I'm a student and I have about 3k to spend on a car. I found this Toyota Avalon for sale. It's $3000 and has about 140,000 miles on it. Should I get it? Here's a copy of the carfax.
If not, are there other guys you would recommend in the same price range?
If it drives as nice as it looks, I say go for it. Trouble spots with these cars are sludge in the engine, leaking rack & pinions, suspension knocks from swaybar links or struts. Otherwise these cars run great, just keep the oil changed.
Also, you know that dealer is trying to make at least $1000 on the deal. Might want to hit him up a little on the price.
Beginning in '98 they had smaller sway bars, single-piston calipers and MUCH smaller front rotors, not to mention computerized.... everything, even the odometer, and that classic avalon guage set was replaced by smaller stuff, as well.
97 was the best year for an avalon. Maybe even 96, as they can be found without that irritating ABS and traction control. A little patience may be hard to come by at your age but waiting and looking for a 95-97, if you want an avalon, will pay off.
But, do you want an avalon? Someone in here called then a money pit. They certainly are that! Old "luxury" cars.... well, they will nickel and dime you to death. Something has to motivate those swell people to get another car... Caddys and Lincolns are flat outrageous about this. Avalons, not as bad.
If you can't work on a car, get a camry. Dead serious.
Having said all that, I know of no other car I could even come close to affording (I refuse to borrow money) that will ride/drive as nice as an avvy I really love mine. I love to see the shock on peoples' faces when they take a ride... "WOW! How old is this thing? I never heard of an avalon..."
Someone in here called then a money pit. They certainly are that! Old "luxury" cars.... well, they will nickel and dime you to death.
...If you can't work on a car, get a camry. Dead serious.
Yeah, there is one guy who called it a money pit. But that's the only one I can recall.
They share many, many parts with Camrys, especially the ones with V6 engines. So, for the most part, they are just as reliable. At least in my experience they are. I've had very, very little go wrong with mine. And the gas mileage is darn near the same, comparing to V6 Camrys.
The sludge problem is definitely worth worrying about. Have a mechanic inspect it before you buy it.
__________________
1992 Camry LE, V6 (3VZ-FE), ABS brakes, 330k miles, dark emerald pearl, owned since new.
1996 Avalon XLS, ABS brakes, moonroof, white, acquired w/ 139k miles, now at 261k.
2001 Yamaha FZ1, Ivan's jet kit, resprung all around, Ohlins in the rear, Race Tech cartridge emulators in the forks, 45k miles.
I would get it, engine looks good, interior is not bad for the car's age. Just make sure it drives fine without abnormal noises from the engine, transmission and suspension. That's a very good price for the mileage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BonzoGonzo
Beginning in '98 they had smaller sway bars, single-piston calipers and MUCH smaller front rotors, not to mention computerized.... everything, even the odometer, and that classic avalon guage set was replaced by smaller stuff, as well. A "basic" student could care less about this stuff. The only change in the instrument cluster was a digital odometer/trip meter. Also, the rotors were the same size from 95-99, same part for Camrys too. Care to tell what else became more computerized in the 98-99 avalon?
But, do you want an avalon? Someone in here called then a money pit. They were wrong.
If you can't work on a car, get a camry. Dead serious. Wrong. The drivetrain, chassis and suspension is the same as a V6 camry, no difference.
The brake parts are courtesy Rock Auto. I could go on with the rotors but the difference in size might not be apparent. And BTW, the camry and the avalon do not carry the same trans. The avalon has the trans from the sienna mini-van.
apology?
Last edited by BonzoGonzo; 07-25-2011 at 08:54 PM.
The brake parts are courtesy Rock Auto. I could go on with the rotors but the difference in size might not be apparent. They why does a 99 Avalon, 97 Avalon and 97 Camry V6 all have the same part number for the front rotors?...
And BTW, the camry and the avalon do not carry the same trans. The avalon has the trans from the sienna mini-van. BS...
A541E
"Applications:
1994-2001 Camry (V6)
1995-2003 Avalon
2001-2003 Sienna
1999-2003 Solara (V6)" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_...smission#A541E
(Even the 94-01 Lexus ES300, has this transmission...)
only thing i will say is that you should never modify a brake system. this is not the 1950s, when all you had were lines. there are proportioning valves and abs units that count upon the stock parts being there. nasty things could result from inept tampering with a modern braking system...
now i see the ambiance in here. i don't care to argue. anybody who has even looked at a 95-97 and a 98-99 knows the clocks are different. wow. i even give you pictures... google it. use images and search. i did - rofl
chauvinism is not a healthy thing. it is a symptom of delusion. you should examine this. it will not serve you, but the reverse .)
only thing i will say is that you should never modify a brake system. this is not the 1950s, when all you had were lines. there are proportioning valves and abs units that count upon the stock parts being there. nasty things could result from inept tampering with a modern braking system...
now i see the ambiance in here. i don't care to argue. anybody who has even looked at a 95-97 and a 98-99 knows the clocks are different. wow. i even give you pictures... google it. use images and search. i did - rofl
chauvinism is not a healthy thing. it is a symptom of delusion. you should examine this. it will not serve you, but the reverse .)
Its already been done before on several different member's cars with no problems what so ever, do a search. On the cluster thing, I've been in both the Gen 1, Gen 1.5, the only difference is the digital odometer/trip. I even showed you a picture of MY 1999 Avalon's cluster, if you can't believe that's the only difference, I'm sorry, I can't help you.
I'm not arguing, the fact that you're acting like the 98-99 avalon is a completely different car from 95-97 is inaccurate and misleading. They're just as reliable as one another, the only difference I see is the 98-99s look better.
And trust me I'm fine, I posted facts, while you posted what you thought was right.
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I really love mine. I love to see the shock on peoples' faces when they take a ride... "WOW! How old is this thing? I never heard of an avalon..."
1999 Toyota Avalon
That is the Gen 2 Cluster, Here is my cluster from my 99 Avalon
Linear Mode
