FORWARD PLANNING
CARS@NEWS.COM.AU OR PO BOX 2808, GPO SYDNEY, 2001
I’ve recently ordered a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and am expecting a six-month wait. What sort of fuel economy can I realistically expect to get from the Hybrid?
Ron Peckitt, email
Demand for the RAV4 Hybrid remains high — Toyota just can’t build them quickly enough. In terms of real-world economy, it depends where you drive it. In urban areas, it uses roughly half the petrol of the non-hybrid AWD RAV4 — 5.0 L/100km versus 9.4L/100km — as the Hybrid can run on battery power alone at low speeds, then recharge when braking. This happens only rarely on the highway. The Hybrid’s official combined economy is 4.8L/100km. On my “real world” test I got 5.6L/100km: excellent for a midsize family SUV.
WHEEL WORRY
Re: rattle gun tightened wheel nuts. Could they do damage to the rim itself, and/or the nut? I’m worried about my alloy rims.
Paul Andriessen, email
The technician would have to be being very careless, but yes, overtightening can strip nut threads, as well as damage your wheels and brake discs. A good tyre workshop will always use a torque stick (limiting the tightness) with the rattle/impact gun. Better yet, they’ll do final tightening with a torque wrench. Damage can also come if nuts have been overtightened and you struggle to remove them in a roadside change of wheel.
CRACKING COVERAGE
Re: cracked Toyota Prado dashboards, you told Gary McNeil his car was “18 years old so we can’t expect any help from Toyota.” We took our 2003 Prado to Mandurah Toyota in WA, they photographed our cracked dashboard, sent it to Toyota Australia and we were given a free dashboard, only paying labour costs for fitting. This happened only last month.
Lorraine Atherton, email
Wow. Incredible service. I’ve never heard of a goodwill repair on an 18-year-old car. I feel for Toyota Customer Service. They may get snowed with similar requests. What’s next? HK Holden owners badgering General Motors for goodwill repairs on dodgy 50-year-old water pumps?
CUT IT OUT
Re: the reader with torn leather seats in his four-year-old Mazda BT-50, my 2012 Ford Territory Titanium had a similar problem. It reached 50mm long, but despite being out of warranty Ford arranged supply and fitment of a new leather seat squab at no cost. This is how a customer expects to be and should be treated. GD, email
Re BT-50 worn seats, the same thing happened to mine. Outside warranty, my Mazda dealer in Orange had them re-covered at no cost, acknowledging it was the “substandard quality of the hide” that caused the issue. Suffice to say I will (and did!) buy another Mazda.
John Newton, email
Who knew? Proper customer care brings return business. I bet you bought your new Mazda from the same Orange dealer, too.
OVER SANITISED
Re: Wearing Down, my 2015 Subaru also had a steering wheel wear issue, and my Subaru service department also suggested hand sanitiser to be the cause. Within a week Subaru Australia approved a goodwill replacement. My daughter’s 2018 Toyota Corolla had a similar delamination issue, but Toyota would not assist. It’s not hard to guess what our next vehicle is going to be. Garry Christensen, email
As above, here’s your ABC for snaring return custom. This sanitiser-damaged steering wheel problem may well snowball. Will manufacturers respond with coatings that don’t break down from alcohol-based sanitisers?
NOISE CANCELLING
I’ve just bought a new Hyundai Tucson. I’m very happy with it, but tyre noise from the Kumho Crugens on coarse chip roads is appalling. Can you suggest something to quieten things down a bit?
Barry C, email
I’ve not used a set, but have had friends recommend Michelin Primacy tyres for much reduced road noise. Numerous readers have written in to confirm this.
RELATIONSHIP DETERIORATING
I have a 2018 Suzuki Ignis with 73,000km. It also has steering wheel deterioration and I don’t use any cream or wear rings. This is my third and last Suzuki.
Kevin Hughes, email
That is early wear, and your car is still under warranty. Give Suzuki a chance to put it right. They may offer a warranty or goodwill fix. Contact their customer care and see if they’ll help.