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Comments
(I'm still learning things from this forum. Thanks to all who contribute!)
I have my rubber mallet ready. Question is, should I bump the R pipe down 1/4", or the L pipe up?
I'll wait for your suggestions until midnight tonight (April 1st.)
havalong
Heheheh... Well my Audi is just one more reason I'm looking at the Avalon instead. I don't want to go off topic, so I won't go into details. I will merely say that my current vehicle has had serious repair issues since the 20k mark. The Avalon has been rated very well by CR over the years and reliability is a big deal for me this time around.
I'll give a full report after my experiences with the dealerships around here.
-LoUdSpEaKeR
A Daiwhatzue? Gezuntheit.
Maybe we can estabish the severity of this problem and a solution by polling the readership.
Can all 05 Avalon owners please answer the following questions?
1. Are your tailpipes uneven by at least 1/4"? ___ YES ___NO
2. If they are, do you suggest the L one should come up ___ or should the R one come down___?
3. Should Toyota recall and fix all our uneven Avalon tailpipes? ___ YES ___NO
...Moot point.
-LoUdSpEaKeR
Thanks, LoUdSpEaKeR. Just don't get too distracted; remember that your main task will be to check out all 7 audio systems...
havalong
I'll wait for your suggestions until midnight tonight (April 1st.) "
Havalongavalon (love that name) - You and Boatsman have wife problems, not exhaust pipe problems. They're backing into the mailbox at the end of the driveway. Threaten them with that rubber mallet after using it on the car. (Just kidding, all you females. No need to report me to NOW.)
Groza
Groza, You are most probably correct about what I should do, however can you provide any more info about this item? (Toyota lists it as option code SD)
Thanks again, Rod
Sorry just don't get it.
dc
The unit senses objects from 59 to 4 inches behind the bumper and emits a beeping sound. The beeping interval gets shorter as you get closer. At a distance of about 12 inches it becomes a continuous sound. My unit only has a speaker, but an option is an additional LED display.
I installed sensors that are in the bumper - so I had to drill holes with the drill bit provided in the kit. There are stick-on sensors also available. The installation was relatively easy, but I'm fairly handy. I ran the wiring into the trunk through an opening behind the license plate alongside other wires. I mounted the control box in the trunk on the left quarter panel behind the navigation system with the double backed tape in the kit. The unit gets its power from the reverse light circuit so it only operates when in reverse. The trickiest part, for me, was locating the ground wire, it's the black/white wire, and getting a good connection with the supplied connectors. I mounted the small speaker in the trunk just behind the rear seat. It's loud enough to be heard, but not obtrusive.
This would be a good option for Toyota to offer with sensors matching the available paints.
anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks, groza. In my family we have fairly descriptive names. My cousin Hopalong drives a Tundra in the Yukon.
Unfortunately, though, my name is such a givaway. It has prevented me from butting in the Chrysler 300 discussion -- I've been meaning to ask them how unevenly their tailpipes may hang. Maybe you could do this for me/us?
No, my wife didn't do it. I'm the one who has a reputation for parking into too-small spots, etc. In fact, my wife dreads when I drive her vehicle. If there is ever a new blemish, I'm the one who is suspect, forever...
havalong
Too bad
PS..I will give my Limited a 12!!!
Check their discussion board later this evening, Havalongalongaavalonalona.
Groza
RONN
RONN
RONN
PS APRIL FOOLS JOKE!!!!!
I love the smart key, and it works great!!!
With a service manager we searched for Toyota Canada notices on uneven tailpipes, there were none out yet. I left an alert to be forwarded to Toyota.
On my way out I had a look at two 06 GS 300/430 in the Lexus lot. In both the tailpipes hung very evenly, I'd say to within 1/1000". So now we know why the new GSs may cost $10-20K more than the new Avalons.
Well, I was not satisfied with this systematic defect in the Avalons, so I went back to the Toyota service guy and asked him to come out to have a look. I had left my engine running, and we both noticed that NOTHING was coming out of either tailpipe! The answer is, in the highly efficient Avalon, the tailpipes are not needed! So, I had them removed by the dealer.
Removing the unneccesary dual tailpipes and mufflers had a benefit in that the car is lighter now, by some 60 lb. This was instantly noticeable as I raced to work. True, the Front/Rear weight distribution may be slightly worse without them, but this has no noticeable effect on handling.
I was going to take a photo to show you my Avalon without tailpipes, but I realized, what's the point of showing a picture of something that is NOT there any more?
Now I have two nice concealed under-bumper locations where I plan to install aftermarket cameras to better monitor the faces of drivers as I leave them behind.
One option I'm also considering seriously is to install just me's type of bumper guards, but I'm concerned that their thickness will add to the car's length, and my problems with parking in tight spots...
Havalong X.L.S. Avalon, MMV
And you'all havalong, nice April 1st too!
:shades:
Mack
Guys, don't worry so much about these little things. Be glad we have a wonderful car, with a great appeal to so many.
havalongavalon, my bumper guards are only around 3/8 of an inch thick. So enough when I back up and touch a concrete post or something, it would stop from touching my bumper. That kind of thickness won't add to your car's length. Less than an inch total for front and back. Good luck and thanks for the great posting.
Just Kidding....but it would be fine by me. I'm so thankful and love my car, and have good health.
Happy April 1st, my friend. Hope you sold alot of cars today!
RONN
RONN
Badgerfan - The Av's exhaust is about as dual as cars' exhausts are made today. The Av has two exhausts, each with its own muffler. Upstream of the mufflers the exhausts are headered into one larger pipe, through a single resonator and cat converter, then split into two (3-pipe) exhaust header banks in the cylinder heads. This arrangement is the common one in use for most "dual" exhaust setups in today's cars. True dual exhausts, with split pipe from the cylinder heads back, pretty much disappeared when cat converters were added for NOx control.
One way or the other, the real indicators of performance are torque, horsepower and brake specific fuel consumption. The Toyota boys have these nailed with the Av engine. What other sedan, foreign or domestic, can wring 280 hp out of 3.5 liters, with 31 mpg on the hwy. and with an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle rating from the Feds?
I have trouble relating to liters, having grown up on 100 yard football fields (not fooootball fields). 3.5 liters is equiv. to 211 cubic inches. If a 350 cubic inch small block Chevrolet, the most common American V8, were to develop the same specific power as the Av engine, the Chevy would have to pump out 350/211 x 280 hp, or 464 horsepower! I can tell you from experience that small blocks with that kind of power don't last long.
What this all means is that Toyota has squeezed lots of power out of the drivetrain, including the exhaust system. Making the exhaust bigger, or splitting the exhaust into two separate pipes all the way to the motor would have little effect, if any, on the car's performance. I'll bet the Ann Arbor engineers have fine tuned exhaust backpressure pretty doggone well.
Besides, I like the son of a gun just the way it is.
Groza
I did read somewhere that the Toyota USA management had to stand toe to toe with Japan to keep the pseudo dual exhaust, because it added expense with little or no particular performance advantage, but the US ones insisted on it, for aesthetic reasons rather than performance.
PS...
Badgerfan - I can believe that. It's a male thing - Four on the floor, dual exhausts and your gal ridin' shotgun. That's what I'm talkin bout.
Groza
I am 90% sure about the Avalon Limited as a purchase at this point for two reasons:
1) It's hard to go wrong with a Toyota
2) Wife
Point number 2 will surely outweigh the sound (and NO that isn't a fat joke). Not to mention I have to weigh in divorce costs with the cost of the vehical being more than $500 over invoice. We married men have many factors to weigh. Let those single guys fight over the 300 at this point.
BTW, is there a door prize for this forum if I do finally aquire an Avalon?
-LoUdSpEaKeR