Have I Made A Mistake

[helijohn]

I am beginning to think I have made a mistake. I have bought a Rav4 import. Should I have looked for a UK one?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Some more detail on why you think you may have made a mistake may help members provide input.

Topic moved to Rav4 club to attract more comment.

[firemac]

Depends on where it was imported from.

We bought a 4.2 new in France in 2002 before returning to UK. It was ordered as UK-spec & it was exactly the same as a UK-bought model except that it didn't have the "VX" badges on the front wings. All it's warranty obligations were met by UK dealers with no problems.

If yours is UK-spec then you shouldn't have a problem.

[helijohn]

Ooops, I seem to need to get used to the way the posting works..........sorry!

[helijohn]

Depends on where it was imported from. If yours is UK-spec then you shouldn't have a problem.

It seems to be but I can't really know apart from the fact it is RHD.

Some more detail on why you think you may have made a mistake may help members provide input.

Topic moved to Rav4 club to attract more comment.

Thanks for moving the post. I didn't really know where to put it.

I bought it off eBay and relied on a few answers to questions so was taking a risk but apart from a few dings the interior is almost pristine and the underneath is better than extremely good so I dropped lucky there. All the electrics work apart from the cig lighter which I fixed.

Apart from the usual stuff like naff and different aspect sizes my first concern is the model type. It has cropped up insurance-wise in the last few days and I don't have the log book but what I saw seemed to add nothing. I have taken down the VIN plate details but can't seem to get anything from it online but maybe my hyphens are in the wrong place. They all do the deep sigh when I say it is an import. I have used Adrian Flux for years and didn't expect the response I got!!

It's an automatic and my second concern is a banging noise on throttling back at around 30mph down; about 4 bangs to the second for 3 or 4 seconds - like someone banging morse code on an exhaust pipe. I drove it from Glossop to Brum via Wakefield and it behaved impeccably especially at speed when TBH the banging doesn't occur. When I picked it up I asked the seller if there were any further issues (I'd previously asked about rot, advisories, and work done) before I jumped in an hoofed it for hours on end and he said a banging that seems to come from the "rear axle". I thought it's a bit late telling me that as I am getting ready to drive off!! The noise seems more central to me and I am concerned it might be in the auto box.

[Parts-King]

There is a diff mounting bracket on the rear diff that is famous for the bush to wear out, I bet that is the banging noise

Kingo

[helijohn]

There is a diff mounting bracket on the rear diff that is famous for the bush to wear out, I bet that is the banging noise

Kingo

Thanks for the heads up. Would that not cause banging at other speeds though?

[firemac]

It would help if you put some more detail about the car into your profile so that it comes up with your handle & avatar.

[helijohn]

It would help if you put some more detail about the car into your profile so that it comes up with your handle & avatar.

I have none. No log book yet and no other paperwork apart from the MoT. Even the VIN sites want 17 characters and I have 14 on the plate.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Taken from Wikipedia, and refers to cars built for the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM), rather than for export:

"Japanese car makers do not use a Vehicle Identification Number as is common in the United States and elsewhere. Instead, Japan uses a Frame Number—nine to twelve alphanumeric characters identifying model and serial number. For example, Frame Number SV30-0169266 breaks down as "V30" identifying the model as Toyota Camry/Vista x30; "S" identifying the engine (4S-FE), and "0169266" being the serial number of the vehicle. Vehicle make is not identified but slight number variations can identify the carmaker, i.e. Toyota usually uses seven digits for its serial numbers while Nissan uses six. Because a frame number contains far less information than a VIN, JDM vehicles also use a Model Code. As an example, SV30-BTPNK breaks down as "SV30", which means the same as above, and "BTPNK" which designates a set of features incorporated in the vehicle."

[helijohn]

Taken from Wikipedia, and refers to cars built for the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM), rather than for export:

"Japanese car makers do not use a Vehicle Identification Number as is common in the United States and elsewhere. ......"

Thanks.

This is what I have E-SXA10G-AZPGK.

Should I just call it a GL if asked; it would be so much simpler. ;)

[FROSTYBALLS]

That looks like your 12 character frame number then

[helijohn]

That looks like your 12 character frame number then

I looked on the door pillar too just in case.

[Parts-King]

.

This is what I have E-SXA10G-AZPGK.

That is the model code, NOT the VIN number. You will find the VIN number on a plate on the bulkhead under the bonnet. The VIN will start SXA10- and then followed by a series of numbers, so something like SXA10-123456 is the chassis or VIN number

[helijohn]

.

This is what I have E-SXA10G-AZPGK.

That is the model code, NOT the VIN number. You will find the VIN number on a plate on the bulkhead under the bonnet. The VIN will start SXA10- and then followed by a series of numbers, so something like SXA10-123456 is the chassis or VIN number

It is on the plate rivetted to the bulkhead just to the left of the aircon piping that goes through the firewall.

[helijohn]

I cleaned up the firewall and found this stamped into it.

SXA10-0136085

but it is no use either.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Have a look at the following site where, again, they say that vehicles built for the Japanese domestic market and are later exported (grey imports) use a shorter identifier, and also gives a couple of examples of grey imports compared to UK market models:

http://www.blueprint-repairers.com/blueprint_greyimports.asp

[helijohn]

Have a look at the following site where, again, they say that vehicles built for the Japanese domestic market and are later exported (grey imports) use a shorter identifier, and also gives a couple of examples of grey imports compared to UK market models:

http://www.blueprint-repairers.com/blueprint_greyimports.asp

Thanks. Great link.

I am beginning to think I have made a mistake - maybe sell it on when the log book comes through.

[Devon Aygo]

Right using your frame # SXA10-0136085 I Can tell you the following:

SXA10 Mk1 Rav4 3dr

Fitted with a 3SFE 2.0 16v Petrol

Auto transmission

Standard trim level

Standard body ( i.e not wide body arches )

Paint code 3J8 Wine red

Built June 1996.

[helijohn]

Right using your frame # SXA10-0136085 I Can tell you the following:

SXA10 Mk1 Rav4 3dr

Fitted with a 3SFE 2.0 16v Petrol

Auto transmission

Standard trim level

Standard body ( i.e not wide body arches )

Paint code 3J8 Wine red

Built June 1996.

That's brilliant Lee.

Knowing the colour is wine red from the paint code is very useful as it has a dint I need to fix.

[Devon Aygo]

Right using your frame # SXA10-0136085 I Can tell you the following:

SXA10 Mk1 Rav4 3dr

Fitted with a 3SFE 2.0 16v Petrol

Auto transmission

Standard trim level

Standard body ( i.e not wide body arches )

Paint code 3J8 Wine red

Built June 1996.

That's brilliant Lee.

Knowing the colour is wine red from the paint code is very useful as it has a dint I need to fix.

3J8 is the important bit, the name can change depending on the model it is on.

[helijohn]

Knowing the colour is wine red from the paint code is very useful as it has a dint I need to fix.

3J8 is the important bit, the name can change depending on the model it is on.

It would be nice to know the model.Nudge nudge, wink wink, know what I mean, know what I mean!!