Choosing our first Rav4

[Fitzroy]

Hi - New here and about to buy a used Rav4.

My brain is telling me to walk towards a Simon sensible petrol driven golf SV, Verso or similar but my heart is pulling me towards a big-'n-dirty diesel RAV4.  Possibly a 2015 or current new look 2016.   Wondering if there's any major differences between the two which might push me towards one of the two RAV4 types?  Anything much better in either of the two variants?   Or should I just go for the youngest/low mileage model I can afford?  The ones on AutoTrader look around 15-16k for a 2015 20,000 mile model and a thousand-ish more for a 2016. 

Appreciate any help.  Thanks. 

[IanML]

If you're looking for advice, buy a petrol.  You only have to compare the number of reported problems petrol v. diesel.  Unless you do really big mileage, the extra cost of the fuel will be cancelled out by the saving in repair bills.

[Fitzroy]

Thanks for the reply.  I probably would go for petrol it's just that most of the vehicles in the age and price bracket I'm looking at are nearly all diesels.  I think also the petrol ones are automatic (might be wrong there).

[FROSTYBALLS]

Also depends whether one want front wheel drive or four wheel drive. In the current Rav, the diesels (BMW from Nov 2015) are front wheel drive only, and the petrol four wheel drive.

[Fitzroy]

Hi FB.  Thanks for the reply. 

Yes maybe I should have said - 2WD, so diesel.  I didn't know the later diesels were engineered by BMW.  My current BMW (now 18 years old!) has been an incredibly reliable machine - but the X3 and X5 are pricey!  So maybe knowing that about the engines I'm leaning towards a late model late 2015/2016.

[FROSTYBALLS]

The later Rav4's use a version of the BMW N47 diesel engine, presumably modified by Toyota. Also used in the Verso, Auris and Avensis from 2014 (Verso) and 2015 (Auris, Avensis, Rav).

This usage has been short term, as the Verso and Avensis finished production earlier this year, and diesel engines were dropped from the Auris at the start of this year. In fact Toyota have undertaken to stop offering diesels in passenger cars in 2018.

[Fitzroy]

Thanks FB, you sure know your Toyotas!   (My old 3-series BMW E46 has the M43 (petrol) engine superceded by the N42 in the 2001 E46 model.  The engine has been one reliable lump of German engineering)

This move away from diesels to the petrol hybrids in the Ravs case has got me wondering if we should wait till we've either saved up more for one or they get older and cheaper.  Unfortunately we need a new car quick as our car needs replacing asap.

[Wheel2Turn]

Just to add the MOT have changed this year regarding Diesels engines so I don't know if that's worth thinking about when deciding.

But I have never own a Diesel so I don't know if what I just mention is anything to worry about regarding the changes to the mots.😊