Michael Brown

Try ABD in Southampton, they sell the 28" blades etc also headlamp bulbs etc

I get 35 - 40 mpg on mine, I am happy. I keep to limits, but put my foot down on dual arriageways, but under 80. I had a brand new Inverter fitted (£5,200.) Eye watering I know 5 months ago, imported from Japan. But Alfie runs really well now.

Shame his insurance company did not cough up to repair it for him.

The Hybrid comes into its own in slow moving traffic when one has edge forward. Looking at the screen showing where the power is coming from and its on the hybrid battery is pleasing and the hybrid battery charges up going down steep hills in a lower gear. Usually the engine kicks in silently at around 10mph, impressed.

As I have reported before, I am getting 35 -40 MPG with E10. Which I am pleased with. My 3 Estima's before I was getting 32 MPG on E10, they were'nt Hybrids. Doing the max speed on motorways and main dual carriage ways. I am impressed with what I get from my 2.4 Hybrid E4. I keep to the speed limits through the villages etc. I am 75% of the time on my own. I have the 3rd row of seats stowed away. I like the carry capacity of Alfie and still have the ability to carry 4 passengers in comfort plus myself.

It's really nice to see that the original Japanese owner really looked after it, tis why the Alphards are so popular in the UK.

As far as fuel consumption I am getting no less than 35 mpg and the best is 40. Since I had a brand new Inverter fitted a few months ago I am getting high 30's. It depends how heavy I on the excellerator. But its being able to drive on the battery in heavy traffic, edging along slowly as one does.

it was 12 years ago, I will see if I can find the details

The BIMTA check came back that the ODO read on the dockside Japan, 179,000Km, so it must have been done in UK

Back in 2011, I bought my 1st Mk2 Estima G Grade with around 65,000 miles on it. I belonged to the Toyota Estima Owners Club. It was not till 3 years later someone in the club reported that she thought her Estima had been clocked, so she paid for a BIMTA mileage check and found her vehicle had had the clock showing travel had been wound back. The lower the reading the more the dealer can charge for it. So after 3 yrs ownership I paid around £10. and had a BIMTA test done on mine, my ODO read in Km which on 65,000 miles read 105,625 Km, on day of purchase, I was the 1st UK owner other than the dealer from who I bought from. The BIMTA check came back it should have read 179,000Km. Too late for me to do anything about it and anyway in 2018 whilst on my way to go camping with TEOC the engine went and I had to be ferried home on a transporter via RAC. Estima needed a new engine , so was later scrapped. So getting a BIMTA check done on any prospective purchase in the future is a good thing. BIMTA ( British Independant Motor Trades Association )

I had a puncture in my last vehicle, an 04 Estima and had the space saver wheel put on. I travelled 50 miles on it to get home before I replaced it with a new tyre.

Hi there, Go onto the DVLA website, find Ulez and put in your reg No. They should tell you straight away wether yours is compliant.

And a BIMTA check ( British Independant Motor Trades Association ) for a small fee give the reg no and or Vin No and they will check the true Km or mileage. As its strange how most of these imports have a low milage be it in Km or Miles. As a low milage vehicle commands a higher price over here ............. and Good Luck

HI All I had the same problem twice and had to use the RAC to get Alfie home on a transporter. The first time 2 Hybrid battery cells were replaced. It's the stripping down and putting back together costs the money. £532. first bill. The second one, I was told the Inverter was kapput and Peter Holland could not source the parts to fix it. He looked into getting a new genuine Toyota Inverter/Converter from Japan. Including VAT and delivery £5,200. This did not include the fitting of it. After buying Alfie for £9,500. last August, what do I do. I rang my bank and asked for a bank loan and got it and I rang Peter when the funds was in my bank and he ordered the Inverter/Converter. 2.5 weeks later it arrived and was fitted set up and tested, another £320. I should get at least 10 years trouble free driving, touch wood. I used Peter Holland @ BrightSpark Automotive, www.brightsparkautomotive.co.uk Tel : 07774 152660. at Southboune, Nr Emswoth, West Sussex Good luck

Hello Mark I do not know anythink about OBD readers etc, but over here I found a specialst on car and boat electrics and he has worked on mine twice now. The first time he stripped down Alfie and replaced 2 hybrid cellls, tested it again, cost came to £532. The second time I broke down and Peter Holland had Alfie back, he ran his tester over and found the Inverter was Kapput. He had no spares and could not sourrce any. He looked into buying a whole new Inverter from Japan, The cost an eye watering £5,200. inc VAT and delivery. What do I do. I'd paid £9,500 for Alfie back in August last year. I took out a bank loan over 5yrs and Peter ordered it. Came in 2.5 weeks. The fitting and setting up another £320. I now should get at least 10 years trouble free motoring.

Hi All, very interesting I was under the impression that there was no water jet for the back window and am managing without it. So where is it actually positioned and does it receive the water from the front washer bottle tank.

I sent away for the Hybrid version last Autumn of the version pictured above. Sent from New Zealand, same price. Its okay for the basics. I keep my copy in Alfie for reference. I think I got mine through the bay

Silly question, does one unscrew the gear stick knob right to left or other way ?

Hi there, when I bought my 07 hybrid last August 27th, I went onto the DVLA web pages and entered my registration number. It was alreadyr egistered as ULEZ free

My 2.4 2007 Hybrid is £295. a year and has been going up £5. a year. I'd have thought the Hybrid version would be cheaper. Its has ULEZ status.

Unfortunately I am not going to make it now as I had a Mini Stroke this last Sunday evening 18th June and was taken via ambulance to Coventry University Hospital because they have a Stroke Unit there. When you have a Stroke I was told that I must not drive for a month in case of relapse. I lost the power of speech, all my words came out not in the right order ( and no I had not been drinking ). I had a CT brainscan, everything appeared okay. I stayed in overnight and was released on monday morning, power of speach restored. I had to go back on Tuesday morning for another check over and don't have to go back, but I am still not allowed to drive. So sorry I am going to have to miss this get together. Unless I can help in some way on the day, if someone coud pick me up from Stratford upon Avon south of the river near the Banbury Road. I am disabled and on crutches.

I have the 2.4 Hybrid, you'd think the DVLA would make some allowance that its a Hybrid and reduce the Road Tax accordingly, what say you.

After been ferried home with Alfie on a car transporter via the RAC after breaking down with I can't start it symptom, I took The advice of Peter Holland of Brightspark Automotive in Southbourne West Sussex/Hampshire border to replace the Hybrid Inverter. Peter said he could not source spare parts for my old one, but he could order a new one from Japan, cost being an eye watering £5,200. including VAT and delivery. I'd paid £9,500. for Alfie last August and I did not want to scrap the vehicle for lack of that one part. So through Peter a new one was ordered. It took longer than the 10 days to arrive, more like two and a half weeks. It cost around £352. to replace the Inverter and sort the codes out. Touch wood I will have 10 years worth of use to come. Been starting up fine and driving Alfie for the last 3 weeks.

It might be helpfulll to get an App on your phone that translates the on screen language Japanese into English ?

The small black stick on plate and not white with Alf's details is on the nearside door shut pillar just below the door catch