Toyota Avalon 2004 and earlier

dp89jp · August 2001

www.autowarrantyreviews.org. but also have dlr packages available. Users please advise of experience.
Thanks,
DP

blainec1 · August 2001

I have a 2000 Avalon, 9 months old, and have experienced a numerous amount of paint chips either from bugs or small road rocks. The paint is very thin, and in one spot on top of the fender, the paint is flaking away. Of all the cars we have owned, never have we experienced chips and flaking like this. My gosh, you can't touch the car with getting a scratch in it. I took the car into Toyota to raise my concerns, even the paint shop manager stated that the paint and clear coat are much to thin. Knowing the answer they would give, I have started the process of customer dissatisfaction through the Toyota customer service center. If anyone else is having problems with their Avalon paint, please let me know.

avfan · August 2001

I have the same problem. I was told they don't warranty chips. This is considered normal wear and tear. I am very dissapointed in this.

jyoder · August 2001

I'm so glad to read of other paint problems. I have a 2001 Avalon with several paint chips. It makes me sick because I have NEVER been so careful with a car in my life. It seemed to me that the paint is very thin, but who was I to know, I hadn't had a new car in 10 years. Of course, our Toyota dealer is 125 miles away so keep me posted if anyone has any suggestions or gets resolution from Toyota!

boord · August 2001

My 2000 xls has little chip spots missing all over. My 10 year old honda traveled the same routes at the same speeds and didn't have 1/10 as many chips as my 1 1/2 year old Avalon. My four year old Toyota pickup also does not chip like the Avalon. Again, the pick up travels the same roads as the Avalon.

It's a real shame that Toyota would getcheap in terms of the paint job! I won't be a repeat Avalon buyer.

lleroi · August 2001

and most recently strange thumping on drivers side near wheel.I had a 97 CAMRY that was trouble free(almost).A good friend has a 2001 Impala LS and to tell the truth,it rides as good as my Avalon on the highway and has more power.My dad's 2000 Le sabre is a better car also.The new Camry may be my answer or I'll be looking at 2003 Impala's.

dp89jp · August 2001

2002 Avalon XLS for $3438 off of sticker. How good is it? Love it so far.
Appreciate feedback.
Doug

fredvh · August 2001

Can several owners of Avalons advise as to what kind of gas mileage they are getting? Thanks

mikid · August 2001

i just purchased a 2002 Avalon XLS, had everything you could order on it, incl. VSC, JBL sound, sunroof, leather, etc.

car was $34,700 got a mfg discount of $1200, and they took another $3000 off of that, and traded in my 1999 E.B. Explorer. I believe i got a great deal. The offer off of a 2001 was MORE than the offer for the 2002? not sure what happened there except that the car i purchased came with a Mfg. discount.

Only problem so far, is that i am short, and if i have the car up enough for my legs to reach pedals, i am now too far back for my hands to reach the steering wheel, tiring when traveling long distances. also, one more slight problem, the seat belt rubs in to the side of my neck. i slid the belt slider all the way down, in the middle, and just no resolve. soo, will have to find a way to fix that.

as for the posts about the paint? gosh hopefully that is not something i will experience. toyota prides itself on their paint jobs and the kind of paint they use, hopefully they will stand behind their boasts of having a premium paint job

went on vacation and averaged around 27mpg. went through L.A. sooo there is a lot of stop on go on their interstates,

donellm · August 2001

Have owned Corona, Corollas, Cressida, now 2 V6 Camrys. About to buy 2002 Avalon XLS and expect to drive 11 or 12,000 miles per year.
1. What are advantages of 16 inch wheels vs 15?
2. Is your color Diamond Pearl White? Assume you got mats. Gold package?
3. Sure appreciate info on how much dealer reduced off list. Will be mighty helpful. Additional info from anyone on pricing will be appreciated. Many thanks.

Don

mikid · August 2001

i have the 16" wheels and they give you a much smoother ride. my paint job is a Diamond White Pearl, and it is really pretty. makes the car look nicer. i do not have the gold package, a personal choice (dont like it). i have to say also, i live in AZ and the airconditioner works very very well. sometimes the people in the back seat sweat a lot because of poor ventilation, but not so in this vehicle. cold cold cold!!!

mikid · August 2001

ok some of the posts here state where people have bought their ext warranty from Toyota Dealer for $450, 75,000 / 6yr. Our local dealer wants $1095 for the same thing? Dont you feel that is a bit much? and i went to www.toyotawarranty.com and their quote is $650.00. now, if i purchase this warranty from another dealer in IOWA is it really good anywhere as they state? i definately do NOT want to purchase this for $1095 - $50 ded if i can purchase the same thing elsewhere and it be honored by the dealer here for a whole lot less. seems like someone is making big bucks.
PLEASE respond to this post. want to purchase a warranty soon. just bought the car in the last 2 weeks. the sooner the better.
**George is it possible to purchase this warranty for the same price you did in Missouri? if so, i am calling your dealer, possibly you could post name of dealership here. or email me at

mikidl@adelphia.net

thanks for anyones response. miki

donellm · August 2001

One dealer: 6 yr, 80,000 zero deductible- $1037
or $922 for 100 deductible.
Same dealer: 5 yr, 60,000, zero ded - $642 or $596 for $100 deductible.

Second dealer: 6 yr, 72,000, zero ded, $1266, or $1034 for $100 deductible. Same dealer: 5 yr, 75,000, zero ded, $1150.
Conclusion: You don't want to buy the warranty in Central Florida.

cliffy1 · August 2001

First, don't buy an "aftermarket" warranty. Second, if you do buy a Toyota warranty, make sure it is the Platinum level coverage. Dealers do expect to make a profit off these things. There is no such thing as holdback on a warranty and the finance guy is only paid on the profit he puts on the books. The dealer cost for an Avalon for 6/75 with 0 deductible is $415. Expect to pay between $300 to $500 over his cost. Less than that, and he has no motivation to process the paperwork.

pat · August 2001

You might also want to look through the discussions on our Finance, Warranty & Insurance Board as an additional resource.

Let us know how it works out for you.

Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board

fredvh · August 2001

Here are some of the best photos I have seen of the new Camry and some valuable information:

http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/ToyotaCamry/Photos.htm

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gscheil1 · August 2001

Mikidl: I tried to respond to your message but it was undeliverable. Please E-mail me and I can give you more information re: extended warranties.
glscheil@planetkc.com

yanker · August 2001

Seats look like the same rediculous seats they had in the 97-2001 version and also the same awful gray cloth

tdog2 · August 2001

I have a 2001 XLS and just 6 months went by and it developed dash noise (squeaks). I have now had it into a dealer 2 times and they have not fixed it. Anyone else had that problem or know how to fix it? I am in the Chicago area - if there is a dealer who handles these problems well I would be interested.

mikid · August 2001

have had my car 2002 Avalon XLS for only 2 weeks, washed it for the first time, by hand, and -------the front bumper when i hit it with a soft prewash the paint just peeled back like a balloon. i was horrified as i watched it peel back i just could not believe it! got right in that car and took it down to the dealer, (thinking i was gonna have to get tough), but to my GREAT surprise, the service manager told me to come back on tuesday, he made an appt with their paint shop and he would have the car for several days, and he would provide me with a vehicle til my car is ready. WAY to go Alexander Toyota in YUMA, AZ woohoo!!! i thought that was too easy. hopefully it will take care of the problem. miki

acstrauss · August 2001

On two occasions, thirty days apart, my 2000 Avalon XLS has stopped running after the gas tank was filled. The dealer says it is water in the fuel tank. The gas station and I checked the gas and found no water. It is expensive to fix the problem. Has anyone had a similar problem and if so, what was the fix. I am getting concerned that the dealer's service department has not looked into the problem better than they have. I used the same gas, from the same pump, in my Jaguar and have no problem.

teo · August 2001

Wow what a shocker! My '01 Impala LS bumper paint doesn't *peel* when using a prewash pressure hose....hmmmm.

I have seen similar complaints in the Honda/Acura boards...

christopherp · August 2001

I saw an Avalon on the road the other day with a front-end bra. It had a Toyota logo on it so I suspect it is sold by Toyota. Anyone have any idea where I can see a catalog with prices of Avalon accessories? I'd like to get a bra but I'm curious on the price and what other accessories might be available.

teo · August 2001

The Perfect Fit Car Bra is the best one available in the market right now. They are also sold as original OEM equipment at the dealer, so I recommend to get it straight from Perfect Fit (They are in Canada)and save the extra $$$ markup from your dealer's part dept. I have one installed in my 2001 Impala LS and have had ZERO problems with it. Car Bras demand constant cleaning/care but they are worth it over the hassle of ugly rock/paint chips and the cost of having a hood or bumper repainted.

There are also other alternatives as custom made 'Clear transparent' film that gets installed at the edge of the hood and the bumper. It is much more expensive but might be worth it if you can't stand the looks of a regular Car Bra. they are more expensive and can run into the $300's+ for a custom install vs the $84.00 for a regular car bra. Its your choice.

You can order directly from their website and have the car bra delivered at your front door.

One last thing. Stay away from the cheapo 'Le Bra' car bras otherwise known as 'Le Crap'. They are lousy made, don't fit properly and can cause damage to your car's finish. Skip them and go directly for the Perfect Fit ones....worlds apart in quality and fit.

http://www.carbras.com/perfectfit/toyota.htm

Hope this helps.

sky33 · August 2001

Over at camry board people seem to think that the new camry is going to take sales away from the avalon. I am still strongly considering an avalon but I also think the features (Nav, interior, and styling) of the camry are really nice. Particularly the SE camry. Being curious I checked out a Maxima. The Max is nice but I would be concerned about the firm ride getting old after a while. I know this seems to be cross shopping but these are the vehicles that appeal to me. Perhaps the future re-design of the avalon may set a new standard with fresh styling that might grab sales back from the camry. What do others think of the avalon vs 2002 camry?

alpha01 · August 2001

but it seems you get more for less in a Camry.. for 31K, you get leather, side curtain airbags, moonroof, Nav, VSC, sportier handling, similar room, a fresh design... MY point- for 31K you can't get an Avalon with all those features. If you're going to be spending that amount, though, I'd also consider a TL, which would obviously offer a better dealer experience than Toyota, and is an excellent car.
~alpha

bwia · August 2001

rslyke:
Thanks for the heads-up on Toyota's fix for the night glare problem in the 2000 Avalon XLS. I had the problem remedied today, with no hassles from the dealer (thanks to you, I showed them a copy of your comment).

As you wrote in your post, "The fix is described in Toyota Service Bulletin # BO014-01, dated April 13, 2001. It affects 2000-2001 Avalons and replaces the present curved panels covering the two halves of the instrument panel with new (I suspect, non-curved) parts."

Yes, this is a warranty covered item and my work order reads as follows..."installed redesigned combo meter glass, part #83253-07031, glass S/A, technician .50 hours, warranty, $0.00".

The job looks very nice, making the car look brand new all over again. However, I can't tell if the new glass is "non-curved", but I will have to wait until tonight to see if it works effectively.

rzep22 · August 2001

Bwia,

Somehow I missed the rslyke post about the fix and don't see it on
the last few screens. Could you post msg# as I am very interested
to have this fied as well.

thanks

rzep22 · September 2001

Never mind. I found it. Calling dealer next week for appointment.

settleit · September 2001

We are planning to buy a 2002 Avalon and was wondering what is going on with the cheap paint on the below mentioned posting - -what happened? Is this bad paint on all the other Avalons? Did Toyota forget to put on the primer? A number of post on Edmunds state paint is peeling on the front of these cars. Was this persons car damaged in shipment and someone messed up on the repaint? Thanks for any information. Mikid, I sent this email to Alexander Toyota for info.

marshal1 · September 2001

Although there does seem to be a problem with paint quality on SOME Avalons it certainly does not appear to impact ALL Avalons. I have a silver 2001 XL with about 5K miles on it and so far I have not noticed any paint problems other than one small paint chip on the hood which occurred when something hit the car while I was driving on the highway. The silver paint on my car appears to be of equal quality to any other car I've owned. That being said, I am certainly interested in Toyotas response to this problem. In Mikid's case Toyota seems to have willingly fixed the problem as they should.

dp89jp · September 2001

Follow up to my post #1090. Bought 2002 Avalon XLS, bench seat, GU pkg, white pearl, moonroof, splashguards, mats, gold pkg. Sticker was 33,044, paid 29,456 + 100 processing, + tax & title. Difference of $3588. Showed me a print out that said it was dealer invoice. How accurate is it?? Appreciate any feedback.
Doug

02mdx · September 2001

As marshal1 stated in post# 1134, the paint problem does not seem to be across the board. Many of the earlier posts on the paint/chipping problem seemed to come from those who have the Dessert Sand Mica Avalon. For those who are having paint problems, what color Avalon do you have? Is the chipping occuring on the front bumper as well as the hood?

m_brown84 · September 2001

Ever since the introduction of the 2002 Camry, I have been doing all kinds of research. I love the new model. It is much more attractive and eye-catching. I saw that it has an optional DVD navigational system in it now. I went to Toyota.com and attempted to build one, but it wasn't available to be built yet, so I built a 2002 Avalon. No where on the options list did I see a DVD navigational system. I was wondering when one would be offered in the Avalon. Thanks.

dave210 · September 2001

The Avalon was redesigned for 2000 and is scheduled to be redesigned again in 2005.

While that may be, it is still scheduled to get a mid-model cycle freshening for the 2003 model year.

The 2003 freshening will PROBABLY include new front fascia, new rear end, and many little interior updates, which would keep the Avalon still semi-fresh until the full redesign in 2005.

So for the next model year, we'll probably see a navigation system and some more new luxury items just to keep it a notch above the Camry, which is already creeping into the Avalon territory.

The only features right now that the Avalon has that the Camry doesn't is dual zone climate control, rear air conditioning outlets, and memory driver's seat and mirrors.

Although, the Camry has the navigation system and the side curtain air bags in addition to the already available side air bags on the Avalon.

So if you can live without the memory functions and the dual zone climate control in the Avalon, the Camry is definitely a better bargain for the 2002 model year. But expect a more luxurious Avalon with a possible navigation system for 2003.

21946 · September 2001

I have a lunar mist color Avalon (silver) 2001. I have numerous paint chips on the hood of the vehicle. I took it to the dealer and he said that he would repaint it if I wanted it but it would take away from the resale or trade of the vehicle. It was my decision not to have it done for this reason.
Since then I have taken a survey of various silver avalons I see in my travels and I am amazed at the various chips they have on their hoods! In fact I saw a Lexus GS300 with numerous chips on its hood just last week.

marshal1 · September 2001

I'm curious, why would repainting the car take away from the resale value? It would be logical that if the front hood is repainted and the chips are gone that the value of the car would increase not decrease. Did the dealer say why the value would decrease due to repainting? Also, did the dealer say whether excessive paint chips seemed to be common among Avalons or any other Toyota/Lexus products? Lets not forget that All cars will get SOME paint chips if frequently driven. The mystery here is whether the Avalon has defective paint which allows it to chip more frequently than what would be considered normal wear and tear. Every car I've owned, regardless of make or model, has developed paint chips at some point. As mentioned previously, a car bra is one solution to the chipping.

gscheil1 · September 2001

In my previous post, I said dealer replaced OS temp. sensor. It now works fine. My Avalon is the light blue and have not had any paint chipping. Very satisfied with car and previous Toyotas. Have owned EVERY model and they have all been fine. Glad Miki got good deal on Platinum Plus extended warranty. She won't have any difficulty getting anything done but doubt she will have any repairs to do.

teo · September 2001

Repainting a car takes away from its resale value because it is assumed first of all that the car has had accident body repair or has had a major defect.

The body shop can never replicate an OEM factory paint job.

Any person with a trained eye (And feel around the sheetmetal edges)can tell you if a specific car has been repainted or not.

21946 · September 2001

Thank you for the information on the paint job. I thought that would be the reason. Also you mention OEM factory paint job. What does OEM stand for?

toledo19 · September 2001

I beg to differ. Any quality body shop using today's paint matching techniques can do an excellent job. And, I think very few could tell the difference.

teo · September 2001

"Original Manufacturer's Equipment".

Only have a vehicle repainted if you absolutely have to. Otherwise for chip paint repair, you guys might be interested in this product to fix the areas that have been damaged by road rocks:

www.langka.com

And yes get yourselves a new Car Bra or Transparent Car Bra system if you know for a fact that the paint quality of your vehicle is very soft and therefore can be easily damaged by common road debris.

Most new cars today have this problem since paints are WATER based not OIL based like before to comply with EPA regulations. Cars manufactured in North America such as the Avalon have water based paints. More chip resistant oil based paints can still be found on vehicles imported from Japan.

teo · September 2001

Paint matching without a doubt but there are areas (Specifically around the edges) that Body Shops won't or can't finish properly. Have you ever seen an used car appraiser running his/her fingers around the edges of the Hood, doors, fenders, etc?

This is one way they can determine if the car has original paint or if it has been repainted suggesting body work repair.

02mdx · September 2001

"Original Equipment Manufacturer" i.e. Toyota, Honda, Ford, GM, etc.

There are also "Tier 1" companies which directly supply the OEM's. i.e. Delphi, Johnson Controls, Lear, Visteon, Denso, etc.

"Tier 2" companies supply the Tier 1's and so on down the line...

lyn58 · September 2001

I have a 2001 Black XLS. I've had it a little over 5 months and the paint is still perfect. I live in the Southern Calif desert where we have a lot of dirt, heat, wind and a lot of bugs that end up on the front of the car. My previous vehicles have been an Expedition, Grand Caravan, Sable Wagon and F350 Ford Crew Cab truck. This is my first car with a trunk in 20 years! I love it. I will never go back to a big vehicle. I have a question to those who have replaced their dash covers due to the night glare. Do you think taking out the old and putting in the new will make the dash not fit right? I don't have a problem with the glare but I'm afraid if I replace it, it will eventually start to squeak or not fit right.

dmacneill · September 2001

I have a 99 XLS Platinum Edition which was considerably damaged by a hail storm. I took it to a friend who owns a body shop that specializes in repairing and painting high-end cars. He repainted the entire car and it looks far better than the original paint. It took him 6 weeks of hand labor, and he used 4 color coats and 3 clear coats on it. It has a depth and glow that you just can't see on factory paint jobs.

rzepa2 · September 2001

Anyone had their windows tinted ?

Bad/Good experience ? Where (I am in IL)
and what is the good price ?

thanks

rbing · September 2001

I paid 189 for tinted windows in Texas, where TINTED windows go along way toward reducing penetration of the heat from the sun, by as much as 50 percent. The 189 price was for premium tinting with life time warranty, but is not transferable, if you sale the car to someone else.

settleit · September 2001

Anyone know what the new Toyota rates will be for a 2002 Avalon?

bill212 · September 2001

I have a 2000 lunar mist color Avalon and the paint is chipping on the hood? Is this covered under warranty?

Toyota Avalon 2004 and earlier

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