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Yes, by all means, jump from the frying pan into the FIRE.
Even though the area is about 1-1/2" long.
This on top of a failing Transmission. (40,000 miles on it now)
I am very much aware of this. I think this car would have done better if it weighed less or with a 5 speed, though. It's almost like mentioning the word "hill" results in a shift.
Weighed less, yes, 5 speed, no.
With a 5 speed you would lost some of the finely tuning capability insofar as FE is concerned.
I have a 2009 Venza V6 AWD.
The only issue that I have had is with paint chipping and flaking particularly around the wheel wells.
The Dealer tried to say it was a result of 20" tires blasting debri against the paint. I explained to the Service Manager and Toyota Rep that I now difference between flaking paint due to a poor paint job and paint being blasted off by debri from the tires.
In short, the complaint got Toyota to pay for the paint job.
Other than the paint issue, there has been no mechanical problems at alomost 25k miles.
I really enjoy drive the Venza and it was a dream to drive in all the snow we had this winter.
Curious about any thoughts out there on the car and related questions.
Thanks, cityguy
I just took my Venza for a 1000 mile road trip so I feel I have a more informed opinion of my Venza now. The big pluses about the car are that it is stylish and unique (unlike the ubiquitous Camry). The exterior is fine so far. My problem is with the interior -- the Venza interior is not as sturdy as Toyotas from previous years (e.g. the plastic panels feel less substantial). I checked a few 2011 Toyotas (Sienna and Camry) and I found they have the same problem so this interior quality problem is not unique to the Venza and could be the way Toyota is making cars for the next few years. I reported the warping in the forum but I also tend to notice little things and the slight warping may not bother you -- check with Venzas that have been on the dealer lot for several months in the sun and check how the dashboard panels fit together; and if you're okay with how the panels fit then the warping issue shouldn't be a problem for you.
The Venza cargo space is really not much more than a sedan if you want to still be able to look out from the rear window. The v6 is somewhat quiter than a v4 but not by much after the car is broken in. At the stop light, I can barely hear/feel my v4 engine running. You should know that (from reading the boards) people find it hard to achieve the stated fuel economy. From my experience unless you drive 55-70mph, it is hard to achieve the stated 29 mpg.
I bought my car last month and from the manufacturing info, my car was made in early April 2010. I was told by my dealer that all Venzas made after March 2010 have/should have the brake overide system.
Despite the quibles I have with my Venza, I like it. It is a fun ride esp with the moonroof. But you should really negotiate hard with the dealer. I still got a pretty good price, $100 over invoice, but the car with rebates for grad and military one can do much better.
Did you ever get your issue resolved on this "thinks on a hill" response by Venza? Was this resolved by recent electronics system retrofit to have brake pedal override accelerator (I think they are two different issues"?
Thinking about buying a 2010 Venza--also debating waiting on the 2011--thoughts?
Should I wait for 2011 or go with 2010's?
Also, net net net, any real concerns with Venza--i read about rattles, expensive 20" replacement tires, blind spots--are all these minor issues considering overall value?
I am a big guy, 6'4" 275 lbs and dont want to go all the way up to SUV.
Any thoughts appreciated. Really concerned that TOY quality has gone downhill but reviews of Taurus and Chrysler are even less encouraging...Thought about Avalon but know those are getting facelift within 2 years..would like to stay at max $35k.
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/24/toyota-cutting-supplier-expenses-by-30-probab- ly-means-using-ch/
NOW FOR THE COMPLAINTS:
-no memory seats
-heated seats but no cooling
-no rain sensing wipers
-had alarm/faulty hood latch problem-awaiting backordered part now.
besides these wants/few issues, we love the car. Will give another update down the road.
Got 26 MPG w/a Thule cargo box driving 65-75 to OBX.
Luv the interior - dual zone climate controls are helpful.
Great forward visibility-not so great rearward.
This would be a good candidate for a hybrid system!
If the give is entirely left to the springs then the follow-on bounce, rebound, can be "compensated" for, damped, by the shock absorber. Obviously any "give" via the tire sidewall cannot be compensated for.
Compromises.....
Personally I would never go above 18" for a typical road-going passenger vehicle.
Probably a more important measure would be tire sidewall heigth.
Overall, I just love driving this car. I already put 32,000 plus miles...One thing I noticed, my driver seat right side is now touching the center storage console when the lumbar support is all the way up so it is making a squeaking sound when I move. I had to adjust the lumber support half way. Not sure what Toyota can do.
We're in no hurry. The 2011 is going to be based on the outgoing Camry platform and the 12 should be based on the new platform. Besides, if we fully load a 4 cyl, it will come in around 30k, about $32k for a v6, so we'll be riding our 2 reliable toyotas while banking $ for the venza. Also a couple concerns about the present model. The 4 cyl has very limited tire replacemnt selections, the gas mileage on the upcoming model hopefully will be a bit better and I think Toyota's drive to grow resulted in some slippage of quality/reliability based on reviews. Perhaps better to wait a year or two (or 4, in our case!) and see how their drive to regain their reliability crown goes.
Besides, who knows what bells and whistles will be added by then! But that's just me. Bells and whistles are fun for about the first month, then it's all a matter of reliability for the next 119 months. :P
Anyone else notice their car rolling back on a 10 degree hill? Did not notice that before buying and still would have bought it but... I use to work in a shop so I understand how this can happen, though I do find it somewhat strange because all my previous cars have not rolled back .. well ever.. On a steep enough hill, sure, but on 10 degrees?
Am I alone or is this standard on the Venza due to added weight (my other cars have been sedans, my Camry, for instance, doesn't roll back at 20 degrees).
Press harder on the brake pedal as soon as you're fully stopped to engage this feature. Shortcoming is it engages the brakes and doesn't release them until you again depress the accelerator and then there is a short delay in DBW throttle response until the brakes can be released.
If you do get it fixed, leave your car in the hot (I know it's winter) sun and let the plastic panels cure in the sun. This should reveal the most ill fitting pieces. Then take your car to the dealer. When they note which panels should be replaced, tell them to make sure those new panels (probably just fresh from the factory) are cured and don't warp after being placed in the car and adjusted for fit.
This is not the first incident that we have had with this problem. A few weeks after we purchased the car was the first time my wife notice this. Almost the same thing, She was pulling into our driveway slowing down as she approached the house. The car started to lurk forward and rev it's engine. She managed to stop the car before it hit the house. She told me about her experience and I questioned her. I didn't think it was true because the car is new and not on the recall list. Another couple of weeks went by before I had the same experience. I was doing the same exact thing as my wife, about to park the car in the driveway when the car started jumping again. The next day , I brought the car to the dealership explained the problem to them. They said the car wasn't on the recall list and to make me feel a little better, they had someone test drive the car around the lot. Obviously the car performed beautifully. I drove the car home and haven't had a problem till 2 days ago.
There is definitely something wrong with the car. This is something Toyota has to fix. Lives are at stake here. I don't want anyone to go through what my wife went through. Like I said before, luckily she wasn't hurt and my kids weren't in the car. I would strongly suggest anyone thinking about buying or leasing a Venza to reconsider different options. Toyota is not going to admit that there is a problem with its cars unless enough people complain or seriously get hurts or even dies. They always come out with a recall when its too late or 3 years later. This is there MO. I'm just venting because I am mad. I bought this car because the car looks nice and wanted my family to feel safe. Toyota failed in the latter of the two.
The car is comfortable to drive, plenty of seat adjustment, and room in the back seat. We do notice road noise at highway speeds and it is not related to the sunroof. For that reason, we are thinking of having the radio speakers replaced to improve sound, and while they have the door panels off, will probably have some insulation added. Something we should not have to spend extra money on.
Mechanically, we do not have any issues with engine noise or transmission shifting. It runs very quiet and shifts just like it should. I don't think the steering link to the front-end feels as "connected" and tight as it should (compared to my van); nor does it ride nearly as smooth. We feel the bumps and they actually can throw the car slightly. Of course it's a lighter-weight car than the Kia Sedona van, but still overall does not hold the road or steer as tight as I would expect for a new car with only 8000 miles on it. We drove new 2010 Venzas before purchasing this used one and I did not notice so much wind noise or handling issues. This 2009 is Toyota certified and had a clean CarFax report, so it shouldn't be flawed.
We held out for a Venza with leather interior because, as a repair professional who works on car interiors, I had some reservations about keeping the cloth seats clean. As far as the quality of the interior materials, Toyota has reduced the quality. The plastic parts seem to scratch and scuff much easier than those in my Kia. (It was very durable and near perfect after 5 years and 75,000 miles.) And the leather used in the seats is not as thick or of the quality as that in cars of a few years ago. Same can be said for the vinyl and plastic parts.
We purchased a Toyota extended warranty which hopefully will take care of any issues the car may have while we own it. It is transferrable to the next owner as well. The gas mileage is enough to help us overlook the handling and noise problems for now. We will drive it for awhile and see what else comes on the market in a year or two. As far as appearance, we got the blizzard pearl and it is a head-turner. Get lots of compliments on it and it does turn heads. Overall, we are satisfied with the car and the money it saves us at the pump!
Please advise
Thanks
We have a forum devoted especially to pricing...
You can find it here: Toyota Venza Prices Paid and Buying Experience
regards,
kyfdx
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