Opinions on a rav4?

DylanII

Hi,

I'm considering buying a rav4 and looking for your opinions on them.

I drive about 20000km a year 40% motorway the rest short distance without much traffic. It wouldn't be stopped for long with short distance drives, most of the time the engine won't even cool down before I'm going again.

I'm looking at the 1.8 petrol (I'm 19 and can get insured on anything bigger). I just like the look of it and I want a high driving position... I don't need anything fast... Just fairly comfortable... I currently drive a 2001 1.6 3 door focus.

I'm looking at a 2004/2005 with approx 120k km.

So any opinions of suggestions?

Thanks

edit: Heres what I was looking at:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4124849
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4114002

shawnee

Those rav 4s are quite popular and a nice drive , not as rough as some of the other jeeps. Probably heavy enough on juice and tax , but if you are okay with that they are a comfortable and reliable yoke.;)

leeomurchu

The mother has one and I tell ya you're taking your life in your hands when it comes to going around corners in the wet. I've had the arse end over take me a few times on a roundabout. It must be due to the lack of weight over the rear it might be different on the 4x4 models as they'll have a rear diff etc to weigh it down a bit but I wouldn't touch a front wheel drive one. They are very comfy when just cruising down the motorway but I'd be put off them by how skittish they are in the wet.

Stheno

They eat petrol, fuel consumption is very high on them.

DylanII

Yea I was told that you can't take corners at any speed at all... That doesn't really bother me, I thought you had to go slow at corners with all SUV types anyway.

How high is fuel consumption? I'm currently using 110 per week on fuel, wouldn't mind an extra 20 on top of that. My car doesn't seem to be great on fuel.

veetwin

DylanII wrote: »

Hi,

I'm considering buying a rav4 and looking for your opinions on them.

I drive about 20000km a year 40% motorway the rest short distance without much traffic. It wouldn't be stopped for long with short distance drives, most of the time the engine won't even cool down before I'm going again.

I'm looking at the 1.8 petrol (I'm 19 and can get insured on anything bigger). I just like the look of it and I want a high driving position... I don't need anything fast... Just fairly comfortable... I currently drive a 2001 1.6 3 door focus.

I'm looking at a 2004/2005 with approx 120k km.

So any opinions of suggestions?

Thanks

edit: Heres what I was looking at:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4124849
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4114002

Why is a 19 yr old looking at a mummy mobile? You drive an excellent car in the 1.6 Focus. Why not get a newer version? It is without doubt the best in its class and far more sensible and useful than a Rav4. Rav4 are grand if not completely pointless unless they are 4wd and you actually need 4wd.

leeomurchu

DylanII wrote: »

Yea I was told that you can't take corners at any speed at all... That doesn't really bother me, I thought you had to go slow at corners with all SUV types anyway.

How high is fuel consumption? I'm currently using 110 per week on fuel, wouldn't mind an extra 20 on top of that. My car doesn't seem to be great on fuel.

Ah there's goin slow and then there's no confidence on corners at any speed. I did a 180 in one on a roundabout and I was doin no more than 10-15 Kph just having pulled off from a stop in the wet though. I just lost all confidence in them after that it's a real safety issue in my book not sure if they addressed it on the newer models.

Fuel consumption is high but not to bad it depends on how/where you drive.

Our man in Havana

Stheno wrote: »

They eat petrol, fuel consumption is very high on them.

I can vouch for that. You need to be a a member of OPEC to run one.

Mine is destined for the crusher.

Stheno

Our man in Havana wrote: »

I can vouch for that. You need to be a a member of OPEC to run one.

Mine is destined for the crusher.

OP is considering one with mileage of 20k kms per year.

Bankruptcy awaits

DylanII

What kind of MPG would they be?

I know it's not really a young guys car, but I really like them ...

Less than 30mpg? I'm currently getting 31mpg (something wrong with car)

20k km isn't really that much, about 12k miles. I also calculated that using this weeks miles, for about 5 months of the year it would be about half...

Our man in Havana

25 mpg would be normal enough.

leeomurchu

Factory listings are between 31.8 urban - 46.3 ex urban

In reality it'd probably be between 26-36 to be fair.

you probably wouldn't notice a huge difference from the 1.6 to be honest.

As I was saying it depends how you drive. I wouldn't let fuek consumption put you off though if you were that concerned you'd be looking at a diesel model I assume.

DylanII

No, fuel consumption isn't the biggest factor for me. Even at 25mpg I would be using an extra 18euro per week .

I think a diesel would be too risky with the increased chance of it breaking, reliability is very important to me though.

leeomurchu

DylanII wrote: »

No, fuel consumption isn't the biggest factor for me. Even at 25mpg I would be using an extra 18euro per week .

I think a diesel would be too risky with the increased chance of it breaking, reliability is very important to me though.

Well when it comes to reliability you won't go far wrong with a toyota and there's a boat load of them around so there'll no shortage of parts if required.

Good luck with either way

Mariusz Pudgyanovski

theres a ridiculously hot chick around here with a serious rack who drives one.

that is all.

flutered

Our man in Havana wrote: »

I can vouch for that. You need to be a a member of OPEC to run one.

Mine is destined for the crusher.

as is mine, now mine is a 96 one, something one arranges for ones worst enemy to aquire, then you sit back with a sime on your puss and the garden is rosy onece again.

flutered

Our man in Havana wrote: »

25 mpg would be normal enough.

that should read lucky enough.

DylanII

Well I'm not to worried about the response I got. Just high fuel consumption and a tendency to slide.

Usually, it's watch out for this and that. This part breaks etc.

Oh and the fact that its a middle aged woman's car. None of those bother me at all

Our man in Havana

Take it above 110 km/h and it gets worse. You can hear the engine drinking it.

Even running it on LPG is a joke.

I has a diesel car now.

DylanII

Our man in Havana wrote: »

Take it above 110 km/h and it gets worse. You can hear the engine drinking it.

Even running it on LPG is a joke.

I has a diesel car now.

That would be where I'd loose out, I tend to drive a bit fast on motorways. I know a diesel car isn't right for me though.

Are there any similar cars with better mpg that are just as reliable? (And not fugly)

johnr1

I don't understand these people saying you can't corner in them.

My ex missus had a diesel one top of the range 03 which I brought from England. I drove the living sh1t out of if over 300 miles through that A road down the Welsh valleys and I thought it a lovely safe stable drive.
Also, I drove it hard enough on back roads in Kerry and never had an issue. Apart from it being a total chicks car, I would have happily driven one every day.

Fuel consumption was ok ish back then, but I can't remember what mpg.
Petrol ones I've heard are thirsty though.

Oh, and the short wheelbase ones are pure cack looking.

.

DylanII

I didn't realise so many people thought of it as a woman's car. I know it's not really manly but didn't think they were that much of a chicks car...

Not really something that would bother me though, I don't need a manly car as I don't need a penis extension

fonecrusher1

DylanII wrote: »

I didn't realise so many people thought of it as a woman's car. I know it's not really manly but didn't think they were that much of a chicks car...

Not really something that would bother me though, I don't need a manly car as I don't need a penis extension

C'mere lad, forget all the 'girl's car' bull****. :rolleyes:

Get what you want. If you like the Rav, go for it!;)

johnr1

DylanII wrote: »

I didn't realise so many people thought of it as a woman's car. I know it's not really manly but didn't think they were that much of a chicks car...

Not really something that would bother me though, I don't need a manly car as I don't need a penis extension

I actually agree with you, - I suppose I was thinking back then. I had a fcuking beautiful TD 5 disco at the time, and the RAV seemed girly then. The stupidest move I ever made was selling that and buying that heap of sh1t RR Sport.

I'd love that disco, - or indeed the RAV to drive now I'm in Berlingoville these days, and have just bought a Rexton as its the best I can afford for now :rolleyes:

If you like the RAVs OP, then buy one, but check fuel consumption first. It should be reliable enough otherwise.

.

Stheno

Who cares if it is viewed as a manly car or not?

I'd a mad conversation with some people in my work who pointed at my car, and said "imagine him getting out" as the parking is a bit convoluted.

I'm female and said it was my car and they were shocked.

What's with the stereo typing?

Apart from Micras of course.:D

Esel

Stheno wrote: »

What's with the stereo typing?

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colm_mcm

The 2wd rav4 is actually good on petrol. I got late 30s easy

nhg

I have an 07 D4D sol, lovely to drive. It has traction control etc. It costs €75 per week to run - 500 km pulling trailers, bad country roads etc :-(

Hard to hold it back on motorways. I would buy another one.

Sister in law bought one when I got mine, did'nt know the difference & bought a petrol - totally different to drive, she did'nt keep it long.

Definitely diesel if you want any type of a resale value.

CJhaughey

What about a Vitara?

osheen

Lads stop with euro's
Look at the litres .

johnr1

CJhaughey wrote: »

What about a Vitara?

/ pukes violently.

My Dad had one till last year. He replaced every single fcuking part in it at least twice in 6 years of ownership. Terrible car.

.

Mariusz Pudgyanovski

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

C'mere lad, forget all the 'girl's car' bull****. :rolleyes:

Get what you want. If you like the Rav, go for it!;)

yep, pretty thang like you can drive whateeeeeeever she wants (the simpsons, when homer gets the women's canyonero)

Our man in Havana

"Unexplained fires are a matter for the courts!"

shawnee

I drove the Rav 4 and liked them , much nicer and smoother drive than the vitara or similar diesel jeeps. If you can handle the economy part , 25 to 35 mpg depending on the way you drive, then buy it. I spoke to a few who had them and they really liked them and didn't get a lot of grief from them. So if you like it buy it