1997 Toyota Avalon Consumer Reviews
Most Helpful Reviews
Positive Review
I bought my 1995 Toyota Avalon XLS 2 years ago. It is now 20 years old and runs better than any other used car I have bought. It has 135,000 miles and I know I can expect many more. This car was built to last and competed against many other top luxury cars of it's day like a Lexus and Infiniti. I wonder how other 20 year old competitors are stacking up. They cannot be doing much better. I feel like I am riding in luxury and sometimes laugh at cars half it's age.
VS
Critical Review
I purchased my '98 used---paid too much but that's my fault---I didn't do as much reasearch as I should have and had intended to purchase an Infiniti I-30T. Instead, the comfort, size, power and overall quality of this one changed my mind. "Minor" problems have been sporatic...window regulators (expensive), rotors wearing out sooner than expected, brake pad replacements more often than expected, paint and interior/plastic moldings and facia are both quality less than one would expect from a Toyota but overall, a nice sized, comfortable, SAFE car with the side air bags. I purchased the extended warranty and was glad I did. After owning it about two years, I had to replace the transmission, front suspension, it needed major brake re-working and other covered-under-warranty (thank goodness!) work that cost me $50, the warranty company more than $6500...it would have been traded on the spot if I didn't have the warranty coverage. I've had relatively few problems since but every oil change finds something else needing to be replaced...generally minor but it adds up. Two years ago, I gave it to my college bound son as he headed off. I'm comfortable with him driving it to California, Nevada and/or Mexico knowing that it gets decent mileage, handles well, is comfortable and reliable. He's comfortable driving it knowiing its paid for, is relatively cheap to insure, he can haul around his friends in comfort and gets fairly decent gas mileage. All in all, I don't think I'll buy another Toyota---I'm not impressed by the styling of the line (several GM mid-sized cars, Nissans and Infinitis are more sporty--especially the Altima/G35) but the Avalon XLS works for us now.
1997 Avalon Reviews
Showing 8 of 342 reviews.
my car has a salvaged title. its worth more to me than to sell it. my car has been threw alot. i just needed to know what the going value on kbb would be
Leather interior, steering, plenty of room
none this car is perfect
I had an incredible experience with this car. I acquired it at the age of 17, with 150k miles already on the odometer, and it faithfully served me all the way to 240k miles before the transmission ultimately gave out. I must admit that the transmission failure was entirely my own fault. I drove the car carelessly (like teenagers do), pushing the limits of the transmission, and it began to slip around 190k miles. That's still 60k miles of a slipping transmission before it finally had enough! If I had taken better care of the vehicle, it had the potential to reach 300k miles without a doubt. And it drove so smoothly. The steering and handling were like a hot knife to butter. If you're lucky enough to find one of these still on the market and it is in good shape, buy buy buy. This car is a dream.
this car running very good
good car
Fun to drive,smooth has power when needed and reli
I have had NO cons to think of.
This is the Best car ever! Bought it used with 224k miles and its NEVER let me down or stranded. Drives better than most new cars I've riden in. 1995-1999 just great cars!
Quality, comfort, and reliability. It just turned 250,000 miles.
trivially low cost of ownership
not for you if you care about image
Bought this in January. I am a long-distance commuter for school purposes, and I put about four thousand miles on the car between February and April and another three thousand in the last month via daily commuting for an abbreviated summer term. The car is five years older than I am, it's not conventionally attractive (although I love the look of old Japanese cars), and as it has seen 25 Florida summers, it has a noticeable amount of hail damage to the roof. It doesn't have a CD player or keyless entry. Handling is not very good, and performance is weak by modern standards. I don't really care about any of that. I paid about $1,500 for the car, and I feel that it's paid for itself several times over. I have gotten several compliments from different mechanics, who have said that the car is in shockingly good mechanical condition for its age. I also average about 25 mpg in 30% city/70% highway conditions. I did put quite a bit of money into preventative maintenance/wear-and-tear items (C.V. axles, valve cover gaskets, etc., etc.), but that was because I am confident in the car's abilities. Parts are cheap as well. An engine assembly for this car will run you about $600, and there are plenty of good examples out there. Please note - some of the model years of this car and other cars with the same engine are prone to engine sludge. If you are not proactive about oil changes, you can and eventually will do serious damage to the engine. My car (Dec. '94 production date) is not one of the affected models. I still make sure to get oil changes every 4-5k miles, though. Also, make sure your radiator is functioning. I also own a '96 Lexus ES (has the same exact drivetrain), and it blew a head gasket due to the previous owner driving it for an extended period of time with a faulty radiator. Other than that, I can't think of any caveats when buying this car. It's a very low-risk vehicle, and it's perfect for young drivers. After all we've been through together, I think my Avalon deserves a good rest, so I am planning on upgrading in a couple weeks and keeping it as a second car. The replacement will likely be another large Toyota sedan, such as the Lexus LS430 (my first car was an LS400) or a newer high-spec Toyota Avalon.
Fine car
