Ask the Car People.SM


2005-2007 Toyota Avalon

14955 messages,  Last post on Mar 20, 2013 at 3:36 PM

You are in the Toyota Avalon Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Avalon, Sedan

    

Messages Page 371 of 1497

#3692 of 14955 Re: Avalon roasts the competition [just me] by alan_s

Mar 29, 2005 (9:26 pm)

Replying to: just__me (Mar 29, 2005 12:30 pm)
Notice that the "Avalon roasts the competition" in all aspects except the "Squeaks and Rattles" category where it came LAST. This is very disappointing because I have been haunted by numerous rattles in my 2002 Avalon which have taken me many, many hours (months?) over a period of years to trace, dissasemble and resolve. Very un-Toyota like and very maddening. My wife's Sienna rattles like a can of loose nuts and bolts - there are so many it is beyond help. There are numerous Camry posts complaining of rattles too.
I'd like to get feedback from new 05 Avalon owners - are you experiencing squeaks and rattles?
If squeaks and rattles are now standard equipment on Toyotas then I'm outta here...

#3693 of 14955 Re: Avalon roasts the competition [alan_s] by havalongavalon

Mar 29, 2005 (9:57 pm)

Replying to: alan_s (Mar 29, 2005 9:26 pm)
alan_s,
 
I also found it strange that Avalon placed last in the "Squeaks and Rattles" category. They did say that "We noted a few minor fit-and-finish issues that could be attributable to our tester's preproduction status" in the First Place: 2005 Toyota Avalon road test results (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=105147/pageId=63224#12).
 
In my experience after four weeks of ownership, I've found zero squeaks and only one (annoying but fixable) rattle. When the front passenger seat belt is not in use, it can rattle against the panel between the doors if it doesn't hang straight. Otherwise the car is as quiet as can be, thankfully.

#3694 of 14955 Re: Avalon roasts the competition [alan_s] by ronn

Mar 29, 2005 (9:58 pm)

Replying to: alan_s (Mar 29, 2005 9:26 pm)
Alan S.. I do not have any squeaks and rattles on my 05 Limited. It is the quietest car I have ever driven. My neighbor today was outside when I drove up my drive, and he said" that car is so quiet". I have not seen any other post with any noise problems with the Avalon. Hope nobody is having any. I don't hear anything.
Thanks for your post,
RONN
PS I did have to fix the seat belt on the passenger side as it was hitting the panel. It is fine now..just needed adjusting.

#3695 of 14955 Re: Clay bar [chipmunk47] by solara00

Mar 29, 2005 (10:08 pm)

Replying to: chipmunk47 (Mar 29, 2005 4:49 pm)
Hi Chipmunk: Someone may have already answered this, but I'll give it a shot. Like its name states, it's essentially a bar of clay.
 
You can buy it at Autozone I think, or I get mine from www.zainostore.com. From Zaino (about $17) you get 2 bars in a plastic jar each a little smaller than a deck of cards. One bar should do an Avalon-sized car.
 
You wash your car well, then spray on a lubricant, and then rub the claybar all over the car. It is somewhat sticky and picks up rail dust, oil, tree sap, and other residue left on your car even after a good washing.
 
If you use it correctly, you will get a SQUEAKY clean car that is now ready to be polished or waxed. When you rub your hand over a "clayed" surface, it will be as smooth as can be. Zaino and others recommend once a year claying. And they especially recommend it for a new car, before you put on the first coats of polish or wax.
 
Even the newest, cleanest car on the dealer's lot will not be as clean as a car clayed. I highly recommend it. It's also good, if over time, you get a lot of tree sap, oil, or other things on your car that soap and water can't get off alone.
 
One note of caution: The instructions will tell you that if you drop the bar on the ground, you MUST throw it away and get a new bar. If you don't, you will be claying your car with any debris that was on the ground where the claybar fell. Not good....
 
Sorry for the long explanation....claying takes about an hour, but highly worth the effort IMO!

#3696 of 14955 Re: Avalon roasts the competition [alan_s] by just__me

Mar 29, 2005 (10:21 pm)

Replying to: alan_s (Mar 29, 2005 9:26 pm)
I don't know what they are talking about. They also say the best quality of all, then this squeaks and rattles that I never had on any of my other three Avalons nor this 2005, nor my wifes Camry or sons Corolla. Could they mean the seat belt when it hit the side which I also adjusted. Seemed strange to me if they consider that a squeak and rattle. They said Pre-production car, so maybe in that one. I do believe 99% of the Avalon owners will tell you no squeaks and rattles. This Avalon is even built tighter.

#3697 of 14955 Re: Avalon roasts the competition [alan_s] by just__me

Mar 29, 2005 (10:47 pm)

Replying to: alan_s (Mar 29, 2005 9:26 pm)
Alan.. Here is the Overall Build Quality. Avalon beats them all by far. So squeaks and Rattles doesn't compute. Once again they were testing a pre-production car, which means the production car is even better. The other brands weren't pre-production cars, they have been around longer and still couldn't beat the Avalon in almost every category.
Overall Build Quality
Vehicle Score Rank
2005 Toyota Avalon Limited 8.7 ranked #1
2005 Chrysler 300 Limited 7.3 " #2
2005 Ford Five Hundred Limited 7.0 ranked #3
2005 Buick LaCrosse CXS 6.3 4 ranked #4

#3698 of 14955 Re: Clay bar [solara00] by chipmunk47

Mar 30, 2005 (4:41 am)

Replying to: solara00 (Mar 29, 2005 10:08 pm)
Thank you for the information about the clay bar.

#3699 of 14955 Re: Avalon roasts the competition [just me] by chipmunk47

Mar 30, 2005 (4:45 am)

Replying to: just__me (Mar 29, 2005 10:21 pm)
I agree with you. The only squeeks or rattles I had from my 98 Avalon & the 05 comes from my wife's soda can when placed in the cup holder.

#3700 of 14955 Avalon roasts the competition by dan41

Mar 30, 2005 (5:01 am)

I've had my Limited for almost a month now and I have not heard any rattles or squeaks. This is the first car I've ever owned that appears to be very solid. My previous two new cars were back at the shop several times for rattles and squeaks. Some were fixed and others remained phantom rattles. BTW, phantom squeaks and rattles is what drove me to get rid of my 2002 Acura TL Type S.
 
Maybe it's just me, but regarding the Avalon placing last in the "Squeaks and Rattles" category...Isn't this one category where you want to place last?

#3701 of 14955 Re: Clay bar [chipmunk47] by groza

Mar 30, 2005 (5:33 am)

Replying to: chipmunk47 (Mar 30, 2005 4:41 am)
Chipmunk: Mother's and Meguiar's also have clay bar systems.
 
I must beg to differ w/everyone about noises - I have heard many squeals of delight. Do they count?
 
Groza

Messages Page 371 of 1497

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement