Parking On A Slope.......beware The Avensis

[Froggitt]

So, after taking my shiny new Avensis back to the garage for the fourth or fifth time, they came back to me and said theres nothing wrong with the car or the rubber seals around the doors, thats how its designed.

How you may ask? Well, I can tell you what the Avensis is not designed for. Its not designed to park on a "side to side" slope, or a camber as I now know it.

Why not? Because water does not drain away, and eg when youre parked overnight, you end up with a puddle on and around the scuff plate, and we all know what happens when metal is immersed in water over and over again.

So, think twice before you buy an Avensis, unless youre comfortable taking the risk that your car may rust away.

Nice car, but would I buy another one.............no.

[enyajtrebor]

Out of interest which door seals are you talking about - I am still looking for a resolve for wind noise around the offside rear door which I assume can only be coming from the door seal

[Steve84]

My previous 54 plate t3x had a puddle on the scuff plate but it never had to be parked on a slope tho it would rain over night open the drivers door and there it was. My T180 also does it and my dads 06 plate t3x also does it. It does seem to be normal cos i've looked at other avensis and they all seem to have a puddle on the scuff plate after rainfall or being washed.

[Froggitt]

My previous 54 plate t3x had a puddle on the scuff plate but it never had to be parked on a slope tho it would rain over night open the drivers door and there it was. My T180 also does it and my dads 06 plate t3x also does it. It does seem to be normal cos i've looked at other avensis and they all seem to have a puddle on the scuff plate after rainfall or being washed.

What they say is that its normal for water to run thru the door and onto the scuff plate. What should then happen is the water drain away, which it does if the car is parked on a flat surface.

However, when you park on a "side to side" slope, depending on which side is higher up, the water pools around the scuffplate, either on the driver side or on the passenger side, and doesnt drain away until you drive off. Constant exposure to puddles of water will eventually rust, especially as presumably the scuff plate is fixed onto a couple of holes in the metal.

[Froggitt]

Out of interest which door seals are you talking about - I am still looking for a resolve for wind noise around the offside rear door which I assume can only be coming from the door seal

Standard rubber seals around front doors.

[Red Yaris 54]

Constant exposure to puddles of water will eventually rust, especially as presumably the scuff plate is fixed onto a couple of holes in the metal.

The scuff plates are normally stuck on to the sills.

Surely if the sills and scuff plates are protected with paint and polish, immersion in water will not cause any undue harm.

The inner sills are treated with anti rust compound.

Just because a car spends its life outside it should not rust away if protected properly.

[Froggitt]

Constant exposure to puddles of water will eventually rust, especially as presumably the scuff plate is fixed onto a couple of holes in the metal.

The scuff plates are normally stuck on to the sills.

Surely if the sills and scuff plates are protected with paint and polish, immersion in water will not cause any undue harm.

The inner sills are treated with anti rust compound.

Just because a car spends its life outside it should not rust away if protected properly.

But theres a difference between spending its life outside, and spending its life outside under water for half of its life.