Personaly I don't care for the bumper gaurds and they would probably be of little value. What's the chance that they will line up perfectly with whatever they could protect you from. If you study the picture you will also notice that his drivers side exhaust pipe is lower than the other side.
JUST ME, I looked at your picture of your bumper gaurds and noticed that your exhaust pipes are also uneven......exactly like mine so there must be an across the board problem with the way Toyota is mounting them. I've also noticed driving down the road if you follow a Camry notice that their exhaust pipes up under the middle of the car hang down quite aways. It's that way on all the latest version of Camrys.
Awesome installation and awesome pic! Graet way to really see the Indigo color too .woudl love to see the other colors (ie Blue Mirage, Silver Pine, Titanium ) up so close Thanks!
RONN, 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.
I'll keep an eye out for this when I visit the dealership tomorrow. Supposedly these guys have 7 Avalons in stock. I know when I'm inspecting the rear pipes I'll definitely look like a geek, but... Oh wait shirt says "Geek Inside".
"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.) "
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.)
When we picked up our limited the radio tone was adjusted to the "0" or flat settings. It didn't sound great until we got home and I read the manual and adjusted the treble, midrange, bass, and turned the surround sound to on. So if you don't think the stereo sounds that great when you try it, check to see how the tone is set. This is done by pushing in on the right (tuning) knob. I have had Boss in two different cars and think the limited's sounds much better.
FUHGEDDABOWDT!! 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
Ok I'm a little slow, what advantages - does bluetooth give us ? I have a cell phone that I use bluetooth to sync to my laptop but what devices would you use in a car?
This might help some of you make backing up safer. I've been uncomfortable backing up my 2005 Avalon because of the big blind spot with the high trunk lid. After seeing my neighbor's back-up ultrasonic sensors on his Sienna bumper, I decided to install them in my Avalon. My Toyota dealer said they did not have anything for the Avalon, so I did a Google search "reverse sensors". There are a lot of after-market units. I bought and installed one last night from awellmarket.com but there are similar ones from others. They cost me $110 including shipping. The four silver sensors match the titanium metallic paint of my bumper nicely; but the sensor color choices might not match well with other Toyota colors.
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.
I heard from the Toyota dealer I ordered a Limited in Blizzard White from this week. Car was suppose to be here mid-April. Now they say they can't get a white one until mid-June! I'm losing confidence in Toyota to deliver what has been promised. They are offering me a Silver Limited, but I had my heart set on white. anyone have any suggestions?
"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."
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...
ALRIGHT. I'M GAME. I will acquiesce in allowing the use of my coffee cup experience. But, please understand it is for the good of the "Avalon Smooth Ride" cause and not purely for monetary gain. For, as an Avalon devotee, I can attest that my '95 and my '98 Avalons failed miserably, scoring much lower than the '02, in the famed coffee cup test. But that, dear forum friends, is an entirely different tale. Go for it, Ronn. We'll split the profits. Maryd
The is a built in 110vac plug in the rear between the front seats of my 2002 xls. It allows for 100 watts of 110vac power. It appears they have elininated it in the 2005.
Rumors are rampant that Toyota might discontinue the Avalon after 06 My and replace it with the Crown. The Crown can be had with a 5.0L V8 producing close to 350 Hp.
Please point me to a source of one of those rumors, outdside of another chat room forum, you know something that might be perceived as having even the slightest bit of legitimacy. While the Avalon's numbers are not that great outside of the Limited, I don't see it's demise anytime soon.
The preferred accessory package includes the following: carpet front & rear matts, cargo matt, glass breakage sensor, first aid kit, and emergency assistance kit.
MACEMAN: I just checked the website for precision toyota in tampa, fl. where I got my limited. There are 39 blizzar white limited available or coming starting 4-2-05 in the s.e. region. Go to precisiontoyota.com and then click on the various bars etc. to "check inventory" of white avalon limiteds and you'll see what I just said along with the dates available. I bought mine from them on line with their internet dept and they are a great dealership. Aprox $2500. under window sticker. I know analyticalangel also is getting hers there as well. There is really no need to make a special order. With so many available you're sure to find the one you want that they already have on the way.
Avalonturing05....you said it all!!! Those Chyrsler guys are crying the blues on their post...too bad they didnt choose the Avalon. I posted something on their forum..they would probably like to shoot me...glad they dont know where I am...but I spoke the truth.
Havalong.... - I like your idea. Gonna do it. How about messin' with their minds like: "My 300C's left pipe hangs 1/8" lower and 3/32" off center compared to the right pipe." :P Pat HOST - just let us have a little fun with the Mopar boys.
Check their discussion board later this evening, Havalongalongaavalonalona.
MaryD...thanks.I will see what I can do for our commercial. In the meantime, be careful with that coffee mug..we don't want any dents on the new Avalon
Hey guys..I just heard while I was out today that someone pressed the start button and it sparked and shorted out. Had to have it towed. That is terrible news on April Fools Day!!!!
RONN
PS APRIL FOOLS JOKE!!!!! I love the smart key, and it works great!!!
On my way to work this morning I briefly stopped at my Toyota-Lexus dealer to check their dual-tailpipe vehicles. Of two 05 Avalons on display, both have the same asymmetry, L pipe hanging lower than R pipe, in one case by close to an inch.
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...
Exactly! This is what I've been saying all along but some folks are just to stubborn to listen. When I wake up in the morning I give thanks to the allmighty that I'm still in this world and I go out and enjoy the day. Hey, when we have this Avalon owner's club meeting do you guys mind if I show up in a Camry? :shades: Mack
I hope you Avalon owners going gaga over your dual tailpipes, uneven or even, actually realize that your exhaust system is not truly a dual system. It is only split near the back of the car.
MY Dual Exhausts.Boatsman, THANK YOU. After reading your post this morning I went and took a look at the exhaust and as you said the left was slightly lower than the right. I called my dealer who is great, he said bring it in. I just came back. It wasn't loose to my feel, yet what ever they did it's now to my eye perfect. So I recommend to everyone whose exhaust isn't perfectly lined up, take it back to your dealer and let them adjust it like Savannah Toyota did for me.
I just looked at my tailpipes this morning, and mine are very close to being right. Not enough to worry about. It doesn't bother me if they were a little more off, I dont think the average person really looks at the tailpipes. If this weren't mentioned here, I don't think anyone would have noticed! Guys, don't worry so much about these little things. Be glad we have a wonderful car, with a great appeal to so many.
"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"... 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.
MAC, JUST SHOW UP AND HAVE A BEER WITH US EVEN IF YOUR DRIVING A FORD. You have been great and honest with us and deserve a front seat. Like you, I get up in the morning and count my blessings every day. I will email your friend and thank him Mac.
RONN, your right, no big deal, but if they are off slightly, your dealer will adjust them when your in for an oil change. I had to be in Savannah anyway, so made my trip more worthwhile.
Hey Mackabee.....make the Camry an XLS please 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!
Mowtownusa. That should only happen, our 05 and 06 Avalons would be worth a lot more.However, Toyota didn't retool and spend all those bucks for a two year cycle to even consider such a thing. That would be sheer lunacy on their part. JMHO.
"I hope you Avalon owners going gaga over your dual tailpipes, uneven or even, actually realize that your exhaust system is not truly a dual system. It is only split near the back of the car. "
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.
Funny RONN, so did I. I put another coat of wax on the hood, Trunk and Top. My wife thinks I'm going nuts. I vacuum the carpet mats every time I come back from a ride. I guess I love it like you. Have a great weekend. I have some reading to do. Catch you all later.
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.
"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. "
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.
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?
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