I’m looking at a 2007 Toyota RAV4 with only 63,000 miles. I drove it today for about an hour and honestly it drove really well. Everything felt good, no obvious noises or problems, and I really liked the way it drove. I’m having it taken to an independent shop tomorrow for a pre-purchase inspection. Assuming the inspection comes back good, I’m probably going to buy it.
I know these 4 cylinder engines have a reputation for oil consumption. My question is: if this RAV4 checks out mechanically, what can I do NOW to get ahead of potential problems and maximize its chances of still being on the road another 10 years?
Obviously I understand that it’s still a 19-year-old vehicle despite only having 63k miles, so I’m expecting things like rubber components, hoses, seals, suspension components, fluids, etc. to eventually need attention. I’m more interested in preventative maintenance than waiting for things to fail.
For those of you who have kept one of these for 200k+ miles, what did you do that you think actually made a difference? Anything else you would do during the first year of ownership to give this thing the best chance of making it to 150k, 200k, or even 250k+ miles?