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My brother put Nokian WGR2 on his Avy and is very happy as well.
tx
Four of us was in the car and we had a lot of hills, stopping to view sites and some city driving. The trip took a hair less than 40 gallons of gas. I'm continually amazed at the mileage this car gets.
I haven't reset the computer mileage since I bought the car and it now reads 27.9 after 41,000 miles
2011 LTD Avalon. 31,000 miles and the Michelin tires look very good. Rotate tires every 5000 miles and change oil at same time.
This is a heck of a car....like the power, gas mileage, and overal looks of car.
Good information on the tires. Rotation is the key. I do not have Michelins on my 2011. I have bridgestone. 20800 miles and counting. Treat is fair, about 50% worn but just a guess.
I loved them both, but would take the 05+ generation any time over the 2000-4.
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
Now that said.....love the power on my 2011, and like the 6 speed transmission.
If I could have gotten a 2011 engine and transmission put in the 2003, it would have been the best of both worlds.
For those that read this.....I like the front wheel drive......I remember the mid 50's chevies and fords and the big engine Dodge and Plymouth, rear wheel drive with the big hump in the back seat.....the hump is gone.....so should rear wheel drive.
Haven't reset the computer mileage since purchase and it now reads 28.0. This will probably stay at 28 until I go south for the winter and it usually drops to about 27 during 3 months in the Phoenix area.
As for tires, I have 36,000+ miles on mine, and the OEM tires (Bridgestone) are all but toast, and this sucks when you consider I had winter tires on it for 5 of the 17 months I've owned the car.
If I'm careful, I maybe be able to sneak by with these tires, but with 2 trips planned down south (about 3,500 each trip), I don't see that happening.
I did stop by my local repair shop, and they said the tires won't pass for a state inspection sticker:(
And I should add, 80+ % of my miles are highway. I'll be going to the local salvage yard to get some nice used tires to get me by, as I've got a 2013 Avalon on order, sort of speak - on order as in I got a deposit on one as soon as they become available, which according to the Toyota web site isn't until December:(
Skip
This is a reply to your message posted in Aug 12. I have not written on these forums in many years but thought I would help you out a little. Let me just preface this with saying, #1...I am not an expert but this is from empirical and car hobby experience, #2. I have a 02 Toyota Avalon 143K and two old BMW's, one 95 M3 and one 325ci with the Sports Suspension.
My Avalon is my DD and my favorite car. Yes, that is correct. Specifically, if you want you Avalon to handle more like a sports sedan, there are measures that you can do and you would be quite surprised at the results. No, it will not handle like a BMW secondary to the RWD and weight distro. But.....my Avalon handles and brakes so much better it is almost as good as my friends 5 series and alot better in areas such as HVAC, towing, and comfort.
Not sure what year you have but this is what you should do if you desire better handling and braking.
1. Change the shocks to premium aftermarket shocks...I put in tokicoHPs with remarkable results. KYB makes decent shocks too. These are the perfect aftermarket shocks for your car, as they are a twin tube, low pressure gas design and are superior to the OEM.
2. If they make(depending on the year), change your bushings, first sway bar, then control arm is needed to PU. These will increase, NVH, but will additionally enhance handling and responsive. This should be done only if you desire more than in step 1.
3. Other than 16" tires, I would not recommend bigger tires. Rather, the Grand Touring type of tire is the correct type for this vehicle.
You will love the difference and be able to take corners at nearly twice the speed as before. Note: All cars as this one have limitations. It will still not be a true sports car and will not handle like one. Drive responsibly and safely. Have competent people perform their functions.
abfisch
I say that because that's what you wrote about. I love my 2011 Avalon LTD and it handles good for a FWD car. I love the speed, how quick it is for such a big car. I don't like changing factory things. Again I wouldn't change a thing.
I'll say, I'm very impressed by the MPG on this heavy machine. How quite it is amazes me. Everyone that sits in the backseat always comments on how roomy it is. Really a Remarkable car!
Through the years I've own a lot of nice cars. My opinion this is one of the best, if not the very best.
The weight of these cars is 3600 pounds but there's an article that says the 2011 Avalon weight 4500 pounds GROSS weight. So I assume, that's with 4-5 people in it and the tank filled up and perhaps lugage in the trunk. I'm not sure what 4500 pounds gross weight means. Does anyone know? Either way, this car is heavy.
Thanks for repsonding to my post, 21 thousand miles and counting.
One is plain and one is charcoal.
Has anyone changed their filter and if so which one did you use?
The dealer wants $59.00 to change it and the parts store sells them for 11-15 dollars.
It involves one screw and takes 5-10 minutes if you don't get in a hurry.
I changed mine at 27,000......just because I happened to remember when I was at a auto parts store. I took a "label and wrote that it was changed at 27,000".
Toyato service likes to change these......filter is "big bucks" and labor is spendie. Change yourself......take yourself out to dinner with the savings.
Will give you the information on the "new and old" models of the 2013 Avalon.
I like many of them..........
Skip
This is common in all cars with a "security system".....Just let's you know the system is working, that's a good thing.........wear down battery?, don't think this is a problem, unless battery is on "last legs"
Now give me a few months and I'm sure (surely hoping) I like the 2013 better:)
Skip
The front end was not quite as ugly to me as in the photos and videos but it was distracting. Kinda reminded me of the front end of the old Chrysler 300 of yore before the current model change of a few years ago. It was loaded with the BlackBerry QNX - Toyota (Entune) entertainment and NAV system and the electronic adjustable economy, sport and normal drive modes but it was not noticable. Listed at $40k. I am going to check out the Hybrid to see if the Camry propulsion system can handle the extra weight later this month.
How's the leg room in the 2013? Power? Tell us more! Thanks for sharing,
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
***Some of this likely has changed, as I've now owned the car 6 days, but it's good reading until I do update it.
First impressions on my 2013avalon:)
Ok, we'll I just got back from my first short trip with my new toy. Here are my thoughts.
First off let me me start with a BIG
Quiet, smooth, comfortable pleasant to drive.
Seats are much more comfortable then I expected on a longer drive.
The trip was about 200 miles round trip. Mostly back roads 45 - 55 mph, and light snow all day.
I didn't think about it until I tried to load CD's, as it appears it only holds 1. I'm sure this is because of entunes and the fact it can play a iPod.
I still find the switches / controls on the top right a bit to far, but not a big deal. The lights are very nice, both headlights for lighting the road as well as the interior lights.
Something odd, is that my cell phones turns on and off all by itself, which never happened with my old Avalon, and it is the car, because when the cell phone is on my desk at workor counter at home, it doesn't do it.
The front seat heater is very good and seems more powerful than my old Avalon.
The collision avoidance is real nice.
Right Now I don't like the new radio station presets, a bit more work then the old system, but I can see where it will be easier once I get use to it.
The 3 driving modes are interesting, but I didn't pay attention much attention to them yet, so I can't comment much. I can say you can see and feel the difference when you select each mode.
The electric steering is REAL nice.
I liked the 3 trays / pockets on the old Avalon better. Things seemed to fit better and easier.
I love the coin tray up front.
I like the digital speedometer which is handy when setting the cruise control at 9mph over the speed limit
I REALLY like the solid feel when opening and closing the doors
I'm sure there will be more as I get more time behind the wheel, but that's for now.
Skip
- The rides is more comfortable but in an odd way. It feels stiffer, and you hear and sort of feel the bumps more, but not in a bone jarring way. The seats and suspension do a good job of soaking the bumps up.
- My radio doesn't seem to go up and down base on noise and speed like it should. I'll be reading up on this to see if it only works under certain conditions, or if the radio needs to be at a certain volume to work?
- Oh, the radio is awesome in the LTD model
- Wipers are real quiet:) A big issue I had with my 2011 Avalon
- The windows go up and down very quietly. Something I had paid to much attention to in my 2011, although you do have to hold the switches a bit longer to have them work automatically.
- Still NOT liking the radio station setup:(
- Electric steering is a nice touch.
- The backup camera seems so much nicer. The picture is clearer, cleaning, brighter and more crisp then the 2011.
- Not sure but the 3 driving modes are somewhat of a gimmick at this time. I leave it in "Normal" at this time. I will be going on a few long trips, at which point in time I will try "Eco" mode to see if it helps in the MPG.
- I will say, I've had several folks come up and say "Very Nice Things" about the car:)
- The front seat heaters WORK! Damn, on high you feel like your roasting your butt for dinner. Med is ok, and the first setting doesn't seem to work well at all?
- Wind noise hasn't been an issue yet. I'm NOT saying it's any quieter then my 2011, what I'm saying is, it's not any louder that I can detect.
I THINK I can say this and mean it.
IF I had driven a 2010 or so LS 460 L, and it didn't have to many miles on it, and I could live with the HIGH cost of ownership, and the higher cost for fuel (I drive 35,000+ miles a year, and a trip to FL from Maine would cost an extra $150.00, or about $2,000.00 more per year) Not to mention the higher cost of insurance and maintenance - $200.00 for an oil change! That would likely be sitting in my driveway, but this is a Very Nice option.
Ok, back to my New Avalon:)
A friend who I worked with many years ago at the local Ford dealerships went for a ride in the car the other day, and well, here is some of what happen.
Hey, Leo look at this cool feature, yeah that's nice. I've like that idea every since ford started putting that in their cars a few years ago:) ok, well what do you think of this? Yeah that's cool to, but sorry, ford's have had that for a few years now. Well this went on and on for a while, after the ride was done and I was dropping him off, I asked him, so what do you think, he said (in Leo fashion), nice, but you could have bought a 3 year old ford and got all that stuff for a lot less:)
- Trunk opening seems tighter. I don't like that, as I use the car a lot for making deliveries.
- The car is smaller inside, which is noted in the specs, I just wish it wasn't so noticeable. My passengers have said they fell a bit claustrophobic in front. That seemed a bit much to me! I will say, it maybe the different colors used, making it seem tighter. I feel it as the driver:(
Now some of you are saying "Damn sure sounds like he doesn't like the car, and or, why in hell did he buy the car"? And that is a good question.
YES, I like the car. That doesn't mean I can't find fault with it.
I also worked out a deal with my local dealer, which I wasn't going to back out of. In part he bought A LOT of marketing stuff for their Grand Reopening / Remodel, and I said I would purchase a new car if he did. He did spend A LT, so I bought the new car.
Here is an interesting wonder.
IF the car was to be totaled, would I purchase another one, or would I buy a 2012, or would I shop around for a late model used LS???
Skip
One thing I love about my 2011 is the room on the inside. Especially the back seat. You said the 2013 was smaller on the inside. This is nice to know. I guess that's how they get the extra MPG. ??
Keep the undates coming, Thanks again!
Nope, that wasn't me, I have a Lexus, but am a fan of the Avalon - despite it's differences in engineering, it's a great car for us Business People who need such a roomy comfortable sedan. This was the first 12 I have tried out, liked it a lot. Will be looking for a 13 to try out.
Skip
The same thing as the new Ford Fusion designers. UGH, I hope this isn't a trend.
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
I can understand changing the style (to appeal to younger buyers or different buyers) but to me it's like changing the coke formula. Remember years ago, coke had an excellent formula and then changed it for no reason. WHY change something if it's working?
Reminds me of what Facebook just did. The had 668,872 people voting, and of those, 589,141 said they were opposed to the new documents. Guess what, they went ahead and ignored the voters.
I think it just like the Coke fiasco also. In the end Coke went back to their original product. Hope Toyota does.
The only reason I bought the Avy was the room in back as we travel with another couple. I tried a number of different cars and climbed in the back see of all of them. Some of them I eliminated without trying the front seat so the room is very important for me.
YES I love my 2013, but the 2011 was just different, and a little bit bigger)
Oh, for those interested in some folks thoughts on the Hybrid and why they did or would buy it, go here: (Nice active Avalon site)
- http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/311-4th-generation-2013/
Skip
Personally I don't think Toyota will go back to having a big back seat. MPG seems more important these days. Even though gas seems to be going down (for now).
The front end might change, but that's cosmetic, nothing more.