Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Toyota Avalon Exterior Questions

13»

Comments

  • abfischabfisch Member Posts: 591
    fmayberry:

    I have an 02 and can only give you my experience for my vehicle. Companies that make good hitches are Draw-tite, Reese, Hidden Hitch. The old Avalons have a 2000lb capacity. The new ones 1000lbs. That includes the trailer itself and cargo inside, so I would be very cautious at the weight you describe above.

    I put the Draw tite on myself after undercoating it and letting it dry for a day in the sun. It basically bolted on but they was a tricky bracket that need to be put in and the exhaust hanger need to be taken down, if I remember correctly. Every fit perfect though. I torqued the bolts to the exact setting in the directions.

    The wiring, they make an interface called a Modulite with a 4 prong hookup. I used industrial strength velcro to attach it to the inside lip of the trunk, under the trunk fascia. I had a electrical technician splice it in one of the wires for the rear lights. I ran it in the car, not outside the car, with the other wiring.

    It has been working for years. Two days ago, I picked up about 1400lbs of screened fill, from a nursery in my trailer. The are some hills to get home. It was about as much weight as I care to tow. I always tow with the OD OFF!! and I change the tranny fluid and filter every 30-40K.

    You can get more info on the net.

    good luck

    abfisch
  • wildpuppywildpuppy Member Posts: 1
    I got a glimpse of a 2006 Camry and it had this extremely nice grill. If you know of any aftermarket/specialty grills for the 2006 Avalon, let me know.
  • avalong06avalong06 Member Posts: 5
    Hello, I bought my body side mouldings at jay wolfe toyota in north kcmo by the airport, but even thought that i had to protect my most beautiful car the dealer offered me a 318.00 dollar painted and put on but far to much money but alas i paid and it looks wonderful they are about 1inch wide and the color of my car and they peel off and stick but so is all the wood grain and lots more so it took 5 minutes and i felt taken but got over it movrd on and simply enjoy the heck out of my car, good luck and enjoy
  • nimiminimimi Member Posts: 249
    I complained to the dealer about my LTD's rain-sensing wipers: they seemed erratic and the +/- control seemed to have no affect on their operation. He replaced the column switch and it does not appear to have made a difference.

    Has anyone else had problems with these wipers?
  • mem4mem4 Member Posts: 52
    The auto wipers are a little unpredictable but I wouldn't call them a major problem. I have found that if you adjust the +- setting it takes a few minutes for the wipers to react. I think the rain sensor has to provide input to the computer then based on the +- setting decide how often to sweep the windshield. Try moving the setting one click at a time then leave it there for a couple of minutes (as long as you are getting enough window sweeps to be safe) and see if the frequency of the wipers changes.
  • avanewbyavanewby Member Posts: 1
    Auto Anything (online) has a sharp-looking grill for 2005-2006 Avalons. It's called a "billet" grill. ABout $140, including shipping.
  • luxosportluxosport Member Posts: 22
    I backed my wife's Limited into a fairly tight spot along the curb and accidentally tapped the rear bumper into the front bumper of the car behind me. I was stunned to see that the paint on our car was virtually torn away in an area no bigger than a nickel. What is that? There should be some thin rubber or chrome strip to protect the bumper itself. It wasn't that many years ago that cars had full chrome bumpers with "bumper guards". I realize aesthetics and weight concerns eliminated that kind of protection but I expect I'll be hit with several hundred bucks to fix what shouldn't have even happened. I'll be more careful in the future and maybe I'll have to pay more attention to how delicate and fragile my next car might be.
  • alan_salan_s Member Posts: 362
    A traditional bodyshop will want to remove your bumper, respray the entire bumper and reassemble it. You probably wouldn't get away for much less than $700 if a Toyota dealer does this. I know, I had a scrape on my wife's Sienna's rear bumper and I almost had a heart-attack when I received the repair quote for a small scratch.
    Alternatively, you could use a bumper repair service. These guys repair just the damaged area in-place with excellent results, and it could end up costing you about $100.
    Look for a bumper repair service in your area. An example is:
    http://www.bumpermedic.com/
  • luxosportluxosport Member Posts: 22
    Now that's very helpful...thanks Alan! I will check into that tomorrow.
  • alan_salan_s Member Posts: 362
    Welcome! From your accent ;) I can deduce that you are from Dallas, so here is a link to a mobile repair service in your area.
    http://www.bumperman.com/
  • luxosportluxosport Member Posts: 22
    Originally from Brooklyn, NY but yep....now a Dallas resident. I did manage to find a local "bumperman" and I'll visit soon. Incidentally, my Toyota dealer did suggest repainting the entire bumper for $700.00!! Thanks for your support Alan.
  • alan_salan_s Member Posts: 362
    Now I know why you wrecked your bumper!
    Y'all darn Yankees parallel park by FEEL! ;)
  • neil5neil5 Member Posts: 118
    Just installed the backup Camera License plate CCD camera (no drilling) with the G-net system. I now have every option the Lexus' have. I installed to prevent this! Cost less than 500.00 for everything.
  • luxosportluxosport Member Posts: 22
    Now that's "hindsight". As it turned out the Limited we bought was the one that had just been delivered on a transport truck while we were negotiating. It didn't have the rear bumper "radar" for that purpose. Be careful of your front bumper in your case Neil!
  • gomst1gomst1 Member Posts: 58
    Hi Avalong06,

    I also bought the body side moulding for my wife's 2006 Avalon Limited however, it did not come with instructions.
    I intend to install it myself but do not know exactly how high I should install it on the door. I was wondering if you could do me a favor by measuring the distance of the moulding from the bottom lip of the door to the center of the body side moulding. Thank you.
  • gomst1gomst1 Member Posts: 58
    Hi Avalong06,

    Please disregard my post. I found the procedure to install the body side moulding on post #9114.
  • lwardlward Member Posts: 5
    I am purchasing a 2006 Limited and am trying to decide whether to have the body side molding. Also, wondering about the Laser cruise control. Any advice on pros and cons? Thanks
  • lwardlward Member Posts: 5
    I am purchasing a 2006 Limited and am trying to decide whether to have the body side molding. Also, wondering about the Laser cruise control. Any advice on pros and cons? Thanks
  • jwhagenjwhagen Member Posts: 4
    I have the Laser cruise on my Limited. Personally, I don't care for it but have also found I am in the minority. With the Laser you have the option of using it or a traditional cruise. What I don't like is if you are on Laser and you want to bump up another MPH, it takes you up in increments of 5 MPH instead of 1.

    For instance... You enable the cruise at a speed of 62 MPH. You tell it to bump up a little faster and you suddenly accelerate to 65, not 63 or 64. Bump up again and you go to 70. Not sure why they did that.

    Otherwise it works okay, but I personally wouldn't get it again for the reason stated above.

    John
  • robert52robert52 Member Posts: 27
    Anybody know if there is a deflector available for a 2006 avalon. I do alot of highway driving and have started to noticed several small chips on the hood. Trying to keep looking new as long as possible. I have searched the internet but cant find anything.
  • indyresindyres Member Posts: 6
    I had the paint protection film installed on my 06 Limited by a local window tinting company. It is kind of expensive, but it has done it's job so far, and it has a lifetime warranty against yellowing or peeling off. I would recommend touching up the chips that are already there, as they will show right through the film. I would provide pictures, but you wouldn't see anything because the film is almost invisible. They did the front bumper, the edge of the hood about 12 inches up, and both mirrors. The film manufacturer will fix any chip that penetrates the film up to a certain amount. Maybe $500.00, I can't remember for sure. (dents are not included in guarantee). Anyway, it's an option you can consider.
  • sunny_8sunny_8 Member Posts: 10
    gomst1....where did you get the side moldings from and how much were they ?

    Thanks,
  • guestguest Member Posts: 770
    sunny_8: Got mine installed by the dealer for $150--look great and they work. Also had color keyed door edge guards, pin stripes, Window vents. splsah guards and tinted windows done on our 06 Silver Pine Mica limited--looks great!
    Bob
  • putter5putter5 Member Posts: 12
    Had mine installed this morning at Bev Smith Toyota, Ft Pierce FL.Perfect job,took 1 hour cost $ 180.00. I read post where dealers were charging a lot more. If I have a problem with the installation I know where to go , this dealer is very accomodating
  • tj2000tj2000 Member Posts: 2
    Can anyone tell me how high to place the body side moulding on my 2005 avalon
  • limiteddriverlimiteddriver Member Posts: 234
    Don't know what type moldings you have , BUT if they are like the Dawn Enterprise one which look like the Camry moldings the instruction sheet says the top of the moldings should be 10 3/4 inches above the crease near the bottom of the doors.
  • steve326asteve326a Member Posts: 58
    I'm about to aquire a 97 XLS. It has the standard chrome emblems on the grill & trunk. Is there a way to get a gold set for it?

    Steve
  • marco10marco10 Member Posts: 1
    Hi
    I am having a similar situation. 2006 Avalon less than one year old, about 6000 miles. Took one trip of about 150 miles.
    Discovered many small splash like areas on front hood of paint eaten away, like BUG splats.
    Saw regional (southeast) rep and he refused to take any responsibility or offer any help.
    I contacted national headquarters in Calif. and asked for arbitration forms.
    Have you heard of others with this problem and did your dealership offer to repaint.
    Thanks.
    Marco
  • guestguest Member Posts: 770
    marco10: I only complained to Toyota thru customer service. I haven't heard anything----it is the old 'buyer beware" and we paint our cars according to stringent specifications. Don't look for any help from Toyota. I just told them that for a car, at that time, with less than 5,000 mile to have that many chips certainly indicated something needed to be done. I said you'd think Toyota would realize the front of the car would sustain the majority of abuse. I recommended they offer some sort of protective coating--I know its available on the open market--I think it costs $400-$500. I 'cringe" at the thought of looking at my front end after every trip. We're getting ready to take a 2,000 trip from here in Missouri to Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma and back. Probably will need a "total" front end paint job! Car now has 7,700 miles and like I said before, my wife's 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd with 60,000 miles has less pits and chips. I constantly look at Avalon's and other Toyotas just to see the damage. I have noticed that the newer cars seem to have much more pitting and chipping than the older cars. I did find a guy who does touch-up and he's very good--not a paint job of course--but, far better than I could ever do. I have chips on the plastic front end and even the metal hood. I'm VERY careful not to follow too closely. Not much else i can do other than put on a metal helmet!
    Bob
    Bob
  • brucejbrucej Member Posts: 105
    I helped a relative shop and purchase for an 07 Avalon. A beautiful car if I do say so myself. When they finally got their permanent liscense plate they asked me to install it for them. When I removed the temp license plate (back bumper) I noticed a rectangular square cutout that enabled me to see into the core of the back bumper. Did the car come this way from the manufacturer or is something amiss?

    Thanks,

    Confused in Columbus
  • nimiminimimi Member Posts: 249
    My '06 Limited is the same. I've no idea why it's like that.
  • robert52robert52 Member Posts: 27
    Anybody know of a bug deflector available for an 06 avalon? my hood has so many chips in it, i am wondering if there is something wrong with the paint.Thanks
  • tedtnjtedtnj Member Posts: 10
    We didn't order the Toyota Avalon with body side moldings. But now we want to add the moldings

    How easy is it to install the moldings, or do you suggest I use a dealer service department. Yes, a special 3-M cleaner is recommended before applying the molding.

    I've seen the cost via the Internet about $30 less than the dealer for parts alone.

    Installation locally is about $100.
  • hawiianavownerhawiianavowner Member Posts: 76
    Has anyone removed/replaced the rear bumper cover on the 2000-2004 series? I'm wondering if it is all screws, all fasteners or a mix. I am going to change mine, but don't have any spare fasteners if one breaks.
  • hawiianavownerhawiianavowner Member Posts: 76
    Anyone have suggestions to remove old 3M film quickly? I left it on for almost 7 yrs now, and it has cracked into tiny pieces. They will still peel off w/out residue, but you have to start anew at each piece-this could take weeks.
    Tried a hair dryer but was afraid of damaging paint.
  • hawiianavownerhawiianavowner Member Posts: 76
    Have found 3M site where they recommend 150 degree temp with heat gun or hair dryer...also leaving in sun 1-2 hours first. Will try on a sunny weekend.
  • vesves Member Posts: 1
    I purchased moldings for $120 (including shipping) and installed them in 20 minutes. Rubbing alcohol (75%) works fine to clean the surface. Installation instructions are included in the package. Very simple!
  • wadesterswadesters Member Posts: 1
    I have just purchased a 2006 Avalon Limited. I think I want to add the body side molding. I cannot seem to find a picture of an Avalon with it installed. Does anyone have a picture of the molding installed? If so please send to: wadesters@bellsouth.net
    Or if near Atlanta I would love to see it. Thank you...
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Or better yet someone could post a pic on his or her CarSpace page so all can see it! :)
  • obafunque1obafunque1 Member Posts: 13
    I have a 2006 XLS Avalon and also would like to install the body side moldings. Where to buy from? Price I should expect to pay? Please, let me know and thanks in advance for your help.
    Obafunque1
  • finfin Member Posts: 594
    Any Toyota dealer should be able to get the moldings in your body color and install them for $200. or less. Check the color match before installation. Your paint color may be slightly different from when new so make sure the color match is satisfactory. I have had them on my '07 Limited since new... Enjoy your Avalon...
  • pasqvincpasqvinc Member Posts: 4
    I am considering putting a SS billet grill on my 2008 Avalon. For you mechanics out there, would appreciate knowing how difficult or easy it is to remove the front grill (upper chrome piece and lower plastic piece). Is any cutting or removal of major components involved or is it basically a unscrew/unbolt and replace procedure. Thanks for the help.
  • elemgigi1elemgigi1 Member Posts: 1
    Need to find Side View Mirror (passenger side) for 2003 Toyota Avalon XLS
    Does an anyone know where to get it without costing me an Arm & Leg? Or a part # for it?
    Dealer wants like $360 just for the part!

    HELP!!!!!
  • mcclearyflmcclearyfl Member Posts: 149
    Do you really need the complete mirror, or just the glass? My driver's side mirror (glass) was replaced for $92, including labor. Like you I was first quoted the cost of a complete mirror assembly.
Sign In or Register to comment.