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Re a 1995 Toyota Estima XG (supercharged). We've had this vehicle since 1998 and like most Totyotas it has been very reliable.

Drawbacks - it uses about the most expensive sparkplug known to man (requires platinum plugs), high fuel consumption - about 13km/100km and destroys front tyres rapidly (25,000km would be excellent)', something all Estimas do apparently.

Any comments?

Mark

From the "Ask Jack" archives - 14 December 2009

This is probably one of the few Toyota's I would not recommend, so thanks for confirming my beliefs. Not all Estima's are bad though, it's the supercharged version that's the high risk one in my opinion.

There are a number of cars running platinum tip plugs not just the supercharged Estima.

The advantages are they should last around the 100,000km mark, the downside is the cost when it comes to replacement time.

Some manufactures have fitted them because to replace the spark plugs on their engines is a huge time consuming job particularly the front wheel drive V6's.