Yes. I get my ten years, 250k without too much drama on new cars. So far, undercoating hasn’t held up well, there are places that will rust regardless. Once I start snapping bolts, it quickly gets beyond my capability to repair, and most would recommend replacing the vehicle.
Rant: On new petro-powered cars in general.
- Thread starter NA4U
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- Jun 30, 2023
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I have my sights set on one of these RAV4's that are plug-in hybrid. Are they on the same level of longevity, or are they an entirely different animal and owner experience? My boss has a regular non-hybrid one for about 18 months or so and has had no issues at all, but that's not saying much.
The biggest problem in the politicized world of EV's is people like to lump statistics of Rav4, Rav4 hybrid and Rav4 prime into one big lump of statistics. So the short answer is we don't know - as far as I know. Having said that I haven't heard anything bad about them either.
My personal opinion - and its only that - a plug in hybrid only makes sense for a very small portion of the population. The problem being the engine never runs enough. You might want to read through this thread about possible dillution. https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...30-3-0k-mi-2024-toyota-rav4-prime-xse.399164/
At least you will not have to walnut blast the valves on the newer Rav4's, with it's 8 injector setup. I wonder if they still have sub standard metallurgy in the subframes (high iron) and sub standard suspension and bolt plating/coatings with the newer car/trucks. Rust issues 2 years, all hidden as planned. Even the rear tail light install bolts when opening the rear hatch are rusting after 2 years/lease returns. All 3 Rav4's when we bought my wife's car used had all the same issues, along with rusted suspension. Toyota's cost cutting choice at least back in my wife's 2014 era Rav4. Add the no window and door lock led lights on a $38,000 SUV, leaving you blind at night, poking around.......more cost cutting. My friends stripped Hyundai Accent had them. I would buy another Toyota, but my God, even Hyundai/Kia doesn't do that kind sly move.
Doesn't undercoating have to be re-applied at certain intervals? If it is re-applied, wouldn't that make it hold up well?
Yes and no. I used to reapply Fluid Film during the winter, when it looked like it was getting thin. On that car, several years later, I went to install a trailer hitch. I zipped out a bolt and when I went to reinstall it (or maybe the kit had a new one), I could not put it in. The threads were too rusty. Rust inside of the unibody "frame rails". Despite it all looking ok, car was rusting in areas I could not see.
Later on, same car, one day I elected to pull back the wheel well liners. Sure enough, packed full of dirt. And some rust... which was perforated. Was pretty clean underneath but still, rust hole. Plus the the entire exhaust system looked kinda sketchy, 10 or 11 years of road salt meant zero bolts would ever turn again, and the pipes were looking a bit thin too.
Undercoating slows down the inevitable.
I used to own a GLC300 and test drove a RAV4 and in my opinion the RAV4 felt less substantial with additional road and wind noise than the GLC. Do you share that opinion? BTW, my GLC was great for the 60k miles I had put on it from new, sorry yours had electrical issues.
Rav4 is a cheap family car and the GLC is a luxury class vehicle from Mercedes Bendz with double the original MSRP? Maybe Lexus NX would be more comparable option in the Toyota family?
Road noise is beneficial in car full of screaming kids.
Yeah I agree I went down that rabbit hole of car issues with the Mercedes so I won't be doing that one again.Rav4 is a cheap family car and the GLC is a luxury class vehicle from Mercedes Bendz with double the original MSRP? Maybe Lexus NX would be more comparable option in the Toyota family?
Road noise is beneficial in car full of screaming kids.
If I do it again I'll most likely go with something a little heavier and a little more ground clearance so perhaps a truck or 4Runner. Not saying these are built any better I'm just saying they're a little bigger and heavier.
Maybe if you had a shop do the work, things would have worked out better?
Yes, the skin of a new car is thinner, but I haven't seen too much change in the weight department. Dings and dents are of considerable aggravation to me. They didn't have to go THAT thin on the skin. As for the new lightweight oils, I see no problems. The problem is the owner listening to the car saying " don't change the oil for 10k"...There lies the problem. No oil can withstand that many miles. Change at no more than 4-5k, and the engine will be fine.
Patman
Staff member
AMSOIL Signature Series and HPL are two oils right there that can handle 10k intervals or more in a lot of vehicles. used oil analysis on here have proven that.
Current generation rav4 is like 100lbs less than the previous rav4 if you compare the same trim, and its much larger, more cargo space, more passenger space. Its actually about the same size inside as a first generation Pilot. Supposedly next years new model will be even bigger. Pulling 100lbs off a car while making it bigger is huge.
When F150 went aluminum the weight dropped a huge amount and the capacity went way up.
Either way I sincerely doubt they are going back. They were much heavier in the 60's than the 80's and there thinner now than ever.
Even the Miata has put on weight. But what jumps out at me is how the 2016 matched the 1999. I would postulate that they know the form factor they want, and "Miata weight gain" is the most pure analog for regulatory requirements and the resultant girth.
There about the same size, and about the same weight, but the new miata includes air bags and the gear and controls to hold them in I believe 8 positions, along with side impact collision beams. That weight had to be accounted for somewhere.
Only if they used something more substantial than FF. It's just too thin for high wash areas. And one really needs to pull things apart, like wheel well liners, and make sure to hose down that area--an area I didn't realize was a sand trap (how does sand get in there anyhow????).
And it won't stop exhaust systems from rusting apart. Last exhaust repair was a flex pipe; it lasted like 2 years before it too gave up (cheap repair I know).
I hate door dings and little dents from shopping carts. I'll keep my heavier gauged skin beaters, till they are ready for the boneyard. My mom has a 2024 Toyota Cross. Maybe 8K on it. She's 85. Already has dings in it from parking lots when she goes to doctors or food shopping. She's P.O.'ed to say the least. She calls it a P.O.S.