Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with toyota

When will the Prius Plug In be available nationwide?

AgentRocket — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:12:00 -0800

The Prius Plug In looks great, and I have been waiting for it to come to Illinois since it was released last year. Toyota's website said for a year that it would be released nationally "in 2013." Recently that has been changed to say "availability in additional states is currently under study." Do any gearheads know what has caused the delay and when (if?) it might become more broadly available? (Bonus question: what is so difficult about releasing it nationwide? Low production? Regulatory issues? It seems like it shouldn't be that hard.)

Am I insane to buy a mk1 Toyota MR2 if I live in NYC without a garage?

nathancaswell — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:09:27 -0800

I live in Brooklyn, sans garage, and have recently gotten it into my head that I want a small used car for occasional driving... I'm talking about the few miles to my office a couple times a week, maybe to the beach on weekends. Perhaps as far as the Jersey shore once or twice a summer. I do not intend or need to use it as a daily commuter. Seems pretty simple, only catch is... I am infatuated with the idea of getting a mk1 Toyota MR2. I am trying to be realistic about this car's reliability. Obviously, we are talking about a 25 year old sports car... my main hang up is I don't have any place to store/work on it when it breaks down (which I'm sure it will). I've heard it can be difficult to find a mechanic that will work on these cars. Are there garages in the city where I can have it worked on without it costing an arm and a leg? Do you have any personal experience on what it's like to deal with owning a classic car in the city without a garage? Am I completely nuts for even considering this?

Toyota Prius owners- what should you've known when you bought your car?

b_alex_a — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 22:21:22 -0800

We're likely going to buy a used (2006 or 2007) Prius soon. Any advice from Prius owners would be appreciated! E.g., problems you've had that we can ask our mechanic to check on before buying; unexpected likes or dislikes about the car; your experience with aging batteries; regrets you didn't buy a different hybrid instead? Thanks all!

How do I remove white stains from driver side car window and mirror?

Frank Grimes — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 15:02:30 -0800

How do I remove white stains from driver side car window and mirror? I bought a used 2010 Toyota Camry and failed to notice a slight whitish discoloration on the driver side window and side view mirror. In the wrong light, it makes seeing out the side mirror difficult. I have tried Windex, vinegar, and Goo Gone without any luck. I even tried soaking newspaper in vinegar and pasting it on the windows for half a day, as recommended here.

The previous owner of the car lived in Florida and I've read that sprinkler systems and other water sources can leave behind water stains or mineral deposits on windows. Because the stains are on the side view mirror and the driver window, I assume the stains are on the outside.

What product(s) or methods can I use to remove these stains or mineral deposits?

(I've seen this question and mine does not seem to be from outgassing or the heater core.)

How to trade a vehicle, for a vehicle, for trade in.

NotSoSimple — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 10:14:15 -0800

Should I trade my rebuilt title vehicle for any other vehicle, just to get an increased trade in value? I am in the market for a 2003+ Toyota Sequoia. Currently Mrs. NotSoSimple and I have a strict budget we would like to adhere to, so we have a hard limit as to what we will spend on a vehicle. We also want only one car payment. We owe $7k on our current vehicle. The plan is to sell/trade our other two vehicles we owe free and clear: 2002 Subaru WRX w/ Rebuilt Title and 1990 Isuzu Trooper w Clear Title. Problem is the WRX. Rebuilt title, no one will take it for anywhere near the $7k I need. I keep getting people offering to trade vehicles, which I shrugged off. 1 month later, still no traction, still getting offers so I began thinking outside the box.

What if I take a trade private party with someone who had a vehicle that would give me the $7k or more I needed. Then turn around and trade that vehicle in to a dealer, pay off my current loan, and purchase their car. Stupid? Genius? Any other tips on how to get out of the bind. Note to self and others: DOnt get a rebuilt unless you are FOR SURE never going to sell it. I was not forecasting 5 years down the road when we purchased it...

Clash of teh humble Cute Utes

methinks — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 09:38:24 -0800

Dear Car Shopper, what would You choose? RAV4 or Outback, new base models. We're in the new or new-ish car market and will be acting soon. We are narrowed to two models for various reasons, each unfamiliar to us and each in a similar 'class' but with its own unique features and possibly limitations.

The choices, 2012 or very slightly possibly 2011, base models only:

~ Toyota RAV4 4-cylinder

~ Subaru Outback 2.5i

Great Lakes region US. Small city driving and some rural roads, mostly low hills, plus 80 mile round-trip highway commute, three or four days each week. Four months of inclement weather, icy highways and deep slush. Occasional trips to a fairly hilly city. Rare 3000 mile round-trips to high-desert SW US.

Two adults, occasional adult passengers. Basic cartage, no hauling or towing is planned. Our 2000 Celica is a wonderful car but getting long-in-the-tooth and can't handle all conditions or uses.

Looking for: Sole daily driver. Low maintenance, longevity, appropriate power for its weight, said winter and rural handling. And mileage that won't shock us too drastically from our current 30 MPG average.

If we're picking and choosing, reasonable road noise is nice too, as is a reasonably responsive or 'sporty' feel. We can adapt to any styling, and features don't matter too much.

We know and like Toyota. Subaru is unknown to us.

Bonus question: If the RAV4, is it reeeeaallly worth trying to get the v6, for these uses?

Other opinions or constructive thoughts?

Spare parts for an ex-Japan Toyota Hilux Surf?

allkindsoftime — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 05:46:32 -0800

How (in the hell) do I find spare parts for my '02 Toyota Hilux Surf? Difficulty factor: car in Kenya, originally made for Japanese market, wife in US and could bring parts back. I have a 2002 Hilux Surf which is the exact same body as a 4Runner in the states, except the drivers side is switched (and, theoretically, at least some of the engine components). I need a new 1) throttle body sensor, 2) fuel pump regulator, and 3) spark plug lead wires. I can probably find #3 here, but even Toyota Kenya doesn't have (and so far are saying they can't get) #s 1 and 2.

Googling for Toyota spare parts took me a lot of nowhere in the last hour, even googling the specific model name of the car got me spare parts dealers in New Zealand, UK, etc.. What I don't know is whether those spare parts, or even the ones in the US, would fit on my engine. My particular vehicle was originally sold in Japan, then I bought it used and imported it to Kenya - kind of standard practice here). I don't speak or read Japanese so trying to source the parts in Japan seems a bit out of the question.

Ideally, I would like Mrs. allkindsoftime to bring the parts back home with her from the US, if I could get them there and have them mailed to Seattle, where she will be. Mail here isn't a reliable option.

She contacted a local Toyota dealership and explained the issue to their maintenance department, they were able to confirm part numbers for a 4Runner of the same year in the US, but couldn't confirm whether or not they'd work for my vehicle (and its like $1500 in parts so buying it sight unseen isn't really an option).

I'd rather be able to order online / over the phone with some relative degree of certainty that I was getting the right thing, and save her the trouble. Problem is I have no idea how to do that.

I have the Model, Engine, and Chasis #s from inside the engine compartment, but as far as I can tell there is no VIN on vehicles made for the Japanese market. Any and all ideas appreciated.

Bought a Toyota, how do I make it last a long time?

snow_mac — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 21:25:30 -0800

I recently bought a 2011 Toyota Corolla with 37,000 miles on it, it's Toyota certified. I drive about 2000 miles per month (probably more). When I'm done with college, I'm hoping to move closer to work at reduce my overall commute by 50% or more, but right now I'm stuck at 2000ish miles a month (lots of alone car time). How do I make my car last longer? My last car was a Ford Ranger 1999, it had lots of problems, engine troubles, axle troubles, I poured about $6000 into it over 4 years. I want to avoid this as much as possible.

How can I make my car last a long time? Target goal: 250,000 miles.

I know about:

1. Regular Scheduled Maintenance

2. Oil Changes

3. Take it easy (What does that mean?)

Other then that, how do I ensure that my car will last?

What do I use in my '95 Camry as power steering fluid?

Mercaptan — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 07:58:44 -0800

My '95 Toyota Camry uses Dexron II transmission fluid as power steering fluid, but nobody sells Dexron II anymore... So what do I use? Apparently actual power steering fluid is bad for the system. And there seem to be more Dexron products out there, but I haven't any idea if they're appropriate.

Is the dealership scamming me?

biograd08 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 18:30:49 -0800

Bought my used 01 Toyota Camry from a dealership over a year and a half ago. Today they inspected the brakes and told me all pads need to be replaced + new brake fluid + powersteering fluid flush + resurfacing the rotors, and new battery. I have been taking this vehicle to same dealership for routine oil changes which include multi-point inspections, and only the battery was an issue in the past. Am I wrong to think that after just over a year and a half I shouldn't need so much work done- should I complain and write a letter, or is this to be expected with a used vehicle? Nov 2010 I bought a 2001 Toyota Camry from a dealership. I got the 2 year warranty, which does not cover "normal wear and tear" which is what it seems like everything falls under.

This is only the second car I've owned, and the Saturn I had for several years never needed any brake work. I have been noticing that the brake pedal pushes lower, so I DO think the brakes probably need to be replaced.

I realize that I bought a USED car, and that the pads may not have been new, but do I have grounds to complain to the dealership about needing to replace the brakes already?

The dealership has also been telling me that my battery has been testing poorly for probably over a year now (each time I bring it in for an oil change), but I have had NO problems whatsoever starting it up, so I have not replaced it. Why does it keep testing bad and should I just try to get as much life out of it as I can and THEN replace it, or is that a terrible idea?

Must admit, I don't know a lot about cars, but I also don't have a lot of money, and don't want to be paying more money to this stupid dealership than I really should.

Really appreciate your help!

1988 Toyota 4Runner V6 Transmission Trouble

dissolvedgirl22 — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:28:26 -0800

How much will my transmission cost to fix? Left to its own devices, how much longer will it last? Any advice for a mechanical laywoman? I've owned this truck about 7 months and I have an irrational love for it even though I may not be able to keep it going much longer. Thanks to the friendly advice of folks here, I've been able to master careful monitoring of my radiator fluid level and rule out a head gasket problem. Not one overheat since I posted my last question!

Now this: for about the past month, I've noticed that the engine seems to take a while to "warm up" and kick into the right gear when driving at any speed. I have an automatic transmission with an overdrive feature. While the truck is warming up, which takes about 10-15 minutes of driving, the RPMs range between 2,000-3,500 with moderate acceleration and the sound of the engine is similar to when the overdrive is engaged, even though it is off. Once this time has passed, the engine quiets down and ranges between 1,500-2,500 RPMs.

Occasionally, with slightly increasing frequency, after this period has passed and I've driven a significant amount of time (at least 45 min - 1 hour) the RPMs will start to wig out and the engine roar for a few seconds as if I was depressing the gas pedal in neutral. If I let off the gas and coast for a few seconds, the engine quiets down and the RPMs go back to a normal range.

The engine also occasionally will die immediately after startup if it's allowed to idle. If I start it up and give it some decent gas for a minute or two, it will hold its own again. This is also a new development.

I know that there is a limit to how much help I can receive here, that my truck is old (odometer was stuck at 250k when I bought it and I've put on maybe another 10k since then) and my pockets are shallow, and eventually I'll have to give in and get something more reliable. I'm just hoping to prolong the inevitable if I can.

Disappearing power steering fault on a Toyota aygo

cilantro — Wed, 02 May 2012 04:08:41 -0800

Power steering failure, AA guy said it was the alternator, dealership (where it's under warranty) claim they can find nothing wrong with the alternator or any aspect of the power steering. Warranty expires next month. What now. 2006 Toyota Aygo with manual transmission, electrical power steering, and a certified toyota extended warranty. Last night, as I slowed down to turn the corner at the bottom of my street, there was a god-awful squealing sound like a tortured pig and the power steering suddenly failed. I managed to fight it back around the block and in to my driveway. The AA guy came today to have a look - checked the PS belt etc., all was fine, checked the charge in the battery and said it was quite low. There was also an electric-y burning smell. He charged the battery for 20 minutes and then followed me to the dealership. He said that it's something he's seen before on Aygos and the other two cars that it's identical to, the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107.

The service department just called to tell me that there's absolutely no problem that they can find and just hemmed and hawed when I asked how that could be possible when the power steering failed spectacularly less than 12 hours before. They were also quite clear that if it failed again outside of the warranty, or if it failed again within the warranty and they couldn't find a fault, that I was out of luck.

What on earth do I do now? I'm terrified to drive the thing knowing it might fail again - what if it fails when I'm going 70 on the motorway? What if they're just stalling and being dishonest so they don't have to repair it under the warranty? Halp please?

Used car suggestions, which should I choose?

photo guy — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:39:49 -0800

UsedCarFilter: Shopping for a small inexpensive hatchback, <$10k. Have a few models in mind, but looking for more info I've been car-free for the last two years and have generally enjoyed it. However, now for various reasons (mostly work-related), taking the bus isn't cutting it anymore and I need to get a car. More than likely it won't be getting too many miles, some occasional commuting but primarily just weekend errands and the like.

Last car I owned was a 2004 Corolla. Great car, never had any issues (and this was back when I commuted 70+ miles/day). Not really looking for another Corolla - would prefer something a bit sportier this time but would still like something halfway reliable that isn't going to constantly be in the shop.

Looking for something small, preferably a hatchback. Aiming for ~$10k or less if possible (so I don't have to take out a loan).

One more twist: I'm moving overseas next year, most likely to Central Europe, and plan to take the car with me. Shipping/registration overseas isn't an issue, but I'd like to get something that can be serviced & replacement parts can be obtained.

What I'm considering so far: 2007 VW Rabbit, Toyota Matrix, Hyundai Accent.

Does anyone have experiences with any of these models? What did you think? So far the Rabbit is my top pick - I like the design (small/compact), it's fun to drive, presumably easier to get replacement parts in Europe, gas mileage is so-so but then again I don't plan to drive it very frequently. But I don't know much about VW's reliability - how well do they hold up? The Matrix also looks promising, but I don't know how popular it is outside of the US. Also open to suggestions of similar models that might be a good choice. Thanks!

Blowing my head gasket...

WinnipegDragon — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:22:21 -0800

My RAV4 is two months out of warranty, and suddenly needs $5k worth of work. What should I do in this scenario? Some further details:

I am the first and only owner of this vehicle (3.5L v6), it has 72,000km on it and the extended warranty expired in December.

I took it in to the dealer for a routine oil change/inspection and the tech called me and told me it needs a new head gasket (leaking coolant) and that the rear axle seals are leaking. I am not surprised by the axle seals as this vehicle has had them done twice already and I suspect it will be a chronic issue with the vehicle. The head gasket floored me though.

The tech suggested that the head gasket is 26 hours of labour on it's own 'since it's a V6' and that I was looking at over $4k worth of work plus taxes.

I am taking this to an independent mechanic that a friend recommended tomorrow to confirm these findings and get an alternative quote, but I as suspicious about the timing with the recent expiry of the warranty, coupled with some flyers I've received in the last six months from the dealership about wanting me to trade in my RAV. I've opened a customer care case with Toyota through the dealership in order to try and get them to cover this under the extended warranty given the low mileage as well.

If they confirm that the head gasket is shot and warranty is refused, is it worth it to invest this much in this vehicle? Black book value is about $13k-$15k on trade in, retail seems to be $20k to $23k in the city right now.

Is there anything else I should do? This is not a financial hit that will be easy to absorb at the moment.

A new transmission? Really? It's a Toyota?

stet — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 10:40:03 -0800

My pickup is a 2000 Toyota Tacoma V6 4X4 with an annoying problem of popping out of first gear both under load and when not under load. This is apparently a known issue with Tacomas as documented here. I've replaced the bushings per the linked article except for the white one on the end of the shift lever visible in the second photo of step four. This part is on order but I'm not optimistic. What are my options? The truck has just over 100k miles on it and I've owned it since late 2000 when I bought her with 27K on her. In addition to being kind of attached to this truck my guess is that I'd be spending at least $10kUS for a comparable replacement for which I wouldn't know the maintenance history. I'm assuming I'll get at least another 100k miles out of this truck, barring accidents. So, I'm figuring it makes sense to replace or rebuild the transmission. However, I have a bad habit of paying to repair trucks that I really should scrap instead. I paid cash for the truck ten years ago, so I'm comparing replacing the truck entirely versus repairing it. I do not have the wherewithal to replace or rebuild the transmission myself.

What should I be looking for here? Seriously, I'm dumb about this. Do I want a dealer to do the work or a transmission shop? What should I have replaced while the transmission is out? The clutch pad is a no brainer, but what else should I get at while I'm in there? Should I buy a new transmission or a salvage transmission? How long should I expect the truck to be in the shop?

Best of all, is there an easy and cheap fix I'm overlooking? That would be ideal. I'm planning on owning the truck for at least another decade, so that's the time frame for amortizing costs.

I'm in the Bremerton, WA area, if anyone has recommendations for specific shops.

1988 Toyota 4Runner Intermittent Radiator Problem

dissolvedgirl22 — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:46:43 -0800

I need guidance from car-fixin' types before I take my truck to a mechanic, in order to prevent falling into a money pit of unnecessary repairs. I also need to know if this is a critical immediate fix or if I have time to collect a few paychecks before addressing it. My truck drove like a charm all the way from Colorado to the Oregon coast and back. The radiator fluid level in the overflow well didn't move a millimeter below the full line, and I never once opened the radiator cap itself. When I purchased the truck, it had a slow leak coming out of the radiator itself that would stop and start with no apparent pattern. The truck has recently started burning rapidly through radiator fluid at times; frequently I will pour about a half gallon of 50/50 green antifreeze directly into the radiator after about 1-2 hours of highway driving, just enough to see the fluid line when the radiator cap is removed. The overflow well is sometimes empty after that amount of driving, and other times it's right where I left it. Sometimes I can smell radiator fluid burning when the temp guage looks normal. Recently the temp gauge on the dash started rising rapidly... I pulled over as soon as I could and saw a lot of white smoke coming from the back of the engine (the side closest to the windshield.) The overflow well was completely full and visibly boiling. I let the truck cool down for about 20 minutes and it was fine for the rest of the day. This has happened twice now and doesn't seem to be related to the length or style of driving. The oil level is also fine and I get regular oil changes.

I wonder if I'm doing something wrong here? The Haynes manual mentions only putting radiator fluid into the plastic well, not the radiator itself, but I started doing that too at the recommendation of a friend. He also said that even though the manual states not to fill the overflow well beyond the full line, that I should fill it up as much as I could. The full line is quite low on the bottle, and I wonder why that is. As long as I keep putting radiator fluid in and watching the temp guage closely, can I keep nursing this thing until I have a little extra money to afford a repair? Or am I looking at the death of the engine if I don't take this in soon? If I do take it in, what should I say to point the mechanic in the correct and most economical direction? How much should I be prepared to spend on this fix?

Thank you so much in advance to anyone who can give me some answers in this situation. I am in over my head, and Google isn't helping me as much as I hoped.

Best Toyota mechanic in Seattle?

friendlyjuan — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 23:06:54 -0800

Answer me these questions three: Do you live in Seattle, do you have a Toyota and do you have a mechanic that you absolutely love? Hook a brother up then! I just moved to Seattle a few months ago and it's time to make some overdue repairs to my '97 Toyota Corolla. I know that it needs some suspension work, a little electrical work and some preventative maintenance. This car needs to last me for a long time yet, so I need to find a mechanic that I can trust to help me keep the sucker running without breaking the bank. That's where you (hopefully) come in. Who knows of a great mechanic that specializes in working on Toyotas in Seattle? I live in Magnolia and would prefer something close, but can obviously travel elsewhere.

Using Car Talk's website, I found High Road Automotive in Ballard. They got great reviews on Car Talk so I'm tempted to go with them, but thought that I would query the hivemind first just to see if anyone had a suggestion of someplace better. Bay's Automotive also got good reviews on Car Talk, so that's an option as well. There are some other suggestions, but those seem to have the best reviews, based on my admittedly cursory research. I'm all ears if anyone has any other suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

Beyond Consumer Reports

freshwater — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 18:35:47 -0800

I'm going to be buying a used car soon, for around $3000. Unfortunately, Consumer Reports doesn't have a reliability chart for beaters. Toyotas and Hondas have the best overall reliability, but how much is that negated by relative age? Craigslist gives me lots of '98-'01 Toyotas and Hondas in my price range, and a few '03-'05 Kias and Nissans.

I intend to drive this car into the ground, ideally for five years or so, with a mix of highway and town. Should I take an older Toyota or Honda, or a younger Nissan or Kia?

For the sake of argument, let's say I'm looking at normal mileage ranges for the ages, no accidents or maintenance red flags.

What's wrong with my car?!

cman — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 09:02:21 -0800

'03 Toyota Matrix makes terrible noise when even slightly lugging engine. What's wrong? So this has been going on for a while to some degree. When I am going up a hill and the engine is working hard, it makes a sort of winding sound, hard to describe. It's kind of like high-pitched groaning. If I down-shift this tends to go away.

Well last night driving home on a long gradual up-hill it got much worse sounding. Once in a while when I stepped on the gas it would sound like a spinning saw-blade. I took the thing home and I'm afraid to drive it now.

The car is an '03 Toyota Matrix. It has a timing chain, which is what my mechanic suspected was the problem. He thought the tension might have been poor. Any thoughts?

Is an older 4runner a good adventure vehicle + daily driver?

jnnla — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:17:02 -0800

What automatic used 4runner should I buy that will be best for both rugged roads and daily driving? Specific project plans inside... So, this previous AskMeFi question has helped me out a bit, but I need some specific advice with regards to 4runners.

I spend a few months out of every year driving to various parts of North America to photograph, and recently I have added backpacking to the mix. I usually car-camp or stay in motels when not backpacking and quite often the roads I need to use to get to my intended trailheads or photographic locations are very very rugged. It has gotten to the point where I am missing photographic opportunities because I drive a 2 door coupe that can barely handle an ungraded dirt road.

My plan is to buy a used 4runner and do to it what this guy has done - adding a bed in the back so I can camp in my vehicle when not out on the trail. It also needs to be my daily driver. Luckily I don't drive all that much when not out adventuring, because I bike to work...so we're talking trips to the grocery store, hardware store etc.

I settled on the 4runner for several reasons: 1) 4wd capable 2) reliable 3)Can be converted to sleep inside [yes, not comfortably, but understand my alternative is usually sleeping on the ground]

I am led to believe that the early to mid 90's models tend to be more reliable, but that the 1999 and onward models have better gas mileage. Is there any truth to this? To me the post-1995 models look overbuilt and from an uninformed standpoint I would much rather have an early 1990s model...so I'm looking for someone to tell me why that might be a bad idea when compared to a later model.

I do not drive stick and would be looking for an automatic with 4wd as opposed to all wheel drive. Most of the roads I intend to drive on are dirt roads of varying quality in the southwest and mountain roads in the Rockies...and ideally I'd like a vehicle capable of tackling something likeThe Old Mojave Road without it being a dedicated off-road toy. Am I asking for too much?

I work with my hands a lot and am a fairly technical person, but I have never been a "car guy" so a vehicle that isn't a pain in the ass to maintain is a necessity (I'm thinking Land Rovers and older Jeeps, CJs, etc). Is a 4runner even right for this?

TLDR Recap:
I want a hardy suv that is large enough for me to sleep in if necessary that can handle very rough road in remote locations and also will act as a daily driver. I think the 4runner fits the bill...am I right, and if so what should I be considering?

-Are there other suvs I should consider for this sort of use?
-What year used 4runner would be best suited to this purpose?
-If prioritizing for ease of maintenance, what sort of performance might I sacrifice?

This purchase is about a year off, so any info would help me continue the research process. Thanks!

Should I pay for cam and oil pump seals?

someonesomewhere — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 06:42:51 -0800

My 2001 4-cylinder Toyota Camry with a little less than 200K miles is at the dealer to have its timing belt and water pump replaced as "preventative maintenance". They haven't even started the work yet and a service writer is recommending that I also have the cam shaft seal and oil pump seals replaced for an additional $150. And of course he's say they could leak but won't tell me what the odds are. My car is in excellent condition and I hope to get another 50K miles out of it in the next 3 years or so. Is this something I should have them do or are they just trying to scare some more money out of me? BTW, the front cover oil seal is being replaced with the timing belt.

Can I buy a plastic removable bubble window to replace the glass rear window in a Toyota 4runner?

cda — Sun, 15 May 2011 21:20:27 -0800

Where can I get a plastic removable bubble window to replace the glass rear window in my Toyota 4runner? The motor keeps wearing out, now the glass is broken. I don't want to spend any more money on that rear window. I just use my 4runner for farm-type errands.

I can't just leave it open in the winter.

So I thought why not just attach some kind of removable window like I have seen on boats. A snap on kind of thing.

Can I buy something like that?

Modding a Toyota RV

Herb Jones — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 12:05:24 -0800

I was given a 1984 Toyota RV that is in rough shape cosmetically, but is a strong running chasis. It has the legendary 22r engine (with low miles), a 6 bolt rear axel and a dual battery setup. The living quarters are a little run down. I am wondering if there is any information on how to strip it down to the frame and if there are any examples of rebuilding a new structure using modern materials?

'99 Corolla...worth it?

shinyshiny — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:57:40 -0800

'99 Corolla CE, 120,000 miles, $4700...help me decide if this is a good deal. So, I need to buy a new car. In the interest of saving money, I've been looking at used cars. All that matters to me is reliability and gas mileage. I found this particular car at a local Toyota dealership. Price seems in line with the KBB price for my area (San Diego).

Are there any particular issues with this age of car? The carfax report lists regular maintenance (every 6 months at the dealer), and only 1 owner. I would be paying cash, and this is approaching my spending limit.

Any advice? Family are too far away to help, and I don't know any friends who know much about cars here.

I don't need to purchase a car this minute. I've arranged my life so that the bus/walking/biking works for most things. My current car will die any day, and there is so much wrong with it, I'm not fixing it. I will be looking for jobs for summer, so a working car is essential by then.

Help me buy a Toyota Truck and get it on the road in LA

fake — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 08:08:25 -0800

I want to buy a Toyota Hilux and get it licensed to drive in LA, CA. I have two questions: What mechanical problems should I look for when buying this specific truck (2WD, 22R engine, early 90's model)? What should I look out for when trying to license it in California? I'm shopping on Craigslist. I currently have a valid North Dakota drivers license. Any experiences with these kinds of trucks or licensing cars in Cali would be most welcome.

I'm totally green - haven't EVER bought a car from ANYONE - I restored my first car from a junked VW and bought my current car from family.