Faults:

Mostly just servicing and wear and tear parts replaced (belts, exhaust, suspension, etc).

ABS sensor.

Bodywork seen better days, but it is over 20 years old. Oh and the ash-tray broke. I don't smoke anyway, bad for your health.

General Comments:

Basically another 1990's Toyota that is unremarkable and reliable. Durable as well.

This Avensis replaced the old Carina which was also a car that had a good rep for reliability.

Of course, to get this reliability you need to look after the car, I have never skimped on anything, the car gets every service and anything it needs before it becomes a problem.

The car is as dull as you can get. This GS model has wheel trims and does not look pretty, but it is still at least surprisingly modern enough to blend in I think.

The 1.8 petrol engine is a simple proven unit and has average performance. Economy is OK at 35 - 38 mpg. I still use super unleaded though which is a bit expensive, tried it on that newer E10 fuel, felt the power was down a bit as was economy. I do not drive as much as I used to however so it is still a very usable car. The car is OK to drive, not exciting, but pleasant enough.

Interior is dull and plasticity but functional and spacious. Seats are still comfy if a bit worn. Refined enough on motorways, a bit crashy around town, though I suspect some more suspension components are worn and will need replaced at next MOT time.

In short this has been a very reliable car that I got cheap when it was 10 years old, it is now over 20 years and never let me down, I doubt I will ever have a car this good again. My neighbor has a more modern 2015 Avensis, it has been a good car but not quite as reliable as this, and when something does go wrong it costs him a fortune as per modern cars. But my Avensis is so simple I know it will never let me down and if it does it will be a cheap fix. Thanks Toyota, but I wish you could still make cars as simple as this. And I am not even a Toyota fan - for the longest time I was a Ford guy, then shifted to Vauxhall, but Japanese cars have now won me over for reliability. Being realistic mine won't last forever (nothing does), so the only problem is what next to replace it?

Faults:

Alternator.

Battery.

Water leak in boot.

General Comments:

As a car enthusiast / petrol head - I wish this car would break so I could replace it with something more fun as a daily runabout to work. However, as a practical car - it has been nothing short of excellent. It has handled all the abuse I have thrown at it extremely well, and is used as a cheap daily commuter around town that I don't need to worry about getting a few dents in.

The only thing that has gone wrong with it in 3 years of ownership has been the alternator. The battery was on its last legs (original battery, which was 9 years old at the time) and I think the alternator packing in sent the battery packing as well.

There was a slight water leak in the boot on the left hand side, which I understand is a common fault on them. They tend to go at the seal used between the panels. A quick bit of rubber sealant and the leak was gone.

All the maintenance is done by myself, and the car has required nothing more than oil / air filter and plug changes.

The only wear and tear parts that have been replaced are the two front tyres.