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Toyota Avalon 2004 and earlier

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Comments

  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Constructive comments and civil, respectful debate are always welcome. A post with a sole purpose of criticism of another poster is not necessary, and does not comply with your Terms of Use.

    Thanks.

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  • avamaxavamax Member Posts: 1
    If you want to sell the car by yourself, please drop me an e-mail at James54188@usa.net. I am interested in your car.Thanks!
  • toy_av_xl2001toy_av_xl2001 Member Posts: 2
    at 4000 miles we too have a few more chips in our lunar mist front hood finish than expected. the touch up paint does not have a clear coat listed unlike some other colors, so perhaps this one step paint used is more fragile. toyota dealer service recommended clear tint film (3m?) from xpel.com $100 for hood and headlights.

    air filter slot for the XL seems to be there, and looks like glove box and surround will need to be dropped to get to it. parts dept suggests that it can be added.

    any ideas on adding 10cd player for XL? remote FM radio type anyone? how to remote power?

    wood dash parts for XL add up to $300 not including installation...has anyone done this?
  • sammy35sammy35 Member Posts: 10
    Hi AvalonFans,
    My dad has a 97' Avalon and recently had the same problems with the suspension and struts. The dealer said he was responsible for the cost due to normal wear and tear. Has anyone had any luck with Toyota covering the cost of this inferior product. My dad purchased some sort of all terrain extended warranty at the dealer when he purchased the car new. Any pointers or advice. He's actually thinking about riding himself of this potential money pit now that he has approx 75000 mile on it.
  • forwarddesignforwarddesign Member Posts: 3
    In response to psibayan questions about tires and wheels, please check out my 2001 Avalon web page at http://www.forwarddesign.com/avalon


    I have since added a Dynomax Super Turbot muffler to the car, and the results have been awesome.


    Not only does the car sound better, but I swear the performance is noticeably better, seems much faster. The best bang for your buck when it comes to getting a little more horse power.

  • vt399vt399 Member Posts: 6
    The up and down movement of antenna on my 95 Avalon XL is fine. When it go up fully, I can hear the antenna motor sound normal and then extra
    15 second very noisy (sound like loose belt)
    before the motor stopped. Go down is OK.
    Please, let me know how to fix it.
    PS. The dealer thinks it is "antenna mast" problem, cost $45 part, labor $110.
  • tankfranktankfrank Member Posts: 13
    Cliffy, I live in Oregon and am looking to buy a fully loaded Avalon XLS with Buckets, Black/Stone for my wife and later this year probably a Loaded Highlander 4WD, Red/Ivory as my retirement car. I have driven a company car for 30 years and have not suffered the indignities of buying a new car in about 10 years.

    What is the TDA fee in Oregon? I know it is not the $1,000 one dealer insisted it was and am guessing it is closer to $400.

    Each of these cars has about $1,000 in hold back buried in the invoice. What is a reasonable markup above invoice for each of these cars. I offered one dealer invoice plus $500 as an opener for the Avalon and walked away at their best offer of about invoice plus $2000.

    Tankfrank
  • lorainemax1lorainemax1 Member Posts: 7
    Here's one for Cliffy:

    I notice that some of the 2001 Avalon XLS's have Chrome wheels on them. These were not available when I bought my 2000 XLS (Silver Spruce).

    Is this an added cost option or a dealer/Gulf States Toyota thing?

    They look nice (although my wife says "too much").

    Thanks

    Brian
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    Tankfrank - I don't know exactly what the TDA fee is in OR, but I would guess it is somewhere in the $400 to $500 range. Your offer of $500 over the invoice would be taken in my area, but demand can be quite different in other regions. You might want to shop by e-mail to dealers within driving distance of you.

    Another option is to contact Dianne in Carson CA. She ships everywhere and I image the shipping wouldn't be all that bad to OR. Her TDA is capped at $300. Her e-mail is dianne@earthlink.net
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    loarinemax - Toyota did not change the wheels this year. It must be a GST thing you are seeing.
  • jimolsonjimolson Member Posts: 8
    I can attest that Dianne at Carson Toyota in suburban LA (310-522-2317) can cut you an unbelievable deal on a vehicle. I'm taking home to Indiana a new Avalon she sold me Saturday. It took less than an hour of face time at her dealership with zero hassle. I drove it off the lot in less than two hours. No last minute price creep as the purchase order was signed; no tag team wear-down sessions with her sales manager. Best dealer sales experience I ever had.

    If Cliffy is correct on LA's TDA being $300, I got this XL for less than $200 over Edmunds.com's invoice price for a cash'n'carry/no trade-in deal. I don't know how she is able to sell at that price; other dealers I contacted were substantially higher. Dianne can process the paperwork to bypass CA sales tax if you can document that the vehicle is headed out-of-state and will be plated out-of-state.

    Carson Toyota is ten minutes south of LAX. They have about 20 new Avalons on the lot.
  • jimolsonjimolson Member Posts: 8
    Regarding the unusual wheels thread, my new XL has new Toyota-supplied mesh aluminum wheels that added about $600 to the invoice price. Carson has chromed alloy wheels installed on some vehicles. The wheels were acquired from an outside shop that plates stock Toyota aluminum wheels.

    The homebrewed chrome wheels were far too pricey for me. They looked great, but deep-pocketed kids are wearing out this re-treaded fad 'way too quickly. I keep expecting to see moons and Cragars make a comeback any day now.

    Oops, I'm showing my age...
  • uwilsgduwilsgd Member Posts: 4
    Sorry if this has already been discussed here but I did a search and turned up nothing on the subject. I have a 2000 Avalon XL. Is there a way to "turn-off" the auto-locking feature where all four doors are locking after the car is put in motion?

    Thanks!!
  • thepope1thepope1 Member Posts: 23
    Yes - this has been discussed previously.

    Yes - the Auto Door Lock can be 'turned off'. Next time you have your car to dealer for service, ask that they disconnect this feature. My dealer did it at no cost - no quibble.

    Am I being silly, or is this forum turning into a "where's the best place to buy a car" story?

    I already am a owner - my interest is about the Avalon itself: What people like about it; what are the dislikes and why; where can accessories (like mudguards) be obtained; any problem areas and how they were resolved. Hope others share my concern.
  • msumner1msumner1 Member Posts: 6
    Soon after I bought a 2000 LXS in Nov. '99 in the Los Angeles area I noticed another Avalon with chrome factory wheels. I asked my dealer if this was an option, and he told me that they sometimes had a local speed/tire & wheel shop chrome them. I went to the speed/tire & wheel shop, and placed an order. A few days later they called and told me to come get the wheels. They swapped out my stock wheels (16") for a newly chromed stock set. Total cost mounted & balanced: $500. I have seen Avalons on the showroom floor with a $1600 mark-up for the same wheels, dealer installed. They look great and are very easy to keep clean.
  • gbakegbake Member Posts: 1
    To: thepope1

    I had copied the following from a much earlier thread. Can't vouch for the procedure since the wife likes the lock feature(I hate it). But its her car.....

    Good Luck

    #315 of 327: tripper3 (joedbob) Sat 25 Mar '00 (06:41 PM)

    To disable the 2000 Avalon auto lock feature:

    With ignition switch on, open the closed driver's door.

    Turn ignition switch off, insert/remove key 5 times within 10 seconds (Don't turn it on and off, just remove/insert the key).

    Press the unlock side of the door lock switch 5 times within 10 seconds.

    About 10 seconds after completing the above the auto lock is disabled.

    To enable it you do the same thing, only hit the lock side of the switch.
  • dardson1dardson1 Member Posts: 696
    the old Avalon was neither beautiful nor ugly. It was typical Toyota...simple, clean, and definately NOT an in-you-face design. I'm sorry, in advance, to all you who love your Avalon, but Toyota's latest version is homely. I hate that toothy/goofy/smiley-face grill, the wheel wells (and tires) look too small for the car, and the only gee-gaw the rear is missing is a 1950's continental kit. Don't get me wrong....I've got a 2000 Solara (not beautiful but pretty inside and OK outside) and a 2001 Sienna (actually think it's kinda cute for a mini-van)and I'm a Toyota lover....I really wonder if Toyota's game plan is to separate Lexus/Toyota (which are basically the same cars) by making Toyota's plain (to a fault) to bump us up to a Lexus if we want a pretty version of a bullet-proof Toyota. I also wonder if they don't short-change you on options at Toyota (things you typically expect on cars in this price range) to further separate the Lexus and Toyota. I can hardly believe my $29k+ Solara with every option but traction control does not have a light in the glove box or lighted window and overhead switches.
  • lorainemax1lorainemax1 Member Posts: 7
    I took in the Avalon (2000 XLS, Silver Spruce) for a dash rattle about 6 months ago. They could not find the rattle, as a matter of fact it was gone when I picked up the car.

    Well it came back but would intermittently go away. Ironically it seemed that when the temp outside was warmer (with Sun directly on the windshield) the rattle would disappear. But on cold, overcast days it rattles.

    What could this be? In my mind I think it is something with the windshield that when it gets hot, seals better or gets gummy or something that stops the rattle (center base of windshield).

    Any thoughts here? Am I losing it?

    Brian M
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    Is it possible that the rattle is not coming from the dash? I had a customer with a similar complaint and I traced it to a very simple fix. When his passenger got out of the car, the buckle was hanging close to the door pillar and made a rattle noise when he hit a bump or went around a curve. The "fix" was to make sure the retractor took up all the slack. This may not be your problem, but it is something to look for.
  • hicairahicaira Member Posts: 276
    Probably not the windshield. Glass contracts and expands very little with temp variations.

    The dash, however, may be the culprit. Mostly plastic with lots of thermal expansion and pliability when heated. When cold, it can be hard and is more likely to rattle when rubbed against wiring harnesses, retaining clips, abutting peices, and the like.

    Stuff like this is hard to isolate and can drive you nuts. Take it to the dealer on a cold day and insist they drive it with you so they cant say "Unable to replicate problem" as they are wont to do.

    Either that or just trun up the radio and learn to live with it.

    HiC
  • glinda49glinda49 Member Posts: 15
    My son recently purchased a 95 Avalon. He loves his car but noticed that the defrosters seem to take forever to defog any window in the car, if at all. Anybody have this problem? He also says the defroster/heater smells very bad when he turns it on. Any suggestions? We would appreciate any help. Thanks.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    I'll place money that the defroster is working fine if you don't use recirculated air. Make sure the vent selector is set to fresh and the defroster will work much better.
  • mapper1mapper1 Member Posts: 11
    I took delivery of my new 2001 Avalon AL 2 weeks ago, on April 7th. While it is working out well, one thing I notice is that the engine sort of races when first starting out in the morning, much like cars of the 70's. It idles around 1400 rpm. according to the tach. It doesn't slow to normal until you get around a half mile down the road. Before taking it into the dealer and hearing the "That's normal" line, I'd like to hear from the rest of you. Is this a normal thing? Does it eventually go away? Should I wait until I get a couple thousand miles on it before taking it in?
  • tankfranktankfrank Member Posts: 13
    Thanks for your response on the Avalon XLS 2001 TDA. That is about what I thought it was. A nearby dealer, Beaverton Toyota, has fifteen Avalon's in stock and two of these are exactly what my wife wants. All of them have additional dealer markup stickers of $1650 beside the MSRP sticker. None of the other local dealers have the exact car we want.

    I go to LA several times a year on business. I will keep Dianne at Carson Toyota in mind and maybe arrange to drive one back from one of my trips just before I retire.

    Tankfrank
  • glinda49glinda49 Member Posts: 15
    Regarding the 95 Avalon defroster problem, it was very cold here last night and on the way home from work my son turned on the defrosters and lo and behold he did what you suggested and they worked a lot better and there was no odor. Thank you so much for your help.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    Glad I could help. I actually lost a sale over that one time. A customer was looking to trade in their older Camry for a new one. She asked me if they had "fixed" the defroster by now. "My windows always fog up. Look at it right now." Her kids were in the car with it running and all the windows completely fogged up. I told her, "No, but I can show you how to fix that."

    I went to her car and pushed the selector it fresh and within 10 seconds, the windows were clear. She was so excited, she fell in love with her old car again. She drove off thanking me and I just stood there with mixed feelings. I really needed to sell a car that day but I'm glad she was happy.
  • moxyrmmoxyrm Member Posts: 1
    I am looking for an Avalon XLS without a sunroof because of my height. Every dealer I talk to seems to think that the only Avalon I can buy to fit that bill is an XL.

    Is this true?
  • j_walkerj_walker Member Posts: 99
    I believe most, if not all, XLSs found on the dealers' lot does come equipped with the sunroof option. Just have the dealer factory order you one without the sunroof.
  • chewymanchewyman Member Posts: 20
    Cliffy - do you know when struts should be replaced?
    I have a 97 Avalon with 73k and with all the pot holes it is hard to say whether the struts are bad or not. Nothing could take these bumps very well. OEM Struts were replaced under warranty at 19k due to bumping sounds. If I do need to replace are there any sporty struts out there that I could use that would tighten my handling and ride? I've heard of Bilstein making sport struts. What would you recommend? Thanks.
  • hicairahicaira Member Posts: 276
    Cliffy: It is unfortunate that there is no way to tactfully suggest people actually read their owners manual. Imagine driving a car for years with a nagging complaint that would have been solved with 30 seconds of reading.

    HiC
  • ventolarventolar Member Posts: 2
    I have a wind noise from the driver's door or window. the dealer has replaced the door gasket once, but this has not solved the problem. has anyone had a similar problem? was the dealer able to fix it? what was the problem?
  • rzepa2rzepa2 Member Posts: 24
    I have 2001 Avalon. I could bet that in the owners manual it states somewhere that struts/shocks are under lifetime warranty.
  • s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    When is Toyota going update the front and rear ends of this car? Is it 2002 or 2003?
  • mapper1mapper1 Member Posts: 11
    I took delivery of my 2001 Avalon XL on April 7th. To keep costs down, I ordered one from the Southeast Distribution Center in Jacksonville, FL. (no leather seats for ME!) It took around 5 days. I got a silver XL with cloth bench seats and only 3 options: Package 3 (alloy wheels and remote keyless entry), auto-dimming mirror with electronic compass, and the floor & cargo carpeted mats. I went with AAA's buying service which was 1 1/2% above invoice, but I found that was a joke and really just a starting off point for negotiation. While it's difficult to calculate what I actually paid for the car since a trade-in was involved, I figure I got it for a discount of $2404. That makes it very close to Dealer Invoice, which is around $25,865. Invoice is higher where I live because supposedly the Southeast Marketing Association fee is around $800. and you can't really get around it. The dealers pass it on. And, I also had to pay a "processing fee" of $399.50. Some people like to dicker with the dealers. I do not. I felt the playing field was not at all level. I'd rather go with one-price, no-haggle pricing, even if it is slightly more. And used car trade-in pricing should be no-haggle too, tied to the Kelly Bluebook trade-in value. I will say the Toyota sales staff are much more civilized than their peers of 10 years ago were.
  • charlestonguycharlestonguy Member Posts: 9
    Well as my car search rolls on, it seems "this week's" car to think about is a 95 Toyota Avalon XL. Its black with than leather and 133K miles. Seems to drive well, but I noticed a LOT of wind noise for this "quiet" car. I read in camry posts that some people have this wind noise problem and I figured that the avalons could have it too. What can fix this problem if anything. Other than that it seems like an ok car. The leater doesn't seem to be in great shape, not cracked, but like wrinkled. Gonna go get a carfax report on it tomorrow and if that checks out, get the dealership to check it out. THe asking price seems really decent - $7500, and he said he would be willing to take 7K for it. Seems not too bad at all, will see if it checks out ok. Any advice about the wind noise, or porblems for this car that I need to watch out for would be appreciated.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    Moxyrm - Your dilemma is not new. Most regions only get the XLS with the moonroof and leather. It is possible but difficult to order one without it. I have one in stock but that was an order from three months ago that a customer backed out of. you may be able to find something comparable near you.

    Chewyman - I have no idea. I would look in your maintenance book.

    s852 - The Avalon will get a "face lift" in 2003. This will be minor restyling of the front facia and the tail light area. No sheet metal will change until 2005.

    Charlestonguy - The '95 Avalon was notorious for that wind noise. It comes from the outside mirror. There is a fix for it but it is not perfect. Your dealer should be able to help you with this and it should be covered under a TSB so it will not cost you anything.
  • charlestonguycharlestonguy Member Posts: 9
    Ok, pulled up the carfax on it and the only point it noticed was that this was once a leased vehicle. No big deal. I am going to take it to the local dealership to get it checked out, and if that works, and this one doesn't sell before I have a chance to buy it, then I should be good to go. Two quick questions. One, I forgot to mention that most of the wood interor seems to be going bad in this car. Looks sorta like gold glitter paint has been spilt on much of this wood. Have any of you had this problem with your's? How much would it cost to replace the wood? I figure its probably gonna be cheaper to get non-toyota wood trim, anyone have prices on either though? Also, Cliffy, what exactly is TSB and why would I get it fixed for free? I always thought nothing was free in the car business =)
  • footiefootie Member Posts: 636
    Our family bought a 2000 XLS last year, all the bells and whistles, at $800 over invoice. Seemed a great deal. Toyota's top of the line car. It now has 5900 miles on it. I don't drive it except in emergencies.

    It had many of the issues mentioned here, including clicks, rattles, squeaks, door wind noises and trunk lid problems. The front struts were replaced under warranty at 2000 miles due to odd squeaking sounds. Two trips to fix that one.

    The power seat memory buttons failed this winter, the 8th defect requiring dealer attention. We are waiting on parts now.

    Originally intended to be my primary work vehicle, it became my wife's vehicle. The Avalon was driving me and my local dealership in Boston nuts. The Toyota Zone folks were responsive but ineffective. Something they fixed, some they didn't, some new they brought along. Letters to U.S. Toyota management never got answered.

    The number of defects this vehicle has had makes the reported number of average defects in jdpower awards statistically unlikely. So there must be some real "tweaking" of those numbers for the Avalon to show it on par with the Carry.

    This was our third Toyota, and the first made in America.' After living with it for a year, it will be our last one. A good used Lexus, made in Japan, is a much, much better purchase or even a used Class Mercedes. The Avalon isn't a quality product. To me the fit and finish is mediocre, the materials used to make it faux, light weight and cheap-feeling.

    This is one ugly dog that we can't grow to love.
  • trudyjtrudyj Member Posts: 4
    I have my 2001 XL for around 6 months and found sometimes the trunk would open mysteriously I can't pinpoint the time when it happened - since when I noticed, it was already opened, usually in parking lot). I first thought I accidentally hit the trunk open button on the remote or the button near steering wheel. But as I carefully avoided to touch these buttons, the thing still happened! It would happen once every two months or less. Has anyone else experienced such problem? Is that really a problem or just I am so careless to hit these open buttons (even if I believe I am extremely careful)?
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    A TSB is a "Technical Service Bulletin" and it is similar to a recall. The difference is, only those who complain about a particular problem have it take care of. If you take the car to your dealership, ask them if the "did the campaign on the wind noise." Ask it in those words and they will understand what you are talking about. They will key the VIN into their system and let you know. If it has not been done, they do have a repair at no charge to you.

    Again, my understanding is that this repair is not perfect, but it will reduce the wind noise on the 95 Avalons.
  • n4pyn4py Member Posts: 10
    I have a 2000 XLS Avalon that I bought in April 2000. I now have 25,000 miles on it. The car has been absolutely perfect. There has not been one problem that has occurred. The car is so quiet, you have to look at the Tach to tell when it starts! There has not been one rattle or squeak whatsoever. I have averaged about 26 MPG on 87 octane gas. The car has good acceleration. The seats are extremely comfortable. Some of these posts are a total mystery to me. I think for the most part, only people that have trouble post things to this forum creating a very negative feeling.

    The Silent Majority
  • chiron7chiron7 Member Posts: 1
    I was wondering if Toyota has planned any changes to the Avalon for the 2002 model? This would include potential fixes for the glare problem etc. (recurrent complaints). Cliffy do you know?
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    I haven't heard of any planned changes for the 2002. If Toyota follows its normal plan, the 2002 will be nearly unchanged from the 2001. In 2003 we will have a "face lift" consisting of minor cosmetic changes and then in 2005, we will get a new model.
  • ltd2ltd2 Member Posts: 14
    i drive a Avalon2000xls, i see many new avalons
    here on the road too, my feeling is that, the
    car looks so ugly and funky from behind, i guess
    mainly because the tires are too small for the
    huge trunk. for a $30k car, they don't even put
    big enough tires for it, toyota is so cheap!!!
  • joedbobjoedbob Member Posts: 27
    I agree completely with you n4py about the Avalon. I purchased a 2000 Avalon XLS in October, 1999, when they first came out. I sure haven't seen ANY of these much complained about problems in my XLS. It is a fantastic car to own and drive.
  • footiefootie Member Posts: 636
    All Toyota products used to be the way you have experienced yours. Our prior two, a Celica and a Camry, were fault-free, quiet and reliable, with virtually no unusual maintenance. They were made in Japan. I believe that controls are much tighter there as evidenced in the much better quality levels in Lexus today over the Toyota line made here.
    Times have changed. You are fortunate. Enjoy your Avalons.
  • michanthmichanth Member Posts: 38
    I have a 1996 Toyota Avalon with Beige interior. This past weekend, my girl friend opened the sun visor and flip up the the vanity cover and off it went. I asked Toyota about the part and you must replace the whole sun visor which is 140 dollars. Does anyone have a good inter site site for refurbished/used Toyota parts?

    Thanks in Advance

    Michael
  • bwiabwia Member Posts: 2,913
    In the May 7, 2001 edition of Business Week, page 128, the author quotes a CNW report, suggesting that purchasing a car on-line cost an average of 4% more than the best dealer price.

    For those of you who frequently ask, what is a reasonable price to pay? he suggests dealers are happy to make $300 to $400 over invoice for a $20,000 vehicle, which can be used as baseline for negotiating.

    His conclusion? Use resources obtained from Edmund's, etc. but buy from a dealer because of the personal service and the ability to correct minor problems . Sorry Cliffy
  • s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    That is a ridiculous survey. What is the "best dealer price?" It is very regional and dependant on your negotiating skills and market demand at the point you are buying.
    Common sense would say dealers "SHOULD" be able to sell for the same or less than any internet website. The question is whether it is worth your time, effort and aggravation to get them to do it.
    Other surverys show "Car Bargains" as getting the lowest prices.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    As with most things, it all depends on a large number of factors. I no longer do the Internet sales at my dealership, other than the folks who contact me from this bulletin board. When I did, my "gross profit" was near the store average on all models. Back in '99, my grosses on some models was MUCH higher than the rest of the store.

    I have always stressed that the best price is not always the best deal. There are plenty of people in this world who would gladly pay $300 more for a car if they can avoid showroom hassles. I found that if I provided immediate price quotes with no hidden fees, customers were more prone to agreeing to a higher price.

    This didn't always work. The "volume" cars like the Camry and Corolla were ones that required "give away" deals to drag the customer in. Things like the Avalon and Sienna were the ones that commanded higher prices over the Internet (remember, the last time I was exclusively an Internet salesman was when the 2000 Avalons first came out). Right now, it is the Highlander and Sequoia that bring the premium price, even for an "Internet" customer.

    Service still counts and superior service can be found through many dealer's Internet departments. You have many choices on how to purchase. You can go the traditional route where you get the run around by uniformed salesmen, get the hard close by 4 managers and get the "bait and switch" thrown at you and if you are a real "grinder", you may get the lowest price. Or, you can e-mail several stores and choose the one who is the most responsive. You can be immune from annoying phone calls and reply to e-mails at your convenience. You can have the car and the paperwork waiting for you and spend no more than 45 minutes finalizing the deal at the dealership. You may pay a bit more, but it could be worth it.
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