Loyal to the last drop. Lucker bought a new Toyota Avensis Wagon in 2004 and the odometer now shows nearly 360,000 km.
Georges Lucker bought a new Avensis in 2004, so his Toyota will turn twenty years old in March next year. The odometer now shows a respectable 356,677 kilometers. We stand at the bridge talking about the car, while our inspector inspects the situation under the hood. And then it happens.
A modest crack and pop sound in the background, a short, pithy “Shit!” from the judge on duty Tim de Leeuw and not the gates of heaven, but a radiator hose from the Avensis opens and irrigates the concrete floor of Carrec, Klokje Rond department. The Avensis is literally emptying. Red coolant colors the light gray Soesterberg garage floor.
Relatively ancient
“Bummer, but this was a ticking time bomb: better that the radiator hose gives up the ghost here than somewhere on the way to Limburg,” Tim explains. Fortunately, owner Georges Lucker from Geleen agrees. “The car is turning twenty, certain parts are still original, but of course relatively ancient, so I can imagine something like this happening at some point.” Tim inspected as he always does: look, feel, look again, touch again. Always with policy. “But this snake has completely perished. I’m even surprised now that it didn’t happen during the test drive.”
As for that test drive, Tim returned from it quite enthusiastic. “For a car of this age, it still drives well,” he notes. That’s already a boost. During the remainder of the inspection, this Avensis Wagon appears not to be as worn as its radiator hose suggests. On the contrary.
Two breakdowns
The story of this Toyota Avensis starts in 2004. Georges buys it fresh from the crate and starts driving. “The car offers everything I expect from a car: space, comfort and operational reliability. Because he keeps doing that, I kept driving. And if there are any more significant expenses, I won’t immediately trade it in. You have to continue to see the overall picture,” he says. Unless of course you are just tired of a car and want something different. “That’s right, but that is a luxury and not necessarily necessary,” says Georges.
During the first two years of maintenance at a Toyota dealer, there was nothing wrong, except for a gnawed fuel line, probably by a Limburg marten. Then Georges moved to the village garage, and to his satisfaction, because that is where he stayed. “The car has let me down twice in the past twenty years: the first time was after four years, when the battery broke down. Since then, I have replaced the battery as a preventive measure every four years. The second time it did not start in the morning due to a defective starter motor at mileage 156,000.”
Not new anymore
Georges is well aware that this car has seen its best days, but he still wants to keep it for a few more years. “Of course, age cannot be disguised,” he notes. “At the moment there are some age and use ailments. The headliner is coming loose, there is a tear in the back seat upholstery and a few in the dashboard, but I think that is minor. I always keep him up to date technically and I certainly don’t skimp on that.”
A close look at the costs, which Georges keeps track of, shows that fuel has been the largest expense item. So that’s quite okay. Better than maintenance or repairs in any case. What will we end up with after twenty years and 356,000 kilometers of Avensis driving? “The costs for about 27,000 liters of petrol are easily €41,700,” Georges calculates. “Maintenance over the past nineteen years is €21,000. And then add insurance for €7,000 and road tax for €10,000. That makes €110,000. in twenty years, so €5,500 per year and then the car is completely depreciated,” says Georges. He concludes that with an electric Avensis and sufficient solar panels on his house, the 41 grand fuel costs could have been a lot less, but yes.. .
Next step
Georges and his wife Els are still fit and able to walk. They want to try to keep the Avensis for another four or five years and then perhaps get an SUV, completely appropriate to its age. “I’m very much in favor of low cars: they grip the road better, consume less and weigh less. But getting in and out can of course become more difficult. I have two cars in mind, a Toyota RAV4 and a Honda CR-V, and then the plug-in hybrid versions. But first continue with this one,” said the Limburger. Judge Tim is convinced that steering the Avensis for a while will not be a problem, so all’s well that ends well.
Owner Toyota Avenis
Name: Georges Lucker
Year of construction: 1965
Place of residence: Geleen
Occupation: retired dermatologist
First car: Hyundai Pony
Previous car: Peugeot 405 1.8
What would you like to change about your car?: “Something smoother would be nice.”
Longest trip with this car?: “To the Ardèche in the South of France.”
Maintenance history
Car delivery date: March 2004
Total maintenance costs period 2006 to 2014: €9,062 (excluding rear damage repair)
Total maintenance costs period 2015 to 2023: €10,841
Georges: “I don’t mind the difference. The idea that you should no longer have a car that is almost ten years old repaired because the car is no longer worth it does not seem to be correct in my case.”
- 79,000 km: replaced headlights under warranty. The official warranty period had then expired; Toyota has nevertheless covered the costs as a leniency
- 135,000 km: front brake pads
- 156,000 km: starter motor overhaul
- 157.00 km: air conditioning pump and water pump
- 188,000 km: wheel bearing replaced
- 234,000 km: Replacing the gas dampers on the tailgate (no longer having to hold the tailgate yourself is suddenly a luxury again, Georges explains.
- 301,000 km: two rear wishbones replaced (rust)
- 303,000 km: lambda sensor replaced
- 305,000 km: heater housing actuator motor replaced
- 312,000 km: replaced headlight unit (MOT rejection because dull)
- 336,000 km: two brake discs and pads at the front
- 350,000 km: water pump and multi-belt:
- Tyres: two sets of winter tyres, one set of all-season tyres, fourteen summer tyres
What’s wrong with it?
- Several cracks in the dashboard
- Headlining is coming loose
- Damage/stains on the back seat
- Excessive engine vibrations palpable in the interior. Seems to be caused by a collapsed front right engine mount
- Lots of tire noise from the rear of the car. Rear tires are old (2013), show drought cracks and are heavily cupped
- Car jerks during gentle braking
- The car jerks and hesitates during acceleration under partial load below 3000 rpm
- Gearbox whines very minimally (no attention required)
- Left headlight is weathered. New on the right
- Cooling water traces around the reservoir and around the left radiator hose (breaks off during inspection)
- The locking of the ignition coil plugs is defective
- Engine sweats oil in the timing cover region
- Brake fluid is very dark in color
- There is a crack in the air filter housing (clamp tightened too tight)
- Rust edge on the rear brake discs (inside)
- Starting rust on the front wishbones
The opinion of Carrec Technocenter
“It is of course a pretty boring car, but this Avensis is generally quite reliable and solid. Despite the broken radiator hose, he seems to prove this. This Toyota still drives very well. This does not necessarily seem to be due to the excellent maintenance of the chassis, for example. It seems that not much has been replaced or repaired. It drives so well mainly because they are simply good cars. The way in which it was handled will also have made a significant contribution to this. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a car that can last for years to come with a little maintenance.”