2000 Toyota Avalon - My Reliable Avalon
I have been driving this Avalon for the past 14 years and I just love it! I have very low mileage, so I suspect I will be driving it for many more. When I purchased the car I had not imagined myself being able to afford such luxury but, as luck would have it, someone had just turned this vehicle in on a lease so I was able to pick it up with less than 15,000 miles on the odometer. It is the top of the line model with all the luxuries like leather seats, power everything, a moon roof, upgraded stereo, upgraded tires - basically everything I could hope for. The car is perfect for me because it has a bench seat which makes it easy for me to get in and out, plus it accommodates my large size. The car has been incredibly reliable; I spend relatively little on maintenance and upkeep. I... (more)
I have been driving this Avalon for the past 14 years and I just love it! I have very low mileage, so I suspect I will be driving it for many more. When I purchased the car I had not imagined myself being able to afford such luxury but, as luck would have it, someone had just turned this vehicle in on a lease so I was able to pick it up with less than 15,000 miles on the odometer. It is the top of the line model with all the luxuries like leather seats, power everything, a moon roof, upgraded stereo, upgraded tires - basically everything I could hope for. The car is perfect for me because it has a bench seat which makes it easy for me to get in and out, plus it accommodates my large size. The car has been incredibly reliable; I spend relatively little on maintenance and upkeep. I have had a bit of a challenge with the electrical system, but I believe it is because I had an electric lift installed on the back of the car that drains the battery unnecessarily. The seats are easily adjustable which has been a real plus because there are a few of us who drive the car regularly. It is nice to be able to get a perfectly comfortable fit. The trunk is huge! One of the first things I did when I got the car was take a long vacation trip, and it was just great to be able to fit everything in so easily. I have a big Golden Retriever dog and it is also great that she can get into and out of the car so easily, and the leather is very forgiving. I don't worry about her damaging the seats when she's in the car. I love taking the car for long trips because the ride is so smooth. I always joke that it is like driving around a big, comfortable sofa. The ride is also incredibly quiet. I don't know how they are able to accomplish that, but it's great.
I love when we're driving with the sun roof open and I have the front seat armrest in the down position. My Golden Retriever will sit in the backseat with her front paws on the front seat armrest and stick her head out of the sun roof. I never do this if we are driving very far or very fast. It's just fun for cruising the neighborhood and we get plenty of stares and laughs and smiles.
I love when we're driving with the sun roof open and I have the front seat armrest in the down position. My Golden Retriever will sit in the backseat with her front paws on the front seat armrest and stick her head out of the sun roof. I never do this if we are driving very far or very fast. It's just fun for cruising the neighborhood and we get plenty of stares and laughs and smiles.
The comfortable size - 4 doors.
Front bench seating.
It's a Toyota and extremely reliable.
Luxurious appointments like all leather seating.
Automatic transmission, power steering, powerful brakes.
Big trunk.
The comfortable size - 4 doors.
Front bench seating.
It's a Toyota and extremely reliable.
Luxurious appointments like all leather seating.
Automatic transmission, power steering, powerful brakes.
Big trunk.
It's black, which is not my favorite color.
It's not the most environmentally friendly choice.
It sometimes bottoms out when going in and out of driveways.
The battery has trouble holding a charge if not driven regularly.
It's black, which is not my favorite color.
It's not the most environmentally friendly choice.
It sometimes bottoms out when going in and out of driveways.
The battery has trouble holding a charge if not driven regularly.
2000 Toyota Avalon - Reliable, comfortable, and relatively efficient.
My Avalon is a fantastic vehicle in general. For the price, the fuel efficiency, reliability, and comfort are incredible. It has never had a rough start. It has never made an odd noise. It has never done anything out of the ordinary. For nearly 18 years, this vehicle has had the reliability of a brand new vehicle. On the freeway, you can squeeze out 31 MPG if you're careful -- which is not bad for a vehicle of that size and age. I have driven this car for more than ten hours a day (I go on lots of road trips) dozens of times, and I never hurt at the end of the day. Additionally, I move around a lot, and I can fit everything I own (which, to be fair, isn't much) in it.
My Avalon is a fantastic vehicle in general. For the price, the fuel efficiency, reliability, and comfort are incredible. It has never had a rough start. It has never made an odd noise. It has never done anything out of the ordinary. For nearly 18 years, this vehicle has had the reliability of a brand new vehicle. On the freeway, you can squeeze out 31 MPG if you're careful -- which is not bad for a vehicle of that size and age. I have driven this car for more than ten hours a day (I go on lots of road trips) dozens of times, and I never hurt at the end of the day. Additionally, I move around a lot, and I can fit everything I own (which, to be fair, isn't much) in it.
There is a beach nearby, and four of my friends, plus myself, all went with all our stuff. Everyone had enough space, and to the disappointment of some (me), someone bought a chair. It fit in there too. There is a serious amount of storage space in there.
There is a beach nearby, and four of my friends, plus myself, all went with all our stuff. Everyone had enough space, and to the disappointment of some (me), someone bought a chair. It fit in there too. There is a serious amount of storage space in there.
The best thing is, by far, the reliability. I change oil every 5k miles. I take it in for a "check-up" every year to two years, and I put in premium gas (as recommended by the manufacturer). With these basic steps, I've never had a problem, and that is by far the most important thing to me. There is also lots of cargo room. It is a handsome vehicle (in my opinion), especially freshly washed and waxed, and the controls are intuitive. It is also very smooth, and the suspension is ridiculously soft -- which I like but does not make for a sporty vehicle, so this may be a con, depending on ... (more)
The best thing is, by far, the reliability. I change oil every 5k miles. I take it in for a "check-up" every year to two years, and I put in premium gas (as recommended by the manufacturer). With these basic steps, I've never had a problem, and that is by far the most important thing to me. There is also lots of cargo room. It is a handsome vehicle (in my opinion), especially freshly washed and waxed, and the controls are intuitive. It is also very smooth, and the suspension is ridiculously soft -- which I like but does not make for a sporty vehicle, so this may be a con, depending on your preference.
The top negatives are mostly things it can't do because of what it is. It won't handle snow like a vehicle with AWD. It won't go from 0-60 in three seconds. It won't get great fuel efficiency (but decent, for its size). It can be hard to park in the city, because it is quite long, and the city MPG is not great (~18 mpg in a city that doesn't require nearly as many start/stops as others).
The top negatives are mostly things it can't do because of what it is. It won't handle snow like a vehicle with AWD. It won't go from 0-60 in three seconds. It won't get great fuel efficiency (but decent, for its size). It can be hard to park in the city, because it is quite long, and the city MPG is not great (~18 mpg in a city that doesn't require nearly as many start/stops as others).
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