1996 Toyota RAV4 2DR FWD review from North America
"Very good looking car. Loved it. But cost me $8,000 repairs to own it for half a year"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
When I got it the cigarette lighter didn't work, took me $100 to fix it.
The safety belt release button had a crack in it. I had to tape it.
Shakes badly when driving above 70 miles. Can't let go the wheel for 1 second otherwise the car will fly to the side of the road.
Spent $60 for a tire balance, did that almost 5 times during my ownership.
After 3 months the engine light was on. Mechanic says its oxygen sensor. Took me about $300 to diagnose and fix.
Break pedal feels too soft, changed the master cylinder. Took me about $240.
One time found the fluid in the shaft broke out. Changed the shaft. Cost me about $1,000.
And spent a lot of money on other minor repairs such as brake pads, head light, battery, air filter.
In the end (above 140,000 miles) bad engine oil leak. Smells like burning rubber when I come off the highway. Can see white smoke coming from the engine.
When it was above 140,000 miles the engine feels very powerless. Cannot even go above 55 mph when it's against the wind.
General comments?
Very nice looking. But cost me so much to repair its problems.
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| 1996 - RAV4 2wdr 2dr 4 cylinder Fun, useful, stunningly reliable |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 1996 |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 2007 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | 4 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 1 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 126000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 146000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 26th January, 2008 |