Auris D4D Advice

[Kuro]

Ok I know the question has probably been asked a million times but can you guys give me advice on buying an Auris diesel.

I have an avensis 2.0 tourer petrol at present but my 80mile a day commute is proving expensive.

Luckily living dowm in Devon means I have a traffic free blast down the A38 from the Plymouth area into Exeter everyday with the last few miles out into the surrounding country lanes.

I really fancy a t180 but I've heard that they are not that economical so will take the more sensible choice and go for a tspirit d4d.

What can I expect on fuel economy from one of these. Are they as relaxed to drive as an avensis and are there things that I should be aware of when buying.

Ill be looking at a 2007/2008 model with 50 to 70k on the clock.

Cheers

[AurisFinn]

Pretty much everything is already here:

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/146852-t180-buying-tips/

[neilch]

Ok I know the question has probably been asked a million times but can you guys give me advice on buying an Auris diesel.

I have an avensis 2.0 tourer petrol at present but my 80mile a day commute is proving expensive.

Luckily living dowm in Devon means I have a traffic free blast down the A38 from the Plymouth area into Exeter everyday with the last few miles out into the surrounding country lanes.

I really fancy a t180 but I've heard that they are not that economical so will take the more sensible choice and go for a tspirit d4d.

What can I expect on fuel economy from one of these. Are they as relaxed to drive as an avensis and are there things that I should be aware of when buying.

Ill be looking at a 2007/2008 model with 50 to 70k on the clock.

Cheers

I'm getting low 50's mpg on mine. Normally I get close to 500 miles before the fuel warning light starts to come on and then there's still around 8 litres left in the tank according to the manual. Economical enough considering that you've got a bit of poke if you want it.

[AnnieT]

We loved our Auris. Nice looking, comfortable, smooth, economical..

Until it had done 87000 miles (6 months ago) when the head gasket went.

Toyota quoted £7500 to repair but advised replacing the engine at a cost of £8500

We actually had it repaired at an independent garage which cost £3500

We've also had to have a new starter motor - £320

And to top it all off now we need to replace an ECU at a cost of £750, which unbelievably Toyota do not have in stock anywhere in the UK and we're waiting for one to arrive from Belgium

All this despite it being religiously serviced every 10000 miles

Would I recommend an Auris 1.4 D-4-D? Yes, but get rid before it hits 85000 miles and bankrupts you. Advice I was given right from the start and to my cost ignored.

[Kuro]

OMG!!!

We loved our Auris. Nice looking, comfortable, smooth, economical..

Until it had done 87000 miles (6 months ago) when the head gasket went.

Toyota quoted £7500 to repair but advised replacing the engine at a cost of £8500

We actually had it repaired at an independent garage which cost £3500

We've also had to have a new starter motor - £320

And to top it all off now we need to replace an ECU at a cost of £750, which unbelievably Toyota do not have in stock anywhere in the UK and we're waiting for one to arrive from Belgium

All this despite it being religiously serviced every 10000 miles

Would I recommend an Auris 1.4 D-4-D? Yes, but get rid before it hits 85000 miles and bankrupts you. Advice I was given right from the start and to my cost ignored.

OMG!!! That really is a horror story. Were you just unlucky with that car? Surely every auris that goes over 85k won't suffer the same fate.

I got side tracked in my search for a diesel and was looking at Vauxhall vectras then by chance looked at a Saab 93 which shares the same floorpan. I was offered a part ex deal I couldn't refuse and bought a vector sport 1.9 tid.

I must admit I am terrified of swapping the reliability of my avensis but I have to get my fuel costs down and the saab will save me about £20 a week.

The saab is not without its reported problems but the thing with the internet is that if you look for bad things you will find them. For every car that has a problem whatever the make there are hundreds more that prove to be utterly reliable even at huge mileages.

[Uncle Buck]

That's true - you can always find a negative on any model of car. If I was asked to recommend a smallish diesel, I'd be more inclined to suggest a Skoda Fabia. Of course they're not perfect, but they do score well every year in the JD Power surveys & also in Which magazine results. Even at highish miles they're still pretty reliable - especially when serviced properly.

[forevered]

We loved our Auris. Nice looking, comfortable, smooth, economical..

Until it had done 87000 miles (6 months ago) when the head gasket went.

Toyota quoted £7500 to repair but advised replacing the engine at a cost of £8500

We actually had it repaired at an independent garage which cost £3500

We've also had to have a new starter motor - £320

And to top it all off now we need to replace an ECU at a cost of £750, which unbelievably Toyota do not have in stock anywhere in the UK and we're waiting for one to arrive from Belgium

All this despite it being religiously serviced every 10000 miles

Would I recommend an Auris 1.4 D-4-D? Yes, but get rid before it hits 85000 miles and bankrupts you. Advice I was given right from the start and to my cost ignored.

if your car was serviced ontime everytime,why didnt toyota offer to put in a new engine when the head gasket went,surely you have read on here about the extended warranty for this problem ?

[AnnieT]

Good question! Believe me we did ask and were told that our vin number was outside the extended warranty and as our mileage was "so high" they were not prepared to help. At all.

We feel completely let down by Toyota and will never buy another.

[Uncle Buck]

Something smells a bit fishy here ............

[AnnieT]

This is the letter I received in reply to my many emails:

Xxxxxxxxx Our ref 628138

Xxxxxxxx. 19 March 2013

Devon

Dear Mrs Xxxxx

Thank you for your email to Jon Williams, our President and Managing Director. Jon has read your comments and requested that I respond on his behalf.

I have reviewed your case and the facts that you have provided, but as the vehicle is not covered by the VIN range, it would not be covered by the extension that you mention. It is not so much that the chassis number is not included in the range, but more that the vehicles concerned were fitted with a particular engine, which is not the engine fitted in your vehicle.

We carefully monitor trends within the Toyota network regarding frequent repairs on particular areas of the vehicle and I can tell you that we do not have any issues with your specification. As the vehicle has not been diagnosed at a Toyota Centre yet, we cannot comment on the cause, but I can say that as the vehicle has not been serviced within the network, we cannot know if the correct oils, parts and processes have been used in its maintenance.

I am sorry to advise you we will not be contributing to this repair, as it falls outside of the Manufacturers Warranty and also any relevant extensions that are in place.

I realise that this will not be the answer that you will have been hoping for, but I hope that I have clarified our position on this matter.

Yours sincerely

Jo Hill

Manager, Customer Relations

Although they do know that the correct oils, parts and processes have been used in its maintenance as I provided them with a copy of the full service history in which my mechanic included all these details.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Unfortunately it is quite common for manufacturers to decline goodwill contributions (which is what yours would be), where the vehicle concerned has been serviced outside of the appropriate dealer network, regardless of whether the correct parts, etc have been used.

A colleague who had the throttle body pack up on her 3.5 year old Mitsubishi Colt, had a similare response as regards a goodwill payment from Mitsubishi