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2008 Toyota Avalon

636 messages,  Last post on Dec 02, 2009 at 6:43 AM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Avalon, Future Vehicle, Sedan


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#553 of 636
Re: Question on miles per gallon display [doug3030] by fin
Mar 10, 2009 (7:17 pm)
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Replying to: doug3030 (Mar 10, 2009 12:50 pm)

Actually, you don't want to "fill it to the cap". This was ok decades ago but it is a very expensive mistake today. Here's why: Modern emission controls siphon off fuel vapor from the gas tank. If any liquid gets in the line designed for vapor it can ruin parts of the emission control system. Big bucks here...
 
Fill the tank only until the auto cutoff shuts down the pump. It is probably safe to pump more but only until the cutoff occurs again. Never more. Make sure you are on level ground and always use the same pump. This will give you the best chance to get accurate fuel mileage locally. On trips, same thing, but pumps are different so take several readings.
 
Fuel mileage indicators, such as on my '07 Limited w/Nav, are not accurate and the old fashioned way works better, your right. And the DTE (distance to empty) is nonsense by concept. Enjoy the Avy, great cars.
#554 of 636
Re: Mileage and power [neil5] by fmfl
Mar 17, 2009 (10:46 am)
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Replying to: neil5 (Mar 10, 2009 12:33 pm)

I did a double-take when I read "BMW GummyPledge" ... asking myself what in the heck is that. I googled it and found out it is a protectant sold at BMW places, and that it is probably pretty expensive. Neil5 is on the ball. However, I asked myself what cheapskates use, so I googled Advance Auto and found out they sell something called Jig-A-Loo (which is currently on sale, 2 cans for $8). I also found out the stuff is sold all over the place, e.g., Home Depot, True Value, etc. There is even a Metacafe Advertisement, that will probably go down as the worst ad ever made ... http://www.metacafe.com/watch/597780/jig_a_loo_funny_ad/ . This is a silicone based spray that can be used on everything I guess. Thanks for the education Neil5.
#555 of 636
Re: [ncee] "Gas Mileage on a Trip" by tfelton
Mar 29, 2009 (5:15 pm)
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Replying to: ncee (Feb 16, 2009 4:48 am)

We talked back in February about the mpg with the Avalon. I just came back from the trip to the East as I mentioned and got the following results. Driving was on Interstates plus NYC and upstate NY and MA including trips to the store, pool hall, etc. On the interstates my gas stops are determined by my wife's pit-stop requirements so sometimes I need the gas and sometimes I don't but if I'm close to a half or lower I get gas.
 
The overall MPG was 28.74 (3,120.5 miles using 108.583 gallons). The individual mpgs were: 29.8, 27.7, 31.1, 28.1, 26.8, 31.1, 24.7, 26.4, 30.6, and 30.0
 
Ted
#556 of 636
mileage by jpm1908
Mar 29, 2009 (9:20 pm)
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Ted - That is darn good mileage. The highway mileage has never been a concern for me. The exclusive "around town" driving was yielding btw 16 and 18. A month or so ago,I increased the inflation of my tires to 40 psi and I there is a noticeable improvement.
 
I switched to synthetic oil at the last servicing and the longer interval btw oil changes is agreeable.
 
Regards-Jamie
#557 of 636
Re: mileage [jpm1908] by wwest
Mar 30, 2009 (7:35 am)
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Replying to: jpm1908 (Mar 29, 2009 9:20 pm)

".....40 psi.."
 
Yes, that will make ABS activation a LOT quicker....!!
 
With less tread for road contact the brake pads will be a LOT more effective.
#558 of 636
Re: mileage [jpm1908] by tfelton
Mar 30, 2009 (8:33 am)
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Replying to: jpm1908 (Mar 29, 2009 9:20 pm)

Except when I'm on a trip I don't do "city" driving although we do have traffic in town. It's not like anything you're in. My average around home is 24 to 26 mpg. I think city drivers ought to calculate in "gallons per hour".
 
The use of synthetic oil is the way to go. I've been using it since 1987. Right now I use Mobil 1 but use the Extended Performance since it doesn't cost too much more than the regular and you can go on a long trip without worrying about changing oil in the middle of it.
 
As far as tire pressure goes I put in 34 psi.
 
Ted
#559 of 636
Headlight problem? by mlingga
Apr 30, 2009 (5:54 pm)
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I have the 2008 Limited with the autolevelling headlights. To my eye, the "throw" on the headlights is incredibly short--on low, it feels like I am overdriving the headlights even at 20 mph. On high, the headlights seem to be what I'm used to seeing with other cars on low.
 
To try and quantify this, I crudely measured how many feet in front of the car the beam cut off on low. It was about 30-35 feet. The only other vehicle I have to compare to is our Suburban--admittedly not a great comparator, as a much taller vehicle--but the throw on low was about double the Av--around 60 feet.
 
My question: do I have defective headlight leveling, or is this just a design flaw in the Av? Does anyone else notice this, or is there someone obsessive enough to measure the throw on their Limited headlights? I'd love to have some data before going to the dealer and getting the "no, that's the way they all are" line.
#560 of 636
Re: Headlight problem? [mlingga] by fin
Apr 30, 2009 (8:28 pm)
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Replying to: mlingga (Apr 30, 2009 5:54 pm)

Possible the leveling mechanism is defective but more than likely it's fine. The problem is that the newer Avalons, and many other cars, have headlights that illuminate more to the sides and less to the front. Why? Ask the designers. They say it works better for all drivers. I disagree because I like distance penetration on suburban roads and interstates where I drive most of the time, but...
 
The lights also have a very distinct "horizontal cutoff". Notice on a dark road that everything below a horizontal line out in front of the car is illuminated but there is hardly any illumination above the line. This is hard for some people, including me, to adjust to. But it works, you hit things on the road or that enter the road, not in the air above the car.
 
Others may have more ideas, hope this helps....
#561 of 636
Re: Headlight problem? [mlingga] by wwest
May 01, 2009 (8:43 am)
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Replying to: mlingga (Apr 30, 2009 5:54 pm)

With the advent of more common use of HID headlights, "tight" beam focussing projector lense, and even in some cases "extra" bright halogen bulbs, the requirement to "shade" your headlights against interferring with an oncoming driver's vision is raised.
 
So if you have HID headlamps, or even halogen headlamps with projectors lense, then there is a "requirement" for more upper beam cutoff, SHARP upper beam cutoff, than in yesteryear.
#562 of 636
Re: Headlight problem? [wwest] by mlingga
May 01, 2009 (9:15 am)
Reply

Replying to: wwest (May 01, 2009 8:43 am)

What both of you point out makes sense, and it's certainly true that the cutoff on my Av is very sharp. Still, I find that the amount of pavement illuminated is so short that it's truly dangerous to drive on an unlighted road at anything approaching the speed limit. I can certainly say that the Av on high beam is no brighter to oncoming traffic than the Suburban on low.
 
If anyone with a Limited has absolutely nothing to do some evening, I'd love to hear how many feet their headlights illuminate to see if it's just Avalon headlights or my vehicle in particular. Thanks!

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