Rusty Centre Nut On New Rav 4

[kc104]

I have put a deposit down on a new xt-r and when i went to look at it, i found the following :

The plastic covers that fit in the centre of each allow wheel were still inside the car, and the centre nut of each wheel was rusted. Should I be worried about that, should I ask for money off, or for them to be replaced.

I am not sure about the salesmen at the place I am going to buy. The car has 17 miles on the clock, which they told me was delivery mileage, but there was mud over the front rims. and mud on the bottom of the passenger seat where you put your feet.

Maybe the car has been used as a test drive thing, im not sure.

[jedi134]

It might have been entered in the Dakar rally, then returned to the dealer to sell on after the milage had been corrected. :D

Seriously thou, have a check at what colour the engine oil is, as if it has only done 17 miles the oil will still be golden.

[Davrav]

I have put a deposit down on a new xt-r and when i went to look at it, i found the following :

The plastic covers that fit in the centre of each allow wheel were still inside the car, and the centre nut of each wheel was rusted. Should I be worried about that, should I ask for money off, or for them to be replaced.

I am not sure about the salesmen at the place I am going to buy. The car has 17 miles on the clock, which they told me was delivery mileage, but there was mud over the front rims. and mud on the bottom of the passenger seat where you put your feet.

Maybe the car has been used as a test drive thing, im not sure.

Hi Kc and welcome,

Are you buying from a Toyota dealer or car supermarket?

From your description the rust is on the hub centre which is steel and will rust covered or not. The mud probably indicates that the car has been parked/stored in a field somewhere - ask where the car was before they put it on the forecourt.

My Rav had 13 'delivery miles' when I collected it.

Make sure you beat the down on price - check out online sites like 'carquake': LINK

Good luck

[anchorman]

It is normal for the caps to be kept seperately and are usually thrown in the boot with a number of other items that are fitted by the dealer. The nuts on the end of the drive shafts are unpainted in production and like all other bare metal like the brake discs or another practical example is railway lines, they will get a layer of surface rust virtually overnight. The car has come from Japan on a ship and when it arrives at the import centre will have been stored in a yard. 17 miles is right for delivery mileage. This will be made up from rolling road tests and movement around the various sites. The Toyota factory is a massive place and there will have been some movement there and to and from the ship at both ends of the journey. Of course the vehicle will have had its backside kicked during this process but if you'll pardon the pun we are all in the same boat!

When a customer collects his new car from the dealer all these things will be covered and cleaned so nobody is any the wiser but I would suggest it applies to virtually all new RAVs and you have nothing to worry about. I can remember commenting to my dealer that there were some muddy marks on the door trim and floor that had not been particularly well cleaned off.

[three5]

It is normal for the caps to be kept seperately and are usually thrown in the boot with a number of other items that are fitted by the dealer. The nuts on the end of the drive shafts are unpainted in production and like all other bare metal like the brake discs or another practical example is railway lines, they will get a layer of surface rust virtually overnight. The car has come from Japan on a ship and when it arrives at the import centre will have been stored in a yard. 17 miles is right for delivery mileage. This will be made up from rolling road tests and movement around the various sites. The Toyota factory is a massive place and there will have been some movement there and to and from the ship at both ends of the journey. Of course the vehicle will have had its backside kicked during this process but if you'll pardon the pun we are all in the same boat!

When a customer collects his new car from the dealer all these things will be covered and cleaned so nobody is any the wiser but I would suggest it applies to virtually all new RAVs and you have nothing to worry about. I can remember commenting to my dealer that there were some muddy marks on the door trim and floor that had not been particularly well cleaned off.

With the decline in sales over recent months, there are likely to be more cars in storage. The tarmac/concrete stockyards that are normally used would be inadequate ( in size ) and other areas which are probably not concrete/tarmac are pressed into short term use. The mud is likey to come from this sort of situation.

Aside: In the late '60s Austin had a facility to cater for this sort of situation on an old airfield at Wythal ( just south of Birmingham ). Some of the cars seemed to be there for months and grew grass in the roof gutters etc. A very sorry state. Can't see it getting that bad with Toyota, but with production stopped at Willington(?), they must be using stock from somewhere to feed the market.

[anchorman]

RAVs are made at 2 plants in Japan and shipped over. Only Auris and Avensis are made at Burnaston.

We are showing our age Chris. I can remember brand new Bedfords being delivered with rusty body panels and lights not connected etc!!!

[NMaria]

These matters may be trivial and nothing to worry about, as others have suggested, but I do wonder what kind of retailer it is that puts so little effort into presenting cars nicely. Is it too much for them to clean the carpet or have they just not got around to it yet? Will you be relying on them for service?

[three5]

RAVs are made at 2 plants in Japan and shipped over. Only Auris and Avensis are made at Burnaston.

We are showing our age Chris. I can remember brand new Bedfords being delivered with rusty body panels and lights not connected etc!!!

Hi Anchorman, hmmmm, when you remember things like that that the customer had to put up with ............. Yes well, the Japanese have managed to impove the whole car industry quite a bit. My point about storage ( not very well made! ) was that Toyota's, and others, storage facilities everywhere will be creaking in the current climate, so even dealers are probably struggling to park everything on tarmac. You got a rest day then? Derbyshire sunshine? Can imagine you with the wireless laptop in the garden Good job on the Moderation fella!

[anchorman]

RAVs are made at 2 plants in Japan and shipped over. Only Auris and Avensis are made at Burnaston.

We are showing our age Chris. I can remember brand new Bedfords being delivered with rusty body panels and lights not connected etc!!!

Hi Anchorman, hmmmm, when you remember things like that that the customer had to put up with ............. Yes well, the Japanese have managed to impove the whole car industry quite a bit. My point about storage ( not very well made! ) was that Toyota's, and others, storage facilities everywhere will be creaking in the current climate, so even dealers are probably struggling to park everything on tarmac. You got a rest day then? Derbyshire sunshine? Can imagine you with the wireless laptop in the garden Good job on the Moderation fella!

Working from home Chris but look in every now and again. I haven't had much time to catch up with jobs (I promised to do some tech info stuff but just not been able to).

I agree about the car stock situation. It would be intersting to look at the compounds just now. I could fit a few on my drive if they would cough up some rent!!!

[anchorman]

These matters may be trivial and nothing to worry about, as others have suggested, but I do wonder what kind of retailer it is that puts so little effort into presenting cars nicely. Is it too much for them to clean the carpet or have they just not got around to it yet? Will you be relying on them for service?

Hi Maria

Did you get your car fixed?

[Parts-King]

I remember the days when EVERY Toyota was made in Japan and shipped over. In those days you had to fit just about everything on the car at PDI inspection. Seat belts, carpets, wheel trims etc, then of course in those days you paid for underseal as an extra. I used to get £6 cash in hand for each car treated ;) and in case the taxman is reading this, I obviously declared all these £6's at the end of the tax year, it was 30 odd years ago mind :D:

Kingo

[three5]

I agree about the car stock situation. It would be intersting to look at the compounds just now. I could fit a few on my drive if they would cough up some rent!!!

Sort of, er, park 4 - get one free?

[Davrav]

RAVs are made at 2 plants in Japan and shipped over. Only Auris and Avensis are made at Burnaston.

We are showing our age Chris. I can remember brand new Bedfords being delivered with rusty body panels and lights not connected etc!!!

Hi Anchorman, hmmmm, when you remember things like that that the customer had to put up with ............. Yes well, the Japanese have managed to impove the whole car industry quite a bit. My point about storage ( not very well made! ) was that Toyota's, and others, storage facilities everywhere will be creaking in the current climate, so even dealers are probably struggling to park everything on tarmac. You got a rest day then? Derbyshire sunshine? Can imagine you with the wireless laptop in the garden Good job on the Moderation fella!

Working from home Chris but look in every now and again. I haven't had much time to catch up with jobs (I promised to do some tech info stuff but just not been able to).

I agree about the car stock situation. It would be intersting to look at the compounds just now. I could fit a few on my drive if they would cough up some rent!!!

There's an airfield just up the road from where I'm sitting that is ready to accommdate 7000 Honkas