2009 Rav4 2.0 Petrol Automatic With 98,000

[dav806]

Hi

I'm currently looking at changing my Auris for a RAV4 and have found a 2009 with 98,000 miles on it, it's the 2.0 petrol with the CVT transmission. It has full dealer history and comes with a good 12 months warranty. Are there any problems I should be looking for? Is the CVT reliable? Will it last the four years I'll own it? It will continue to be serviced by a Toyota dealer for those 4 years! Should I buy it or look for a 2008 with the torque converter automatic?

Thanks in advance😜

[TomdeGuerre]

I don't think there's any auto box that's guaranteed not to give you trouble after ~ 100,000 miles but for the RAV4 my opinion is that auto box with torque converter would be better. I've got the CVT box in a much lighter vehicle and it is a bit of a screamer.

[firemac]

IMHO any car with that mileage has a higher risk of problems than something newer/less travelled but Toyotas do tend to wear their miles better than most. As for autos/CVTs, we've owned quite a few RAV4 autos, all TC boxes, but I did test drive a used petrol CVT (10-reg, IIRC) and genuinely could not tell the difference with a TC box - that was enlightening given the bad rep that CVTs get in other makes. Also, the vvt-i engine is virtually bomb-proof and will certainly be far more reliable than any diesel, Toyota or otherwise. It will be quite a bit thirstier for fuel, mind, but the off-set is the fact that there is so much less to go wrong compared to diesel.

As far as the car in question is concerned, it will, of course, depend on how well it has been looked after but if it has a legit FTSH then that is a pretty good start and if it qualifies for a 12-month warranty, that is added peace of mind. By the way, is it a Toyota dealer warranty?

Additionally I'd suggest that, all other things being equal, an automatic with 98K will be better mechanically than a manual simply because the autobox is more sympathetic to the drivetrain than an unknown gorilla or two riding the clutch, over-revving the engine, abusing the gearbox or any other of a number of ways to knacker a manual.

In any event, as with any used car, caveat emptor are your by-words. Double check everything, mechanical and financial, and test drive it at least twice (on different days) - sometimes you pick up on a problem in the second session that you miss first time round. If you can get hold of the previous owner's contact details, it would be good to speak to them about any issues, why they sold, etc.

Good luck.

[dav806]

Thanks for your replies, The vehicle is at a main multi franchise dealer which includes Toyota so I'm assuming it will be a Toyota warranty but will have to check, after looking around the forum though I might save myself time, money and hassle by finding a 2008 or early 2009 4 speed automatic with less miles for a few more pounds as the CVT which is the same in the Avensis and Verso has seen a TSB issued and a few have been replaced whereas the older automatic seems to be more robust and can be DIY serviced by myself in later years! Decisions eh! Thanks again

[TomdeGuerre]

Thanks for your replies, The vehicle is at a main multi franchise dealer which includes Toyota so I'm assuming it will be a Toyota warranty but will have to check, after looking around the forum though I might save myself time, money and hassle by finding a 2008 or early 2009 4 speed automatic with less miles for a few more pounds as the CVT which is the same in the Avensis and Verso has seen a TSB issued and a few have been replaced whereas the older automatic seems to be more robust and can be DIY serviced by myself in later years! Decisions eh! Thanks again

Good choice David. To say that the CVT box is better than an abused manual gearbox proves nothing because the same is true of a conventional automatic. It is equally true to say that an abused DMF for example would be significantly cheaper to repair than an abused CVT. Also remember that extended warranties only cover actual failed parts, not wear and tear items, so there could be huge costs involved with any CVT repairs at > 100,000 miles.

You seem to be aware of the issues affecting the K111 CVT box which is what would be fitted to the year of RAV4 you are considering. Also, a short test drive in a CVT proves nothing - I’ve had mine for coming up on two years now and living with it is different. If I’m in the car myself the CVT box isn’t so bad but if there’s five adults in it then it really becomes tiresome. The CVT box doesn’t transmit torque very well (hence there’s few diesels with them fitted) and if you were planning on towing or using the vehicle heavily loaded you could regret it.

[dav806]

I've got the Auris MMT at the moment but had a Prius before that, loved the Prius box and upon test driving the Auris thought there wasn't much difference, 14 months on I dislike the MMT and wouldn't encourage anyone to get one! I've decided to wait for a 4 speed auto now as the conventional auto box will be what my wife and I have had for many years and I wouldn't like to get a CVT one and end up hating that!

[firemac]

Thanks for your replies, The vehicle is at a main multi franchise dealer which includes Toyota so I'm assuming it will be a Toyota warranty but will have to check, after looking around the forum though I might save myself time, money and hassle by finding a 2008 or early 2009 4 speed automatic with less miles for a few more pounds as the CVT which is the same in the Avensis and Verso has seen a TSB issued and a few have been replaced whereas the older automatic seems to be more robust and can be DIY serviced by myself in later years! Decisions eh! Thanks again

Good choice David. To say that the CVT box is better than an abused manual gearbox proves nothing because the same is true of a conventional automatic. It is equally true to say that an abused DMF for example would be significantly cheaper to repair than an abused CVT. Also remember that extended warranties only cover actual failed parts, not wear and tear items, so there could be huge costs involved with any CVT repairs at > 100,000 miles.

You seem to be aware of the issues affecting the K111 CVT box which is what would be fitted to the year of RAV4 you are considering. Also, a short test drive in a CVT proves nothing - I’ve had mine for coming up on two years now and living with it is different. If I’m in the car myself the CVT box isn’t so bad but if there’s five adults in it then it really becomes tiresome. The CVT box doesn’t transmit torque very well (hence there’s few diesels with them fitted) and if you were planning on towing or using the vehicle heavily loaded you could regret it.

I was trying to make a simple point, i.e. autos, whether TC or CVT, are designed to work within certain parameters depending upon engine speed, mph, load, etc and to make up and down changes at points that are most efficient in terms of mechanical sympathy first and economy, second. There are very few, if any, humans that can replicate the precision of an auto in these regards and especially now when there is greater and greater electronic control of the drivetrain compared to the days when you simply had a kick-down cable attached to the thottle! Consequently IMVHO any auto equipeed car is going to be less abused mechanically than an equivalent manual of similar age and mileage.

I don't pretend to know how the 4.3 CVT compares to that in the Prius other than to say that the Prius CVT is a much more sophisticated box than any other "standard" CVT in that it has been designed to function specifically within the parameters of the Toyota/Lexus hydrid powertrain where it appears to have been very successful. I would assume that the forthcoming RAV hybrid will use similar kit.

[TomdeGuerre]

Aye, no worries Firemac, no offence meant, trust you’ll concede mines that taking a test drive in a CVT is a different thing from living with them (same as finger blasting a new gf is different from marrying them).

Btw did you know that the K111 CVT box has a torque converter and it's even got a lock-up clutch?

CVT Torque Converter.pdf

[cobh18]

Firemac: as you are probably aware the Prius and Auris "eCVT" is unlike any other! No belts. Although it doesn't stop some journalists imagining they hear the whine that used to be typical of belt drive CVT!

[TomdeGuerre]

I've got the Auris MMT at the moment but had a Prius before that, loved the Prius box and upon test driving the Auris thought there wasn't much difference, 14 months on I dislike the MMT and wouldn't encourage anyone to get one! I've decided to wait for a 4 speed auto now as the conventional auto box will be what my wife and I have had for many years and I wouldn't like to get a CVT one and end up hating that!

Meant to ask you David does your MMT have the 5 speed or the 6 speed gearbox? Mines had the 5 speed and it was too low geared for motorway cruising etc. I know they introduced the 6 speed manual box for the facelift but don't know whether it applied to the MMT.

[dav806]

Yes, it's got the same manual box but with solenoids! 🙄 they did put the 6 speed in it but then buggered the software!😃

[TomdeGuerre]

Yes, it's got the same manual box but with solenoids! they did put the 6 speed in it but then buggered the software!

that's unbelievable that they screwed up the programming for the 6 spd box, they went through umpteen revisions of the software on the 5 spd box before they got it half way right.

.

Toyota tried hard with the MMT I think they might have had better luck on the Auris with a bigger engine with more torque. VW's version with the DSG box seemed better to me when i drove it but they had their problems too. Nothing compared to the French versions though, i've heard they were truly horrendous eg in the Citreon.

So what box do you fancy for the future?

[dav806]

I quite like the sound of the CVT on paper and after the TSB Toyota seem to have solved the early problems they had but the next car I get I would want to keep for at least 3 years if not longer therefore I would be more inclined to go with the 4 speed auto in the RAV, I'll keep my eyes open as to what becomes available, I'll give it a good testing then provided it's got a decent warranty then we may end up with a CVT. With my current Auris being the MMT and how odd it works then it will be going before the 5 year warranty expires in March 2017! It may well be reliable for many years after that but I wouldn't want to find out it isn't at my expense!