Ex Avensis Owner

[MUNGIS]

Hi People,

Just joined up to check out a problem with the wife`s car.

I was about to advertise her V.G.C. 2002 59,000 mile 1 prev. owner Avensis T2
hatch 1.8 this week, ......when a nice Lady in a Jeep Cherokee decided that
she preferred to chat to her hubby on her mobile, rather than pay
attention to the fact that the traffic had stopped.

Looks like the Toyota will be Written off..shame .!!...as the missus loved it, and I had just put 12 months MOT on it.

However My reason for deciding to sell it was excessive oil consumption ( Litre of oil/500 miles, ) which was getting a bit annoying, as I felt I couldnt trust the car/wife to not run out of oil.

However that wont be a problem ...now, will it?

Missus MUNGIS loved her Avensis, and I liked it to drive too, so I had a look around at newer model Avensis/ VVT engines, and find that, It looks as if I will be safer avoiding all Toyota VVTs until after 2005 as the problem of Excessive oil consumption has never been properly resolved.

I have driven, maintained, rebuilt, and serviced every car I have owned over the last 40 years, and never came across an engine that defies logic as much as this 1.8 VVT.

It uses no water

It is very economical for a 1.8

It is very lively to drive, and

It "Guzzles " oil. !!............Why in 2002 was this allowed to occur ???, and is still not sorted ?? in 2013 ?

Looks like I might be better avoiding Toyotas, as these problems have been well hidden,..... I didnt know about them, and I thought Toyota were a "Good Car!

All comments welcome, and any positive advice will be welcomed as well

Mungis.

[Red Yaris 54]

My Toyotas have never used any oil between services :)

[MUNGIS]

If you had my Toyota then that would be a service every 600 miles then ....LOL

[Whitewagon]

My Avensis 1.8 has now covered just over 20,000 miles. I have never had to add oil between services.

[mintalkin]

pre 2005 car did have the oil problem but toyota extended the warrenty to seven years or 125000 miles, i do not know of any of the later vvt having oil problems, personally my avensis has not used any oil in in four years of ownership.

[Konrad C]

By at least 2006/2007, the vvti engines should have been redesigned to avoid this problem.

I have not seen anybody report oil burning issues from engines made after 2006.

Don't right off a brand due to a batch of bad engines. You could buy a car with a far more expensive problem.

Look at other makes forum and you will see.

[FROSTYBALLS]

We had a 2006 Corolla 1.4 vvti for three years from new. Over the three years I only topped it up by 200-300ml. After I bought my 2009 Auris the remains of the one litre bottle of oil I'd bought to top up the Corolla, to my neighbour.

[MUNGIS]

pre 2005 car did have the oil problem but toyota extended the warrenty to seven years or 125000 miles, i do not know of any of the later vvt having oil problems, personally my avensis has not used any oil in in four years of ownership.

Mint

Thanks for that info, which is what i was looking for.

The heavy oil usage is well documented on the earlier VVT engines (pre 2005 ) and is sufficiently bad to warrant avoiding them.

If later 2005> models dont suffer from the same fault then I can look at them as possibilities for mrs Mungis.

I was originally dissapoined that her car had not been sorted earlier than this to avoid the problem, but it appears that the problem manifests itself around 55,000 miles and hers had only done 59,500 which is low miles for a 2002 and it had only done 56,000 when i got it 12 months ago.

Off to source a 2005+ model now

thanks for the help.

Mungis

[Konrad C]

When looking for post 2005 Avensis (facelift), make sure it has the indicator side repeaters on the mirrors. I think that is the best way to tell from the earlier version.

Kon

[alan333]

I believe the oil burning problem was fixed by manufacture year 2005, so if a car had been sitting new and unregistered somewhere for a while then it's possible that even an 06 might still have the potential faulty motor.

I'd look for a facelift (06 on), subtle differences in the looks...a more "smiley" front grill, round front foglights, side indicators on the mirrors. Interior modified a bit too...a storage box where the mpg display goes.

[telmo]

3 Gen Prius uses that same 2ZR engine (since 2009), and there is no reference of oil consumption whatsowever...

[MUNGIS]

3 Gen Prius uses that same 2ZR engine (since 2009), and there is no reference of oil consumption whatsowever...

I would think that new/better materials and engineering methods will have been used after 2005, as the 1.8 vvt was letting the side down as it was then. sounds as if it is o.k. now