1997 Toyota Previa LE S/C 4WD review from North America

The head gasket blew on this 1997 Toyota Previa at about 140,000 miles for no reason. I bought it as a pre-owned Toyota back in 2000. I have always had scheduled maintenance done, with very easy driving. So I don't understand why that happend. According to Toyota there were no recalls on my van. I thought this would last me another 100,000 miles more after reading other reviews!!

I was advised by a mechanic (not a Toyota mechanic) not to take care of the head gasket, but to just keep driving it until the engine blows. Then to have a new engine put in which is at a cost of $3,850. So I kept driving it, and it was like driving a bomb that was ready to explode. It was developing white smelly smoke coming out of the back of the van, and also getting half the gas mileage than before.

I felt it was not worth to put about 4k to fix so I never did it. I was hoping to keep this van a little longer but it didn't work that way, and I was very upset. I had no other choice but to get another van. I got a 1998 Toyota Sienna 1 year newer but don't really like it as much as the previa but I needed another van and this was the only van around that I could afford. I'm very upset about this.

I have never had a problem with the Previa (knock on wood) until last year. When it was paid off I was so happy that I had no more payments to make, and thought this van would just keep going and going but it proved me wrong.

The Sienna I have now is not as comfortable on long rides as the Previa. It is more of a bumpy ride. It does not even have rear air conditioning as the Previa which was also starting to go when I had to get rid of it. The Previa was even much more roomy.