Expected engine life ?

[poca1976]

I'm considering purchasing a 1999 Avalon with 162K from a local dealer. What can I expect for engine life if its been maintained well? Also, are there 1 or 2 must ask questions relative to how its been maintained in the purchase evaluation process? Thank you.

[Tom in Tacoma]

Asking how long an engine will last is like wondering how long you'll live. The answer will always be, "...depends...".

Buying a used car from a dealer I'd ask the following questions:
- do you have maintenance records? (if not don't believe what you're being told)
- what kind of warranty will you provide me (not sell me - 'provide' me)
- can I take the car to an independent mechanic for an evaluation (even if you don't intend to do so - the response is often very telling).

Good luck - hope it works out for you!

[cexsiman]

tom has it down, all those are tell tale signs. it could die in 100 mi. or last you another 40 - 50K there is no solid answer. might want to also see where the car spent its life. you are more likely to have issues if it was a northern car (salt, snow = rust, vs a southern car)

you might also want to do your best to see if the car was ever wrecked (carfax should tell you, but doesnt always if it was taken care of without insurance) not to say there is something wrong with a repaired car, just it can be more apt to issues.

and as far as maintence records goes, make sure its as up to date as it can be if you do get it, i.e. replace water pump, belts, tranny fluid, stuff like that so you know certain areas should be taken care of, maybe even get the dealer to do it for you before you buy it.

[poca1976]

Tom & cexsiman thank you for the good advice.

cexsiman, how many miles do you have on your '98 Avalon?

[CupCate18]

I have 190k and still running like a dream. My car is my dream, she is amazing.

[cexsiman]

Its an XL and I just hit 85k on it not too long ago, hasnt given me a single major issue since it entered the family almost 5 years ago. all i have done is kept up with the maintenance. only warning is that the 1999 and older avys are sludge motors, not a huge issue, just change your oil and keep the engine clean (on the inside) just some words of advice i am passing on. dont let it turn you off to the car, or be on your mind, just letting you know. my car is still driving/performing great. heck i can get 27mpg hwy outta her going 65 or so, so cant complain to much about anything. just put HIDs in it and WOW, all i want to do is drive it at night! really has been a great car. thats my story and i'm stickin to it!

[Zee]

Seek out Auto-Rx and Blackstone Labs for great engine sludge removal and oil analysis to prove same.

www.auto-rx.conm

http://www.auto-rx.com/

From my research into the sludge issue with the 1mz engine (the Camry and vans also had the problem) I was convinced my cheap-skate previous owner father who didn't believe in changing oil whould have his engine examined once I inhereted this '96 of mine.

[pedro2u]

I have a 97 Avalon that I bought new. It has been weel maintained and now has 230,000 on it. Never an engine repair. Based on that I bought a 98 Avalon with 150,000 last year, now with 160,000. Both are dreams.

I'm shooting for 300,000 on both at a minimum

[parimento1]

Mine has 124,800 never had any sort of engine trouble, doesn't even burn significant oil between changes. It all depends on if the car has been properly maintained, i.e. oil changed on time and not abused or neglected, i.e. not overheated. My friend bought a 99 Avalon within a week he had to change the engine because the sludge destroyed it, the oil was like jello. Apparently the previous owner did not keep up on changes, and he had no recourse because it was bought at a dealer auction. So basically you need proper maintenance and luck for a long-lasting engine

[Medi.]

yo yo yo! brooklyn represent! :P

[CassisPearl]

Originally Posted by poca1976

I'm considering purchasing a 1999 Avalon with 162K from a local dealer. What can I expect for engine life if its been maintained well? Also, are there 1 or 2 must ask questions relative to how its been maintained in the purchase evaluation process? Thank you.

Wear due to lack of proper maintenance is evidenced in compression. Have a compression test done on the engine to find out what the leakdown results are for a foolproof evaluation.

Look for consistent reading across all cylinders and make sure the numbers are within an acceptable range.

A low reading in one or more cylinders indicates excessive cylinder and ring wear. You'll see puffs of blue smoke at startup and when the accelerator pedal is stepped on sharply.

Speaking of blue smoke, ask to see a cold start anyway. That's where oil drips down the valve guides from excessive wear and collects on top of the piston. Then, when the engine is still cold, that oil gets burned and out comes the blue smoke.

Also, V6 engines typically last longer than an inline 4 because the firing order and angle to crankshaft rotation are optimized. With today's vastly closer tolerances in manufacture and improved design, a V6 engine can easily last 300,000 mi.

Just remember that maintenance records can easily be falsified and never tell the whole story anyway.

[2000-Avalon]

I agree, properly maintained, these engines can easily go over 300k, and they have because I've seen it time after time. Good luck with your decision!