It’s hard to quantify how much you love someone. ‘I love you loads’ or ‘I love you high as space’ are phrases commonly bandied-about as romantic notions to infer immeasurably high numbers. But these two phrases appear churlish compared to the yardstick for love’s ultimate round-trip destination: ‘I love you to the moon and back‘.
It’s a fanciful saying, based on an impossibly huge distance. An unimaginable stella number. An illustration of just how much you love someone and how far you’d go for them. A hypothetical distance used to express and reciprocate feelings of trust, dependability and reliability between loved ones.
But when Steve Smith says he loves his Toyota Avensis estate ‘to the moon and back’ he really means it. He’s owned two, each racking-up interstellar mileages combining to a total of 661,000 miles and counting. A distance far enough to take him to the moon and back, with enough left over to travel around the world six or seven times.
The 57-year-old Cheltenham-based, taxi driver’s first Avensis estate was barely run-in when, at 259,000 miles, it was written-off after colliding, head-on, with debris thrown into his path from an accident on the opposite carriageway near Birmingham in 2014. “I was listening to Radio 4 with the cruise control set to 70mph when I hit a wheel lying in the middle lane. It hit the sump and the airbag went off. It was dark and I couldn’t see anything. It was difficult to stop and very scary.
“The chassis was twisted so it couldn’t be fixed. I was heartbroken, I loved it – to the moon and back. I’d always been impressed with its reliability and luggage space, but now I knew how safe my Avensis Estate was too – I had to find another.
“I bought my second from Listers Toyota – a 2011, 2.2 diesel with 17,000 miles on the clock. It’s now done 402,000 miles. I do lots of long journeys, mainly to airports and seaports and to-and-from Cheltenham Racecourse – I average about 5,000 miles per month.
“It has a huge amount of space in the back – I once had a family with so much luggage they thought I wouldn’t squeeze it all in – they were expecting a van – but I got seven cases in the boot and two more in the back with the customers. I just kept smiling and filling it up,” he explained.
Steve’s car has had all-bar-one of its services carried out by Listers Toyota in Cheltenham who said: “We are simply astounded to see Steve’s Toyota’s staggering reliability record in action”
Steve added: “It had its DPF replaced four years ago, and I do have to top-up the water once a month, but otherwise it’s totally reliable.”
This week he was awarded with three Toyota High Mile Club stickers each marking 150, 200 and 300,000 miles. Toyota does not make 400,000-mile stickers, so Steve will need to add them all together to get close to representing his ‘lunatic’ (see what I did there!?) mileage.
“My current plan is to get it through to March when it might have 420 or 430,000 miles on it. Then I’ll be on the lookout for another” said Steve.
Bought 2007 Avensis 5 door diesel in 2012 with 57,000 on clock. Absolutely loved it. Husband persuaded me to sell it when it got to 100,000. Nothing wrong with it. I was heartbroken. Worst mistake ever. Bought Auris auto hybrid with 28000 on clock 2016 model last September. 2nd worst mistake, too many gadgets and not enough space in boot. Drove it out of Toyota dealership mentally thinking where other dealerships were to begin search for an Avensis. Just about to collect another Avensis, this time a tourer. 2016 model auto/petrol 59,000 miles. So excited, cannot wait. 7th Toyota in our household.
Hi Janet,
Thank you very much for your loyalty over the years.
We are so pleased to hear you have chosen another Avensis.
We hope you enjoy it.
Thanks.
I have a 07 fj that now has 460k still take it on long trips
I Have 2012 Toyota sienna She it has 499,910
I am very comfortable driving anywhere to go Toyota is really perfect choice
I’ve a 2005 avensis estate with 188000 miles on it, body and interior look showroom fresh still and I’m hoping to take it over 200000 miles!
I have just purchased a 2016 1.6 Avensis tourer I am new to Toyota so far a little apprehensive as warning light keeps coming on and power steering goes. Not impressed as I have always had Peugeots and they are real work horses. I hope it settles down as I get use to driving with a Electronic Handbrake. Watch this space.
Hi there,
We are sorry to hear about this.
We would recommend taking your Avensis to your nearest Toyota Centre so that it can be physically inspected.
Thanks.
Thankyou I will try that although it’s under warranty with Hyundi and I think I should take it back to them first.
My2007 Avensis 2.2 estate has just rolled over the quarter million. Only just had new middle section on exhaust (was extremely hard to find and nowhere as quiet as the original). Plan is to keep it running as long as I can. Aiming for at least another 150k 🙂
Hi Rob,
We are so pleased to hear that your Avensis is still serving you well.
Check this article out – https://mag.toyota.co.uk/high-mile-club/.
Thanks.
Have a 2010 avenis nearly 400thousand miles on the clock bullet proof only had a fuel injector fitted.Ive driven Renault Nissan Ford Skoda and Volkswagen over the years but Toyota the best by a mile
Steve is a member of our cycling club in Cheltenham.
I’ll be looking for an Auris when my current car packs in.
Hello.
You can explore our range of pre-owned models here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/used-cars
Thank you.
Toyota Avensis number 1car
I’d never owned a Toyota before but was looking for a newish car to use as a cab, I googled common faults for a few different makes and models and nothing came up for the Avensis so that’s what I bought. Well now I wouldn’t by anything else, our first one covered 350000 without any major issues whatsoever and our second one was just as good. I even managed to get my young son interested in buying one knowing that he couldn’t break it 🤣 because you all know what young drivers are like ? Flat out everywhere and not bothered about maintenance !! But still his Toyota never faulted. A totally amazing brand, so please don’t change anything Toyota because you already have everything perfect.
Hi Paul, thank you for your kind words.
We really appreciate you taking the time to leave this feedback. We wish you and your son many more happy miles in your Avensis!
Have you recieved any High Mile Stickers?
Thanks.
No I haven’t had any high mileage stickers but I would really appreciate some
Hi Paul,
We have sent you an email.
Thanks.
Bought 2005 Avensis estate with 165000 miles on the clock for £500 iat an auction had it for 6yrs passed every mot only replaced the clutch. Sold it to my neighbour with 256000 miles on the clock with regret bought a Honda and within a month bought another Avensis I would still have my old Toyota back she still sounds better than our 2010 with only 86000 miles oh they are both 1.8 petrol.
Hi, thanks for your comment.
We are glad to hear you are a fan of the Avensis – good choice!
If you wanted to look at our Toyota Used and Approved cars, please visit here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/used-cars.
Thanks.