RAV 4 Gone

[the fox]

Hi folks I have had RAV4's since 1993, my ex/current RAV4 circa 2007 nearly gave up, really bad starting loads of white smoke only done 95,000 miles stuck my tech software on it, injectors goosed, cheapest price £700 and then I was told they need the part number from the olds ones four different types. So decided to part with it, I would have bought another new RAV4 but not interested in an Hybrid, I test drove a 1600cc X-trail not much torque, came across a lovely Mini Cooper 2000cc Countryman ALL4 traded in the beloved RAV4, I will drop in the forum now and again and try and help any one with problems. I will also be putting up for sale my set of four spare allys/tyres, wheels really, really good nick tyres Continental LX's only used for one MOT and a tripo to Hull and back 200 miles, all fitted and balanced. So good luck with your RAV4's hope during my time on this forum I have helped some of you.

[Buff69]

Hi, I’m new here so don’t know you, but it will be a loss, but have fun with your Mini it sounds great, good luck and all the best 👍

[FROSTYBALLS]

Best wishes

[the fox]

Thanks coolballs, It's a shame Toyota only make the Hybrid, I have stuck some wheels on the for sale part of the Forum, If anyone want's them let me know and I will also throw in my K&N filter...

[Jammacat]

Im fairly new here and a shame when someone leaves who seems so thoughtful and helpful. Ugh expensive fix and part numbers are a headache. Sounds like you made a good decision. Shame though. 

The Countryman Minis look useful and pretty nifty, I'm sure there is a good club for those too out there somewhere.

Regarding the sale I couldn't seem to find the for sale section, is that a paid for section to access? 

All the best to you👍

[Avalon]

Good luck with the mini - I remember the hate that came free with the early ones, they were popular with driving instructors at one point, I remember watching an instructor have to get out of the car to pick up a wing mirror that fell off a new one, strangely enough they weren’t that popular a few years later.

[Scottydog007]

On ‎10‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 9:18 AM, the fox said:

..................... I would have bought another new RAV4 but not interested in an Hybrid, I test drove a 1600cc X-trail not much torque, came across a lovely Mini Cooper 2000cc Countryman ALL4 traded in the beloved RAV4.................................

Don't be too negative for having a RAV4 Hybrid. I hated the things initially but eventually bought the 2018. It took me ages to start liking it. I then changed it for the 2019. And wow this is a real winner. I cruse on the motorway at high speed, easily matching the Land Rover Discovery Sports and Evoques and in this cold weather I'm getting 40mpg, which for a 4x4 is very good.
 

This hybrid easily matches the performance of my Land Rover Freelander and Honda CRV and feels like it has more torque. So on hills and mud it is very good.

My wife has the Mini Cooper manual gearbox. I hate having reverse next to first, it only takes a little more pressure while waiting at the lights to easily go into reverse. The 5 gear has always from new needed to go to neutral before going straight into 5th. The indicator is too sensitive, it stays on too long so when I cancel it goes to the opposite direction. My friend owns a garage and the Minis before 2009 always had to have a engine valve rebuild due to bad design, which is now fixed. When in his garage he had  minis having low mileage that needed engine rebuilds. If I new of al this before I would have stopped my wife buying a mini.

[the fox]

I was not being negative towards the Rav4 hybrid it's all Hybrid/Electric cars. I worked for Lucas during the ealy 70's Lucas invented the pacemaker Battery made of MILAM and plastic seprators before that it was wood seprartors etc very heavy contruction. the Pacemaker Battery was the lightest and most efficecnt on the market, Royal Mail Commisioned Lucas to make an electric delivery van using the batterys I worked on it. It did not do what it said on the tin, in my opinion batterys are still useless, Hybrid/Electric cars are only a stop gap, The UK can just cope with us all switching on our kettles @ 5pm if we all plug our cars in after work god help us, I know the Rav4 is not a plug-in vehicle another mistake in my opinion, but glad you are enjoying running it.

[IanML]

Doubtful you can judge present day propulsion batteries based on early 70's experience.  Remember Apollo 13?  The LEM batteries sustained the craft for a lot longer than the designed life, and then powered up the Command module from a completely cold state, due to loss of the fuel cell supplies in the service module.

Having said that, I agree with the main point about hybrids.  They are a transient technology, and are unlikely to be offered in new cars for much more than 8-10 years. batteries are getting better in leaps and bounds - look at what the Teslas can achieve.  The sun is setting on the IC engine.