We were very happy with our Camry (described a couple of weeks ago) and kept it to the end of its lease (a first for me). As it came time to turn it in, we were looking for something bigger and more “grown-up.” Perhaps too grown up, as it turns out.
At this point we had owned the Camry for three years and the Tundra for a number of months and were definitely interested in another Toyota. Although we liked the Camry, the 2000 Camry was essentially the same car as the 1997 version we were turning in, and I wasn’t interested in simply buying the same car again. The Avalon (basically a stretched Camry) was new for 2000 with a larger interior and trunk. I had been interested in the previous generation of Avalon, so this one was even more attractive to us.
We went back to the same dealer and salesperson we had used for the Tundra as we had been generally pleased with the service and the overall deal. I didn’t feel like I had been cheated in the Tundra deal (other than the lease payment challenges) so that was a plus. The dealer had just moved to a much larger “superstore” from its previous small dealership and had a lot more inventory as a result. We decided to finance this vehicle and not lease it as we originally figured we would keep it for several years.
We chose the “base” model Avalon XL but wanted to add an option package (creatively labeled “Package #4) with aluminum wheels, leather seats, and remote keyless entry) as well as the fancy JBL stereo and power moonroof. As a result, the car was the most expensive vehicle we’d purchased to date – memory fails me as to the actual cost but it was around $30,000 at the time ($42,000 in today’s money). One might note that I probably could have had a Lexus for that kind of money, a lesson I took to heart later on. At any rate, we were able to get the car we wanted simply by waiting for the next shipment from the factory and not by special-ordering the car. The salesperson was pretty open about showing us the Toyota-supplied list of cars in transit and helpfully translating the cryptic abbreviations into a comprehensible list of equipment.
I’d heard that a number of people referred to the Avalon as “Toyota’s Buick” and that description was certainly accurate. The car was pretty large and roomy, the 210 hp 3 liter V6 was smooth and adequately powerful for the 3400 pound car, the styling was conservative but not boring, the ride was cushy, and the handling was nothing to write home about. The interior was certainly a nice place to be with the soft leather seats and the airy greenhouse design. The gauges were easy to read and the dash was reminiscent of the ’92-’96 Honda Prelude with a sweeping full-width recess for gauges and warning lights and stereo tweeters at each end of the recess. As our car was an XL, we only got a small odometer/trip odometer and clock (both LCDs) recessed into a large black space in the dash to remind us we didn’t get the top-of-the-line model. The XLS received a larger display with a trip computer and other features (like larger wheels than the relatively small 15-inch ones we got) that would have been nice but weren’t worth the extra money on top of the small fortune I was already paying.
This car’s expensive JBL stereo also brought another feature that was a big deal for the time (but seems hopelessly quaint nowadays). This was the first car that I purchased with an in-dash 6-CD changer. The changer loaded all of the CDs through the single slot and looked almost exactly like the single CD stereo. For those of us who had been stopping mid-road trip to change CD magazines in the trunk, this was quite an advance. The other nice feature is that you could choose which CD to eject without removing all six, making music swaps much faster. Of course, any CD jams resulted in having to remove the stereo from the dash, but such is the price of progress.
My first inkling that I’d possibly missed the mark in buying this car was when the PBS show MotorWeek reviewed the Avalon soon after I purchased it. I eagerly tuned in to see what John Davis and crew had to say about the car. I only remember the tagline they attached to the first 30 seconds of the review – the Avalon was aimed at a “graying and widening America,” referring (in my interpretation) to older people who wanted a more reliable land yacht than a Crown Vic or LeSabre (hence the title of this post). I was fairly well-aware of my desire to have my car say something about me, but at the age of 30 I didn’t want it to say “old guy.” I should have realized this – the brochure made a special note of the availability of a three-abreast bench seat with a column shifter just like Detroit barges of old.
As with other Toyotas I have owned, this Avalon was quite reliable. There were a few niggling faults that were a bit unexpected given my past experience with the Camry and Tundra. The biggest one of these was that the doors could move around slightly in the door frame when the car was in motion and as a result the door seals squeaked, particularly the upper door seal. Since this squeaking was right next to the driver’s ear, it was a major and consistent annoyance. Luckily a bit of silicone spray on the seals quieted them down (until the spray wore off and had to be reapplied).
The paint was somewhat fragile as well – a rock had hit the hood of the car (above the ever-present front end mask, unfortunately) and had removed a pencil eraser-sized chunk of paint. My attempts to repair that damage were unsuccessful as the car was silver, a notoriously difficult color to match. I’d developed some pretty advanced skills at touching up paint chips and using fine grit sandpaper and polishing compound to repair paint flaws in a way that made them nearly invisible. This one was large enough that the repair was always visible, especially when I accidentally sanded through a small area of the clearcoat turning the chip into a much larger problem. Not one of my finest hours, to be sure, and that damaged area in the middle of the hood bothered me every time I drove the car. Given the problems I had experienced with other cars, this was small potatoes, though.
My attempts to add one of my dad’s favorite accessories (mudflaps) were unsuccessful as well. As the car was in the first year of a new design, accessories were slow to arrive. I purchased a set of aftermarket splash guards that generally worked, but I learned that they were a bit too close to the road the first time I took the car out on a highway and hit a dip. As the suspension was quite soft the splash guards bounced off the road, and I figured that they wouldn’t last too long at that rate. Luckily Toyota-designed and color-matched splash guards became available and I was able to replace the aftermarket parts.
Interestingly enough, with the purchase of this car our garage looked like the one shown on the cover of the full-line 2000 Toyota brochure that had both an Avalon and Tundra as display vehicles. Of course, the brochure vehicles were an Avalon XLS and Tundra Limited, but both were silver just like ours. We even had a basketball hoop in the driveway like the brochure house.
Although the Avalon was a very nice car and cost us a fortune, my general dissatisfaction with being part of the Geritol crowd drove me to consider trading it in not long after I bought it (and consider losing a chunk of money to make it go away). I managed to hold on for about two years before buying something to replace it that was even more expensive and brought a whole different set of preconceived notions with it as we will see soon.
That’s an interesting COAL because the Avalon is a car I would consider as a cruiser for our time as empty nesters who approach retirement. I would certainly fit the target group. So far I have spent about an hour sitting in an Avalon’s passenger seat watching a rainy soccer game through the windshield. It handled that task with bravado. I found the interior to be a nice place. On the exterior my eyes always stumble at the extra wide belt running along the sides on the upper edge of the fenders and doors. I kind of expect pinstripe subtlety in a car of that caliber, not belt and suspenders. The car has enough going for it that it will be around for a long time.
Thank you for a well written review.
No one should apologize for wanting a comfortable, quiet, serene car regardless of their age. No more than people viewing minivans as “the death of all things fun.” (I can think of quite a few fun activities that would be enhanced by the large enclosed box that is a minivan.)
Ironically (I can’t remember from your Tundra article) if your truck was bench seat column shift, no one would accuse you of being an old man.
Thank you for saying this.
I’m 29 (sans ironic moustache) and currently in the market for a 5~ year old Avalon to save a few pennies over sticker. There is a very nice 2011 Limited a few hours away under 15 grand, 61,000mi that I may drive out to see this Monday at Racine Toyota. Fantastic timing on the article, for me, and thank you to OP for the good read.
I just want a comfortable and stress free place to spend my hours listening to NPR while commuting to and from an extremely hectic job in a very crowded city. I’ve no interest in burning rubber cutting off every driver that leaves 2 inches of room between cars.
As far as minivans, a fully loaded Chevy Venture (purchased for $500 with about 115,000mi) was about the most comfortable work vehicle I’ve ever owned. Paid for itself on my first contract. Zero shame.
You are in the sweet spot too. Sedans are so unpopular they are practically lot posion to the used car dealer – so used ones can be had pretty cheap. Heck around here (NM/AZ) CPO Avalons will go for not too much over $20K.
Amen to the Venture. In June of 2017 I bought a 1997 Pontiac Trans Sport (sister van to the Venture)for $500 and it is pretty loaded(no leather seats but I hate leather seats)
I bought it for the winter to save wear on my other car but i have been mostly driving it instead.
I’ll “me too” this. If one is buying a sedan, sporty mid-sizers are the ones that make the least sense to me; in those cases, I want silence, I want room, I want comfort, and I want torque, and they don’t generally come at much price in mileage, either.
And column/bench? Few things have ever been more logical to me.
Several years ago, an older friend bought a perfectly-fine, late-model ‘pre-owned’ Nissan Maxima. He got rid of it after only a few months, partly because another friend kept calling it a “Japanese Buick”!
Closest I’ve come to this experience was the used Mercedes Diesel I bought when I turned 50. Some joker remarked to me ” So, for your 50th birthday, instead of a wheelchair or a walker, you bought a 240D!”.
Fortunately, I’m not so fickle. I kept it 10 years and sold it for more than I paid!
I hope your replacement vehicle was as reliable as your Avalon.
Happy Motoring, Mark
Just curious….what did your older friend get to replace his Maxima/Buick?
Best I can recall, an Infiniti G35 sedan. Then that wasn’t ‘sporty’ enough, so he moved on to a G35 coupe. Then getting in/out of the coupe, and the stiff ride, got hard on his back – so on to something else. He’s had so many cars in the past two decades. I can remember most, but forget what order some of them were in.
Happy Motoring, Mark
Interesting post mdlaughlin.
In the past, the Avalon was always appealing because it brought back traditional memories of big comfortable American cruisers like my old Oldsmobile, Impala, Sable, and Eagle Vision, without the big comfortable American cruisers attendant issues mostly related to long term reliability.
I’m well into what some call the white belt, matching shoes, and early-bird-special period of one’s life, but going against the grain, it is smaller cars that now draw my attention.
A neighbor has a new black Avalon (see below), and while it is as much a Lexus as a Toyota, and I should like it because it is big and luxurious and reliable, it seems like it is, well, too much.
I’m not sure what car would be my cup of tea if I needed one now, but I’m guessing (like you) it will be smaller and tighter and more in line with the belief that one should be in harmony with the world and do more with less.
The new Civic hatchback and the Kia Soul are two models that do seem to be designed and sized right (for me) but I am glad I do not need to do more than just think about it. The Kia Soul is probably appealing because it vaguely resembles my much loved 2002 5 speed PT Cruiser. And their hamster ads.
This may not make sense right now, but your post caused me to pleasantly ponder these issues over Saturday morning coffee.
I considered an Avalon like this when I bought my current car. It was a comfortable, competent car, but deciding I didn’t actually need something that large I bought an Infiniti G20, which I found just as comfortable and roomy (as the driver) but in a smaller package. Back then the entry level Infinitis competed more with the higher end Toyotas than Lexus.
I know that many consider the styling of the subject car to be boring, but I consider it better looking than anything Toyota puts out today.
I worked with a guy who bought a 1st gen Avalon. It was really expensive for its size but it is also still on the road for the second owner, whom I also know.
A couple of in-laws own 3rd gen Avalons and have been very pleased with them.
This second gen always gave me sort of a tweener/awkward adolescent vibe, like the car was maturing but not there yet. I still like both the earlier and later versions better.
When considering the Avalon in isolation I feel the same way as JPC… like the 2nd generation’s styling was in a sort of holding pattern.
While I would never consider an Avalon or Camry as a new (to me) car, since I feel they are more car than I would ever need/want, I do find the 1st generation Avalon and the current generation Avalon to be somehow compelling.
BTW, Avalons seem to be quite popular among the clergy, too.
LOL, my aunt drove a couple of those, and they just bought another I think. Or something awfully close to it. My uncle is a retired pastor.
My dad had one after his Cadillac. I never wanted to drive it like I did the Caddy though. I did drive my aunt’s Avalon a couple times and it was pretty nice. Was telling my wife this weekend that the little dongle on the steering wheel that controlled the Cruise was abou the best, most intuitive control I’ve ever used. Olds used a similar one on my Aurora. Much better than buttons on the wheel pad.
Great story! I especially enjoyed it, since your Avalon is a forbearer to my 2016 ES350 COAL you read about last week. I always liked this body of Avalon you bought, though with me also being 30 in 2000, maybe it was a little too “old” for me. But I probably would have been well-served by a new one in 2000 and would have enjoyed it I’m sure.
My tastes in ride and quiet have usually skewed older than my actual age anyway. I test drove a lightly used 2000 Cadillac Deville in 2003 or so, complete with bench seat and column shifter. My wife said “no way” because of those features! I really had not thought a thing about it. It never occurred to me that would be a reason to “reject” a car.
Nothing wrong with a younger person buying an Avalon, they’re nice cars. My mother-in-law has one that I’ve driven and ridden in several times, I’d totally buy a used one if the price was right. Screw “image” and what other people think of your driving choices. Myself, I’ve always loved “old people” cars and I’m not ashamed of it. Probably comes from my high school and college years in the 80s when all my peers (and myself as well) were driving used 70s era Buicks and Oldsmobiles. When my first child was born when I was 30, I sold my Ranger and went out and bought a 2-year old Olds Cierra wagon that I had had my eye on. These days I’m an unrepentent minivan driver, soccer mom image be damned.
When I worked in the electronics industry, all new projects were given codenames. We usually solicited suggestions from the designers. I remember one circuit board that a young engineer wanted to code name Avalon, after his dream car. He was a recent grad in his mid-twenties. We did use the name.
I’ve seen some millennials driving around used Panther police cars and Cadillacs, so I guess lusting after a Avalon is not that unusual. It’s definitely an upgrade from a worn out Civic with fart can exhaust.
I remember in the 90’s I was sad that the Cressida was retired (I know the LS400 replaced it but it was sold as a Lexus). When the Avalon was first introduced, I thought that it sort of replaced the Cressida in Toyota’s lineup.
The Mark 2 Toyota that was rebadged Cressida was still around long after the Lexus hit the market probably not in the US but plenty have turned up ex JDM used
The 1993 Lexus GS300 replaced the 1992 Toyota Cressida. Both RWD and both inline six cylinder engines. The LS400 was first sold in 1989 as a 1990 model with only a V8 engine and was a class above the Cressida.
From 1990-1992 The Toyota equivalent to BMW was as follows…
7 Series = Lexus LS400
8/6 Series = Toyota Supra
5 Series = Toyota Cressida
3 Series = Toyota Camry All Trac (AWD) & Lexus ES250/ES300 FWD.
In 1993 Lexus offered equivalents to most BMW models in house.
7 Series = Lexus LS400
8/6 Series = Lexus SC300 SC400
5 Series = Lexus GS300
3 Series = Lexus ES300, All Trac sedans were discontinued for 1992.
kiwibryce is correct that Toyota did continue to offer the Mark and Century in markets where Lexus was not offered. Toyota has released the new 2019 Toyota Century at this years Tokyo Auto Show where it will be powered by the soon to be discontinued Lexus LS600H’s drivetrain. When the revised USA-spec Lexus LS bows it will only be offered with a V6 engine and Hybrid V6 option.
In no way was the GS a Cressida replacement. The GS was a rebadged Toyota Aristo, itself based on the larger and more prestigious Toyota Crown platform. Besides having a 4 inch longer wheelbase, width, and 10 extra inches of length, it cost nearly $14,000 more than the outgoing Cressida to start. I understand your point of it being a similar spiritual successor because of the drivetrain layouts, but not in the actual marketplace. The Camry XLE V6 effectively took over that role in 1992.
I think I’m your age, and I recall seeing these that year at the Detroit Auto Show. I was quite impressed with them; large, comfortable, great fit and finish. For a short time I too though “Maybe…” so you’re not at all alone in that regard.
I’m loving the fact that you have been taking driveway pics, it’s been fun seeing that the neighbors still have their first-gen Camry at this point and a couple of other familiar ones. I think I’ll be excited when they step up to a new car themselves one of these Saturdays…
+1. I love the H body in the background!
It looks like the older folks in the ’55 and over’developments in NJ are hanging on to their Town Cars, Crown Vics, and Grand Marquis. I can`t say that I blame them. They keep them in good shape, and if I can pick up one for a good price, I`ll buy one.No Camrys, Avalons, or Minivans for me!
When a former housemate was looking for a car, we looked at (and purchased) an ’03 Avalon. White, with beige cloth interior.
This may seem odd to you but I feel as though the Avalon was a substantially tauter car than the Camry it was based on and substantially roomier, with better materials and a plusher feel and better dashboard layout. Yes, it is Camry based but I personally felt there was a vast difference between the Camry and the Avalon, and while to me a Camry is Novocain on wheels, an Avalon ticks the box of somewhat-desirability. There was a bigger difference in the two cars, interior, exterior, and driving experience, than I had expected.
I think that the Avalon was Toyota’s luxury sedan before the Lexus. So it should have had some refinements to upgrade it.
The Avalon hit the market in late 1995…by then, the Lexus division was a year or two away from it’s second generation of cars.
Toyota has several sales arms in Japan and as a consequence it has a large selection of models (often in the same size bracket) to choose from. As another poster here pointed out, the Cressida/Mark II continued in other markets after it was withdrawn from the U. S. market. At the other end of the size spectrum, other markets get models of the Yaris not sold in North American dealerships.
Ok, did not follow Toyota’s cars then or now. We don’t have a Lexus dealer near here (about 350 miles to nearest). I do recall seeing Avalons at some point, but I don’t know if there were any Lexii around before that.
Actually, a Gen-1 Avalon, with a for-sale sign, was parked at my local grocery some years ago. It looked like a bigger, plusher version of my ’96 Camry. Body & paint looked decent – though it may have had a re-spray
IIRC, the price was a very low but suspicious $600. I wondered what could be wrong with the car. Plus, I didn’t want to deal with the timing-belt and other routine maintenance on these V6s (my vehicles are 4-cylinder) so I passed.
Happy Motoring, Mark
I’ve never understood the projected image part of a car. I like my car, no, I love my car. It ticks every single box I want in a car for myself besides those that are bad for me (I want a fast sports car, but know myself too well) – quick, comfortable, large, practical, usable as an office, Mercedes, rear wheel drive, independent suspension, and not that expensive.
I don’t care about any associated images- van, minivan, Mercedes prick, blah blah. It’s what I want, what the little minds think that means about me is really their problem.
Good stuff. I used to semi-fantasize about picking up an Avalon of this generation when I had an absolutely hellish commute from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to Far Rockaway and back. Seemed like just the ticket for 2 hours of stop and go traffic on on the horrifyingly pocked Belt Parkway each direction.
After my Sentra was totaled in a five car pileup on that same stretch of road, I came close to pulling the trigger on a black ’03 XLS that a neighbor was getting rid of. She was a little wishy-washy and I ended up getting a sweet deal on an ’03 GS300, and then shortly thereafter a new job entirely.
Still like the Avalon though, big, comfy, reliable. All the perks of a Camry without some of the Camry stigma. Not the most engaging car but I don’t exactly have a ton of opportunities to drive engagingly in Brooklyn anyway.
These earlier Avalons were a bit odd looking because there was just not enough “tumblehome” in the roof line making them look ungainly. I cringe whenever I see one of these things around town, and there’s a few, driven by the inevitable old fart.
I did not even know this car existed. Not a model Toyota ever imported to Europe for obvious reasons. But I could see the merit if you lived out in Carinthia but work was in Vienna. A perfectly relaxed cruise back home for the weekend on Friday. You won’t beat the Audi/BMW/MB express but with such a car, that’s hardly the point.
In 1997 when I was replacing the Ford Taurus, I noticed the Avalon and like it but it was out of my budget at the time. Then in 2003 when I was replacing my mother’s Buick Regal, wanted to buy a Avalon for her but couldn’t find one at any dealership with the bench seat and steering column mounted shift lever (her mandatory needs). Settled for a Buick Century instead.
In 2009 I turned 50 and was in the market for a new car to replace my 1997 Toyota Camry. Not a “mid-life-crisis” sports type but something more comfortable, wide and spacious to fit my increasing girth.
By then, I could afford an Avalon and almost bought the XL. Then I remembered I needed something to occaissonally haul things, something a station wagon could do.
Wished there was a station wagon version of the Avalon. Then I noticed the Venza, which was similar in size, had nice comfortable wide seats (although bucket seats), easy to read displays, big dash knob controls and plenty of storage bins and cupholders, roomy rear seats that inclined. Close enough. Price wasn’t too different from the Avalon, so I bought the Venza.
Found it Isn’t as comfortable riding as the Avalon and wish it didn’t have those 20″ wheels, but otherwise fits my needs. The other thing I miss is the bench seat and steering column mounted transmission shift lever. But the Venza does have a foot operated parking brake. Also found it sits higher than the Avalon, which actually makes entry and exit easier for me.
Well, I’m looking to replace my mother’s 2003 Buick Century, but find the current edition Avalon, with that gaping bottom-feeding fish mouth, repulsive.
You have a point. I wish there was an Avalon Wagon. I was a big fan of that Mitsubishi Diamante Wagon we got here for a few years. They were rare even when new and i’m sure scarce as all get out now. When the 1997 Diamante arrived, we did not get the handsome Wagon that other world markets got. That ’97 Wagon is sharp looking to me. Would pick one up if was able! Found a picture of one.
I have an ’04 Avalon currently. I love it as is, but boy I’d have it made if it was a wagon.
Looks like across the world this wagon is known as the Magna…
Pic was in wrong format, didnt come up at first lol
Funny, I would place a crown vic, and the Lesabre ahead in reliability. You can’t kill the 3.8 or the 4.6.
Sure the engines definitely are strong contenders in those vehicles. The rest of the car however… (especially for GM)
I’ve driven this generation of Avalon before – it’s roomy, quiet and rides comfortably, on a business trip years ago. I rode with a colleague and remarked that it was a “grandpa” car – and she said, that’s OK, I wouldn’t mind riding/driving this. I was about 40 at the time.
One feature that was very interesting was the reclining or adjustable rear seat backrest. This also meant that unlike its Camry breathen, it lacked the split folddown rear seat feature for extra cargo (which was a game breaker for me – when it came time to consider buying one).
I’d love to get a current model Avalon today, though I can’t really justify it much over replacing my current Camry (which is nearly as spacious inside).
I’m 24 and I drive a Lincoln MKS. If that’s not a geriatric car, I don’t know what is. And yes, I did look at pre-owned examples of the current Avalon, but the CPO MKS was a really good deal.
Here in Australia Toyota introduced the Avalon in 2000. It was however the previous generation (1995) and looked decidedly old hat by the time it got here. It seemed to be bought predominately by older folk and was not the sales success Toyota had hoped for. It was replaced by the Aurion which was the new generation Camry with a 3.5 litre V6 engine (the Avalon only had the 3 litre). It sold considerably better than the Avalon ever did , and has only just gone out of production with the shutdown of car manufacturing in this country. I guess it will be just called the Camry V6 now.
Ugh, I remember the disappointment about those. And the ugly facelift. And the Michael Caton commercials. “Avalon drive and you’ll never come back!”
I’ve noticed Avalons seem to be quite popular as cheap used cars, considering their reliability and size and the depreciation that came with their loser status. I noticed a similar thing a couple of years back with the first-generation Hyundai Grandeur (XG). It seemed like a lot of people were snapping them up as cheap family cars.
I love the interior design of these, although I would’ve opted for the buckets over the bench. The dash reminds me somewhat of the 1992 Honda Prelude’s.
I have mixed feelings about Avalons, though. While I haven’t driven one before, I’d be concerned it’d be just a bit too soft for me (although apparently the latest generation has a firmer ride). I like a good balance of ride and handling and you can have a car with good bump absorption without it being too mushy. That being said, if I had a hellish commute and a fun weekend car, something like this would be more appealing to me.
Funny about the “Grandpa car” thing. When I bought my ’07 Calais – silver with a beige interior – my eldest nephew said it was a “granny car”. I don’t know if it was the colour combination or the fact that it was a large sedan… I’d wager the former, as he hasn’t made the same comment about my ’09 Falcon which is close in size and is dark gray with a black interior.
I’ve been called an old soul before and having a “granny car” doesn’t bother me. I tend to like big sedans and I don’t mind conservative styling. I just need a bit of power, decent handling and a good features list and I’m happy.
Hmm, if I was buying a new large-ish sedan in 2000 in the US, I don’t know what I would’ve picked. Maybe an Aurora or 300M. Those are more my speed. If I was going import, I probably would have checked out a Maxima, Diamante or Accord first.
I’m 40 yo but would love to own one of these If I could. I like big sedans from “non luxury” brands (something unavaliable here in Brazil). Something with a smooth engine, a bit soft suspension, comfortable seats and lots of space without overly complex equipment neither being flashy on the outside.
I have got to ask about that first gen Caravan and that first gen camry that your neighbors own. I can tell right off the bat that it is COAL by you without looking at the name because the first pic ether shows that first gen Caravan or first gen Camry.
How long was that Camry around?
Hey, there is a write-up on the Avalon after all!
Mine is a late 2003 when they started using the ’04 grille. (horizontal instead of vertical slats) It’s a black XLS with 260,000 miles. Except for needing rear struts it drives superbly. Uses no oil. None. It can make use of high-octane and it makes the torque more instantaneous. It rides like a cloud and handles smoothly and very balanced, but not sporty.
I have the leather buckets and console shifter but wish it was cloth bench and column.
It just got it’s first alternator and a tie rod. It’s a Northwest Indiana car and it has no rust anywhere. It does have a bazillion paint chips and the paint is worn out.
Never seen a better-engineered car. Everything is strong and beefy. I plan to get one with less miles, preferably in that nice green they have. I’d keep the black one for parts, but they never seem to need anything.
Nothing wrong with an old man’s car. Old men have the good stuff.
I have an ’04 XLS in Phantom Gray with the bench seat. Fully loaded, gray leather interior. Only has 93k on it. Will probably last me a long time. Really a quality auto. Everything feels hefty and well crafted. Hard to leave the comfy and accommodating interior on those cold days after you reach your destination. Really just an amazing effort in a segment that hasn’t been too mainstream for many years at this point. I rather enjoy my styling on the conservative side and usually drive the car that best fits my needs, not so much based on image.
A lot of people go for the sporty, popular cars. But I find that sportiness does not do it all for me. I am someone who enjoys a long features list and reasonable levels of comfort. I don’t really want for anything with this car. Feels like a more expensive car than it is without being too flashy or pretentious. The isolation of the interior is one of my favorite aspects of this car. It’s like the world outside hardly exists. Makes my previous two Camry’s, as good of cars as they were seem so pedestrian and basic.
While not the most exciting car, based on a lot of feedback I have gotten since I have had it, the Avalon is something special. My mostly domestic driving family has commented on how futuristic the dash looks in comparison to some of their even newer cars. There is a high level of attention to detail that speaks to the OCD person in me. And as a detail oriented person, I feel like all details are accounted for with this car. The interior is well appointed, I like the airy feeling of the cabin and the extra leg room with the bench seat. Trunk is massive. High quality materials and top notch build quality.
Toyota’s higher end vehicles still have those old feelings of Toyota that one might have experienced in the 1992 Camry. Solid, quiet, capable and reliable. The lower end stuff has been ok, but not spectacular, such as the 2013 Corolla my ex-wife had. Still a decent car, but a hollow, cheaply made vessel itself. This Avalon takes me back to Toyota’s good old days.
Hi Evan,
You have the timing belt change coming up. It’s pricey on that one.
It is the best car ever. With that mileage it has decades of life left in it.
I am preparing for that very soon actually. I always try and get that done so i don’t have any issues. I’m glad to read you have had such a great experience with yours. My mom’s ex husband’s Mom had a beautiful Silver XLS that was an ’03. Had the spoiler and all. That’s when I really fell in love with these. I just thought the interior was so distinctive when they were brand new, and it still is. I remember being pretty into them in 2000 when they came out despite being what 14 at the time. They just looked very classy, very substantial. I remember viewing the website back then with all the options and colors and wishing I could have one lol. I think they stopped that Constellation Blue Pearl after 2001 or 2002, but I really liked that shade for some reason.