RAV4 Owners & Aficionados

2021 XLE Hybrid = Solid

 

Yesterday I was negotiating to buy a 2021 RAV4 Hybrid XLE from a Toyota dealer in my area. The car was listed as Certified pre-owned on their website. After agreeing on numbers, the finance manager explained that because a recall with Toyota opened up (passenger seat airbag sensor) shortly after they did the inspection to certify the vehicle, but before it was submitted for processing with Toyota, they couldn't actually offer the vehicle as certified. He was apologetic and explained that this was their mistake, that they're understaffed, etc... I was pretty furious at this point, having spent 3+ hours at the dealership and feeling like I was bait and switched.

They "made it right" by offering me a 10 years/100k mile platinum service agreement with no deductible for no cost. His justification was that I was actually making out better in the end, because instead of getting 7/100k on the powertrain only under the CPO, now I'd be getting effectively 7/100k of bumper to bumper comprehensive coverage. This obviously sounds great to me, but also too good to be true.

Does anyone (especially someone working for Toyota) have more knowledge on the CPO warranty vs platinum service agreement and if the coverages are actually comparable/work out in my favor here?

 

Looking for some opinions on these with high miles. We have a ‘20 Outback with 30k miles which we like but just doesn’t seem like it’s going to hold up. High mile 2021-2022 Rav hybrids (90-100k) are within lateral move territory, and I am a little curious what people think of these with 6 figures in the cluster.

Hell, I am thinking about one too. Everywhere I want to go is 12+ hours away and I am not succeeding ignoring the potential fuel savings..not to mention comfort/fatigue.

 

Who needs freshy fresh floormats or ventguards or a magnetic gray front bumper/face for 2016-2018 RAV4?????? PM for pics if so..........

 

Still loving the Rav4 Prime. We've got the 21 version. Taco's mostly a driveway queen and occasional haul vehicle these days.

 

If anyone is looking for a phone mount/charger setup for their 5th gen Rav.

https://getoffroam.com/collections/toyota-rav4-2019-2024-phone-mounts

 

Any in here with a 2000 to 2010 Rav4? I'm on the hunt and looking for advice

 

Just went to look yesterday at a 2024 rav4 hybrid xse in the San Francisco Bay Area. The rav4 would be for my lady and she really likes it. Trying to decide between the rav4 or CRV hybrid sport awd. CRV is definitely has more room and a nicer interior but like the looks of the rav4.

What are you paying for rav4 hybrid xse?

 

Stay away from 2nd gens, 2005+ are fairly solid, but the 4 cylinders are all known to burn oil. The 2.5s arent as bad for it as the 2.4s, but pretty much every 4 cylinder rav I see has oil consumption in one degree or another.

The V6 is stout and only has one issue, leaks, timing cover and head gaskets.

I've only seen a handful of transmissions replaced over the years, so its a great platform.

I'd suggest 2010+ for 4 cylinder and 2005-2012 for V6.

 

We looked at both the RAV4 hybrid and CRV hybrid in 2020. We preferred the 2020 RAV4 Hybrid XSE for the tighter suspension, interior trim, and the fact it has a full size spare. We were told at the time the CRV hybrid only came with the tiny donut. Not sure if that remains the way. We've suffered with tire disasters in the past with donut spares and inflate kits and strongly prefer a full size spare. For us it's a huge piece of mind knowing if we have a tire injury, we can put the full size spare on and continue the journey without the need for a tow or the restrictions with a donut. 4 years plus in the RAV4 and still feel we made a great decision to purchase it.

 

All of the 4 cylinders of the 2nd Gen are known to burn oil?
I read the 06 - 08 4 cyl all burn or sludge oil but hadn’t head of that for 2nd gens yet..

Does the V6 have a timing belt or chain? Ooof head gasket

Honeslty I think my lady prefers the 4 cyl for the mpg but I could sway her either way.

 

Put down a deposit on a 2024 rav4 hybrid xse. Now just have to wait for the car to come in.

 

So................

The wife has a 2013 Honda CR-V with about 123,000 on it. Its garaged, meticulously maintained with all service records and no rust dings or scratches. After owning my Tacoma for over 2 years now, and her CR-V nickel and diming (more like a few larger repairs honestly) me to death as in just had the timing chain replaced, and I think she is ready for something new, and I myself am leery of keeping the CR-V as it now consumes oil a bit, and that can apparently cause a stretched timing chain like I just replaced.
The shop is a very good, highly regarded shop I've used many many times, so I know they are not BSing but they recommended checking the oil every 500 miles...........

I'm definitely not trying to monitor our DD that much, so I've been looking to replace the CR-V. The wife really loves the Rav4, and with the rep they seem to have Im inclined to invest in one before buying another CR-V.
I was looking at used Rav4s, but with the low milage ones I want, they were looking into the low to mid 30s, and I seem to be able to get a new one around here for 40(ish).

After learning the above, I'm thinking new might be the way to go, as the wife has a very specific want, as in a 2024 rav4 hybrid xse like thebaker above, but only in Cavalry blue, with the black metallic top.

I found one exactly like we want, but they want a couple thousand more than I want to give, and I have a couple questions for the Rav4 learned:

- How inclined are Toyota dealerships to deal with someone on a new ride like this?
- Can you ever get a better deal by financing with them?
- Is the factory extended warranty worth anything?


Thanks in advance!

 

As far as 3rd question. Buy factory extended warranty from Jerry, look on this site. Much cheaper than from a dealer.
On a hi-tech vehicles like yours, I would buy it. Plan to buy for my Taco, before warranty runs out.

 

Reference item #2, my brother in law just today bought a new Land Cruiser First Edition. The Toyota dealership could do no better than 8% so he went shopping and found the best financing at Navy Federal. You will just have to research what's out there. And by the way, our 2020 RAV4 Hybrid XSE has been terrific. Although we don't have a lot of miles at 30K since leaving the Washington DC region (commuting nightmare)a few years ago and relocating to Raleigh, NC.

 

Thanks! The hybrid Rav4 in the newest iteration seems like a vehicle my wife (and I too) could drive well into the future with not a ton of maintenance costs.

 

My one and only complaint on our 2020 is the tire pressure values are not available on screen like on the Tacoma. My memory is a little fuzzy, but I think that information required a subscription of sort. I'm religious about tire pressures on all my vehicles and carry dial gauges in everyone, but having a quick reference screen at your fingertips is a big plus.

 

As far as dealing with dealers, I'm having to pay msrp. I shopped around at multiple dealers in my region, (Bay Area all the way to Sacramento area), amd some were adding dealer mark ups and market adjustments. I only wanted a white 2024 rav4 xse so this made it a tough find. None on the lots but I was able to put a deposit on one that was being built and would be in transit soon. MSRP was the best price I could find in my area. I've never paid msrp for a new car but times are different now.

 

Available in our 21 R4P.

 

The Rav4 XSE hybrid the wife wants, she wants it in the Cavalry blue with the metallic black roof line and black powder coated wheels with blue interior accents, so its not really a unicorn per-se, but harder to find than your average Rav4 I might guess.