2005-2007 Toyota Avalon

tmeframe · May 2005

I know because I have received email from at least 2 different Toyota Engineers regarding feedback on my other Toyotas in various Toyota forums on the Web. One's words to me were "believe me, we pay close attention...." and then he proceeded to tell me about the available software program-modes available on my Sequoia.

Steve.

bettersafe · May 2005

To the Toyota Engineers watching this Forum:

IMHO, a car must have predictable performance. A car that always hestitates 1 second at a turn, is easier to drive, and is safer to drive, than a car that sometimes hesitates 1 second. I can safely drive an 86 Colt, which is dog slow, because I expect it to be dog slow. I can safely drive an 84 Corvette, which is very quick, becuse I expect it to be quick. A car that does not act predictably does not exude confidence to the driver.

Please fix the transmission problems so that I can purchase an Avalon Limited and make my wife happy. She wants the heated and cooled Leather seats !

BetterSafe (than Sorry)

mackabee · May 2005

avalonkitten, look in your owner's manuals. There is one called "Owner's notification rights" it explains what qualified as a lemon law case and how to go about filing it. From what I'ver read in your posts I don't think you have a case, however read the books and consult an attorney as I'm not qualified to advice you or anyone else in this matter.

Mackabee

ski1003 · May 2005

I made an appointment to have my first oil change for my 2005 Avalon XL. The dealer called me back to inform me that my car was one of three he had sold (Feb. 9) that had a recall on the steering wheel alingment. Not sure what that is but I'm having this done this week, along with my oil change. Anyone else hear of this recall? He said it would take about an hour to check it out. Have had no problems to date and love my car!!

ange · May 2005

You say you have been on a waiting list for 3 1/2 weeks for your Limited. How did you do it? I have been on a waiting list for 3 months, exactly today. My Limited is to be in this month.

I talked to the dealer and Toyota Corporate a number of times and I get an explaination that makes no sense to me. I am told my car ordered is a request. The dealer's request is placed and when it is built it will be shipped. I ordered only one option,VSC. Since none was built with this option and my color, my car never got built. Two months after the order was placed and a non refundable deposit was made my dealer calls me to tell me my car did not get shipped and he had no idea when it would be shipped.IS THIS A WAY TO TREAT A FIRST TIME FOREIGN CAR BUYER? What am I suppose to do at this point? The only way that I could get a Limited at a designated time was to buy one that was scheduled to be built. This car was loaded and I ended up paying more and getting two options that I am not interested in. I was then told the car would be here in 6 weeks. I think this treatment is terrible and shows total disregard for my interest, as a customer.Why and how could this happen and what could I or anyone do to make my normal order go through in a normal fashion. Toyota Corporate were sympathic but did not do anything but send a E--Mail to my dealer.My dealer did nothing to interceed to speed up the process. How many customers would wait 12 weeks plus for a new car? Can any dealers reading this situation give me some insight to what they would have done to get my car delivered on time? Right now my patience is minus zero and I can assure you the dealer owes and owes. Any comment would be apprciated.

willie_z · May 2005

My wife and I picked up our phantom grey pearl this past Saturday and on Tuesday we had our first problem, albeit minor. When I went to pop open the lower bin on the passenger door, one of the springs that holds this bin in the retracted position flew out and landed on the ground. I initially thought that this was just an "extra" part that had been deposited in the car during assembly, but a closer examination revealed that this spring is one of 2 used to hold the bin in the closed position so it does not rattle. This problem does not concern me as much as the attitude of the "Toyota Experience" Hotline. These people want me to drive to my dealer to have the problem diagnosed, (a 60 mile trip each way each way!) and then come back to have the part installed. When I advised them that this was extremely inconvenient, the reps attitude was "so what!" I then called back thinking that I had a rogue rep and the next rep was even more rude and surly. I requested to speak to a supervisor and was told "they are not here" When I asked for the phone number of the President of toyota and his address they told me his name and nothing else. In short I want to let people who are thinking of purchasing this car of the lack of proper support by Toyota to owners concerns. On my Acura that I traded in I received outstanding customer support from Acura / Honda Corporate when I had a minor problem. This level of support may be fine for Corolla customers but I don't think Toyota has the level of customer service necessary for the type of customer that this car will attract, or that this car deserves. I did contact the general manager of the dealership after this and was pleasantly surprised that he offered to have someone drive to my house, pick up the car and return it so that when the part came in it would only take one trip to resolve the problem. While the dealer is to be applauded. it is pathetic when a dealer offers better customer service than the factory. Due to the way I was treated by Toyota I will wait for the car to be repaired, and then trade it in on a new Acura RL, which I should have purchased in the first place. It is unfortunate that Toyota has produced such a great car and backs it customer service people that are apparently ill trained, unprepared and unwilling to do what it takes to satisfy a customer. I was also contemplating a Highlander when my Acura MDX is due to be replaced in the fall. Needless to say I will not be purchasing a Highlander. Another MDX it is! Sorry for the long post but I want people browsing this forum to know of my "Experience"

barclay3 · May 2005

My transmission did something I didn't expect today. I was driving downhill and I started going a bit too fast so I let up on the gas (I'm not sure if I took my foot off the gas or was just touching it) and the transmission downshifted to slow me down just the amount needed. I didn't expect it but it did exactly what was needed.

I must admit I haven't read about the radio yet in the owners manual (it's a big book). Thank you all for setting me straight!!

gschultz3 · May 2005

Right on! I post my positive experiences every few weeks just to let everyone know that that there are trouble free Avalons too. I have had other cars with adaptive transmissions and nothing I have experieced with my Avalon is any different. I have never experienced a perfect car but the Avalon is close!

yurik · May 2005

I filed that complaint with NHTSA today. I also called Toyota corporate office and they told me they are aware of the transmission problem. They need to hear it from more people. Everyone who experience transmission hesitation, please contact Toyota corporate office, so they come up with the fix sooner, just like they did for Lexus ES330

just__me · May 2005

I believe what you say. It's just amazing how well my dealer takes care of us and the friends who bought there. They go the extra mile every time. Customer Service is their second name. Toyota Corporate has always been very nice and helpful to me. One of my Avalons, I forget the year had a slight noise that my wife heard, I could hear something now and then. I brought it in saying I don't know whether there is a noise or what since I barely hear something as my wife does. They checked it out and thought it was from the transmission and asked me if I have some time to kill, they want the top guy checking it out. After awhile they came back and said it's from the transmission and rather they taking it apart they will order a brand new (not rebuilt) transmission from the factory and that it will take a couple of months, in the meantime to drive my car it's not a safety issue. Two months later on an 18,000 plus mile car I got a brand new transmission. One time pulling into the garage I hit my side mirror which knocked the mirror out. It fell but didn't break, I put it back in but it wouldn't stay. Next trip to my dealer I said the mirror keeps falling out, I didn't say I hit in, he didn't even say anything about the obvious scratch, but ordered a whole new part that I had to wait for. So for me, with my dealer, my experience has been first class. Maybe it's the way I treat them, I don't know. I was always told the wheel that screeches the loudest gets the oil. I do it with kindness the way my Mother taught me, and 99% of the time it works for me. Sure every now and then you meet up with a smiless non-service oriented guy and no matter how you speak to him you get nowhere. Anyway being nice has always worked for me. Good luck.

gschultz3 · May 2005

Hope I never have the problem you had with Toyota. This is my first Toyota. I agree that Toyota's approach to selling and servicing a car such as the Avalon is probably affected by the broad range of cars they sell.

I was disappointed with the whole delivery program when I got my Avalon ..... just like buying a Chevy or Ford. I guess I got spoiled by Infinity. Audi and Volvo during the past 20 years even though they sell for almost the same price. Maybe the Avalon should have a Lexus badge?

Good luck with your Acura.

havalongavalon · May 2005

Hi just me, it's good to hear from you again! I just knew that you were still peeking once in a while. Thank you for taking the time to update the forum on your Avalon experiences.

Now RONN, it's time for you to come back out from behind that massive church organ and re-connect a bit with your soulmates in search of common answers, here...

Best wishes,

havalongavalon

ryandse · May 2005

When I asked for the phone number of the President of toyota and his address they told me his name and nothing else.

Yeah ... I don't think i'd be very comfortable being the president of a multi-billion dollar international corporation, if its employees were casually handing out my phone number and address to any random dude that calls in.

No offense: willie_z.

rwb2 · May 2005

I can't speak for all who read this site but I hope that you're back to stay, just me. I have missed your a rational point of view. Now if you could just get Ronn back. I have owned or driven extensively full sized Audis, Buicks, BMWs, and Caddys to say nothing of my Fiero, TransAm, Prelude stages of my life. While the new Avalon may not be perfect, nothing in life is. Happiness with anything has a lot to do with perception and attitude. I really enjoyed most of these cars. But, after spending most of my life in the service department with my last new GM I vowed never to go back. Since 92, when I started buying Toyotas, I just drive by the service departments. There are all three generations of Avalons in my family and literally, everyone I know, has said to us all "listen don't ever trade your Avalon in because I would want to buy it". One hint for getting good service from a dealer, try very hard to treat them like you want to be treated. If you can, establish a relationship with the mechanic who works on your car, without getting in his way or taking up more of his time than is necessary. I have never been more satisfied with a car than I am with my LTD.

rwb2 · May 2005

mikes. · May 2005

I just got called by my dealership about TSB SSC50F a visual inspection of the steering cvolumn. I'll let you all know more when I get back from the dealer.

MikeS.

badgerfan · May 2005

I am not an Avalon owner or prospective buyer, just like to follow this discussion, but I couldn't help but respond to your post. You seem to have already diagnosed this minor problem, having likely found where the spring is mounted and how it is mounted, so why in the world did you not just put the spring back in place yourself?

For an issue as minor as this, if you do not want to deal with it yourself, then your first recourse is to contact the dealer. Calling Toyota and making a big stink before exploring the fix with your dealer was a mistake from the start. Toyota, like every car manufacturer, rely on their dealers as the first contact point for any warranty issue, as the dealer has the techs to fix it, not Toyota!

You eventually applauded your dealer who appears to be bending backwards to satisfy you. If you had done this step first you would have been be entirely happy. Toyota and their dealers are not perfect, but on this one, your approach was wrong from the get go.

By the way, my Ford dealer has always treated me well, willing to take the car in for minor warranty issues or even non warranty issues even without an appointment right after I am done work as they have evening and Saturday hours. Good and bad dealers are not isolated to any particular brand.

jimex · May 2005

"This level of support may be fine for Corolla customers".

- not too pompous.

havalongavalon · May 2005

link title

just__me · May 2005

That was very kind of you, thank you.

just__me · May 2005

Yes I do peek, ha ha, how can I leave wonderful people such as you. Have a great day.

avaloncruiser · May 2005

I am a big Avalon fan

and Ive just found this forum.sure wish I had found it earlier. Lots of good info posted here and I am an internet forum junkie. My boss put me onto the Avy back in 99, and I have owned a 1999 and 2003. Both were trouble free. I am a 50+ female professional who fits right into the demographics that this car is targeted to.

I was VERY excited about the new Avy when I viewed the ad while watching the Super Bowl.

Being a women and NOT a car enthusiast, I had no idea that a new model was going to be introduced. It was love at first sight and I had to have one! I went to the Toyota Website and checked her out. I knew the boss was looking to trade-in her 97 this year so I let her know about the new model coming out. Friday after the Super Bowl we spent the day on the Website and we both decided we had to have one! I must have called every dealer in the Metro DC area to find who had what in stock.very few available that first week as you know. I was determined to get the Limited. We were both interested in the Blue Mirage and I also liked the Silver Pine Mica. The closest dealer to my home was in Fredericksburg VA and they had the Blue in a XLS but had a Limited due in mid-March loaded to my liking. I made arrangements with the sales staff to meet that evening to put a deposit on that car and get an appraisal on my trade. I had done my research and knew what they SHOULD give me. Unfortunately by the time I arrived, the XLS was sold so I didnt get the chance to test drive it but that wasnt a big deal. I was very upset with the sales staff at this dealership though as they were not prepared for my visit like they had promised. Apparently the person who handles the incoming inventory had already left for the day and the salesperson could not get the paperwork for the car I was to reserve. For that reason, they would not give me an appraisal on my car. They wanted me to come back in the morning. First off, I made it quite clear when I spoke to the salesperson in the morning that I would be in ready to deal.I was very put out that he wasnt. He also told me that I could not order a car to my liking.I would have to take what they had already on order. That just didnt ring true to me. I ran into similar problems with this dealers sales staff when I was in the market for my 99 & 03 and I purchased those in Northern VA. When I got back home I decided to call a few more dealers within driving distance from my home. The Charlottesville dealer had an XLS in green with NAVhe said he could special order the Limited if I wanted. The Richmond VA dealer had the exact Limited I wanted in stock but in Blizzard Pearl (didnt think I wanted white). He promised to put a hold on the car for me to come look at. He was sure I would LOVE the BP but if I didnt he too would find what I wanted if not through dealer trade, then special order. So, I was up and out early Saturday morning and was at the dealership when they opened. He was right, I LOVED the Blizzard Pearl. The car also has a thin gold pinstripe. It is one rich looking car. I just love the pearl finish. Like I said, I can tell most of you are savvy car enthusiasts/shoppers.but I knew what I wanted and though not a GREAT deal (I paid MSRP), I felt I got a great deal on my trade. The bottom line is I was very happy and the sales staff at McGeorge Toyota was top notch.no pressure to sell any add-ons, no problem with me getting my own financing etc. I would have liked to have added the gold package but the car was so new they didnt have it in stock and from what I was just told by the parts dept in Fredericksburg, it still isnt. Anyone know if this will be available in the future? I didnt see it listed in the 05 Avy brochure so thought maybe it wont be.

My two favorite features of the Limited are the Smart Key system and the Laser Cruise Control. I use the LCC ever day (unless its raining). I also have and like the NAV system but I havent had to use it often.

I v now had the car just over 3 months and I had my 3,000 mile oil change last week. I had just noticed some spotting on my garage floor and they discovered that the axel seal was leaking. Unfortunately they have had a problem getting in the part. They told me that Toyota had to go to the seal manufacturer as they only had the number of seals they needed for production. Am I being snowed since I am a women? One came in Wednesday and they told me the car would be ready by 6:00 p.m. They have me in a rental.a Sebring base model which I HATE. I arrive at 6:00 pm. to find out the seal didnt fit and they had to re-order it. I was told they expected to receive it today and will have the car ready for me tonight. I doubt that will happen..it took the first seal 5 days to come in. I called early this a.m., and the part isnt in yet. I am not a happy camper about this turn of events but I did realize that when buying a re-engineered model that this could be a problem. Other then this, I have noticed no other problems with my car. I love it and I really miss driving it.

BTW, my boss also purchased a new 05 Avy the same day I did from a dealer in Springfield VA. She decided on the XLS as she isnt into gadgetry. She too fell in love with the Blizzard Pearl. She has had a problem with the storage compartment door (were the cell phone holder is) being hard to open and close. And she has a noise that she cant locate. She said the nose started after she took it into the dealer for undercoating. She has not taken it back to the dealer to be looked at. She plans on having it done shortly when she does her 3,000 mile oil change.

Well, as I am typing this saga my service writer called me. Just as I expected, I will be driving the Sebring at least till Monday evening

. She said I could come get my Avy for the weekend as it is safe to drive but it would be just too much trouble. I did question her about the steering re-call mentioned on this forum and she said she was aware of it and she would double check to see if my Avy is part of the re-call. I would imagine it is since it seems by the post here those first off the factory floor are affected.

So, Ill be here lurking and posting from time to time to let you know how things are with me and my Avalon. :shades:

willie_z · May 2005

Hi Ryandse!

I did not actually expect to speak to the President of Toyota. When you ask to speak to the President of the Corporation it lets them know you are serious! In most cases a customer relations manager will intercede and take care of your problem. Not with Toyota! They don't even call you back! I Had purchased 8 Honda / Acura products for my wife before giving Toyota a try. What a mistake! The Avalon could be the best car in the world, but if the Customer support is not there you have nothing. The Customer service rep I spoke with kept telling me to see the dealer even though I was asking HIM questions about the door panel. Why do the even advertise to call the "Toyota experience line if you have any questions or concerns" if they just refer you to the dealer? Just put a message on an answering machine to "call your dealer" Anyway I am writing a detailed letter to the President of Toyota Japan, and copying the President of Toyota America to let them know how I was treated by the phone reps on the Toyota experience line. It is a shame really, because I do like the car, but not enough to put up with rude and poor customer service. I could have bought a Ford or Chevy If I wanted that.

Regards

rrogers2 · May 2005

Took my XLS to the dealer to have part replace to fix loose fog light. It worked! I had showed it to dealer on a previous visit and was told a part had to be ordered to fix the loose light. Took about a week to get the part and it is fixed.

I also asked about the hooks in the trunk. The sales manager had to do some checking but told me the are to hag grocery bags so the contents won't spill out while driving home.

Car has about 500 miles and I TOO am noticing some hesitation in the transmission. Otherwise I love the car. I printed the list posted earlier of common problems and gave it to the dealership. Told salesmanager they might want to check this site and fix problems BEFORE giving car to customer.

gladiator99 · May 2005

Hello again!!
Just thought I'd share a great review that was published in one of our local papers on May 13. This review was in the Kelowna Capital news here in Kelowna B.C.
You can access it by logging into www.kelownacapnews.com and in the story archives area type in "Toyota Avalon". Our new Avalon has lived up to this review and has been a great car so far. I have found only one minor problem with the interior right front pillar moulding coming loose. That will be addressed with the first oil change in a month or two. This forum has been a great source of information for owners and potential owners of the 05 Avalon. Keep up the great posts.
Happy motoring!!
Gladiator 99 aka " havasmartavalon"

ryandse · May 2005

I did not actually expect to speak to the President of Toyota. When you ask to speak to the President of the Corporation it lets them know you are serious!

Ah, fair enough, then

In most cases a customer relations manager will intercede and take care of your problem. Not with Toyota!

I totally understand your frustrations. General speaking, this is bad customer relations. That being said, it sounds like that you may have went through the wrong channel in resolving this (even though I completely understand why your decision to give this one a shot).

The Avalon could be the best car in the world, but if the Customer support is not there you have nothing.

Customer service is important to me as well (hence the reason why I actually pay more for my cell phone service by going with Verizon). Given I haven't actually done much business with Toyota, as of yet, I don't have a complete sense of their customer support.

Why do the even advertise to call the "Toyota experience line if you have any questions or concerns" if they just refer you to the dealer?

Hmm, that's a very good question.

It is a shame really, because I do like the car, but not enough to put up with rude and poor customer service.

You know, even though this is a valid stance: to be honest, when it comes to get a high-quality performance luxury sedan, the choices are quite slim. Firstly, we can eliminate all the junk that the European and US manufacturers are spewing into the market. But, we do have Infiniti: which has taken significant strides towards achieving high-reliability (albeit isn't quite there yet). Then there is the Acura TL and RL (which are both nice, although I am not all that thrilled with the styling and the fact that the TL's reliability has been taking a nose-dive recently). That leaves only Lexus and Toyota, remaining. They appear to be the true star of the industry with their reputation for high quality and excellent gas mileage. Although, I must admit that with the questionable Transmission designs they have been pushing lately (which as I have read effects the Avalon, Lexus ES, and possibly even the GS): I am wondering if this gas mileage could be higher only as a result of an unsafe transmission (I will need to confirm this with further research - but if I am right then that would mean Toyota/Lexus are also about to drop in overall reliability).

So, here is my thinking: I like the Toyota Avalon, Lexus ES, and GS cars (as options). But, If there is indeed something wrong with the Avalon transmission, assuming an effective fix doesn't come out soon: I might need to resort to looking at either the ES or GS more closely. Of course, they too may have the same issue. If it turns out they don't I will probably choose between these two. And since I have concerns about Acura TL's recent reliability issues there is only one other option: Infiniti. Both the G35 and M would options that I would consider, in this case.

willie_z · May 2005

Badgerfan

I could not post all the details or you would all be asleep reading it! I will respond to each of your points.

1. you seem to have diagnosed the problem yourself. - Not hard to do when the bin rattles over bumps. you can also feel a lack of resistance on one side of the bin.

2 Why did you not put it in yourself. - As you said ,you do not have the car so you could not possibly know what is involved. Also I just paid a lot of money for a new car, why would I want to work on it myself?

3. Your first recourse is to contact the dealer - Per various Toyota literature, "please contact the Toyota experience if you have any questions or concerns"

4 Calling Toyota and making a big stink...was a mistake from the start.- I called the company to find out if The part could even be re-installed or I needed a new door panel. The stink started at Toyotas end when the rep got rude.

5 Had you contacted your dealer first you would be happy - I did contact my dealer first, they could not tell me if the part could be put in after the fact or I needed a new door panel. Thus the call to Toyota

6 Your approach was wrong from the get go - Just you opinion.

7 Good and bad dealers are not isolated to any particular brand. - very true, but even the best dealers can' t save poor engineering. That is why I will NEVER buy a car or truck from the big 3 again!

In short it appears you read my post, but obviously did not comprehend it! Maybe you should buy a new Avalon so that you comments would have more relevance.

ryandse · May 2005

Good, it looks like Consumer Reports is in the process of evaluating the Avalon 2005. I am eagerly awaiting their response (in particular: to the controversal "hesitation" issue).

willie_z · May 2005

Jimex

Your comment is inappropriate. Would you expect the same level of customer service at a sleazy motel as you would at the Waldorf Astoria? Would you be disappointed if you booked a room at the Waldorf, paid their prices and was then treated like you were staying at a sleazy motel? I rest my case

willie_z · May 2005

ryandse,

I agree with your post. Although Acura is not perfect, Client services has always gone way above the call of duty when responding to problems, and they have always treated me as a valued customer. You would think Toyota would have seen that I am a first time customer and treated me better! I will also look at Infinity!
in the future. Love that M series! Anyone have experience with Infinity factory support?

pat · May 2005

Willie, probably a better place to ask about Infiniti factory support would be in our Infiniti M35/M45 2006+ discussion - or any of our Infiniti discussions which you can find using the Browse by Vehicle search on the left side of the page.

I think this is probably the wrong place to get into talking about what you are going to buy to replace your Avalon.

avalonfan · May 2005

Here I sit in a cozy home just south of Vegas with blue sky and temps nearing 100, but I'm dying to return home to my cool and damp Seattle area home because my baby (Blizzard Pear w/Tan interior loaded LTD) is sitting in my garage, and I need her, bad!

With just over 1000 miles on the car I've not experienced any negative issues, at least worthy of note here. Reading the manual, calling my sales rep, and reading tips and tricks from this forum have been most helpful in understanding my car.

I agree with those of you who miss some of the earlier posters, and it would be nice to hear from them again. At least the civil ones.

I believe we can all agree to disagree on so many issues involving our Avalon's. The best color combinations, price paid, option selected as examples. But, for so many to rant on and on and on over certain issues, in my opinion, makes for very boring reading. Yes, we need to be made aware of problems, and many have their personalized take on those issues. However, I believe there are other places within this forum where one can dwell on serious problems.

For those of us who are very satisfied with our purchase, our job to share our positive experience with others. The more Avalon owners the better for all of us. And, can anyone tell me of any make or car model that has received more positive reviews than our Avalon?

I have been two weeks without seeing, touching or driving my baby and I'm tired of reading all the doom and gloom. At least you guys HAVE your car. And, you think you got it bad!

havalongavalon · May 2005

willie z, I am not familiar with sleazy motels but I am familiar with the Toyota Corolla. I owned a 1987 Corolla for 9 years, it was a truly excellent car and I had truly excellent service from my Toyota dealers in two Provinces.

Comparing a Four Seasons hotel and the Waldorf Astoria would perhaps be more appropriate, if you must make this type of comparative representation of Toyota models.

havalongavalon

havalongavalon · May 2005

willie z

It's spelled infiniti. And the best place to ask for experience with infinitis would be in the infiniti Forums.

Good luck, and good bye.

rrogers2 · May 2005

Can you give the telephone number for the corporate office so all of us that have experienced hesitation can contact them? Better still, an email address.

avaloncruiser · May 2005

I neglected to mention in my earlier post about the garage door opener design. Personally, I liked it better in the sun visor like it was in the 03 model. I find it very cumbersome to find on the rearview mirror at night. Does anyone else feel this way? If I am not careful, I have to re-adjust my mirror.

I was also contacted by Toyota and asked how I enjoy my new Avalon and asked a series of questions. The informed me about the MyNewAvalon website. When I purchased the vehicle, I was not told about the site and that may have been because I purchased the vehicle the first week it was out. They also said that they would send me a copy on CD that I could use on my home computer. Its been about 8-10 weeks and I still havent received it. Has anyone else gotten their CD. I would imagine they are giving them now at time of delivery.at least that would make more sense! My boss was never notified so I didnt know if this was limited to the Limited.

havalongavalon · May 2005

Hello gladiator99,

Thanks for the lead, without it many of us might not have ever bumped into the Kelowna Capital news article!

This reviewer said: "Despite some manageable torque steer when the throttle is flung open, the Avalon's drivetrain is a thing of beauty. The engine spins to its redline with nary a hint of displeasure or harshness, while fastened to a slick shifting, electronically-controlled five-speed automatic transmission. A sequential manual-mode gate adjacent to the Drive position allows greater driver control over the shift points, should one's desire turn to sport." So here we have yet another example of a smart, well-behaved Canadian Avalon, a Touring in this case.

Best regards,

havalongavalon

boatsman · May 2005

willie_z........give me a break, all over a spring. You should get a Rolls Royce since you sound way to picky and pretentious for a measly old Toyota. The dealer treated you Royaly and yet you want to complain.

havalongavalon · May 2005

avaloncruiser,

Welcome, and thank you for sharing your experiences. I actually like the mirror location for the garage openers. I programmed the center button which is next to a light so it's easy and quick to find in the dark (much easier than in the Honda Pilot, where the opener buttons are invisible, set high in the ceiling and too close to other switches). Anyway, in order not to disturb the mirror position I press the button with my thumb and place the index finger behind the mirror to stabilize it while I press.

Best wishes,

havalongavalon

groza · May 2005

"...I had truly excellent service from my Toyota dealers in two Provinces."

Havalong: First, please believe me when I say that your posts are, like Mack's, always substantive and worthwhile reading. That said, I hadn't picked up on your Canadian roots before the reference above to the "Provinces". Please tell us what happens, then, this early in the year, when you stick your unprotected tongue on a painted Avalon surface in the Provinces? I mean, are we talking about a 911 call, or what?

And, RONN, where are you as the defender of King Arthur's namesake? RONN, phone home!

Groza

willie_z · May 2005

havalongavalon

Thanks for the info! I guess the spell checker did not pick it up as there is the legitimate word infinity and the the marketing name Infiniti adopted by Nissan. Thanks to you and Pat for refering mr to the proper forum.

Regards

prakrama · May 2005

two things to miss on an XLS after paying 30+ on this Car

1.heated seats
2. Memory seats and mirrors.

These are standard on many sedans ( Over 30 ) ...esepecially the Infinite I35

which is now selling for 26K at some dealers

toycash · May 2005

The thing is that with Toyota, the dealer normally does not actually order your car. They put in a request, and then, usually twice a month, their regional office allocates cars to them. If the regional office can not fill that request from their orders, then there is no car.

You can do a special order, but that takes 3 months, and can only be placed once per month.

willie_z · May 2005

Boatsman,

This is the last I will post over this issue as I do not want to tie up the board. You miss my point. As I mentioned in previous posts the problem is not the spring breaking, it is in the way I was treated by the people who answer the phones at the Toyota experience line. I agree that the dealer treated me very well. My point is that a factory help line should also treat customers properly. I think that the Avalon is a great car and that the people who bought one made a wise decision based on the merits of the car. Apparently some people will defend Toyota no matter how they treat their customers. I was not aware that some people were so touchy on this forum that they will criticize me for minor spelling errors ( that I spell checked by the way). I am not picky and pretentious, I just am not willing to accept the general degradation of customer service in all industries that I have noticed lately. Anyone that does deserves what they get! I vote with my money and I vote No more Toyota! By the way to all Corolla owners it is a great car and no offense intended!

Thanks to all who offered CONSTRUCTIVE critizism on my posts and I wish you all the best with your new Avalons!

pat · May 2005

Please do not post any phone numbers or email addresses that cannot be easily found on a public webpage. Otherwise the post will have to be removed.

groza · May 2005

Anybody else notice a problem with the following two items:

1. Window seal on the front passenger side window is twisted. I can get it back to normal by lowering the window, and slipping a thin, flexible plastic sheet between the window and the seal while raising the window. But the seal is buggered up when the window is raised again without the thin plastic sheet. This appears to be an original installation problem.

2. There is a 1-inch wide plastic strip above the windows, separating the door frame from the roof (on the outside of the car). This strip, on the driver's side, has about a dozen dimples in it all along the 4-foot length of the strip. I just noticed these dimples while waxing the car for the first time. The same strip on the passenger side of the car is perfect.

Neither item is major. Just curious if anybody else has seen these.

Don't worry, willie_z. I won't contact the Toyota Experience. I've had such great experience with my dealer, Earl Stewart Toyota of North Palm Beach, that I have every reason to think they'll fix these when I take it in for the first oil change.

This dealer, by the way, provides free tires and batteries during the warranty period when you use them for prescribed maintenance. This includes the extended warranty period - in my case, 6 years. I was warned by some that the dealer will probably charge highway robbery for oil/filter changes, to make up for it, and that the 25,000 mile service is an expensive one. But I've found that the dealer's oil/filter changes are $24.95, and no 100,000 mile or less maintenance stops are expensive ones. Since timing chain replacement, which normally can be several hundred $'s, is not even listed in the Owner's Manual, free tires and batteries looks like a good deal. So, I'm curious what others have seen.

Groza

havalongavalon · May 2005

Uh-oh groza, can't believe you said:

"2. ...This strip, on the driver's side, has about a dozen dimples in it all along the 4-foot length of the strip. I just noticed these dimples while waxing the car for the first time."

groza, are you perchance related to a wiseguy contributor of earlier times, also affectionately known as Old Groza? Of course, you know what Old Groza would've said:

"Shouldn't have waxed them plastic strips..."

LOL, LOL!

Anyway, I don't know about them plastic strips; but when I first washed my car in early March (it was a beautiful sunny balmy day here in SOUTHWESTERN Canada, I was getting ready to go play golf...), I found welding imperfections all along the sheet metal edges, just inside the wheel wells (in several but not all four wells, as I recall) . These are sizeable bumps that if you know they are there and you get down on your hands and knees, you can see clearly; but in practice they don't matter since you pretty much can't see them.

In summary, let's don't sweat the small stuff, groza...

The window seal, that I would have the dealer replace.

Best regards,

havalong

just__me · May 2005

Willie-Z, I'm sorry to say that after reviewing your original post, I see you contacted Toyota Corp first. That was wrong my friend. You should have gone right to the dealer. I spent a lot of years in the corporate world, and whether you believe me or not you went about it the wrong way. Toyota is the last line of defense when the dealer is being incorrigible. So personally I think you brought this upon yourself. I have called Corporate many times to discuss the technical parts of my Avalon, and they have always been gracious and some times put me on hold to check with engineering. In one case I was asked my name and they have an entire history of my purchases and in fact said if I ever have a problem with my dealer to let them know. Anyway I wish you good luck.

yurik · May 2005

1-800-331-4331

pat · May 2005

Did you see my post about posting phone numbers (and email addresses)? If there is a public website where that number is posted, please tell me where. Thanks..

2005-2007 Toyota Avalon

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