but I saved a few grand.

[MarsKy]

There's a 29226 miles, 2008 SR180 for £15995.

But you would need to be very careful about the tyres. Ask them to throw in a new set and a spare - worth a try.

Edit: okay, no satnav. But TomTom do a better one. Not sure about bluetooth or heated seats - Big Kev should be able to advise.

[anchorman]

I can rig you up with a genuine Toyota brand new bluetooth kit.

[notfes53]

... For me the target would be the age and ideally you will be looking at a build date of post May 2008. By this time a series of engine modifications to eradicate oil consumption and possible cylinder head gasket problems were complete.

Get the right RAV and you will be delighted with it....

Anchorman - how would I know if the "build date" is post May 2008 - is there a different engine code? Otherwise, how can one rely on a registration date? e.g. even if a RAV4 was first registered on 01/06/08 that wouldn't guarantee a post May 2008 build date, would it?

Is there a definitive way to identify the precise build that you're referring to, please?

[anchorman]

If you find an 08 or 58 vehicle, pm me with the VIN and I will tell you the build date.

[RAV4Len]

I have just bought a XTR 58 plate (09) for 16.5K and it does all I need and more :)

Has blue tooth and rear parking as a plus, and a sun roof that I will never use.....

[Plutus]

That sunroof.

Anchorman, if you do manage to meet Toyota please ask them to take the sunroof out of the 4.4 and put in heated windscreen washers and a spare wheel.

Probably save them a bit too.

Going back onto thread, these prices look expensive. Check out wisebuyers.co.uk

Johnsons at Liverpool have an XT4 that's similar.

Lots of XTR's out there so more choice.