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Comments
"Drive gently and avoid high speeds".
"Your vehicle does not need an elaborate break-in. But following a few simple tips for the first 1600 (1000 miles) can add to the future economy and long life of your vehicle".
"Avoid full throttle acceleration when starting and driving".
Avoid racing the engine".
Try to avoid hard stops during the first 300 km (200 miles)".
Do not drive for a long time at any single speed, either fast or slow".
So I decided that 55 miles an hour tops for the first 1,000 miles is not high speed. Everyone has to do it their way. Toyota builds a quality car and wants J. D. Power to continue to rate it high. So they don't build the car to fall apart causing forced obsolescence so they can sell you another one. Therefore I will abide what the Manufacturer says and as Petl, break in on the side of caution. I have never had a problem with any of my cars engine wise, and anyone who bought my trade got a great car. Each to his own. Anyway thanks to everyone for their input. I guess old dogs are hard to change even though I'm very flexible, but on Breaking in cars I really enjoy taking my time while I hear the engine purr. This Avalon really purrs, I can't wait till I hit the 1,000 marker and than will take it to 75 for a little ride, but not jam on the accelerator, I do it slowly while others take off to show me how fast they can go. I save it when passing or for an emergency.
Check Beltway Toyota (Andy)
!00 % true and anyone as I said can believe anything they want or read in a manual.
Toyota and Lexus some where around 2000 started losing 3.0 engines BY PEOPLE FOLLOWING the owners Manual Which specifficly said it was OK to change your oil at 7500 miles under normal use. They called it due to "oil sludge build up"and they went back to 5000 miles under normal use. I don't know what it is now.
mackabee.... Sir....I am not trying to cause a problem. You are very knowledgeable and sound like you are/were an excellent Salesman. We all appreciate the help you are providing.
As I clearly stated it is hard to accept it as true, I can still hear my Dad again and again telling me "Take care of your oil changes and your car will take care of You".
It matters not that I sold over 5,000 cars in my 30 years in the business or even that I was personally involved in the problem myself and had a brand new still crated from the factory 3.0 put in at 85000 miles. They told me they were shipping the old engine back to the factory for Study which sounded like a line since they already knew it was happening but what did I care as long as it was replaced. In fact my daughter stii has that Rx300 and it's possible you could pull up the records off the serial #.
I am not trying to bad mouth Toyota. I love them
and have sold 100's of /and owned several Toyota's and Lexus's I own an Avalon now and am looking to buy a new Avalon or used RX300 soon.
Good Luck to you and every one in this Forum.
The man asked the question and I answered it.
So, what does one get for the additional $13,000 when "moving up" to a like-equipped LUXURY Audi?: 6-speed transmission, heated rear seats, folding mirrors, all-wheel drive, roof-mounted XM antenna, head lamp washers, adaptive headlamps, manual side sunshades (rear seat), electronic locking axle, rear fog lights, additional power outlet, bluetooth, and a 4-year warranty.
For an additional $1600, the Audi can be had with Tire Pressure Monitoring, Rear Parking Assist, and premium leather. For an additional $9600 the Audi can be had with a V8.
What the Avalon Limited has over the Audi: reclining rear seats, ventilated front seats, Toyota reliability, 280 hp (255 for the Audi), rain-sensing wipers, daylight running lights, better navigation system, DVD based navigation system vs CD based in the A6, faster acceleration to 60 mph, better fuel economy, the ability to burn regular fuel if desired, and Toyota reliability.
The price of "Luxury" is steep.
Had a really nice gold colour (sorry, forget the official name) in the showroom and a silver outside.
Both looked really sharp!!
Hmmmmmmm....Now am in my Avalon advantage over Maxima mood.....
I have been trouble free for close to two months now.
Its just possible I did not sleep through it all.
As you know they are one and the same ownership. Toyota-Lexus is by far the most susuccessful product quality, service and to some degree in design that I have ever seen. Who would have belived in 1973 that GM would go from almost %50 penetration of the US market to under %30 and dropping rapidly.
OK.... to your request.
Both name plates run many of the same engines and
and even the same frames, parts and such. What one gets new the other has in 1-2 years.......except a very expensive and carefully groomed persona.
People have been taught to pay the Big $$$$ for the Lexus name tag and sheet metal/engines are truly the same parts in many cases........OR NOT.
Perception and persona make the difference in value as perceived by the public...You,me and everyone else. It is good business practice to offer the same product to the public one at very high $$$ and one at lower $$$$ if it can be done.
But lets face it..... That Lexus name tag means something to you, me and my wife for instance.
ANY Toyota is a wonderful car.... a Toyota with a
Lexus name plate/ persona is a gift from the Gods for many including my wife and me and.......
It boils down to more recognized PRESTIGE whether we admitt it or not.
Our rich Uncle offers us a choice of a 2005 Camry or a 2005 lexus ES330 as a wedding present.... Any body that says he would choice the Camry is a liar and "Nuts" too.
But there is no comparable car in the Lexus line to the 2005 Avalon at this time, the cutting edge of technology and is front wheel drive which many people prefer.
You made a great choice on the new Avalon one of the best buys on the market today.
It is of course quite possible that they will soon put a Lexus label on it and charge $10-15,000 more. It will be slightly more attractive inside and out, Have more sound proofing and more options or up grades of the same radio etc.
At the same or near $$$$$ we all would take the Lexus every time.. Is it worth the difference........ ONLY IF YOU/ME have the $$$$ to easily pay the difference.
But your neighbors and your wife and me will always feel like we have to JUSTIFY buying the Toyota........A Lexus SPEAKS for itself.
Or so we have been TAUGHT.
Thanks for your time and yes I am long winded ...
Sorry for that
The car was in the dealer's inventory book, which shows all cars scheduled to be sent to the dealer automatically.
Ordered the car on Feb 18th. The book said that the car would be manufactured the week of 4/28. Dealer said it would arive by 3/11.
A short while later, the dealer updated me with information that the car would arive between Feb 4th and 9th. That didn't happen. On the 15th I visited the dealer and bluntly asked "Where's my car?"
The dealer blamed eveything on snow in the Northeast. I didn't let him know that the only "snow' was the snow job that he was giving me. He called me back the next day to let me know the car was coming in by the 21st. That's when it arrived. A day later, the title arrived by mail from Toyota.
The bottom line is that the Toyota delivery information means very little, and the dealer will tell you anything to justify delays.
No clue as to timeframes for cars that are special-ordered.
Three hours after driving the car out of the showroom, I was in automotive ecstasy ... it was worth the hassle ... there's just nothing like an Avalon!
Marcom
Are not these color keyed mudguards actually painted by the Zone Distributor rather than the factory. Just yesterday a person at Toyota Customer Service indicated that the flaps were shipped out in only one basic color for the 2005 Avalon.
RONN
I own an BMW and believe me when I say this, everything in the Bimmer is illuminated, even the pockets inside the door handles. But, of course, you pay for all that
: )
Mackabee
A good mechanic friend once demonstrated to me the time that engine bearings (mains and camshaft) run dry during initial cranking after oil change. That is, before the oil pump fills the empty filter and oil galleries, and pressurizes the system. Each startup, as I recall, takes 1 to 2 full seconds. During this time, the bearings run "dry"; that is, without oil pressure, and (theoretically) with metal-to-metal contact between journal steel and bearing babbit. This doesn't sound like a lot of time, but when one multiplies 2 seconds by the number of oil & filter changes in the life of the car, it can add up. For example, if you drive 18,000 miles during the first year of your Avalon, you'll have 5 changes based on 3,000 mile intervals; and the engine will run dry, cumulatively, for 10 seconds. 10 seconds dry running time does not sound so insignificant. Over 60,000 miles, at 3,000 intervals, it will have run dry 38 seconds! If your're a worry wart, you may lose sleep thinking you've been chewing away the babbit of your journal bearings all those years slavishly following your Dad's advice about 3,000 mile oil changes.
I'm a first-time Toyota (05 Avalon) owner, and don't know if it's possible to do this, but pre-filling the filter with oil before installation is a trick that small block Chevy owners use to minimize dry startup period. It's easy to do w/Chevy's, as the filter is screwed into the block upside down. Is it possible to do this on the 3.5 liter Toyota motor? If so, Mr. (Ms.?)Chipmunk, we can all be in cogniscenti oil change heaven!
I was hoping that someone might have some ideas on how the dealer might place a priority on sold orders.
Thanks.....Wes
I would have never bought the '05 version knowing that in 4 mos. I could have the new improved '06.
So as you drive those new Limiteds from the dealership -- Know very well your depreciation costs have doubled!
What a BUMMER!
MikeS.
MikeS.
I totally agree. For me, the 2005 Avalon was released exactly when I had decided I would trade my 1997 Camry rather than pay for expensive suspension repairs. I considered many new-car alternatives (Camry, Solara, Prius, Acura TL-RL, Lexus IS-ES, BMW, Subaru; even test-drove the MB Smart) but was convinced by none. When the new Avalon was announced in January, I realized this could be the car for me. I arranged to buy the first to be delivered in my area (subject to test-driving and liking it, of course). By doing so, I believe I saved quite a bit of money.
First, I arranged to trade in my Camry. Here we pay 14% in federal and provincial sales taxes. If you trade, the tax is only on the difference. Second, Toyota new-car prices here are "non-negotiable," but what you get for a trade-in is very negotiable. The manager agreed to pay me more than top book value for the Camry, even knowing that it needed suspension repairs [I pointed out that this endemic problem with 1997-98 Camrys is well documented in a Camry Discussion list].
By buying the Avalon now, rather than say 6-8 months later, this is what I estimate I saved (in Can $):
-- $1,500 - 2,000 for front and possibly also rear suspension repairs in the Camry.
-- $2,000 in depreciation of future trade-in value for the Camry.
-- $280 further tax savings by trading in the Camry at its current value.
-- $ ??? in unknown other future repairs on the Camry. After the extended warranty had expired, I spent $500 to replace a failed engine sensor unit. Apparently this could happen again with other sensors, and who knows what else could also fail in the next 6 months.
-- $600 ?? estimated as likely price increase by Toyota on 2006 Avalons.
To boot, I replaced the mounting aggravations of maintaining a finally aging Camry with earlier enjoyment of this truly excellent Avalon!
By the way, I did buy the 7-year extended warranty.
1st year introduction
2nd year no changes other than maybe adding or dropping unpopular options
3rd year Refresh which means slight changes to headlights, taillights, and grille
4th year same as 3rd year
5th year all the options listed on brochures are finally available.
Cycle starts over and new re-design.
: )
Mackabee
Wait 'till July and buy the same car for INVOICE.
The early birds got screwed!
FYI - One can set up "alerts" in Google such that you get an e-mail anytime "Avalon" (or some phrase of your choice) is mentioned on the Web!!
Enjoy!
Mikeroch
Dealer was given allotment which detailed the model, options and build date. Dealership sends a change request to the factory, allotment is changed to request, here comes my car.
Purchased on 3/12, build week of 4/11, delivered 3- 10 days after that.
: )
Mackabee
I also just bought an '05 XLS, and went through the hassle of price negociations, delivery unpredictability, and all the usual stuff.
I also went through the "really critical" issues posted on this forum, such as
* Having to move your hand over the open cupholder door
* Instant dings because of no side moldings
* The incredibly terrible appearance of plastic wood trim
* Fake dual exhausts
* Reports that "all seat controls have been eliminated on '05 models"
* An incredibly small trunk
* The panic of not knowing actual trunk dimensions
* and more ...
The '05 Avalon is one of the most elegantly-styled autos, extremely comfortable, and with a powerful and responsive engine. Lighten up everyone, and "ENJOY WHAT YOU HAVE AND TAKE THE MOMENT."
Marcom
Everyone...Have you found any defects in your new Avalon? If you have, what are they and will they be fixed. Can you reply too if you found absolutely nothing wrong. Thanks :-)
Also, my dealer says no light gray leather seats here as Mackabee says. I'm in Pennsylvania.
Pray for Terri.