I'm doing some research for a family member who wants a car that has a column shifter. I believe you can get an Avalon with such equipment (with bench seats); does anyone know if they are common?
New to the board and curious to know about your decision making process in choosing between the 3 in the subject line. Also, when is the Avalon due for a freshening/redesign and what is expected in 03? Thanks.
Anyone have the factory installed wood trim in an XLS? Is it worth it? What's the cost? I have a faux wood trim and it looks ok, not great and I was considering ordering this through the dealer and having them install it.
I compared the three and found the Toyota Avalon to essentially be a lower priced version of the Lexus ES 300. I had my choices narrowed down to these two and it ultimately ended with the Avalon due to cost. I would have preferred the Toyota Camry, but it was too small for me. I am 6' 3" with a long torso and I have trouble with the majority of cars with my head touching the roof. The Avalon has plenty of head room and more room in the rear seat for 'normal' size passengers. We have three kids, two in car seats. Again, we choose the Avalon over the Camry because of a little extra room in the rear seat. If you're smaller than me and don't need the added room in the rear seat, I'd take the Camry.
My main to things I was looking for in a car was, 1. a history of above average reliability and 2. can I fit.
We also looked at Nissan's - too small, Audi's - too small, BMWs - costly, Subarus - too small, Honda Accord - similar opinion as the Camry, Infinitis - costly, Acuras - similar opinion as the Lexus, and I didn't bother with any American cars. I didn't find any information about a relatively long standing history of reliability in for mid to large American sedans.
For Edmund's Townhall monitors, just curious, why would spell check flag words such as Lexus, Audi, Camry, etc. I would think that Edmunds would add namebrands, such as these, to the dictionary the spell checks uses.
RE: Camry vs. Avalon vs. ES300. My wife is going to buy an Avalon next month. She drove the Camry V6 but thought it was a little noisier and had just a little rougher ride. She also didn't think the interior was as nice as the Avalon. I agree with her on all counts (as the passenger - I didn't drive either one).
We don't have a Lexus dealer within 90 minutes of home, so we haven't evaluated the ES300. The longer warranty would be nice, but otherwise I doubt it is too much different from the Avalon.
I agree with you on all counts. My 2001 Avalon is currently in the shop getting the window glare fix as we speak. I find it very annoying but depending on your height and seat adjustment, you might not even see it. (my wife has never seen a glare).
A telescoping steering wheel would be very nice. I have long legs and have to move the seat back which makes it more difficult to reach the steering wheel. Toyota should also improve the instrument cluster so the steering wheel does not obstruct it as much. However, I like the general layout of the dash and the fact that it is pushed way back towards the windshield. This creates a feeling of openess and spaciousness for front passengers.
I rear sunshade would be very nice, especially for those of us with kids. If not standard, provide this as an option.
Break-away side mirrors would be an improvement but I hope they do not come at the expense of smaller mirrors. I love the fact that they are oversized.
Other improvments I would like to see: - Navigation system - Quieter CD changer - Improved trunk opener so it is not necessary to hold the trunk button for 2 seconds to open the trunk. A simple press should open the trunk. - Trunk pass-thru should have a bag to hold skis - Xenon headlights - Variable automatic transmission - Real wood trim instead of plastic trim - Higher quality (softer) leather for seats - DVD entertainment option (like the one offered in the Saturn) - Performance/Sport mode (like the one already offered in the Japanese model of this car - Pronard)
My wish list for 2003 Avalon: Xenon Lights Wider Tires 225 > Dual Mufflers (like the Acura TLs) Lexus Like - Illuminated Dash - I think the Japanese Pronard has this feature)
Has anyone replaced their tires with a wider ones? Has anyone replaced their headlight bulbs with Xenon-like halogen bulbs? Or, has anyone installed the Xenon light kits on their Avalon?
There is not much I would change about the Avalon Version 2.0 except for the addition of a hands-free voice activated cell phone and HID (Xenon) headlights. As for the boxy shape of the car, Toyota will probably change that in Version 3.0 in 2005?
Otherwise, the Avalon is a great car and I get lots of compliments from coworkers and middle-aged friends. Life is good. Enjoy the ride!
have a new avalon and have two problems--have 2750 miles on the car and have noticed that the car pulls slightly to the LEFT;have touring contential tires 205/65R15 with correct air pressure all around talked to another avalon owner and with similar problem; they had to replace the tires. second problem after turning off the air conditioning while on the road got a very strange odor this occurs once in awhile but often enough to be bothersome any help boutzen
I still have a squeaky dash after having my Avalon in the dealership about 5 times. It only squeaks when the weather is below about 60 degrees. Luckily, I live in Texas, so don't have to listen to it all year. I would like to know if anyone else who has had that problem has been lucky enough to get their dealer to fix it? Mine can't seem to find the problem. L. Thomas
I need to drain & flush cooling sys. I did locate 2 drain outlets -- the radiator and the radiator-side block. According to Haynes book there is another block drain on the other side. Can anybody help me locate that "far side" drain? If I drain only the radiator and "near side" block, would that pose a problem? Would too much antifreeze remain in the block?
Also, it's recommended to flush the cooling sys, and to accomplish that I need to remove the thermostat. Where is it located?
I have a 2001 Avalon with 13K miles. It seems the car slightly vibrates between 65 and 70mph. I had the tires rotated and rebalanced to no avail. Anyone have a similiar problem. Otherwise, car runs and rides fine
I have a 2001 Avalon XL, and had the same problem around the same mileage point. Not sure what your model is (XLS has 16" vs 15" tires). I took many of the same actions you did (front end allignment, wheel rotation and balance) to no avail. Finally decided to replace the tires it came with (Generals, what JUNK). I put Uniroyals (top of the line) on, same size. The ride is just slightly noisier, handling has improved immensly, braking is better, especially on wet pavement, and no vibration, no drifting, at high speed (had it up to 85+mph just a week ago). I talked to Toyota about getting some money back for the tires, and guess what they said? I'm not angry, though, because I expected the answer I got. Generals are garbage tires, so I'm told.
While I sympathize completely with the vibration problem you had, historically automobile manufacturers have never warranteed the tires on a new vehicle. It has always been made known by pamphlets and brochures that accompany the vehicle that these problems should be addressed by the tire manufacturer. If you still happen to have the old Generals, I would suggest you take them to an authorized General Tire store to voice a complaint.
Own a 2000 XLS with 17000 miles. Recently, I've noticed when I go over bumps, a rattling noise coming from the front passenger door panel. Any one had a similar experience?
From my personal experience and watching the boards here, it seems that Avalons rattle more often than some owners expect. Our 2000 XLS has rattled in a variety of curious places since new 2 years ago. It has 12K on it now and is driven mostly around town here in New England and through our many potholes and lousy roads. The dealership and Toyota zone fixed a few, but others persist. My wife loves the Avalon, but I think that my next Toyota will mostly likely be made in Japan and called a Lexus.
According to the 2001 Toyota Avalon Repair Manual Volume 2, under Cooling, Page CO-2, Replacement:
1. Drain Engine Coolant. (a) Remove radiator cap. (b) Loosen radiator drain plug and engine drain plugs and drain the coolant.
(A picture in the manual indicates the usual drain plug in the bottom of the radiator; a drain plug on the right side of the engine towards the top; and a drain plug in the front of the engine just below the exhaust manifold to the right of the oil filter.)
(c) Close drain plugs. Torque: RH engine drain plug on cylinder block side cover: 61 in-lbf. LH engine drain plug on union: 9 ft-lbf.
2. Fill Engine Coolant w/ Toyota Long Life Coolant or equivalent and mix with water, preferably demineralized water. Install radiator cap. Start engine and bleed the cooling system. Fill reservoir up to the FULL line.
I’ve now had my 2001 Avalon XL for just over 1 year now. I now have 13,569. miles on it. The following is my report on how it’s doing. Overall, everything is just the same as it was the first week that I had the car. It has not been back to the dealer for any warranty repairs. But that doesn’t mean it’s a great car that I’m really satisfied with. Here are the highlights:
1) I check the gas mileage with every fillup. For around town, my average comes to 23.90mpg. I live in Florida where there is warmer weather, so the engine can run with a leaner mixture in the mornings, unlike northern areas. Last summer, I made a 5,000 mile trip from Fla. to VA. and then to the Chicago area and back to Fla. The average mileage for the whole trip (which included going through a lot of towns and cities) came to 29.27mpg. This is only 1.5 mpg better than my Chevy Venture minivan. That’s because the Avalon has only a 4 speed auto transmission, while GM’s have a 5 speed automatic. Toyota needs to put in a 5 speed automatic like they did with the new Lexus ES300. But overall, I have no complaints about the gas mileage. I burn premium gas in my car because, unlike the rest of you, I COULD tell the difference in power between regular and premium. 2) The engine is very smooth and quiet, which I like. What’s NOT smooth and quiet is the exhaust system which emits a certain vibration and noise when taking off. Most Toyota owners would think nothing of this. I just bring it up because on my Chevy minivan, the exhaust was completely silent and vibration-free. 3) The engine, while quick from 0 to 60, lacks sufficient low-end torque at low rpm’s. Toyota knows the problem. That’s why they purposely put in more low-end torque in their Lexus LS430 V-8 engine. 4) My biggest problem with the car is excessive road noise over very coarse roads. Unfortunately, here in Florida, most of our roads are very coarse. The radio in my car sounds too loud when stopped, and at speeds over 30, I can scarcely hear it and have to turn up the volume. Why don’t their radios have automatic volume controls like my Chevy had? I thought the wimpy General tires on the car were no good, so I switched to the superior Michelin XOne tires. Result? –No difference at all. 5) On windy days on the Interstates, the car seems unstable to me and requires a lot of steering corrections. Coming up behind trucks, the car tends to shimmy and rapidly dart from side to side. I must say though, my Chevy Venture handled exactly the same. XL’s have the narrower 65 series tires as opposed to the wider 60 series tires used in the XLS models. The XLS also comes with 16" wheels instead of 15's. So the XLS models might handle and steer better. 6) The engine races in the morning (1400 rpm in Park) when first starting out, much like cars of yesteryear before fuel injection. I wasn’t used to this, as Ford and GM cars seems to idle normally when cold, but I’m used to it now. 7) There’s a slight “extra noise” heard in the front end when going over bumps at slow speeds. My Chevy did the same thing. I guess it’s normal for front wheel drive, but rear wheel drive does not make this noise. 8) Starting out cold in the mornings, the transmission refuses to shift from 2nd to 3rd gear unless the engine is going at least 2600 rpm., even during very light acceleration. After 3 minutes, when the engine reaches a certain temp., the transmission shifts normally again. A friend of mine drives a 2001 Sienna, and he reports the exact same thing. 9) The car seems to grunt a little when first taking off from a stop. The transmission seems a little too tight to me. That could be the cause of the exhaust vibration when starting out. Also, it seems reluctant to downshift at mid speeds around 30 or so. I’ll take a GM transmission any day. 10) Every once in a blue moon, the volume on the radio will change on its own, but it’s so infrequent, that’s not been a problem with me. 11) There are occasional slight rattles in the dash and in the seatbelt anchor in the pillar between the driver and rear passenger side windows. 12) I went back to the dealer complaining about #2, #6, #7, and #8 above. They dismissed all 4 of my complaints. 13) Recently, I got to drive a friend’s 2000 Avalon XLS over the same roads I drive on. The exhaust noise was significantly less than my car. It has the wider 60 series tires, and I expected it would have even more road noise than my car, but to my surprise, there was noticeably LESS road noise than my car. But her car was also far from perfect. It had a very loud rattle in the right-hand side of the dashboard. Also, I noticed it had significantly less power than my car. She burns regular gas, but the main reason is that for the 2001 models, Toyota upped the horsepower to 210. 14) While the car has been reliable mechanically, my overall satisfaction with the car is lower than other cars I’ve owned. My overall highest satisfaction was with my antiquated, 1995 Chevy Astro van which I purchased new. It had some rattle problems, but was very good in all other respects. 15) Would I buy another Avalon? It’s doubtful, but it’s too early to say. The XLS model seemed to be quieter overall than my XL and that would be my choice of Avalon today. But I wonder if I’d be better off buying a 3 year old, used Lexus LS430 or a 2 year old, used Lexus ES300 instead of a brand new Avalon? Would the Lexus be worth the extra money, since they’re built in Japan instead of the Americanized Avalon built in the U.S.? I have my doubts. I think Toyota did too good a job copying the big 3. In 1993, I first drove a Toyota Corolla, and I really liked it. I can’t say that about my Americanized 2001 Avalon.
I really think that the engine was the same in 2000 (when they redesigned the Avalon). It's been 210 hp since 2000.
My mom has a 2000 Avalon XLS with 44,000 miles on it, and the only problem we've had is that the right map light button has lost its spring. We'll have it taken care of the next time we have the car serviced. We love our Avalon, and my dad has said that he won't buy anything else other than a Toyota. We haven't really had problems with rattles. Occasionally I'll hear something around the dash area, and then I'll realize it's some of my mom's stuff that is rattling against the dash.
Mapper1, I have to agree with you that the Avalon is extremely noisy on rough roads.
Last week I was traveling on a road that was "scraped" for resurfacing and it felt like the car was falling apart. On smooth surfaces the car is whisper quiet and handles reasonably well but pulls slightly to the left requiring more steering effort than is necessary.
Would I buy another Avalon? Hmmm! I will have to think about that. But seriously, if Toyota modifies the exterior styling (not by much) and bring the styling up to the 21st. century and at least offer these options: integrated phone, HID, NAV and a sunshade, I would strongly consider buying another Avalon.
However, I realize that if I want the above enumerated features I will have to move up to the Lexus brand name and pay a premium price. But what else is out there that is comparable to the Avalon? A domestic model maybe? (I know the Avalon is American made but carries a foreign moniker).
To boutzen's #1370 message about steering problems in his 2002 XL, I would say if his car is like my car(2001 XL), just keep driving it, and eventually it'll start pulling to the right. I rotate my tires every 5000 miles, and I noticed after I rotate them, the car steers fine, then gradually after 3500 miles, the car starts pulling to the right slightly. Rotating the tires seems to eliminate the pulling, at least for awhile. I really don't care for the steering in these new cars today. On rough roads at slow speeds, the steering wheel seems to "Kick" more. And the car seems to pull to the left or right depending on the crown of the road you're driving on. Sometimes the pulling is strong when on back country roads that are quite crowned. Older cars with slower steering never did that.
Now at 85,000 miles on my '99 XL. Needed a new battery at 42 mos. of service. That goes with the bad stoplight bulb last year. And that, friends, is ALL since NEW. Will be looking at the 2003 the day it hits the showroom floor. One of the best cars sold in America. And it continues to get 30 mpg on the road. Just did Nashville to Atlanta (234 miles) on 7.9 gallons at avg speed just over 70 mph. Yes, it thumps and rattles a little, but who cares! Turn the radio up....
My 92 Camry LE w/ 161,000 miles never thumped or rattled? I'm interested in the facelifted '03 Avalon, but have concerns w/ posts on Avalon noises. Toyota design/assembly seems to be slipping?
Otis123, Your 92 Camry was made in Japan. I would venture that the 92 - 96 Camry is probably the best overall quality Toyota branded car line ever sold in the U.S. A 95 or 96 Camry with under 100K is a great buy for anyone that can find one. In 1997 Toyota shifted to Camry production in Georgetown (even though there are apparently some 97 Japan-sourced Camry's around). From my experience with our 2000 Avalon XLS, I think the bumps are a design decision that Toyota made given the suspension they chose. I think the rattles are a by product of designing and sourcing the Avalon from U.S. suppliers. Toyota is unlikely to ever get the same level of quality from their US supply chain as they did in Japan due to differences in work styles, competitive sourcing and our tolerance for crap. It will still be better than the US branded companies, but not what we are used to. If you want an equivalent to the 92 Camry buy a Lexus - even a good used one, not a new US made Toyota.
Sorry, but I have owned a 92 and 93 Camry that were both built in America. In fact, we specifically looked for US built vehicles when we bought them new, as there were several advantages...To name just one, the sunvisors were much more sturdy...Our 2000 Camry was built in Japan, and has decent sunvisors...go figure!
Avalon vibration? Oh yes and after Toyota tried 6 times to fix it suddenly the car was within specs. New tires, new rotors, new rims, new hubs, tire re-balancing and front end allignment and still, vibration in the steering wheel at speeds in excess of 64 MPH. After months of pain with Toyota I finally pursued arbitration proceedings against them and won. They now have a 2001 Avalon XLS to sell to someone else. I did not buy a $30,000+ flagship sedan to be jercked around. Toyota you let me down after years of owning several of your cars. Where is your customer service pledge? No more Toyota's for me....ever!
In all the recommended changes for 2003 no one mentioned the aggravation of having the average mileage and speed reset every time the ignition is turned off. The functions are useless and I never use them. My contact with Toyota by email told me there was no retrofit so live with it. The 2002 Camry works right, resets manually.
I've also been having vibration and pulling problems on my 2002 Avalon which had Continental TouringContact AS tires. The first Toyota dealer balanced and aligned the wheels twice to no avail. Sears Auto also balanced the wheels twice for me. I took the car to another Toyota dealer and they discovered that there is a Toyota TSB out for the pulling problem, TSB ST005-01 which they applied and it fixed that problem. Dealer tried to balance the wheels yet again, and suggested that there was a problem with the tires (Toyota would not handle the warranty issue directly) and that I should contact Continental. I called Continental customer service 800-847-3349 and they told me that the AS series was new on the Avalon for 2002 and they were still getting "feedback" from customers. They gave me a case number and referred me back to Sears who are a Continental dealer. Sears re-examined the tires and found some defects. They reported their findings to Continental, and Continental replaced all 4 tires with ContiTouringContact CH95's. This fixed the vibrations and the car rides quieter and smoother, and the steering is sharper. Great service from Continental and Sears!!! If you are having problems, call the tire manufacturer.
Avalon has the more powerful 210hp VVTi V6 vs the 192hp V6 in Camry. Avalon has much more upscale interior and dashboard. Avalon has more rear seat legroom. Camry is better looking. Camry is a newer design. Camry is cheaper. Camry has a very cheap looking interior and dashboard.
I think the Camry interior and dash are great, especially the bluish back-lit gauges (LE and XLE) at night. Almost have a soothing effect. It is not a cheap interior. Perhaps a bit bland, but NOT cheap, and worlds better than the former Camry. In XLE trim, the tasteful restraint of the wood-like trim is very appealing. On the other hand, the Avalon is incredibly gimmicky with its split dash and information center (in the XLS). Perhaps Camry and Avalon owners will agree to disagree. Other differences between the Camry and Avalon:
Camry has available Side Curtain Airbags Camry has available Navagation System With the Camry SE, you have the option of purchasing a reasonably sporty family/near lux sedan... something the Avalon doesn't pretend to offer.
I think the Avalon is a great car, but not so much with the new Camry introduced as its stablemate. I'd wait for a 2003 revision (NOT a redesign, remember, but a freshening). The 18hp boost, IMO doesnt justify a 2 grand price premium over a fully loaded XLE V6 Camry, which has more features and is a newer design. (Comparison btwn fully loaded XLS at about $33,500 MSRP and fully loaded Camry XLE V6 at about $31,500)
I have chosen a Camry over the Avalon because of the Navigation System. Has anyone used this feature and is it consistently helpful? What are problems? When traveling is it usually accurate? Is it easily updated?
latack1: Did you already purchase the Camry? If no, you can ignore the rest of this message. If yes, I don't mean to be critical of your remarks but why are you asking these questions after you've already bought the Camry? Shouldn't they've been asked prior to the purchase?
I own a 1997 Avalon that has just turned 5 years old and has 52,000 gently driven miles on it. Noise has started with turns and a small oil leak was noted. The dealer, Toyota of Weymoth (Massachusetts), tells me there is a crack in the power steering rack. The replacement part is $800 and the labor is about $400 = $1200. I have never experienced such a major problem in a low milage car in 45 years of owning cars. I have not been following this forum and wonder if this is a known defect in this vintage Avalon. I had two Nisson Maximas that I ran to over one hundred thousand miles under the same conditions without any problems. Any information would be appreciated.
I have 170,000 miles on my 1997 avalon and replaced the power steering at 85,000 miles and again at 110000 miles. Service rep said it's a very common problem for 1995-1997 avalons. Other than that and some peeling paint, it's been a great car. Still rides great.
Actually, my 1992 Camry 4 cyl. w/ 161K was American built. I thought it was Japanese too, but found out differently when I got the wrong wiper inserts. Parts for the Japanese model are more expensive. I think it was just a great design job - and doesn't matter where it was assembled... Too bad Toyota is slipping... We bought a 2001 LLBean Outback 6 cyl. to replace it - no problems so far at 21K... I think I'm about to scratch the 2003 Avalon off my short list, and take the blunge back to VW w/ a Passat...
Serious dilemma. Trying to choose between comparable optioned Avalon XLS and Infinit I35. Both drive great, but every advantage of one is offset by a different advantage of the other. I35 MSRP is $1600 lower and drive-out price locally ranges from $1600 to $2000 over the Infiniti. If you've been wrestling with this choice yourself I'd like to see a post from you. FWIW, the sales support between Infiniti and Toyota dealership is significant. I've had 3 Camry's in the family before now and it seems Toyota is taking their customer for granted.
Comments
Chris
- Manual/Automatic rear sunshade
- Head curtain-shield airbags
- Breakaway side mirrors
- Lighted power door and window switches
- Telescope-adjustable steering wheel
- Improve multi-information display so that average fuel isn't reset after each trip
My main to things I was looking for in a car was, 1. a history of above average reliability and 2. can I fit.
We also looked at Nissan's - too small, Audi's - too small, BMWs - costly, Subarus - too small, Honda Accord - similar opinion as the Camry, Infinitis - costly, Acuras - similar opinion as the Lexus, and I didn't bother with any American cars. I didn't find any information about a relatively long standing history of reliability in for mid to large American sedans.
Just my opinion, hope it helps.
Just a comment. Thanks.
We don't have a Lexus dealer within 90 minutes of home, so we haven't evaluated the ES300. The longer warranty would be nice, but otherwise I doubt it is too much different from the Avalon.
I guess something happened to it - I'll report it. Thanks!
Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board
A telescoping steering wheel would be very nice. I have long legs and have to move the seat back which makes it more difficult to reach the steering wheel. Toyota should also improve the instrument cluster so the steering wheel does not obstruct it as much. However, I like the general layout of the dash and the fact that it is pushed way back towards the windshield. This creates a feeling of openess and spaciousness for front passengers.
I rear sunshade would be very nice, especially for those of us with kids. If not standard, provide this as an option.
Break-away side mirrors would be an improvement but I hope they do not come at the expense of smaller mirrors. I love the fact that they are oversized.
Other improvments I would like to see:
- Navigation system
- Quieter CD changer
- Improved trunk opener so it is not necessary to hold the trunk button for 2 seconds to open the trunk. A simple press should open the trunk.
- Trunk pass-thru should have a bag to hold skis
- Xenon headlights
- Variable automatic transmission
- Real wood trim instead of plastic trim
- Higher quality (softer) leather for seats
- DVD entertainment option (like the one offered in the Saturn)
- Performance/Sport mode (like the one already offered in the Japanese model of this car - Pronard)
Xenon Lights
Wider Tires 225 >
Dual Mufflers (like the Acura TLs)
Lexus Like - Illuminated Dash - I think the Japanese Pronard has this feature)
Has anyone replaced their tires with a wider ones?
Has anyone replaced their headlight bulbs with Xenon-like halogen bulbs? Or, has anyone installed the Xenon light kits on their Avalon?
Otherwise, the Avalon is a great car and I get lots of compliments from coworkers and middle-aged friends. Life is good. Enjoy the ride!
L. Thomas
I did locate 2 drain outlets -- the radiator and the radiator-side block.
According to Haynes book there is another block drain on the other side.
Can anybody help me locate that "far side" drain?
If I drain only the radiator and "near side" block, would that pose a problem? Would too much antifreeze remain in the block?
Also, it's recommended to flush the cooling sys, and to accomplish that I need to remove the thermostat. Where is it located?
TIA for any help,
Jay
If you still happen to have the old Generals, I would suggest you take them to an authorized General Tire store to voice a complaint.
If you haven't purchased you Avalon yet, and still want some input on the dealers in Southern California, please post again.
finny2
1. Drain Engine Coolant.
(a) Remove radiator cap.
(b) Loosen radiator drain plug and engine drain plugs and drain the coolant.
(A picture in the manual indicates the usual drain plug in the bottom of the radiator; a drain plug on the right side of the engine towards the top; and a drain plug in the front of the engine just below the exhaust manifold to the right of the oil filter.)
(c) Close drain plugs.
Torque: RH engine drain plug on cylinder block side cover: 61 in-lbf. LH engine drain plug on union: 9 ft-lbf.
2. Fill Engine Coolant w/ Toyota Long Life Coolant or equivalent and mix with water, preferably demineralized water. Install radiator cap. Start engine and bleed the cooling system. Fill reservoir up to the FULL line.
Hope this helps.
1) I check the gas mileage with every fillup. For around town, my average comes to 23.90mpg. I live in Florida where there is warmer weather, so the engine can run with a leaner mixture in the mornings, unlike northern areas. Last summer, I made a 5,000 mile trip from Fla. to VA. and then to the Chicago area and back to Fla. The average mileage for the whole trip (which included going through a lot of towns and cities) came to 29.27mpg. This is only 1.5 mpg better than my Chevy Venture minivan. That’s because the Avalon has only a 4 speed auto transmission, while GM’s have a 5 speed automatic. Toyota needs to put in a 5 speed automatic like they did with the new Lexus ES300. But overall, I have no complaints about the gas mileage. I burn premium gas in my car because, unlike the rest of you, I COULD tell the difference in power between regular and premium.
2) The engine is very smooth and quiet, which I like. What’s NOT smooth and quiet is the exhaust system which emits a certain vibration and noise when taking off. Most Toyota owners would think nothing of this. I just bring it up because on my Chevy minivan, the exhaust was completely silent and vibration-free.
3) The engine, while quick from 0 to 60, lacks sufficient low-end torque at low rpm’s. Toyota knows the problem. That’s why they purposely put in more low-end torque in their Lexus LS430 V-8 engine.
4) My biggest problem with the car is excessive road noise over very coarse roads. Unfortunately, here in Florida, most of our roads are very coarse. The radio in my car sounds too loud when stopped, and at speeds over 30, I can scarcely hear it and have to turn up the volume. Why don’t their radios have automatic volume controls like my Chevy had? I thought the wimpy General tires on the car were no good, so I switched to the superior Michelin XOne tires. Result? –No difference at all.
5) On windy days on the Interstates, the car seems unstable to me and requires a lot of steering corrections. Coming up behind trucks, the car tends to shimmy and rapidly dart from side to side. I must say though, my Chevy Venture handled exactly the same. XL’s have the narrower 65 series tires as opposed to the wider 60 series tires used in the XLS models. The XLS also comes with 16" wheels instead of 15's. So the XLS models might handle and steer better.
6) The engine races in the morning (1400 rpm in Park) when first starting out, much like cars of yesteryear before fuel injection. I wasn’t used to this, as Ford and GM cars seems to idle normally when cold, but I’m used to it now.
7) There’s a slight “extra noise” heard in the front end when going over bumps at slow speeds. My Chevy did the same thing. I guess it’s normal for front wheel drive, but rear wheel drive does not make this noise.
8) Starting out cold in the mornings, the transmission refuses to shift from 2nd to 3rd gear unless the engine is going at least 2600 rpm., even during very light acceleration. After 3 minutes, when the engine reaches a certain temp., the transmission shifts normally again. A friend of mine drives a 2001 Sienna, and he reports the exact same thing.
9) The car seems to grunt a little when first taking off from a stop. The transmission seems a little too tight to me. That could be the cause of the exhaust vibration when starting out. Also, it seems reluctant to downshift at mid speeds around 30 or so. I’ll take a GM transmission any day.
10) Every once in a blue moon, the volume on the radio will change on its own, but it’s so infrequent, that’s not been a problem with me.
11) There are occasional slight rattles in the dash and in the seatbelt anchor in the pillar between the driver and rear passenger side windows.
12) I went back to the dealer complaining about #2, #6, #7, and #8 above. They dismissed all 4 of my complaints.
13) Recently, I got to drive a friend’s 2000 Avalon XLS over the same roads I drive on. The exhaust noise was significantly less than my car. It has the wider 60 series tires, and I expected it would have even more road noise than my car, but to my surprise, there was noticeably LESS road noise than my car. But her car was also far from perfect. It had a very loud rattle in the right-hand side of the dashboard. Also, I noticed it had significantly less power than my car. She burns regular gas, but the main reason is that for the 2001 models, Toyota upped the horsepower to 210.
14) While the car has been reliable mechanically, my overall satisfaction with the car is lower than other cars I’ve owned. My overall highest satisfaction was with my antiquated, 1995 Chevy Astro van which I purchased new. It had some rattle problems, but was very good in all other respects.
15) Would I buy another Avalon? It’s doubtful, but it’s too early to say. The XLS model seemed to be quieter overall than my XL and that would be my choice of Avalon today. But I wonder if I’d be better off buying a 3 year old, used Lexus LS430 or a 2 year old, used Lexus ES300 instead of a brand new Avalon? Would the Lexus be worth the extra money, since they’re built in Japan instead of the Americanized Avalon built in the U.S.? I have my doubts. I think Toyota did too good a job copying the big 3. In 1993, I first drove a Toyota Corolla, and I really liked it. I can’t say that about my Americanized 2001 Avalon.
My mom has a 2000 Avalon XLS with 44,000 miles on it, and the only problem we've had is that the right map light button has lost its spring. We'll have it taken care of the next time we have the car serviced. We love our Avalon, and my dad has said that he won't buy anything else other than a Toyota. We haven't really had problems with rattles. Occasionally I'll hear something around the dash area, and then I'll realize it's some of my mom's stuff that is rattling against the dash.
I hope all of you have a great day!
Last week I was traveling on a road that was "scraped" for resurfacing and it felt like the car was falling apart. On smooth surfaces the car is whisper quiet and handles reasonably well but pulls slightly to the left requiring more steering effort than is necessary.
Would I buy another Avalon? Hmmm! I will have to think about that. But seriously, if Toyota modifies the exterior styling (not by much) and bring the styling up to the 21st. century and at least offer these options: integrated phone, HID, NAV and a sunshade, I would strongly consider buying another Avalon.
However, I realize that if I want the above enumerated features I will have to move up to the Lexus brand name and pay a premium price. But what else is out there that is comparable to the Avalon? A domestic model maybe? (I know the Avalon is American made but carries a foreign moniker).
Any '03 Avalon pics??
Your 92 Camry was made in Japan. I would venture that the 92 - 96 Camry is probably the best overall quality Toyota branded car line ever sold in the U.S. A 95 or 96 Camry with under 100K is a great buy for anyone that can find one.
In 1997 Toyota shifted to Camry production in Georgetown (even though there are apparently some 97 Japan-sourced Camry's around).
From my experience with our 2000 Avalon XLS, I think the bumps are a design decision that Toyota made given the suspension they chose. I think the rattles are a by product of designing and sourcing the Avalon from U.S. suppliers. Toyota is unlikely to ever get the same level of quality from their US supply chain as they did in Japan due to differences in work styles, competitive sourcing and our tolerance for crap. It will still be better than the US branded companies, but not what we are used to.
If you want an equivalent to the 92 Camry buy a Lexus - even a good used one, not a new US made Toyota.
Since it works correctly in the '02 Camry, there's a good chance this will be fixed in '03 Avalon. Got my fingers crossed.
Avalon has much more upscale interior and dashboard.
Avalon has more rear seat legroom.
Camry is better looking.
Camry is a newer design.
Camry is cheaper.
Camry has a very cheap looking interior and dashboard.
Other differences between the Camry and Avalon:
Camry has available Side Curtain Airbags
Camry has available Navagation System
With the Camry SE, you have the option of purchasing a reasonably sporty family/near lux sedan... something the Avalon doesn't pretend to offer.
I think the Avalon is a great car, but not so much with the new Camry introduced as its stablemate. I'd wait for a 2003 revision (NOT a redesign, remember, but a freshening). The 18hp boost, IMO doesnt justify a 2 grand price premium over a fully loaded XLE V6 Camry, which has more features and is a newer design. (Comparison btwn fully loaded XLS at about $33,500 MSRP and fully loaded Camry XLE V6 at about $31,500)
~alpha
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
We bought a 2001 LLBean Outback 6 cyl. to replace it - no problems so far at 21K...
I think I'm about to scratch the 2003 Avalon off my short list, and take the blunge back to VW w/ a Passat...