Rav4 (Non)Spare Tyre Issue

[Astral10]

Hi All

Have a '10 plate 2.2d, had a puncture (which could be classed as a blow out) - wheel balancing weight from another car on the road (It was dark, didnt see it) somehow must have lifted vertically as I drove over it - punctured the whole tyre - result : hole too big to use puncture repair kit and too big to plug , i.e new tyre at a cool £185 from Kwik Fit ( for the G91 Geolander!)

After wanting to buy a new Toyota 4 x 4 all my life from a showroom (come from Africa - always drove cruisers & hiluxs), this was a real anti-climax to experience. A real let down from a brand that I have alway argued passionately for. Feel extremely angry with the whole situaution.

I have since bought off eBay a spare steel rim and a second hand tyre to keep as a spare - as I couldnt bother messing about with pissy repair kits - where you land up having to buy a new repair kit AND a new tyre! But... this spare now has to sit in the boot, where my wife keeps her saddle and tack and we occasionally tow horse and trailer! anyone knows you cant mess about and have to be double quick changing a flat, if you are towing a horse - you have to deal with aggitated wife and horse!!..

The dealer says its a new way of repairing - nothing to worry about and is fuel saving (agree partially) but.. honestly it is such a pain!

Have asked for a price for a new rear door which is a modelled on old design to house the spare.

How far should I push this, should I be paying for it and do they have an obligation to solve this for me?

Does anyone know whether one can retro-fit a swing type latch & frame to house a spare, the same as you see on old cruisers?

Any/all advice would be welcome!..

Cheers

[Big Kev]

Hi Neilan, and welcome to the Club of all Nutters,

Could you not carry spare wheel in car until wife going to see her best pal, Jim Khana, ,and have a frame mounted on the horsey box to contain the spare on those occasions...? On the face of it, that sounds more feasible than any non-available Toyota conversion kit. Somebody asked not that long ago re a rear door conversion....you would be cheaper buying and running another horse....

Big Kev

[Davrav]

Hi Neilan, and welcome to the Club of all Nutters,

Could you not carry spare wheel in car until wife going to see her best pal, Jim Khana, ,and have a frame mounted on the horsey box to contain the spare on those occasions...? On the face of it, that sounds more feasible than any non-available Toyota conversion kit. Somebody asked not that long ago re a rear door conversion....you would be cheaper buying and running another horse....

Big Kev

Agreed Kev - I suspect it would be hugely expensive to change the rear door. I think the rear bumper would also need to be changed at the same time to accommodate repositioning the number plate.

[El Bee]

Hi Neilan, and welcome to the Club of all Nutters,

Could you not carry spare wheel in car until wife going to see her best pal, Jim Khana, ,and have a frame mounted on the horsey box to contain the spare on those occasions...? On the face of it, that sounds more feasible than any non-available Toyota conversion kit. Somebody asked not that long ago re a rear door conversion....you would be cheaper buying and running another horse....

Big Kev

Agreed Kev - I suspect it would be hugely expensive to change the rear door. I think the rear bumper would also need to be changed at the same time to accommodate repositioning the number plate.

Just a thought like - - - I can't see Toyota going to the trouble of making 2 different doors, as you can't hang a spare wheel and cover on a piece of thin steel (and expect it to stay put for long) I would expect to find some reinforcing in ALL the doors, and if that's the case can't a spare wheel and cover be obtained from a dealer or breaker be attached?

There's a photo in my stuff on here where you can see the rear end and maybe judge if the bumper is different, it certainly has the number plate set into it, may be worth enquiring with a dealer in mainland Europe if what you need is available as parts there. As mentioned in another post the back door on a LHD RAV4 is hinged on the same side as a RHD, I'd bet they're the same door!

These thoughts are of course worth exactly what you're paying for them, maybe somebody who's taken the trim off a rear door and looked inside will know better!

Lee

[Astral10]

Hiya guys,

Thanks for replies and advice.

Its not an easy one to solve, but for meanwhile I'll carry the spare in the boot when not towing and in the trailer when towing. Im still not convinced about the repairkit - AND have not seen any other RAV4 in any other country Ive travelled to that does not have a spare tyre attached - I was in NZ at Xmas (have the LWB there - very envious!) and SA and ZIm recently - all new models have spares!

My friends and family think its crazy and just smacks in cost cutting in the UK.

Im going to write to CEO of Toyota UK, see where it goes (not very far Im sure but worth a try),as.. in comparison, the Mits Outlander has spare, The Tiguan has a 'biscuit' - its clear they see the sense of it.

Cheers once again guys, happy motoring.

(am in Zim at the mo, have just seen the new 'Fortuner', which is update of old Surf - pity we dont get these models in UK!)..

Neilan

[Mike JD]

Hi Astral,

It is of no help to you to know that I completely agree with you regarding the stupid absence of a spare wheel. Clearly Toyota think we only use our 4x4s to take the kids to school in cities rather than actually use them on dark wet nights out in the country. It saddened me that when I looked to move on from the very excellent petrol 4.2 RAV, I had to look away from Toyota for just this reason.

Mike D

Hiya guys,

Thanks for replies and advice.

Its not an easy one to solve, but for meanwhile I'll carry the spare in the boot when not towing and in the trailer when towing. Im still not convinced about the repairkit - AND have not seen any other RAV4 in any other country Ive travelled to that does not have a spare tyre attached - I was in NZ at Xmas (have the LWB there - very envious!) and SA and ZIm recently - all new models have spares!

My friends and family think its crazy and just smacks in cost cutting in the UK.

Im going to write to CEO of Toyota UK, see where it goes (not very far Im sure but worth a try),as.. in comparison, the Mits Outlander has spare, The Tiguan has a 'biscuit' - its clear they see the sense of it.

Cheers once again guys, happy motoring.

(am in Zim at the mo, have just seen the new 'Fortuner', which is update of old Surf - pity we dont get these models in UK!)..

Neilan