taffie999
January 26, 2009, 11:43 am
I agreed to purchase a nearly new RAV 4 T180 yesterday. It is nearly new, the spec is unbelievable and I was offered a reasonable deal. The engine, based on a short test drive is a gem and it would suit my purposes perfectly, having struggled to decide for a year what I should replace my BMW estate with. I then started reading forums and soon learned about the issue of runflat tyres. The more I think about it, the more this is an insurmountable problem, so have backed out of the deal.I am more disappointed than the salesman, who was a nice chap.
What I object to is the possibility of having a puncture, perhaps on the way to a holiday or a business meeting, in which case, I would have to abandon my plans in order to find a tyre fitter, trained and equipped to change or repair a tyre. This assumes that they have a tyre in stock. I made enquiries at the local Toyota centre in Sheffield who had just sold two, so were uncertain as to whether they had any in stock - although they could get one pretty quickly (within a day or two) .That's OK then, I could just sit in the waiting room of whichever tyre centre I happen to be and wait a day or two. I am not a mechanic, but I could remove and replace an engine and a gearbox in that time.
The other objection I have is that I would be locked in for the life of the car to Toyota and Bridgestone and would lose the benefit of experimenting with Michelin, Pirelli et al or of benefitting from any tyres that were on special offer or were good value at the time. This is unacceptable. I explored possible solutions and offered to contribute to replacing the existing wheels and tyres with conventional alternatives. Apparently this is not an option as the T180 is designed for runflats and to change would conflict with the built in runflat sensors (there would be a permanent light on the dashboard)
I am disappointed, but grateful to the knowledgeable members of this forum for highlighting the issue. It highlights the power of the internet as a tool for the exchange of information. [b[b]]I would be grateful if anyone out there can come up with a possible solution[/b]. My wife is a bit upset with me as she loves the RAV and wanted me to go ahead regardless. (I acknowledged her invaluable technical input and sent her back in the kitchen to make a cup of tea)
I cannot believe that an astute company like Toyota could make such a fundamentally flawed decision. I bet the salespeople are fuming because I must now go and look at the CRV, Kuga etc. As if times were not tough enough out there.
bothwell_buyer
January 26, 2009, 11:58 am
The answer is to buy a non-run flat RAV ???
Try Japan.
dave.m
January 26, 2009, 12:04 pm
Oh dear, and welcome to the club. Some of what you have been told is not neccessarily true. The XT5 model does not have runflats
but have the TPMS (tyre pressure monitor system) fitted to normal tyres. I could rave on here but so much has been said allready
about this subject. Try test driving a lesser model with the 140 engine, I have an XT-R with no spare. I bought a spare and keep it
in the boot in such a way that I only loose 20% of my boot space. the Rav is a great car in every other respect, the CRV as you will
have noticed is not liked on here, though the Kuga seems good. Chin up mate, take your time deciding, and enjoy the forum anyway
xerian
January 26, 2009, 12:04 pm
Hi there, have you thought about getting a 2.2 D4D XT5 or XTR and having it chipped! apparently it is just as good as the T180. I think you can get a very good price on it from parts king on this forum!
taffie999
January 26, 2009, 12:14 pm
[quote name='xerian' post='845878' date='Jan 26 2009, 12:04 PM']Hi there, have you thought about getting a 2.2 D4D XT5 or XTR and having it chipped! apparently it is just as good as the T180. I think you can get a very good price on it from parts king on this forum![/quote]
Thank you all for your quick response. Not sure about the Japan reference, I just want to make life simple. It seems that XT 5's are pricier than the car I'm looking at and would need to be chipped to offer the same performance (plus insurance / warranty issues?) I don't object to the lack of a spare and using an aerosol repair kit but I dont want to be locked into runflats at replacement (or puncture)time. This car is a very good deal and if a wheel change is possible I would go for that.
anchorman
January 26, 2009, 12:25 pm
[quote name='taffie999' post='845869' date='Jan 26 2009, 11:43 AM']I agreed to purchase a nearly new RAV 4 T180 yesterday. It is nearly new, the spec is unbelievable and I was offered a reasonable deal. The engine, based on a short test drive is a gem and it would suit my purposes perfectly, having struggled to decide for a year what I should replace my BMW estate with. I then started reading forums and soon learned about the issue of runflat tyres. The more I think about it, the more this is an insurmountable problem, so have backed out of the deal.I am more disappointed than the salesman, who was a nice chap.
What I object to is the possibility of having a puncture, perhaps on the way to a holiday or a business meeting, in which case, I would have to abandon my plans in order to find a tyre fitter, trained and equipped to change or repair a tyre. This assumes that they have a tyre in stock. I made enquiries at the local Toyota centre in Sheffield who had just sold two, so were uncertain as to whether they had any in stock - although they could get one pretty quickly (within a day or two) .That's OK then, I could just sit in the waiting room of whichever tyre centre I happen to be and wait a day or two. I am not a mechanic, but I could remove and replace an engine and a gearbox in that time.
The other objection I have is that I would be locked in for the life of the car to Toyota and Bridgestone and would lose the benefit of experimenting with Michelin, Pirelli et al or of benefitting from any tyres that were on special offer or were good value at the time. This is unacceptable. I explored possible solutions and offered to contribute to replacing the existing wheels and tyres with conventional alternatives. Apparently this is not an option as the T180 is designed for runflats and to change would conflict with the built in runflat sensors (there would be a permanent light on the dashboard)
I am disappointed, but grateful to the knowledgeable members of this forum for highlighting the issue. It highlights the power of the internet as a tool for the exchange of information. [b[b]]I would be grateful if anyone out there can come up with a possible solution[/b]. My wife is a bit upset with me as she loves the RAV and wanted me to go ahead regardless. (I acknowledged her invaluable technical input and sent her back in the kitchen to make a cup of tea)
I cannot believe that an astute company like Toyota could make such a fundamentally flawed decision. I bet the salespeople are fuming because I must now go and look at the CRV, Kuga etc. As if times were not tough enough out there.[/quote]
Well you've hit the nail on the head there and although some are happy or at least content with the situation it would definitely stop me from buying one. It isn't so much the concept it is the fact that you are tied to this Toyota/Bridgestone cartel. There are many threads on this subject so just do a quick search for different opinions.
There have also been lists of indpendant distributors that stock RFTs but nobody yet has come forward and said that;
a/ the distributor has stock of them or
b/ they haven't been screwed when it comes to paying for them because they are forced by Bridgestone into the same pricing structure
There is a Bridgestone guy that looks in now and again and although he is a nice chap his hands are tied on what can be said.
I accept that the T180 needs to have some special tyres but forging this RFT/T180 relationship was unnecessary, unethical, immoral and until somebody proves to me otherwise, illegal.
I don't blame you looking elswhere from what is otherwise a superb vehicle.
You can chip a 140 but it won't be the same as a T180 I'm afraid.
Good luck and happy hunting.
GreaseMonkey
January 26, 2009, 12:29 pm
[quote name='taffie999' post='845869' date='Jan 26 2009, 11:43 AM']I agreed to purchase a nearly new RAV 4 T180 yesterday. It is nearly new, the spec is unbelievable and I was offered a reasonable deal. The engine, based on a short test drive is a gem and it would suit my purposes perfectly, having struggled to decide for a year what I should replace my BMW estate with. I then started reading forums and soon learned about the issue of runflat tyres. The more I think about it, the more this is an insurmountable problem, so have backed out of the deal.I am more disappointed than the salesman, who was a nice chap.
What I object to is the possibility of having a puncture, perhaps on the way to a holiday or a business meeting, in which case, I would have to abandon my plans in order to find a tyre fitter, trained and equipped to change or repair a tyre. This assumes that they have a tyre in stock. I made enquiries at the local Toyota centre in Sheffield who had just sold two, so were uncertain as to whether they had any in stock - although they could get one pretty quickly (within a day or two) .That's OK then, I could just sit in the waiting room of whichever tyre centre I happen to be and wait a day or two. I am not a mechanic, but I could remove and replace an engine and a gearbox in that time.
The other objection I have is that I would be locked in for the life of the car to Toyota and Bridgestone and would lose the benefit of experimenting with Michelin, Pirelli et al or of benefitting from any tyres that were on special offer or were good value at the time. This is unacceptable. I explored possible solutions and offered to contribute to replacing the existing wheels and tyres with conventional alternatives. Apparently this is not an option as the T180 is designed for runflats and to change would conflict with the built in runflat sensors (there would be a permanent light on the dashboard)
I am disappointed, but grateful to the knowledgeable members of this forum for highlighting the issue. It highlights the power of the internet as a tool for the exchange of information. [b[b]]I would be grateful if anyone out there can come up with a possible solution[/b]. My wife is a bit upset with me as she loves the RAV and wanted me to go ahead regardless. (I acknowledged her invaluable technical input and sent her back in the kitchen to make a cup of tea)
I cannot believe that an astute company like Toyota could make such a fundamentally flawed decision. I bet the salespeople are fuming because I must now go and look at the CRV, Kuga etc. As if times were not tough enough out there.[/quote]
I faced the same dilemma and agonizing as I also did not fancy the idea of run flat tyres. But after some thought and test drives i am delighted with my decision to buy a XT4 model with a good old full size spare on the back door. Yes, you are giving way to some extra poke but i find the t140 engine adequate for acceleration , high speed relaxed cruising and enough grunt to tow our caravan without a struggle. Also an added bonus of slightly less running costs. Go For it !
duncerduncs
January 26, 2009, 12:33 pm
[quote name='taffie999' post='845887' date='Jan 26 2009, 12:14 PM']It seems that XT 5's are pricier than the car I'm looking at and would need to be chipped to offer the same performance (plus insurance / warranty issues?) I don't object to the lack of a spare and using an aerosol repair kit but I dont want to be locked into runflats at replacement (or puncture)time. This car is a very good deal and if a wheel change is possible I would go for that.[/quote]
Hi taffie
I share your frustrations with the run flat tyres, but it is worth looking at lower spec model (like XT-R) and buying a 'chip' from Parts-King. His chips come with a warranty and [b]don't[/b] affect your warranty either
The Lexus RX400h comes with the same size wheels as the T180 and it's also possible to remove the inner support ring from the tyres fitted to the car (the T180 has a different system to every other car in Europe!). So there are solutions out there
anchorman
January 26, 2009, 12:39 pm
I should just clarify that while you can't make a T180 out of a chipped T140, a good quality chip will make a remarkable difference to the performance. As the others say it is worth considering.
sywy
January 26, 2009, 1:03 pm
I'm not 100% certain on this, but I beleive the TPMS is in the valve. So as long as you keep the valve, the dash light should not come on? Question is, are the valves easy to fit? ie: Could your local kwikfit take it off an old tyre and put it onto a new one, if you decided to go for 'normal' tyres? I'm coming up for sevice in the next month or so, and looking at my tyres, it's likely I'm going to need the 2 front ones replacing

Not a good time for me for expense. I'm being made redundant at the end of the week
raverboy
January 26, 2009, 1:06 pm
[quote name='taffie999' post='845869' date='Jan 26 2009, 11:43 AM']I agreed to purchase a nearly new RAV 4 T180 yesterday. It is nearly new, the spec is unbelievable and I was offered a reasonable deal. The engine, based on a short test drive is a gem and it would suit my purposes perfectly, having struggled to decide for a year what I should replace my BMW estate with. I then started reading forums and soon learned about the issue of runflat tyres. The more I think about it, the more this is an insurmountable problem, so have backed out of the deal.I am more disappointed than the salesman, who was a nice chap.
What I object to is the possibility of having a puncture, perhaps on the way to a holiday or a business meeting, in which case, I would have to abandon my plans in order to find a tyre fitter, trained and equipped to change or repair a tyre. This assumes that they have a tyre in stock. I made enquiries at the local Toyota centre in Sheffield who had just sold two, so were uncertain as to whether they had any in stock - although they could get one pretty quickly (within a day or two) .That's OK then, I could just sit in the waiting room of whichever tyre centre I happen to be and wait a day or two. I am not a mechanic, but I could remove and replace an engine and a gearbox in that time.
The other objection I have is that I would be locked in for the life of the car to Toyota and Bridgestone and would lose the benefit of experimenting with Michelin, Pirelli et al or of benefitting from any tyres that were on special offer or were good value at the time. This is unacceptable. I explored possible solutions and offered to contribute to replacing the existing wheels and tyres with conventional alternatives. Apparently this is not an option as the T180 is designed for runflats and to change would conflict with the built in runflat sensors (there would be a permanent light on the dashboard)
I am disappointed, but grateful to the knowledgeable members of this forum for highlighting the issue. It highlights the power of the internet as a tool for the exchange of information. [b[b]]I would be grateful if anyone out there can come up with a possible solution[/b]. My wife is a bit upset with me as she loves the RAV and wanted me to go ahead regardless. (I acknowledged her invaluable technical input and sent her back in the kitchen to make a cup of tea)
I cannot believe that an astute company like Toyota could make such a fundamentally flawed decision. I bet the salespeople are fuming because I must now go and look at the CRV, Kuga etc. As if times were not tough enough out there.[/quote]
precisely why i am looking for an xt5.
xt5`s are rocking horse droppings
dave.m
January 26, 2009, 1:27 pm
[quote name='sywy' post='845914' date='Jan 26 2009, 01:03 PM']Not a good time for me for expense. I'm being made redundant at the end of the week

[/quote]
Really sorry to hear that Simon, hope you get something else soon
taffie999
January 26, 2009, 1:31 pm
I am considering an xt5, in terms of chipping, is this a main dealer or specialist job and does it affect the warranty or insurance?
thanks again
Parts-King
January 26, 2009, 1:34 pm
[quote name='taffie999' post='845925' date='Jan 26 2009, 01:31 PM']I am considering an xt5, in terms of chipping, is this a main dealer or specialist job and does it affect the warranty or insurance?
thanks again[/quote]
Takes 20 mins to fit yourself assuming a little bit of knowledge, not usually available from your dealer, it is NOT covered by Toyota warranty and you must inform your insurance company
Kingo
raverboy
January 26, 2009, 1:39 pm
[quote name='Parts-King' post='845927' date='Jan 26 2009, 01:34 PM'][quote name='taffie999' post='845925' date='Jan 26 2009, 01:31 PM']I am considering an xt5, in terms of chipping, is this a main dealer or specialist job and does it affect the warranty or insurance?
thanks again[/quote]
Takes 20 mins to fit yourself assuming a little bit of knowledge, not usually available from your dealer, it is NOT covered by Toyota warranty and you must inform your insurance company
Kingo

[/quote]
is a proper remap not available for these cars instead of a plug in box ?
Fujisan
January 26, 2009, 1:44 pm
[quote name='sywy' post='845914' date='Jan 26 2009, 01:03 PM']I'm being made redundant at the end of the week

[/quote]

Very sorry to hear that.
Really bring's the important things in life sharply into focus.
All the very best

Hope you find something else soon.
sywy
January 26, 2009, 2:47 pm
Thanks guys.
anchorman
January 26, 2009, 2:56 pm
[quote name='sywy' post='845914' date='Jan 26 2009, 01:03 PM']I'm not 100% certain on this, but I beleive the TPMS is in the valve. So as long as you keep the valve, the dash light should not come on? Question is, are the valves easy to fit? ie: Could your local kwikfit take it off an old tyre and put it onto a new one, if you decided to go for 'normal' tyres? I'm coming up for sevice in the next month or so, and looking at my tyres, it's likely I'm going to need the 2 front ones replacing

Not a good time for me for expense. I'm being made redundant at the end of the week

[/quote]
I echo the thoughts of some of the others simes - I really wish you all the best.
Regards
taffie999
January 26, 2009, 3:13 pm
[quote name='anchorman' post='845960' date='Jan 26 2009, 02:56 PM'][quote name='sywy' post='845914' date='Jan 26 2009, 01:03 PM']I'm not 100% certain on this, but I beleive the TPMS is in the valve. So as long as you keep the valve, the dash light should not come on? Question is, are the valves easy to fit? ie: Could your local kwikfit take it off an old tyre and put it onto a new one, if you decided to go for 'normal' tyres? I'm coming up for sevice in the next month or so, and looking at my tyres, it's likely I'm going to need the 2 front ones replacing

Not a good time for me for expense. I'm being made redundant at the end of the week

[/quote]
I echo the thoughts of some of the others simes - I really wish you all the best.
Regards
[/quote]
I also sympathise with your plight. The plethora of news stories abouit the economic climate does not convey the personal impact of job losses.My wife was made redundant three times at a time when her salary was vital, it is devastating. There are still jobs out there but more people applying for them. All I can say is that I am of an age to know that everything comes in cycles and it will get better. I happen to think that the recovery, when it happens, could happen quickly because once borrowing is restored other factors such as interest rates are not a problem. People forget quickly and confidence could return quickly. Good luck
bothwell_buyer
January 26, 2009, 3:34 pm
[quote name='sywy' post='845954' date='Jan 26 2009, 02:47 PM']Thanks guys.[/quote]
Good luck Simon......
I heard that driving trains is a skoosh and that you just need to be semi-alert watching for the odd amber light
anchorman
January 26, 2009, 6:01 pm
There is a national shortage but you have to watch the websites carefully as jobs are advertised briefly to limit the number of applicants. The jobs and salaries are further down the page;
[url="http://www.railwayregister.care4free.net/becoming_a_train_driver.htm#TRAIN%20COMPANY%20WEBSITES,%20JOB%20PAGES,%20VACANCIES%20&%20DEPOTS"]http://www.railwayregister.care4free.net/b...0&%20DEPOTS[/url]
vivianM
January 27, 2009, 9:45 am
[quote name='taffie999' post='845869' date='Jan 26 2009, 11:43 AM']I agreed to purchase a nearly new RAV 4 T180 yesterday. It is nearly new, the spec is unbelievable and I was offered a reasonable deal. The engine, based on a short test drive is a gem and it would suit my purposes perfectly, having struggled to decide for a year what I should replace my BMW estate with. I then started reading forums and soon learned about the issue of runflat tyres. The more I think about it, the more this is an insurmountable problem, so have backed out of the deal.I am more disappointed than the salesman, who was a nice chap.
What I object to is the possibility of having a puncture, perhaps on the way to a holiday or a business meeting, in which case, I would have to abandon my plans in order to find a tyre fitter, trained and equipped to change or repair a tyre. This assumes that they have a tyre in stock. I made enquiries at the local Toyota centre in Sheffield who had just sold two, so were uncertain as to whether they had any in stock - although they could get one pretty quickly (within a day or two) .That's OK then, I could just sit in the waiting room of whichever tyre centre I happen to be and wait a day or two. I am not a mechanic, but I could remove and replace an engine and a gearbox in that time.
The other objection I have is that I would be locked in for the life of the car to Toyota and Bridgestone and would lose the benefit of experimenting with Michelin, Pirelli et al or of benefitting from any tyres that were on special offer or were good value at the time. This is unacceptable. I explored possible solutions and offered to contribute to replacing the existing wheels and tyres with conventional alternatives. Apparently this is not an option as the T180 is designed for runflats and to change would conflict with the built in runflat sensors (there would be a permanent light on the dashboard)
I am disappointed, but grateful to the knowledgeable members of this forum for highlighting the issue. It highlights the power of the internet as a tool for the exchange of information. [b[b]]I would be grateful if anyone out there can come up with a possible solution[/b]. My wife is a bit upset with me as she loves the RAV and wanted me to go ahead regardless. (I acknowledged her invaluable technical input and sent her back in the kitchen to make a cup of tea)
I cannot believe that an astute company like Toyota could make such a fundamentally flawed decision. I bet the salespeople are fuming because I must now go and look at the CRV, Kuga etc. As if times were not tough enough out there.[/quote]
I bought a new T180 in September 2008 and have a list of all the Toyota agents supposed to be able to change a tyre - I asked the question before - how many T180 owners have had a puncture? I did not get a response! There was one reported in Spain I recall.
I believe the the T180 features and massive power outweight the didadvantages of runflats though I conceed that they will be expensive to replace when they wear out, but then I might have gone for something mundane like a Suzuki again, yes I did have one for moving house it was very very basic but having sold it on it is still running in my area - then it was the 2.0L petrol 5 door and that convinced me that tototas were a GOOD THING.
Can the tyres be changed for standard ones, using the same wheels? This would still leave no spare Nor now a runflat to get you another 100 miles plus!
Guy
To be fair I would have thought Toyota would have invested in a small stock of run flat tyres at a central point in the country which might have allayed fears of potential buyers.
I am very pleased with my T180 but will be very loud with complaints if I find, having got a punture, I cannot get a quick replacement!
taffie999
January 27, 2009, 11:08 am
Thanks for that Vivian. I would be very interested to know how many people have had punctures. I spoke to a very helpful chap in th local Toyota service dept (the only one in the region who can change these) and punctures definitely occur from time to time as the inner supporting ring gets damaged by potholes etc whilst being in runflat mode - he reckons about 1 in 10 need to be replaced. he quoted £166 for a tyre replacement, around double that if the ring needed to be replaced also.
I know that standard tyres would not provide the solution of a spare tyre, but I was thinking that the second generation puncture repair gel (as used with the XT5 etc) is a better alternative.You can at least go to any tyre fitter in the country and they should be able to sort out a repair or a new tyre. If you can't get an exact match you would probab;ly have to buy a pair for that axle but still potentially cheaper than the runflat issue. I may go to France next year, what is the situation over there? It could turn into a nightmare. I wanted the T180, and I am still torn about which way to go, but the fact remains, depending where you are, a puncture would mean cancelled plans for a day or maybe two unless you were really lucky with location, availability etc.
There was a programme on TV last night about Microsoft and their monopolisation of Windows explorer by bundling it in with Microsoft Office, so excluding netscape from competing. Does this concept sound familiar? They received the largest fine any corporation has ever received.
vivianM
January 27, 2009, 3:15 pm
[quote name='taffie999' post='846252' date='Jan 27 2009, 11:08 AM']Thanks for that Vivian. I would be very interested to know how many people have had punctures. I spoke to a very helpful chap in th local Toyota service dept (the only one in the region who can change these) and punctures definitely occur from time to time as the inner supporting ring gets damaged by potholes etc whilst being in runflat mode - he reckons about 1 in 10 need to be replaced. he quoted £166 for a tyre replacement, around double that if the ring needed to be replaced also.
I know that standard tyres would not provide the solution of a spare tyre, but I was thinking that the second generation puncture repair gel (as used with the XT5 etc) is a better alternative.You can at least go to any tyre fitter in the country and they should be able to sort out a repair or a new tyre. If you can't get an exact match you would probab;ly have to buy a pair for that axle but still potentially cheaper than the runflat issue. I may go to France next year, what is the situation over there? It could turn into a nightmare. I wanted the T180, and I am still torn about which way to go, but the fact remains, depending where you are, a puncture would mean cancelled plans for a day or maybe two unless you were really lucky with location, availability etc.
There was a programme on TV last night about Microsoft and their monopolisation of Windows explorer by bundling it in with Microsoft Office, so excluding netscape from competing. Does this concept sound familiar? They received the largest fine any corporation has ever received.[/quote]
Hi Taffie,
I do not think £160 is out of the way for a replacement tyre provided it is of the correct speed rating, many people neglect to check the corect speed rating when replacing tyres - the T180 is said to be able to do 120 mph - not much chance now in this country but many do get well above the 70 limit at times so it is nice to know should be a good safety margin built in.
I think if I was to go to France I would take a standard replacement wheel with me just to be on the safe side. In this Country - back to the T180 runflats if you are in AA/RAC etc they should take you onward to your journey - might be more likely to have an electrical failure than than a puncture accoring to statistics.
The other thing I would say is how many people replace more than one or two sets of tyres during the time they keep a car?
Guy
hertsnminds
January 28, 2009, 9:49 am
[quote]The other objection I have is that I would be locked in for the life of the car to Toyota and Bridgestone and would lose the benefit of experimenting with Michelin, Pirelli et al or of benefitting from any tyres that were on special offer or were good value at the time. This is unacceptable. I explored possible solutions and offered to contribute to replacing the existing wheels and tyres with conventional alternatives. Apparently this is not an option as the T180 is designed for runflats and to change would conflict with the built in runflat sensors (there would be a permanent light on the dashboard)[/quote]
Surely after 3 years/60,000 miles (the warranty) you can fit whatever tyres you like and the sensor warning light is just a computer switch that can be turned off by any Toyota dealer or someone running the correct diagnostic software. As others have said in different countries the spec of car you want is supplied without the run flat tyres.
Plutus
January 28, 2009, 10:01 am
If you do a search you will see several posts of complaint from T180 owners about what happened when they had a puncture, so there's been more than one. Not only the inconvenience, but the actual cost - over £300 seems to spring to mind.
bothwell_buyer
January 28, 2009, 12:51 pm
[quote name='vivianM' post='846315' date='Jan 27 2009, 03:15 PM']The other thing I would say is how many people replace more than one or two sets of tyres during the time they keep a car?
Guy[/quote]
Crumbs - well I have 3 sets of wheels and tyres for number 1 and goodness knows how many tyres I've gone through in 15 years of the car........
punctures? More luck here in that I guess I've had about 5.
vivianM
January 28, 2009, 1:03 pm
[quote name='bothwell_buyer' post='846650' date='Jan 28 2009, 12:51 PM'][quote name='vivianM' post='846315' date='Jan 27 2009, 03:15 PM']The other thing I would say is how many people replace more than one or two sets of tyres during the time they keep a car?
Guy[/quote]
Crumbs - well I have 3 sets of wheels and tyres for number 1 and goodness knows how many tyres I've gone through in 15 years of the car........
punctures? More luck here in that I guess I've had about 5.
[/quote]
Well Bothy - we all can only wish we had the power output you have so no wonder you use tyres like you do - your local tyre supplier should treat you like a King! I do not think my most powerful 7.2L Jensen was quite a high as your HP.
Best wishes
Guy
chav4boy
January 28, 2009, 1:04 pm
hi there , i'm a newbie here, i have just bought an rav 4sr180, and have been looking at the rft debate. one thing that i was thinking of doing was to carry a car/van puncture repair kit and a tyre inflater, this is to cover the nail in the tyre type of a puncture when there is no where to limp to.
vivianM
January 28, 2009, 1:05 pm
[quote name='vivianM' post='846655' date='Jan 28 2009, 01:03 PM'][quote name='bothwell_buyer' post='846650' date='Jan 28 2009, 12:51 PM'][quote name='vivianM' post='846315' date='Jan 27 2009, 03:15 PM']The other thing I would say is how many people replace more than one or two sets of tyres during the time they keep a car?
Guy[/quote]
Crumbs - well I have 3 sets of wheels and tyres for number 1 and goodness knows how many tyres I've gone through in 15 years of the car........
punctures? More luck here in that I guess I've had about 5.
[/quote]
Well Bothy - we all can only wish we had the power output you have so no wonder you use tyres like you do - your local tyre supplier should treat you like a King! I do not think my most powerful 7.2L Jensen was quite a high as your HP.
Best wishes
Guy
[/quote]
Just checked , it was 330 BHP but difficult to put down on the road and even worse to stop!
Fujisan
January 28, 2009, 8:32 pm
[quote name='chav4boy' post='846657' date='Jan 28 2009, 01:04 PM']hi there , i'm a newbie here, i have just bought an rav 4sr180, and have been looking at the rft debate. one thing that i was thinking of doing was to carry a car/van puncture repair kit and a tyre inflater, this is to cover the nail in the tyre type of a puncture when there is no where to limp to.[/quote]
I'm sure that would work ........but would it make a mess of the support ring, leaving you with an even bigger bill when you finally change the tyre?
bothwell_buyer
January 28, 2009, 11:01 pm
[quote name='vivianM' post='846659' date='Jan 28 2009, 01:05 PM'][quote name='vivianM' post='846655' date='Jan 28 2009, 01:03 PM'][quote name='bothwell_buyer' post='846650' date='Jan 28 2009, 12:51 PM'][quote name='vivianM' post='846315' date='Jan 27 2009, 03:15 PM']The other thing I would say is how many people replace more than one or two sets of tyres during the time they keep a car?
Guy[/quote]
Crumbs - well I have 3 sets of wheels and tyres for number 1 and goodness knows how many tyres I've gone through in 15 years of the car........
punctures? More luck here in that I guess I've had about 5.
[/quote]
Well Bothy - we all can only wish we had the power output you have so no wonder you use tyres like you do - your local tyre supplier should treat you like a King! I do not think my most powerful 7.2L Jensen was quite a high as your HP.
Best wishes
Guy
[/quote]
Just checked , it was 330 BHP but difficult to put down on the road and even worse to stop!
[/quote]
well at that level I'm beaten.......
However after yesterdays rolling road run, found that the boost somehow had dropped well down so its back to Crail soon when the boost is back up at 19 (psi?)...and after we do a couple of wee tweaks to it.
three5
January 29, 2009, 1:25 pm
[quote name='taffie999' post='846252' date='Jan 27 2009, 11:08 AM']Thanks for that Vivian. I would be very interested to know how many people have had punctures. I spoke to a very helpful chap in th local Toyota service dept (the only one in the region who can change these) and punctures definitely occur from time to time as the inner supporting ring gets damaged by potholes etc whilst being in runflat mode - he reckons about 1 in 10 need to be replaced. he quoted £166 for a tyre replacement, around double that if the ring needed to be replaced also.
I know that standard tyres would not provide the solution of a spare tyre, but I was thinking that the second generation puncture repair gel (as used with the XT5 etc) is a better alternative.You can at least go to any tyre fitter in the country and they should be able to sort out a repair or a new tyre. If you can't get an exact match you would probab;ly have to buy a pair for that axle but still potentially cheaper than the runflat issue. I may go to France next year, what is the situation over there? It could turn into a nightmare. I wanted the T180, and I am still torn about which way to go, but the fact remains, depending where you are, a puncture would mean cancelled plans for a day or maybe two unless you were really lucky with location, availability etc.
There was a programme on TV last night about Microsoft and their monopolisation of Windows explorer by bundling it in with Microsoft Office, so excluding netscape from competing. Does this concept sound familiar? They received the largest fine any corporation has ever received.[/quote]
I thought long and hard about buying an XT5 because it had no spare ( 2008 model ). It was a narrow decision between the Freeloader and the RAV, overall design of the RAV v the Freeloader with spare wheel. In the end I bought the RAV and a spare ( for £150 ) from the dealer. I analysed the problem as follows:
a) the likelyhood of a puncture these days is fairly small

the consequences of a puncture these days are quite large.
Basically it's a question of risk management - you weigh the likelyhood and the consequences. If either are unacceptably large ( to you ) then the risk is too great.
I've said it on here before but I'll repeat the tale briefly: Travelling back up the M1 on a Friday afternoon in my 2.0td Vitara. Inside lane doing 65ish. Sudden, near Tibshelf Services, change in motion at rear of car. Hard shoulder, quick look round for the problem - puncture in rear nearside. Tyre completely flat. Ascess situation - heavy traffic with HGV's wandering over white line onto hard shoulder. Hasty move of vehicle as far onto the hardshoulder and verge as possible. Full reflective jacket ( not much fun it - was very warm ) and set about changing the wheel. Got away with it but it's bloo*y difficult to change a wheel with one eye on the job and the other on the traffic. Job done, throw everything into the boot and set off with fingers crossed that I wouldn't get another puncture.
My local tyre repairer blew up the tyre and said it was scrap. He took it off the rim and showed the me the damage to the reinforcing which was very obvious on the inside.
From the foreging I decided that the gloop-in-a-tube solution was likely to be unsatisfactory as the area of sidewall could have blown out at any time afterwards if I reinflated it. I also wondered how long the piece of metal had been in the tyre and how long it had been losing pressure . If I had realised earlier, could I have saved the tyre ( £100 ish )?
My solution was the spare wheel and, more latterly, an aftermarket TPMS which has audible and visual warning of decreasing tyre pressures. Hoovie on this forum has the same one I think. No solution with the T180 of course, but acceptable as a risk management strategy on the XT5. Did I buy the right car? Answer has to be yes, the fuel consumption, ride, handling, comfort and layout are very good - but it was a close run thing - the Freeloader spare wheel came very near to swinging it. Wrote to Toyota Chocolate Fireguard Department, sorry, customer services and they couldn't have cared less.
OldSkoO1
January 29, 2009, 9:29 pm
I hope you find something good.
T180 is a superb engine shame they use RFT's. I had an sr180 rav briefly and didnt even know!
Anyway, if you like the rav i would seriously consider and XTR 2.2 140 and chip it. It will make the power a lot more usable. Not quite sr180 levels but enough to be comfortable overtaking.
If your not in a rush, i'm 90% sure the facelift rav comes out this summer before the next new plate. This will have the new 150bhp diesel engine with more torque too. A chip on that should give it around the t180's power but a lot better economy.
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