SHAME TOYOTA SHAME
I am an aged pensioner, a disabled age pensioner.
The only outdoor experience I really enjoy, or for that fact, am capable of doing, is kayaking.
Enough about my personal life.
Last year I purchased a 2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid. Never really thought that I would purchase such a car, but I was impressed. It was quiet, reliable and had very good fuel economy.
I purchased roof racks for it so I could go kayaking. The only problem I found with the Toyota Camry was that the ground clearance was too low for some of the roads I would be driving on, so I researched SUV’s and, in particular, the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid.
The Toyota Rav4 Hybrid had very good reports and it seemed to fit the bill for my purposes, so in August of this year [2020] I purchased one – an ex-demo, [December]2019 RAV4 GX Hybrid.
‘Pop’ – that was the sound of my expectations and dreams bursting.
‘RECAPTURE YOUR SENSE OF ADVENTURE’ Toyota’s official web page says of the Rav4. Well, this couldn’t be further from the truth for me.
I rang up my local [Penrith N.S.W.] Toyota place to get a quote on a ‘supply and fit’ for a set of roof racks. Imagine my surprise – no -dismay, when having told the accessories person that it was a Toyota Rav4 GX, his exact words were ‘I was afraid of that’.
He then explained to me that Toyota DO NOT make a roof rack for the Toyota Rav4 GX model. They make them for the GXL and Cruiser models, but NOT the GX model.
$39 500 of my savings, hard earned savings, had just been spent on a car that was unable to do the one thing that I wanted the car to do.
There was no point in continuing my dismay with this person, so I decided to contact the Toyota head office to complain.
Oh yes, the Toyota head office was very ‘sympathetic’ to my plight and ‘understanding’ how such a situation could cause me to be upset, but there was nothing that Toyota could do, Toyota didn’t make roof racks for this model and that was that.
Toyota’s solution, and this is the real kicker, was that I should contact the agency I purchased the Rav4 GX from [Mansfield Toyota, Victoria], then take the Rav4 GX back to Mansfield Toyota [which meant driving the vehicle down to Albury, place the vehicle on a tow truck so that it could be transported over the Victorian border] and, get this, then TRADE IT IN for a GXL or Cruiser model, one that takes roof racks [which meant that I would have to wait until Toyota put the upgraded model on a tow truck, bring it back over the border so that I could drive it back to Sydney].
That’s right, Toyota’s solution was for me to spend another $6 000 to $12 000 on another car so that I can fit roof racks that would cost me about $600 to supply and fit.
Well, here’s an idea, why don’t I just hand my keys over to you, Toyota, and then you GIVE me an upgraded Toyota Rav4, at no expense to me – problem solved.
OR, here’s another idea Toyota, make roof racks for the Rav4 GX model.
I don’t care that this Rav4 GX will read my text messages to me or that the wipers will come on when a drop of rain hits the windscreen or that a little yellow light flashes on the sideview mirror if there is a car next to me [when I was learning to drive, they taught me to look over my shoulder to cover the blind spots and to turn the wipers on when it rained], I just want to be able to use the vehicle for the purpose I bought it for. I want to be able to put my kayak on the roof racks of my new, retirement present to myself, Toyota Rav4 GX.
Again I say, $39 500 spent on a vehicle that is unable to let me do the one thing that I want to do.
SHAME TOYOTA SHAME
Yours
Christopher Bancroft – very disgruntled Toyota owner
My New RAV4 Hybrid Experience
closed Comments
- 1
- 2
Ánd then he'll claim disability.
https://roofrack.com.au/product/toyota-rav4-gen-5-xa50-5dr-s…
Check aftermarket, there should be some option out there.
Do after market racks void warranty? What happens if you get rust around the racks?
I think we’ve all had a big purchase before where we’ve regretted something overlooked, and to be fair on the OP it is pretty disappointing that Toyota don’t factor this across the SUV line up (though maybe they’re yet to be released). Sorry for your situation OP and I hope you find the aftermarket option others have posted suits!
I want the 10s of my life back that I spent reading the OP before realising that the OP simply didn't do their research, and didn't bother reading the rest.
Can OzB institute a cooling off period for posts so you can't post anything in your first 24/48h to stop posts like this? The most asinine posts seem to come from users who have registered in the last day.
You want to deprive OzB of this wonderous post and all of the ensuing lols? Grinch! ;)
Or perhaps show the L (learner) icon in forum posts?
We need a P (pensioner) icon…
Wow, here I was expecting a decent run down of real life experience in drive quality, handling, fuel economy, features to love or hate..
Nope, just a 'pass the buck' account of a poorly researched issue that could still be fixed via a 3rd party supplier.
You know what they say when people “assume”.
Hate to say it, but you’re sounding like an entitled boomer.
Wouldn’t it be harder to lift a kayak onto a RAV4?
I test drove new rav4 hybrid a found nvh is no good. Ride was harsh with engine noise so loud. Not my kind of car.
Cool story bro
Are you sure it was engine noise and not wind noise coming from the roof rack?
Perhaps fit a towbar. then purchase a box trailer and have appropriate apparatus made up to allow you to carry the kayak(s) on the trailer. Much more convenient with no lifting up on to the roof. Plenty of space for extra bits & pieces.
If the RAV4 lacked roof rack mounting points then you would have a point, but surely you can buy a roof rack from a company like Prorack? I have one of their products. It works great, is well priced, and has a whole load of accessories available that car makers never provide.
Surely spending $300 on a Prorack is cheaper than $6k to $12k to change the car?
Also the fact that you are an aged pensioner is completely irrelevant to the story.
It is as hard as going to Supercheap website and input your rego and voila! roof rack options from Prorack for this car…
No computter, well, i've got you cover, you can drive to store and ask. Do you sell a roof rack for this car?
No Supercheap auto store, no problems, perhaps, Autobarn, Repco, Roof Racks galore can help…
Why exactly should we sympathise with someone who had a critical requirement for a car, and didn't take the trouble to ask whether the car he was buying was able to meet that requirement until after he bought it?
I needed to tow a trailer. I went into the dealer and expressed interest in a particular new car they had sitting there, and told them I needed it to be able to tow a trailer. They rang the distributor there and then, in front of me, in my hearing, got an assurance that they had a factory tow bar for it, so I bought it, with the tow bar on it supplied by the distributor, and fitted by the dealer, with the towbar on the receipt. Only to find out that particular variant of the brand and model, and only that variant, is not authorised by the manufacturer to tow anything, and that I'd be voiding the warranty and my insurance if I towed one. In the end, even with the help of consumers affairs, all any anyone was willing to offer me was a refund of the cost of the towbar and fitting.
Grumpy old pensioner?
the car / model is in in very high demand
Sell it & buy the model you needOr, if available, buy an after market product
Next time, do your homework before buying a car,
Buying an aftermarket product is vastly cheaper than changing a car. Apart from having 'Prorack' or such on the product, I don't see what the big deal is. Is it that vital to have 'Toyota' written on the rack?
this has to be a troll post?.
This honestly reads like a Today Tonight episode.
Or a news.com.au story with the headline "You won't believe what Toyota did to this pensioner"
It’s quite possible the OP inspected and test drove the higher spec model then wanted to save some $ by not getting bells and whistles but didn’t realise the poverty pack model didn’t come with roof rails, and therefore no factory racks.
What OP didn’t do is try to find other rack suppliers and only relied on the dealer - dealers who are notorious for not admitting there are other non OEM suppliers and that it is possible to get stuff the factory don’t supply.
I’d also be surprised if the factory roof rails couldn’t be retro fitted. It’s unlikely they produce two different roof designs for one vehicle.
When someone starts off a discussion with this "I am an aged pensioner, a disabled age pensioner." instead of telling us the problem, you know they are trying to get pity support. The fact that you are an aged pensioner is irrelevant.
You did not do your research, brought in a hurry and asked other people to fix your problem. Toyota do not make an official one for the GX, but perhaps you might find a third party one. The rav4 gx hybrid is still a pretty awesome car, it just did not fit your niche requirement of carrying a kayak.
Try aftermarket roof racks
I bought a Kia Sorento. The ones I'd seen had roof rails allowing for easy fitment of manufacturer roof racks. When I got the base model I realised it didn't have roof rails so I bought aftermarkets roof racks for 1/2 the price that the manufacturer ones cost to fit to the higher spec model. So turned a negative into a positive.
Boomer self inflicted problems and we have to waste our time reading this…
As pointed out simple google search like a whole 30s would prevented and solved this, much less time time posting this Karen rant.
And Boomers wonder why they're hated…
well at least we know there's progression in humankind
How the boomer generation had a free university education, yet turns out to be so selfish and stupid is beyond me.
Either way glad the're being called out now and yeah later generations have progressed significantly. Even my 3 year old has a think before a tantrum and can be reasoned with.
Free education was slightly after that.
5 minutes of my life expectancy just spent on this……… Sigh
ffs, worst effen customers
Christopher, I feel for you. But why do you see a need to go to Toyota and let them continuously rip you off from OE accessories? After all, Toyota Australia outsourced all their roof rack solution to Rhino rack. Do your self a favour and drive to Autobarn, Supercheap. Many to choose from out there from Rhino to Rola to cheap eBay stuff.
Member Since
17 hours 39 min ago
Last Seen
17 hours 31 min ago
Statistics
1 posts / 0 commentsThis guy is never coming back.
Surely troll post?
They've trolled it all over Facebook! Someone found the same copy pasta all over the place
Hahaha hilarious.
I wish we had a laughing reaction, most of my posts or +1s here are just for things I find funny.
So… you learn nothing… in all this time.
I bet you find it difficult to even get into the thing.
I bet you can't even park the monstrosity.
I bet you can't even stay in your lane.
Comparing this to the Fastway post, I oddly find myself with more ethical dilemma with the fella complaining about sexist comment by an elderly immigrant.
Dude, just get a Seasucker Rack. You don't need roofracks at all, it just 'vacuum-attaches'. They've been around for ages, and work really well. Probably solved…
ok boomer
This is clearly just troll-posting. How would a disabled pensioner have $40k in savings they can just drop on a car?
Depends on the pension. He may have got a lump sum payout from an accident.
Possibly an ex-serviceman on a medical discharge (my father got a small pension from age 23 when he was discharged from the RAN to when he died at 86. He was also taking up to 40 tablets a day for medical conditions caused by the drugs the RAN gave him when mine sweeping in the tropics for 5 years.
He may even have a passive income or an inheritance. Maybe he is frugal and knows how to save. I've known plenty of pensioners that appear to have more money than the rest of us plebs because they watch every penny.
If you really want genuine then you could fit the units (at your cost) from the more expensive models but it will involve removal of the headlining and it's likely that you will then get more things to complain about.
OK Boomer
All I'm hearing is:
- You have ONE requirement - roof racks
- You didn't convey that requirement to Toyota
- You're blaming Toyota for not reading your mind?
From the look of it, OP is not likely to come back to this thread here. Thread closed.
- 1
- 2
POP !!! - that was the sound of your spinal cord giving way from lifting that 30 plus kilo kayak.