[HELP] Buying my first Toyota | Avensis 1.8 VVT-i TR 2008

[GeorgeDNG]

Hi, I've recently started looking around for a decent reliable family car that I can buy my dad.

I've found this Toyota Avensis 1.8 Petrol 2008 which I've heard are very reliable and cheap to maintain (also there are a lot of Avensis taxis).

I currently own a BMW and a Mercedes so I don't have the slightliest clue about Toyotas. I've heard about engine problems, oil problems and brake pipe corrosion (which I've had nightmares with before on the Merc and I'm REALLY trying to avoid this)

Link to the car: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106113743539

From the outside it looks nice, inside is decent and seems to have plenty of space, but is it a good choice? Are there any specific things I need to look out for when I go see it?

 

Thanks

[Catlover]

Hi George, welcome to Toyota Owners Club.

Looks a nice car, lot of people don’t like white cars but I love them, so good choice, but it’s a personal thing is colour. I don’t know much about Avensis except there some with a BMW engine that causes a lot of problems, but they are diesel so this one is not any where near. I sure others will be along soon and be able to give you some info.

[john p williams]

5 hours ago, GeorgeDNG said:

Hi, I've recently started looking around for a decent reliable family car that I can buy my dad.

I've found this Toyota Avensis 1.8 Petrol 2008 which I've heard are very reliable and cheap to maintain (also there are a lot of Avensis taxis).

I currently own a BMW and a Mercedes so I don't have the slightliest clue about Toyotas. I've heard about engine problems, oil problems and brake pipe corrosion (which I've had nightmares with before on the Merc and I'm REALLY trying to avoid this)

Link to the car: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106113743539

From the outside it looks nice, inside is decent and seems to have plenty of space, but is it a good choice? Are there any specific things I need to look out for when I go see it?

 

Thanks

check against MOT website, go and look and if in good order, go for it. Ensure full service history.

That auto transmission is what I would have on the Avensis.

[GeorgeDNG]

9 hours ago, john p williams said:

check against MOT website, go and look and if in good order, go for it. Ensure full service history.

That auto transmission is what I would have on the Avensis.

Good idea about checking MOT history.

Seems it had a couple of fails but then passes either on the same day or the next. Most fails are about brake and lights related problems which I'm especially trying to avoid brake pipe problems since I already scrapped a car with a brake pipe corrosion as changing it was more than the car was actually worth.

Are there any certain places I have to look for brake pipe corrosion?

[Bernard Foy]

Get the car up on the lift and inspect underneath for rust issues, and mot history, and Toyota service history. If you still like the car, it’s above average mileage and above average asking price so you have a basis for price negotiation. Best of luck.

[alan333]

The one you link to is a saloon, which is less liked.  It also has intergalactic mileage and is 13 years old (average age of scrapping a car is 13-17 years according to google).  I've owned one of those autos and it's quite underpowered, especially noticeable above about 40 or 50mph, and it only does about 36mpg driving like a nun.  The manual with the same engine will return over 50mpg driving the same way.

On the plus side, the engine problems in the 1.8vvti were reportedly cured in 2006, so the engine should be good.  I don't recall reading of any problems with reliability in that auto box either.  They're a soft, comfy car and easy to drive and live with.

The underneath of my two 2005 ones (owned a long time ago) were looking quite surface-rusty on all the components, so have a good look there.  I'm not on here so much since I sold my last Toyota but I'm sure I've read of brake pipe problems but realistically you'll probably get these type of problems with any car at 13 years old.

The 2009 on new shape is a far better drive with hugely more power but has a cvt auto.  If you're not set on the auto I'd try to find one of them in your budget.  

 

[john p williams]

Intergalactic, it aint Alan. It`s not even Moonship mileage.

Not all CVT`s are poor. Those in this model and subsequent Toyota and Lexus cars are ultra-reliable, even more so than traditional Torque Converter boxes.

[GeorgeDNG]

I mean, its mostly going to be used for groceries and casual travelling from family friends and back. Could always tune the engine a bit, right? Stage 1? Not even sure anyone has done this before or even if its doable but could squeeze in some horsies from a small tune. My parents had a Mercedes C220 2003 which was beat up to the point where it wouldn't rev more than 2.5k and it wouldn't go more than 35-40mph (could barely get up a small hilled road) and if it wasn't for the brake pipe I think they would still have it lol.

Anyway, the car wasn't in a good shape when they got it years ago, don't even think they did an oil or filtre change since so I'm looking for something that's decent and that can be maintained (I'll be the one looking after it this time so it doesn't end up like the lil old merc)

[john p williams]

Just now, GeorgeDNG said:

I mean, its mostly going to be used for groceries and casual travelling from family friends and back. Could always tune the engine a bit, right? Stage 1? Not even sure anyone has done this before or even if its doable but could squeeze in some horsies from a small tune

It`ll be fine as it is George, just change your driving style if necessary.😊

[GeorgeDNG]

2 hours ago, john p williams said:

It`ll be fine as it is George, just change your driving style if necessary.😊

I won't drive the car, I'm happy with my BMW F10, doing research for the Toyota as I don't want my father to throw the car at me for advising him to spend money on a lemon 😅

Anyway, thinking about going in the next few days to check on the car, any specific things to look out for? Any specific places I should check on the car? Don't have any decent mechanic in my area, might be high chance they know the guy selling it so any checks I have to be able to do on the spot.

[alan333]

On 7/12/2021 at 7:22 PM, john p williams said:

Intergalactic, it aint Alan. It`s not even Moonship mileage.

Not all CVT`s are poor. Those in this model and subsequent Toyota and Lexus cars are ultra-reliable, even more so than traditional Torque Converter boxes.

It's not reliability I refer to with the cvt, it's the driving experience.

[john p williams]

5 minutes ago, alan333 said:

It's not reliability I refer to with the cvt, it's the driving experience.

I agree Alan. I found that once I had passed40 and driven an auto, I never wanted a manual again.

The Toyota/Lexus CVT box is ultra reliable but not necessarily suited to the driver who must have instant driveability.

The Toyota/Lexus CVT demands that the driver forsees all driving situations and improves his driving skills through anticipatory actions.

Just my view Al.

[alan333]

8 hours ago, john p williams said:

I agree Alan. I found that once I had passed40 and driven an auto, I never wanted a manual again.

The Toyota/Lexus CVT box is ultra reliable but not necessarily suited to the driver who must have instant driveability.

The Toyota/Lexus CVT demands that the driver forsees all driving situations and improves his driving skills through anticipatory actions.

Just my view Al.

I raved about how good the cvt was in my Avensis for the first couple of years I owned it, but then I changed my commute route which now involved joining a motorway at the bottom of a long hill.  It revved high for that whole uphill stretch just to get up to speed.  The paddles made little difference and the drone really got through to me, there's really no need to rev at 4k just to get to 60 or 70 on a hill.  It wasn't long until the car was sold.  I did like the car tho, and if Toyota didn't put cvt boxes in everything I'd probably still have one.

My driving style is quite sedate, and I often try to better my consumption during my drive to work in the middle of the night.  Another 'game' I play with myself is to see if I can get all the way to work without using the brakes, it's quite possible with a bit of foresight on junctions etc.

I agree tho, someone who wants instant performance or drivability probably wouldn't enjoy a cvt, however that wasn't my reason… just that dreadful drone on every hill I hit.

[Cyker]

Might also be worth checking the Honest John website - They have section called Good/Bad in the reviews which includes stuff to look out for, and any known recalls. Was a godsend when I was Yaris hunting back in the day.

Not sure how it is these days as they seem to have castrated it, at least with newer cars.

 

[sproutdreamer]

I have a 2008 1.8 auto TR and it is the most reliable car I have ever owned. It is comfortable and I average 42mpg overall. The semi auto can be used in manual mode when you want a bit of zip or on very hilly roads. We have had 4 Toyota autos of various models and the auto box has never given any concern. My Avensis has superficial rust underside but nothing structural and it has only failed a test once, on a tyre valve which was perished.

If the price is right and it has some service history and not too many miles then these are not expensive now so how can you go wrong.

[Noi]

When thinking about a toyotas and how cheap it is to maintain it, yes, buying cheap parts will be cheap to maintain, buying original parts or close to original wont be cheap. What you should know about high mileage cars is that owners don't care and/or forget to change coolant when it's over due, timing chain, spark plugs. After i bought mine for 3.7k euros, had to put another 2k+ as maintenance cost. European union prices. Country Lithuania.

[ToyotaGang]

I would not have gone for a petrol. U said u need for ur family. The diesel engines are way better. They pull better and have far more power. The petrol models are okay but i find them underpowered. The 2.0 diesel is so lovely and with a manual it pulls rly good. 2,2 diesel DCAT is even better. The diesels have timing chain so no timnig belt to worry about. Toyota and Mercedes their diesels go 700000 km and still no oil burning. When the petrol Avensis models go 300000km they do burn a small amount of oil. In my opnion the diesel fit the Avensis 100 times better. It's a family car it needs pulling power. The T25 models are rly good and the T27 has more improvements outside and in the intorier

Only in 2015 the avensis had BMW engines. 

[Cyker]

Yeah the toyota diesels are great - the 1ND-TV is probably one of the best engines they've ever made - Bullet-proof reliability, high-revving (For a diesel!), strong pull across the whole rev range, incredibly efficient on fuel.

The problem is in the UK, they have gone from being the darlings of efficiency and low CO2 to the devil's engine and the cause of all that ails you - All the major cities are bringing in legislation to heavily penalize them and you also get penalized with a higher tax band than it's actually rated for if you buy one new.

You can only really drive a diesel here if you never have to go into a city or all the extra charges you get hit with will cut out any savings, and it won't be long before they just ban them out-right I suspect.

It makes me angry because it was the government that were the ones encouraging people to buy diesels in the first place!

It sucks as I'm sure with things like ducted injection and further R&D they could get rid of the main two problems (NOx and soot) and we'd have cars that could easily do in excess of 100mpg in normal use, use real sustainable biofuel, and still comply with emissions regulations without needing all the stupid addons that have made diesel engines more unreliable than petrol ones. Alas diesel research is pretty much dead now as everyone is switching to electric, but there aren't many gains to be had with electric motors; It's the batteries that need the significant breakthroughs and that is stagnating hard at the moment. Almost every 'gain' in the Battery tech so far has been to do with packaging and cutting of safety margins.

 

[ToyotaGang]

Agree. Where i live tax for diesels is double the price of petrol. But where i live can we keep driving diesel for as much as we can for some years before it gets too expensive. But still if tax would have been cheap. It would be great. 

At least the 1ad-Ftv and 2Ad-ftv does not cost as much as 3.0 liter mercedes and bmw diesel taxes. But the toyota diesels are rly good engines.