1991 Toyota Previa DLX 4 cylinder

Summary:

No worry, hassle free transportation

Faults:

Power door lock on driver door broke; only needed a ten-cent spring to repair.

Valve cover gasket needed replacing due to leaking oil on exhaust at 170,000 miles.

Hinge on slider door needed replacing at 195,000 miles. $75 part.

General Comments:

This is the most reliable used vehicle we have ever owned.

Even though it is a minivan, it drives like a luxury sedan.

We would highly recommend this to any potential buyer. You won't regret this purchase!

Highly underrated vehicle!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th June, 2004

14th Jun 2004, 06:09

We have a 91 Toyota Previa that has been in the family since new. Have had problems with sliding door. New hinges on order. Drivers door currently can't be opened. Something wrong with the lock on it. I can see the spring is missing. Does anybody know how to open it?

Great car. Love the way it drives and runs.

Joe Marlin.

12th Jul 2004, 09:27

We have a 1991 Toyota Previa that needs the hinge replaced on the sliding door, but our body shop hasn't been able to locate one. Any ideas? This minivan has 165,000 miles on it and it has been very reliable.

18th Jul 2004, 20:28

Secret Tip...Mother's Bumper Black on the rubber trim along the bottom of the van makes it look like new... our 1991's transformation was amazing. Also found out that the same product applied to the sliding door seals kept if from sticking and make it much easier to open. Applied it to the rest of the door seals as well.

Mounting on the top of the Fuse Box cover makes for EASY/Cool Looking installation of Plug and Play Sirius Satellite Radio... best addition to our Previa EVER.

Is it normal for the front struts to snub out so loudly on bumps?

14th Jun 2005, 13:14

For information from other Previa owners on how to fix the door locks, springs, and other things that typically need attention, take a look at the Toyota Previa Owners group on Yahoo:

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/previa/messages/

1991 Toyota Previa LE 2.4 litre - 4 cylinder

Summary:

Probably the most stable, roomy minivan on the market. BRING IT BACK TO THE U.S.!!!

Faults:

Right after purchasing it we took the Previa into the local Toyota Dealership for a bumper to bumper check-up and oil change. The following items had to be replaced:

Valve-cover gasket. Slight leak and we smelled the burn-off after heavy use.

Distributor O-ring. Same as above.

A/C charge.

New Drive Belt. (We thought is was about to lose the alternator or power steering pump... nope just the belt.)

$664 corrected everything they could find wrong with the car and they gave us a 2004 Camry to drive free of charge while they did the repairs.

Very impressed.

General Comments:

We have always driven Diesel Mercedes because of their reliability, safety and efficiency. Alas, our smallest Mercedes, a 1987 190D 2.5, was rear-ended by an uninsured motorist and totaled-out.

As we searched for a replacement we drove by one of the local Acura Dealerships and there sitting on the platform was an immaculate pearl white Toyota Previa LE with $3995 emblazoned across the windshield. We decided to take a look. It was loaded with all the options, including trailer towing, and didn't have even one door ding on it.

The car was one owner and dealer maintained at the Acura dealers sister Toyota dealership. 122,000 miles on the odometer. Interior looked like new, never used. Everything worked with the exception being the A/C did not blow very cold.

Bought it on the spot after negotiations for $3,388. Add the $664 bumper to bumper check-up and repair and we have $4,052 in the car. We are totally satisfied.

Handles like a dream, comfortable, reliable and stable. Drove back from Dallas with granny who would only let us go 55 mph and with the cruise on got almost 30 mpg. Averages about 22 mpg so far city/highway.

After reading here about the high milers way ahead of me I feel like I got a new car!! Having driven my Benz 300D for 19 years now and 384,000 miles I can only say this Previa will be in our family for a long time... we hope!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th April, 2004

18th Jul 2004, 20:23

We're in Houston too. We had the Fred Haas Toyota Country on SH249 Service the A/C. Does well for Houston. They did it at the same time that they replaced the valve cover gasket and distributor o-ring. (probably same oil leaks you have) VERY SATISFIED with their service. Have noticed our front A/C blows colder on the drivers side than it does on the passenger side. Have had passengers suggest getting it charged, I just tell them to feel my side and it's freezing. The rear A/C works like a champion.

18th Oct 2004, 01:30

We live in Alabama near the coast and have a 91 Previa with 260,000+ miles. The AC was a problem a couple of years ago and there were 2 fixes. # 1 was very cheap, the heater valve which supplies heat to the interior was slipping and the valve was tightened. Cost = $12 and a huge improvement. #2, and an even larger improvement was replacing the overhead/rear AC plumbing as it had a minor leak. That cost about $200. Since then, it has been ice cold - and we updated years ago the the new R134.