Crashed the Avalon, exploring replacement options

[ChrisMU]

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.

The dynamic is that we both argue/discuss until a clear agreed-upon solution is mutually acceptable. If that weren’t the case, she probably would have bought a used final generation Jaguar XJ or a Mercedes and not the IS350 we agreed upon. She knows I know a good amount about cars and that a used Jag/Benz could easily go south quickly.

 

[ChrisMU]

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?

I do think the NA Civic hatchback deserves consideration. My only complaints are auto start/stop and the blacked out wheels/emblems. I like machined or silver aluminum wheels and chrome emblems. I totally understand Hyundai reluctance, since the Theta II problems… is their newer 4 cylinder NA still related to the Theta?

Budget is <$547/mo for 5 years. $2000 down. We both have excellent credit.

 

[Dave Hess]

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)

I had a rental 2025 Camry Hybrid for a week and 800 miles.
Car had less than 1300 miles so it was new.

I was skeptical at first about the car but I really liked it and was impressed.
It was a 2025 base model with 16 inch wheels, I don’t know what they call the base trim.

2 thumbs up from me.

Only dislike it will hit 120 miles per hour and immediately fuel cut off.
Even with my foot 100% wide open throttle….. the car will start slowing down.
115…… 110…… 105….. 97 mph.
I tested it 6-7 times and every time mandatory fuel cut off.

The 2025 Corolla will do the same.

 

[RooflessVW]

I do think the NA Civic hatchback deserves consideration. My only complaints are auto start/stop and the blacked out wheels/emblems. I like machined or silver aluminum wheels and chrome emblems. I totally understand Hyundai reluctance, since the Theta II problems… is their newer 4 cylinder NA still related to the Theta?

Budget is <$547/mo for 5 years. $2000 down. We both have excellent credit.

So ~25-30k before taxes, tags, etc?

 

[Rand]

30k for a camry LE hybrid seems doable.
I'm seeing them around 29k after doc fee but before tax title and license.

 

[loneryder]

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.

 

[loneryder]

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.
View attachment 345950

Seriously I feel your pain. That was a wonderful car that can't be replaced. That engine should be worth something. My GF has a V6 from the last year they made them.

 

[GON]

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)

Last week I rented a 2026 Camry base hybrid sedan, no options, not even a driver power seat. This week in a 2025 Genisis G70 sedan full of options.

No comparison between the two. The base hybrid Camry with zero options completely blows away the loaded G70 sedan. The drivetrain, the road noise, the interior comfort-- the Camry is so very superior to the G70.

I would definitely keep the hybrid Camry on this list of vehicles to consider. A world class sedan--- don't let the reasonable price of the Camry mislead.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

Many years ago I bought a Sequoia totally internet from dealer in NC. I was searching for specific options and color. Dealers all around me couldn't get the package options. I found 2 in stock in NC but wrong color. I emailed and got reply next morning, none around so they could order it, 12 weeks, price was better than local places (that couldn't get it anyway), cheaper than Costco price and he took off price of air fare to get there.

I went to Fred Anderson Toyota in Raleigh, it's about 5 minutes from Raleigh Durham airport. All was setup, no BS with finance guy, I drove back to NY. I did stop in VA at the "forum suggested warranty dealer" and bought the factory extended warranty for about 1/3 of the price other dealers were charging for aftermarket versions.

I had to pay the sales tax in NY when I registered it but basically had it setup through dealer as separate check to NYS but part of financing through USAA. Best car buying experience I ever had. Internet sales guy was (Carl Anderson) was awesome. Kept me updated frequently on build date, VIN etc. and answered many questions I had in between.

https://www.fredandersontoyota.com/new-inventory/index.htm?gvBodyStyle=Sedan&model=Camry&normalFuelType=Hybrid

I like the Red one- also something in pictures not all cars have, maybe all Camry does, rear AC vents at console.

Stepping up to an SE gets at least a power drivers seat and leather steering wheel. Creature comforts. I like the black rims but I'm sure a swap to lower trim silver is an option maybe even at purchase.

 

[Bob in Utah]

Browse through Car Max

Bought the wife’s GX 460 there 6 years ago

Solid deal…no dicker on sticker…solid truck

 

[Tdbo]

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?

Yes, you have to pay tax to the state where it is titled.
The key is to avoid states where you have to pay it regardless of whether not it will be titled there. Looked at a demo truck at a Chevrolet dealership in Miami, Florida. I was informed that I would have to pay Florida sales tax on it, as well as Ohio. That did that in.
A good dealer will make that easy. Last car I purchased was in WV. They verified the tax rate in my Ohio county and wrote that in the deal. They sent me the paperwork, that I needed to walk through the BMV/Title Bureau. They also provided me a cashiers check for the amount of tax for the TB. Very easy to handle.
Only issue was their calculations were 28 cents short on the tax bill. Pocket change took care of the rest.