New Rav4 Owner

[Dave16]

Hi, I just took delivery last week of a ten-years old but still shiny 2001 model VX RAV4 auto from a local garage. Lovely car, lovely condition, 60,000 miles, but I do have a few questions having owned it a week.

1. It looks in great shape, everything works, no funny noises or rattles etc, MOT'd on day of purchase, on my first tank I got 30mpg. But a week later, on the very first ride down the motorway, after around 50 miles the engine malfunction light came on. I went to a nearby Kwikfit who checked it out and said, oh that's the fault code for the catalytic convertor, you need a new cat and that will cost £900. Ouch. Is that true, and is there anything more I should have done when inspecting the car at the garage prior to buying? Car comes with a one month warranty, is this something that should be covered? Are there any cheaper options?

2. Driver's seat. How can I begin to describe it? I get backache after sitting in it more than half an hour, but my other half thinks it's fine and loves it. Any suggestions to make it more comfy, is there a "best" position or how do you cope if it gives your back grief?

3. Can you still get Toyota CD radios? I guess at some stage it must have got taken out as it now comes with a branded stereo, and it's dreadful. Plus I quite like the idea of having temp and fuel consumption on the dash, and it looks like that was only possible with the Toyota radios.

Thanks for any tips you can give!!!

[crofter]

Hi Dave and welcome.

Re the price of the cat,that seems a bit high they are for sale on fleabay for less than half that price.

Suggest maybe you try an indi garage to read your fault code first and get a second opinion.

If you have the fault code there are helpful members who could confirm if it really is a faulty cat.

I have exactly the same ride as you and know its a great,great ride.

Re the radio,it should be possible to find one at a scrappers and also check out a seat.

Good hunting.

Del

[bothwell_buyer]

The seats do tend to soften with age and use.

As I'm grossly overweight, I have just changed from the Cobra Monaco seats I fitted to Sparco Evo 3 seats which are a much better width !!

On the engine problem light, I'd go back to the garage where you bought it and register the fault with them whilst you still have some rights.

[atkiman]

hi

it takes me ages to get my seat right, just keep juggling the height , rake and reach adjustment.mine gave me backache or days until i found the right balance of positions.

your engine light might just be an oxygen sensor, the ems light has been on on mine for months,went through the mot ok, fuel consumptions normal and it's running fine.But I'd still be back to where i bought it from and get them to check it.be careful though they might just reset it and it'll be ok for a few weeks and then come on again, but dont just assume cat's gone, i had a wobble until i had the the code properly checked (kwikfit got a vested interest in flogging exhausts)

as they say scrapyard for a radio i reckon

tony

[redlew]

I would go back to the garage and let them diagnose the problem -I wouldn't tell them what Kwikfit have said. I'd get back quickly before the month is up.

[RedRoss]

I wouldnt believe a word those lying, thieving, Kwik-fit w@nkers have to say. Here is a little story for you;

Took a Pug 306 Gti6 that i had into quick fit to have the tyres changed a good ten years ago or so. I also decided to have the wheel alignment done for the cost of £15 back then. SO i get everything done, hand over the cash and leave.

On the way home i passed another kwik-fit which had an advert up for a 'free wheel alignment check' so thought id test them out. Nipped in and asked for the test to be done - "you had you alignment done recently mate?" says scruffy little mechanic !Removed!. "no, says i" ( :!Removed!: ).

So mechanic bloke sets my car up, gets down to the nitty gritty and then promptly returns a short while later to inform me that the alignment is "waaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy" out, and it would cost me £15 to have it sorted. Oh really?

I then asked to see the manager and proceeded to show him my receipt for the other kwik-fit a mere 5 miles away. The mechanics jaw hit the floor and the manager bloke started stuttering and stammering.

Anyway, after a letter to head office, i got a grovelling letter and a full refund. Will never use those cheating b@stards again.

[crofter]

I wouldnt believe a word those lying, thieving, Kwik-fit w@nkers have to say. Here is a little story for you;

Took a Pug 306 Gti6 that i had into quick fit to have the tyres changed a good ten years ago or so. I also decided to have the wheel alignment done for the cost of £15 back then. SO i get everything done, hand over the cash and leave.

On the way home i passed another kwik-fit which had an advert up for a 'free wheel alignment check' so thought id test them out. Nipped in and asked for the test to be done - "you had you alignment done recently mate?" says scruffy little mechanic pr1ck. "no, says i" ( :shutit: ).

So mechanic bloke sets my car up, gets down to the nitty gritty and then promptly returns a short while later to inform me that the alignment is "waaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy" out, and it would cost me £15 to have it sorted. Oh really?

I then asked to see the manager and proceeded to show him my receipt for the other kwik-fit a mere 5 miles away. The mechanics jaw hit the floor and the manager bloke started stuttering and stammering.

Anyway, after a letter to head office, i got a grovelling letter and a full refund. Will never use those cheating b@stards again.

I deffo agree with you,Ross,and am very lucky to have an excellant indi local to me who I am very satisfied with and even tho it changed hands the service did not.

I know they have saved my pocket many ££££s in the past and the one problem I had from a tyre was rectified cheerfully and quickly,so I am able steer clear of the multi's. :D

Hope you get sorted Dave.

Del

[Big Kev]

Hi Dave and welcome to the House,

Hope you were able to understand Bothy's accent above....even we need a translator. Have a look at eBay item number below. re your CD Radio.

This is the type in ma wifey's 3 door 2004 model, so perhaps the ever helpful wan star Bothy or somebody could confirm this is the type used on 2001 models. It so happens it is indentical to wife's, which also has the facility to operate her under seat 6 disc CD changer, which you may or may not have, and this would all depend further on what plagerisationment (that's a word....) has ocurred to fit the non Toyota unit now fitted to yer Rav.

170630870103...BE QUICK AS ONLY ONE DAY TO GO, AND CAUSING SOME INTEREST.

Good Luck,

Big Kev

[Davrav]

It so happens it is indentical to wife's, which also has the facility to operate her under seat 6 disc CD changer

Big Kev

My wife didn't come with one of those. Should I ask for an upgrade

[Big Kev]

It so happens it is indentical to wife's, which also has the facility to operate her under seat 6 disc CD changer

Big Kev

My wife didn't come with one of those. Should I ask for an upgrade

No way David...trade in furra younger model. Got one masself....she's called Anna Reckseea.

bIG kEV

[crofter]

Hi Dave and welcome to the House,

Hope you were able to understand Bothy's accent above....even we need a translator. Have a look at ebay item number below. re your CD Radio.

This is the type in ma wifey's 3 door 2004 model, so perhaps the ever helpful wan star Bothy or somebody could confirm this is the type used on 2001 models. It so happens it is indentical to wife's, which also has the facility to operate her under seat 6 disc CD changer, which you may or may not have, and this would all depend further on what plagerisationment (that's a word....) has ocurred to fit the non Toyota unit now fitted to yer Rav.

170630870103...BE QUICK AS ONLY ONE DAY TO GO, AND CAUSING SOME INTEREST.

Good Luck,

Big Kev

As mentioned previusly I have a 2001 vx auto and my radio has a cassette player in place of the cd slot along with a changer.

I should think,Kev,that the case size is the same though and I think I saw the same model in a Yaris, but that was before I had my first brew so maybe I was still half asleep!

Let us know how things turn out Dave.

Del

[Dave16]

Thanks guys for the advice. I didn't end up winning the CD but I assume it goes in a 2001 model as noone has commented differently and it's exactly what I am looking for - I kind of figured that mobile phones that transmit MP3s to the radio are more convenient than multichangers these days.

I'll have a natter with the garage I bought the car from to see what they can suggest - Kwikfit said it the light came back on I shouldn't drive the car any more. It came back two days later (on both occasions doing 70 on the motorway I should add). But at the end of the day yes I could take the car to Toyota for a diagnosis but I assume they will find the same fault code and charge even more than Kwikfit to fix. Actually when it first happened, the fuel tank low petrol light came on about the same time. I did pop into a nearby Toyota garage when the light came on and they said it was two hours' work just to get the diagnosis and that even a low fuel light coming on could trigger the engine malfunction light! I kinda figured that if it was as simple as letting the fuel tank run low I didn't want to pay hundreds of quid to be told the tank was low, hence why I went to Kwikfit.

Has anyone tried reupholstering the leather cushion and seat back? In every other respect the car is fabulous and my wife absolutely ravs (sorry!) about it but I just can't sit for more than twenty minutes in the driver's seat without having to stop and get out, it's that bad. I just don't get backache normally and I'm fine in any other car, so this is just weird.

Really appreciate the friendly advice on here, it's terrific.

Dave