Avensis 1.8vvti Manual, How Long Do They Last?

[GreenAvensis]

Hi,

I've now owned my 51 plate 1.8VVTi GS manual hatch Avensis for about 20 months. Bought it because I wanted a well designed car that was reliable and had low running costs.

Since I've owned it, a _lot_ of warranty work (about £3,500 I estimate) has been done by the Toyota main dealer. The major bits are:

- new plastic bush at base of steering column, then new steering rack, column, pipes, pump and front crossmember (squeaking/grinding)

- new offside driveshaft (shudder on acceleration, took 18 months for Toyota to diagnose)

- front disks skimmed (20K) then replaced (32K) (judder)

- driver's side air vent replaced (loud rattle)

- offside rear door striker plate adjusted and door seal replaced (used to shut too tightly)

- drive belt and tensioner replaced (whistling)

- minor engine oil leak fixed (I never spotted it, well done to the garage)

The warranty is due to expire soon and I had a few questions:

- Have I just been unlucky, or is all this normal for an Avensis?

- Do people recommend me taking out an extended warranty? Am woried about cost of ownership.

- Are these cars reliable and cheap to run, and should it get past 100K miles easily?

- Should I just give up and trade it in for a Mondeo? Sad thought, but I haven't got the money to pay for fixing problem after problem...

Thanks,

GreenAvensis.

[jamesholden]

I would get rid when the warranty runs out. My Avensis has been full of trouble - but don't let it put you off Toyota's.

It's the first non-Japanese built Toyota we have had, and it has been very dissapointing.

What I would recommend is you get a second-hand Camry, they are made in Japan for the UK market and are a far superior car.

As regards a Mondeo, that'll have just as much trouble as the Avensis.

[GreenAvensis]

James,

What sort of things have happened to yours? Think that most of the problems with mine have been down to build and test quiality being a bit poor.

Thanks.

[jamesholden]

There have been a few faults, some of which are failures, the others are design flaws that you notice with time, like wind noise, the way you sit at a very slight angle and because i sit quite far back that the steering wheel is quite a distance set back.

Actual faults include:-

Electric windows packing up,

strange vibration from sunroof,

squeeling brakes,

rattles everywhere,

central locking packed up numerous times,

sunroof stuck open and now doesnt work at all,

trim around stereo keeps coming off,

velour bobbling,

squeeky steering,

auto transmission whine,

a few other bits but i dont have time to list them, either way i expect better from a 35k car when my old primera had 86k on it no faults only a couple of minor rattles which is to be expected for the mileage, but then we have had other high mileage jap built toyotas which have been fine, we did have a CarinaE for a while and that was better than the Avensis but build was still rather flimsy, but things like the Starlet, CarinaII and Camry we've had have all been great, far more solid and trouble-free.

[Barry61]

I have owned three cars in the Toyota range first a Camry then a Corrola and now a manual 2001 Avensis which is giving me slight cause for concern in as much that the engine managment warning light comes on for several miles, then goes out for several miles. my local Toyota garage could not find anything wrong when giving it a quick road test and say they want it for a longer period. At todays hourly garage charges I find this worrying. I thought these new engine computers were suposed to make the mechanics job easier. :!Removed!:

[ulro]

Barry61

I have owned three cars in the Toyota range first a Camry then a Corrola and now a manual 2001 Avensis which is giving me slight cause for concern in as much that the engine managment warning light comes on for several miles, then goes out for several miles. my local Toyota garage could not find anything wrong when giving it a quick road test and say they want it for a longer period. At todays hourly garage charges I find this worrying. I thought these new engine computers were suposed to make the mechanics job easier.

Barry. Check out Scan tool at

http://www.scantool.net

and do your own diagnostic. You need the ISO interface version + a laptop PC. Not that expensive, I got one myself and it has worked on both my 2002 corolla E12 and my Avensis T25

// Ulro

[smokinmyman]

Hi

I read your post with interest because I have been looking for a reasonable scanner with which to read fault codes. I had seen the Elmhurst and discounted it in my mind becauise I didn't think it would work for the Avensis. When I read that you had it working with a late Avensis my ears picked up like a dog when you shout "dinner time "!!

Would you or anybody know if it would work with a R reg 1998 pre vvti petrol avensis. I'm not sure at what point the Avensis became fully complient with the ISO protocol

thanks Guy

[ulro]

Hi smokinmyman

If your 1998 Avensis share the engine and engine management electronics with any US spec. Toyota such as the RAV 4 etc. it is very likely you can use the ISO (OBD2) scanner. Look for the OBD2 connector in your car. It is usually situated in close proximity to the steering column. If yo find it check to see if it has connection pins in position 7 and 15.

// Ulro

http://www.scantool.net/support/index.php?...00c1d901b8f9a67

[smokinmyman]

Hi Ulro

Yep my car has a white connector just to the right of the column behind the fuses, will check the pins tomorrow

cheers