Avensis T180 Any Good?

[cmia]

I just want to but in here.

we have one of the T180 on Hackney Carriage in Wakefield from new.

It has fared alot better then the 2.2 150bhp engines.

Only problem it has had is, egr blocked but a clean egr and a update has resolved these problems

Car has now done in the region of 75k

[adamtse]

This is the one I am looking at the moment

My link

and this one from my local toyota world

My link

please tell me what you think.

[Pat2u]

This is the one I am looking at the moment

My link

and this one from my local toyota world

My link

please tell me what you think.

Second link not showing

[adamtse]

ah i dont think i can copy the toyota link without it expiring.

Basically here are the details:

Toyota Avensis 2.2 D-4D T180 5-Dr

Registration:BK56OFP

Year:2006 (SEP)

Mileage:50,000

Transmission:Manual

Fuel type:Diesel

Price: £8850

it comes with toyota warranty but it's got higher mileage than the local garage one.

[Pat2u]

ah i dont think i can copy the toyota link without it expiring.

Basically here are the details:

Toyota Avensis 2.2 D-4D T180 5-Dr

Registration:BK56OFP

Year:2006 (SEP)

Mileage:50,000

Transmission:Manual

Fuel type:Diesel

Price: £8850

it comes with toyota warranty but it's got higher mileage than the local garage one.

Hi adamtse,

I would hate to advise you on any of the cars you have shown, i personally like to take a good look around any vehicles offered for sale not just the shiny bodywork but underneath ect and in my time i have looked at a few for my kids and friends but at the end of the day the choice will be with yourself and shiny pics on a net site tells me nothing.

I not sure what you intend to do such as part X yours, if you can sell yours private then thats the best way to go in my opinion however if you wish to get shut right away then part X is an option, by going to a toyota dealership they will tell you the history plus service history of any vehicle on there forecourt whilst you are at the dealers which of course is an advantage and as said before never accept the price on the window without a haggle dealers will drop the price, even on new cars i have had discounts.

I wish you luck with your choice and as a T180 tourer owner for the past 3 years i can only say we love the car and as you say they are big.

A final word check what you are getting on any extended warrantee issues, having never used it i do not know how or what you get, all my motors for the past 12 years have been from new.

[adamtse]

Thanks for your advice.

I intend to sell mine privately as I know part exchanging is never a good deal. The first link's garage said I could do a swap if I cough up £500. Idiots.

Don't get me wrong, I go and look at the cars first before I purchase anything especially when there's question mark over the garage's honesty. I just want to know which of those two you experience buyers think is a good deal and I will visit the car. It's a case of spending less for a lower mileage example off an unknown garage/person without warranty, or spending more for a higher mileage example from the main dealer.

I only consider extended warranty because of the problems stated in the previous post. I don't have thousands lying around to fix a major problem. :(

[Bry]

ah i dont think i can copy the toyota link without it expiring.

Basically here are the details:

Toyota Avensis 2.2 D-4D T180 5-Dr

Registration:BK56OFP

Year:2006 (SEP)

Mileage:50,000

Transmission:Manual

Fuel type:Diesel

Price: £8850

it comes with toyota warranty but it's got higher mileage than the local garage one.

Hi adamtse,

I would hate to advise you on any of the cars you have shown, i personally like to take a good look around any vehicles offered for sale not just the shiny bodywork but underneath ect and in my time i have looked at a few for my kids and friends but at the end of the day the choice will be with yourself and shiny pics on a net site tells me nothing.

I not sure what you intend to do such as part X yours, if you can sell yours private then thats the best way to go in my opinion however if you wish to get shut right away then part X is an option, by going to a toyota dealership they will tell you the history plus service history of any vehicle on there forecourt whilst you are at the dealers which of course is an advantage and as said before never accept the price on the window without a haggle dealers will drop the price, even on new cars i have had discounts.

I wish you luck with your choice and as a T180 tourer owner for the past 3 years i can only say we love the car and as you say they are big.

A final word check what you are getting on any extended warrantee issues, having never used it i do not know how or what you get, all my motors for the past 12 years have been from new.

"Avensis tourer is big" bigger than what? Its not bigger than a Passat, Vectra, Mondeo, Mazda 6, Octavia ie nearly all of the competition! it is slightly bigger than a 3 series, the smallest of the competion.

By the way, I have done around 400.000 miles in Vauxhalls and never had a MIL (engine light) come on and no serious failings at all, more than i can say for my useless Avensis T180, diesel guzzling underpeforming excuse for a performance car.

Yes I agree, check you are getting an extended warranty, you will need it!

[OldSkoO1]

That's your oppinion Bry. Your in the minority.

If I ever take advice on car purchases I take advice from a collective of owners not just 1 person.

I look at the jd power survey which ranks toyota 4th for customer satisfaction and vauxhall is also 4th...... 4th last out of 29 with the fiat built engine as a brand dead last. So to me that says the majority haven't enjoyed the ownership experience for various reasons. Fact.

Your are the only t180 owner to condemn it whereas most if not all t180 owners here like their cars. That goes for auris, avensis and rav4 owners.

[Heidfirst]

By the way, I have done around 400.000 miles in Vauxhalls and never had a MIL (engine light) come on and no serious failings at all, more than i can say for my useless Avensis T180, diesel guzzling underpeforming excuse for a performance car.

lucky you - I've certainly got that in Vauxhalls & had it in all my Cavalier, Carlton & Omegas!

Not to say that they weren't good & basically reliable cars but flawless paragons of virtue they weren't.

I did considerable research before buying my Avensis & basically for my needs/budget it came down to it or a Vectra estate.

Fords, VWs etc. they all had problems but these 2 seemed less problematic - as mentioned already all current generation common rail turbo diesels are complex & expensive to fix when something goes wrong.

Certainly imo a Vectra CDTI estate is better in some ways than an Avensis Tourer but worse in some others so it's down to personal choice & usage.

I don't have the T180 but the 150bhp 2.2D4D & I usually average ~45/46 mpg - the other day I did a lot of motorway work & averaged over 51mpg at an average of 67mph which I was quite happy with.

Yes I agree, check you are getting an extended warranty, you will need it!

Toyota it seems are aware of the potential for 2.2D4D head gasket failures & look favourably on an individual case basis upto nearly 100,000 miles.

& yet considering how many cars that basic engine is used in there are only a relative handful of posts here - if it truly was a certainty there should be 1000s of posts here.

Having said that Toyota's own extended warranty (which also includes Club Toyota membership) does seem to be 1 of the better ones around in terms of what is covered & at what cost.

[antred]

ah i dont think i can copy the toyota link without it expiring.

Basically here are the details:

Toyota Avensis 2.2 D-4D T180 5-Dr

Registration:BK56OFP

Year:2006 (SEP)

Mileage:50,000

Transmission:Manual

Fuel type:Diesel

Price: £8850

it comes with toyota warranty but it's got higher mileage than the local garage one.

Hi adamtse,

I would hate to advise you on any of the cars you have shown, i personally like to take a good look around any vehicles offered for sale not just the shiny bodywork but underneath ect and in my time i have looked at a few for my kids and friends but at the end of the day the choice will be with yourself and shiny pics on a net site tells me nothing.

I not sure what you intend to do such as part X yours, if you can sell yours private then thats the best way to go in my opinion however if you wish to get shut right away then part X is an option, by going to a toyota dealership they will tell you the history plus service history of any vehicle on there forecourt whilst you are at the dealers which of course is an advantage and as said before never accept the price on the window without a haggle dealers will drop the price, even on new cars i have had discounts.

I wish you luck with your choice and as a T180 tourer owner for the past 3 years i can only say we love the car and as you say they are big.

A final word check what you are getting on any extended warrantee issues, having never used it i do not know how or what you get, all my motors for the past 12 years have been from new.

"Avensis tourer is big" bigger than what? Its not bigger than a Passat, Vectra, Mondeo, Mazda 6, Octavia ie nearly all of the competition! it is slightly bigger than a 3 series, the smallest of the competion.

By the way, I have done around 400.000 miles in Vauxhalls and never had a MIL (engine light) come on and no serious failings at all, more than i can say for my useless Avensis T180, diesel guzzling underpeforming excuse for a performance car.

Yes I agree, check you are getting an extended warranty, you will need it!

[antred]

ah i dont think i can copy the toyota link without it expiring.

Basically here are the details:

Toyota Avensis 2.2 D-4D T180 5-Dr

Registration:BK56OFP

Year:2006 (SEP)

Mileage:50,000

Transmission:Manual

Fuel type:Diesel

Price: £8850

it comes with toyota warranty but it's got higher mileage than the local garage one.

Hi adamtse,

I would hate to advise you on any of the cars you have shown, i personally like to take a good look around any vehicles offered for sale not just the shiny bodywork but underneath ect and in my time i have looked at a few for my kids and friends but at the end of the day the choice will be with yourself and shiny pics on a net site tells me nothing.

I not sure what you intend to do such as part X yours, if you can sell yours private then thats the best way to go in my opinion however if you wish to get shut right away then part X is an option, by going to a toyota dealership they will tell you the history plus service history of any vehicle on there forecourt whilst you are at the dealers which of course is an advantage and as said before never accept the price on the window without a haggle dealers will drop the price, even on new cars i have had discounts.

I wish you luck with your choice and as a T180 tourer owner for the past 3 years i can only say we love the car and as you say they are big.

A final word check what you are getting on any extended warrantee issues, having never used it i do not know how or what you get, all my motors for the past 12 years have been from new.

"Avensis tourer is big" bigger than what? Its not bigger than a Passat, Vectra, Mondeo, Mazda 6, Octavia ie nearly all of the competition! it is slightly bigger than a 3 series, the smallest of the competion.

By the way, I have done around 400.000 miles in Vauxhalls and never had a MIL (engine light) come on and no serious failings at all, more than i can say for my useless Avensis T180, diesel guzzling underpeforming excuse for a performance car.

Yes I agree, check you are getting an extended warranty, you will need it!

I have had my T180 since October 2008 and in my opinion it is a superb all rounder and the best car I have owned, I would recommend one to anybody. However if I hadn't been happy and had indeed got rid of it 6 -12 months ago I wouldn't still be trawling around internet forums venting my spleen and getting all hot and bothered about something I no longer have.

Bry, you had one, you didn't like it, you got rid, we all know, move on, get a life and concern yourself with something more important

[adamtse]

I have got some potential buyers coming in soon to view my Type R so it won't be long before I am back with Toyota.

Just a couple more quick fire questions I wonder if you wonderful people can answer.

I do apologise if it is asked millions of times before.

1) How much is it to fill and how many miles do you get? (rough figure will do as I know diesel prices vary)

2) Remapping diesels seem to become a trend, anyone had this done with their T180? Could you tell me more about it? will it put stress on the engine and other internals?

3) Are there any reputable independent garages within the midlands area (or anywhere within 50 miles) that cater for the T180?

Thanks again.

[Pat2u]

I have got some potential buyers coming in soon to view my Type R so it won't be long before I am back with Toyota.

Just a couple more quick fire questions I wonder if you wonderful people can answer.

I do apologise if it is asked millions of times before.

1) How much is it to fill and how many miles do you get? (rough figure will do as I know diesel prices vary)

2) Remapping diesels seem to become a trend, anyone had this done with their T180? Could you tell me more about it? will it put stress on the engine and other internals?

3) Are there any reputable independent garages within the midlands area (or anywhere within 50 miles) that cater for the T180?

Thanks again.

(1) Your tank will hold 61 ltrs. I get about 502 miles before i fill up again, never have let my tank get to empty and i use Shell garages not supermarket grade.

(2) Not done a remap.

(3) Sorry not in your area.

Just a final note if the car is fitted with sat nav, be sure to check it has a disc in the player "up to date or not" to check it works.

[adamtse]

500 miles?! that's good! I get about 250 miles with mine. lol.

Where about is the independent garage? If it's worth it then I don't mind travelling. I do that with my Type R, travelling from Birmingham to Cheshire everytime.

[tubaman]

I can never get more than about 55 litres in my tank and 502 is possible (motorway runs etc) - I usually get a little less than this.

[cabcurtains]

A Plug in and Play tuning box (If you want more performance) combined with a Toyota extended warranty is the way to go if you buy something that’s already done 50k (take it off before your local dealer see's the car though!). Injectors/Turbo's (then it kills the cat)/EGR Valves etc etc are the wear and tear items that can let go and most bill's will be in the £0000's to resolve, like all insurance policies ideally you won’t use it but with modern diesels being over complicated and having potentially difficult issues to diagnose let the dealer change all the parts at the warranty companies expense before fixing the issue.

My Passat's turbo has just gone at 54k....still does 700+miles to a tank of derv though :D :P

[adamtse]

Sounds like better to leave it standard then as the car is not reliable enough as it is. haha.

[caveman_si]

Sounds like better to leave it standard then as the car is not reliable enough as it is. haha.

If you want to know about tunning boxes for the T180 then have a word with Kingo on here. He does a box that doesnt mess up with engine and put it in to limp mode everytime you use like a lot of other boxes on the T180.

AS for fuel, I get between 400-550 a tank in my T180 depending on where and how im driving and if ive got anything on the roof.

[OldSkoO1]

I have got some potential buyers coming in soon to view my Type R so it won't be long before I am back with Toyota.

Just a couple more quick fire questions I wonder if you wonderful people can answer.

I do apologise if it is asked millions of times before.

1) How much is it to fill and how many miles do you get? (rough figure will do as I know diesel prices vary)

2) Remapping diesels seem to become a trend, anyone had this done with their T180? Could you tell me more about it? will it put stress on the engine and other internals?

3) Are there any reputable independent garages within the midlands area (or anywhere within 50 miles) that cater for the T180?

Thanks again.

1) I have an Auris with a smaller tank (55 litres) - i've had anything from 430 to 510 and i normally have about 5 litres left.

2) Parts King (on this forum) has a decent tuning box, one of the few i would trust. It increases the boost pressure as well as injecting more fuel, so it keeps a balance instead of running a rich fuel mix. Other boxes just attempt to inject more fuel and it can put the car into limp mode as the ECU is incredibly protective. The boxes should be well within the tolerances. Toyota's are well within their limits by design, more cautious than others so we get good reliability. Also engines and components are designed for worldwide environments, different temperatures and weather conditions. Therefore the fairly average weather in the UK should be kind to operation. I do believe tuning does increase the probability of increased wear on the gearbox, clutch and DMF. Thats not to say it will kill it but there is a small possibility that worn out clutches or DMF's might needed changing a few thousands miles earlier. It's hardly significant and probably won't affect you in your ownership. I would like to install one myself but insurance is saying no.

3) I'm in the midlands and without a doubt, 100%, WR Davies Stafford have given me the best service and after care support compared to every other garage i've ever dealt with. Massive thumbs up. And don't just take my word of it. There are several other members on here congratulating them on their service and professionalism.

[OldSkoO1]

This is the one I am looking at the moment

My link

and this one from my local toyota world

My link

please tell me what you think.

My advice would be, both cars are good examples. I myself like a bit of security. I would personally go with the one from a toyota garage as you should have more relevant after care support if anything goes wrong. That applies to ANY manufacturer. Buying a second hand car is expensive and your entering into the unknown so personally i like security, regardless of the car make / model.

I also looked at the tyres on the independent. They are goodyears and toyota don't supply these. This might sound a bit off the bat but if they are putting on different tyres i wonder how the car was looked after. Normally private owners always go back to toyota for various things. If the are going elsewhere are they trying to save money? But, it could be someone with a personal choice of tyre etc. I do feel 40k in 4 years is quite low for a diesel.

60k is getting on to be a decent mileage for a 4 year old car. This is a good thing imo which could indicate more motorway or dual carriageway miles which is a bit kinder on the car. Higher mileage m-way mile cars are sometimes excellent buys indeed!

Ultimately it is your choice and you should buy what feels best. Its good your trying different t180's, then you can guage how each of them drives. You will easily pick anything up if anything is wrong. It's a diesel afterall so expect some diesel clatter when cold and expect some clatter around 1,8k RPM when accelerating quite hard - its normal. But make sure the idle isn't too rough, check you don't notice any excess smoke in the rear view mirror (you will get white "steam" from cold which is just water vapour in the exhaust when cold). These are not serious issues, just a simple case of a clogged EGR which is to be expect after 3 or 4 years. And EGR clogging affects every modern diesel. Check over the document history for any signs of oil consumption issues. Even check the oil. If it is between the hatches on the dip stick and provided it isn't low, everything should be perfect. If there is no judder or "significant" vibrations through the clutch pedal your clutch and DMF should be in good nick too.

If none of these things are found you'll get an excellent car. Its the same checking with any car, not just a T180.

You should have seen the list of advice i gave to a friend wanting to buy an old ford focus diesel. :)

The important thing is, 40k and 60k are both full service intervals. Provided they have been serviced you will get a good buy. The 60k even more so because the 60k interval i believe includes the fairly expensive timing chain change.

Now time for the first formula one race of the season!!! Have a good day.

[adamtse]

Another fantastic reply from oldschool, thank you so much.

I drove my uncle's old Bora a few months ago and the 140bhp engine seemed quite sufficient. The T180 should be more than enough for the time being. I don't think I will remap it but it seems like everyone is talking about it. People are remapping it left right and centre. I never had that privilege with my N/A Type R. To gain 10bhp, i'm looking at £1000.

Is WR Davies Stafford a main Toyota dealer? Wouldn't they charge a fortune on the smallest of problems?

I know exactly what you mean about that T180 having a different tyre on. It does beg the question whether the previous owner had care for it, unless the Goodyear tyre is a better brand to use? I don't have a clue. The Toyota dealer offer 30 day money back guarantee, 12 months warranty (not sure what it covers) and I could probably haggle for a full tank of diesel plus tax depending on the mood of the salesperson. What's putting me off a little is the car is slightly more expensive (I always buy privately) and have higher mileage. Would you think 50k is ok? A lot of people tell me it's nothing on a diesel engine as it's probably not even broken in yet. I have never owned a diesel before so I'm a bit clueless. Like other buyers, I try to seek the lowest possible mileage example for my money and sometimes neglect the fact whether it had been proper looked after and where it mostly spend its time - motorway or town.

I think I might have to print off this thread to use as a check list when I view the car.

What are the service intervals? Every 10,000 miles or 1 year? Since the engine is so sophisticated, should I be put off if the service book includes services done by either themselves or by a local average-joe garage?

You know what I need, I need you to come for a viewing with me.

[Pat2u]

Another fantastic reply from oldschool, thank you so much.

I drove my uncle's old Bora a few months ago and the 140bhp engine seemed quite sufficient. The T180 should be more than enough for the time being. I don't think I will remap it but it seems like everyone is talking about it. People are remapping it left right and centre. I never had that privilege with my N/A Type R. To gain 10bhp, i'm looking at £1000.

Is WR Davies Stafford a main Toyota dealer? Wouldn't they charge a fortune on the smallest of problems?

I know exactly what you mean about that T180 having a different tyre on. It does beg the question whether the previous owner had care for it, unless the Goodyear tyre is a better brand to use? I don't have a clue. The Toyota dealer offer 30 day money back guarantee, 12 months warranty (not sure what it covers) and I could probably haggle for a full tank of diesel plus tax depending on the mood of the salesperson. What's putting me off a little is the car is slightly more expensive (I always buy privately) and have higher mileage. Would you think 50k is ok? A lot of people tell me it's nothing on a diesel engine as it's probably not even broken in yet. I have never owned a diesel before so I'm a bit clueless. Like other buyers, I try to seek the lowest possible mileage example for my money and sometimes neglect the fact whether it had been proper looked after and where it mostly spend its time - motorway or town.

I think I might have to print off this thread to use as a check list when I view the car.

What are the service intervals? Every 10,000 miles or 1 year? Since the engine is so sophisticated, should I be put off if the service book includes services done by either themselves or by a local average-joe garage?

You know what I need, I need you to come for a viewing with me.

Hi again,

I think you will find the T180 adequate to your needs without adding more power, now on to salemen my grandson is one they all have to make commission more so on new cars but also put it on second hand cars on the forecourt "there perk" however they do like to shift the ones on the forecourt quickly and if they think they have a potental buyer then you can do a lot of haggling with the saleman even if you walk away at the end of the day, go in hard with any haggle the salesman may pop to and fro to the back office to see his/her manager to see if they can accomadate your request however the wait can be fruitful.

I notice the tyres too on the independant garage being goodyear, i also noticed that there was no mention of a sat nav either i am sure that model had a full colour one fitted "could be wrong" though.

[Heidfirst]

I also looked at the tyres on the independent. They are goodyears and toyota don't supply these.

mmm, yes they do.

My car is an ex-Toyota GB car via a Toyota dealer & it came with Goodyear NCT5s all round.

[Bry]

I also looked at the tyres on the independent. They are goodyears and toyota don't supply these.

mmm, yes they do.

My car is an ex-Toyota GB car via a Toyota dealer & it came with Goodyear NCT5s all round.

Yes thats true, NCT5's were fitted to my T180 from new and the other 2 T180's I was given by Toyota while they tried to fix mine.

Also, all manufacturers do not get trouble with blocked EGR's, Ihave never had a blocked egr on company Vectra's, Mondeo's or Passat's or any other problem really, all completed around 150K before changeout.

[Bry]

ah i dont think i can copy the toyota link without it expiring.

Basically here are the details:

Toyota Avensis 2.2 D-4D T180 5-Dr

Registration:BK56OFP

Year:2006 (SEP)

Mileage:50,000

Transmission:Manual

Fuel type:Diesel

Price: £8850

it comes with toyota warranty but it's got higher mileage than the local garage one.

Hi adamtse,

I would hate to advise you on any of the cars you have shown, i personally like to take a good look around any vehicles offered for sale not just the shiny bodywork but underneath ect and in my time i have looked at a few for my kids and friends but at the end of the day the choice will be with yourself and shiny pics on a net site tells me nothing.

I not sure what you intend to do such as part X yours, if you can sell yours private then thats the best way to go in my opinion however if you wish to get shut right away then part X is an option, by going to a toyota dealership they will tell you the history plus service history of any vehicle on there forecourt whilst you are at the dealers which of course is an advantage and as said before never accept the price on the window without a haggle dealers will drop the price, even on new cars i have had discounts.

I wish you luck with your choice and as a T180 tourer owner for the past 3 years i can only say we love the car and as you say they are big.

A final word check what you are getting on any extended warrantee issues, having never used it i do not know how or what you get, all my motors for the past 12 years have been from new.

"Avensis tourer is big" bigger than what? Its not bigger than a Passat, Vectra, Mondeo, Mazda 6, Octavia ie nearly all of the competition! it is slightly bigger than a 3 series, the smallest of the competion.

By the way, I have done around 400.000 miles in Vauxhalls and never had a MIL (engine light) come on and no serious failings at all, more than i can say for my useless Avensis T180, diesel guzzling underpeforming excuse for a performance car.

Yes I agree, check you are getting an extended warranty, you will need it!

I have had my T180 since October 2008 and in my opinion it is a superb all rounder and the best car I have owned, I would recommend one to anybody. However if I hadn't been happy and had indeed got rid of it 6 -12 months ago I wouldn't still be trawling around internet forums venting my spleen and getting all hot and bothered about something I no longer have.

Bry, you had one, you didn't like it, you got rid, we all know, move on, get a life and concern yourself with something more important

I guess that makes at least two of us then