Post from QualityCounts (aka SUVshopper) - I bought a car

[QualityCounts]

After months of test driving many vehicles including the Kluger, Territory, Prado, 380 and Civic, I bought a RAV4 Cruiser auto today. I followed what many people had advised in this forum - get the vehicle to suit what you intend to do with it.
The RAV4 suits me best. I wanted a car with a high riding position, lots of storage space, reasonable size, good fuel consumption, safety features including ESP, side curtain airbags, dual auto climate control, 6 CD stacker with at least 6 speakers and audio controls on steering wheel, some off road capability and costs not more than $40K.
As posted before, I've a Magna that's 15 years old. I traded this car in for the RAV4 and got a changeover price of $37K. I had to negotiate hard with three dealers to get that price. The rrp (excluding ORC) for the car is $39,490.
Over the past 17 years, I've owned eight cars and only one of those had been an imported one - a Civic. I told myself that I deserved to get another imported car. I've already contributed well to the local car industry at this stage.
In a couple of years time, I'll trade in my other '98 Commodore for the next gen Falcon or Territory. BTW, my fuel consumption on the Commodore is a pathetic 6 km for every litre of petrol !
I considered the Territory for a long time. As mentioned before, I could get Ford employee pricing for it. I love the 6 speed, but I couldn't justify to have another high fuel consumption car.
Some of you must be wondering why I changed my user name from SUVshopper to QualityCounts. I had to re-register again recently because for more than a month I had problems logging in as SUVshopper.

[Redrum]

Welcome aboard. RAV4 and Territory not really in the same class though imo. Maybe the Rav4 and the escape, if it still around.......

[Martyvan]

Good to see some Toyota Employee's still visit this forum advertising in their tricky ways..... Its been clear since the start that you were getting a new Front Wheel Drive Rav2... so we understand.

[FirstFord]

Not wrong Martyvan. I think its called viral marketing. Folks, take a look at posts under the two names, and you'll see why Martyvan said what he did.

[Paxton]

Well, well, what a surprise. Don't come crying to me when you get bogged trying to test your 'superior' AWD system, or you wipe the car out on a wet road for the same reason.


www.toyotaemployeeforums.com.au is beckoning. Goodbye, and please, don't post in the Territory forum claiming how good your car 'is', because we don't care.

[Falcon Coupe]

Maybe i should go find a Toyota forum and post up how my new 06' Navara gave the new Hilux a flogging in 4x4 Australias latest test, hmmm, on second thoughts, that would be trolling, and i'm so happy with the purchase i don't feel the need to justify it to the opposition, it's pitty others do.

[XA-Coupe]

Fordless returns. See you in your next incarnation.

[new2ford]

Ford's recent products have given Toyota fans a shock and they're really upset at how the Territory is thrashing no less than three Toyota 4WDs (Kluger, Prado and Landcruiser) in sales figures, so we should be flattered at getting narked about it. Just sit back and enjoy watching Toyota getting knocked about by the Koreans and Chinese in coming times.

[Thunder]

Oh please dont tell me that car companies would do that. No!

Ah well, you learn something new (and tricky) everyday.