Topic: CD Article: 2006 Toyota RAV4

[G0dspd]

...  have only 4 cylinder available and I was interested in the power of a 6 for towing capability ...

What are you towing exactly?

The Rav4 Sport 4WD V6 starts at 33 000$ MSRP ... for that kind of money I hope you really like it. 

[Prius]

it also ENDS at $33k. There's no option for the sport model. Never quite understood it. All you get is 18" alloys, blacked out headlights, foglights and fender flares. Could've just gone with a base V6 model.

[hugol]

I'll be towing a utility trailer but I'm also planning to buy a tent or RV trailer while I will own this vehicle, which is why I wanted a minimum 2500-3000lb towing capacity.

The RAV4 Sport is about $1800 more than the base model, and I agree that it's expensive for some of the knick knacks you get (although I really like the 18" alloys), on top of what Prius stated there's also premium cloth seats (whatever that means...  ), colour keyed handles, and privacy glass.

I got the Sport more out of what was being offered to me than anything else. I bought the vehicle off an independent broker and the RAV4 sport V6 was what he could get me quickest. With my trade-in (no down), this broker was only 10$ a month (60 mo fin.) more than the best deal on a Base V6 from all three Toyota dealerships I visited (and 20$ less than my best Sport quote). So at 10$ a mo, I figured the Sport was only costing me 500$ more in the end than the closest dealership offer for a base model and I took it. plus I'm almost sure the dealership that had the lowest offer would have stuck me with a $500 re-cond. fee for my trade-in, bah!

and yes, for the price, I REALLY hope I will like it 

the only thing I liked off the limited was the hard spare cover, I wonder If some will be or are avaialble for after market purchase??

[G0dspd]

Good deal on the Sport V6 model then!    Did you end up with the 7.3% interest rate (purchase) ... if I may ask. 

[hugol]

nope, after a bit of haggling with the broker, he ended securing me 5.9% financing over 60 months (same as Toyota), which actually pushed his deal way ahead...

H

[Wolfe]

Sounds like a nice deal on a nice SUV hugol. 

I hope you enjoy it.



As for Howswedeitis

I can't see how this mini ute is any better than any of the
offerings from Hyundai etc. The premium people pay for
a Toyota is testament to their reputation however much
of that is hype. My friend works at a Toyota dealer and
sees his fair share of problem cars and told me on the QT that
Toyota's arent't anywhere as bulletproof as is thought as there
is plenty of defects and warranty work being done on
cars. He told me the engineers on the last gen RAV4
should be shot - the oil filter is an inch or so away from
the exhaust manifold and to make matters worse it's
tucked in and very very difficult to reach. He has burnt
himself more than a few times. I hope the Koreans and
the Big 3 get the credit they deserve...their offerings in
this segment are just as good as this Toyota.

I agree that there is often a hefty premium on a Toyota, because it's a Toyota.

I assume your friend at the Toyota dealer was talking about the 2.4L engine that was offered on the 2004 and 2005 models of the previous generation RAV4. I have a 2001 model with the 2.0L engine and the oil filter is easily reachable on the bottom of the engine. With the higher ground clearance I figure I will be able to change the oil and filter without even jacking up the car, though I haven't tried yet.

I would like to have the extra torque of the 2.4L.

I'm pretty sure that the 2.4L engine was simply carried over into the new RAV.

[Prius]

I'll be towing a utility trailer but I'm also planning to buy a tent or RV trailer while I will own this vehicle, which is why I wanted a minimum 2500-3000lb towing capacity.

The RAV4 Sport is about $1800 more than the base model, and I agree that it's expensive for some of the knick knacks you get (although I really like the 18" alloys), on top of what Prius stated there's also premium cloth seats (whatever that means...  ), colour keyed handles, and privacy glass.

I got the Sport more out of what was being offered to me than anything else. I bought the vehicle off an independent broker and the RAV4 sport V6 was what he could get me quickest. With my trade-in (no down), this broker was only 10$ a month (60 mo fin.) more than the best deal on a Base V6 from all three Toyota dealerships I visited (and 20$ less than my best Sport quote). So at 10$ a mo, I figured the Sport was only costing me 500$ more in the end than the closest dealership offer for a base model and I took it. plus I'm almost sure the dealership that had the lowest offer would have stuck me with a $500 re-cond. fee for my trade-in, bah!

and yes, for the price, I REALLY hope I will like it 

the only thing I liked off the limited was the hard spare cover, I wonder If some will be or are avaialble for after market purchase??

I never quite figured out what the Premium Cloth was. I sat in one with the Premium Cloth (Limited 4 cylinder) in the showroom then took one out for a test drive (base 4 cylinder) and I couldn't tell the difference. Usually there is a big difference btwn regular and premium cloth on Toyotas but couldn't tell on the RAV4.

Yeah, the 18" alloys do look good. I suppose that's most of the $1,800 cost but stil hard to justify since there's nothing really sporty about it.

[steve]

Like the side airbags/cutains you can only get the 3rd row seats on the V6 Ltd version at a primium of $10K -Brutal Toyota!

[G0dspd]

The 3rd row in the Rav4 is basically useless ... maybe you could fit very small children.  Like other brands, Toyota is promoting the 3rd seat option but they just stick a bench in the back and call it a new feature.  Even the Highlander's (a bigger vehicle) 3rd row is garbage. 

[Prius]

Yeah.. it looks like a 3rd row can fit there and it looks like there's enough space for an adult but there isn't. It's quite cramped. I'd rather take the large underfloor storage instead.

[hugol]

AAAAAAARGH!!!   

Delivery of my 06 RAV4 Sport V6 has been delayed yet again, now pushed back till the 22nd of June!

Will post pics as soon as I can, but until then ----->   

Hugo

[Prius]

how come?

[hugol]

It's because I dealt and bought from an independent broker but it has to be delivered through a dealership here in Ottawa. I figure that for deliveries, the dealership will give priority to it's client who've bought directly from them (at full or close to full price most probably) before supplying it (at a lower price most probably) to an independent dealer.

So I figure that's why I've been bumped a couple of times now, plus the fact that my dealer said that silver was tougher to get than other colours...

Lesson learned.... you get what you pay for, I saved about $1500 dealing with this broker but now I'm stuck waiting for my new ride....

what comforts me in all this, the mileage is racking up on the '02 civic SI-G I trade-in, and not on my new RAV4!!! 

[Frank C.]

Please follow the 2 web site links below for  the 2007 Camry Asian version. This is what a Camry should be.

http://auto.msn.com.tw/autonews/indnews/autonews_newspage.asp?newsid=4279

http://auto.msn.com.tw/autonews/indnews/autonews_newspage.asp?newsid=4117