KKVs Rav4 project

Well I don't really off-road at all. The only off roading I'd do is the occassional sandy dunes on the beaches here when I've to do the odd photo job that requires me to get close to the water, and i wouldnt really consider that 'off roading', as I may aswell just be driving on a football field with a bit of sand thrown on for the laugh.

Wanting to raise the rear is more an asthetic thing. I've always liked it on cars (dating back to the A-Team van). Probably wouldn't bother to pursue it though.

Regarding re-sale value; I'm gonna estimate that my Rav will be worth little or nothing when Im done with it. It's the best looking SUV available to me in my opinion (I like the land cruiser, too, but not enough to justify the tax, and i like back seats). All the newer Ravs look pretty poor in comparison to that particular model i have (and the new one is horrendous in my opinion) so I can't see me changing it any time soon.

From when I was looking to buy one, I'd guess that for every year I hold onto it, I knock about a grand off it's value. So I'll more than likely end up selling it for feck all to a family member or such when I'm done with it, I'd say (unless another car jumps out at the in the mean time, but so far nothing has caught my eye the way this version of the Rav did).


I actually checked Australian eBay and there is much the same selection, unfortunately. I notice australian choices are more geared towards practicality than apperance. They have a tail light cover similar to the one I want, but it floats a bout an inch or two away from the lights, is drilled on and is made of steel (to protect the lights from colission with animals or debree, presumably?).

But I like the subtlety of the stick-on ones. The cages would stand out a bit too much in my opinion.

colm_mcm

If you get into on agreement where you're buying someone else's light covers, just swap light units altogether. Otherwise the seller will have all glue residue all over theirs.

Presumably theres wiring and such at play there? Sounds like a mechanics job?

Was kinda hoping it'd be a bit more of a quick and easy swap over. :-/

colm_mcm

Deleted User wrote: »

Presumably theres wiring and such at play there? Sounds like a mechanics job?

Was kinda hoping it'd be a bit more of a quick and easy swap over. :-/

It is very simple to be fair.

Here's a set with the covers on. Give you an idea of what the cluster looks like off.
Those ones are the pre facelift all red units, which IMO look better than the newer ones.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-RAV4-MKII-5-DOOR-2000-2004-REAR-PAIR-SET-TAIL-LIGHTS-CLUSTER-WITH-CHROME-/111249932076?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item19e7033f2c

Finally got around to getting a photo of the good ones:




From what I can see, the text on the very bottom says something along the lines of TYP 134537. A google of this brings up this ebay link:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/TOYOTA-RAV-4-Rucklicht-links-1AZ-FE-TYP-134537-Bj-2002-95140-km-/271350542528



Colm; for some reason (after I typed that above) I clicked into your link, and I can see they're the same ones (I clicked on your link when you posted it, and again the day after you posted it, but none of the photos would load up, so I didn't really pay much attention and figured they'd be something else altogether).

Can I ask you Colm, is it possible to buy the chrome covers on their own? Or are they actually part of the light cluster? (if i can avoid paying for the lights themselves, I'd rather that, as I don't need them). That link works out at £109.. about €135 I'd say? So twice the price, pretty much (But I do get a set of lights with them, I suppose).

Although I since found this eBay ad (£170!?) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-RAV4-GENUINE-REAR-LIGHT-PROTECTORS-CHROME-/360617582997?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item53f67ba195

Which has the part number: PZ415-X0994-ZB

Wonder would Toyota Ireland themselves sell them to me at a reasonable price (or would it be a discontinued product?). Not sure I fancy paying the equivalent of £170 though (in fact, I know I won't pay that much).

And bingo!

http://www.burrowstoyotaparts.co.uk/rav4-2000-on-rear-light-protectors-pz415-x0994-zb-i1098.html


£45 vs eBay at £105 - And it's the same people selling the feckin' thing!?

Now that I've managed to get the part number, I rang Toyota in dundalk. They'll have them for me on Friday morning. €50 all in.

I'm actually delighted! The end of a long quest. (bet they'll end up being the wrong ones!)

colm_mcm

They're definitely the right ones. There's only one type.

I guarantee there'll be something else you'll see within a week!

Do you reckon?
Is there anything else to see, though, really?

I was considering the 'chrome' wing mirror covers, but not sure if I like them or not to be honest.

The door handles and indicator surrounds look a bit tacky in my opinion, so wouldn't bother with them. Same for the headlight covers.

May be looking at taking the tow bar off and replacing it a stainless steel step bar. And doing something with the exhaust to make it a tad shinier.

colm_mcm

I wouldn't go near the indicator, mirror or handle covers tbh.

I do like these though, I'd assume they fit
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/TOYOTA-CELICA-COROLLA-MR2-CRYSTAL-CHROME-SIDE-REPEATERS-/250812002870

Actually prefer these ones
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Toyota-Carina-Celica-Camry-Hilux-Land-Cruiser-Lexus-ES-LX-SMOKED-Side-Indicators-/221216391269

Do 'smoked' indicators give less of a beam though of light? (ie; will it make it harder to tell if I'm indicating?).

To be honest, when I was looking for my light covers, I was coming across tinted headlights, tail lights, etc. and I don't think I really find them appealing. They seem very 'boy racer' to me. But then I'm not sure what they'd actually look like on the car so, hmm...


Can I ask you, Colm, seen as you're a former Mr. Toyota - Will Toyota in Dundalk have an accessory booklet or such for this car? Or would they have anything that lists out the different mods available?

One of the things I was looking at before was swapping out the nudge bar with the variant that has two bars of steel (instead of the single one, that mine has), but I'm not sure if I'll be able to justify it or not (i'd imagine it's a fairly expensive piece, and my current one is getting sprayed tomorrow).

colm_mcm

I doubt they'd still have the brochures tbh.

Those black indicators don't really have a black lens, its more a black backing and a clear(ish) lens.

colm_mcm

Oh yeah. You need a TTE grille too.

I've googled that but not really seeing much about it.

Is it the grill that's on this?

Can I ask you, also, Colm, is the rear step on the Rav in the above link a match for the sidebars (they look the same as my ones)? It looks a bit duller or something?



In regard to the indicators, presumably it'd mean they don't stand out as much on the side of the car? I'm not sure if i've any real issue with the indicators to be honest. I think they'd be fairly low down on my 'to do' list.

Is there any reason you said to avoid the wing mirror chrome pieces? Do they give hassle with falling off or such (or do they just look crap?).

I didn't think they'd have brochures, but I'll ask them anyway. no harm. I'm surprised they can even order in the part I want, to be honest. That Rav design was changed nearly 10 years ago!? (though in my honest opinion, it's only gotten worse, since).

colm_mcm

This is the tte one



But on second thoughts, this one would look way better


http://www.ioffer.com/i/jdm-toyota-rav4-rav-4-04-05-sport-mesh-grill-grille-70886541


If it were me,
Black mesh grille
Remove VVT-i badges on wing (they're only held on with 3M tape)
Black indicator repeaters on wing

Sorry, I just realised I never posted the link I was talking about in the last post. I was referring to this:

http://www.rav4world.com/forums/86-4-2-general/139673-off-road-jaunt-3-door-4-2-parts-value.html



Presumably on the TTE grill you posted above, the border can be changed to the car colour?

The second one doesn't really do anything for me at all. I kinda like the Toyota logo on the car. Especially as it hovers over the 'RAV4' writing on the nudge bar.

The TTE grill looks nice, but I'm not sure it's a million times better than the stock grill? There was a grill I found via google when i was first looking for the TTE one, and it had horizontal chrome/stainless steel (not sure which) bars running along it. Looked decent enough.

But again, I'm not really against the stock one that's on it. So not sure..

It was something like this (I realise this isn't my model of Rav)





This one on the site you linked to is nice, too. Not sure if the absense of the silver logo would take away from the car, though, or not

This is what I seen:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/04-05-Toyota-RAV4-Billet-Grille-Combo-inserts-overlay-bolt-on-style-/301068586612?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4619160e74&vxp=mtr


But Im not sure if im starting to travel down the 'chavtastic' route there.

colm_mcm

I wouldn't like that last one...

The grille not having a badge would tie in perfectly with the rav4 logo on the nudge bar.

The TTE one would need to be sprayed.

Just looking at the TTE one there again.. I like it. Is it actually available though?

Google wasn't very helpful, and I'm guessing it's not a genuine Toyota part, so Dundalk Toyota dealer who are getting my tail light covers won't be able to help?

colm_mcm

TTE was toyotas tuning arm. Its now called toyota motorsport.
I'd imagine you'd find one somewhere.
I'll see if I can find a part number.

(Edit, seems to be am18318)

I do think the mesh one is nicer but the TTE one is class too.

Here's the TTE catalogue




I've edited the thread title as its gone well off the original topic.

Lowering kit for an SUV :rolleyes:

There doesn't seem to be a lot going on there, really, does there? I'm assuming the Rav on the right has the 'front spats', 'twin headlights', 'front bumper insert' and 'front grille'? (there appears to be two front grills though? One in each photo? Or is the Toyota logo optional?).

I'm guessing the front spats are the plastic pieces at the edge of the front at the very bottom of the rav on the right? They look like they have lights on them? Or am I confusing myself.

All in all, I prefer the Rav4 on the left.. and it doesn't seem to have been messed with too much (not a fan of the lowering though. Prefer the stock alloys, too).

Is the rear spoiler the one that I have on my own car already? Or is that made by someone else (another dept. within Toyota?).


I'll be with Toyota tomorrow at some point (assuming they have my tail light covers in stock) and I'll ask them about that part number and see if they know anything. Googling it seems to bring me mostly back to this thread.


I noticed the thread title, by the way. Haha. I wouldn't really say it's a project (as I've no real end goal :P ) but I'm enjoying mooching around. Just wish I had loads of money to spend on it. Haha. I'd raise it about 6 foot, slap some monster truck wheels on it, and spend all my time driving over lowered RAv4s for the craic.

Glad to have you on here though - Your knowledge has been ridiculously helpful from day 1 (before day 1, even, as I was getting assistance off you before I even owned it!).

Today it's off getting beat by the panel beater. Nudge Bar is being sprayed along with the bumper being fixed. Will hopefully have it back tomorrow in good nick. Depending on how good a job he does of it, I'll get him to look at the bumper at a later date (the bumpers not really that bad, though. I seem to have a habit of picturing it being a lot worse than it really is ).

colm_mcm

Top one is your model, bottom one is the 00 pre facelift model.

I like the idea of the lowering kit, odd as it seems.

TTE also did a class twin exit exhaust for your model Rav4. Its a rebadged Remus exhaust.

Note that the above pic is for TTE accessories, there was a whole other range of Toyota accessories too. Some accessories are in the general Rav4 brochure and there was also a seperate accessory brochure for the Rav4 too.

Oh right, i thought they were the same accessories, but they were just trying to show how they'd look on both models. So each model has it's own version of each accessory? (ie; my grill would have the Toyota logo, the pre-facelift grill wouldn't?).


I still kinda like the Toyota logo on the front, to be honest. And the Silver VVTI lettering. I think they add a bit of pop to panels that would be otherwise a bit dull without them (although i know there is such a thing as too much). I like the smaller subtle things that add to a car without being really 'in your face' (like stickers on boy racer cars.. I know everyones got their own taste and that's fair enough, but I've always found stickers to be very tacky, for example). Whereas things like the tail light covers seem subtle enough to get away with them and they aren't overly flashy or 'look at me' in nature.

The twin exhaust interests me as I'm actually looking at doing something with the exhaust (I've been moaning on the 'today I did something to my car' thread on the main forum about this very thing.. not sure if you seen it or if you mentioning the exhaust was just coincidental?).


I'll have to ask about accessories when I'm in with Toyota tomorrow. Seen as they could find my tail light covers (and shockingly enough, still actually order them), I wonder would they be able to do me a print-off of all the other accessories still in production or available to order, and a price list (even if they havent got photos or such, if i had the part number I reckon i'd get something visual on google).

The page above from the TTE brochure says "Rav4 A2". I googled that and came across this:

http://www.delta4x4.com/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=366&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=47&lang=en


Presumably nothing to do with Toyota? (I was hoping ot initially find a higher res version of that booklet, or perhaps a website listing the various accessories).

Well, the good news is that, although I've only seen the car in poor night light, it seems my panel beater did a solid job of spraying and fixing the car up.

The bad news, is that he took a bit longer than I had anticipated, so I didn't get out to Toyota in Dundalk. I rang them and told them I'd be out tomorrow morning, though.

The nudge bar is a LOT shinier than I had expected it would be! I quite like it so far, thankfully, but curious to see it in daylight. It looks very well at night. The rear bumper panel looks brand new, but I'm worried that in daylight it may be obvious it was sprayed. Time will tell, I suppose. And the wing mirror panel thingies look really good, too, in my opinion, so I'm glad I got those done.

Looking forward to getting the rear light covers on now, and seeing how it all looks together. I've nothing to do on Tuesday, so I'll stick my head out to Souhan's Exhaust centre nearby and price up a stainless steel or chrome exhaust.


I was talking to the Toyota chap on the phone and was asking him about ordering accessories in, but I think he mistook my question and thought I was asking just did he have any of the brochures in the place for my Rav (which he obviously wouldn't, it's been discontinued nearly ten years). So I'll ring again on Monday (he won't be there tomorrow), and ask him again, but word it differently.

I just want to see if perhaps theres a list of compatible parts on their system that are available to be ordered in. At least then I'd know what parts they can and can't get for me (if any - I'm still surprised the could get the light covers so easily).


I'll get a few quick pictures of the nudge bar, bumper and mirrors up later on. Might be a bit dark, though, so may have to leave it til tomorrow, but I'll give later on a shot anyway. Do no harm.

Too dark this evening to get a decent photo (without using my actual photography gear, which I don't have with me at the moment). Here's a shot, from the Panel Beater's FB page, of him spraying the nudge bar and rear bumper.

With great thanks to Meehan's Toyota, Dundalk!





Just looking at the manual that came with them, it would appear there is also a black version of these. I think the black oneswould look pretty good on a silver or white Rav4?

For future reference, and the sake of anyone who ever finds themselves in a similar situation (or me, when I accidentally break these ones), as I know Boards gets pretty high up in Google Searches:


Toyota Rav4 Rear Light Protector (2001-2005) (Tail Light Protector)

Part Number: PZ415-X099A-ZA - Black
Part Number: PZ415-X099A-ZB - Chrome

Feel like I'm spamming the thread at this stage, but a final update until I can get the rear covers on and take some decent photos (Not gonna bother trying to put them on in the rain!).

A few before and afters. Very pleased with the panel beater's work. In the photo it looks like the nudge bar is a different shade to the bumper. Very odd. It's identical in reality.

But anyway;

Nudge Bar sprayed:







Rear Bumper Fix (it's a little dirty in the 'after' photo, but it's brand new looking)






And I don't actually think I have a 'before' for the mirror inserts/trim/whatever it's called, but here's the after:






All in all a very happy camper.

colm_mcm

That looks class.
Be careful putting the guards on, you only get one go at it, I've seen plenty put on wrong and lifting off. Mark the lens where it's supposed to go with the backing still on the covers.

I take back what I said about the mirrors, they look factory.

The bumper was repaired before by the looks of it.

If Hitler was still around, I'd give him a job in a factory, fitting those light protectors onto cars!

Thank god I don't like the look of the headlight ones. What a nightmare. My fingers are in agony. I don't think they'll be lifting off. I accidentally put the right one a bit lower than the left one and the job I had trying to pry it off to go again. Holy mother of Jesus!

In the end, one is still ever so slightly higher than the other, but I don't think it's noticeable, really. You'd have to go looking for it to see it.

Really happy with the mirrors myself, to be honest. A small thing, I know, but they do help with the overall look of the car, I feel.









Can I ask which bumper you're referring to (the back one I had fixed, or the front one?). How can you tell if it was repaired before?

colm_mcm

The back bumper, you can see the layer of filler that cracked off.