Newbie After Info On 2.4 Previa Auto!

[Tiggz]

Hey there!

New to TOC but not to car forums!

I have suffered a spinal injury and my nerves have been damaged to my left leg, I currently have a MK1 Ford Galaxy 2.3 Ghia X with leather and lots of toys, but its a manual box and I just cant keep on with the clutch.

Galaxy autos have horrendous records on the auto box and I dont feel I could ever trust one, as I am disabled, I cant walk that far and I rely on my car for me, my wife and our four girls!

I am between 3 cars for the replacement which I will be in a position to purchase in around July, Aug time this year.

The MK2 Previa is the current, and has been the current target to buy!

Looking at a 2.4 auto I think and would like to know, other than the 4 lambda sensors and cat fix to look out for in the service history, what should I look for?

How can I test a autobox in one is healthy?

Are the sliding doors troublesome? hard to open? feather light?

LPG ones worth looking at or avoiding?

Thanks for any advice!

Tiggz

[Tiggz]

Anyone?!

I am looking for a reliable safe auto mpv that just needs maintance, not commin faults fixing all the time!

[Tiggz]

no one at all?! I am disapointed

[bothwell_buyer]

My daughter bought one of the new model Kia Sportage 2 months ago - the front passenger door is now jammed shut !!

My experience with lpg is that it is only as good as the system used and the mechanics who fitted it. And once lpg is fitted, dealers generally won't allow the car in their workshop.

As you know I have the 1994 model. the later model is a different build....althou it does use a more common engine I believe. the original Previa engine was custom made for the car.

I think I'd try test driving as many Previas as you can get to, to see if there are any common rattles... or even pick up noises to help you then choose a fairly quiet one. The nature of the size of these cars means they are likely to have been used for car-fulls of passengers, but then they were designed for that. I'm not sure which gearbox is in the later models and whether it shares the gearbox with other models. from my experience of the RAV4s, the gearboxes were well-over-engineered!

[Tiggz]

thanks bothwell, some good points there I hadnt thought of...

the previas seam to sit on dealers fore courts a while too, i have noticed that.

[bothwell_buyer]

thanks bothwell, some good points there I hadnt thought of...

the previas seam to sit on dealers fore courts a while too, i have noticed that.

The petrol engines probably use too much petrol for people nowadays and you find the imported diesel versions sell far quicker. The downside of the diesel seems to be the habit of destroying head gaskets.

The vvti engine is more frugal on petrol, but folk just seem to try for a diesel. The benefit should be that the Previa sale price should be driven down... and room to bargain.

[Tiggz]

thats intresting to know mate.

I do under 4k miles a yeat and HAVE to drive do to my disabilitys but thats life I guess.

The petrol is a more appealing option for me personally as I had a mark 3 diesel espace, a 2.2dt lump, that ate its head gasket and did a red arrows impression on full boost going up a hill on a 60mph limit!

Put exhaust straight through the cooling system, very helpfull!

But bargaining tools is always good know how to go armed with!