Kesawi

also is it worth using a claybar over a relatively brand new (3 weeks) car??

In general, definitely. The car could have been sitting outside in a holding yard for some time and will most likely have accumulated surface contaminates, which will need to be removed by claying. The following video on YouTube shows just how much dirt can be on a brand new car:

You should check the terms and conditions of the factory paint protection first before claying to see whether it will invalidate the warranty.

Personally I believe paint protection is just something to get the dealer extra $$$ on a sale.

Soon to pickup our new Kluger but was wonering if there's any point in polishing a new car?

Can there be any improvment to the new car paint ?

Definitely. The car could have been sitting outside in a holding yard for some time and will most likely have accumulated surface contaminates, which will need to be removed by claying. At a minimum you should clay and wax the car. The following video on YouTube shows just how much dirt can be on a brand new car:

You will probably also have swirls installed by your dealer when they "detail" it before delivery. I would recommend that you ask the dealer not to wash or detail the car prior to delivery and that you do it yourself. Usually all they do is just give it a wash.

Another trick the dealer uses is to hand over the car inside the show room where the lighting is pretty poor. This happened to me and I missed a number of defects that were very obvious once the vehicle was outside in brighter light. Insist that the vehicle be moved to somewhere brighter. Direct sunlight should be avoided as the glare from the sun reflecting off the paint can make it hard to see any defects. I would recommend bringing your own bright light (such as a torch) and going over every bit of the finish to make sure there are no swirls or scratches. If you find any, get the dealer to fix it properly to your satisfaction. Don't be fobbed off by them saying "it will buff out". They put the defect there, make them get rid of it.

A good place for further information or questions is the Detailing - Shown & Shine forum here on TOCAU.

Good video link I found for how to wash a car:

http://www.webridestv.com/showvideo.aspx?video=43655

Had some free time over the long weekend, got some rubber lining, and made my own 3rd row seat floor mat! I'm so proud of my handy work ;)

Firstly, i got newspapers and started drawing an outline of the floor, paying attention to the corners and where it bends. Eventually I made the template of my mat out of newspaper. Stuck the template onto the rubber and traced, and cut. Woo-laa!

I like your work. I too had some free time over the week end and made my own seat protectors for the lower rear part of the front row seats. Due to my kids being young, and their legs being short, I find their feet always end up resting on the back of the front seats between the base and the seat pockets. I got sick of always cleaning dirty foot prints off my nice black leather. My solution was to buy some 0.8mm thick clear PVC plastic sheeting from Spotlight, fold it into the pocket and attach it to the seats with some adhesive backed hooked velcro tape. Two 400x500mm pieces of PVC are all that is required. It is hardly noticeable and given the recent rain in Brisbane was $20 well spent. I'll post some pics shortly.

My preference has always been for portables as they are generally cheaper, have more features, and are easily upgradeable. I've been a dedicated TomTom user as I've found they had the most features and were always the most highly recommended. My unit is a TomTom GO 910, which has since been superceeded. I recently purchased a TT XL 340 for SWMBO which is a good unit, although it doesn't have bluetooth. I have used TomTom Navigator on my PDA, however I wouldn't recommend doing this for every day navigation as I find it always takes a while to get a GPS signal and doesn't have the same features.

My recommendation would be to get a TomTom GO 730. It has the all the features you require, with the exception of cannot be easily stolen, which no portable unit will offer. While it is a little more pricey than some of the other units out there, it does have a number of advantages:

• There is a well established community on the net providing maps, firmware hacks, safety camera updates and other add-on apps for the unit (http://www.ipmart-forum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=382). This has enabled my old 910 unit to run the latest firmware despite TomTom not supporting it anymore.
  
• Has a feature called MapShare, which allows you to make changes to the maps including speed limits, blocking/unblocking streets, traffic direction, turns at intersections. I've found this invaluable as the whereis maps are full of errors.
  
• Traffic antenna is available for the unit (buy a european one off ebay and it wil cost you $60-$80 compared to the $200+ Tom Tom want here in Australia).
  

A quick comparison betweem in-dash and portable units is given below:

In-dash units:

Pros

• Look a lot neater
  
• Integration with stereo system so that audio can cut out when GPS directions are being given or in telephone calls.
  
• Harder to steal
  
• Better GPS reception
  
• Dead-reckoning (ie will still give you position when GPS signal is lost).
  
• Big screens
  
• No wires running across the dash.
  

Cons

• Unit and add-ons are expensive
  
• Expensive map upgrades
  
• Limited GPS features
  
• Some units only have coverage of major cities and highway.
  
• Can't take it with you if you don't travel with your vehicle.
  
• No regular speed camera updates.
  
• No regular firmware updates.
  
• No traffic updates
  
• Will the GPS unit still be supported in 5-10 years
  

Portable units:

Pros

• Units are cheaper
  
• Cheaper map upgrades
  
• Firmware regularly updated to provide new features or bug fixes
  
• Can take the GPS with you if you travel.
  
• Some units can now have TMC-RDS traffic data for Brisbane, Melbourne & Sydney.
  
• Generally have more GPS features
  
• Most units have regular safety camera updates.
  
• Map coverage is generally quite good.
  

Cons

• Smaller screen
  
• Portability makes them easier to steal.
  
• Generally can't integrate with car audio system.
  
• No dead reckoning, although some units such as the TomTom 930 have begun to implement it.
  

It is my understanding that the Gen 1 Kluger with the AWD were rated at 13.5l per 100km. Most modern gearboxes have fuzzy logic built into them which remembers the driving style of the owner. If your car was previously owned by somebody driving in stop start traffic and that person was a hard driver, that's what the gearbox remembers. That's my experience from my organisation's fleet of cars. I don't know if the fuzzy logic memory can be reset or not.

There is this thread elsewhere on TOCAU which discusses Resetting the ECU although it is not based around the Kluger. My understanding is the ECU constantly adapts to the particular driving style over 200-300km. So if the previous driver hammered the car, and a new driver takes over it will eventually adjust to their style. I noticed initially my Kluger was a little sluggish when I first got it (as a demo model it already had 6000km), but became more responsive over time as I drove it.

I had a look at super cheap auto for the lambswool wash mitt. They had one with lambswool one side and bug and tar remover on the other (sponge with netting on top). They didn't have any others available. Do they all come like this or would I be able to pick one up from somewhere with the entire mitt as lambswool?

I've only every seen the type of mit you mentioned above at any of the auto stores, and have one myself. I've never found any problems only having the lambswool on one side. I'd also suggest you get some grit guards for your wash buckets. They keep the grit that rinses off your mitt in the bottom of the bucket and prevent it going back onto the car, causing swirls.

I bought mine from Adam's Premium Car Care Products Australia.

I usually run my tyre pressures at 32psi all round, i think thats the recomended one (not sure), it's been the same since i got it....

Welcome to the forum.

General recommendations I've ssen on the forum are to run the tyres at around 38-40psi as this gives better fuel economy, reduced tread wear and lower tyre noise. There are a number of threads discussing this issue:

Rice Racing's Kluger Performance Thread

03 Kluger grande tyre pressure, optimum tyre pressure

Tyre Wear

There is also some good information that is well worth reading on tyre pressure and tyres in general at The Wheel and Tyre Bible. The information in relation to tyre pressure is about half way down the second page.

These links should answer most of your questions.

Finally got around to spending some time lookng after my car. Process was:

1. Clean wheels with Meguiar's Hot Rims Non-Acid Wheel Cleaner
   
2. Wash with Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner
   
3. Clay using Meguiar's Quik Clay Detailing System
   
4. Touch up visible scratches and swirls using Meguiar's Scratch X (Unfortunately with direct bright sunlight, and no swirl finding light I was limited as to what I could see under those conditions).
   
5. Apply Meguiar's #7 show car glaze.
   
6. Finish with Meguiar's NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0 Liquid
   
7. Polish Nudge Bar with Meguiar's NXT Generation All Metal Polysh
   
8. Apply Meguiar's Gold Class Dash & Trim Foam Protectant to external plastic trim (unfortunately I couldn't find the external trim products anywhere).
   

Last clayed back in March, and finish is now silky smooth again. I love this stuff.

All work was done by hand, and now that I have recently aquired a DA I'll buy a swirl finding light and get serious with the swirl removal.

More images in my gallery. Please feel free to leave comments.

Noticed as I was arriving at home this morning in the KX-R. The Grande is only about 100km behind.

Time for the second 5 tyre rotation. They all look almost new, as they should because they don't grip. With the wet weather, I've found I can light the tyres up at around 90km/h on the freeway. I may need to get a second set of tyres for winter.

I assume you have the FWD version? With the AWD model I've only ever had minor slippage on one wheel while accelerating hard from stationary around a very tight right hand turn in the wet.

Another speial milestone

Can any of you knowledgeable people tell me if the radio/cd display can be adjusted?

Unsure if it's just me, but I think mine is a tad dull.

I have the Bluetooth model in my Kluger.

Thanks.

From memory I'm pretty sure that if you press the tune knob (top left) several times while the radio or cd is on it will cycle through the settings for bass, treble, balance, fade and then contrast. Once on contrast rotate the tune knob to adjust.

OK so we know that you can put in at least 67.5 li - good to know - wonder if anyone has taken it to the edge and had a larger fill??

The problem is that some things are accurate and some not - if everything was accurate then when it says 0 km to go you would have 0 km to go (not another 100) - I am OK with a bit of a margin so if it said 0 km and you had 20 km up your sleeve then OK but if you can still go 100km then it sort of leaves you in a gamble - you may try for 40 km or 50 km or whatever but don't really know - so you fill up to be safe.

Try telling your 1+ that she has at least 50km to go when it hits 0 - she panics and fills it up as soon as the light comes on.

I'm sure it mentions in the manual somewhere that when the fuel light comes on the car has at least another 50km left (It's too cold at the moment for me to go outside to the car and get it). I've never put it into practice for the same reason outlined in the last paragraph above :D

While not as good as Rice Racing's consumption, this is my consumption over the last 5400klms consisting of over 90% Sydney driving. Running kids to school, peak hour work trips etc. I am more than pleased and it's about the same as what I get from my Accord Euro!

Over the past 4 weeks I haven't been working and have just been doing school runs, and short 2-5km trips. Fuel consumption is up around 16-17L/100km.

Finally had the driver's side replaced. It doesn't seem any sturdier. Local Toyota dealer refuses to replace others unless they break.

that would be about right... just did the same to mine (similar sized rash to the pics attached) and spent half the afternoon ringing around... have quote ranging from 40 bucks to 140 per rim. very minor gutter rash as well.

decided to remove most of the jagged edges myself with various grade sandpaper... not perfect but i can live with it

the notion of "its bound to happen again" is stopping me from spending that money...

That's why in the end I decided not to do anything with them. When I go to sell the car I'll get the rims, paint chips, small carpark dents and any other minor defects done at the same time.

:o Don't order the Toyota unit, its garbage and not particularly cheap. Search through the forum, this has been mentioned a few times. JVC & Kenwood make better units.

I agree with 57fritz. The toyota 6cd unit with blue tooth is passable if you just want to play CD's, but the bluetooth is pretty poor and problematic. There is no way I would pay the money for it. If you are just interested in playing CDs, there are many other better aftermarket units availble for much less. For bluetooth make sure the unit is parrot compatible. I'd also check to see if the unit can be upgraded to digital radio as this will be starting up soon.

I'd suggest you post any further queries in the Audio/Video/Electronics part of the TOCAU forum as you're likely to get a much broader range of people responding.

Anyone know if there are tailor made rubber mats available for the kluger anywhere? With kids and mud the carpet ones just don't stand up, and the Toyota rubber ones are generic and a horrible fit.

In that case swv11n you should visit the K&N website (http://www.knfilters.com/default.htm) and tell them so ;)

They have done a bit of testing and for some of the elements (not pods of full intakes) they claim interesting improvements.

But for me just not binning $50 every so often will be a good enough outcome, as will be the ability to maintain a well breathing engine with a periodical clean.

OK, RICE here are some links for you (and others): the UK shop - http://www.filterpower.co.uk/index.htm

and the element for new K: http://www.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?Prod=33-2260 (Highlander)

You can search the site for other applications, but in some cases their filters do not match with OZ model cars so need to ask or go by the factory part number.

Lesley from Kinnor Services (sales@filterpower.co.uk) is very helpful particularly if you want to get a few, as I did.

It will cost you 20 pounds to ship one, or three, or possibly more, so the economy of scale works well in this case.

Even for a single one, the total cost will be under the local cost, even if you get a discount (20% from Repco until the end of this month)

What did the cost work out for one? I've been quoted $110 here in Brisbane by Repco.

Thanks for that, made things a little easier. One more quick question, how do you find the leather interior? Im halfway between an Altitude and a KX-S at the moment, but am unsure of the quality of the leather (generally Toyota goes a little cheap when it comes to leather) and how it resists little kids! The extra little luxuries are nice but not really things I'd miss if they weren't there. If the Altitude had a leather steering wheel I'd be set.

I have two kids, 6 & 8, and find the leather is doing well. They have learnt not to get the car dirty upon penalty of death. Like Holmesie I use the Meguiars leather care products to look after the seats. Their leather wipes are great for promptly treating any marks. Biggest problem area is the backs of the front seats near the base. The kid's legs aren't long enough, so they stick straight off the cushion and into the front seats. I generally clean this areas every 1-2 weeks with a wipe and the dirt comes off.

The plastic panelling is far worse for marks than the leather seats. All you need to do is touch them and you seem to get white marks. I ended up using a trim protectorant foam which fixed that problem.

As for the quality of the leather, there are some scares on the original hyde that are present on the cushion of the front passenger's seats. I would have thought that a scared part of the hyde would not have been put in such a visible position. That would be my only complaint with the leather so far. I hope that Toyota would have used at full-grain leather rather than split leather for the seats, with a PU coating for durability. I'm not quite sure how to tell the difference though.

I've gone from addicted to clay, to addicted to detailing The problem with only doing clay is that it highlights all the surface defects, so you want to get rid of them. Then once they're gone you want to keep the surface in mint condition.

Grab some Meguiars NXT 2.0 wax as well as the clay to finish it off. It's kinda cool when you get water beading to the point when you stop at an intersection after the car has been sitting in the rain for a while and a wave of water runs over the windscreen.

Hi all,

just ordered a kx-s awd with front and rear sensors.

delivery mid-june.

When they install the sensors is there anyway to install an off/on switch for front/rear sensors and can the sound or distance be reconfigured or adjusted by a switch/button.

so I know before they install the sensors they can install a switch before I take delivery

thanks

Mike

The switch that is installed by Toyota only controls the front sensors, it is not linked to the rear sensors. To turn the rear sensors off is a hassle as the switch is located on the unit itself, which is positioned behind one of the rear pannels. This topic has been discussed in detail in the following thread:

Parking sensors for Kluger KX-S, Parking sensors - are they really necessary ?

wow,... its much heavier on the RHS isnt it.

I'd expect that for the second photo with a driver in the seat and no passengers.

In general the steering assembly and instrument panel is also on the right which would add more weight to that side.

Mine's working fine. They should be factory fitted as the front sensors come with a built in button for activation.. then again its a easy switch to mount.. :)

They are dealer fitted. I had to take the vehicle back to the dealer several weeks after delivery to have them fitted as they were on back order.

Was at the in laws on Sunday and they have a steep driveway. The kluger groaned and would have rolled forward almost half a metre when the brakes were released. Quite a few steep local roads around here so might do some testing.