greenblack
03.07.03, 11:27
autoexpress.co.uk
Toyota Avensis
I'll let you into a little secret - writing long-term tests about Toyotas is
a bit like being a weather forecaster in the Sahara desert. Nothing ever
happens. Once you've praised the build quality and the sheer ease of
ownership, and trotted out the same old lines about it feeling as fresh as
the day it arrived, there's usually nothing else to say.
But our recently acquired long-term Avensis isn't like any old Toyota. What
started off as a couple of niggling teething troubles soon after the car was
delivered have developed into big problems that saw GY03 CJU off the road for
the best part of four days earlier this month.
So what's happened? Shortly after our last report went to press, the driver's
seatbelt packed up. There was no obvious reason -the buckle simply refused to
hold the metal clip. Slotting it into the passenger-side buckle cured the
problem temporarily, but it meant any additional travellers were confined to
the rear - hardly an ideal situation.
Then there was the fuel flap that refused to slot back into place once
opened. Tank tape was the rather ungainly interim solution, but at least it
stopped the constant reminders from other motorists that we'd forgotten to
close it. Compounding the misery was the piercing squeal let out by the
brakes when the pedal was pressed. I thought it might be down to the fresh
pads and discs, but after letting them bed in for a few hundred miles - as my
dealer recommended - the noise got worse.
So with an ever-growing list of gripes, I booked the car into McCarthy Toyota
Croydon for an early check-up. Unfortunately, getting hold of the parts
wasn't as easy as we had first thought. According to the dealer, the belt
problem affect-ed a number of early-build cars, and due to the demand a new
buckle wouldn't be available until July (it was May at the time). Even more
alarming was the fact that new discs and pads - needed to cure the
screeching - were non-stock items, too, and on back-order. The cup-holder -
which had failed that morning - also required replacing.
Finally, however, we got a call to say that the parts had arrived, and within
days the Avensis was in McCarthy's workshop. All went smoothly, and if it
wasn't for the fact that the wrong belt buckle had been sent, we'd have had
the car back the same day. As a result, we kept the courtesy model for an
extra three days.
The experience left us with a positive impression of Toyota's aftersales
operation. For starters, the bill was a big fat zero as all the work was done
under warranty. Also, the brand new Avensis courtesy car was excellent.
Although the whole experience was undeniably an inconvenience, the service
was above what most London outlets seem to manage. So are our problems now
behind us? I hope so. We've run a number of Toyotas on our fleet in recent
years, and the Avensis has had more problems than all the others put
together. On the plus side, however, it remains a very competent and
comfortable cruiser - refined at speed and civilised through town - and the
looks are growing on me every week that passes. Then there's the boot, which
is enormous.
If Toyota's primary aim was to lift the profile of the Avensis above that of
the Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Vectra masses, then in terms of driving
refinement it has certainly managed this. Let's just hope that we've seen the
back of our troubles. Gary Lord
Nie wszystko złoto, co się świeci, a japońska niezawodność staje się powoli
tylko mitem.
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