While its mileage is high, today’s Nice Price or No Dice RAV4 looks clean and is said to drive “like new!” It’s also a manual, so it should be a bit of fun to drive. Let’s decide how much that fun is gonna cost.
BMW is such an iconic marque in the U.S. that it’s hard to believe its present-day success can be traced back to a single individual, Max Hoffman, who held sole import rights for the brand from 1954 to 1974. It was Hoffman who encouraged execs at the Bavarian car builder to drop a larger 2-liter engine in the small 02 series, creating the catalyst for the company’s shift to building performance machines rather than economical family cars. Elsewhere, Hoffman was responsible for the Porsche Speedster, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL, and the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider.
So, we have Hoffman to thank for the 1972 BMW 2002TII we saw yesterday; its fuel-injected engine and more capable chassis were added to the 1602 two-door car at his behest. Our car, looking well-kept and seemingly in need of little, came with a price tag befitting its background—$27,500. That proved contentious, however, with a narrow 57% of you feeling that amount was too much for the classic car to bear, sending it packing in a No Dice loss.
Popular with the ladies
When it comes to David and Goliath stories, we hardly ever hear the ones where David gets his butt handed to him by Goliath. That’s just not a feel-good tale. Toyota’s RAV4 compact crossover isn’t so much a David—it is, after all, the marque’s best-selling vehicle in the U.S. and has been for years. It did, however, do something this year that no other car or truck has managed for more than four decades. In February of this year, the RAV4 knocked the U.S. market sales crown from the head of the mighty and seemingly invincible Ford F-150 pickup truck. It was just for the month, and Ford picked that crown up and dusted it off the very next, but for that particular February, the RAV4 ruled.
Another legend that the RAV4 took down was its sister model, the Camry. That car held the sales crown for Toyota for years until the RAV4 arrived, and by the time today’s 2003 RAV4 five-door hit the streets, the model had shoved the Camry aside on the sales floor. This particular model—the second generation—has the added distinction of being the most popular vehicle among women buyers based on registrations.
Do miles matter?
This one is for the ladies, or the gents, who like to row-yer-own, as it has a five-speed manual bolted to its 2.0-liter inline four. That helps make the most out of the mill’s 148 horsepower and 142 pound-feet of torque. While the model’s name is meant to imply that it is four-wheel drive (the 4 in RAV4), this one is front-drive only. It still has all the other aspects of a small crossover, including a commanding seating position and plenty of space in the back.
Unfortunately, that space is accessed by a swinging door, which exposes the fact that the RAV4 was developed for and in the right-hand drive Japanese market, as it hinges on the right rather than the more convenient left for easy access from U.S. curbs.
That’s a very minor issue and one that can be easily overlooked when considering the rest of the RAV. According to the ad, this Toyota has 205,859 miles on the clock, but, per the seller, it “Drives and runs like new.”
Undertow
It’s also remarkably clean and tidy for a vehicle having this many years and that many miles under its belt. The black and silver exterior looks completely free of dings, dents, or scratches, and the factory alloys appear to have never encountered a curb or ham-fisted tire installer. The tires on those wheels, by the way, look like they’re nearly new.
A tow bar resides below the back bumper, but with the engine’s meager output and this being FWD-only, that’s likely best reserved for bike racks and the like.
In the cabin, there are no complaints. The steering wheel and shifter show some signs of use, but otherwise, it looks like no one’s been in here other than to make satisfying lines in the floor mats with a vacuum. This RAV is well-equipped, too, featuring power windows and locks, a moonroof, and a stereo with both CD and cassette. As far as mechanicals go, we don’t get any info other than that it has passed its smog test and that has “no issues.” Whether it’s on its original clutch or shocks remains a mystery.
An excellent deal?
The presence of a manual makes this RAV4 a rare deal. The clean title, outstanding presentation, and the fact that it remains a very popular model to this day make it a contender. We will have to decide where those factors fall when considering the $5,950 asking price and if those massive miles (mostly highway, according to the ad) have much of an impact on making that decision.
What’s your take on this clean RAV4 and that $5,950 asking? Does that seem like a fair deal, all things considered? Or, manual or not, is this RAV simply past its prime?
You decide!
Nice Price or No Dice:
Los Angeles, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Don R. for the hookup!
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