Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
GL - $1,530 - Leather power seat with driver memory, Outside mirrors with memory, P205/60R16 alloy wheels
GV - $895 - Leather power seats with driver memory, Outside mirrors with memory, P205/60R16 alloy wheels, JBL AM/FM Cass/6 disc in dash CD changer with 7 speakers( this stereo is an upgrade and includes the radio broadcast data system)
Overall, the GV package seems to be and is a MUCH better value at almost half the cost with more options included.
Hope this helps
Took it back to the dealer and they said it was normal. So I went to another dealer and pretended to be in the market for new Avalon to test drive another vehicle and compare for myself. The car I tested was just about as noisy as my car on the same highways.
Has anyone tried having soundproofing added such as what Ziebart does????
If you have to change the tires may I suggest the Dunlop SP Sport A2. Road noise is usually not a problem in the Avalon except on unpaved roads (a nuisance for all cars). Because of the larger than normal size side mirrors wind noise seems louder.
To me one of the best features of the Avalon is the quietness of the cabin that many reviewers have referred to as an isolation chamber. Road noise is NOT a problem even when the windows are down. I am afraid you are expecting something more than the Avalon can provide.
I have a 2002 xls and will NOT buy this car again. My 1998 Buick had less road noise.
I drove an Infiniti I30 and it to had less road noise but did have more wind noise.
I like the car but this noise is bad enough to make me call it quits. I will wait for the new model in '04 or '05 and see if they fix the problem. If not, I buy another Buick.
I just installed SPR-176 alpine speakers in mine, noise is no longer an issue
"Yes. They are pickier. For instance, the quality improvements of engines and transmissions means vehicles are quieter than they used to be so we see customer complaints about wind and road noise, things never heard before."
He went on to say, "our surveys measure the difference between owner's expectation and their perception of what they are getting. As their expectations go up, it gets tougher to meet them".
Anyone has any idea how to fix it.
- road surface - some surfaces in combination with your tires will just whine,groan etc. Drive of onto a different surface and the noise disappears. Worn, gray surfaces are the worst.
- I agree on tire pressure as this affects the frequencies at the tire/road interface.
- tire wear - tires near the end of their life get noisy- especially it seems the low profile/soft compound perforamnce tires. I just put new Firehawks on my LIncolnLS and road noise nearly disappeared.(shouldn't be an issue with the Avalon).
- some cars do seem to have chassis that transmits road noise ( Chrysler "cab forward" was noted for this ) but if the Avalon is quiet some of the time its got to be tire/road surface issues. My Avalon test drive bears this out.
I don't know if it's practical to find a tire model that matches your typical road surfaces but it is proably possible.
Any glitches with the 2003 redesigned models?
I'd like to go with white (easy to keep clean and keep cool) and a gray interior(easier to keep clean).
Which one of those code names for interior colors means gray?
Why is it that the one color I want is the only one that is extra? Is this still the case for MY03?
Inputs appreciated.
The interior you are looking for is called "stone."
Also, the stock stereo ( non-JBL) does not have an amp, i had several stereo guys tell me it did. So you have to use something called a Hi-Lo converter to hook up an amp. I just thought this info may be of interest.
Also, the stock tweeters up front have their own builtin cheapo crossover, so if you want to replace the front speakers with seperates, to do it right, you have to get behind the stereo head unit in the dash, unless your crossovers can fit in that little area behind the tweeter grills.
They replaced it at no cost( after much denial),
I guess they did not put a brand new transmission.
Also, the lights in the glove compartment and the visors never worked. Even the button on the seatbelt( that stops the buckle from sliding off)
fell off. The door lock on one of the doors is also broken. All these happened within two years of buying a new car!
I'm thinking about getting one for my wife for Christmas. Her's is a 2002 XLS. Thanks.
I'll drive about 30K/yr for about three years before I turn it in. I'm mainly looking for comfort on long trips, and dependability because I have little time to spend hanging around delerships.
Anybody on this board make a similiar choice? If so why?
Inputs appreciated.
Brother-in-law has had Bonnie & Grand Prix, plus was a salesman for them, and was always commenting about this or that problem with them.
Really its a personal decision on what you like best. Bonnie has lots of tricks and treats but Avalon just keeps on running all day long and is wonderful on the long trips per Dad.
Mine has has troubles with the alignment, dashboard rattles,and the road noise is terrible except on the very best of roads.
He has about 8k and I have 6K miles. His car is quieter, no troubles, and I would trade him cars but he wouldn't have mine he said.
That's fine for them.
However the JDPower surveys and Consumer Reports long term tracking are much more indicative of your likely "likely" experience.
Toyota's Avalon, like the Lexus, line is consistently ranked in the top three Initial Quality levels at JDP and in long term dependability.
You bet's your money and you take's your chances. I don't like ot bet against the odds.
Good luck.
the poor sound of the JBL system in the XLS.
This is biggest weakness in the XLS. The sound
system is very poor.
I'm absolutely amazed at the lack of audio quality.
FM antenna is weak;
sound is thin, very undetailed;
balance and fade shift;
Frankly, one gets ten times the audio quality wearing a walkman instead of listening to the XLS
JBL system.
Toyota should be ashamed of themselves for putting this crap in their flagship car.
Rusty
I have read many reports that this car has lots of road noise. This car will be driven mostly on dirt roads and paved roads that have been sealed with gravel and tar. Will the Avalon be noisy under these conditions?
What changes are in store for 04? Will they upgrade the engine? The horsepower seems low by today's standards and I am not a fan of engines with timing belts.
No Toyota "tells" you to change the oil, the intervals are pretty easy though. 5,000 miles for the shorter interval and 7,500 miles for the longer.
The road noise "issue" I tend to think may be partly due to the tires they choose to put on the vehicle. I have heard from many who have had problems with this that changing the tires makes a huge difference. I don't think that it is a problem compared to other vehicles I have driven, but like most things, this is a personal issue and you would need to drive one to decide.
As far as I know, there are not any plans to change the engine for '04, but that's not set in stone. Drive one, I think that the HP figure is misleading and it is much more usable than it may seem.
Lastly, as for the timing belt, there are two answers for you. Timing belts are TYPICALLY more quiet than chains, so that is why Toyota went with it. Secondly, Toyota only uses non-interference style engines with timing belts, so worse case scenerio if the belt breaks after 90K miles is that you tow it to the dealer, they replace it and you go on your way. The engine won't blow up when it breaks.
Hope this helps.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Pearl, with 65,000 miles. Most of the miles were
accumulated on regular trips from Denver to Vegas
and back. Just a few small chips on the front.
Runs like a top, and the JBL system is great.
I started reading these postings a few months prior to my purchase and I really appreciate all
the tips, tricks, and evaluations I picked up.
They all helped in my decision to purchase the
Avalon. I got a dash kit from Joshua, paint from
Romania, a Lanka kit, and will order mudguards
soon.
I do have one condition I would like to post for
comment. The clear coat on the plastic outside
mirror housings is peeling off. They both look
like 2 week-old sunburn. It would take many
hours to peel off the little pieces by hand.
Then what ??? Got one bid from a body shop of
$130.00 each.
Any suggestions...
I just bought my first Avalon - a black '03 XL w/stone leather interior and the luxury pkg. So far I really like it. I would like to upgrade the interior to wood (and possibly buy the wood-trimmed XLS steering wheel) and get a CD changer (came with a single CD player). Can anyone recommend an aftermarket, high-quality wood trim kit and a CD changer compatible with the JBL deck?
Many Thanks,
Z
That head unit(or your external amp) may just be BAD! Even the internally amplified units were decent. I recommend pulling it out, then: Let me know what the "harness" looks like in the car...has it been spliced or modified in any way??? What is the pin configuration??? ...with this, I can probably determine what you have/need.
There are several JBL configurations. I am running the 6 CD IN-dash unit to my NON JBL amp and speakers..sounds great..more than adequate for almost anyone.
Once we determine what you need, eBay is a good source, or a local junkyard, etc. NOTE: If you look on eBay, you may see a PICTURE of your wire harness-refer me to the auction #-then I will be sure which harness you have..
-nomad-
If that head unit has CD changer controls (NOT all do) ALPINE, and a few others, have direct plug and play units. Otherwise, there are adapters for several other brands. The Alpines play MP3 CD's!!! Kinda' nice! The interior wood trim kits(aftermarket!) are readily available...check eBay, where you may also see that steering wheel show up...they usually fetch bid $$$
-nomad-
I also recommend the Auto-Dimming mirror and the mud flaps.