Used Rav4 Buyers Guide.

[Uncle Bob]

Hello guys hope all is well in the RAV4 section . Just read a buyers guide in Auto Express for the 2006 onwards model, I do feel that journalist can look for problems that are not common but then give potential buyers more to worry about than necessary.

Under the wording BUYER BEWARE, rear tailgate can be a problem as it hinges sideways ? Dual-mass flywheel can fail ? and headlamps give a poor beam ?

Other observations are...

1)cabin plastics feel brittle and can mark easy.

2 ) Diesel exhaust recirculation valve can clog if vehicle only used around town.

3 ) Carbonisation can lead to head gasket failure ? (article says Toyota will pay for this if under 7 years old and 110000 miles ) ?

4 ) Clonk from steering can be intermediate steering shaft wear.

Are they fair comments on buying a used RAV4, or isolated examples added together to make up the article ?.

[Davrav]

Hello guys hope all is well in the RAV4 section . Just read a buyers guide in Auto Express for the 2006 onwards model, I do feel that journalist can look for problems that are not common but then give potential buyers more to worry about than necessary.

Under the wording BUYER BEWARE, rear tailgate can be a problem as it hinges sideways ? Dual-mass flywheel can fail ? and headlamps give a poor beam ?

Other observations are...

1)cabin plastics feel brittle and can mark easy.

2 ) Diesel exhaust recirculation valve can clog if vehicle only used around town.

3 ) Carbonisation can lead to head gasket failure ? (article says Toyota will pay for this if under 7 years old and 110000 miles ) ?

4 ) Clonk from steering can be intermediate steering shaft wear.

Are they fair comments on buying a used RAV4, or isolated examples added together to make up the article ?.

Well I guess all of the above have been covered on this forum in one way or another

[Big Kev]

Hello guys hope all is well in the RAV4 section . Just read a buyers guide in Auto Express for the 2006 onwards model, I do feel that journalist can look for problems that are not common but then give potential buyers more to worry about than necessary.

Under the wording BUYER BEWARE, rear tailgate can be a problem as it hinges sideways ? Dual-mass flywheel can fail ? and headlamps give a poor beam ?

Other observations are...

1)cabin plastics feel brittle and can mark easy.

2 ) Diesel exhaust recirculation valve can clog if vehicle only used around town.

3 ) Carbonisation can lead to head gasket failure ? (article says Toyota will pay for this if under 7 years old and 110000 miles ) ?

4 ) Clonk from steering can be intermediate steering shaft wear.

Are they fair comments on buying a used RAV4, or isolated examples added together to make up the article ?.

Well I guess all of the above have been covered on this forum in one way or another

Then some lazy wee shuch on a newspaper or magazine payroll extracts the negatves and puts them to print....!!! Must admit I had never researched any forums re cars I was going to buy AND BOUGHT THE RAV TOTALLY "BLIND". Had I come on here, it would have put me off Ravs, and made me look at other forums....which I have done, and some would drive you to commit sideyways !!!!! No regrets on the Rav eversowhat, and openly recommend to anyone who asks,

Funny how us Hugh Mins get fixated with the negatory, eh....?

JUST A WEE SANTA RANTA

[firemac]

Hello guys hope all is well in the RAV4 section . Just read a buyers guide in Auto Express for the 2006 onwards model, I do feel that journalist can look for problems that are not common but then give potential buyers more to worry about than necessary.

Under the wording BUYER BEWARE, rear tailgate can be a problem as it hinges sideways ? Dual-mass flywheel can fail ? and headlamps give a poor beam ?

Other observations are...

1)cabin plastics feel brittle and can mark easy.

2 ) Diesel exhaust recirculation valve can clog if vehicle only used around town.

3 ) Carbonisation can lead to head gasket failure ? (article says Toyota will pay for this if under 7 years old and 110000 miles ) ?

4 ) Clonk from steering can be intermediate steering shaft wear.

Are they fair comments on buying a used RAV4, or isolated examples added together to make up the article ?.

AutoExpress is a journalistic giant that's right up there with Nuts & FHM. If ever there was a waste of money it's AE, closely followed by Autocar.

I've always found that the best way to research any car you might be interested in, but have no personal experience of, is via the owners' forums. As far as the media is concerned, I reckon that Honest John (http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/) is pretty objective in its reviews.