Bought a Toyota even more boring than The Critic's

Joined
Jun 15, 2003
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ME
1999 Camry with 100,400 miles.

So my kid's 14½ which means ½ year from driver's ed. When he graduates he gets a learners permit. I like to plan ahead and have more junk to snowblow around so this came home with me. I had already looked at a Grand Marquis and two 2007-08 Ford Fusions, all very rusted out.

So I find this creampuff on FBM:

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There was a thread a week or so back about buying cars from idiots and this is the exact example I go for.

The ad indicated it had been for sale for 14 weeks so I went over there with the assumption that the battery would be flat. I wasn't excited about jumping anything with my prius and misplaced my cables, so I went over there without. The seller called me 5 minutes before I got there apologizing but he couldn't get it started and wanted to abort the meeting. Nah man I said, I want to see how rusty it is and whatnot, let's keep the appointment. Made an offer without hearing it run and the car was mine, proven with a bill of sale and old New Hampshire registration. (New Hampshire doesn't title cars older than 2000, and other states have to put up with this due to the interstate commerce clause of the US constitution.)

I appear at my town hall with this suspicious paperwork and they tell me my bill of sale might need to be notarized. They called DMV HQ and find out that nope, not necessary. Which was good because the kid's car was in his mothers name and I wasn't sure where she even was-- maybe several hours away in the White Mountains. They fill out a "unusual circumstance" form and staple it, the reg, and bill of sale to my title app and hand me my plates.

I went back with my Silverado and tow dolly, and through a miracle of fate found two contiguous parking spaces on the street on Munjoy Hill in in-town Portland. Removed the dead battery and put jumper cables on it to my Chevy, and ran the motor. Chevy's smart charging sensor knew something was up, and ran at 15.2 volts. Only took five minutes of charging and the car chooched right over. With it running (and charging) I used its little 12V inflator (included in sale!) to pump up the flat rear tire and then pulled it onto the dolly.

So now it's home and I'm going through it. Original sale was to an old lady born in 1937! 2012 saw a timing belt, likely recommended due to age, at 26k miles. Rockers are intact but fuel lines to the tank need replacement. Brake lines were done, and by an extraordinarily tidy mechanic. Car also needs struts on all four corners, is rolling on 4 snow tires with 4/32 remaining, and has a wrecked spare in the trunk. Size 195-70r14, LOL.

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Try to stay awake when you drive it.
It is a bit of a boring drive but my '11 does what it can to give it a run for its money. [Or not?]

Power steering working good in this weather? Mine is starting to get morning sickness.

Take a look at the radiator, I did do mine as I saw some cracks in the tank. Also maybe pop the cable off from the shifter, where it connects to the transmission. It has a pivot point there, and on mine it filled with rust. The cable terminates in a plastic end, so that cracks when rust fills the pivot point. It was dirt cheap to replace, and not bad to do the work, but it still counts as downtime when it goes.

Keep a floorjack in the trunk, that way your kid can lift the hood. I'm not sure why but this thing has the heaviest hood I've ever dealt with.
 
Well done! I have picked up 2 such Camrys to help some families... I paid about $1,000 for each of these as I recall. Both are in service.
I put a grand more or so to get them ready to go. Not as through as @The Critic but I can tell you the new owners are grateful.
A top of the line V6, 240K I think but perfect body and interior.
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And a beater 4 banger. Some paint repair was necessary on this one...
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There is an older lady a few houses up from ours that is probably close to no longer driving and she has a garage kept maroon early 2000's Camry that I always tell my wife I'd kill to get my hands on that when she sells it and she always looks at me and rolls her eyes. Then I go into a 20 minute spiel about how bulletproof those are, again rolling her eyes.
 
The perfect starter car for a new teen driver, big enough to be reasonably safe, small enough for a new driver to easily handle, and one that shouldn't keep dad busy fixing it every weekend. The more boring the better for a new driver IMO. New tires, new struts, an alignment, new brakes, a new battery, and fluids/filters changed... you should be good to go. I can't believe how rust-free the car is for it's age! This car could potentially make it through college if he/she doesn't wreck it. Well done eljefino!
 
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The perfect starter car for a new teen driver, and one that shouldn't keep dad busy fixing it every weekend. The more boring the better for a new driver IMO. New tires, alignment, new brakes, a new battery, and fluids/filters changed... you should be good to go. Well done eljefino!
Best car for a new teen driver is one with no back seat and a large center console. ;)
 
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