Just found the RAV!

[spl@]

Picked it up today, you cannot see the grin but the run back was a joy. 50+mpg without trying all that hard. Seats are great (sciatica happy) and goes really well feels, brand new.

Super low mileage, 28000 on a 56 plate, looks like its been owned by a female, no wallet dent in the drivers seat, minor scratches on the boot release from rings or nails. Never smoked in.

Will take a few pics when it sinks in

[gjnorthall]

Just checking that you are aware of the potential issues with a diesel Rav of this era

 

[gjnorthall]

https://www.toyotaownersclub.com/tutorials/article/92-guide-to-the-2ad-engine-and-its-issues/

 

[spl@]

Doom and gloom, way to pi-- on someone's mood. 

Its no worse than the kia, their vacume pumps fail (seeing as its part of the cam sprocket) guess what happens, yep total engine boom.

Hyundai, their 2.2 engine has a nasty habit of destroying its self all on its own due to oil issues without warning.

Hyundai and kia have DMF flywheel issues when towing, the santa fe clutch can fail as the mood takes it

Kia, Hyundai again with massive issues with diesel system blockages on the 1.7.

jeep have enough issues, often electrical, expensive too. That v6 is no saint either.

Land rover, ? nuff said.

Mitsibushi have terminal cam shaft and timing chain tensioner issues that can kill the engine. Also that engine was probably powering the Ark.

Nothing is perfect, the rav issues amount to around 8% of total reported warranty rav problems which is still a low number, land rover run at over 50% of vehicles will have a warranty worth claim, the odds of a rear axle failure if you tow a lot are crazy, likewise with the reduction drive. But the rav issues wont leave you walking.

 

Its 12 years old and mint, the road noise through the tyres is louder than the engine (it goes like a stabbed rat by the way) it beats my old Mondeo (2.0TDi 140) on performance and MPG, showing 45mpg average atm, the coolant is a bright candy red and you can barely see the oil on the stick its that clean. Who knows, it may well have had the warranty work done. Im throwing the dice of fate.

[gjnorthall]

The intention was to be helpful - forewarned is forearmed and all that. Many cars have significant shortcomings - however this is a Rav4 forum and it would be remiss not to point out an issue with the 4.3 which comes up very regularly on this forum. The hope is, of course, that you enjoy many years of reliable service from your car.

[spl@]

Sorry, probably could have been worded better. 

I know now that the chances are slim I will have an issue as forums do concentrate problems, (how many people come on and say everything is great) but after having the experience of a P38 range rover and the eternal water/headgasket issues with those I may have been a bit sensitive.