I LOVED my Rav 4. 2002 model, silver with all the extras. Was the car I always wanted and I finally got.

BUT

There is a major problem with the auto transmission. My car was only a few years old, had done under 100,000kms and the transmission was dying. Starts with skipping, then clunks. Took it to a transmission specialist, couldn't find anything wrong with it. Problem got worse. Started trawling the net for info and found that in the USA, the car was recalled for the transmission. The computer gets too hot, sends error messages and if the computer isn't replaced, then it cooks the transmission. But by the time you can feel the problem, it's already too far gone. $1500 for a new computer, $3500 for a new transmission. But to replace the computer in that model - there was no upgrade. So basically they would put in the same model computer, for the problem to happen again and again. Toyota here told us that there was no problem, was a load of rubbish. We spoke to lots of people. When we went to get rid of it, we spoke to a guy at Ford and told him we were getting rid of a Rav. First thing he said was "Transmission problem hey?". Six months after we got rid of it, my friend's mum with the same car had her transmission go. She took it to her dealership where another eight Ravs were sitting, all with the same problem. We were told that it wasn't a case of "If" with them, but "When". Mine was top of the range, cruiser model and had been babied. Absolutely hurt like mad to get rid of it.

So if you're looking second hand, and at the model that looks like the 2002 era, get a manual!