Second Hand - RAV4 or Avensis

Two vehicles available for same price, both VGC.
2001 RAV4-GX 40000 miles or 2003 Avensis VVTi 22000 miles.
I don't do a lot of miles, less than 5000 per year. Looking for something
that will give me years of reliability.
Appreciate any advice.
TIA

[email protected]

BIGEYE <[email protected]> wrote:

> Two vehicles available for same price, both VGC.
> 2001 RAV4-GX 40000 miles or 2003 Avensis VVTi 22000 miles.
> I don't do a lot of miles, less than 5000 per year. Looking for something
> that will give me years of reliability.
> Appreciate any advice.
> TIA

I'd go for the newer, lower mileage car if you're expecting it to last a
long time.

Additionally, while the AWD system in the RAV is simple and has proven
very reliable, it is still something else to go wrong, and
out-of-warranty repairs on things like that can be more expensive than
on 2wd machines like the Avensis. Another factor would be fuel
consumption - I don't have the figures of both in front of me, but I
don't think we're going to be seeing cheap petrol any time soon.

And while I've only given negatives for the Rav, that's just me being
logical. Given the choice I'd actually go for it rather than the Avensis
purely because I find it more fun to drive than the Avensis, which is
worthy but dull. The Rav is also a bit more convenient for lugging dogs
around while not being too big.

David Field wrote:

> The Rav is also a bit more convenient for lugging dogs
> around ...

But maybe not everyone has your taste in women

--
Remove prejudice to reply.

"BIGEYE" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Two vehicles available for same price, both VGC.
> 2001 RAV4-GX 40000 miles or 2003 Avensis VVTi 22000 miles.
> I don't do a lot of miles, less than 5000 per year. Looking for something
> that will give me years of reliability.
> Appreciate any advice.
> TIA

Either will be fine as they are both Toyota and for build quality and
reliability Toyota are hard to beat.

Chris Whelan <[email protected]> wrote:

> David Field wrote:
>
> > The Rav is also a bit more convenient for lugging dogs
> > around ...
>
> But maybe not everyone has your taste in women

Damn. My guilty secret is out!

I sort of agree. My LC90 has now hit 150,000 miles (with a fair bit of
off road driving - farm stuff, not disused quarries) and work to date
has been new brake pads, one headlamp bulb and dismantling and
regreasing a siezed handbrake actuating lever.

However I know 2 Rav-4 owners who've suffered gearbox problems. Both
with jumping out of 5th gear. About £500 to fix from a good
non-franchised place. Both of these were the older 4.1 models, both
around the 70,000 miles.

sheepish <[email protected]> wrote:

> I sort of agree. My LC90 has now hit 150,000 miles (with a fair bit of
> off road driving - farm stuff, not disused quarries) and work to date
> has been new brake pads, one headlamp bulb and dismantling and
> regreasing a siezed handbrake actuating lever.
>
> However I know 2 Rav-4 owners who've suffered gearbox problems. Both
> with jumping out of 5th gear. About £500 to fix from a good
> non-franchised place. Both of these were the older 4.1 models, both
> around the 70,000 miles.

4.1 litre Rav4?

Can't recall seeing one of those before.
--
Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 2.0 TSpark Lusso - Fiat Marea 20v HLX - COSOC KOTL
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

"SteveH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1h8pgaa.1pingrh1r0228wN%[email protected]...
> sheepish <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I sort of agree. My LC90 has now hit 150,000 miles (with a fair bit of
>> off road driving - farm stuff, not disused quarries) and work to date
>> has been new brake pads, one headlamp bulb and dismantling and
>> regreasing a siezed handbrake actuating lever.
>>
>> However I know 2 Rav-4 owners who've suffered gearbox problems. Both
>> with jumping out of 5th gear. About £500 to fix from a good
>> non-franchised place. Both of these were the older 4.1 models, both
>> around the 70,000 miles.
>
> 4.1 litre Rav4?
>
> Can't recall seeing one of those before.
> --
> Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
> http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300 - Alfa 75 TSpark
> Alfa 156 2.0 TSpark Lusso - Fiat Marea 20v HLX - COSOC KOTL
> BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #


Went for the Avensis, thanks guys!

4.1 is the model designation used by Toyota, although not their
marketing department. The older ones, with the centre diff lock and bit
of ground clearance are 4.1. The new "even more for the road" model is
a 4.2.