Toyota Avalon 2008-2010
nnnnnpatel
Member Posts: 27
in Toyota
I little premature to talk about 2008 Avalons, but any ideas what new thing might show up on these models.
np
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2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
nick
Whats with all the crappy retro plastic/silver/grey looking appearance, it looks really cheap!
Now, I would suggest that if the Think Tank of Toyota's designers were attempting to appeal/attract car buyer's in the 28-35 year old crowed by installing all the grey-silver color in the Dash area--well great.
However, how could Toyota just condensendingly (sp) assume that the baby boomer crowed would not miss the luxury wood interior once installed on the last generation of the Avalon.
Put the money in the quality parts that made Toyotas name for itself. You ask any mechanic now if the new Toyotas are as maintenance free as the old ones and we will get an overwhelming answer.
It is what is inside that counts.
abfisch
nick
Roland
I agree, It would be really nice to see Toyota return to the Cherry Wood interior. The Camary and Avalon owners/customers should at least let their preferences known to Toyota.
Toyota is such a major player in the car industry now, with record sales, it really doesn't have to listen to preference of the customer's who would like to see a return to a luxury appearance of havig a Cherrywood interior.
Many Japanese cars do not have a mute button for the sound system, but if there were one on the steering wheel hub, it would be handy.
I live in a small city with narrow streets and friends have had their cars mirrors peeled off by careless drivers so the folding type would be great.
:P
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
I also hold down the "mode" button on the steering wheel to power off the stereo, but this takes a full couple of seconds; not always possible while steering. And then it takes a while to re-start a CD. I agree that a MUTE button would be good. Even the Scion Xa, for 1/3 the cost, includes a Mute button.
havalong
I expect to keep my 2005 Av for 4-5 more years, so model year 2011-12 would work for me. But, might as well provide it in 2008, this will give some time to iron out any wrinkles.
Thanks!
I think that a smoother shifting, less quirky transmission would be nice in 08.
Larger seat bottoms would be nice (back to the '03 seat width and depth) and a little work on the transmission to make it like the LS 460 - 8 forward gears - slick as glass.
Well...we can dream.......
remembering that the 6 speed is continuing to create more problems with Camry and ES owners than I think the 5 speed ever created with the Avalon? I believe the 6 speed is destined for the 08 Avalon if for no other reason than mfrg. efficiencies...
I have to agree with you again. The 4 speed, while antiquated somewhat has never given me any problems. The only complaint that I could possibly give is that OD gear is long, and when driving around a city or 45MPH area, it will hunt, excessively for me. soo. I just push the OD off button and cut out the 4th gear. Other than that, the shifts at 88K are still smooth, especially if you let off on the accelerator slightly at the shift points. If you push the car, you obviously can feel the shifts more.
All in all though, no problems, and have changed the fluid twice and filter once in 88K. Sometimes less is more.
abfisch
Toyota adopted the DBW system to "protect the drive train", delay the onset of engine accelerating torque until a sequential downshift, following a full lift-throttle upshift, would be completed before the onset of engine torque rising.
Not that other uses aren't made of DBW now that its there.
The brakes are used mostly for implementation of VSC functionality. Outside front brake for overstearing and inside rear brake for understearing. I suppose dethrottling the engine, especially with understearing, might be helpful, but again that can be accomplished via fuel cut.
Obviously with DBW available it would be best to cut both intake airflow and fuel.
My 2001 Porsche 911/996 C4 has DBW and I have absolutely no complaints.
The real problem is that Toyota/Lexus adopted the DBW system as a fix, solution, for another problem that seemingly could not be solved otherwise. They adopted the automatic transaxle upshift technique back at the beginning of the RX production run and that resulted in premature transaxle failures for those models.
But the most obvious solution would have been to redesign the transaxle with a variable displacement ATF oil pump as Ford has done but that really is a major redesign whereas adopting the DBW system is relatively simple.
And then asking those computer nerds to throw in a 2-3 second throttle opening delay while the transaxle is downshifting to the more appropreate gear ratios is another simple matter.
Without such progress, the possibility of a 270-horsepower, two-ton vehicle travelling above 70mph while attaining over 30 mpg, would be unlikely. It seems clear that most consumers prefer the fruits of invention. The decades-old Crown Victoria design is being remaindered while its maker flounders toward the future with too little, too late. Some stumbles by manufacturers trying too much or too soon are less likely to be fatal to the organization.
you're sure that is not more like - hey, these 'safety' systems sell like hotcakes, the government will be requiring them shortly anyway, so let's put in the DBW and then, we can address things like TS and engine braking issues more easily? Chicken or the egg.
Nissans were selling just fine at the time of the RX intro with hellatious TS and correspondent engine braking issues without the DBW. Don't perceive that either the consumer or even the 'safety' nuts thought it was that much of a problem at the time (say 2002-03). The new Maximas/Altimas, though, this has 'disappeared' into electronic never-never land in combination with that CVT.
The other issue is from an emissions startpoint, government, EPA, CARB, regulations. Using the SFI system to cut fuel and thereby reduce engine torque to accommodate these so called safety systems, VSC/Trac/BA/EBD/ABS/etc, was undoubtedly the most inexpensive method of accomplishing that task.
But simply reducing the fuel flow but not closing the throttle to reduce airflow would quite certainly get the attention of those agencies.
But, in your favor, totally, if the issue of engine RPM matching to road speed to reduce engine compression braking in the new Suzuki SX4 with manual transaxle is actually true then clearly a DBW system was required for that.
The 3.5 engine is fantastic in power and gas mileage. I am glad to see Toyota using it also in the Camry, Rav-4, Sienna and Highlander for 2008.
Not everybody likes having a sunroof, so hopefuuly one day they will offer more solid hardtops.
Happy Toyotering!
1. Standard VSC - safety. Note: it bugs me that in TX I have to "buy up" in trim level, i.e., XLS with packaged VSC & heated seats, just to safeguard my family with VSC. Maybe the economics of offering VSC dictates that practice, or maybe Gulf States Toyota is the culprit - I don't know.
2. Bluetooth - safety (hands free). Let's do what we can to eradicate dorky wireless earpieces everywhere.
3. MP3 auxilary - current technology. Thanks, but I can do without the cassette player now. 100 million DAPs sold, but at last check Toyota's flagship sedan can't connect to any of them.
We keep our cars for 10 years. In 5 years, almost every car will have all three, right? So half its life, we would be missing out on some important advancements in safety and technology.
So when is the earliest we will all know what changes are made for 2008?
Link: link title
J
VSC/TRAC is installed on almost all Avalons (at least here in Jersey).
Bluetooth is available aftermarket
Ipod connectivity can be accomplished with an adaptor that Best Buy can install for under $200. I have it on my '06 and it works wonderfully. Charges the I-pod and I can change tracks from the steering wheel. The OEM interfaces just hook up to the headphone jack.
I agree that these features should be standard on the Avalon, but it didn't keep me from buying mine. There really isn't a car (IMO) with the room, ride, power and fuel economy that the Avalon delivers for the price.
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
nick