Topic: More important: condition and history or trim level?

[airbalancer]

which year did the new model come out, 2010?

[johngenx]

2008 is the first year of the current generation.

The travel would be very expensive and time consuming.  It would eat up a big chunk of any savings I would realize.  Time is probably the largest hurdle.

[2latecrew]

Personally I think aftermarket NAV is better than oem. But I don't use mine all that much so I prefer my portable unit. You can get very nice aftermarket head units with blutooth and NAV if desired and they will likely improve the sound of your audio also. I like cloth better also.

But even leaving that aside as long a a car has the essentials I'm always going to pick the lower mileage better serviced one. I almost bought an 08 Mazda 3 with really low miles that had roll up windows and no power locks because of the miles and servicing. I passed it over because I absolutely cannot live without cruise and that is one option I'm really not keen on as aftermarket.

Problem is that if the wife wants the loaded one..you are probaly getting the loaded one 

[articsteve]

The Canadian Sport model is really the one you want to nail.

I have driven that very same model SR5 stock Highlander in mag grey.  

If it were me I'd hang tight until after winter and pull  a 2010 "SE" out of a US Toyota dealer.  Warranty honoured by Toyota Canada, daytime running lites are on US models, speedo has KM, essentially no modifications needed.

[articsteve]

You can get very nice aftermarket head units with blutooth and NAV if desired

I won't count on that possibility in a Highlander.

[rrocket]

2008 is the first year of the current generation.

The travel would be very expensive and time consuming.  It would eat up a big chunk of any savings I would realize.  Time is probably the largest hurdle.

Railton...you wanna help him out and roadtrip to AB with me??  

[johngenx]

I won't count on that possibility in a Highlander.

Easily.  Several makes have direct fits, and there are some good fit-kits for a double-DIN unit.  As a former owner of a car audio electronics store, I still have contacts/friends in the biz, and they tell me that there are some nice entertainment/nav systems that will drop in with a total cost of $1K or so.

Rosen makes an OE drop in, but some research tells me that they're not reliable long term.  But, Nav in the Highlander is not needed.  My Missus wants Nav, but she wants it in the Corolla.  That is an easy fix, with tons of options for that car.

[articsteve]

Easily.  Several makes have direct fits, and there are some good fit-kits for a double-DIN unit.  As a former owner of a car audio electronics store, I still have contacts/friends in the biz, and they tell me that there are some nice entertainment/nav systems that will drop in with a total cost of $1K or so.

"Direct fit"      If you like out of place poorly fitting bezels and incompatibility.  Then top it off with one of those cheesy Sat antennas that last a year.  Then add seat heaters.  Each to his own. 

     

[johngenx]

However, as noted, Nav for the Highlander is not needed, so it makes no difference.

Glad you're now a car audio expert...   

[articsteve]

I wasn't including a Nav system, just XM.  Not a nice fit or look in Highlander.  Tiny little touch controls, incompatiblity, whatever floats your boat.   

Yes. The Rosen unit is junk.  Pioneer has something providing one has tiny little fingers. 

[rrocket]

I wasn't including a Nav system, just XM.  Not a nice fit or look in Highlander.  Tiny little touch controls, incompatiblity, whatever floats your boat.   

Yes. The Rosen unit is junk.  Pioneer has something providing one has tiny little fingers. 

FlyAudio if you want 100% factory look.  And the Pioneer systems are not teeny finger controls....you buy one lately?  We've had 2 of them.  One single DIN, one double.  All of the receivers are XM compatible.  Either touch screen or a big knob.  And they both came with a big buttoned remote control that sat nicely on the steering wheel rim.  And most every car avail today has a vehicle specific mounting bracket that fit the OEM opening perfectly and makes it look OEM.  What you smoking AS??   

We had one of these:

[airbalancer]

hd radio nice!

do you pick many stations?

and xm sucks, I would not pay for

I have over 10,000 songs on my ipod, it 10000 better then cm

john have you look at awd venze?

[rrocket]

hd radio nice!

do you pick many stations?

and xm sucks, I would not pay for

I have over 10,000 songs on my ipod, it 10000 better then cm

john have you look at awd venze?

The radio was co-developed with Apple standards, so Ipod integration is seamless.  It worked really well. 

[johngenx]

Venza is much smaller in terms of cargo capacity.  We haul a lot of stuff, hence the possible move to Highlander.

[mrthompson]

Perhaps you and your wife could drive the base model in question, as well as the model she thinks she would prefer, then decide?

[OliverD]

Mileage doesn't scare me, if it's maintained properly.  40K is nothing on a vehicle maintained in the manner that you would maintain it, John.  And certainly there has to be some higher mileage ones that have been maintained properly.

I agree with this. I bought a Mazda 6 GT wagon with 144k on it and paid the same price my dad paid for a Mazda 6 GS wagon with 103k on it. Mine was actually in a bit better shape than his though. These days, cars don't need all that much maintenance in the first 100k aside from having their fluids changed at regular intervals. I'd be more concerned with how the owner treated the car.

I bought a Mazda 3 that was well maintained, but the previous owner (a good friend and coworker) was definitely hard on the car (yes, I got a great price).