Times are tough for me so I just sold my new car and bought a 97 Avalon which looks and runs perfectly and it should because it only has 60,000 miles. Took it to Toyota and they are charging me $92 to put it through their computer analysis gizmo. Now they say want me to pay $3500.
-Front struts & strut mounts ($1100) I saw all the posts about this. Maybe I can wait on it.
-New mirror ($290) even though the housing and mirror are fine, it's coming off the car.
-Battery $100 - I do need this
-Valve Cover leaks - $680
-Timing belt and front engine seals - $850
-Engine mount - $423
Other than the mirror and battery, everything seems perfect. My question for you all is do I need these things? Can I wait on them? Do the prices seem fair?
Thanks for your input!
First of all, never take an out of warranty car to a dealer!
Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTW
Times are tough for me so I just sold my new car and bought a 97 Avalon which looks and runs perfectly and it should because it only has 60,000 miles. Took it to Toyota and they are charging me $92 to put it through their computer analysis gizmo. Now they say want me to pay $3500.
-Front struts & strut mounts ($1100) I saw all the posts about this. Maybe I can wait on it.
-New mirror ($290) even though the housing and mirror are fine, it's coming off the car.
-Battery $100 - I do need this
-Valve Cover leaks - $680
-Timing belt and front engine seals - $850
-Engine mount - $423
Other than the mirror and battery, everything seems perfect. My question for you all is do I need these things? Can I wait on them? Do the prices seem fair?
Thanks for your input!
Nice price on that Avy...but I'm very suspicious on the miles. Those are low for a '97 and based on the strut and engine mount wear I'd guess it has at least twice that many miles on it.
First of all, never take an out of warranty car to a dealer! It is usually the most expensive place to get repairs. Dealers will always replace vs. repair and they replace with factory expensive parts. They usually charge a bit more for hour of labor too, and are a bit aggressive changing things.
You need to find a good reputation local repair shop and take the car there. They will use replacement parts, where possible, which will save you money. They also won't change things unless it is necessary (a good one that is.)
As for the particular problems pointed out by the dealer, most aren't necessary. I'll go over them one by one. Remember this is a used car with a used car value. It doesn't make sense dump huge amounts of money into it.
1. If the car handles OK you can wait on struts. You can buy complete, front and back struts less about $350, and another $350 for mounts. I good shop shouldn't charge more than $200 to $300 to swap them and align the car.
2. Look for a junkyard mirror. I haven't priced them but wouldn't be surprised if a mirror was less than $100 from a junkyard.
3. Walmart sells very good batteries for $75. If you can turn a wrench you can change your own battery.
4. The valve cover leak is messy. It gets oil on your garage floor and all over inside the engine compartment but it isn't something you will have to fix unless that bothers you or it is real bad (losing more than a quart of oil between changes.) Monitor the oil use.
5. 60K might be the recommended time for a belt change but it is impossible to know how many actual miles are on the car and if it was changed. There is no way for the dealer to know what shape the belt is in without taking things apart and if they do that, you might as well have them change it. Tough call on that one. Some Avy owners have posted close to 200K miles without changing the belt. It won't break the car when it goes...but it will leave you stranded.
6. Engine mounts wear and make the engine noisier and the extra engine motion can be a little tougher on the exhaust, but unless it is clunking on acceleration or deceleration it isn't a vital fix.
If you want the car to last change the oil regularly. In fact, if you don't know, for sure, when it was changed before you bought it, the oil change is the first thing you should do....but not at the dealer!
Last edited by ImDisaster; 05-09-2009 at 08:44 PM.
IMDisaster,
Thanks so much for the advice. In this case the car is actually from "a little old lady who rarely drove it". My wife and her daughter are friends so the mileage is accurate. She even gave me all the service records on the car. She complained about the moounts at 19,000 miles but it was out of warranty because she hit that when the car was 5 years old.
I an definitely going to follow your advice and hope to drive it another 60,000 miles minimum.
JRTW
IMDisaster,
Thanks so much for the advice. In this case the car is actually from "a little old lady who rarely drove it". My wife and her daughter are friends so the mileage is accurate. She even gave me all the service records on the car. She complained about the moounts at 19,000 miles but it was out of warranty because she hit that when the car was 5 years old.
I an definitely going to follow your advice and hope to drive it another 60,000 miles minimum.
JRTW
The engine mounts being worn out is suspicious...unless there was a specific problem with them that year. I've got 95K miles on a '99 Avy and the engine mounts are fine. You should research that further.
The struts and entire suspension is the weak link with the Avy. It is a Camry suspension and not quite up to the task of the heavier Avalon. If you look this car up in a Consumer Reports guide the suspension in the one black mark on it's record. Many people experience clunking very early on in the life of the suspension. I recall reading Toyota improved the strut mounts, which helps...but the struts and springs are a bit soft and don't last as long as they do on the Camry. Having said that, it isn't a huge safety issue...just makes the car a bit mushy and noisy.
I've ordered firmer struts and lowering springs for our Avy. This will make a remarkable difference in handling...but again, is not a huge safety issue....though some people feel good handling is an important factor in avoiding accidents...me included.
If you take care of the drivetrain an Avy can reasonably see 200-300,000 miles. I plan on keeping ours till "the wheels fall off" or until my kids wreck it (which, unfortunately, is a real possiblility with teenage drivers.)
By the way, I paid $4,700 for our '99, and put another $900 into suspension and steering bushings and bearings, $1000 into wheels and tires, and just spent another $700 for struts and springs...not including the $350 for mounts and $250 for installation. I wouldn't put that much into it if I didn't intend on keeping it a long time. The price you got is fantastic.
Last edited by ImDisaster; 05-09-2009 at 11:34 AM.
IM Disaster,
A buddy told me about an honest, reliable mechanic he's been using for some time. I'm going to pick the car up from Toyota and take it there now. We'll see what he comes up with and what it costs. I'll update you after he looks over the car.
The lady who sold it to us so inexpensively is pretty well off and wanted to help us because she knows we're struggling right now.
JRTW
IM Disaster,
I picked up the Avy from the Toyota Dealer. I had them go ahead and put in a battery because he said he would knock the $92 diagnostic fee down to $50 if I did. That made it cheaper than doing it myself.
I then took it to (Amos from EAVA Auto in Fort Lauderdale for any of my neighbors who need a mechanic). I did not tell him what the dealer diagnosed and within a minute he identified the valve cover leak and he said if we are going to fix that, while I have it apart the front engine seals are leaking on the timing belt. We should do those things as well. He also said that you don't have to fix any of it now but my wife wanted it done and she will be driving it. So following the happy wife, happy life philosophy, I told him to go ahead. He's looking for a used mirror which he said would be $75 to buy and $$25 to install.
He didn't say anything about the engine mount so we'll see if he finds it while working on the car. I'll let you know.
I call bull from the dealer on this one. I bought brand new lowering springs (all 4 wheels) and 4 new struts (KYB GR2's) for less than $500. Then again, I did install them myself. They really nail you with the labor fees ($100+ /hr). Thing is with the stock struts, theyre granny/luxury struts and seem bad because of the way theyre designed, just meant to be easier on bumps and thus seem worse than they are, always. If it were me, just leave the stock springs on, and buy the struts online and have a shop install them (probably $4-500 or so in labor).
* The battery, forget a stock battery. For $100, you can almost pick up a Optima yellow top, that will last much, much longer than a regular battery. Ive had the same one for years that has never, ever given me a problem. Costco carries them for $175 or so (just pay the extra and itll pay off)
The valve cover is definitely more mechanically inclined. I did it myself, but a mech friend helped a lot. You have to take the entire intake mani off to get to the rear valve cover. PITA.. If it were me, I'd find a trusted mechanic in your area, buy the valve cover gaskets from rockauto.com and pay probably $300-400 in labor. Still way less thean the dealer
Engine mount.. toyota dealer doesnt have to do it..
The timing belt is vital to get changed. That goes bad, your done. Also pretty hard to do..
Its your call on how much you want to spend. I would never take my car to the dealership for anything except to buy parts when no one else has them. Just call around to local shops and ask if they can do whatever on your car. Most can take car of the shocks/struts. Get an alignment also while you're there.
The timing belt you may want to get done at the dealer. They do have toyota technicians there.
Sorry for the long post lol, but im actually doing a lotta the same stuff on my avalon right now.
Good luck
Last edited by supradude123; 05-10-2009 at 07:25 AM.
Superdude 123
I got similar good advice from IM Disaster post and took to mechanic I was referred to yesterday. He's doing the timing belt, engine seals and valve cover all at once for half what the dealer wanted tocharge. He is also finding a used mirror and installing it. His price is going to be $1100 for these things. The dealer was over $2000.
Unfortunately, I already bought the battery at Toyota because they credited me about half the diagnostic fee if I bought something from them so it was cheaper than buying and installing myself at that point. Of course it is just a basic battery.
Thanks for your advice and good luck with your Avy!
IM Disaster,
I picked up the Avy from the Toyota Dealer. I had them go ahead and put in a battery because he said he would knock the $92 diagnostic fee down to $50 if I did. That made it cheaper than doing it myself.
I then took it to (Amos from EAVA Auto in Fort Lauderdale for any of my neighbors who need a mechanic). I did not tell him what the dealer diagnosed and within a minute he identified the valve cover leak and he said if we are going to fix that, while I have it apart the front engine seals are leaking on the timing belt. We should do those things as well. He also said that you don't have to fix any of it now but my wife wanted it done and she will be driving it. So following the happy wife, happy life philosophy, I told him to go ahead. He's looking for a used mirror which he said would be $75 to buy and $$25 to install.
He didn't say anything about the engine mount so we'll see if he finds it while working on the car. I'll let you know.
Sounds like you're on the right track...with the mechanic and with the wife. :-)
You'll find lots of posts about the struts issues...and the mounts, which wear out far too early and cause a knocking noise over bumps and small undulations. When this happens don't buy factory struts. Get yourself a set of KYB GR2's, as suggested by supradude123. They will improve the handling and last longer. The KYB's are about 10% firmer than the stock shocks, from what I've read. I got Konica blues because I wanted a bigger improvement in stiffness and handling. I also agree with supradude123 that you likely won't need to replace the factory springs. The only reason I did it was again, to improve handling. I bought Vogtland lowering springs. With the car lowered, and stiffer springs it will handle considerably better.
Times are tough for me so I just sold my new car and bought a 97 Avalon which looks and runs perfectly and it should because it only has 60,000 miles. Took it to Toyota and they are charging me $92 to put it through their computer analysis gizmo. Now they say want me to pay $3500.
-Front struts & strut mounts ($1100) I saw all the posts about this. Maybe I can wait on it.
-New mirror ($290) even though the housing and mirror are fine, it's coming off the car.
-Battery $100 - I do need this
-Valve Cover leaks - $680
-Timing belt and front engine seals - $850
-Engine mount - $423
Other than the mirror and battery, everything seems perfect. My question for you all is do I need these things? Can I wait on them? Do the prices seem fair?
Thanks for your input!
Buy all the parts & take a week vacation to Toronto. All these can be done in 2 - 3 days labor of $1,000 or less in Toronto. This multicultural city has quite number of mechanics who do good job with a reasonable cost.
Avalon Engine is non obstructing engine. timing belt snaping will not damage engine (correct me, if I am wrong). However, this could be a inconvenience to you.
Unless it leaks, Valve cover gasket can be put off with spark plugs.
I changed mine only after 150,000 miles before replacing last year, & I live in Canada. Hot & cold weather, drastic weather changes kills rubber.
Call one or two Toyota dealership for parts order, they will tell you what to order for timing belt change or tune-up.
However, buy all parts before coming here.
(1)
a. You can get Monroe sens-trac struts. However, try "strut masters" website for the Quick Struts. This will give you the whole new components, less labor intensive, less labor cost.
b. Get good Strut mounts with bearing. May be from rock auto Moog, Monroe or Monroe. Usual suspect of wobbling sound from the front wheel well area.
c. Stabilizer link replacements. Moog again check rock auto or some places. Moog manufacture in Canada, & supposed to be cheaper here, but not.
(4) Alignment cost @ Green & Ross $80+taxes or at Toyota Dealership $110+taxes
(2) New Mirror - buy parts @ Mechanicsville Toyota, VA for parts
(3) Battery - you can get a decent one @ Walmart. They give you less hazzle with replacement, if you need any.
(4) Valve Cover Gasket - again buy parts @ Mechanicsville Toyota, VA
(5) Timing belt and front engine seals - again buy parts @ Mechanicsville
(6) Engine mount - again buy parts @ Mechanicsville Toyota, VA
Ask again buy parts @ Mechanicsville Toyota, VA about return policy, because you may not need those engine mounts.
Again, private garages should able to get all done under a grand for labor. Will give you a chance to visit Canada.
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Toyota wants $3500 in repairs for my $2500 Toyota
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