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HighlanderGeneral discussion forum for the Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid.
This is a discussion thread titled "Highlander vs. Competition (Buying? Pros & Cons)", within the Highlander forum, part of the SUV Forums category.
Wow, $450.00 for fog lights? I don't think so. After all my hard earned negotiating, pitting one dealer against 2 others and getting what I wanted for my trade-in then walking out at 27k TOTAL, I can't imagine spending that much money on a couple dinky lil fog lights.
Yea, I want to put in fog lights, but golly gee whizzz Gomer!! I may buy some stock in that company. I'll wait, after all I've had my lander for less than a week.
Ok, so from my bride's point of view, it's time to get serious about trading in our absolutely best-all-time vehicle ever, her '94 Camry, for a...a...a Highlander (she thinks).
Since we tend to keep vehicles that work for extended periods of time- we are not slaves to fashion nor fad- we would appreciate any comments from those either doing research-to-buy, or those who actually have purchased a Highlander.
How about it, any words of wisdom concerning options, etc.?
PS: Do I ever wish I lived somewhere close to Dianne!
NOTATION - Threads merged and renamed due to similar topics and discussion. If you have any questions please let me know.
Skyhook.... We just purchased a 02' Highlander this weekend. I have had a 00' Tundra since Sept 99' and have been pleased with that vehicle. Even the wife likes driving the Tun. However, we had an aging 95 Honda Accord that was going to need some TLC, and we figured it was time to set it out to pasture while it was still worth something. The Toyota dealer was packed and they had sold several Highlanders in the little time we were there. Originally looking for a V6 / 2WD , my wife wanted the Sunroof. Needless to say, the sunroof means you need to get into the more expensive packages. After haggling and asking for more for the Honda trade-in, they finally cut a deal. They said we were the only ones that weren't paying list for these things. I won't pay list price for any car....I'll wait. We cut a pretty good deal on the AWD / V6 / with appearance packages and all the trimmings (not quite the limited). I really like it even though it's a "chick" car. but it's a smart mans RX300 ;-) I really like it so far and can't wait to take to Shenandoah in a few weeks. The all-wheel drive feels very confident and although I'm going easy the first 1K, that 3.0 six has some zing. Hell, it has more HP than my 3.4 Tun !!! The looks are growing on me...initally I didn't like it, but it looks good in the driveway. The interior is well though out and very spacious. Just wish they offered a 5 speed. I'll probably get better mileage in my manual Tun than the wife will get in the Lander. Get ready for a long day of haggling if you go to Toyota. They aren't giving them away and people buying them like hotcakes doesn't help in the negotiation process. Without disclosing the price...I managed to get them down about 2K and upped my trade-in about 1.5K. Time will tell....but I think it will be a nice addition to the family....
That trade you pulled off would be tough to match heah in NY!
Just like you said, it seems <i>everybody</i> wants a 'Lander and there are not that many dealers that have any or a few to chose from.
I'd really be interested in hearing your impressions on the handling, comfort, etc on that long drive.
Skyhook, My wife and I bought a 02 Highlander in January. We traded in our worse all time vehicle, a 2001 Ford Taurus.
It is a V6 2wd non limited with leather power seats, fender flares, upgraded wheels, cargo cover, floor mats, etc. Basically the same as a Limited minus fog lights and spoiler.
We have 14,000 miles on it already including a trip from here in Sarasota/Bradenton to Kitty Hawk to Sandusky to Atlanta and back to Florida. I drove almost the whole way.
It is the ultimate chick car. It is perfectly trouble free. It will cruise effortlessly at 90 if you wish. It gets 20plus mpg in town and about 26mpg on the highway. It has plenty of room, a smooth ride, it's quiet and everybody that rides in it wants one.
We got ours for a little over $26K after three days of haggling. It is easier to buy a loaded standard Lander than it is to buy a Limited. If you can live without automatic climate control you can save a lot of money.
It is without a doubt the smart mans RX300. If we park next to one they are virtually identical. Even the Good Year tires are the same.
My only complaints, the front bucket seats are a little too short on the bottom cushion for me. I get a little sore after 300 miles or so and have to take a 15 minute break. The center console is set up kind of stupid, no real good place to put a cell phone, etc. And everything associated with FWD cars, I never have liked the way FWD cars drive. The Highlander V6 has 220 hp I think, it feels very torque steery when you punch it. It will smoke the front tires though, if you are interested.
ON a scale of 1-10 10 being best, I would give it a solid 9.
My wife adores it. and that is what matters most. I'll stick with the Tundra.
Your evaluation was shared with the 'boss'.
Like you, I am not letting go of the Tundra and I think keeping "chicks" happe is an excellent goal.
I do not enjoy short seat support, so I will give that real scrutiny in our test drive. Many thanks for your frank post.
My fiance purchased a fully loaded Highlander Limited in June and we both absolutely LOVE it
The ride is fantastic and you seriously cannot tell that you're NOT riding in a velvety smooth Camry other than the fact that you're sitting up higher. The HL is VERY comfortable on long trips and doesn't get tiring like a Pathfinder or other truck-based utes. The steering is also VERY light so parking for her is very easy in tight spots since the boost is so high.
This is not an SUV that you want to push in the twisties like I can in my Maxima, but it handles very confidently for an SUV. It also has the Stability Control (I forget the acronym exactly) which I suppose will help if you get yourself out of shape (wet weather, snow, etc.) but we've never had it do anything for us yet.
POWER in the 1MZ-FE V6 is very good, even with our heavier and less efficient AWD drivetrain. Definitely better than expected. Low-end torque and takeoff power is good, and if you keep your foot in it, VVT-i helps the engine maintain power at higher RPM's for better on-ramp and highway acceleration, for example. Gearing is also excellent. 1st gear seems to be nice and short to help you get moving, and 4th gear is also relatively short (around 2400rpm @ 60 mph) so you never really need a downshift on the highway, even with a load and up hills. Despite only having 220 HP, the HL moves well because it's still a very lightweight SUV at only 3880 lb for the AWD model. The FWD is only 36xx if I remember correctly. The Honda Pilot for example, weighs in at over 4400 lb.
Mileage is also very good, despite the short gearing, because of its lightweight. It doesn't need an overly tall and boggy overdrive gear to meet mileage goals like the Honda Pilot or some other utes because of this. An AWD Pilot weighs 44xx lb, over 500 lb heavier than a Highlander. On highway trips we get around 22 mpg going 75-80, but you can get 23-24 at lower speeds. City tends to be around 18, right on target.
Although the manual states you only need 87 octane fuel, the 1MZ-FE runs a high 10.5:1 compression ratio. Generally, anything over 10.0:1 will require premium fuel, but knock sensors and good timing retard controls in the computer will keep it running on 87 just fine. That said, I put 93 octane in the HL one day and then turned it over to my fiance. The next day she came home and asked..."what did you do to my car?!?!?!", very enthusiastically. I told her I just put in 93 instead of the usual 87 and she reported that it was MUCH faster and had a good bit more off the line pep. So we've been putting 93 in it ever since. If the engine makes 220 HP / 222 TQ on 87, I seriously would not be surprised if it mad 230 HP / 235+ TQ on 93. The higher octane will prevent knocking and allow the ECU to crank in more ignition advance and give you more power. It's only $2 extra per fillup and definitely seems to give you much better performance. This is all from the "butt-dyno" though. I'd need to test this on an actual chassis dynamometer or a track to see if it holds any water.
All that said, my fiance and I definitely love our Highlander.
Skyhook.... told you I would get back to you after our "Road test" to Shenandoah. I must say I'm quite impressed with the Lander. After almost 5 hours to the mountains, the ride was very comfortable on the hiway (avg 75mph). Then we hit the mountains !!! Some of the roads to the blue ridge are treacherous. They post 55mph...if you're willing. One wrong move and you have a 3500' freefall down the mountain. I really felt the difference having the AWD, and the steep inclines were no prob for the fully loaded 3.0. I had my wife turning green on some of the corners as she was pinned to the passenger window. I was having a blast !!! I only wish for the 5 speed.... I did leave the OD off most of the time in the mountains to gain a little braking action. The steering was very responsive and never once did the tires even squeak on the tightest turns. I never felt unsafe or like I was pushing it too hard. On the return trip I monitored the mileage and got around 24 hiway...it averages about 21 in congested city driving. Thumbs up on the Lander....I find it very willing and fun to drive. However,,,,still like my Tundra better ;-)
Well done, Stickman!
That is a write-up I'd think Toyota Motors wouyld want to purchase. And, I am not kidding.
What you say is, for me, more valuable than some brochure print, that's for sure.
Just one more question if I may: You speak very well of the handling; what tires are on that machine???
>>what tires are on that machine???<<
Skyhook.... the Lander came with Bridgestones. They look kinda wimpy, but really performed quite well. Wimpy in that they're on-road tires only. The tread looks like it wouldn't fair well off-road. This is my first exposure to Bridgestone.... so far so good. Michelins woulda' been nice though ....
I have a fully loaded V6 Limited AWD Highlander. I bought it at the end of November, 2002 at invoice price. I am just wondering how can you guys get 20MPG + of gas efficiency. I only get about 16mpg in city and best 19 - 20 mpg on highway. I don't rate myself as an aggrassive driver... so where is the difference mileage coming from?
Aaah, Bridgestone....
I had that brand on one of my Toy trucks a few years back and they were absolutely great for that machine.
Like you, though, Stickman, I'd probably prefer those Michelins.
We have prwtty much put off the purchase till spring-- I hate subjecting a brand-new vehicle to the massive sand/salt crap.
I bnought my highlander for my wife about a year ago and have not had one problem whats so ever. I am also a toyota tech at a dealership in illinois and have not seen any major problems with the highlander. I waited till they had been out for about a year before I bought mine to see if they had any problems, but they did not and I could not be happier.
FOG LIGHTS $$$
Highlander... searching to buy new..
I told her I just put in 93 instead of the usual 87 and she reported that it was MUCH faster and had a good bit more off the line pep. So we've been putting 93 in it ever since. If the engine makes 220 HP / 222 TQ on 87, I seriously would not be surprised if it mad 230 HP / 235+ TQ on 93. The higher octane will prevent knocking and allow the ECU to crank in more ignition advance and give you more power. It's only $2 extra per fillup and definitely seems to give you much better performance. This is all from the "butt-dyno" though. I'd need to test this on an actual chassis dynamometer or a track to see if it holds any water.
