I think it’s a good deal. It’s pretty easy to work on and relatively cheap. You really can’t go wrong with a $2,000 car.
These Toyotas are from the golden age of the brand, so try to negotiate down as much as possible, clean it up, and then enjoy!
Old is gold!
$2,000 is a fair price. 200k miles isn’t bad as long as the car is in good condition.
My first car had 290k miles when I owned it. They can last a long time as long as you keep up with the timing belt changes. Don’t forget to change the transmission fluid and coolant once you buy it.
I’m looking for a decent daily driver.
Rex said:
I’m looking for a decent daily driver.
It would be good for daily use if maintained. These can easily reach 400k miles if taken care of properly. I know folks with the same platform (V6 Camry, ES300/ES330) who do just fine at 400k. We have one at 340k without any issues, just regular maintenance.
Hell yeah!
Try to negotiate him down to $1,800, fix it up, detail it, and then you could potentially flip it for a couple hundred and get something a bit newer with fewer miles.
Davi said:
Try to negotiate him down to $1,800, fix it up, detail it, and then you could potentially flip it for a couple hundred and get something a bit newer with fewer miles.
- that’s what I would do. Just don’t buy a car with 200k miles.
@Davi
You’re forgetting, this is a Toyota. It’s not a Tacoma, but mileage means very little for these cars.
Do you really need a 1998 Avalon?
I would go for it! If you don’t need all the modern features and just want something reliable, this is a great option. I bought my '98 Corolla for $2,200 and it had 151k miles. It’s still running smoothly two years later at 176k.
These models have the best headroom of any vehicle 
I daily a 2003 model. It’s been an incredibly reliable car for over two decades. Super comfortable too.
At $2,000, even if the timing belt hasn’t been done, I’d start saving to get that done. I believe the 1MZ-FE engine didn’t have VVTi in 1998, so it shouldn’t be an interference engine (but make sure to verify that) which means you won’t risk damaging the engine if you drive it until the timing belt needs attention.