2003 Toyota Previa Linea Sol 2.4 petrol from Germany
Summary:
Big and comfy, but watch out for rust!
Faults:
Bought the car with the following problems:
- Alternator was shot
- Coolant pump leaking
- Front left brake caliper partially seized
- Sliding doors hard to open from outside
- Driver's seat worn and torn
- Rust on the underside
Within one year the rear lock also started playing up. Other than that, all electrics, engine and gearbox worked without a hiccup.
General Comments:
Smooth and comfy, with plenty of room for, in my case, six passengers.
The engine is strong and smooth, and if driven sensibly, not as awfully thirsty as some reviews lead you to believe. Average fuel consumption was about 12 l/100 km. Also, easier to service than expected. The gearbox was also smooth, but a fifth gear is certainly missed, as the car gets noisy at speed.
The interior is your typical 90s Toyota - a sea of hard, gray plastic, but felt solid, apart from a few squeaks when idling. The rear seats are a bit finicky to get in and out and only the second row has ISOFIX, but they also fit the third row. So, if you do not believe in birth control, you can buy two more at the scrapper and have 4.
All in all a good, comfortable, hugely practical and generally reliable car.
BUT, watch out for rust! I knew it had some rust when I bought it, but within a year the rear sills were so badly rotten, I could not even lift it to change the tires! Body panels are only available from Toyota and cost a fortune. Ultimately, that was the reason I sold it.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 17th November, 2019
20th Dec 2019, 12:08
OP here. Ironically, from the 4 Toyotas I have had, the least problematic rustwise was also the oldest - a 1992 Celica, which I sold in 2013 without a single hole in it.
21st Dec 2019, 18:13
Depends on the time period as well. I think the 1990s was the best time. An elderly neighbour of mine has a 1997 Toyota Avensis that is still going strong with little to no rust. Whereas you see some mid 2000's era Japanese cars with terrible rust, mostly Mazda's I might add. Shame really, as they are otherwise decent cars.
17th Nov 2019, 19:34
Japanese car makers make reliable cars, but they have never shaken their reputation they have had since the 60s/70s for bad rust. Every Japanese car I have had has had rust problems at less than 10 years old, which is unacceptable in this day and age.