Just Bought A Rav4! And A Question

[Velocette]

After a short break from Toyota, I had a Prius that I took to over 100k, and a pleasant dalliance with Volvo I have just agreed the purchase of a 63 reg Rav4 - 2.2 D4D auto and only 10k on the clock. A few tasty extras such as satnav and heated leather and in superb condition as one might expect. I pick it up next week and am, of course, very keen to get behind the wheel! I had a long test drive in the car yesterday with a good mix of fast dual carriageway, town and country. I was very pleasantly surprised at how "planted"the car felt, rock solid and stable with none of the bumping and crashing that I had read of in some of the "expert" reviews. The engine was a little gruff at tickover and on certain road surfaces a little tyre roar but nothing that the DAB radio and iPod connection can't help to resolve.

I am sorry to return to a well thrashed topic - yes, you've guessed it, the spare tyre. I was told mine had a skinny spare under the load floor and wasn't able to check when I first got in the vehicle as it was backed in against a wall. So after the test drive and with my enthusiasm building it was only then that I found there was a big hole and a stupid can of goo in the underfloor.

I have been able to order a spacesaver rim "but you'll have to sort the tyre out yourself" said the helpful and charming Mr T in the parts department. The rim costs £64 and I guess the tyre would be a bit less from what I can gather. What I don't know is what size the tyre should be. I was wondering if a very kind MY 14 owner would help me out by lifting the load floor and letting me know what size the space saver tyre is so that I see about getting one from somewhere (suggestions welcome!)?

I have a jack, tools etc as Volvo play the same game but I was able to get a rim and tyre complete with a bag from eBay for only £80 that fitted under the loadfloor. I will try the Volvo tyre on the Rav just out of interest but expect that it will end up back on eBay in order to offset the cost of the spacesaver. Needless to say a suitable offset was also negotiated just as I was about to shake hands on the deal using the "… and just one more thing" line.

Like so many I refuse to have a car that does not have at least a temporary spare. However I hope that I will shortly have belt and braces with both a spacesaver spare and a can of goo for use in extremis. At least it looks like T have now learned their lesson and about time too.

Less than a week to go! Velocette

[Devon Aygo]

Attached is a list I have compiled of the parts required to safely fit a space saver spare wheel into a New Rav4

[Velocette]

Devon A, thank you so much for your very helpful post. Using your information I have already found that the tyre is available from Formula One auto centre at a price of £80, less than 10 miles away, making the cost of the wheel/ tyre less than £150. I note the other items needed, I have jack/tools etc. I certainly recognise the importance of anchoring all of this so that it is contained in the event of accident. My brother has extensive workshop/fabrication facilities including a hydraulic lift so once I set eyes on the beast we will work out how best to do this. Personally I favour some form of locking underfloor compartment cover to contain wheel and everything else. We will see.

Thanks again V

[Devon Aygo]

Does your new Rav have the side step kit fitted? if it does you will need the Toyota jack as the steps include an adaptor that fits onto the Toyota jack to allow the jack to clear the steps if the car needs lifting.

Cars supplied with out jacks have a carpeted hollow under the boot floor, in order to secure the wheel a bracket ( 51912-42010 ) needs to be spot welded onto the boot floor then a polystyrene carrier ( 64777-42040 ) fits over the welded bracket to carry the wheel, the wheel sits in the carrier and is then held down by a large plastic headed bolt ( 51931-47020 ) this goes down through the wheel centre hole through the carrier and screws into a captive nut in the bracket that has been welded on.

[152bobby]

After coughing up your hard earned cash to Mr T, there is no way in the planet I would part with any more cash for these vital other components. Mr T are really taking this pixx by not supplying such items as standard.

Call it progress, streamlining, whatever, in my opinion they are taking us for a expensive ride.

However, I do like my Rav and will stick with it for now, should I change, it will be back to Lexus RX range for me.

[Velocette]

Well I am sure we can all agree that failure to supply basic equipment in a vehicle costing in the mid to late £20s is nothing less than outrageous and a short term way of impacting long term reputation. They seem to have got the message albeit with some bad grace.

Now as it happens I do have the side steps fitted - very insightful of you Devon A for which my sincere thanks. I will check very carefully the jacking points but of course there are other lumpy bits under there which no doubt would serve just as well for jacking purposes. I have no great affection for side steps, nice to have but I wouldn't set out to buy them, and they could even be removed if absolutely necessary but I am sure there is a solution.

I do not intend to spend a fortune on additional parts. An anchor would be straightforward to fabricate, whilst a "wheel to floor spacer" for over £80 - well! Initial thoughts are along the lines of a bucket cut down with a hole in the bottom to provide suitable support - B&Q were selling them for £1 last week. My aim is a safe, feasible solution at minimal expense for something which hopefully will never be used. I have previously walked away due to lack of a spare wheel. A local dealer had a late, previous model Rav for example but no spare, room for a spare and a well reheubikd speech from the salesman attempting to excuse the problem. It was a short conversation and I think he got the message that the customer is always right. This time I was rather more seduced by the vehicle and the price trade off.