Hi, I’m looking for my first car and want to spend less than $20k. I found a 2015 Avalon with no accidents and three previous owners. The car looks clean and well-maintained. Do you think it’s worth the price? Is the MPG decent?
That seems a bit much for a 4th gen. Maybe a well-maintained one-owner Limited would be worth that price. I’d keep looking.
ToyotaTim3 said:
That seems a bit much for a 4th gen. Maybe a well-maintained one-owner Limited would be worth that price. I’d keep looking.
I’d prefer the price to be under $20k. Also, I want features like parking monitor and blind spot sensors, and I’m sticking with Toyota. Not many options in Camry, Rav4, or Corolla though.
@Zeph
Maybe you could go for something with slightly higher mileage if staying under budget is a priority? Prices drop after 100k miles, and the difference in lifespan is minimal. Look for a well-maintained Avalon with high mileage instead of a low-mileage one with no maintenance history.
The price seems too high. I bought a 2015 Avalon Hybrid XLE with 136k miles, no accidents, one owner, and in great condition for $10,750.
That’s higher than I’d go, but it seems like that’s the current market. It will also depend on the trim level and whether it’s hybrid or non-hybrid. Avalons are good cars overall.
Keir said:
That’s higher than I’d go, but it seems like that’s the current market. It will also depend on the trim level and whether it’s hybrid or non-hybrid. Avalons are good cars overall.
It’s a non-hybrid. I’m renting a car until Friday afternoon, and the rental is costing me $500 for the extra week. How much do you think it’s overpriced? The Carfax says it’s fair, but I’m not sure if that’s relevant.
@Zeph
For a base, non-hybrid model that’s pre-facelift, it seems a couple thousand more than I’d aim for. Even with today’s market, I think you could find better deals. But I’ve definitely seen worse.
I bought a 2017 Avalon Limited with 60k miles for $20k. The one you’re looking at seems fairly priced. I’m also in the Seattle area.
That price is too high. It should be around $12k. I bought my 2015 XLE Touring in December 2023 with 53,000 miles, no accidents, and full Carfax for $15,900. I think I paid too much, but that was a year ago. You should aim for a price under $15k, maybe $12-13k, and negotiate.
@Larkin
I agree. Most of these are big dealerships and don’t negotiate.
Seems too high for a 10-year-old car. I’d offer $15k and see what happens.
My 2020 model was almost $20,000 for trade-in (75,000 miles). This car is only $2k less but is five years older. I’d look elsewhere. The market is still crazy, but patience could help you find a better deal.
I bought a 2013 XLE Touring for $1,500 less. Keep looking, but keep an eye on it.
I got my 2016 XLE Plus with 70k miles for $14.5k. It needed a few minor fixes, but I made sure the front timing leak was addressed properly, which made me decide to buy it. I’d check that and try to negotiate a better price. This car gets good mileage for a V6. I get around 30 MPG on the highway and 25 with a headwind.
A local dealer wanted $21k for a 2015 XLE with 60k miles. 
True said:
A local dealer wanted $21k for a 2015 XLE with 60k miles.
That dealership clearly doesn’t want to sell that car. It was $32k new, and now it’s almost 10 years old. Ridiculous .
@Larkin
We have other Avalons in the area that have been sitting for three months. I showed the sales guy the listing dates for the others, but they still wouldn’t entertain my offer to buy it at blue book value.
@True
I live in Florida, and maybe it’s a regional thing, but last December I bought my 2015 XLE Touring with 52,900 miles for $15,900 at a Toyota dealership. I can’t believe they want $21k for a nearly 10-year-old car. You can see the crazy prices when you check the market. If they don’t lower the price soon, they’ll just keep waiting for someone to pay that outrageous amount. That’s partly why the car market is so messed up right now. Dealerships aren’t moving cars because they price them too high. Be patient; someone will sell their Avalon for a decent price eventually.
@Larkin
Yeah, I agree. It’s all absurd. I rarely see Avalons here in Alaska, so I think dealers treat them like rare luxury cars. It’s not working out for them, especially in winter when people want 4x4 or AWD cars. It’s crazy to sell a car 6k above blue book value.