‘High-mile perfection’
Previous owner’s diligence means 237,000 feels like 37,000 miles
Danny Hopkins
What on earth is a Toyota Avensis doing in a classic car mag? I can hear the Cornflakes being spat out across the country. Here is my four-part defence. One: It is 21 years-old. I’ll say that again 21 years-old (I know, how did that happen?). Two: British-built. Derby was home for the Avensis for over 20 years. Three: It has a tape deck. A huge qualifier for any potential classic.
Four: It has an amazing story.
For me, number four was the biggest hook although, when reader Jeff Taylor called to offer me the car prior to an impending emigration to Australia, I wasn’t keen. Then he gave me its story. He’d owned the car since May 2001, having bought it with just 35,000 miles on the clock. It now has 237,000 miles on the clock! He had looked after the car himself, religiously servicing it in line with the manufacturers requirements every 9000 miles. How much would that have cost if he had taken it to a main dealer over the past 20 years? My interest was piqued. It wasn’t the servicing regime that sealed the deal though. Nor was it the fact that Jeff had put a new clutch in at 186,000 miles and replaced the cambelt in June 2019. It wasn’t the new oil pump he fitted or the full set of tyres that graced the rims last year. Nope, none of those. The reason I had to stop this car from experiencing a fate unknown was simple. Jeff absolutely loved it.
His family life had unfolded within the humble car’s four doors and hatch. The Avensis had brought newborns home from the hospital, family holidays had been despatched, life events accompanied faithfully by a car that now deserved a bit of payback, some thanks (and a bit of glory) for good service.
I took the keys with the promise that I would try to see it over the quarter of a million mile mark. I reckon it will do it, too. The history file is fit to burst. Every bill is in order and the original brochure is present, with the business card of the sales exec who sold it new, stapled to the front. This wasn’t a car, it was a whole family’s emotional journey and slice of automotive history rolled into one.
Ok, it’s as glamourous as Nora Batty’s tights, as exotic as a potato and as exciting as a good sit down with a cup of tea. But as I drove back from Poole, where the Avensis had lived all its life, I renewed my affection for boringly dependable family fodder.
Cars like this touch our lives, they are important and so much more than the tin we see. They are as valuable, as a social document, as any Jaguar or Porsche… more valuable in fact.
There’s a more practical point to make here too. The full leather interior is unmarked, it has working Climate control and electric everything else. It has just obtained a new MOT, without any work needed – like a Toyota should. It had a replacement radiator a few weeks back and Jeff only replaced the original exhaust two years ago (a 200k-mile exhaust – wellbuilt, Toyota!). All done with expert care and precision at home by Jeff. Thanks Jeff… enjoy Oz.
THE VERDICT
Next time you see a high mileage car for sale…don’t dismiss it. Look really closely. A car like this will be a much better buy than an abused example with a third of the miles on it.