11/16Aurion 12Kluger

Towbar is always best slipped into a deal closer before buying for $0. Best to just shop around for after market as dealer is overpriced as always. Car wash wax detergent... The one i'm using at the moment is a Turtle Wax brand. No need to go overboard on boutique products. I am using a armourall substitute from reject shop at the moment and find it does just as good a job as the maximum mark up ones. Auto car washes do not do the job for me and diy is good exercise and you get a better result... I bought a very soft broom and use that with the wash/wax. Being a larger vehicle it is needed. In another year or so I might give it a coat of protective polish but until then it is not needed. I aim at protecting the car and keeping it as original as possible. Doing it for looks purposes passed me by when I started to feel the effects of old age .. LOL My last Toyota was 10 y/o when I sold it and the first thing the buyer said when I took it out of the garage was "showroom" :-) The hardest thing to avoid is damage... car parks, kids passengers (lol), dealerships/servicing, etc..

The op has not been back so most likely has coughed up had it fixed and moved on. Also who knows... the Kluger may have been a used one she purchased 2nd hand that had done a couple of hundred thousand k's chasing wild pigs in the NT and may be the reason for the worn out shaft? It also may be the result of a previous accident... ?? who knows without a crystal ball. I find it a bit rich that the dealer slugged her for towing costs when they were test driving. That's how some dealerships are though.

Sounds like the op means the "knob" used to adjust the temp on the climate control?

Gongrats on purchasing a great motor vehicle. I bet you love driving it :-) 1. leather & paint protection The number one question with this subject is it garaged? How often will it be parked out in the weather? I am not into leather seats in cars but i'm sure there are plenty of products on the market for them. Keep them clean and apply preserving oil and it should be ok unless it is out in the weather 24/7. There would be others here with opinions on this for you. Finish.. I like my cars to still have that new look 10 years later... here is what I do. The best thing without argument for finish is a garage. If it parked outside then nothing will beat the elements no matter how much energy and money you throw at it. I wash mine about 2-3 times a year as I believe the more you fiddle and grind away at the paint finish the worse it becomes. I don't drive on dirt roads here and don't go bush bashing. Being a tall vehicle it does not seem to get as dirty as much as a regular sedan. When I wash it I use a good quality car shampoo with a built in wax agent. I go over it once with the suds then let it dry a little to loosen any bugs etc then go over it again then a thorough hose off and chamois. I purchased a very soft broom and it is the best for doing this with especially the roof area. If you use the automated car washers then don't bother worrying about your car finish. Leave polishing for as long as you can... may not need it for 3-4 years... depending on how and where the car is used (no crystal ball here) all you may need is a good protective product and not a cutting type polish. The internal and external plastics... shock horror... I use the stuff they flog at go-lo and reject shop. I find it works very well and does the same job. I give the plastics a going over once a year and that maintains their new appearance. For me the aim is to keep the car looking as new for as long as possible. You see some cars that have had their finish over polished and it looses that original look. 2. spare tyre I only found out about this today myself so will be looking into some way of locking it. 3. tyre pressure should be @ 40psi? Yes. Always check them after dealer service. Last service I had they put 60 psi in all of them. 4. accessories - would it be good to have the bonnet and head lamp protector? Personally no. A waste of money. The headlights already have a plastic cover and would be cheaper to replace than the ridiculously priced protectors. Bonnet protector only protects the leading edge and not the rest of the front of the vehicle. May need one if you tailgate semis on gravel roads otherwise no. Tow bar is handy. Weathershields if you like you windows down when it is raining. Nudge bar... any other tips please? It loves good petrol, the best of premium. Shell and Caltex both have 2 premium ulp versions each. Check their websites for which is sold where. If you got the awd version then you will find it likes a drink, quite the opposite with the 2wd. I'v had mine for a bit over a year now and can't fault anything at all about it. It is a very low maintenance vehicle so don't go looking for anything that needs fixing or tightening as there is nothing... so boring that way... lol. It is a dream to drive. Hope you have many years of pleasure from owning it.

A small bit of white smoke is not uncommon with most cars when cold. When it is dead cold start it up and film it. That is the problem with buying used... you never know what has been done to the car by the previous owner, even a very good car.

I had a 2000 V6 Camry that would stay in gear a little longer when it was cold but once the temp indicator moved off the lowest mark it went fine. This seems like a good idea anyway. I have had 2 4cyl Camry's, a 94 and a 07 and currently have another 07 as well as the new Kluger. I never rev engines hard when they are dead cold anyway (common sense) but have never experienced any odd behaviour from any of my Toyotas when cold. Other cars, YES :-) but that is another story. These days I always let the engine run for a minute or two when starting from dead cold before hitting the road. Best thing to do in any car, mostly for safety's sake. No car will perform at optimum level from dead cold.

Again no such thing here. I do wait a minute or two before driving off though. If I floored it I would end up in the luggage area!! :-) I have found that using anything but the best premium petrol does noticeably affect performance and economy. I stick to Caltex 98 & Shell 98 (beware... shell have a 95 that they call "premium"). FYI ... Both Caltex and Shell market two premium petrols. Check their web sites for the details and where you can buy what as not all servos carry the good stuff.

When was the last time the cooling system serviced... ie: had coolant flushed and replaced? Most likely never and thus water pump failure? It is the same engine as the Aurion btw... I have seen somewhere, maybe on Aurion forum, where some can do it without removing the engine.

Every new one I've seen has been millimetre perfect. Typical Japanese built vehicle. Pics of your misfitting panels would be great. It is not unusual for new cars to have panel work done prior to delivery because of damage during transit.

I'm suspecting they used lower spec oil?

No "tallish" vehicle will handle like a Honda Civic or the like because they taller. Basic physics. Try throwing a Nissan Patrol or a Landcruiser around?? :-) I'm not a fan of the 19" wheels and lower profile tyres. Prefer the 17".

Ask the dealer. A lot of those type of settings are adjustable via digital interface with special equipment they have. I would like to have the window buttons work when the car is unlocked, not only when the key is in the ignition. A bit of a pain.

Mine is only 1 yr old but I have not experienced any of the symptoms mentioned. Mine feels like a CVT transmission, so smooth and difficult to pick when it changes, power always feels instant. It also seems to preselect a lower gear when slowing down so there is no delay when accelerating again. I would assume that both your vehicles are AWD where mine is 2WD and that may have something to do with it? I have had a short drive in a AWD version with 70,000k on it and the transmission and responsiveness was impeccable. With the op's query two things are unknown, the year & km's travelled and what may have been done to the vehicle by the previous owner. That is always the mystery when purchasing used. From my experience it is not the norm so it may need looking at?

Yes!! They washed mine last service and did half a job. I didn't know they were going to do it. They also put 60psi in all my tyres. :-(

Congrats on your choice of a very fine vehicle Dan! I've had mine a year now and love it. Mine had the 1000k check up. Your dealer will check and fill your washer bottle & similar items every time you take it for a service. Just a tip... best tyre pressure is 40psi.

"DJKOR>> I myself don't like Castrol oils, hence why I bring my own. Depends what peace of mind you want." How do you know that they have used your supplied oil and not just thrown in "cheapest available"? Curious because I have thought of doing this also.

After my first service (dealer) the fuel consumption increased noticeably. Prior to that I was getting amazing figures. All I can put it down to is a different grade of oil being used to that used at the factory in Japan. I have experienced a Toyota dealer using 20-50 in a reasonably new Camry motor so would not be surprised what the dealer put in it to increase their profit margin. Another owner had experienced the same thing. Would it be ok to run it using the oil the factory uses? AFAIK they don't use running in oil these days? Does anyone know what oil grade it is? (no guesses please)

David I would not believe what they put on an invoice... dealers really push to save any cent they can and if they can get away with billing you for a premium oil and using lower grade then they will. You are lucky if you get your oil filter changed. In our Klugers the filter is in a housing so it makes it difficult to know if they have changed it. They know it can go for 2 or 3 servicings and not cause problems... more $$$'s in their pocket. I am not saying that they all do this sort of thing but from what I have heard and seen I would believe that most would. A motor dealership is a very expensive business to operate and they are forced to screw you whenever and however they can just to survive. Look at the size of some of them and the number of staff as well as all the equipment. The Toyota dealer I had my last service done at has a wall full of achievement awards... how impressive? That didn't stop them from putting 60psi in all my tyres and scratching the rear bumper. Who knows what oil they used. Even if you asked you would be lied to as they don't know themselves nor care. We have 5 Toyota dealers in this area and I have had dealings with 3 of them. One in particular is that incompetent and rude it is like something out of would you believe. I have had many new cars in my time and can't recall an experience from any dealership that would cause me to praise one. They rate from lousy to outright criminals. I took the risk with the first service on my new Kluger hoping something may have changed... sadly not. I don't mind paying top price for anything but I do expect to get what I pay for, not some of it. Toyota make magnificent vehicles but fall flat on their face when you try to use their after sales service. Most car dealerships are like this though. Customers are happy if they have the little stamp in the log book... they are unaware of anything else.

Ratheesh..... Toyota do not make nor blend oil. It is just oil from regular retailers but in their own branded container... and also costs more than it should. :-) I noticed with mine that the fuel consumption increased after the first service. It went up about as much as yours did. My guess is that the oil used when the car is made is of a much lighter viscosity which would give better economy? That is only a guess. Car dealerships all use different suppliers for their oils & fuels and usually award their contract to the cheapest offer. They are a business and a cent saved is profit... There is no way of knowing for sure what brand of oil let alone what grade they have used when servicing your car. Who knows, they may not have even changed your oil filter... this is very common. I had one service on a reasonably new car where they had put in 20-50 oil... !! How did I know... they were that honest that they wrote it in the log book! With Toyota V6 sedans I have owned and serviced I have always used Castrol Magnatec 10-40 and always had excellent economy and performance from them. One we had for 10 years and the motor was same as the day we got it. I will be doing my own oil change with my next service (12 mths service) so I will let you know if there is any improvement. :-)

DVD players are mounted on a floating platform inside the case, even your home theatre one. This is to reduce hopping from vibration. I would imagine that this is why the one in your vehicle is not rigidly fixed as your car would be subject to constant vibration whilst driving.

5/12 KXR 2WD 10,000k Keen to put a lot more k's on it... best thing ever to have wheels stuck to it!!

The Kluger is a "tall vehicle" and in being so reacts differently to the average sedan and the driving style should be adjusted to accommodate this. In general it is very stable and safe and there is no need to be overly cautious. Having driven many similar vehicles I find the handling of the Kluger is clearly the best so far. If yours is not handling how you would expect it to then have it looked at soon. Have you had it since new? Previous owner could have done something to it or it may have had poor repairs after an accident? Does it have good tyres with the correct pressure?? One things that I have noticed is that many people run too low a pressure in their tyres, mostly using pressures more suited to a small lightweight sedan. That is very dangerous and will affect the handling. I have found that 40 psi is the best to run them at and it is also what the dealer recommends. Note... this is on the standard 17" KXR rims... not sure what it is with the 19"s? PS: Might want to change the topic title? I thought it related to an actual roll over ...? Body Roll may be more appropriate? A journo once rolled one and made a big hoo haa about it. Since then people take the slightest opportunity to make out that the Kluger is prone to this which is a blatant lie. More a case of careless journo looking for a way out of paying for the damage.

Put your model KXR, KXS, Grande + 2WD or AWD + whatever spec in your profile so it shows up next to your name in posts. It can be a big help to others.

Had my new Kluger for 11 months now and I only have one complaint... I can't stop wanting to go & drive it. I have had many cars in my 50 years of driving but the Kluger is just another world away. Visibility, comfort, power, economy, etc are all 10/10 for me for the money. If someone said I could choose anothe car tomorrow I would be in another Kluger without a doubt. Mine is 2wd... have never experienced anywhere that awd would be of any use at all. If you go to the snow then it may be needed then? Traction and stability is excellent in all weather and on all surfaces, never a sign of slip. I have had it on a very steep grass slope and was surprised how easily and sure footed it was going up it. I think it would climb a wall if it had to? Fuel economy 9.5 city / 8.3 highway but have had as low as 7.0 on good road at a constant 120kmh for 160km. For the motor, the weight and the power it delivers it would be more econimical than most mid sized sedans. Include the very low maintenance costs and reliability into the equasion and you are even futher ahead. Why 99% of the country are not driving these cars is beyond me?

I was wondering with it not having the front lower bumper driving lights , has anyone managed to get these included as a bonus when buying a brand new one?.The main reason i ask is , the driving lights are not listed as add on accessoires in there sales book(the only place ive seen them been sold is on Ebay). Also look for them on the internet under the Highlander name as that is what it is known as in the us and elsewhere. There are many after market accessories sold out of china and most refer to the model as the Highlander. AliExpress can be a good source if you find a supplier with a good rep. I assume you are only wanting the lights for aestetic reasons? The standard headlights are far more than you would ever need in any situation... burn your eyeballs out at 10km!! *Front mud flaps (rear seem to be already attached) I didn't have these fitted to mine... might be already on there??... anyway, there is no noticeable flick up of anything that I have noticed in the last 11 months. For a pricing source of what may be possible go to any or all of the web sites like carsales.com.au and others. They will show special offers from many dealers. If you are serious about saving a few thousand with your deal then do your research, it will pay off. I have seen many that have been so happy with their deal but little did they know they paid $5000 + more than they should have. LOL Ingorance can be bliss sometimes? Make the effort and reap the reward. I have seen some dealers selling the KXR in the $35,000 range ... drive away! That is amazing value for what you get in this motor vehicle. I am sure you will love it, the power and the fuel economy is exceptional as is the ride and the quietness. BTW... set your tyre pressure to 40psi if not already set there by the dealer. I agree with what Croco says re the sat nav... mostly useless but they look good. Smart phones are replacing dedicated satnavs now. The benefit being that no matter where you are and what car you are driving you have a satnav in your pocket. I have a 3.5" phone with Sygic (for android) installed and it is brilliant. I turn the satnav on and the phone fits neatly in the cowling where the tacho/fuel gauge is. Does everything a decicated sat nave does... There is a Toyota Highlander forum in the us that is a great source for more research.