Rav 4 Search

[Lisa_1981]

I'm currently searching for my first Rav 4. I've got quite specific criteria so I can see it taking a while. However I've got a question. One of my criteria is leather but I was wondering if anyone has ever had an after market retrim done and how much it roughly cost?

Also I'm looking for a 4.2, preferably black but would settle for blue or grey if it was fully colour coded. I would also prefer a diesel so I can avoid a big price hike when the new road tax rules come in. If anyone know's of any cars for sale which fill this criteria then please let me know. Price wise I'm hoping not to spend more than £9K.

[duncerduncs]

Also I'm looking for a 4.2, preferably black but would settle for blue or grey if it was fully colour coded. I would also prefer a diesel so I can avoid a big price hike when the new road tax rules come in. If anyone know's of any cars for sale which fill this criteria then please let me know. Price wise I'm hoping not to spend more than £9K.

Hi Lisa, good luck with your search

Just to warn you... the diesel 4.2's seem to be carrying a £2000 premium over the petrol models (if you do the miles you'll recoup obviously)

[bothwell_buyer]

Hi Lisa in Falkirk.

Did you see the event last night? The cow jumped over the moon!

Ye dinna ask fur much.

If yuv been reading the forum here, ye'll ken aw aboot DMF clutches and nasty dieselly 5 doors machines. Yu'd also hav picked up fowks views of dealers in the central belt o Scotland. I suppose I can understand you wanting to be choosy (weel ah can't actually but then I'm a nutter). I'd suspect you may have a better choice if you were to check around the UK rather than just central Scotland. Reasons?:

1. More chance of a RAV being used off road here.

2. More salt on the roads, and grit to scratch paintwork.

3. Dealers generally not impressive.

Leather - well its not unknown to get a full interior set from a write -off. I've bought 2 written off MR2s and both had part sets of leather - I never bothered trying to sell the bits as all I wanted was the engine etc. In your neck of the woods, just go out one night and catch a couple and skin them yersel. Or wait til the next cattle truck overturns on the M73 and our renowned polis marksman takes a blunderbuss to cull a couple o cattle. That way ye'll have ready made breathing holes. When I had my hotel, a guy came up from the deep south (England) to re-trim a BMW in leather...that was his trade. Price - no idea. You could always ask any of the local furniture folk who make leather upholstery - its the same materials and methods. As you'll need smaller bits, they might make it out of off-cuts; tails, and ears etc. :D

Referring to a post recently, you need to consider how many miles you intend doing, and weigh it up against the price of diesel and ddieselly cars. Both prices are higher than petrol and the road tax isn't that much of a difference. With modern petrolengines, I'd reckon its just a matter of time before the dieselly road tax matches the petrol. Diesel is not much friendlier to the air - (witness my landrover whose road fund tax is nil as its pre 1973.)

And as is being realised now, the effect of car emissions on our world is nothing compared to the many domestic flights daily we have. Quite apart from the effect of methane emission from cattle in fields.

eBay is a source of info on cars available, and of course theres a large section from traders. However, my RAV number 2 was bought via an ad in Exchange and Mart - and the car was in london. I bought it without seeing it other than 3 pictures and its turned out a really nice car in good physical condition. Better than number 1 in fact. Its still being treated to a turbo engine and custom exhaust, but I think I'll leave it at that...other than replace the suspension bushes as its done 79k miles.

Good luck.

[Lisa_1981]

Thanks for the replies. A few points: Distance isn't a problem, I'm more than aware that its likely I'll need to go further a field to get what I want. Also although I would prefer a diesel it isn't completely necessary, I do at last 12,000 miles a year so I would likely break even with regards to diesel cost.

I've looked on eBay, autotrader, pistonheads, exchange + mart, adtrader and around the local garages but nothing that takes my fancy at the moment.

Is there any other rav4 dedicated forums that are UK based?

[shutty]

Lisa

I have had a 2002 VX with leather for a few months now, Personally, I wish i didnt get leather

I am finding my body slides around in the seat and is giving both my wife and I a bit of back pain, (I know some will disagree) but there is little support to keep you in the seat

I am finding it difficult to get comfy in the car as im 6ft 2 but dont remember having any problems when i drove them as company cars.

Have a good roadtest on a winding road to make sure its what you want

I would prefer a nicer lower spec diesel tbh

some will disagree

[anchorman]

I did a search on auto trader and there are quite a few near me. You could try putting your post code into the search and see what comes up;

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/

[pmb]

Only the VX came with leather as standard. It was a 1k option on the GX for instance. There was also some similar colour keying differences between the 4.2 models and also on the actual base colour. Mine is lagoon blue which is the darker of the two blues.