Rav4 issues

[Rob57]

I have a rav4 52 plate and needs a lot of work done to the rear brakes and the sump needs welding and I just got the engine rebuilt last month cost over £1600 am just wondering if I should keep throwing money at it

Edited July 11, 2019 by FROSTYBALLS
Topic title edited to reflect subject

[Avalon]

So far since 1st of May i’ve dumped £1404.16 on parts for my RAV excluding fuel, insurance or VED (£100 of that was additional tools).

Brakes - discs, pads, guide pins, callipers, lines, fluid, clips/pins.

Suspension - New Bilstein dampers all round, new springs, top mounts, rear bump stops, rubbers, seals, drop links/stabiliser bars.

Tyres - two new Michelin Lattitude Cross XL, Ultraseal for both.

Service - *all* fluids/filters.

Refurb/seal the lenses, replace bulbs with updated parts and a few trim pieces that needed replacing.

Engine - EGR blanked, fuel saving device installed.

Why would I bother when I could buy something newer or more fun? Because after traveling the equivalent of 5 times round the earth, I don’t begrudge it the money and most of the items replaced are untouched from the day they rolled off the line and better the devil you know.

When you say major brake work, what exactly needs doing? The entire rear brake set-up can be replaced for comparatively little, callipers are £35ish, lines £7ish, discs and pads all round are under £100, if you need pipework it’s another £35ish, I think the inner rear lines are about £12-15 from memory, but they came as part of a much larger order, fluid is bugger all, guid pins and fitting kit will set you back under £20. A new sump will be £50ish and that’s basically everything renewed for £275-300 (if you need rear shoes) and a few hours to fit (it’s easy work).

Now if i has just dropped £1600 on an engine rebuild, you can bet your left nut that i’d get the benefit of that for a few years rather than debating moving it on for the sake of £300 of parts and an afternoon getting my hands dirty or at worst paying a back street garage to fit the parts.

[Ant-Rav]

I honestly would not spend a pile of money on a Rav of this age, We have one that is sixteen years old, I wouldn't  do the engine up or spend a load of money on it considering it's age. I would rather put the money into something else. That is my opinion. But you have already spent fairly big money on your engine so you probably do have to put a bit more into it. But at some stage you need to stop I think.

[Avalon]

18 hours ago, Ant-Rav said:

I honestly would not spend a pile of money on a Rav of this age, We have one that is sixteen years old, I wouldn't  do the engine up or spend a load of money on it considering it's age. I would rather put the money into something else. That is my opinion. But you have already spent fairly big money on your engine so you probably do have to put a bit more into it. But at some stage you need to stop I think.

A valid point and one I considered before starting the overhaul on my 4.2. For me it came down to ‘better the devil you know’. I work in the basis that my car is worth very little, it can therefore depreciate very little. If I spent £6K on a newer car, i’d see depreciation on it and in that kind of bracket likely be buying something that would need similar work done sooner rather than later. I would rather roll the dice on £1500 of parts and do the work myself knowing the work done means it’s very unlikely that i’ll need to touch those parts again for several years, than be guaranteed to loose a similar amount in depreciation over the same period on a car who’s history I don’t know and then likely have to do similar work anyway. As you say a point exists where the opposite is true, but for me, this wasn’t it.

That said, i’d have probably not have spent £1600 on an engine rebuild and just fitted a used part for 1/4 of the price which obviously changes the equation quite a lot.

[Ant-Rav]

Fair enough, your argument makes sense.

[+robster+]

Some fibre glass on a porous sump works a treat

[+robster+]

Overhaul at that money and they never sorted the sump that could have been the root cause of failure??? Or they damaged the sump?? Or what??