How many are left

[helijohn]

I am wondering how many 3 door Rav 4.1s are left?

Edited June 19, 2014 by helijohn

[Andrew162]

Do you mean the first generation RAV4's from 1994 - 2000? If so there's more than enough. The 2-door variants are getting a bit harder to come by though.

[helijohn]

Do you mean the first generation RAV4's from 1994 - 2000? If so there's more than enough. The 2-door variants are getting a bit harder to come by though.

Yes I meant those but also I meant the 3 door.

[Andrew162]

It's a bit of a battle to find a 2.5 door (the rag-top variant of the SWB 4.1). There's very few of them left that I've seen, and most are on the Gold Coast in Qld, Australia.

[helijohn]

I wonder what the lifespan was expected to be?

[Andrew162]

I guess I see probably as many 3-door 4.2's (2000-2003) as 4.1's from all years prior. Interesting thing is they stopped making the 3 door models for the Australian market back in 2001, as it's reported that the sales weren't enough to continue production. There was never a rag-top variant of the 4.2 SWB though, sadly.

It's a shame that the RAV4 was introduced (in Australia, at least) as a 3-door model, and then 7 years later, killed off. As for the lifespan of these cars it's down to whatever the owner wants to do with them. I've seen these go further into the outback in areas where the most stout fourbies would fear to tread. I've seen and heard of one of these doing 1 million miles (and counting). But going by the very cheap prices these are going for (and it's not just year model and high km's which make them cheap), most seem to be beach-goer's and daily runabouts which people eventually tire of and want to upgrade for something newer.

[helijohn]

But going by the very cheap prices these are going for (and it's not just year model and high km's which make them cheap), most seem to be beach-goer's and daily runabouts which people eventually tire of and want to upgrade for something newer.

I've been used to Vitaras of the same sort of age but switched to a Jimny as I loved my SJ413 so much from previous years and that was not as enjoyable as I had hoped so I decided to try the Rav which had always been one of my alternatives. I never took the plunge before as I like a 'proper' old fashioned 4WD system and a separate chassis set up. However, right away I knew that once I had made a few changes to this old Rav (door mirrors which IMHO are awful and seating position) I would like it and guess what, I really do.

Also I was totally shocked by the performance it gives while still returning 31-32mpg.

With what it offers this is a keeper for me; I don't envisage being one of those who will tire of it. It'll never be as good for me as my '92 Pajero that I will never part with but it is a cracking little motor that hopefully will serve me well for another ten years.

[Andrew162]

Well, while I didn't really tire of the RAV4, my wallet certainly did. That's an entirely different story, however.

[helijohn]

Well, while I didn't really tire of the RAV4, my wallet certainly did. That's an entirely different story, however.

Yes, I can imagine. ^_^

[helijohn]

my wallet certainly did. That's an entirely different story, however.

Did you find it expensive? Or was there something in particular that was costly?

[Andrew162]

No like I say it's a completely different story with my experiences.

I made my RAV4 into a project car. I took the engine and complete drivetrain from a 6th gen Gelica GT-Four and mounted it in my car because they basically have no mounting modifications. It was virtually a straight swap from one car to the other physically, because they share the same engine type, mounting points, floor pan and chassis.

The rear diff had to be reinforced to the floorpan however, because the drive (front/rear) percentages are distributed differently on a GT-Four... it's mostly towards the rear where on a RAV4 it's more towards the front.

Asides wiring issues which were always going to happen, in terms of modifications and repairs I think this car still owes me something like AU$65k.

Some pics of the car..

The last photo I ever took of it, and the last time I saw the car, back in 2006. I had to sell it due to the costs and letting it go cheap was more of a relief than anything.

[jeffy]

whoa... ^

*speechless*

[helijohn]

No like I say it's a completely different story with my experiences.

I made my RAV4 into a project car.

I'm shocked; that is gorgeous. I thought you were going to be telling me how it was cost cow cos of its shortcomings but boy did you surprise me.

[Andrew162]

Indeed, I wanted to do "something different". Something that was a 4WD configuration with a turbo, but not to mod a Forrester. As I went, I managed to put quite a few EVO's, Skyline's and WRX's on notice that a RAV4 isn't to be trifled with. :P

With a standard road tune it put out 140kw at the treads. This is a pretty standard tune for a 3S-GTE that has a normal "road" map as a base on the PowerFC ECU. But as I said, there were a lot of problems that came along with it which involve more thread hi-jacking, so I'll save that for another time.

Safe to say that it was one of those life-changing, wallet-emptying experiences that are never to be forgotten. It also got me hooked on boost; the insane feeling of those G forces when your back gets planted into the seat and the loud pedal makes for some very sweet exhaust notes. :D