Used 2005 Toyota Avalon

"my 2nd Avalon"

"I am in my 70's and have had several new cars. I have had a Avalon 2005 and put 127,000 on it before selling it myself in one day and currently have a 2011 with 41,000 miles. Never a problem with either and I will be getting a 2015 or 2016 soon. The Avalon is the best overall car I have ever had. economical, very dependable & comfortable, very little depreciation. For us it is a prefect car."

"Great car but not perfect"

"Just bought this car in the XLS trim at 100,00 miles and happy with it. This was Toyota's top end sedan at the time and a luxurious vehicle. Including features that wasn't normalized until a decade later. Surprised with the quality considering it was made in America and not Japan. No creaking noises and cheap plastic. Power windows, sliding center console, sun roof, heated seats, power/heated mirrors, JBL premium sound, and infotainment screen for fuel economy, climate control, and mile range. Interior is a mostly leather with laminated wood similar to some Lexus models. Basically a Toyota with Lexus budget. In my opinion body design and exterior aged very well and its a shame they stopped using it in the newer models. This is a 5 seater full size sedan that was to appeal to Americans at the time. Reclining backseats with plenty of leg room and can easily fit adults comfortably in all seats. Large trunk that fits a full size spare tire underneath. This is a reliable, comfortable, and fast car, what more can you ask for and makes a good first car. This V6 makes good power and an absolute sleeper, while managing to be fuel efficient. It was made to be quiet and is almost as smooth as a hybrid on the road! Now the cons that doesn't put this at a 5 star. I've done extensive research before buying this vehicle. I'm not going to get into every issue but i'm going to cover the main takeaways that I KNOW OF if the engine hasn't been neglected on its maintenance and my personal opinion of what I didn't like. If your looking for an engine to learn on if your just getting into mechanics. Well this engine isn't exactly the easiest to take apart and put back together for novice car enthusiasts as myself compared to other Toyota and Hondas. Very large and complicated engine from my experience but basic maintenance is definitely viable to do yourself such as fluids. The rear spark plugs aren't so accessible because its a V-style engine. This car has little to no room for personality with aftermarket cosmetic mods. Its more of a personal opinion if you think that's a pro or con. Funny enough its considered a grandpa car on most online threads despite its 6.4 second 0-60 MPH. Most of the people who bought this generation of Avalon's were older folks that babied it. It is supposed to be quite and smooth ride and you wont be finding body kitted stanced 3rd gen Avalon's very often. I'm not trying to reach on this one but there is a pretty bad sun glare on the dashboard on sunny days. And then not just this model but Toyota is known for their dashboards bubbling up in the sun. I had to buy a fabric dashboard cover to fix this problem because I keep it parked outside. This first generation of the 2GR-FE oil line came out the factory made out of rubber and loved to rupture. There was a recall for it to replace it with metal (mine was fixed when I bought it). There is a issue where the acceleration is jumpy and over accelerates at slow speeds. I have seen it myself and others have reported it. Doesn't happen to often that I've personally noticed. VVTI gears had a manufacturing problem and can go out at around 210,000 miles and a rattle will appear on a cold start. Known for coolant leak, that takes a long to see it dripping, and even oil leaks. And most of the time its too late for your bearing's when you notice. This is a good car and engine that can go a million miles but can quickly turn into a nightmare if maintenance isn't kept up (like most cars). If your looking to buy this car ask if they changed their oil every 5k miles and MAINTENENCE IS KEY for longevity. The previous generation Avalon's were definitely more of a tank and customizable but I still plan on keeping my 2006 Avalon for a long time and love this car."

"INCREDIBLE VALUE and RELIABILITY"

"I bought this car when I was 40, coming out of several Corvettes and a Viper. I only found out later that the average age buyer of the Avalon is 62!! I didn't care. What a GREAT car. It is big, fast, smooth, and RELIABLE. I have been averaging over 26 miles per gallon with this car and NOT ONE single mechanical problem. I have put 95,000 miles on it in two and a half years. I have changed the oil consistently every 4,000 miles. This car still feels and drives like it did with 5 miles on it. The Toyota 3.5 variable timing motor is probably the smoothest most efficient six out there. Ive driven a G35, it feels the same performance wise but the motor is just thrashier and it wont get the same mileage as the Toyota. If front wheel drive doesnt bother you, buy the avalon..The only complaint I have is the paint chips a little too easily."