[zoltan]

There is a Toyota certified used RAV4 with 26k miles about 1.5 hours from me. It's pretty much exactly what I've been looking for at the price I want. However, after checking the vehicle history I learned it spent the last three years in New York state.

Most other used vehicles from NY I won't touch due to rust issues. However, should I go look at this one since it only spent 3 years and 26k miles in NY?

I intend to keep the RAV4 I eventually purchase for between 8-10 years, so I want to make sure I get something in good shape.

The one I'm looking at:
http://www.fitzmall.com/Inventory/Detail/2T3BF4DV6CW247396/USED-2012-Toyota-RAV4

 

[DVS]

DO NOT trust the photo.

That photo is of a base model with the Upgrade Value Package, but the description is for the standard base model.

Other than that, all you can do is look at it, and test drive it, for yourself.

.

 

[rav4system]

being in ny only 3 years would not scare me at all...mine has been in ny for 5 years and is not rusty underneath at all...definitely check it over good tho and look for any signs of repair...these are pretty good cars so mechanically im sure its fine...

 

[Beaumont67]

6 months ago, we bought a 2008 RAV4 Limited v6, in S/W Ontario Canada...with 55,000 miles.
- always dealership maintained, and original owners probably gave it more car washes than many

I'm a self trained body man (hobby of mine) and can tell you / our SUV is still totally rust free.
- maybe vehicle was rustproofed once, when new at dealership (?)
- good possibility, as underneath floor pain, still like new...unibody floor paint, is perfect

Earlier this month, we had our RAV4 oil spray undercoated.
- and will have it rustproofed now, every coming fall / to stop or slow rust forming, in its tracks

 

[Blogson]

Of course DVS is correct - the vehicle in the photo isn't the one described verbally. Two glaring discrepancies, for examples - verbally the door handles are said to be black but in the photo they are body color, and verbally the wheel are said to have wheel covers but the photo is of alloy wheels.

 

[DVS]

Of course DVS is correct - the vehicle in the photo isn't the one described verbally. Two glaring discrepancies, for examples - verbally the door handles are said to be black but in the photo they are body color, and verbally the wheel are said to have wheel covers but the photo is of alloy wheels.

Both of those were features of the Upgrade Value Package, as was the sunroof you can see in the photo, which isn't mentioned anywhere in the text.

.

 

[Just Another Guy]

One thing to think about cars from the North that seem to virtually rust free, especially from Canada.

If the said car was owned by a retiree in the past, there could be a chance that even though from the North it never spent a winter there.

Many retires head to Texas, Florida, Georgia and the likes with Tennessee starting to be a destination as well. I live and work in a community that caters to them. I can tell you when possible the Canadians and Midwesterners come down in big numbers. Always from October through March or April.

 

[SoNic67]

mine has been in ny for 5 years and is not rusty underneath at all.

That doesn't mean that all of the cars from NY are the same!
A while back I have bought a vehicle that lived 3 years in NY and then lots of years south. Rust from the road salt, once started, never stopped eating the metal....
Never again.