Toyota Avensis 2000 test drive - 2003 sedan
Hostage to nostalgia
According to the law of the secondary market, which states that the car should deliver as few problems as possible, Toyota Avent could become a leader in its class. If not for the high reputation of her predecessor Karina-e. Expected more
Karina-E was phenomenally reliable and tenacious. In the mode of the company's acceleration, the company, which was nursed, was not laziness, it ran without problems 250,000,000,000 km in Moscow (Moscow in the mid-90s, when the quality of roads, gasoline and corporate service was completely different), after which she went into the next hands, And the new owner was also happy. People said that it is easier for Karin to sell than torture. Yes, and the car itself was a success: magnificent motors, a spacious salon, which other business class models will envy, a huge trunk. And the design was so ahead of time that even today Karina does not look outdated.
After such a successful model, buyers expected something even more outstanding. And in the fall of 1997, Ansis waited a car, of course, more modern, but there was no trace of the former brightness. The salon from the back has become closer, the trunk in the sedan also decreased. In general, at first glance, he did not pull the role of a worthy heir to Karina-E Ansis. Of course, he became much better in terms of safety, sled qualities, soundproofing and smoothness, because he appeared at a time when Toyota learned to make cars that travel much more solid and noble than they look outside. On the move, Avensis is perceived by a compact front -wheel drive Mercedes with a Toyota emblem. But to understand this, you first need to buy a car.
And then the reputation of supernights suffered. There was such a hype around childhood diseases that people finally established themselves in the opinion: Ansis is no longer Karina. In fact, the car was not at all bad. Just buyers are accustomed to the fact that Karina did not break at all. But this was true only in relation to Japanese. After the assembly of Karina-E using European components was transferred to England in 1996, the situation changed somewhat clearly which way. But then the locomotive of the purchasing trust was so accelerated that he simply did not have time to feel the roughnesses of the European quality. Ansis was originally collected in England. Badly and good concepts are relative. To obtain an objective picture, it is better to operate with facts. The Avensis of the first years of production had five weaknesses: front brake discs, steering rods, a cardan joint of the steering column, immobilizer and heating the seats. Over time, problems with these details learned to eliminate low blood. After that, the Avensis becomes a typical Toyota of reliable and surprisingly hardy.
Only from Europe
Ansis not only collected, but also sold exclusively in Europe. Therefore, in this case, the question of regional specifications for Japanese cars disappears. You will not come across an American with the lighting technology of the overseas standard, or the emirate, afraid of the cold. It remains only to choose the optimal body, motor and transmission.
With a sedan and a station wagon, everything is clear which one to choose depends on your needs in the amount of the useful volume of the trunk. In addition, Avensis still has a liftbek body. In fact, this is an ordinary 5-door hatchback, but not with kutsi, but with a long, like a sedan, with the rear overhang and a smoothly falling fifth door. Ansis-liftbek looks prettier than the sedan, and in terms of the transformation of the trunk, it is almost not inferior to the station wagon. Therefore, it is very popular in Europe. Of the disadvantages of the liftback, a poor rear review and low ceiling above the rear sofa can be noted.
The liftback trunk in terms of transformation is practically not inferior to the station wagon
Like all Japanese cars, Ansis in all modifications has an average, quite sufficient level of equipment. An absolutely naked car or, conversely, you will not meet with Sibaritic little things. It is guaranteed to count on an electric package, ABS brakes and, at least two airbags. Heating of the seats and, in rare cases, a factory leather interior is also possible. But the air conditioner may not be. Europeans, you know, jail.
Avensis does not experience any specific body problems, and time has not yet come for corrosion. So far, we can only talk about possible problems in electrical equipment.
Does not start and does not warm
On the machines of the 1998 model year, the immobilizer can forget the key code, and the car will suddenly refuse to start. If this happens far from the corporate service, you can try to turn on the ignition for 3035 minutes when closed doors, and then turn the key to the start of the start. This usually helps. But when the memory failure will occur the next time, it is unknown. Therefore, it is better to replace the electronic block of the immobilizer.
Sometimes the forgetting control of the central castle suffers from the forgetfulness of the remote control. If at the time of opening or closing the doors a strong radio interference passes, the corresponding function may stop working. The operability of the key fob is restored by programming in the Toyota technical center, before the visit to which you can use the key.
But if the central castle began to spontaneously close and open, then the water and salt reached the electric part of the driver's door, which controls the central lock. The driver's lock will have to be replaced.
The heating of the seats at first failed due to the fact that the heating element in the pillow was incorrectly laid and frayed on a metal frame. Imagine what shock the buyers expected when they found out that the heating element is not supplied separately in the spare parts and you need to buy a chair in the collection! But now you can buy a heating pad separately, and the mechanics received instructions from the Japanese how to lay it correctly.
The front electric windows can work unevenly, and the glass after a complete rise upward in the car spontaneously drop down. All this is eliminated by cleaning from the dirt of guide glass and lubricating the mechanism. And the command on the hollow is given when the glass rests against the distorted upper seal and perceives this as an obstacle from pinching. It is only necessary to correct the seal that has shown over time.
If the arrows of the indicators of the temperature of the coolant and the fuel level began to freeze, and the magical technique of the telemaster is a blow to the visor of the dashboard forces them to startle, which means that the dashboard from the vibrations shifted down and lay down on the axis of the arrows. Remove the panel and put the dial in place. For Toyota electrician 40 minutes of work. By the way, if a low -level butter in the engine once lights up on the tidy, do not panic, but take out the probe. Most likely, the oil is on the spot, and the cause of the commotion was an unsuccessfully laid wire to the sensor, which was frayed. Restore his pair of trifles.
What is the price
Replacing an immobilizer block $ 620
Replacing the driver's door lock $ 70
Replacing the heating element $ 340
Fasted Lin Bern
Speaking about the engines of Ansis, it is necessary to distinguish between cars before and after 2001 model year, when the car was easy to restyling and received completely new motors. These cars are still young and have not yet appeared in the secondary market.
Which of the engines to buy Avensis 19982000 model years, primarily depends on the quality of the fuel sold in your region. If even injection vases are spitting from local gasoline, it is better to abandon engines with the power system Lin Bern (in literal translation of subtle burning) operating on a superior fuel mixture. These are 101- and 110-horsepower fours with a volume of 1.6 and 1.8 liters, which were not supplied to Russia. For their volume, they are exemplary economical, but they are very sensitive to the quality of what burns and what they are set on fire. In Moscow, where the gas station is at the very least control, Lin Berna behaves in general normally. But after refueling with frank surrogate, such an engine may immediately require replacing candles up to a complete refusal to start in the cold. And the candles on Lin Bernnah, by the way, with a platinum of the elf of the electrode, are $ 12 apiece, and ordinary instead cannot be placed.
In our conditions, a 2-liter 128-horsepower motor is preferable and 110-horsepower in 1.6 liters. The latter was delivered mainly to Russia and the countries of Eastern Europe and is rare. In these engines and candles, ordinary 4-dollar are used, and they react to the quality of gasoline not so painful. True, a 2-liter with a bourgeon in the tank can also lock with a frosty morning. But if not on the first attempt, then with the third it starts.
According to the characteristics for ANENSIS, 1.8 liter engines are optimal (in Europe it is the most popular) and, of course, 2-liter. Lin Bern equipped with a power system, a 1.6-liter engine is still sluggish. But the usual one and six travels almost like 1.8 l Lin Bern.
A 1.8 liter motor is only with a power system Lin Bern, 2-liter, on the contrary, without it, and for 1.6 liters, options are possible. There are several ways to visually distinguish Lin Bern. The easiest to find out which way the fungus installed in the end of the fuel ramp is inclined. If he looks ahead, then this is Lin Bern. In the direction of the windshield (see photo) a regular engine. As on any engine with a catalyst, ethylated gasoline will sooner or later finish the oxygen sensor (or lambda-zond). Keep in mind that on ordinary engines and those that Lin Bern have a power system, completely different sensors are installed. Outwardly, they are similar and the threads are the same. But if you confuse them, the engine will not work normally.
In operation, ANENSIS engines require minimum attention. They don't eat oil. Budgeted gaps, although regulated by washers, but in practice, are almost never required. Even the timing belt belt videos live before the second replacement of the belt, that is, 200,000 km! Yes, thousands after 150 may require replacement oil -removable valve caps or a crankshaft oil seal. But these are natural age -related sores, unstable and conversation. But no regular refusals of control electronics and the high -voltage part of the ignition system, the leakage and water pumps of all that European motors so love to delight the owner.
A typical mistake of garage motorists. If when installing the camshafts (for example, after replacing oil -cut caps), do not take a scissor gear, any of the engines during work will be published, similar to a knock of valves. Accordingly, Petrovich has a reason to dilute you to adjust the valves
Engines in operation
As we have already said, Avensis gasoline engines are very unpretentious. The only operation that has to be done more often than the replacement of the spark plugs is prescribed. On our gasoline they serve 10,00020,000 km. But the timing belt does not require discounts on Russian specifics. According to the instructions, it changes after 100,000 km.
There are practically no sore engines common to all engines. Only minor particulars are possible. If the motor is equipped with one ignition coil located in the distributor case, it sometimes fails. And on 2-catering versions for three years, one of the candle caps can break through. However, both of them rarely happen.
Over time, the recirculation of waste gases flies out on a 2-liter engine, as a result of which the machine begins to stall during the discharge of gas. If you are especially happy for the ecology, you can replace the valve. Or turn off, which will lead to a slight increase in toxicity. In addition, this motor is characterized by increased timing belt. Nothing criminal, this is a normal phenomenon.
What is the price
Replacing light spark plugs (only work) $ 20
Replacing a timing belt without rollers (1.6/1.8/2.0) $ 245/230/300
Replacing the ignition coil $ 155
Replacing candle wires $ 80
Replacing the recirculation valve $ 170
This is vitality!
The ANENSIS chassis actually turned out to be no less resilient than that of Karina. It’s just that they did not notice this for the savory of growth diseases. Here we will start with children's sores.
The front brake discs at first talked and caused the beating on the steering wheel during braking. The problem was solved only on the restyled machines of the 2001 model year, when instead of drum rear brakes, Avensis received more effective disc. On cars of the early years of production, the technology prescribes to grind the curved discs. But their wear supply is already small, so buying original discs that will still begin to beat is pointless. At the end of the warranty period, it is better to buy discs of the Italian company Brembo, which are half cheaper and not prone to beating.
The steering rods on the first cars walked only 20,00030,000 km. But soon their design was strengthened, and now parts of a new sample, which are enough at least 100,000 km in spare parts. However, on the purchased car, traction has probably already changed. The jamming of the cardan hinge of the steering column, when the steering wheel rotates with tangible jerks, also took place on the early Ansis. To get rid of this, it is necessary to disconnect the steering shaft and fill the crankcase slots with Castro-Lm grease. The case is penny.
The culprit of the knocks when rotating the steering wheel most often becomes a cardan hinge (shown by an arrow). It is enough to remove it and grease it If the 500-liter ANENSIS trunk is used as a truck body, the rear springs and wheels can stand up and the wheels will stand up. But this is no longer a childhood, but a country disease. Love to carry bricks and bags with cement put the springs from the station wagon, they are harder. Better buy a trailer.
What else? From a blow, a wheel bearing can walk, and from the salt to fail the ABS wheeled sensor or break off the rolling fitting of the rear brake cylinder. But these are isolated cases that do not claim to be statistics. The flow or knock of the steering rack on runs up to 150,000 km (there are not enough cars with a large mileage) is also a rarity. If this happens, the rail does not have to be changed to a new one. It can be repaired in the authorized workshop of the German company ZF.
The average walnuting of other chassis parts is presented in the operating cost table. As you can see, up to 100,000 km (on our roads!) There is nothing to do in the suspension by and large. And the phrase of more than 150,000 km means that according to the natural wear, these parts have never changed. Judging by the experience of Karina-E, the chassis of which with small changes adopted Avensis, their turn is closer to 200,000 km.
That is, taking a car with a mileage of about 100,000 km in Europe, in the next one hundred thousand, you will only change bushings and stabilizers, shock absorbers and, possibly, the rear silent blocks of levers. All. The rest of the expenses will go to the next owner.
Are you embarrassing the numbers in the table? These are prices for spare parts and work from an official dealer with a 50-dollar standstock. In independent firms, original details cost 1520% cheaper, and the norm in unauthorized Toyota workshops cost $ 2530. So, the cost of parts and their replacement can reduce 40 percent.
Operational costs (chassis)
Front suspension and steering
Rear suspension
60 000 - 80,000 km
80 000 - 100,000 km
stabilizer bushings $ 65
Stabilizer bushings $ 47
brembo brake discs $ 180
100,000 - 120,000 km
100,000 - 120,000 km
Stabilizer racks $ 210
steering rods $ 330
Shock absorbers $ 470
shock absorbers $ 380
more than 150,000 km
stabilizer racks $ 185
PRODOL levers (2 pcs.) $ 230
120 000 - 150,000 km
transverse levers (4 pcs.) $ 560
rear silent blocks of levers $ 200
Fists $ 450
more than 150,000 km
Possible unscheduled expenses
balls $ 270
Repair of the steering rack in the ZF workshop $ 350
levers assembly $ 640
Replacing the steering rack $ 1450
steering tips $ 220
Replacing the front hub bearing (1 pc.) $ 150
replacing the rear springs $ 360
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Replacing the wheel sensor ABS (1 pc.) $ 210
Prices of original details, taking into account the replacement in an unauthorized technical center.
Buy? Nostalgic for Japanese Karin, it is like looking for last year's snow. Forget. Today, almost all medium -class Japanese cars intended for the European market are gathering in Europe. But even with the adjustment to the European quality, Ansis remains one of the best (if not the best) in its class in the secondary market. In the heading for three years, we did not get acquainted with many classmates of Japanese and European brands. So far, I do not see a single model that can compare with Avensis in terms of reliability, endurance and, as a result, cheapness of the content at the age of three to five years.
However, Avensis are not taking little from Europe. The reason is high price. 2000 cars with a 1.6 liter engine cost from $ 13,000, and the price of 2-liter versions with an automaton reaches $ 16,500. For a middle-class Japanese car, this is expensive. Even taking into account the fact that Toyota traditionally costs somewhat more expensive than other Japanese cars.
In this case, the price is the barometer of the attractiveness of the goods. If you calculate the costs of maintenance and repair, it turns out that many classmates of Avensis (especially German) quickly compensate for the original price with it and then go into the gap. Since car repairs in developed countries are expensive, calculating Europeans prefer to overpay when buying than to pay more frequent repairs.
If you liked the Avensis as a whole, but you consider it too expensive, it may make sense to wait a bit when Europe will fill the new Avensis and the prices of the previous generation cars will slightly decrease.
The machine is rare An automatic box on Avensis can be obtained with 1.8 and 2 liters of engines. However, there are practically no statistics on it. Russian dealers offered only a 2-liter version with machine guns. However, judging by the price of automatic machines, they were not offered very persistently. And from Europe, Avensis is generally not being taken. But if you consider that the Karina-E stood almost the same box and it was quite reliable, it can be assumed that Avensis should not have problems.
Most likely, you will have to deal with a manual box. The unit is also trouble -free. Only a short muffled squeak at the time of release of clutch can attract your attention, which is characteristic of some copies. It's OK. You can travel with this for an arbitrarily long time. The clutch usually serves about 150,000 km, and the oil in a manual box, as in automatic, is ordered to change after 40,000 km.
What is the price
Clutch replacement $ 580
Alexander Konov, photo Alexander Sadovnikov
Source: Magazine "Limousine" [05/03]
