Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - Bilboman

I've had my new company car for a month now and it is superb in every respect EXCEPT that the horn is a pathetic Japanese-style bleep, more at home in a clown's car than a fairly upmarket estate. (It's a British-built car, so what's going on? My dad's Swindon-built Honda also goes BWEEPT!) What I would like to do is transplant a (readers' recommended) decent alternative with as little fuss as possible.
Unlike radios and add-on lights, I've never found anywhere to actually "try before you buy", and I would like to make a straight swap for a horn that sounds "serious", perhaps a tad imperious, but it doesn't have to be ear-splitting to the point of shattering street lamps or inducing heart attacks. A Homer-Simpson one playing "La Cucaracha" is also out, as is anything even remotely like Mr Whippy, Big Ben or the Keystone Cops, tempting though it is!
Any suggestions? I'm thinking of a ready-to-go aftermarket one which can be swapped straight over; failing that it's a trip to the scrappie for a horn from something a little "upmarket", but, again, easy to install.

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - unthrottled

It's a British-built car, so what's going on?

There's your answer. The British never use the horn except in extreme circumstances to indicate outrage at an example of appalling driving. Because we use the horn so infrequently, by the time you have found the location of the button on the steering wheel, the moment has passed and the gesture is already feeble. The tone of the horn merely reflects this impotence.

This is not New York.

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - elekie&a/c doctor

Unfortunately this is not as easy as it used to be in the old days.To make an improvement ,you will need a pair of 2 tone horns.Your next problem will be finding enough space to fit them,followed by the fact that the connections will be different and the thin wiring used on modern cars inadequate.If the existing system is not relay controlled,then this will need to be fitted.If you want to take this further,then a pair of horns from a Focus would be ideal.hth

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - coopshere

Best answer is to moderate your driving style so that you dont need to use a horn to warn others of how impatient and inconsiderate you are. By doing so you might even be surprised to find how much more you enjoy the journey and arrive at your destination relaxed.

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - Bilboman

(Focus horns - gotcha. Thanks!)

I was expecting a comment like this one, and my response is that I've also considered not using the brakes to save fuel and pad wear and I never drive at night if I can avoid it, to save bulb life. Similarly I stay at home during rain, fog, snow and winds of anything over 10 mph.
HOWEVER, in real life driving conditions (and it is these in which I dwell, with 20-30,000 miles of work driving per year), the three horn functions (tap, mid tone and long toot) have their uses, do they not? I never use the horn as a greeting, rebuke or expression of impatience: if it's too late to use it before x y or z happens, then it's no use using it at all, and if another driver is brain dead, Trumpet Voluntary isn't going to re-wire his neural pathways.
I seem to remember many years ago French cars like the Citroen CX having "town and country" horns (shallow press of the button for a light tone and heavier press for a more robust warning) - a good compromise, but long since abandoned like so many good ideas in the automotive world.


Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - dervdave

Yeah both my Verso and Hilux have wimpish horns yet the wifes Corsa has a real manly toot !

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - Bilboman

This extract from a Japanese translation of driving rules for visitors, circulating in the early 1920s might explain the "tootle" sound of Japanese car horns : When a passenger of foot hove in sight tootle the horn trumpet him melodiously at first. If he still obstacles your passage tootle with vigor and express by word of mouth “Hi! Hi!”

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - Bobbin Threadbare

Yeah, beep your feeble car horn and shout something similar to 'Hi! Hi!' out of the window but with more swearing in it.

My MX-5's beeper is feeble. I was a bit disappointed, but if the roof's down, I can just make a hand gesture above the top of the windscreen.

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - bathtub tom

Have you tried googling 'car horns'?

Many give their output in dB. Take your pick.

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - retgwte
www.fiatforum.com/panda/116017-after-market-horn-p...l
Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - focussed

What you need is a set of these-thet don't just scare the peds out of the way-they die of fright while getting out of the way!

http://www.hornblasters.com/video.php?video=55

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - Collos25

Can't remember the last time I had to use the horn in anger.

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - gordonbennet

The OE horns on my 07 Hilux (so any from 05 on) were superb, jarring combination of twin tones, couldn't miss them.

Should be a simple swap given the same make, hmm thinking about it i wonder if the parts dept would look the part numbers up for you, possible the Avensis already has a C# for example but only a single horn, might find you only have to buy the correct twin to go with the one you already have.

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - dervdave

The OE horns on my 07 Hilux (so any from 05 on) were superb, jarring combination of twin tones, couldn't miss them.

The horn on my 59 plate Hilux isn`t great shakes, not much better than the Verso

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - gordonbennet

The horn on my 59 plate Hilux isn`t great shakes, not much better than the Verso

How odd, twin horns still?, the note on mine could hardly have been caused pleasant but they did have the desired wake up and look effect when needed.

HL2, 3 or Invincible?, i wonder if higher priced gained an extra ootah?

Edited by gordonbennet on 08/09/2012 at 13:56

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - dervdave

HL2, 3 or Invincible?, i wonder if higher priced gained an extra ootah?

Your probs right GB, mines a little toot HL2

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - gordonbennet

Your probs right GB, mines a little toot HL2

Oh boy couldn't we have some tonque in cheek stuff now..;)

Got a set of Vigo alloys and bolts fitted with Vredestein winter tyres in the garage if you're intersted???...but you might need to find the HL3 wheel arch extensions too, they're Vigo Gspec wheels with 265/70 x 16's.

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - dervdave

Got a set of Vigo alloys and bolts fitted with Vredestein winter tyres in the garage if you're intersted???...but you might need to find the HL3 wheel arch extensions too, they're Vigo Gspec wheels with 265/70 x 16's.

Thanks for the offer gb but I want to keep it basic like the original, I can ask on the Hilux forum if you want ?

Edited by dervdave on 08/09/2012 at 19:45

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - gordonbennet

Got a set of Vigo alloys and bolts fitted with Vredestein winter tyres in the garage if you're intersted???...but you might need to find the HL3 wheel arch extensions too, they're Vigo Gspec wheels with 265/70 x 16's.

Thanks for the offer gb but I want to keep it basic like the original, I can ask on the Hilux forum if you want ?

Don't blame you dd, i'll probably stick them on HPOC meself come nearer the winter, but many thanks for the kind offer.

When they were fitted the vehicle was virtually unstoppable, even getting out of my rather too steep drive in 6" of the white stuff it still didn't need 4WD, only used AWD to keep it lubed up.

Have kept them in the dark since selling the motor, fully intending to get another...no doubt the second i sell them i'll buy something they fit..;)

Incidentally, and i hope you find the same, Hilux turned out to be be just about the least depreciating new vehicle we could have bought, well pleased, and if we needed its capabilities again wouldn't hesitate to get another.

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - Bilboman

I don't bother with the horn in anger. It has to be a Glock 21, every time...

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - galileo

Totally agree, but hasn't .45 ACP factory ammo become expensive? Makes reloading even more of a moneysaver.

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - galileo

Totally agree, but hasn't .45 ACP factory ammo become expensive? Makes reloading even more of a moneysaver

(You haven't been near Annecy the last few days?)

Toyota Avensis Tourer - Feeble horn - help! - bathtub tom

The most effective horns I've come across in recent years were on K11 Micras. A pair of loud, discordant things.