I'm Looking To Buy An Avensis But Have Some Questions

[thezoo111]

Hi I am a new member to the TOC, but do not yet own a Toyota, although the other half has an 02 Corolla 1.6 T-Spirit.

Basically I have seen an August 05 registered Avensis 2.2 D4D T-Spirit and have a couple of questions related to it: -

1. Is this car likely to have a cambelt or a cam chain (from other sites I have been looking at it appears that a change from belts to chains was mentioned in 05 but wouldn't come into effect until 2006).

2. The car has alloy wheels but it has 16" tyres and I thought that they come with 17" wheels and tyres, is this normal.

Thanks in advance for your time, and hopefully if I do buy the car I will be back posting further questions here.

[Beagh1958]

Firstly 2.2d has chain drive. You may find a lot of people on forum are of the opinion that this engine has a built in design fault (DPF - particle filter)

Emission control system uses a 5th injector that sprays in clean diesel to burn off any soot/carbon deposits what ever you like to call it via the DPF filter.

This results in lower MPG, thus in some owners opinion destroying a supposed benefit of driving a diesel car ? Wait for other postings, as mentioning this fault on some cars is like opening "Pandora's Box" in some owners opinions.

I know of owners of 2.2d cars who have had no problems a tall with 40 + MPG being the average.

The 2 ltr D4D (cambelt no chain) engine will return a true 50 mpg if not doing short stop/start journeys.

As to wheels, car should have 17inch 7 spoke alloys, but it is possible 1st owner speced other wheels.

[Duffryn]

According to the January 2006 Avensis brochure the 2.2 D4D T Spirit appears to be supplied with 16" 5 spoke alloys as standard, but must admit brochure is a bit confusing on this point. Think 17" alloys may have become standard in 2007 models.