Help me buy a Toyota Avensis 2011 1.8 Petrol

[dublap]

Hi guys, I am looking to buy a Toyota Avensis and came across the 1.8 Petrol 2011 model. 

I am interested in the petrol engine because I do at most 5k mile/year. 

Exact model: 1.8 TR 4dr Here's the link if it helps: toyota avensis on autrotrder

The car has 109,091 miles already.

What should I look for? Are there any common known faults with this model, electrical, engine, gearbox? 

My budget is 5k so I am opened to other suggestions.

Thank you very much!

[Heidfirst]

Hi Zobian, welcome to TOC.

Try to check the service history & MOT history & of course general condition. It has done under 3,000 miles since last MOT last December.

Road Tax looks to possibly be £210 pa

Generally very reliable, things that can fail (although I wouldn't say common) & in no particular order

Valvematic controller - expensive

EPB actuator - expensive

cracking of door skins on front doors by the check strap

check washer operation as the jets can clog

 

These have quite a high clutch & very little torque at low revs so it's not unusual for people to stall until you get used to it. Because of this I suppose that it's possible that clutch wear could be higher than on other cars but I am not really aware of complaints of that.

 

[dublap]

Hi Scott, thank you for your reply, i really do appreciate it!

Mot looks clean, at least in my perspective. I know about the tax, i am not worried about that too much. 

I heard about the actuator which pulls the handbrake, but how can I test it? or it works well up to a point and when it fails it just stops working?  

I can see you have the 2017 model, is it worth the money? Should I consider to finance one with 5k down payment?

[Heidfirst]

The EPB actuator will usually throw up error codes before it quits, I think that it would be unusual for it to just quit without some kind of knowledge beforehand. If you buy from a dealer/trader you should be covered for the first 6 months anyway as under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the fault would be deemed to have been there at sale.

tbh the 2015> facelift has lots of electronic systems that you don't really need & I have mostly switched off (even though I have paid for them). It also changed to HIR2 headlight bulbs (unless you get 1 of the higher trims with LED) which I am not fond of - when they go you lose both dipped & high beam.

If I were you I would possibly look at getting the 2012-2015 model as that has improvements over the 2009-2011 that are probably worth having without the unnecessary bits of the 2015>.

Any original satnav fitted is going to be outdated by current standards.

[dublap]

Btw is your avensis automatic or manual? Is the 1.8 engine same on 2012-2015 to later models like your 2017? 

[Heidfirst]

Manual, As far as I know it's the same engine but there may have been very minor changes during production over the years.