OK, this car spent majority of it's life in Michigan ( my home state ) but I did not see Roman throw a blanket or towel down, & check for rust on anything ! My gosh the city of Detroit was built over salt mines that are still active. He's an expert ? I'd be checking suspension components, rockers, etc
Congratulations Cole! I completely forgot that Toyota made a V6 RAV4. What a wonderful surprise. I’m sure Cole is very appreciative of all your help Roman.
Not entirely true. I meticulously maintain my cars. However if I need tires, and know I am trading in the next 6-12 months, it gets a cheaper tire. If I have no plans to trade it gets a top tier tire. I have friends who are very good about taking care of their cars, but don't see a reason for paying the prices for top tier tires. They go with cheaper tires and are perfectly happy. Tires aren't a good indicator of vehicle care...that's why service history is important. If the owner doesn't have it, they either didn't have any work done or didn't care enough to keep their receipts. That means maintenance was an after thought and probably just done at drive thru quick lube places during their lunch hour.
What’s wrong with pathfinder HTs. Or even tiger paws? If they are comforcers or something you can’t pronounce, then there may be a problem. I’m not going to buy the highest ends but I won’t buy the bottom specs either.
I had one of those with the v-6; it was a little rocket (with some torque steer) and dead nuts reliable. The center diff lock also turned it into a little mountain goat. You got a good deal even at that price. Pretty easy to work on too.
Nice video, Roman and Cole. Very useful and practical information that was shared. It was really great to see your experience in working with the owner and how you were asking questions but not necessarily trying to prove the owner wrong. The blown strut was a good example. A blown strut can greatly affect handling.
I swear by those Michelin LTX's. Best tire for all season, and nasty winter, I have ever used if you don't need/want a dedicated snow tire. I put them on all my SUVs and trucks.
Overall great car buying advice. One thing I'd add is rebuilt titles, unlike salvage titles, can be insured and registered and can be a great way to save 30-40% off the market value IF it was rebuilt well. That's where having the knowledge to inspect it yourself or taking it to a mechanic is a must.
That Rav4 is a Unicorn. Sport model with V-6 and spare tire. Most of the Sport models had no spare and run flat tires. Ultra low miles on the clock and looks to have been well taken care of. Nice find and a good color.
I have a 2010 Limited V6 awd rav4 and that thing is a beast! Has around 117,000miles on it. make sure the oil line to the vvti has the updated steel line instead of the rubber hose that blows out. Mixed mpg average 20-22mpg
WOW!!! Amazing car/ seller/ price/ mileage, everything. JESUS. Was this a freaking amazing deal man. That’s literally what everyone wishes they find. JUST WOW
I’m sure fly in the 2018 Rav4 - I’m blown away by how amazing this vehicle is. Other things here and there you might want to go aftermarket, wipers some trim stuff here and there but I’ll tell you this I LOVE this vehicle!! I had no idea how amazing the RAV4 platform is. Get out there and try it, it’s true what they say. Toyota! Wow
I had a 2012 RAV4 sport with the V6. I think it was the last year they put the 6 cylinder in them. That was one fast little car. And plenty of low end torque with a pretty nice locking 4wd system would get you just about anywhere, especially in snow. Only downside was it had pretty low ground clearance
@@tallll70 yes it could by add some polyurethane bushing in shock mounts, it could raise body lift but suffer from travel suspension and distance from ground to lower arm still same
I agree with all your used car buying advice, sometimes dealers will turn up the radio in used cars so you dont here all the rattles and squeaks or whines, plus turn on all things such as, windshield wipers, fans, highbeams, defrsoter and such.. Congrats Cole on new Car!!! its a good looking vehicle
One of the things I look at are tire brands. People that don't take good care of their cars will not spend good money on tires for an older car. This guy had Michelin's. I have an old F350 that doesn't look that great because we use it like a truck but it has good tires and we maintain it. Great info in this video.
This RAV4 looks nice and brand new. I have a 2007 Toyota RAV4 Limited with V6 and 2WD, I absolutely love it. It around 164,000 miles on it, it’s running great so far. Great video. 👍🏼
I'm the original owner of a base model 2007 V6 in the same blue color with about 90000 miles as well! Was pleasantly surprised to see the one model up (Sport). The vehicle has been mostly trouble free with a few TSB at the beginning of life but has been running strong still with no signs of failing. Had wondered what it would fetch in the used market so good to know what it could be worth! Also great tips on buying a used car!
What’s interesting is I bought the same exact car six years ago. Well, it was a 2010 which I bought in 2018. V6, and it had 126,000 miles. I paid 10,000 for it back then. If ever sold it, which I no immediate plans, I could probably get 5000 for it now private party, with 186,000 miles. Goes to show you what the pandemic did to the prices, and how it has kept its value.
We bought back in february a 2008 Rav4 Limited v6 after looking for some time our son liked the Rav4 the best of all we looked at we payed $9,900 sounds like you got a good deal.
I have a last year (09’) V6 RAV4 with 3rd roll. 128k miles still going strong. This is a good deal for both of you and it sure will provide good services and enjoyable ride.
Great vehicle. I remember car and driver doing a comparison test when the Terrain came out and did a 4 cylinder comparison of Terrain against CRV and V6 comparison of Terrain against Rav4 and the RAV4 got the best fuel economy of all 4 vehicles, while being the fastest.
My mom’s V6 gets about the same fuel economy as my friend’s mom’s 4 banger. 5spd auto in the V6 vs 4spd in the 4cyl. Plus the V6 doesn’t have to work as hard to get up to cruising speed
You know how many vehicles have the pentastar V6? Um.....Honda produces tons of NA V6 engines. Toyota too. As well as GM . Ford still has a base NA v6 too. There are still tons of normally aspirated V6 engines available nowadays.
No with the Toyota V6 with under 100,000 miles in a car that's all wheel drive and it's popular all over the country. You guys got a good deal anything under 10 grand I'd pay that all day long especially for a guy who took good care of it that thing is beautiful. In my opinion thats the best rav4 they have and will ever have it's all hybrid junk and electric junk from here on out.
Have this exact same car, blue 2007 4WD V6. It is an awesome car to drive, especially if you're in a place like the Rockies (I'm in the Sierras). Biggest thing to check on these in my opinion is timing chain cover leak (a lot of owners live with it if it's leaking because it's very expensive to repair) and if the rubber VVTI oil return lines have been replaced with the all metal lines.
Always love the RAV4s. Had numerous 1st generation 96-01. Well over 250k on all of them. Crazy in the snow. Pulled a Silverado out of a snow bank with the 4 cylinder.
Usually TFL buys a basket case jalopy for way too much, this time they buy a reliable SUV in very good condition for a reasonable amount…..what’s going on here??? 😂 Congrats on your new Toyota Cole!
@@josemiguel8149 - I was thinking the same thing!! The Porsche 911 is a great example of why to get someone else!! 😂😂😂.. Sorry Roman!! You have had some bad luck!! Heh heh.
Roman, I still remember your review of the RAV4 V6 (and Forester) in the early years of TFL. You sure had a big smile on your face after you stepped on the gas 😊. I owned a 2009 RAV4 V6 Limited and really enjoyed the punchy engine.
Another thing to do is bring an OBDII connector that you can rent from the auto parts store and run that to see if any codes come up or have been erased. Roman is spot on regarding the Colorado market as I work in the Auto industry and while new dealers in a normal market will sell for less gross in more populated areas like CA and at the same time dealers in CO are making higher grosses. Less people and less dealers equals more demand and less price fluctuations.
In State where emissions are required for the sale of the vehicle: Most emissions are good for 60 days giving the seller plenty of time to sell the vehicle. When I am selling a vehicle I always have the emission's done, have a "For Sale" sign that shows the clear $ price including the word best offer, and write a small paragraph of why I am selling the car. I park it on a busy street, tape the items on the window, and it is amazing how fast people respond.
My sister's Dodge Compass was a money pit. I advised her to get a Rav4 and she did! So often when you recommend a Toyota, the person will buy something else because used Toyotas carry a premium. Toyotas aren't infallible but I think there is a lower probably of having issues than with many other brands.
This was my last car before I upgraded to a highlander. The first time I drove it, I laughed as I was not expecting that much power! SOLD! Just watch out for mushrooms growing in the floor in back storage area (nice they showed you that area and it looks unspotted!). Mine was always wet back there even after 3 times trying to fix it. Recall x3 on the suspension always out of alinement slightly for the rear. Great car. Never had to ever add oil other than oil changes! Congratulations!
Get that driver window sweep/molding fixed soon to prevent water from accumulating in the door (prevent rust, electrical probs). Those window moldings are cheap and easy to install.
Roman, You had some excellent pointers and words of advice! Salvage titles and insurance, emissions and who is responsible, what a clean title is, etc. Cole, Congratulations!
Love the Rav4 V6. Good approach, good departure, low gearing and light weight with tons of torque. Ground clearance is the biggest limiting factor. Upgrading to 255/55R18 or 17s will get you a couple inch lift.
I bought a 2012 RAV4 V6 sport with a 135k. I got it at the top of the used car drought in 22’ and paid $12k in MA. I know I overpaid, but I needed a car and there were none out there at the time. It’s pushing 189k now and it’s dead reliable. You got an amazing deal!
My mom has the same exact car/trim/engine but '08. She's owned it since brand new and has ALWAYS serviced it every 5k at the dealer. It now has 180k miles and has never missed a beat. She's done the tune up twice and done everything toyota recommends on time. She's probably going to sell it soon as well. These are such a unicorn vehicle, for an SUV it definitely has some balls.
Nice pick up! We bought our 2009 RAV4 Sport V6 preowned with 29k miles in 2011 and it currently has 165k miles on it. It’s my wife’s daily driver. I believe in 2009 it was Toyota’s fastest vehicle they produced, which still blows my mind. It is definitely quick and surprisingly fun to drive. Ours has the towing package, leather interior and no spare on the back door. It’s been bulletproof other than having the transmission/front diff replaced under a TSB for a gear whining sound which was very common for these. I also replaced the radiator because of a pinhole leak, which I suspect happened when the trans/diff replacement took place. Other than that it’s only been typical maintenance like brakes. I did replace the front struts because the front drivers side was leaking and the ride got very bumpy. It’s actually a pretty stiff ride compared to the non-Sport models, so I replaced them with aftermarket that were likely tuned to the normal non-Sport shocks, so the ride is a little more compliant now, but also has a bit more body lean. I can’t say enough about how awesome of an engine the 3.5L V6 is. It’s still whisper quiet and idles smooth as butter, and still pulls very nicely even living it’s life on 87 octane fuel except for for the occasional 93 fill up to clean out the injectors. The only modification done is a K&N drop in filter which gave it a tiny bit more oomph. Hope it lives a long, happy life in your fleet!
I have a 2007 Rav 4 limited with the V6. Its a peppy little ride, super reliable, nearing 180,000 miles still runs like new. Also my limited has a JBL sound system that is awesome its sounds just as good or better that the B&O system in my 2022 superduty
I looked at these several years back and ended up getting an 04 Forester XT, which is an even quicker sleeper plus it was a manual. The Rav 4 is definitely better for reliability though.
You can absolutely insure salvage title cars. My first car out of college was salvage title and it served me well for 10 years. Got a 1 year old Accord with 7500 miles on it, rebuilt, for $12,000. Great deal for a first car.
I loved my 07 Rav4! Great space, super comfortable, great in snow, and looks good! I had the 4 cylinder and burned oil like mad so hopefully the V6 wont! Also the rear diff seal had a leak around 80,000 miles and they had to replace the entire unit since Toyota didnt design the seal to be replacable. Other than that, great purchase
Unfortunately the 2.4L in the 07-09 were really bad oil burners. Toyota had a class action lawsuit for that engine and they were replacing the piston rings free of charge which would solve the burning oil issue.
I had a 2011 RAV4 AWD and the diff started leaking on mine right around 80k too. Although they were able to just replace the seal on mine. I guess they changed the design between 07 and 11 🤷
Congratulations, Cole! What a find. Even in Kansas, that's a good price. Caught the $2.75 gas price. Not bad for Colorado. We're about $2.65 in the Flatlands. Merry Christmas all! Oh, and Happy Hanukkah!
Pretty good video where a lot of people need help or don't have a clue when buying per owned. I check all the fluids and their levels, look at the air filter/s, look under the car for wet spots or road damage, check body panel edges for resprays, unusual tire wear and look at the exhaust gases while starting, running and revving.
ive bought a ton of cars from craigslist, have not been murdered once. Basic caution for sure. meet during the day, public place, take them to a bank to pay, service records, and clean titles only!
Every now and then I will see one of these, in fact, most recently a week before Christmas. A few years ago they were a bit less rare but after the start of the pandemic they seemed to disappear.
Good thing you got the V6 version. My sister got a 2AZ-FE powered 2007 Rav4 and it burns oil like you would not believe. Turns out that's a pretty common malady for that engine for a couple model years...
Absolutely stolen at 9400. Super clean, basically 1 owner, almost new Michelins and only 85k miles? Pre C-19 it would have been a good deal, now it's an exceptional one. And like everyone else said, don't ever buy a 4 cylinder Rav4. And watch out for the transmission whine. The only other decent V6 small SUV is the Saturn Vue from 2004-2007 which has the Honda V6 and 5 speed automatic.
I have a v6 rav 4 too with 250,000 miles and i met a guy who used it for work to haul a heavy trialer tor years he had 300,000 miles! And it hadnt given him any problems transmissions still strong
Roman's Five (+1) Points for buying used cars. 1) Buy from original owner. 2) See listing with everything that has been done to the car & its history. Walk away from rebuilt/salvage title. 3) Talk to owner to determine if they are a psycho. 4) Can seller tell you the history? Red flag if they just bought it. Any rust? Clean title? Why are they selling it? Big plus if it is a family car, and they needed a different vehicle. 5) Does everything work? +1) Price should be within 10% of Kelly Blue Book range.
I bought an old chevy last year (non running), got it running and drove it around for a while, noticed and discovered lots of issues that the last owner did not disclose, now I've got it on marketplace with a whole news article of the things wrong with it and it's hasn't sold yet of course.
Nice buy, Toyotas are great cars. Change the oil and do the other regular maintenance and you are good to go!!! Love Toyota, have had 2 Celica’s and 2 Supras in the past. Was very happy with all of them!😉
These things are a blast, my dad had one for his work car, he used to load like 500 lbs of tools in the hatch and drive it on shit dirt roads to work sites and it never skipped a beat.
You can absolutely 100% ensure a rebuilt or salvage title car. I absolutely love salvage/rebuilt daily driver cars and I have never had a problem getting insurance.
Salvaged vehicles can be insured full coverage and liability in NJ atleast but still a headache. Don't ever do one if you have no experience or know what your getting yourself into. Solid advise
The 4x4 system on that gen of rav is both reactive AND proactive... unlike many of it's competitors of the time. It also comes equipped with, as mentioned, the locking center diff, plus hill start assist, downhill assist, stability and traction control - both of which can be switched temp off or completely off, even allowing for "subaru style" donuts. I ran a 14.1 on a 94o day at NTR with only the spare removed (w/spare tire, my model and options weighed 3580lbs) when it was new and it just came back from a 6k mile round trip this past June that included running a good chunk of the old pony express (it's currently skid plates and sporting all terrains w/a small lift). It currently has 210k and is on a trip 3 states north of home. I could go on, but I'll stop. haha Top freakin' notch.
Great Craig’s find! I bought a 2008 RAV4 Sport V6 AWD brand new. For 2008, it was a rocket 0-60 thanks to the AWD traction. Owned it four years, got great resale value out of it and used the money to upgrade to a Highlander
My grandmother had one of these generation Ravs, I believe a 2012 with the V6. Little rocket for what it was with that 3.5. I recall it even having some torque steer if you really got on it. Glad Roman addresses the AWD at the end because I was thinking that’s not right at all lol.
I just bought a 2007 RAV4 4wd limited V6 with DAC 75,000 mi on it in Florida from a dealer for 9400. Cole I hope you still are enjoying yours. I love my new to me RAV4.
You overpaid for 18 years old car. I paid 16k for a 2012 v6 with 95k miles. Fully loaded with touchscreen navigation, leather seats, sunroof, heater seat and 4 wheel drive. Very fast!! I beat mustangs, Camaros, Toyota Camry, Lexus is350 infinity q50 and Porsche turbo. I will keep it forever! FYI my previous car was a junk Mercedes GLC43 AMG. Never going back to Mercedes again!
Hah! This was like a love-story movie where everything comes-out fine at the end. This deal came-off so smoothly and no one got ruffled-feathers. Some great lessons here. I just subscribed.
Good V6 AWD Toyota with all the records should bring that price in ANY state. PRE pandemic I bought the CLEANEST AWD 07 CRV i've seen for a family member for 6400 and had to put tires on it. Both good buys.
The seller knew the car and kept receipts to show proof. This is what I have been doing with all cars. I would have bought the RAV4 too for that amount. Great deal!
My mom has a 2011 Toyota RAV4 with the V6. It currently has 45,000kms or 28,000miles. She’s the original owner and she only services at the local Toyota dealership. Every time she brings it in, her service advisor and technician keep asking her if she ever wants to sell to call them first 😂😂😂
OK, this car spent majority of it's life in Michigan ( my home state ) but I did not see Roman throw a blanket or towel down, & check for rust on anything ! My gosh the city of Detroit was built over salt mines that are still active. He's an expert ? I'd be checking suspension components, rockers, etc
So true
Congratulations Cole! I completely forgot that Toyota made a V6 RAV4. What a wonderful surprise. I’m sure Cole is very appreciative of all your help Roman.
if you had the 4cyl of that year, you had failing piston rings.
One thing I look at is tires. If they have Michelin Bridgestone basically the top tier tires normally means they take care of the car
Absolutely true. People who dont care about cars just buy the cheapest “highly rated” tires from random no-name brands.
Not entirely true. I meticulously maintain my cars. However if I need tires, and know I am trading in the next 6-12 months, it gets a cheaper tire. If I have no plans to trade it gets a top tier tire. I have friends who are very good about taking care of their cars, but don't see a reason for paying the prices for top tier tires. They go with cheaper tires and are perfectly happy. Tires aren't a good indicator of vehicle care...that's why service history is important. If the owner doesn't have it, they either didn't have any work done or didn't care enough to keep their receipts. That means maintenance was an after thought and probably just done at drive thru quick lube places during their lunch hour.
What’s wrong with pathfinder HTs. Or even tiger paws? If they are comforcers or something you can’t pronounce, then there may be a problem. I’m not going to buy the highest ends but I won’t buy the bottom specs either.
True. Means they don’t mind spending money. People who buy cheap tires are known to cheap out on other things. Been in the business for 37 years.
Yep. I also look at headlights. If the headlights are oxidized and look bad, I don't trust the previous owner.
A perfect buy! A perfect sell. That’s how nice people do it, they are out there.
Roman, this might be the most helpful video you guys have ever done. Congratulations Cole! That is a sweet buy.
I had one of those with the v-6; it was a little rocket (with some torque steer) and dead nuts reliable. The center diff lock also turned it into a little mountain goat. You got a good deal even at that price. Pretty easy to work on too.
Nice video, Roman and Cole. Very useful and practical information that was shared. It was really great to see your experience in working with the owner and how you were asking questions but not necessarily trying to prove the owner wrong. The blown strut was a good example. A blown strut can greatly affect handling.
The 2gr fe is a gem of an engine. Smooth power. Have a Camry with that V6.
I just bought this exact car. 2007 Rav4 V6 Limited. 121k miles for $6900 in wonderful condition.
I swear by those Michelin LTX's. Best tire for all season, and nasty winter, I have ever used if you don't need/want a dedicated snow tire. I put them on all my SUVs and trucks.
Overall great car buying advice. One thing I'd add is rebuilt titles, unlike salvage titles, can be insured and registered and can be a great way to save 30-40% off the market value IF it was rebuilt well. That's where having the knowledge to inspect it yourself or taking it to a mechanic is a must.
Great looking vehicle. This V6 engine will last almost forever. Another 10 years easily with this Rav4! Congrats on the buyer (Cole)!
That Rav4 is a Unicorn. Sport model with V-6 and spare tire. Most of the Sport models had no spare and run flat tires. Ultra low miles on the clock and looks to have been well taken care of. Nice find and a good color.
PUT IT ON THE ROLLERS
My friend been rocking a v6 rav4 for like 8 years. Thing is fast for what it is and just never dies. Has well over 200k now on it
FYI. It's permanent AWD. The button on the dash is a low speed diff lock.
I have a 2010 Limited V6 awd rav4 and that thing is a beast! Has around 117,000miles on it. make sure the oil line to the vvti has the updated steel line instead of the rubber hose that blows out. Mixed mpg average 20-22mpg
WOW!!! Amazing car/ seller/ price/ mileage, everything. JESUS. Was this a freaking amazing deal man. That’s literally what everyone wishes they find. JUST WOW
I have a 2011 Rav4 Sport V6 AWD (same car) w/ 225k miles. Unbreakable. Great purchase.
I’m sure fly in the 2018 Rav4 - I’m blown away by how amazing this vehicle is. Other things here and there you might want to go aftermarket, wipers some trim stuff here and there but I’ll tell you this I LOVE this vehicle!! I had no idea how amazing the RAV4 platform is. Get out there and try it, it’s true what they say. Toyota! Wow
$9400 is a good deal for that mileage actually! Picked up an 09 V6 Limited w/ 149k for 9500 a year and a half ago!
Just bought 2010 V6 Limited W/90k for 10500 with some mark up "ouch"!
The seller was correctish... the lock is only good up to about 25mph. After it reverts back to its standard AWD.
I had a 2012 RAV4 sport with the V6. I think it was the last year they put the 6 cylinder in them. That was one fast little car. And plenty of low end torque with a pretty nice locking 4wd system would get you just about anywhere, especially in snow. Only downside was it had pretty low ground clearance
You are correct. When we got around to a RAV4, the 2013 was 4 cyl only
maybe it can be lifted 2"
@@tallll70 yes it could by add some polyurethane bushing in shock mounts, it could raise body lift but suffer from travel suspension and distance from ground to lower arm still same
I agree with all your used car buying advice, sometimes dealers will turn up the radio in used cars so you dont here all the rattles and squeaks or whines, plus turn on all things such as, windshield wipers, fans, highbeams, defrsoter and such.. Congrats Cole on new Car!!! its a good looking vehicle
One of the things I look at are tire brands. People that don't take good care of their cars will not spend good money on tires for an older car. This guy had Michelin's. I have an old F350 that doesn't look that great because we use it like a truck but it has good tires and we maintain it. Great info in this video.
This RAV4 looks nice and brand new. I have a 2007 Toyota RAV4 Limited with V6 and 2WD, I absolutely love it. It around 164,000 miles on it, it’s running great so far. Great video. 👍🏼
I'm the original owner of a base model 2007 V6 in the same blue color with about 90000 miles as well! Was pleasantly surprised to see the one model up (Sport). The vehicle has been mostly trouble free with a few TSB at the beginning of life but has been running strong still with no signs of failing. Had wondered what it would fetch in the used market so good to know what it could be worth! Also great tips on buying a used car!
What’s interesting is I bought the same exact car six years ago. Well, it was a 2010 which I bought in 2018. V6, and it had 126,000 miles. I paid 10,000 for it back then. If ever sold it, which I no immediate plans, I could probably get 5000 for it now private party, with 186,000 miles. Goes to show you what the pandemic did to the prices, and how it has kept its value.
We bought back in february a 2008 Rav4 Limited v6 after looking for some time our son liked the Rav4 the best of all we looked at we payed $9,900 sounds like you got a good deal.
I have a last year (09’) V6 RAV4 with 3rd roll. 128k miles still going strong. This is a good deal for both of you and it sure will provide good services and enjoyable ride.
Great vehicle. I remember car and driver doing a comparison test when the Terrain came out and did a 4 cylinder comparison of Terrain against CRV and V6 comparison of Terrain against Rav4 and the RAV4 got the best fuel economy of all 4 vehicles, while being the fastest.
My mom’s V6 gets about the same fuel economy as my friend’s mom’s 4 banger. 5spd auto in the V6 vs 4spd in the 4cyl. Plus the V6 doesn’t have to work as hard to get up to cruising speed
Congrats Cole, this was definitely a sweet deal 🤝
Crazy how NA V6s are basically non existent in new vehicles now. V8s not far behind unfortunately
Yeah it sucks. I miss my old VR6.
You know how many vehicles have the pentastar V6?
Um.....Honda produces tons of NA V6 engines.
Toyota too.
As well as GM .
Ford still has a base NA v6 too.
There are still tons of normally aspirated V6 engines available nowadays.
@@deejayimm fyi... as of 2018, you can NOT buy a new Accord with a V6
@@deejayimmthey are around, but they are dying off very quickly. Not long from now new na V6s will be history.
@@timmarkham4236 The accord is the only vehicle Honda manufacturers?
You don’t bring an OBD scanner when buying a car?
🔰
No with the Toyota V6 with under 100,000 miles in a car that's all wheel drive and it's popular all over the country. You guys got a good deal anything under 10 grand I'd pay that all day long especially for a guy who took good care of it that thing is beautiful. In my opinion thats the best rav4 they have and will ever have it's all hybrid junk and electric junk from here on out.
Have this exact same car, blue 2007 4WD V6. It is an awesome car to drive, especially if you're in a place like the Rockies (I'm in the Sierras). Biggest thing to check on these in my opinion is timing chain cover leak (a lot of owners live with it if it's leaking because it's very expensive to repair) and if the rubber VVTI oil return lines have been replaced with the all metal lines.
Always love the RAV4s. Had numerous 1st generation 96-01. Well over 250k on all of them. Crazy in the snow. Pulled a Silverado out of a snow bank with the 4 cylinder.
Usually TFL buys a basket case jalopy for way too much, this time they buy a reliable SUV in very good condition for a reasonable amount…..what’s going on here??? 😂 Congrats on your new Toyota Cole!
Yeah I would not bring Roman with me to buy a used car 😂😂😂
@@josemiguel8149 - I was thinking the same thing!! The Porsche 911 is a great example of why to get someone else!! 😂😂😂..
Sorry Roman!! You have had some bad luck!! Heh heh.
Roman, I still remember your review of the RAV4 V6 (and Forester) in the early years of TFL. You sure had a big smile on your face after you stepped on the gas 😊.
I owned a 2009 RAV4 V6 Limited and really enjoyed the punchy engine.
Roman says true that
Another thing to do is bring an OBDII connector that you can rent from the auto parts store and run that to see if any codes come up or have been erased. Roman is spot on regarding the Colorado market as I work in the Auto industry and while new dealers in a normal market will sell for less gross in more populated areas like CA and at the same time dealers in CO are making higher grosses. Less people and less dealers equals more demand and less price fluctuations.
So the 4WD still engages at speeds above 25mph. It just won't stay locked on. Mine will break traction on all 4 tires at highway speeds
In State where emissions are required for the sale of the vehicle: Most emissions are good for 60 days giving the seller plenty of time to sell the vehicle. When I am selling a vehicle I always have the emission's done, have a "For Sale" sign that shows the clear $ price including the word best offer, and write a small paragraph of why I am selling the car. I park it on a busy street, tape the items on the window, and it is amazing how fast people respond.
My sister's Dodge Compass was a money pit. I advised her to get a Rav4 and she did! So often when you recommend a Toyota, the person will buy something else because used Toyotas carry a premium. Toyotas aren't infallible but I think there is a lower probably of having issues than with many other brands.
This was my last car before I upgraded to a highlander. The first time I drove it, I laughed as I was not expecting that much power! SOLD! Just watch out for mushrooms growing in the floor in back storage area (nice they showed you that area and it looks unspotted!). Mine was always wet back there even after 3 times trying to fix it. Recall x3 on the suspension always out of alinement slightly for the rear. Great car. Never had to ever add oil other than oil changes! Congratulations!
Get that driver window sweep/molding fixed soon to prevent water from accumulating in the door (prevent rust, electrical probs). Those window moldings are cheap and easy to install.
These 2GR’s are great engines. Absolutely love them one of my favorite engines toyota makes.
Roman, You had some excellent pointers and words of advice! Salvage titles and insurance, emissions and who is responsible, what a clean title is, etc. Cole, Congratulations!
You absolutely CAN insure a “rebuilt from salvage” titled vehicle in Colorado. It’s a fairly easy process too.
Can you tell us the process?
full coverage?? that's what he is talking about protecting your purchase.
Just don't try to go through Allstate
Love the Rav4 V6. Good approach, good departure, low gearing and light weight with tons of torque. Ground clearance is the biggest limiting factor. Upgrading to 255/55R18 or 17s will get you a couple inch lift.
I bought a 2012 RAV4 V6 sport with a 135k. I got it at the top of the used car drought in 22’ and paid $12k in MA. I know I overpaid, but I needed a car and there were none out there at the time. It’s pushing 189k now and it’s dead reliable. You got an amazing deal!
My mom has the same exact car/trim/engine but '08. She's owned it since brand new and has ALWAYS serviced it every 5k at the dealer. It now has 180k miles and has never missed a beat. She's done the tune up twice and done everything toyota recommends on time. She's probably going to sell it soon as well. These are such a unicorn vehicle, for an SUV it definitely has some balls.
Also in Colorado, snow on the ground adds AT LEAST 10%! NO LIE
Nice pick up! We bought our 2009 RAV4 Sport V6 preowned with 29k miles in 2011 and it currently has 165k miles on it. It’s my wife’s daily driver. I believe in 2009 it was Toyota’s fastest vehicle they produced, which still blows my mind. It is definitely quick and surprisingly fun to drive. Ours has the towing package, leather interior and no spare on the back door. It’s been bulletproof other than having the transmission/front diff replaced under a TSB for a gear whining sound which was very common for these. I also replaced the radiator because of a pinhole leak, which I suspect happened when the trans/diff replacement took place. Other than that it’s only been typical maintenance like brakes. I did replace the front struts because the front drivers side was leaking and the ride got very bumpy. It’s actually a pretty stiff ride compared to the non-Sport models, so I replaced them with aftermarket that were likely tuned to the normal non-Sport shocks, so the ride is a little more compliant now, but also has a bit more body lean. I can’t say enough about how awesome of an engine the 3.5L V6 is. It’s still whisper quiet and idles smooth as butter, and still pulls very nicely even living it’s life on 87 octane fuel except for for the occasional 93 fill up to clean out the injectors. The only modification done is a K&N drop in filter which gave it a tiny bit more oomph. Hope it lives a long, happy life in your fleet!
I have a 2007 Rav 4 limited with the V6. Its a peppy little ride, super reliable, nearing 180,000 miles still runs like new. Also my limited has a JBL sound system that is awesome its sounds just as good or better that the B&O system in my 2022 superduty
I looked at these several years back and ended up getting an 04 Forester XT, which is an even quicker sleeper plus it was a manual. The Rav 4 is definitely better for reliability though.
You can absolutely insure salvage title cars. My first car out of college was salvage title and it served me well for 10 years. Got a 1 year old Accord with 7500 miles on it, rebuilt, for $12,000. Great deal for a first car.
I've owned two different Rav4s with the 2Grfe V6. It's a true sleeper and blows away most cars. I have embarrassed many people from red light races.
I loved my 07 Rav4! Great space, super comfortable, great in snow, and looks good! I had the 4 cylinder and burned oil like mad so hopefully the V6 wont! Also the rear diff seal had a leak around 80,000 miles and they had to replace the entire unit since Toyota didnt design the seal to be replacable. Other than that, great purchase
Unfortunately the 2.4L in the 07-09 were really bad oil burners. Toyota had a class action lawsuit for that engine and they were replacing the piston rings free of charge which would solve the burning oil issue.
I had a 2011 RAV4 AWD and the diff started leaking on mine right around 80k too. Although they were able to just replace the seal on mine. I guess they changed the design between 07 and 11 🤷
@@matthewschoenemann The mechanic I took it to could of been BSing me too, either way it was covered under the extended warranty I had
@@Julianna_rides yeah, same for me actually. Warranty covered mine
Congratulations, Cole! What a find. Even in Kansas, that's a good price. Caught the $2.75 gas price. Not bad for Colorado. We're about $2.65 in the Flatlands. Merry Christmas all! Oh, and Happy Hanukkah!
It was a good purchase TFL. You will not find that RAV4 in that condition for tic tac money, specially the V6 AWD. Congratulations to the new owner.
Seemed like a VERY fair deal here in CO. And it was very low mileage. Nicely done! Wish I'd seen it for sale.
Pretty good video where a lot of people need help or don't have a clue when buying per owned. I check all the fluids and their levels, look at the air filter/s, look under the car for wet spots or road damage, check body panel edges for resprays, unusual tire wear and look at the exhaust gases while starting, running and revving.
ive bought a ton of cars from craigslist, have not been murdered once. Basic caution for sure. meet during the day, public place, take them to a bank to pay, service records, and clean titles only!
Every now and then I will see one of these, in fact, most recently a week before Christmas. A few years ago they were a bit less rare but after the start of the pandemic they seemed to disappear.
Good thing you got the V6 version. My sister got a 2AZ-FE powered 2007 Rav4 and it burns oil like you would not believe. Turns out that's a pretty common malady for that engine for a couple model years...
Yeah I replaced the piston rings in mine and it fixed the issue
@@johnnygonzales4597 Sounds like a major job to replace rings.
It's definitely not something a beginner should do I have engine building experience
Don’t buy Toyotas after 2000 unless it’s a Corolla
Same Rav4 sport with v6 but with 168k miles just sold for $9800 here in Utah. Crazy good price for what they have here..
Absolutely stolen at 9400. Super clean, basically 1 owner, almost new Michelins and only 85k miles? Pre C-19 it would have been a good deal, now it's an exceptional one.
And like everyone else said, don't ever buy a 4 cylinder Rav4. And watch out for the transmission whine.
The only other decent V6 small SUV is the Saturn Vue from 2004-2007 which has the Honda V6 and 5 speed automatic.
I have a v6 rav 4 too with 250,000 miles and i met a guy who used it for work to haul a heavy trialer tor years he had 300,000 miles! And it hadnt given him any problems transmissions still strong
i think the 3rd gen rav4 is on a part time 4wd system. the 2nd gen is a all time awd system
This was great. Thanks for walking us through the process. We are actually in the hunt for a RAV4 Gen3 2007-12 so this was perfect.
Roman's Five (+1) Points for buying used cars.
1) Buy from original owner.
2) See listing with everything that has been done to the car & its history. Walk away from rebuilt/salvage title.
3) Talk to owner to determine if they are a psycho.
4) Can seller tell you the history? Red flag if they just bought it. Any rust? Clean title? Why are they selling it? Big plus if it is a family car, and they needed a different vehicle.
5) Does everything work?
+1) Price should be within 10% of Kelly Blue Book range.
I bought an old chevy last year (non running), got it running and drove it around for a while, noticed and discovered lots of issues that the last owner did not disclose, now I've got it on marketplace with a whole news article of the things wrong with it and it's hasn't sold yet of course.
I live in Michigan, looks like a great car and deal too me. Congratulations Cole!
Yes as a mechanic for 20 years I always hammer home don’t cheap out on tires especially with all these Chinese tires flooding the market
It's got like new michelins. That's all i need to know. 9.9/10 times it's a good buy.
Glad you cleared up the AWD mistake. Great video.
Nice buy, Toyotas are great cars. Change the oil and do the other regular maintenance and you are good to go!!! Love Toyota, have had 2 Celica’s and 2 Supras in the past. Was very happy with all of them!😉
These things are a blast, my dad had one for his work car, he used to load like 500 lbs of tools in the hatch and drive it on shit dirt roads to work sites and it never skipped a beat.
Great video, and I love that you guys are local to me, recognized pretty much everywhere you were. Just subscribed, gotta support my local peeps!
You can absolutely 100% ensure a rebuilt or salvage title car. I absolutely love salvage/rebuilt daily driver cars and I have never had a problem getting insurance.
Salvaged vehicles can be insured full coverage and liability in NJ atleast but still a headache. Don't ever do one if you have no experience or know what your getting yourself into. Solid advise
The 4x4 system on that gen of rav is both reactive AND proactive... unlike many of it's competitors of the time. It also comes equipped with, as mentioned, the locking center diff, plus hill start assist, downhill assist, stability and traction control - both of which can be switched temp off or completely off, even allowing for "subaru style" donuts.
I ran a 14.1 on a 94o day at NTR with only the spare removed (w/spare tire, my model and options weighed 3580lbs) when it was new and it just came back from a 6k mile round trip this past June that included running a good chunk of the old pony express (it's currently skid plates and sporting all terrains w/a small lift). It currently has 210k and is on a trip 3 states north of home. I could go on, but I'll stop. haha Top freakin' notch.
Great Craig’s find! I bought a 2008 RAV4 Sport V6 AWD brand new. For 2008, it was a rocket 0-60 thanks to the AWD traction. Owned it four years, got great resale value out of it and used the money to upgrade to a Highlander
My grandmother had one of these generation Ravs, I believe a 2012 with the V6. Little rocket for what it was with that 3.5. I recall it even having some torque steer if you really got on it. Glad Roman addresses the AWD at the end because I was thinking that’s not right at all lol.
Good choice. I’ve always liked the V6 RAV4. Hard to go wrong with a well maintained Toyota.
I just bought a 2007 RAV4 4wd limited V6 with DAC 75,000 mi on it in Florida from a dealer for 9400. Cole I hope you still are enjoying yours. I love my new to me RAV4.
You overpaid for 18 years old car. I paid 16k for a 2012 v6 with 95k miles. Fully loaded with touchscreen navigation, leather seats, sunroof, heater seat and 4 wheel drive. Very fast!! I beat mustangs, Camaros, Toyota Camry, Lexus is350 infinity q50 and Porsche turbo. I will keep it forever! FYI my previous car was a junk Mercedes GLC43 AMG. Never going back to Mercedes again!
He is right!!! TIRES make the difference in snow!!! Don't cheap out on tires.
That RAV4 looks very nice! The mother bought a 2006 model brand new. She kept it for 16 years with very little issues.
Hah! This was like a love-story movie where everything comes-out fine at the end. This deal came-off so smoothly and no one got ruffled-feathers. Some great lessons here. I just subscribed.
Great Video.
Roman you are one of a kind to help out you camera man
That explains you success.
Congrats to both of you.
Yes. At my dealership that would have been a $12,995 vehicle, all day. And I'm in Texas, with No Snow!
It was either 2009 or 2010 my mom had the exact color with grey leather interior in limited trim and the v6.
Great car at the time.
Good V6 AWD Toyota with all the records should bring that price in ANY state. PRE pandemic I bought the CLEANEST AWD 07 CRV i've seen for a family member for 6400 and had to put tires on it. Both good buys.
The seller knew the car and kept receipts to show proof. This is what I have been doing with all cars. I would have bought the RAV4 too for that amount. Great deal!
V6 makes a huge difference.9900 would have been fair!
Put some brakes & rotors on the thing… they cost about $250. That 87,000 mile car may be needing brakes too.
My mom has a 2011 Toyota RAV4 with the V6. It currently has 45,000kms or 28,000miles. She’s the original owner and she only services at the local Toyota dealership. Every time she brings it in, her service advisor and technician keep asking her if she ever wants to sell to call them first 😂😂😂
Roman should bring Toby along. Pay Toby $150 for his on-site review.
They should put a full-size spare back on the tailgate of the RAV4
I like how you guys took Stubby for this trip.