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Quite like the Avensis Tourer 2011 to 2013 years especially T4 spec a lot of them are autos not adverse to having an auto but what's the reliability like ?
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These are well made and the petrol motors are very robust if looked after. The CVT gearbox is also very longlived but it does need fluid changes I believe every 4 or 5yrs so look for one with a full Toyota main dealer history and verify it has been done either from the service book/receipt or better yet call the dealer that apparently did it to check. It’s often ignored or neglected but for the £100-£150 cost it will preserve the gearbox. If it’s much over 60k and there’s no proof then I’d leave it and find another one or live with the manual if you can but a low mileage car wouldn’t be much of a risk even if it was a good bit beyond its fluid change.
The only common issues on these are sticky brake calippers (problem on most Japs for some reason) and the electronic parking brake but to date mine has been fault free and I have a work colleague with a diesel 11 plate with over 170,000 miles that’s never suffered a major failure.
Get a good one, look after it and it’ll run and run.
Edited by SLO76 on 10/03/2019 at 12:33
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I am very pleased with my 65 reg Business Edition Plus 1.8 petrol auto. Just had its 30k service (done at 28.5k due to a long trip planned after the last service at 18.5k). No problems and 38-40 mpg, maybe a little more on a long run. I find the performance more than adequate and it is a quiet and pleasant drive. I have just replaced the rear tyres with 2 x Nexen. The car now has Nexen all round, I have found them to be very good and sensibly priced at my local tyre fitter. I have the car on a service plan with my excellent Toyota main dealer. I looked long and hard to find the right car, sourced from a main dealer 100 miles away.
Lots of people will make ill informed comments about them being boring, anonymous etc. Well, if a highly reputable manufacturer who stands by their product, faultless reliability (this is our 6th Toyota), low running costs and comfort are boring, then bring it on. I plan to keep this car for the long term and will have it serviced by the book by the main dealer. I believe this is the best way of keeping it long term reliable and giving me sensible running costs.
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if a highly reputable manufacturer who stands by their product, faultless reliability (this is our 6th Toyota), low running costs and comfort are boring, then bring it on.
Those words should be writ large and posted across the top of this forum as a sticky, i could not agree with them more.
I delivered hundreds of these Avensis models when they first came out, very impressed i especially like the Tourer for looks as well as practicality, the only reason one is not on our drive is the electric parking brake, something i will not buy into.
The attention to QC at Burnaston, and the Toyota/Lexus import centre is something to behold, simply put unless the vehicle is absolutely perfect in every way it will not leave, the amount of times i ever had to call for QC to come and look at something could be counted on two fingers over thousands of vehicles, minor marks in both cases but a chap in a white smock was there in minutes to inspect and the car whisked away to be sorted.
Edited by gordonbennet on 10/03/2019 at 13:44
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I actually don’t find this generation particularly dull to drive, they’ve at least made some effort to instill a bit of driver appeal. That said it’s no Mazda 6 or Mondeo. But as a used family car it’s hard to beat under £5k.
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I actually don’t find this generation particularly dull to drive, they’ve at least made some effort to instill a bit of driver appeal. That said it’s no Mazda 6 or Mondeo. But as a used family car it’s hard to beat under £5k.
The ones I'm looking are up for £8,000 to £9,500 at main dealers/good independent dealers with up to 65000 miles on them.
My present Octavia on paper is probably considered to be dull but I've enjoyed driving it and it's been reliable to now but costs are amounting and after 7 years its time for it too move on but I'll miss it :(
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Can't see how you can wrong tbh....given the history checks out ok.
I'm a dyed in the wool Toyota fan...I've had many...and never had any trouble with any of them...both autos and manual.
They are my "go to" make every time.
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I actually don’t find this generation particularly dull to drive, they’ve at least made some effort to instill a bit of driver appeal. That said it’s no Mazda 6 or Mondeo. But as a used family car it’s hard to beat under £5k.
The ones I'm looking are up for £8,000 to £9,500 at main dealers/good independent dealers with up to 65000 miles on them.
My present Octavia on paper is probably considered to be dull but I've enjoyed driving it and it's been reliable to now but costs are amounting and after 7 years its time for it too move on but I'll miss it :(
Watch what you pay. They’re solid big cars but as with all large blue collar mass market models they drop in value quickly. I paid just over £4,000 for a 60 plate 1.8 Estate with 74k and full history in September in a private sale. At this sort of money it’s hard to imagine a better big family car but at nearer £10k I’d probably be looking at an Auris estate or maybe a Honda Civic Estate too. Both are more modern, cheaper to run and will hold their value a bit better.
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I actually don’t find this generation particularly dull to drive, they’ve at least made some effort to instill a bit of driver appeal. That said it’s no Mazda 6 or Mondeo. But as a used family car it’s hard to beat under £5k.
The ones I'm looking are up for £8,000 to £9,500 at main dealers/good independent dealers with up to 65000 miles on them.
My present Octavia on paper is probably considered to be dull but I've enjoyed driving it and it's been reliable to now but costs are amounting and after 7 years its time for it too move on but I'll miss it :(
Watch what you pay. They’re solid big cars but as with all large blue collar mass market models they drop in value quickly. I paid just over £4,000 for a 60 plate 1.8 Estate with 74k and full history in September in a private sale. At this sort of money it’s hard to imagine a better big family car but at nearer £10k I’d probably be looking at an Auris estate or maybe a Honda Civic Estate too. Both are more modern, cheaper to run and will hold their value a bit better.
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I actually don’t find this generation particularly dull to drive, they’ve at least made some effort to instill a bit of driver appeal. That said it’s no Mazda 6 or Mondeo. But as a used family car it’s hard to beat under £5k.
The ones I'm looking are up for £8,000 to £9,500 at main dealers/good independent dealers with up to 65000 miles on them.
My present Octavia on paper is probably considered to be dull but I've enjoyed driving it and it's been reliable to now but costs are amounting and after 7 years its time for it too move on but I'll miss it :(
Watch what you pay. They’re solid big cars but as with all large blue collar mass market models they drop in value quickly. I paid just over £4,000 for a 60 plate 1.8 Estate with 74k and full history in September in a private sale. At this sort of money it’s hard to imagine a better big family car but at nearer £10k I’d probably be looking at an Auris estate or maybe a Honda Civic Estate too. Both are more modern, cheaper to run and will hold their value a bit better.
Unfortunately the Auris is out as its can only tow up to 450kg our trailer weighs 500kg. If we could get past the Civic's looks and telling her indoors the shortlist has increased to 4 cars then maybe Civic is a possibility, but having a look at Auto Trader the nearest one that meets my criteria is 160 miles away and it's white.
I tend to keep my cars for around 48 to 78 months so depreciation not too much of a worry.
Edited by Car on 10/03/2019 at 17:46
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“Unfortunately the Auris is out as its can only tow up to 450kg our trailer weighs 500kg.”
I forgot about that. The Avensis is a fine big car anyway, it should serve you well.
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The CVT gearbox is also very longlived but it does need fluid changes I believe every 4 or 5yrs
I think that it's 6 but obviously subject to other things like mileage, heavy usage & market.
I'm on my 3rd Avensis estate, 2nd T27 (although all manuals) largely for the reasons espoused by MGspannerman.
Op, don't pay extra for the auto box - yes, it cost £1000+ more new than a manual but it doesn't hold that s/h.
At the age that you are looking at you can use the cheaper Toyota Essential Care servicing at main dealers which is pretty competitive.
Edited by Heidfirst on 10/03/2019 at 18:35
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I'd go along with the Avensis suggestion, but if you don't have to have an automatic, what about another Octavia estate as an alternative? Or do you want a change?
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what about another Octavia estate as an alternative? Or do you want a change?
We were put off by the the hatchback as it still has a ridge halfway down the floor not sure if the estate is the same. However all estates in my area are diesels and I want a petrol 2012 or younger up to £9k then there is just 6 on AutoTrader with the nearest one being at least 130 miles away.
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To get a flat floor (essential for me, too) you need an estate that's fitted with a variable boot floor. You're right - at your budget most of them are diesels because at the time when they were new, diesel was all the rage.
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To get a flat floor (essential for me, too) you need an estate that's fitted with a variable boot floor.
I take it that you mean the Skoda as the Avensis estate doesn't have a variable boot floor but it is flat?
A flat floor with the seat backs down is a seemingly rare thing in estates these days, most incl. the likes of the Mazda 626 have seat backs that still sit at an angle when dropped.
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Sorry - yes, I did mean the Octavia / Superb.
Depending ion what you need to carry, a slight angle may not be the end of the world - perhaps less of a hassle than having to lift up the cushions and lower the backrests separately.
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