'06 Toyota Avalon

[Benzadmiral]

Going to take a look at a 2006 Toyota Avalon XLS tomorrow at a local Hyundai dealer. Ruby red/light gray leather, 70K miles, one owner car. They're asking < $15K. I've read about the recall for or needed repair of the cam oil line, and will ask a Toyota dealer to look up the VIN and tell me if it was done at a dealership.

I like the way the car looks inside and out. Driving it will tell. Aside from that, are there any other issues I should be aware of? Toyotas have this stellar reputation; is it deserved or not?

 

[sasha]

if everything checks out go for it. just make sure they check the rear suspension on it also. toyota' have weak rear suspension.

 

[Benzadmiral]

If I drive it tomorrow, I thought I'd go to the Toyota dealer and pay them to perform an inspection. They're not the seller, so they have no dog in the fight. Failing that, and what I'd prefer, is to have my regular mechanic look it over. Again this presumes I like the ride and everything about it.

How is the rear suspension weak? Do the shocks tend to fail early?

 

[sasha]

Rear shocks ,front and rear sway bar links and bushings tend to give out on camry's and avalons often. Had alot of them in the shop with this issue some at only 60k. but minor, drivetrain is solid and should last you a long time. Good car.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

What are they asking? $15K is a lot for a 2006 car ... you can get some new cars for that much.

 

[Benzadmiral]

If this car, as I think, has been driven around here all of its life, I won't be surprised if suspension components are beaten up. I'll budget for that, as well as an oil change, transmission fluid, and brake fluid.

On epinions and other sites, drivers of this car compare it favorably to the Buick Park Avenue -- which to me is a great thing. I liked the Lexus ES350 I drove a couple of weeks ago, but I found the interior dull. In the pics on the dealer's website, the dash and instruments on this Avalon look quite a bit nicer. After all, that's where you spend most of your time with a car, right?

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
What are they asking? $15K is a lot for a 2006 car ... you can get some new cars for that much.

They're asking $14,444 on the website. That could change. The Lexus dealer had a price of 19.5K on the '08 ES350 I drove last month, but told me they were dropping the price to 17.5K. So these people may be willing to deal.

Where can you find a new car in the class of the Avalon/Lexus, a good-sized beast with a powerful engine and yet good mileage, for $15K? Please tell!

 

[Artem]

he meant you can get a cheap, tiny Nissan Versa or something for that price.

 

[charbaby]

Spring 2012, a friend of mine bought a 2006 Avalon from a local college prof w/ ~60K miles and in excellent condition. I would call the exterior...Mint Cream Metallic Paint. And the interior is a 2 tone Butter cream colour and some Light Wood Grain Trim. Really cleans up nicely! Prior to winter, he slapped on some new Michelins.

I didn't ask what he paid

 

[Benzadmiral]

I'm thinking I could get some Tire Rack chrome wheels for it -- no, not spinners or giant rims, the stock size! -- and maybe some sheepskin seat inserts in cream or silver-gray, to personalize it. The tires are already Bridgestone Turanzas, I think; they're visible in one picture. Are they pretty quiet, smooth-riding tires?

 

[bepperb]

I'm not sure if the Avalon got the replacement metal line, or the replacement rubber oil line. You can see it between the v on the passenger side fairly easily. The "bad" line IIRC had "AT" in the markings, you can probably find this online. I wouldn't assume a Hyundai dealer can look it up, and I can easily see how a owner would disregard recall notices and just trade it in after seven years. If it would help I can better describe where the line is, but I only have the metal line to look at.

Yes, the reputation is deserved. Yes some other auto makers are just as good, and the gap from best to worst has decreased. But reliability wouldn't be my concern, IMO that price is pretty high the car had better be an 10. A new Camry is probably only 5 grand more, an perhaps not as nice a car but fewer miles and a warranty. If reliability was a concern that's what I would do. If the benefits of an Avalon (size, refinement) are that significant buy the car for them, not for absolute reliability.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: bepperb
. . . Yes, the reputation is deserved. Yes some other auto makers are just as good, and the gap from best to worst has decreased. But reliability wouldn't be my concern, IMO that price is pretty high the car had better be an 10. A new Camry is probably only 5 grand more, an perhaps not as nice a car but fewer miles and a warranty. If reliability was a concern that's what I would do. If the benefits of an Avalon (size, refinement) are that significant buy the car for them, not for absolute reliability.

Oh, yes, it's the size and refinement that concerns me most. I just don't want to step all unknowing into a money pit, naturally.

I don't think the Hyundai people could look it up, so I'll need to check with a Toyota dealer, preferably the one who sold and serviced it.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Ha! I called the selling/servicing dealer -- they're in my neighborhood -- and they not only said the oil line had been replaced, but they're faxing me the service records. Now to check what the robber barons, I mean the insurance people, have to say.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Oil line done at 46K; regular oil changes; master cylinder cup replaced at 58K; the accelerator pedal reinforcement was done at 47K; and that's about it. Insurance: increase of $11 a month. Not too bad. . . .

 

[cptbarkey]

15 grand is too much for that car. unless you are dead set on it, you will be immediately very much upside down.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
15 grand is too much for that car. unless you are dead set on it, you will be immediately very much upside down.

Gee, when I read your message, I thought it was Pop_Rivit with his usual downer advice.

I didn't say I was going to pay their asking price without haggling. Besides, Edmunds has their True Market Value for it at $13,076.

I don't mind paying a bit more for a car in top-notch condition, so I don't have a slew of niggling, or even major, problems to deal with.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: sasha
Rear shocks ,front and rear sway bar links and bushings tend to give out on camry's and avalons often. Had alot of them in the shop with this issue some at only 60k. but minor, drivetrain is solid and should last you a long time. Good car.
+ 1 Nice motor, with the right wheels and tires it sticks pretty good for a larger car. The earlier ones had a strange wheel offset which made them look topheavy.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
What are they asking? $15K is a lot for a 2006 car ... you can get some new cars for that much.


A new Avalon in top trim is a 40K car.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: sasha
Rear shocks ,front and rear sway bar links and bushings tend to give out on camry's and avalons often. Had alot of them in the shop with this issue some at only 60k. but minor, drivetrain is solid and should last you a long time. Good car.


+1 Mine went south at 160,000 miles. Cost $100 to replace.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
Going to take a look at a 2006 Toyota Avalon XLS tomorrow at a local Hyundai dealer. Ruby red/light gray leather, 70K miles, one owner car. They're asking < $15K. I've read about the recall for or needed repair of the cam oil line, and will ask a Toyota dealer to look up the VIN and tell me if it was done at a dealership.

I like the way the car looks inside and out. Driving it will tell. Aside from that, are there any other issues I should be aware of? Toyotas have this stellar reputation; is it deserved or not?


Saw what photos that they have of it on line. Sharp car. If it drives nice, get it checked out, as you have already mentioned. They should have some movement on the price of that car. Sounds like you have it under control.