Is it worth it to invest about $1,500 + 4 new tires for our 2001 fully loaded Toyota Avalon with 120,000 miles? Do you think we could get to 160,000 miles? We live in New York City & the car is garaged. It’s used for only short trips to ferry our grandsons around. Thanks…Norma
You will spend more on repairs and maintenance in the 2nd 10 years of the car’s life than you have in the first 10 years. It should be reliable and since you aren’t making any payments much less expensive to own even with a repair bill now and again. Another 120-160K is certainly possible. Many old cars decline because folks stop maintaining them.
since you aren’t making any payments much less expensive to own even with a repair bill now and again. Another 120-160K is certainly possible. Many old cars decline because folks stop maintaining them.
Well worth repeating.
It is almost always cheaper to keep her. Works with both cars and wives.
$1,500 plus a set of tires is peanuts. Your Avalon will easily go another 40K miles if you keep up with the maintenance. Maintaining a car is almost always less expensive than replacing one. The “almost” comes into play when you get over 250,000 miles. You’ve got a long way to go.
If this car is only used for short trips to drive your grandsons around, it will last as long as the body lasts. I don’t know if you will accumulate another 40,000 miles in your lifetime in such service but 200,000 + miles is routine for these.
As I usually do, I agree with mcparadise.
However, I have to add that the type of use that this car gets is definitely in the category of Severe Service.
This means that, instead of using the “normal” maintenance schedule, the OP needs to use the maintenance schedule that Toyota specifies for Severe Service. This will mean much more frequent oil changes (as well as some other maintenance procedures), and this is particularly important on an engine like this that has a history of sludging problems.
And, in addition to using that SS maintenance schedule, the OP has to remember that most maintenance procedures have a “XXXX miles or X months, whichever comes first” proviso. Since this Avalon accumulates odometer miles very slowly, oil changes and other maintenance procedures need to be done on the basis of elapsed time, rather than on the basis of odometer mileage.
There you have it, keep it but you MUST do the maintenance by the manual.
What is the $1,500 for?
It sounds like you may need to follow the severe service maintenance schedule. If so, have you been doing that?
A new, loaded Avalon will cost you about $37,000 on the road. How does that sound compared to about $2000 for repairs and tires? With proper maintenance, your Avalon should easily go past 160,000 miles. And besides, there’s no brake problem with the 2001! 
Your situation is a perfect “keep the car” situation. The life expectancy of an Avalon is about 300,000 miles with good care. Maintenance and the occasional replacement is a fact of life, whether it is your house or your car.
As others point out, $1500 is small change since that will not occur every year with the small amount you actually drive!
There are many savvy car BUYERS who look for a car such as yours, knowing that it has a lot of life left in it. Their gain would be your loss.
As mentioned, your maintenance schedule has a TIME and mileage interval. With few miles driven, please observe the TIME based schedule!
It’s been a long time since I visited NYC. But, with inadequate information, it is hard to give a good opinion.
This looks like it might be a case not for keep or sell; but a case for have a car or don’t have a car.
Not knowing what “short trips” means, neither in distance or frequency, this is only a wild guess. If short trip means to Central Park, that is one thing. If short trip means to a park out in NJ or Conn or even OH, that is a different matter.
Cost of insurance; garaging; and parking when you go anywhere seems to be astronomical in NYC.
One needs a good calculator to figure out whether an occasional taxi ride, or rented car if you really do go out of town, is cheaper than any car.
However, the topic of this car vs. another newer car, I agree absolutely with those who say to keep it and fix it and maintain it if you already know you will always have a car.
Also, not all decisions can be made with a calculator. Some people just don’t feel complete if they don’t own a car of their very own. Emotions affect our happiness and our health, and must be part of all major decisions. The limit is when out-of-control emotions cause people to do dumb things.
Granted, this is comparing apples to oranges but I drive a '69 (yes, ‘69) Buick that I keep well-maintained and while the past year has been pretty rife with repairs (first new timing chain, first new alternator, major front end work), even with rental car fees while the ol’ girl was in the shop, I’ve paid infinitely less than I would have if I had sprung for a new car that I would feel safe carting my kids in. If you maintain your car well, it could last many, many years and Avalons are safe cars which I’m sure is a relief when you have your grandkids with you. Plus you know your car’s history. A big deal in my book.
Is it worth it to invest about $1,500 + 4 new tires for our 2001 fully loaded Toyota Avalon with 120,000 miles? Do you think we could get to 160,000 miles?
yes…yes