thinking of buying a 95

[lexusman]

its a 95 with 156,000 and its a XLS model. they want 3,000 dollars for it. what are the common issues with these cars? thank you

[lexusman]

guess there are'nt any.

[zythr]

Hi: Ask about the timing belt (if it has been changed) and the various seals (crankshaft, camshaft, etc) also check to make sure the tranny is okay. Since this car is similiar to the Camry, you can use that car as a general idea of what to ask about. Good luck

[lexusman]

thanks for the reply zythr.timing belt was done at 90k

[toyomoho]

See Private Message sent.

[yotatoter]

i have a 95 with about 300k on it now and never had any problems other than the timing belt and struts,also window regulator unit i guess,,other than that its been an excellent car,i would advise any body to purchase one ,providing its been taken care of..hope tha helps..

[lexusman]

thanks guys..pm responded to

[BKAvalon]

I have a 97 Avalon XL with 110k miles. There are two known (to me!) problems with these cars but I do not know what year they started.

1) Struts and strut mounts. Mine were replaced under warranty, and then again at maybe 80k miles. Design issue. When bad you get a real clunking noise on bumpy roads. Very noticeable, not subtle.

2) Toyota engine sludge. You can google Toyota oil sludge and find out the years. If the oil was changed at 3k intervals, or if synthetic was used all along, there should be no problem.

The other repairs I have had: steering rack, ignition, starter, window regulator (and I have a 2nd now broken - a diy repair if you are comfortable with that - the dorman window regulator sourced from diypowerwindowrepair.com or even cheaper on ebay), oil leak.

All in all, a good car, rides nicely. Had a few more problems than I would have liked, but not horrible by any means. I do recommend used Avalons to others.

Timing belt is non interference, so not as big a deal as on other cars where it will destroy your engine. Timing belt at 60k/120k/180k. At 120k my mechanic also does the water pump and a few other items.

My suggestion, unless you know the seller well, is pay a Toyota focused mechanic $100 to give it a thorough going over. That way you will know anything that may not be evident like needing brakes soon, leaking strut, worn control arm bushings, etc. With any car with that mileage, expect some repairs in the first year. Repairs are generally not expensive.

[zythr]

You're welcome lexusman, also ask when the air bag(s) were last checked (recommended every 2 years after 10 years in use).
BkAvalon the oil sludge problem started in the 1997 Toyota models. This was the start of Toyota "decontenting" meaning cheapening, some models. Toyota did this so that they could lower the price. Some examples, were less sound deadening, items that were standard, becoming optional, a central air bag sensor in the center console, etc. Nissan and I believe Honda did the same thing, (example Honda Civic Del Sol).