Btw, AMD in real life is the same humble and honest guy that you see in videos, I am fortunate to have him in my area, it is rare to find honest people who look after my car.
That's awesome dude. Ya, unfortunately people forgot what community was about after we industrialized. Most are there for the money and the quality/honesty is just a secondary option to get them in the door.
I inspect used cars for a living mostly cars which are between 5 to 15 years old. Not always, but 90% of the time, if the tires are from a higher end brand such as Michelin or Bridgestone and they are in excellent shape then it means the rest of the car was well taken care of. If a car has worn out tires or the tires are cheap Chinese brands then almost always the rest of the car is neglected or not properly maintained as well. This has been my experience. That is why I first look at tires. It will tell me a lot about a used vehicle. It is extremely rare to see expensive tires in good shape on a vehicle which was not well maintained.
Yes, name brand, non-Chinese made tires are probably a solid indicator of a well cared for car. Hadn't thought of that one. I do look at the neighborhood, and if the owner has nice landscaping. People that pay for landscaping tend to take care of their cars, and be less likely to be lying or hiding an issue. Not 100% reliable, but just another indicator, like tire brand!
I was lucky enough to find a 10 year old one owner ES350 in immaculate condition with 70,000 miles. Best car purchase I’ve ever made! AMD you’re spot on, the interior still smells new to this day, I got the window sticker, the delivery certificate, dealer license plate frames, etc. I remember the engine was exactly the same inside as this Avalon when I peeked inside, which really stuck with me because I’ve rarely ever seen something like that. Owner did 5k mile oil changes and I’ve continued the love and care this car deserves.
I own a Toyota Previa ‘93 which I bought new. It is still with me and now with 275,000 miles. It still has the original paint on. Every time I bring it for service at a Toyota dealership, the service staff expresses how well this car was kept. It makes me feel good to be its proud original owner.
I just bought a 1 owner 2015 4 cylinder Camry with 49k miles. It feels like a brand new car. What sold me was it had about 25 service records that showed regular 4-5 thousand mile oil changes. Great car that I plan on being my 8 year olds first car when he turns 16. I couldn't be happier.
I have a 2001 Tundra I bought new. It's 22 years old and drives perfectly. Still my favorite! 😁 Only 123K miles. My grandfather was a mechanic and I grew up in his garage. I do most of my own maintenance. My brakes last over 60K miles.
Here's a secondary thing to look for when searching for a used car. In addition to one owners I have found in my experience that retired veteran car owners do an outstanding job of taking pride in the ownership of their vehicle. If they ever do get rid of these vehicles they are often great finds.
I bought a 04 Buick 3.8 red single old man sold it to me leather interior,and little rust I fixed with 94,000 for 4 grand put in about 600 into it has a yr still looks good run no leaks .I'll have it 5yrs before I buy again.😊
I can relate! I recently purchased a 2012 Honda Accord with 26K from a lady which was no longer able to drive due to bad eyesight. The interior and engine bay were also very clean and the lady had just had the brakes and tires replaced by the dealer. The body had some bumps and bruises. I felt lucky to get it for 11K
I am the third owner of my Toyota, first owner had it for 60,000 miles with a full 5K oil change history. Second owner only had it for about 10,000 miles but still with an oil change history. I bought it at the eight year mark with 75,000 miles. Put on a new set of tires and I've put 70,000 miles on it in the past three years, love this thing. Did all the 10 year maintenance stuff spark plugs fluid transmission water pump, Toyota replaced the brake booster and inverter under extended warranty programs for free, I intend to keep this thing for another 10 years if I can
It gives me great joy in finding a vehicle owner that TAKES CARE of his vehicle. A garage is critical in keep a vehicle in good condition. Great Video, thanks AMD,
By the time I sell my car which might not be ever lol but some point I will who ever buying it going to have a well maintained car. Right now the cars almost 20 years old with 176,000 km on it the way this cars been looked after it will hit 250,000 no problem.
Thank you and Mrs. CCN for the continued great content. On a tangent, how about a video on proper cleaning of the engine compartment to keep the OCD mechanics pleased. Grace and peace to you both.
Thank you Christopher C; excellent idea. I too live in the rust belt. Ahmed, how do we best care for our cars (engines, body, under carriage) that get salt spray on them every winter? Thank you!
I got a one owner 2000 Toyota Camry V6 XE one year ago with only 84,920 miles on it. I see it lasting me another couple 100,000 miles with how I take care of it.
This video is about me...a one time owner. I bought my 2005 Camry LE 4 cyl. new and for 15 years I took exceptional care of my "first new car." Long story short...I had all the sales papers, manuals, all of my (DIY) maintenance records, everything, as well as the window sticker. I bought a new 2020 Camry LE 2.5 and hated to sell my beloved 2005 Camry LE at 218,000 miles. My 2005 was an "engineering marvel." ORIGINAL...water pump, thermostat, alternator, AC, (never re-charged), power steering pump, timing chain, wheel bearings, etc. In 15 years and 218,000 miles I replaced all four shocks/struts, front brakes twice, rear brakes once. This car never leaked "one drop of anything!" That is a complete story of "Toyota Quality." That's why I bought a new 2020. Amazing!!!
Dude. You are so cool! I am getting older and it gets incredibly difficult to wrench on my cars in my old age. To have a "real" tech that cares must be a treat in Chicagoland. I have a 2021 4runner bought new here in Alaska and follow your advice religiously. I have had a gen 1, 3 and now 5 and sold the first 2 with over 300k to new owners that appreciate the time and trouble that proper maintenance makes in resale. Peeps that bought a Buick can learn about just take care of your vehicle. You show how easy it is even if you are a Toyota man! Best on your channel! You give great advice!
You are right on point about the pride of car ownership. Keeping my engine compartment clean of debris and grime is one of my OCD issues as well. I recently noticed power steering fluid below the reservoir and started looking for what was leaking, I couldn't figure it out. Your great video revealed the answer. I will be soon replacing the hose you mentioned soon so I can keep the engine bay clean again. You are a great mentor. God bless you.
Wow, that's excellent! Got a 2007 one owner Rx last year with 78k for $9,500... Only problem is it's starting to drip lightly from timing cover (ugh), otherwise all good in every other way and it looks new
I am original owner in Dallas, Texas of a 2006 Solara coupe, 90K miles. Actually it’s the wife’s. HA! It drives almost like new. Lexus quality. That rust in Chicago would drive me crazy! Thanks for your show.
Great video. Agreed 100%. That owner has done a wonderful job keeping it like new. He should be proud, I will share this with my kids about buying a one owner and why I drove four hours to get my son his first truck from an original owner… thanks AMD!
I am the original owner of a 2012 Camry Hybrid LE with 137 K miles. Regular oil changes and tire rotations (8 K miles); engine does not burn oil. Radiator fluid service (96 K miles), installed new Denso OEM spark plugs (105K miles) inverter coolant service (110 K miles), PSD fluid changes @ 90 K and 135 K miles; new tires installed @ 30K and 89 K miles. Small rear main oil seal leak detected @110 K miles. Stopped leak with AT-205 Reseal. Cleaned hybrid battery vent system @ 115 K miles but only modest dust present. Engine, exterior and interior cleaned regularly. Exterior treated with ceramic coating regularly. Car garaged at home and at work so it looks new. Dealer has wanted to buy this car and sell me another Toyota for the last four years. Maybe I will trade after another 10 years! The Car Care Nut and Scotty Kilmer are 100% correct. Take care of your Toyota and it will take care of you.
I am loving these series with 2011-2012 Avalon. Every time I watch one of your videos, I am rediscovering my car 🚗. Thank you for the great videos! I really appreciate it!
Another great video my friend. Shout out to Mrs Car Car Nut as well. I agree. When I brought used in the past I always went for the one owner vehicles. When I brought new or used I kept the window sticker, service history, purchase paperwork and the like as well.
I’m the original owner of a 2015 Mazda 3 GT hatchback. Dealer serviced and I have all of the records to prove it. Also have all of the original papers that I signed for it too. I’m keeping it for the next couple of years and than I plan on selling it for a PHEV. I also just did the first full brake replacement job in September/October. Original parts lasted 100,000 kms.
Hey there...love the channel...and BTW I own a 2011 Toyota avalon limited blizzard-pearl with only 68,000 miles on it and mine is in better shape than this one if you can believe that...😁...also my rear sun shade still works great...and I baby mine with top of the line synthetic motor oil, and oil filter...it's worth it to me because I'm never going to get rid of mine either...I still remember when I drove it off the Toyota dealership lot and was already in love with it...love the Avalon's just saying...I LOVE WHAT YOU DO FOR ME TOYOTA..."AVALON-LIMITED"...lol...😆💫
Mine is a 2011 RAV4 bought new. I've got all the documents just like in the video. Oil change has been done religiously. Other stuff includes annual rust control, coolant, tranny, transfer case, diff fluids. So I can testify as a first owner.
Though it’s not a Toyota, I was able to purchase a one owner, single dealer serviced Subaru Forester. Like the example here, this car shows pride of ownership, and careful monitoring of the investment made. Thanks for this video!.
I'm still driving my 1993 Honda Accord Coupe(EXR) 181 thousand miles. Lady driven...a true gem. I have all the service records, never smoked in, probably had 20 people sit on the back seat the whole time I've owned it , Bill of sale etc. Timing belt I've done 2x, andd all the belts up to it, always looked after it. Never had a major issue. Looking at the Toyota Corolla Cross as my next car.
My daughter had a '93 Accord as well. She left it to her husband when she bought another used car, but her husband did not follow instructions to check the oil at least once a week. He added oil when the warning light came on... which went very badly when the warning light failed. He ran it dry on the freeway until it seized. My daughter said she needed it to run for another six months so I patched it up. There was about an ounce of bronze in the pan, but I bought new standard size rod bearings and they all plastigaged in spec. I flushed the engine with junk oil and filled it with synthetic, instructing the husband not to give it more than 2/3 throttle and top speed 65 mph. It made it the required six months, and that was all anybody could ask for.
What a nice car.The owner must be as old as I am.You don't see to many young people who are "car care nuts".Even when I was young and only drove a older worn out car I still did all the maintenance kept it clean and took pride in owning it.
😁. I am the owner of this care and I agree with your comments regarding the car maintenance. My first car was 86 Cressida, that was 25 years ago, and I took care of it like it was a new car. For the age, I am 43, but as you said, I always took care of my cars.
@@Anonymous-hy8oz I'm 55 and I work with some younger guys and very few of them take care of their vehicles.As expensive as cars are you think they would treat them like gold.I guess people just have different views.I get on to my own kids about not cleaning their trucks.Again nice car.You can tell alot about a person in how well they take care of things
Great to see this! I just over-paid for a one owner 2011 Lexus RX450h with 50k miles because it had all of my specifics (non-navigation, Cerulean Blue blah blah) and was feeling like a sucker but this makes me see the positive! Thank you!
So nice to see cards so well taken care of. My 2004 toyota corolla LE it only have 147k and I have done every single maintenance request and more, it could be on your show lol.
Amed's right. Someone spent quality time with this vehicle cleaning and maintaining it! If it has the same continued maintenance and cleaning, it should go another 200,000 miles! Thanks for this video.
RIP original 🎤. It will be missed.😢 The paint job is still glossy and I'm sure it feels slick. That is one pampered Ava! If I spent $38k I'm sure as heck gonna treat it well. Heck I spent $15.5k on a new 2005 xb and it's still being pampered! You treat ur car well and it'll treat you well in turn.☯️ Well, if it's a Toyota. 🤗
Generally, I want to thank you for being one of the ONLY RU-vidrs who does pretty frequent videos on the Avalon, I greatly appreciate it. ALSO... I bet they only replaced the tires because of age / dry rot. A SUPER nice ride!!! Also (fyi), I am waiting to hear back from you on another remark ( on one of your other videos).
I just purchased a one owner 2007 Toyota Sienna CE 3.5 with 215000 miles on it. Drives like it’s a new van. Mechanical and inside are immaculate. Outside…. Clear coat peel on the roof and hood.
Hi AMD, this was a pleasure to watch, I feel a kindred spirit with the owner of this Avalon as my 2009 Toyota Aurion Presara is now coming up 13 years old and is in a similar condition I keep it pristine in the body the interior and the service. Just as you said give your car some love attention and drive it well it will last well and give you that new car pleasure always. Keep safe Keep Strong My Dear Friend
This is very true. I bought my first new car a few years ago, 2021 4Runner. I have never been so meticulous about care and maintenance. Everything I do is with the intention to make it last forever. Even when it is no longer my daily, will keep to have a 4x4
Great Video! This car was very loved. I have been looking at Avalon's in the Atlanta area. I have seen 2011 models with 70,000 miles that are just trashed!! Really sad. I have also seen 2002 Avalon's with 150,000 miles that are in Show Room Condition. Your videos are a great help! Thanks!
Love the enthusiasm, completely agree a one owner car especially one over 5 years old is hard to find. It doesn't have to be a collector car to be valued, unfortunately some owners are like it's only a Honda or a Toyota why should I baby it...their mistake/loss. Additionally many leased cars are treated no better than rental vehicles. Always have a knowledgeable consciences mechanic like AMD check a used vehicle prior to purchase, many cars may look good on the outside but have hidden collision damage behind exterior panels and were neglected mechanically.
I have had excellent experience buying lease return cars, where the car has been serviced by the dealer according to the maintenance schedule under the terms of the lease.
I was lucky enough to find a 2016 GMC 2500HD in near perfect condition. One owner with 42,000 miles on it when I bought it last year. Hardly any wear on anything. The original owner took very good care of the truck I now own. However I did have to pay a premium price for it but I normally drive one for 200,000 plus miles and it was about $30,000 less than a new one. Thanks for another great video
@@DylanL69 I always have had 1500’s but I regularly overload them so I decided to go with a 2500HD. Plus my son has a Malibu wake boat that weighs about 7500lbs and to be honest it’s all a 1500 wants. The 2500 just pull and stops much better and I feel is safer towing
Good find on that 2500. Good to hear some people myself included, actually appreciate how the vehicle started life. That goes a long way in the longevity of a vehicle. I have bought used and you can tell when a vehicle was taken care of. I did buy new and was the original owner of a 2018 Sierra 1500 which I meticulously took care of since day 1. I didn't need a truck but always wanted one. The heaviest thing that truck ever hauled was a few rolls of sod. Needless to say the truck was babied. Due to this crazy market I decided sell the truck. The dealership I sold it to didn't even get a chance to post pics on their website. It was sold within 1 day of me trading it in. It had 30,000 miles when I traded her in.
@@denvernn Yea trucks are crazy high right now but if I sell mine I couldn’t replace it. We also have a 2019 4Runner TRD off road premium we bought new. The dealer we bought it from sent us a letter offering us $2000 less than what we paid for if we traded it in.
I've been fortunate to find some very good one owner Toyotas through the years. I've also had some very excited people buy a car from me even if I wasn't the first owner as I document all of the service that I do and I clean them all up as if I bought it new. I did sell a 2007 Corolla Matrix 5MT back in 2011. It was my wife's and we sold it after owning it for 5 years, still regret do it, but my wife's hip was bothering her when pushing in the clutch. The first person that looked at it bought it and couldn't believe that it still looked brand new. Then he said the same thing about all of my other cars including my 1989 Supercharged MR2. 😍
I bought my 2009 XLE with 50000 miles on it from the first owner. The car was so clean and no one even used the back seat. It was about 18 months old and he drove it highway to North Dakota a lot hence the miles. Washed it regularly, took it in for service regularly. Had the Toyota service history on it. It's now 173K miles and my engine bay us as clean as the one in the video, same engine too. Replaced suspension parts, breaks, few wear and tear items but it's still a beast of a car. No rust anywhere on or under it and no leaks.
A few months ago I found this car's close sister, a '13 Lexus ES 350 with only 30k miles on it. One owner, CLEAN, well maintained all the same, and I paid half the sticker price (original sticker also in the glove box). The brake pads were a little more worn than this one but everything else had been meticulously maintained.
Completely agree with you regarding one owners car. At one point I had 2 Hondas of the same age and the difference was like day and night. The one owner civic with way more miles on the clock was way better and solid than the one with 4 owners.
It’s not always about mileage why looking over the car you are thinking of buying is important. I see cars online for sale with lots of miles but it dose not scare me I just go look in person and see how well it has been maintained could get a cheap car in good condition but most see the mileage and skip over it.
I had mentioned a few weeks ago that with AMD as my guide I intended to get 300,000 miles on my 2007 Lexus ES 350. About a week later I discovered the transmission was going out. At 184,000 miles I was kind of surprised, but I am the fifth owner of this vehicle, so I have no idea what previous owners did as far as transmission maintenance. I bought it at 40,000 miles, approximately 3 1/2 years ago and did have the transmission filter and fluid replaced when I bought it, and then a fluid replacement about 20,000 miles later. I have discovered a couple things about those Toyota transmissions: the initial ones in 2007 are famous for having some problems and I am amazed that I got 184,000 miles out of mine. A remanufactured transmission is going to cost over $5000 plus the cost of installation. Used transmissions vary in price, fortunately transmissions installed in vehicles from 2007 through May 2010 are the same and there is a quantity of them available. Most of them will set you back at least $2000 if not a little more. Interestingly, transmissions installed after June 2 of 2010 will be about 1/3 less at salvage yards, I don’t know why. I am spending $2400 for a 2010 transmission with 54,000 miles on it, and another $1200 for the installation. So, I’ll be spending $3600 to keep this 2007 Lexus on the road, but I still think it is well worth it. I paid $6500 for 3 1/2 years ago and the private party value today is still $6200. The car handles beautifully, we’ve kept it immaculate, and I’m still heading for that 300,000 mile mark!
My 2007 lexus es 350 has 312k original engine original transmission but my motor mounts and transmission mount broke it needs $1400 parts and labor in repair do you think I should fix it or buy a new lexus?
@@moe1992If you’re very rich, fix it because you have money. If you’re poor fix it because you don’t have money to buy new. I have 2003 Tacoma with 300,000 miles. All bushings are torn, radiator started leaking I will fix it. It started falling but I know it can last to million miles. It still runs smoothly.
I had the good fortune to find a 2011 Avalon 1 owner, no accidents, car fax maint records, with only 57,503 miles. It was GARAGE KEPT, HEALIGHTS are like new ! Pearl white with Michlins 80kmile T& H tires. I got a sidewall flat and purchased 2 more new tires because of the 10 year old spare. Upon purchasing it I droped the transmission pan and replaced almost 3qts. I followed your video and drained the radiator because the litmus test registered 7.0 and borderline voltage test on/off reading. It needed the steering wheel clip replaced to keep it from falling down. I also bought a rebuild kit from Russia for the door stop arm $22 vs $87 new arm. Everything is perfect now ! The plugs were clean and gap still at spec. I love, love the port injection 6 spd after having a 2013 Hyundai Sonata that burnrd a qt of oil every 350 miles yes every tank of gas. The oil rings were BAD, Hyundai told me to take a hike. I bought it with 45k and it burnt 1qt every 1000 miles from the start. I feel blessed to escape the GDI WORLD ! The upside is also 87 octane, 20 mph around town.
I also want to mention 1 more benefit to my base model. The REAR VIEW CAMERA is placed on the left side of the rearview mirror ! I got used to looking in my rearview and now have a camera view as well as the old reliable mirror view. Win win the limited has the camera view, where you have to look down at the display on the dash. I am not comfortable with that. FYI
Awesome! I just recently lucked out and bought a 1 owner 2006 Avalon Limited with 140k on it.It is a true creampuff! Bonus for being driven by an elderly couple and ALL Toyota deal records....great score for $7500!
Nice! I keep my Toys forever. Thanks for helping. My 07 Tundra 5.7 SR5 has 282 k, runs great. My wife's 06 Highlander has 312k, run great. I do all the maintenance. Also, live way up near the Canadian border. Salt road heaven The nearest car wash is 30 miles away. So, I hooked the hot water to the outside hose. I had some ask me when I bought my new truck. I also wax them Twice a year. Thanks Again CCN!!!
I bought my 2017 corolla se manual from the first owner. It’s in very good condition but there was an itty bitty surface-level light rust spot on it. I’m getting that taken care of soon. First car owners take care of their cars but they can’t always get everything covered
Great video. I recently bought a 2011 Highlander from the original owner, and it has much in common with this one. Black as well, and the paint is still super clean as it was garaged as well. Also, it was super well maintained, quite pristine inside and out. It has 96k on it, and runs like a new car. I over paid for it but I'm ok with that. I had a 2010 Highlander that I drove for 10 years with no repairs at all. Just liquid, brake pads, and tires and that car was bomb proof. It got totaled, sadly, and this car I plan on driving for 10 years as well if possible.
Thank you. We have a 2011 V6 Sienna. I wish I had free time to work on maintenance of the vehicle. I do oil and oil filter changes every 5k mile (max) We bring it to Toyota dealership where we bought the Siennafor repairs. I did swap out oil filter canister (paper filer with big oil ring) for a Baxter Performance adapter. So far so good. Sienna is my wife's daily driver. 164k miles. So far so good. I really do like the 2grfe v6 performance. Some pain in the but repair along the way. I just have lots of confidence in the Toyota product. I do dream about the Avalon :) Stay safe and God Bless.
Impressive car for sure! I have a pristine 18 GS 350 RWD F-Sport black/red I bought new with 12,000 miles if you ever want to do a video on it. I bought it new and it never gets driven in the winter. I would love to see you do a video on it. It's so sad so many people don't maintain their cars since it's the second most expensive asset they own next to their home. Love your channel!
Bought my '02 Honda CR-V from my dad. He mostly drove it to church, Costco and other errands since he's retired. He is meticulous and took care of it really well. I'm passing it on to my son when he starts driving next year. I hope to get another well taken care of Honda Ridgeline from a relative who don't drive it as much. Sometimes it pays to ask if they're interested in selling their vehicle. They could just be waiting for someone to buy it from them.
I bought a 1 owner 2017 Corolla from a dealership a little less than a year ago. Great decision. It drives great and is very clean with low mileage. About 3 weeks ago, I bought a 2014 GX460 which was a 4 owner car. While the Lexus dealer did a great job repairing it and the most recent owner had maintained it well, you can tell that it had been through 4 owners. It’s a truck and the mileage isn’t too high for 4 owners so I’m not too concerned about it.
I own a 2016 Camry that I bout brand new in January of 2016. I’m also a Toyota technician so I do all it’s maintenance. It’s got 60,000 miles now, already changed transmission fluid with brand new Toyota OEM WS ATF, bout to have to replace my factory brake pads.
I bought a 2017 Camry. It is a 4 cylinder. About a year ago. 43000 miles it's a baby. I paid $14000.00 for it. My father taught me . Change the Oil. . It is coming up again but I am going change the other things you mentioned. I think the car you worked on is 1 in a million.
If it were my car I would consider replacement of the steering rack when the budget allowed. My thinking is that such things will be needed at some interval, and doing it around the first sign of trouble rarely increases total cost over the life of the car. Similarly, trying to get the most miles out of something that is failing (and is not going to be the thing that ends the car's life) just gives us more miles of driving with the problem.
We own a 2012 Avalon (the last year for this design), and we just had to have the first brake job done at 125k. Replaced the alternator at about 105k. Now it's time to do new plugs (thanks for the video on that!). My only regret is not having done any transmission drain-and-fills. Your video on that has me worried to touch it now.
As long as you don’t floor it everywhere a single drain and fill (4-4.5 quarts) even after 100k miles I don’t think will cause a ton of damage. Just did a drain and fill on my 2007 Avalon with 150k miles and will not be doing it again until after 200k miles.
Big fan of the channel and AMD. Just a friendly reminder to make sure the flag in the background, approximately at 7:15, isn’t touching the ground, As always thank you so much for all your effort. 🙏
The 2017 Subaru Impreza I recently purchased was the exception to the rule. It was a one owner car and it looked pretty good, but after a few months of ownership, the abuse of the car began to come into focus. I always search for one owner vehicles when I'm looking to buy and it usually works out well, but not this time. Some people just don't take care of their vehicles and, worse yet, they abuse them. Well, we live and we learn. Going forward, I probably won't buy another used vehicle without having it thoroughly checked by a trusted mechanic because things aren't always as they seem.
I bought a 1 owner 92 VW GTI 16v in 1998. Cannot say he cared for it as well. Needed valve cover gasket, cv boot, distributor gasket. But it was not too bad for having 117k. I took care of that. It was $5000. I have 192k, today. Yes, I put like 75k on it over 24 years. Its my fun car, along side the 1 owner 2015 Scion XB manual I bought 2 years agp with 31k. It has 39k, now. Likely be with me in 24 years as well (if I do not go EV sooner).
