Sagewood

Hi Jennifer, the buy back price was significantly more than what you were offered. Mine was a GX auto with alloy wheels and I paid $36.5k after super fleet discount. I had the RAV for exactly 1 year and 25,000kms. The buy back price was the full settlement of the outstanding balance of the 5 year lease.

The dealer bought back my RAV as I was not prepared to accept a "reworked" RAV4 and to be a guinea pig for Toyota Japan. I am afraid Toyota is sliding in a big way....no doubt I will never ever buy another Toyota or set a foot in a Toyota dealership.

Finally got an answer, the replacement parts from Toyota Japan are "new modified pistons". I was "assured" it is only the new pistons that need to be replaced, no need for new piston rings or any work on the engine block and should not be concerned about them "stripping the engine to pieces" and putting it back in (great thought...). I wonder how they discovered the pistons to be the problem on my RAV without opening up the engine (another great thought...).

Small engine Toyota turbo diesel engines have been around in South Africa, where the climate is very similar to Australia, for many years. My dad has a Corolla 2.0D-4D which has done 120,000 trouble free kilometers often towing his caravan. He said to me the other day that he has never had to top the oil between services. I am also not aware of any oil consumption issues with smaller Toyota turbo diesel vehicles in South Africa and confirmed this with a very good contact at Toyota in South Africa.

The GM from the dealership called me yesterday to inform me that they were not in a position to replace or refund the RAV, it is a call only Toyota Australia can make. The Service Manager then called me late yesterday afternoon to let me know the parts from Toyota Japan will be here in two weeks and that they would need the RAV for at least two weeks to replace the parts. He could not tell me what the parts were or what causes the excessive oil consumption (apparently on Toyota Australia know at this stage).

I basically only use my RAV to get to work and back which is a 75kms trip each day, averaging about 40km/h and an average of 7.2l per 100km consumption. Only drive in "eco" mode. Fairly easy going I would say for a Toyota.

Same problem with my 2013 RAV4 GX Diesel (2012 built), low oil warning at 18,000kms, at 20,000kms service was told "not to worry". Low oil warning again at 24,000kms, took it back to the dealer for oil consumption test, received an email a couple of days later just saying parts were ordered and they will be in touch. Told the dealer I am not prepared to be part of an experimental exercise by Toyota Australia attempting to fix the problem, I want a new car or money back. I am awaiting their resonse.