I'm a diehard gearhead. I love my old Chevys, Fords and Harleys. I have TWO Avalons, a '97 and '04 for "daily driver duty". These cars are absolutely amazing. Cheap to buy, cheap to maintain and repair. And in the rare occasion when they need some type of service/repair, the average consumer can handle it. Contrasted with a newer automobile which requires congressional authorization and a NASA endorsement to maintain/repair. You nailed it with the simplicity, reliability and comfort of this vintage of Yotas. They can even tow a trailer!! My factory manual for my '04 states that towing up to 2,000 LBs on a trailer is permissible. I feel like towing more weight wouldn't be a problem either, even though Toyota doesn't officially endorse the idea. A meter hooked in series with the negative battery cable is all you need to start tracking down parasitc draws. Lots of good videos out there that cover it.
both toyota and honda are not as reliable as they were. At my local Honda dealer, they said my 95 Civic may last forever and they can't say the same for new models. lol...
You're correct. Low tension rings & boosted small displacement engines are the new norm, nowhere near as reliable long-term. Your d15 or d16 depending on the trim is an absolute tank of an engine. If a EX or SI, that z6 is a wonderful single cam.
