Back In The Fold Or Back In The Fray.............

[Davrav]

I was looking at those Evoques last week when at the RAV Rescue Centre (RRC).

You will need a periscope because there are only slots to look out of. Not my cup of tea.

Have to agree Don. I saw one in the car park of a very up-market farm shop this afternoon [Loads of Cayennes, X5s and Range Rovers] It looked like one of those custom cars with a lowered roof.

Tried one for size myself a couple of weeks ago and, to me, the interior felt claustrophobic and I could not judge termination of either front or back.

They do look good in the advertising and the one I sampled felt solid and smelled nice though

[local hero]

OK at long last I'm pleased to announce I'm back!!!

I found this 2010 (my favourite vintage) XT-R in a rescue centre up in Stockton on Tees. The poor thing was surrounded by Land Rovers and Range Rovers of all shapes and sizes - it was horrific and harrowing but Im sure with counselling and rehabilitation I can get it back on all four cylinders;

It has had a single owner since new and has now covered all of 6400 miles. It has lived at Saltburn on Sea and the chap had it as a second car hence the mileage. I have pored over every inch of the thing and it is as mint as it looks.

I know, I know, I had a perfectly good one and thought that I was being sensible by having something that had a lower value but truth be known, I simply didn't enjoy the Kia Soul as much and this feels like a perfect fitting shoe - the smell the sound and the sight of it

Anyway, I've had it since 9:00 am this morning and because of other commitments not been near the thing yet nor am I likely to before tomorrow afternoon. No doubt the fitment of any extra's will be chronicled over the coming months and this RAV is staying with me to grow old and even greyer together.

I must say that Stratstones were absolutely superb to deal with.

eeeeeeee!

Stunning motor mate, hard to believe its the same Rav in both photo's, first one it looks almost Matt second one it shines like a new penny, I knew you couldn't face another winter in that Kia!!! (although i still think they are very smart) good luck + ENJOY!!!! Stew. Remember, a Rav is not just for Christmas its for life

[firemac]

I was looking at those Evoques last week when at the RAV Rescue Centre (RRC).

You will need a periscope because there are only slots to look out of. Not my cup of tea.

Have to agree Don. I saw one in the car park of a very up-market farm shop this afternoon [Loads of Cayennes, X5s and Range Rovers] It looked like one of those custom cars with a lowered roof.

Tried one for size myself a couple of weeks ago and, to me, the interior felt claustrophobic and I could not judge termination of either front or back.

They do look good in the advertising and the one I sampled felt solid and smelled nice though

It's that green oval Badge that kills it for me.

[CharlieFarlie]

For some reason I don't find the Evoque a problem in those areas.. For Me I can have everything I want and when You spend the time I do in the cabin which in the Evoque is superb that matters a lot !!

I would not rule out another Rav !! But the current model just has to many compromises when I'm thinking on a brand new car..

My plan is this ... I have placed My name on the waiting list for the RR. It is now 9 months till I will be asked for the monetary deposit at which point I am committed to the car ..

At this point I will look again to see if there are any signs of the new Rav (Unlikely ??) I will also look at prices of used Evoque s to see if there are any almost new ones or ex demo's to be had or of course discounts .. There is no possibility of a discount at this time because of the long waiting list but this will change.....

I would buy a current shape brand new SR but I'm sorry the compromises are just to many.......

I realise the Evoque is not for everyone but what car is ? But the build quality of the new JLR products is better now than ever since TaTa took over.. My XF has not the slightest squeak or rattle over any surfaces while the Rav is now driving Me bonkers with the squeaks and rattles it has. As fast as I sort one out another starts somewhere else !! So while the Rav has a good mechanical build quality this is not carried through out the whole car !! As I said No car is for everyone or is perfect....

What I did look at in the Dealers in the Midlands the weekend was that Lexus RX... Now that seems a reasonable alternative but at 43K for an 11 plate car so it should...

EDIT.. Just looked on Autotrader and the RX is petrol or Hybrid power only (Sod that !) The gearboxes are CVT (Sod that an all)

[Big Kev]

For some reason I don't find the Evoque a problem in those areas.. For Me I can have everything I want and when You spend the time I do in the cabin which in the Evoque is superb that matters a lot !!

I would not rule out another Rav !! But the current model just has to many compromises when I'm thinking on a brand new car..

My plan is this ... I have placed My name on the waiting list for the RR. It is now 9 months till I will be asked for the monetary deposit at which point I am committed to the car ..

At this point I will look again to see if there are any signs of the new Rav (Unlikely ??) I will also look at prices of used Evoque s to see if there are any almost new ones or ex demo's to be had or of course discounts .. There is no possibility of a discount at this time because of the long waiting list but this will change.....

I would buy a current shape brand new SR but I'm sorry the compromises are just to many.......

I realise the Evoque is not for everyone but what car is ? But the build quality of the new JLR products is better now than ever since TaTa took over.. My XF has not the slightest squeak or rattle over any surfaces while the Rav is now driving Me bonkers with the squeaks and rattles it has. As fast as I sort one out another starts somewhere else !! So while the Rav has a good mechanical build quality this is not carried through out the whole car !! As I said No car is for everyone or is perfect....

What I did look at in the Dealers in the Midlands the weekend was that Lexus RH... Now that seems a reasonable alternative but at 43K for an 11 plate car so it should...

I concur with my oversize English friend on one thing for sure, and expect it can be explained away by the drops in temperature in last few days (plastica contractibus to use the latin vernacularity...) but I too have a few buzzes and squeaks and mosquito impersonators suddenly. Will be taking indoors at a friends garage for investigation.

Big Ears

[CharlieFarlie]

For some reason I don't find the Evoque a problem in those areas.. For Me I can have everything I want and when You spend the time I do in the cabin which in the Evoque is superb that matters a lot !!

I would not rule out another Rav !! But the current model just has to many compromises when I'm thinking on a brand new car..

My plan is this ... I have placed My name on the waiting list for the RR. It is now 9 months till I will be asked for the monetary deposit at which point I am committed to the car ..

At this point I will look again to see if there are any signs of the new Rav (Unlikely ??) I will also look at prices of used Evoque s to see if there are any almost new ones or ex demo's to be had or of course discounts .. There is no possibility of a discount at this time because of the long waiting list but this will change.....

I would buy a current shape brand new SR but I'm sorry the compromises are just to many.......

I realise the Evoque is not for everyone but what car is ? But the build quality of the new JLR products is better now than ever since TaTa took over.. My XF has not the slightest squeak or rattle over any surfaces while the Rav is now driving Me bonkers with the squeaks and rattles it has. As fast as I sort one out another starts somewhere else !! So while the Rav has a good mechanical build quality this is not carried through out the whole car !! As I said No car is for everyone or is perfect....

What I did look at in the Dealers in the Midlands the weekend was that Lexus RH... Now that seems a reasonable alternative but at 43K for an 11 plate car so it should...

I concur with my oversize English friend on one thing for sure, and expect it can be explained away by the drops in temperature in last few days (plastica contractibus to use the latin vernacularity...) but I too have a few buzzes and squeaks and mosquito impersonators suddenly. Will be taking indoors at a friends garage for investigation.

Big Ears

Tomorrow I will be completely dismantling the centre console. Then its the drivers door that has to come apart... Believe Me when I say cos I do mean it.. If I cant stop this car from squeaking its getting the sack. Simple as that !!! It will be gone within the week ....

[anchorman]

Charlie

Put your finger at the front of that little panel that has the window switches on it. If it fixes it pop the panel out and put some blutac under it. If it doesn't, tap that little panel under the door mirror and if it is loose, follow the instructions pinned.

Before you take the centre console out, pull that seat belt out of the roof and clip it in the buckle. It can throw its voice.

Stew.

Good to hear from you. Come up for a brew and show us that wee doggie. Anchorwoman will brew up while I steal your exhaust.

The car shines - I think the sun was on the first photo. I took these after only a wash and leather.

[Manxrav]

Matt effect completely gone!!!!!

Regards Clare

[CharlieFarlie]

Charlie

Put your finger at the front of that little panel that has the window switches on it. If it fixes it pop the panel out and put some blutac under it. If it doesn't, tap that little panel under the door mirror and if it is loose, follow the instructions pinned.

Before you take the centre console out, pull that seat belt out of the roof and clip it in the buckle. It can throw its voice.

Stew.

Good to hear from you. Come up for a brew and show us that wee doggie. Anchorwoman will brew up while I steal your exhaust.

The car shines - I think the sun was on the first photo. I took these after only a wash and leather.

Yes it shines... But what will it look like after a proper polish ?? Please Please tell Me You are don't tell Me You are using a Chamois leather in this day and age ?? Chamois leathers go hard and ERRRR stiff and inflict at least half of the swirls and marks seen on modern relitivly soft clear coats !!

You really must use a soft drying towel !! PM me Your Address and I will pop You one in the post ASAP. In recognition of all the time and advice You have given Me over the last Year .... Trust Me You will never use A Chamois again after one of these...

I will undo the seat belt but Its either in the seat or the centre console ! I get a sort of click click noise from the area under the Drivers (Me) left buttock when going round tight right hand corners or in particular roundabouts........ I cannot replicate the noise by pressing on the seat its self and the noise is still there even if I move right over to the right side of the seat so I'm fairly certain it lies within the console its self...

As Kev has said its since the weather has cooled off a bit and the plastics go hard...

Dunno but I am absolutely not going to continue on with the car if I cant sort these issues out !! Squeaks and rattles drive Me nuts !!................ :angry:

[Paulus17]

Very nice and shiney Anchs,and yes i can see the rear black windows now

Charlie i still use a chamois leather when i wash the car which isn't very often now,we take it to the local car wash place just up the road who do a pretty decent job for £4.

Noises and rattles drive me mad as i seem to have a good ear for these sort of things which then drive others mad when i keep saying can you hear that

I've learned just to switch off to em now,but if i hear a different one i get concerned again for a while :D

[Davrav]

I will undo the seat belt but Its either in the seat or the centre console ! I get a sort of click click noise from the area under the Drivers (Me) left buttock when going round tight right hand corners or in particular roundabouts........ I cannot replicate the noise by pressing on the seat its self and the noise is still there even if I move right over to the right side of the seat so I'm fairly certain it lies within the console its self...

As Kev has said its since the weather has cooled off a bit and the plastics go hard...

Dunno but I am absolutely not going to continue on with the car if I cant sort these issues out !! Squeaks and rattles drive Me nuts !!................ :angry:

It's probably a dicky hip joint Charlie

[anchorman]

Yes it shines... But what will it look like after a proper polish ?? Please Please tell Me You are don't tell Me You are using a Chamois leather in this day and age ?? Chamois leathers go hard and ERRRR stiff and inflict at least half of the swirls and marks seen on modern relitivly soft clear coats !!

You really must use a soft drying towel !! PM me Your Address and I will pop You one in the post ASAP. In recognition of all the time and advice You have given Me over the last Year .... Trust Me You will never use A Chamois again after one of these...

I will undo the seat belt but Its either in the seat or the centre console ! I get a sort of click click noise from the area under the Drivers (Me) left buttock when going round tight right hand corners or in particular roundabouts........ I cannot replicate the noise by pressing on the seat its self and the noise is still there even if I move right over to the right side of the seat so I'm fairly certain it lies within the console its self...

As Kev has said its since the weather has cooled off a bit and the plastics go hard...

Dunno but I am absolutely not going to continue on with the car if I cant sort these issues out !! Squeaks and rattles drive Me nuts !!................ :angry:

Charlie

Its the seat belt, my red one used to do it - mainly when anchorwoman was in the passenger seat. Just move the seat belt a bit and it will stop.

Its very kind of you to offer a drying towel but I've got some. I have had very little time for either of my play things this weekend but the car did have the bonnet clayed and a coat of Jetseal 109. In the lights of the garage, I have found some very light marks that will easily polish out but I think it has been garaged for most of its life because it is feels quite free of contaminants to the touch. It will be getting the full monty when time permits but it will get waxoyled very soon - it lived with a sea view (about 2 miles away) near the East Coast.

[CharlieFarlie]

Yes it shines... But what will it look like after a proper polish ?? Please Please tell Me You are don't tell Me You are using a Chamois leather in this day and age ?? Chamois leathers go hard and ERRRR stiff and inflict at least half of the swirls and marks seen on modern relitivly soft clear coats !!

You really must use a soft drying towel !! PM me Your Address and I will pop You one in the post ASAP. In recognition of all the time and advice You have given Me over the last Year .... Trust Me You will never use A Chamois again after one of these...

I will undo the seat belt but Its either in the seat or the centre console ! I get a sort of click click noise from the area under the Drivers (Me) left buttock when going round tight right hand corners or in particular roundabouts........ I cannot replicate the noise by pressing on the seat its self and the noise is still there even if I move right over to the right side of the seat so I'm fairly certain it lies within the console its self...

As Kev has said its since the weather has cooled off a bit and the plastics go hard...

Dunno but I am absolutely not going to continue on with the car if I cant sort these issues out !! Squeaks and rattles drive Me nuts !!................ :angry:

Charlie

Its the seat belt, my red one used to do it - mainly when anchorwoman was in the passenger seat. Just move the seat belt a bit and it will stop.

Its very kind of you to offer a drying towel but I've got some. I have had very little time for either of my play things this weekend but the car did have the bonnet clayed and a coat of Jetseal 109. In the lights of the garage, I have found some very light marks that will easily polish out but I think it has been garaged for most of its life because it is feels quite free of contaminants to the touch. It will be getting the full monty when time permits but it will get waxoyled very soon - it lived with a sea view (about 2 miles away) near the East Coast.

MMmmm My cars live 300 metres from the sea... Which part of the seat belt are You moving ??

I've tried everything and anything that moves and lots of things that don't !!!

Are We talking driver or passenger seat ?? I was going to remove both seat tomorrow but I have to be care full not to set off the seat air-bags ?????............... :unsure:

[Manxrav]

On this occasion Charlie I think Don means the rattle was on his wifes seat.Just in passing, and not being thick does living near to the sea make a massive difference? body work wise or general areas? I live 300 mtr from the sea and am interested. Sorry to go off topic.

Regards Clare

[three5]

On this occasion Charlie I think Don means the rattle was on his wifes seat.Just in passing, and not being thick does living near to the sea make a massive difference? body work wise or general areas? I live 300 mtr from the sea and am interested. Sorry to go off topic.

Regards Clare

Hi Clare,

seawater is very corrosive. If you live even fairly close to the sea, in an onshore wind, moisture is picked up from the sea and transported some distance in land. Where it contacts metal ( particularly ferrous i.e. steel, aluminium, some brasses and copper )it is likely to cause corrosion unless the metal is well protected. Don't worry unduly, Toyota's are reasonably well protected so you should be safe for several years from new. I'm guessing that Anchorman, in his usual style, will give his RAV a good bath in nice clean salt free water. When it is dry it is likely to get the full waxoyl treatment. If you are going to keep yours for many years, it would be a good idea to emulate him! Of course, no matter where you live, a bad winter with heavily salted roads would have much the same effect as the sea, only probably worse. HTH

[CharlieFarlie]

On this occasion Charlie I think Don means the rattle was on his wifes seat.Just in passing, and not being thick does living near to the sea make a massive difference? body work wise or general areas? I live 300 mtr from the sea and am interested. Sorry to go off topic.

Regards Clare

Clare.. Not sure if it was jest or not ?? My car has a whine that dissapears when the wife gets out type thing ?? Or is there a common issue with the belts .............................. :unsure:

[anchorman]

Chris ahs explained the sea water thing very well. Can you taste salt sometimes? It gest all over the car but of course, so does rock salt in winter. Its just me over-engineering.

Dead serious about the seat belt though. On my car it only happened when the mrs OR ANY OTHER PASSENGER! was in the car but I guess it could happen on the driver side. It drove me mad for ages but I discovered that if I just put my hand on the lower part where the release button is it stopped. I can't remeber if I ever fully cured it but a bit or cloth tucked down would do it until a more premanent solution could be found. Easy with those seats Charlie. Look in the manual and you will see that the yellow plugs under the seat have a shorting pin to make the system think they are still attached. In any case the Battery should be disconnected for a brew while the capacitors discharge. I suspect getting a smack in the gob by a side air bag is not the nicest of experiences let alone going to the dealer for new parts with a black eye.

[CharlieFarlie]

Will check those belts tomorrow !! The noise is definitely in that area .. At first I suspected the lid to the twin section centre armrest box so I lubed that.. I still suspect it though so today I sprayed it liberally with silicone in case that helps more than the spray grease I used first time around......

I could always try 5 litres of unleaded and a box of Swan Vesta's......................... :rolleyes:

[shcm]

Look in the manual and you will see that the yellow plugs under the seat have a shorting pin to make the system think they are still attached. In any case the battery should be disconnected for a brew while the capacitors discharge. I suspect getting a smack in the gob by a side air bag is not the nicest of experiences let alone going to the dealer for new parts with a black eye.

Sorry Anchs, but that explanation is inaccurate or slightly misleading in more than one area.

[CharlieFarlie]

Look in the manual and you will see that the yellow plugs under the seat have a shorting pin to make the system think they are still attached. In any case the battery should be disconnected for a brew while the capacitors discharge. I suspect getting a smack in the gob by a side air bag is not the nicest of experiences let alone going to the dealer for new parts with a black eye.

Sorry Anchs, but that explanation is inaccurate or slightly misleading in more than one area.

So what is the score .... Do I have to do anything other than disconnect the Battery ?? Its in My plan to remove the seats and the centre console and tyr to find and hopefully cure theses !Removed! annoying noises...

I have been known to sell a car if I cannot cure noises as for some reason I just simply cannot live with them :angry:

[bluevortex]

Congrats Anch on the new Rav - as it happens I know exactly how you feel :/

Once its settled in, I'd be interested to hear what the real life mpgs on the 2010 150bhp engine are? On paper, 48mpg looks very impressive but I'm a sceptic.... Just had my Dads 2010 SR auto for a few days, god the fuel economy is worse than my old T180 and it struggled to get over 30mpg. Pretty dissapointing considering Toyota list a combined on 39.8mpg figure. On that maths would you be wrong to assume a real life manual figure of 38mpg and not Toyota stated 48mpg? If it really achieved 45mpg+ I'd have one in a heartbeat.

Enjoy

Blue

[anchorman]

I had one of these for a while blue and it regularly did 40 around and about. On trips up to Scotlandshire it would get in the high 40s as long as I kept it at 70 otherwise it would drop to 40 again.

Shcm, what are you on about? I know you reckon 20 secs is Ok for Battery disconnect but I reckon belt and braces is best. So what else is wrong?

[shcm]

Shcm, what are you on about? I know you reckon 20 secs is Ok for battery disconnect but I reckon belt and braces is best. So what else is wrong?

I'm probably being pedantic as usual, but people can read things and get the wrong end of the stick. I've seen it happen before. I'm sure you'd re-explain a mechanical error and this is equivalent electrical.

Yes, a Battery disconnect is fine.

I'll do a full explanation, not that anybody will understand it or perhaps bother to read it carefully, but what the heck.

The squib (the thing that sets the airbag off), is (or at least was), a fairly basic device. You put a certain about of current through it and it goes off. Less and it shouldn't go off.

The shorting bar is on the squib connector side. It does not "fool the system". It's there to short the squib out, so that you can't by pure accident put any current into it (electrostatic discharge comes to mind) and set it off. i.e. any current goes through the shorting bar, not the squib. The bar drops into place inside the squib connector, when it is disconnected from the other connector going to the ECU.

The ECU @ power up will go through its initial checks. It will for all practical purposes measure squib resistance. An open or a shorted squib would be flagged as a fault. In fact, on early Freelanders, the connector design wasn't too good and the shorting bar would drop down with the connectors connected. The ECU would flag a fault as a shorted squib, when it was the connector at fault. This was my problem with the "fool the system" statement. It could be taken that shorting the ECU squib pins would somehow "fool" the ECU. It doesn't and shouldn't. It would be a major system safety failing.

Yes it's safer to disconnect the Battery. However, there is no permanent supply connection to the airbag system on the 4.3. It is just ignition feed. So provided you don't turn the ignition on while you have the system apart, it is going to be no wiser that the airbags have been disconnected. I've done this several times, without any problem, but allegedly I know what I'm doing. (I've also worked on live airbag ECUs in vehicles in a past life).

The ECU I'm working on at the moment has a spec of a few hundred millisecs to survive without any supply connected. The airbag ECU will be roughly the same. The power supply front end caps will probably have a bit more capacity than a.n. other ECU as they have to supply all the squib current in the case of supply disconnect in an accident. But 20 odd minutes wait is probably excessive. They should be well discharged by then and anyway the number of things that have to check and double check within the ECU before a deployment means it's very unlikely it will happen when it shouldn't.

Don't assume the above for all systems. Some manufacturers like as many ECUs as possible with a permanent Battery connection and wake them up via say CAN or with a separate wake up line. The likes of GM come to mind. There are advantages and disadvantages to both ways, which can cover all sort of things from relays required to printed circuit board chemistry. Personally I prefer the "if it really doesn't need a permanent supply, don't give it one" approach.

I know you mechys distrust everything electrical, because you can't see it. It's all very similar principles in the end :).

Blue - 150D4D 46mpg below, but I drive for economy, not performance.

[anchorman]

Oh.

Well of course, I knew that.

[local hero]

Look in the manual and you will see that the yellow plugs under the seat have a shorting pin to make the system think they are still attached. In any case the battery should be disconnected for a brew while the capacitors discharge. I suspect getting a smack in the gob by a side air bag is not the nicest of experiences let alone going to the dealer for new parts with a black eye.

Sorry Anchs, but that explanation is inaccurate or slightly misleading in more than one area.

So what is the score .... Do I have to do anything other than disconnect the Battery ?? Its in My plan to remove the seats and the centre console and tyr to find and hopefully cure theses bloody annoying noises...

I have been known to sell a car if I cannot cure noises as for some reason I just simply cannot live with them :angry:

Charlie, come up to Manchester and drive my Cab for a few hours Then get in your Rav, and you will think you've died and gone to heaven Stew