Crashed the Avalon, exploring replacement options

[ChrisMU]

In early June, I unfortunately had an accident with my Avalon. I’m still really bummed out… it was the first really nice modern car (as in we had to make payments) that wasn’t inherited or mostly for my wife. Since then, I’ve been commuting with the Solara convertible I bought for my son. He’s not even 15 yet, so it’s not a big imposition on him.

Copart auction link… note: i had groceries in it during the accident and the milk jug burst open. It smells terrible. https://www.copart.com/lot/56367386/2020-toyota-avalon-limited-tx-austin

I was expecting to replace it with a $5-6k Panther or the nicest Toyota sedan/hatchback I could get for that amount in cash. I figured I had to, since my insurance will undoubtedly go up and maybe I should wait 3 years after the accident before getting a vehicle worthy of full coverage. By then, her IS350 will be paid off, as well. Surprisingly, she wants me to have something similar in value to the Avalon, but the 5-year payment can’t be more than the Avalon’s 5-years monthly payment.

I started shopping around and came up with the following options:
Used non-hybrid Camry, Avalon, or ES350
New Camry LE hybrid
New Corolla SE hatchback
The following options were struck down, as my wife is convinced Toyota can do no wrong, despite her brother’s 2014-ish Tundra engine self-destructing at 130K:
New Mazda 3 hatchback
New Hyundai Sonata base model
New Honda Civic hatchback

My thoughts
Used Camry/Avalon/ES: familiar, but I hear some negativity about the 8-speed automatic. 750+ credit scores, but rates will be higher for used. I’ll get more luxury for the price, though. Trade off is uncertainty about maintenance/treatment.
New Camry hybrid: I don’t really want to go hybrid, but I keep hearing so many good things and 50+ mpg in a mid/full-size sedan is hard to ignore. I’d have to go base LE with basically no options and get a decent deal to keep it within budget. I’m okay with today’s base models. I want blind spot monitor, a/c, cruise, and an automatic bc traffic jams in Austin.
New Corolla: Naturally aspirated and no auto stop/start. Easier to fit within budget and within a tight parking space. I’m 6’3” and not a small person… so interior space is a concern. Even with the hatch, it’s still not a huge amount of cargo space, either. It might be too small for family trips to Del Rio and Wisconsin. While 41 mpg highway is good, the bigger and nearly same price Camry gets 10 more mpg.

Thoughts? I’m leaning new Camry if I can swing it.

 

[JavierH19]

Don't be afraid to travel out of state to get a big discount just double check the price and do all the standard due diligence like having the final price emailed on a document before leaving. For toyota hybrids I remember gokhan saying California has the best pricing a few years ago when talking about the prius.

 

[crashz]

Sorry about the accident, hope you are OK!

For many reasons you stated, I'd focus on the Camry Hybrid. Solid choice.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Glad you're ok

What's wrong with a hybrid Camry, Avalon, or ES300? The Camry Hyrbid is a great choice. If you don't want a hybrid, the Corolla hatch is awesome.

There's also the HS250h and CT200h. And of course, the Prius V has so much room inside.

If you really want to troll your wife, get a late model "Yaris" that's really a rebadged Mazda2

 

[KrisZ]

Why is your wife picking a vehicle for you? Is she some sort of car guru? Pick what you want's/need within the budget and tell her to mind her own car.

 

[Dave Hess]

Mazda3 base is an excellent car for the money….. so is Corolla hatchback.

 

[Rand]

Camry hybrid seems the best overall+ financial choice+ makes wife happy and 40-50mpg is nice.
maybe scratch together a little more to go up a trim level if you are missing something in the LE
because it might last you 10+ years (IIRC XLE was the sweet spot for value but It may have changed)

 

[Sequoiasoon]

Longer trips, family, I'd do the Camry if you can. Space, wheelbase, cruising comfort, better MPG.

That said some dealers rent vehicles from their loaner fleet. My Honda dealer does that.

Camry and Corolla should be pretty easy to find at Hertz/Avis/Enterprise. Rent one of each for a couple days, drive normal, drive longer. Seat comfort may be a big factor. They all also have used car sales, a bit higher mileage but usually at least oil changes etc done on regular schedule. I know multiple people that bought from all 3 above and have gotten good use from them.

 

[SShooterZ]

Sorry for the loss of your Avalon. Wonderful vehicles. Glad you’re OK.
I think the only one I would avoid is the Hyundai.
Camry hybrid is a great car IMO. Can’t go wrong with the V6 Camry/Avalon/ES350 though either.
Shocked to hear a 5.7L ate itself at that mileage. Wonder what let go.

 

[Tdbo]

I'd go Camry/Avalon/ES, or perhaps an Accord.
Having owned two Corolla equivalent vehicles, and being a bigger person myself, I can testify that they are true penalty boxes.
Buy something that you are comfortable in. Do it by shopping well, being geographically flexible, and knowing how to haggle, and making it fit your budget.

 

[ChrisMU]

Don't be afraid to travel out of state to get a big discount just double check the price and do all the standard due diligence like having the final price emailed on a document before leaving. For toyota hybrids I remember gokhan saying California has the best pricing a few years ago when talking about the prius.

So far, I’ve set the searches for 200 miles, which includes DFW/Houston/San Antonio and my local market of Austin. My wife won’t want to travel far by car, but I could possibly get a family friend to help with the drive back… or I could hop on a plane. I may try other areas, but I hear to avoid Florida as the doc fee can be over $1,000. One concern I have is sales tax. I remember back in 2006, when I worked at a Kia Dealership in Wisconsin, I sold a Sorento to a guy from Illinois. He had to pay Illinois sales tax upon registering it in Illinois. The Wisconsin dealership didn’t collect the tax. Since the tax will be a sizeable amount, I’ll have to finance it. Have the laws regarding sales tax collection changed? Was that just a Wisconsin/Illinois thing?

 

[The_Jeff]

Avalons have been great used cars because their market is well-to-do people who want the reassurance of something new. I'd try and find something pretty much like what you had.

That said the Toyota hybrid transmission is the best in the world, and a Camry hybrid would probably suit you. Do you need the extra few inches of wheelbase? That's the biggest difference between the two cars.

Toyotas have regional middlemen, and Gulf States Toyota has the reputation of being among the worst. New England is supposedly quite good.

 

[ChrisMU]

Sorry about the accident, hope you are OK!

For many reasons you stated, I'd focus on the Camry Hybrid. Solid choice.

Thank you! Physically, I’m doing pretty well. The chest pain isn’t too bad now. I made the mistake of mentioning “car accident” to the receptionist at the urgent care and she said that they don’t deal with car insurance, and that my health insurance wouldn’t cover it/would bounce it to my car insurance. I walked out and decided to tough it out, only taking otc pain relievers. I really don’t want to make any more insurance claims. Yesterday, I moved a window a/c from my house to the guest cabin, so I’m nearly back to full strength. At my worst, it was a lot of chest pain to move my arms together and forward… the kind of motion you’d make when removing a t-shirt, etc. I think the bigger problem is that the accident has shaken my confidence.

 

[dogememe]

Don't be afraid of hybrids. They have been around a long time and have been proven by now.

If you want a sedan, and are OK with basic looking/feeling interior tech, a new Camry hybrid will give you at least a decade of hassle-free, reliable, efficient transportation.

If you want something bigger I think a two year old Escape hybrid/PHEV can't be beat in value. But if you don't want bigger, then yeah, get the new Camry.

 

[JayhawkRoy]

So far, I’ve set the searches for 200 miles, which includes DFW/Houston/San Antonio and my local market of Austin. My wife won’t want to travel far by car, but I could possibly get a family friend to help with the drive back… or I could hop on a plane. I may try other areas, but I hear to avoid Florida as the doc fee can be over $1,000. One concern I have is sales tax. I remember back in 2006, when I worked at a Kia Dealership in Wisconsin, I sold a Sorento to a guy from Illinois. He had to pay Illinois sales tax upon registering it in Illinois. The Wisconsin dealership didn’t collect the tax. Since the tax will be a sizeable amount, I’ll have to finance it. Have the laws regarding sales tax collection changed? Was that just a Wisconsin/Illinois thing?

Don't know about sales tax in Texas, but now both Missouri and Kansas dealers collect the tax at point of sale. Believe MO change is relatively new as I used to buy vehicles in MO, remove the car to Kansas and pay Kansas the local sales tax amount. In my case, it was a win for me because I lived in the county so paid less tax than if I purchased from a point of sale Kansas dealer by one or two percent when considering the city sales tax add-on.

I think Mo changed with the past year to point of sale at dealer collection now.

Worth asking about before you purchase. Several people in South Kansas get their vehicles from OK dealers. Can't discuss any private sale info because I haven't done one in a long time.

 

[AKhan87]

There are some GREAT deals on 2025/2026 Camry that have 110 to 19k miles on Facebook currently, reason I haven't pulled the trigger would be paying off my mother's student loans by end of Fed 2027.

I can share the Facebook links if you like, you could save some money from sales tax and they are practically new at lower prices.

 

[RooflessVW]

I had to keep pinching my leg... Reading "Toyota" so many times was putting me to sleep.

What's your actual budget, so that we (I) may suggest something good?

 

[ChrisMU]

Also… I wouldn’t say I was trying to avoid hybrids, but batteries do have a finite life. If a car is 5-6 years old, that battery’s life is half over. That’s why I wouldn’t do an older used hybrid. My son is actually pushing for a new Prius. There is one base 2025 model at a local dealership which I’ve considered asking about. Though, I can’t possibly be the first person interested. It might be a case of not wanting to budge on sticker price… Toyotas usually sell themselves

 

[55hambone]

I bought a certified pre-owned 2025 Camry LE hybrid last Thanksgiving. It had 9200 miles on it and was around $7000 less than a comparable new 2026. I don't think I'll ever buy new again.

 

[The Critic]

I bought a certified pre-owned 2025 Camry LE hybrid last Thanksgiving. It had 9200 miles on it and was around $7000 less than a comparable new 2026. I don't think I'll ever buy new again.

You can get $4-5K off of a new Camry (varies by trim), so I don't see the value of getting $7k off the original MSRP.