desperately need help with a Toyota Camry used purchase 4/23/2021

[ecotourist]

Kelly BB is giving me a cash buy back value $ for my older car , I have 3 local dealers that will honor it even if I don't trade it in to their dealership.

I wonder what people's experience is with these cash back buy offers. I have no experience with them myself.

Here's my general comment on current Toyota styling. Does anyone actually like the "man eating shark" look? I can't see buying any car that looks like that myself.

 

[wag123]

I wonder what people's experience is with these cash back buy offers. I have no experience with them myself.

Here's my general comment on current Toyota styling. Does anyone actually like the "man eating shark" look? I can't see buying any car that looks like that myself.

I am not terribly fond of the newer "angry face" Toyota front-end styling myself, but I will still take a Toyota product for the quality/reliability/longevity.

 

[supton]

I have a '12 Camry LE with the 2.5 that's coming up on 80k (I bought it 3 years ago with 30k) that's been very solid; I'd buy another one in a heartbeat. My Camry easily pulls down 35mpg on the highway, and has plenty of power - no reason to go with the V6, although that does produce fantastic power. Its only repair so far has been rear brake pads/lube after a stuck slide pin sort of jammed the rear caliper (due to road salt),

You lost a pad too? I did, around 2 years and 55k. I had been letting the dealer do the work, and they weren't lubing the pad ears. Lesson learned. I lube the ears yearly now, actually I do that on all my cars, not a Camry-only problem.

 

[snake123]

I have a '12 Camry LE with the 2.5 that's coming up on 80k (I bought it 3 years ago with 30k) that's been very solid; I'd buy another one in a heartbeat. My Camry easily pulls down 35mpg on the highway, and has plenty of power - no reason to go with the V6, although that does produce fantastic power. Its only repair so far has been rear brake pads/lube after a stuck slide pin sort of jammed the rear caliper (due to road salt), but I did replace the 8-year-old factory battery for peace of mind. It's a comfortable highway car that has lots of space, tons of storage, decent seats, and is pretty feature-dense (even my LE came with a touchscreen radio, stitched dash, power drivers seat, USB/aux/Bluetooth, etc. in addition to all the keyless/power features that you'd expect, so it feels decently upscale and modern). I added a backup cam (standard on later years) and an auto-dimming mirror with compass; both were pretty easy projects.

We have a mechanically-similar '10 Sienna with the 3.5 that's at about 220k, and has been amazing to own - pretty much just tires/brakes/batteries, plus a VVT repair that cost ~$400-$500, as I remember. It still has its original ATF, brake fluid, coolant, and all original suspension parts. Basically just brakes and tires and air filters, one or two light bulbs, a refrigerant top-off a few years back and a radio under warranty for a jammed cd, plus oil changes every ~7500. It still feels almost as good at 200k as it did at 100k. It's been incredibly cheap to own and still pulls 24+ mpg down on the highway, same as new.

this helps me with wanting the 4 cylinder in which I prefer , Im no race car driver or pulling a boat. thanks a lot

 

[snake123]

I wonder what people's experience is with these cash back buy offers. I have no experience with them myself.

Here's my general comment on current Toyota styling. Does anyone actually like the "man eating shark" look? I can't see buying any car that looks like that myself.

I cringe all those shark mouth cars any brand is just a hunk of all plastic junk that sure will smash all the from radiator an engine with just a fender bender.

 

[snake123]

I am not terribly fond of the newer "angry face" Toyota front-end styling myself, but I will still take a Toyota product for the quality/reliability/longevity.

I cringe all those shark mouth cars any brand is just a hunk of all plastic junk that sure will smash all the from radiator an engine with just a fender bender. this is progress

 

[ecotourist]

I am not terribly fond of the newer "angry face" Toyota front-end styling myself, but I will still take a Toyota product for the quality/reliability/longevity.

I like Toyota products as well. But isn't it a shame that you have to "close your eyes" or "pick a colour that covers it up a bit".

I understand that the CEO of Toyota was challenged about making such bland looking cars. So the designers came up with this look. It's not bland for sure but in my opinion at least, it's not an improvement either.

I think they need better designers. In the late 1970s/early 1980s Toyota had a design studio in California. That lead to some very attractive cars.

 

[Blinker]

Toyota had some torque converter issues with the TF-80 for a couple years when it was first used in the Camry. They replaced quite a few torque converters and then came up with a TCM update. Not sure if the torque converter was ever updated.

 

[Pelican]

Please shed some knowledge on me, as thousands of Camry and Avalon owners must be lying.

What 1,000s? Really? there may have been a few, but do we know if they were properly maintained?
Most failures are due to abuse of one sort or another in Toyota/Lexus and yes lack of fluid exchange is considerate abuse no matter what the marketing guys write in the OM.

 

[benjy]

not a toyota fan as IMO overpriced + overated! depending on budget theres options. new kias - hyundai have the best warranty but i prefer NA over turbo complexity. girlfriends 18 optima bought with 8 thou on it has been great, naturally aspired 2.4 i believe, conventional 6 spd auto, only downside is DI that anything newer has. drives great + lots of room as well as a big trunk + uses NO oil between changes unlike her traded oil eating 13 malibu 2.5 she traded in. todays cars are a crap shoot + IMO simpler is better especially if you keep it over a 100m thou, good luck!!

 

[Graham Piccinini]

The Aisin AWTF series 6-speed automatic transmissions have been used in tens of millions of vehicles over a long time span by virtually all of the auto manufacturers around the world in many vehicles far heavier than the Camry. They can and do fail, but their extremely low failure rate makes them as close to the most reliable transverse engine automatic transmission as has ever been produced by anybody. When you have so many of them out there, you are bound to find some people on the Internet complaining about failures, but they do NOT "shred" to any appreciable or statistically relevant extent like you claim.

The transmission failure rate is higher on a V6 vs I4 engine.
And my claim of bad 6-speeds comes from a research that I did back in 2014-ish, when I worked at CarMax and we had at least 1 of these in the shop weekly, getting a transmission replacement. I actually liked the car for drivability and ergonomics, but after seeing it on lifts often, I looked online and saw many people complaining about transmissions. I was not aware that they fixed the issue in later model years, and was making my claim only based on what I learned in 2014, and at that time that generation was still new, so I guess they were still rulling out the kinks. Also saw some Scion TC 2nd gen with same transmission issues at that time. So, I stand corrected if the transmission issues got fixed in later years.
But nothing comes even close to the number of transmissions replaced under that CarMax roof in Jeep Compass/Patriot and Nissan Altima...

 

[TmanP]

this helps me with wanting the 4 cylinder in which I prefer , Im no race car driver or pulling a boat. thanks a lot

The vast majority (~90%) of the 7th-gen Camrys were I-4, so finding a V6 wouldn't even be too easy (nor is there a need to).
The power is on the upper end of adequate (7.8 sec, I believe), so you shouldn't be wanting for more power often, and it's kinda fun getting MPGs like these from a ten-year-old midsize (this is very typical for cruising at 65-75).

Lifetime MPG sits at 31.5.

 

[TmanP]

You lost a pad too? I did, around 2 years and 55k. I had been letting the dealer do the work, and they weren't lubing the pad ears. Lesson learned. I lube the ears yearly now, actually I do that on all my cars, not a Camry-only problem.

Yep - I heard a funny squeaking noise and that ended up being the issue. It was the only repair it's needed so far (unless you count the still-functioning factory battery I replaced for peace of mind after 8 years) - not even a light bulb or anything (*knocks on wood*). It's only set me back a set of tires, the rear brake job, a few air filters, and an ATF flush a year ago but I don't think that was needed.

Also, since it's BITOG, I've been running M1 EP for 10k with a Toyota filter and the oil level has never moved perceptibly (and it's still quite light when it gets dumped, which has been twice a year).

Here's a recent pic I took while out hiking... this summer it'll get a headlight restoration and probably a new set of tires to replace the tired Continentals before the snow flies.

 

[javacontour]

I tend to agree that for the OP, with the average elevation in VT being 1000ft and the highest elevation being about 4400 feet, the 4 cylinder engine should do fine.

One use case that might warrant the V6 is out West where you can get to 10k ft above sea level. Since these cars are not offered with a turbo to mitigate the impact of higher elevation, those who live in such places might want the V6 for the extra power when climbing their terrain.

 

[supton]

Yep - I heard a funny squeaking noise and that ended up being the issue. It was the only repair it's needed so far (unless you count the still-functioning factory battery I replaced for peace of mind after 8 years) - not even a light bulb or anything (*knocks on wood*). It's only set me back a set of tires, the rear brake job, a few air filters, and an ATF flush a year ago but I don't think that was needed.

Also, since it's BITOG, I've been running M1 EP for 10k with a Toyota filter and the oil level has never moved perceptibly (and it's still quite light when it gets dumped, which has been twice a year).

Here's a recent pic I took while out hiking... this summer it'll get a headlight restoration and probably a new set of tires to replace the tired Continentals before the snow flies.
View attachment 55122

Nice! Our '11 is a bit further along and I think the struts are done for now. Battery, rotors and pads around 5yr/125k, and at 224k I had to do rear swaybar bushings and the HVAC blower motor (the former clunked, the latter was starting to squeak at times). It's feathering tires so it's not holding alignment well, but I suspect it'll soldier on for a few more years. Despite a wonky 2nd gear syncro problem that it's had since new, hasn't gotten worse, just was never great going into second gear.

 

[eljefino]

Back up, I can barely understand your post.

Did you just get this solicitation today, and are you trying to take action today? This spontaneous deal making rarely works out in your best interest.

What's your current car, and what do you think you can get for it? As said, the used market is overheated. Try getting some 'comps' on craigslist or FB marketplace. List your car there for 20% more than the "kbb offer" and see if you get nibbles.

Consider the Prius Prime-- $9k in incentives depending on your tax bracket and 7 moving parts in the very reliable transmission. Vermont's perpetual hills will charge your huge battery on the descents too.

I had two 2002 Camrys with the 2.4 and 200k+ miles that did fine and barely burned any oil. They (5 speed stick shift) had plenty of power and managed ~32 MPG.

 

[Supersonic]

2005 - 2006 2.4l, just after the head bolt issue was apparently resolved for the most part, and before the oil burn issue of the improved block design. Mine, 2005, 225k+, worst issue for me was sticking thermostat, though the water pump was just changed when I got it. The belt tensioner pulley and alternator bearings started making noise too.

The YouTube 'Car Care Nut' says the 3.3 v6 was one of Toyota's best engines, but it is a timing belt with the interference angle issue, just about to find out, should start a thread on my latest purchase was inspired by his direction, 2004 Sienna, fwd, 188k, $1500, and I've already got about that in parts I am working on, mostly regular service stuff and the exhaust.

And this is where you must figure out what is acceptable, if it ain't all rusted out and doesn't burn a lot of oil, it might be a good one. You usually only have to fix things once on a Toyota and they'll go a long time between issues. Is it acceptable to at least know they kept up on oil changes and air filters and did little else unless something was noticeable, that would likely describe many, and I think I'd prefer that to some amateur work. Sometimes it is a good guess to pay a little more and get the better maintained, and sometimes it better to go as cheap as practical.

Just to finish up and as a foreshadow of what you might be getting into, I had 3 big issue to resolve, O2 sensor upstream bank 1, replaced thermostat that stayed open, and exhaust leak at the front pipe, 1 real bad tire. Also replaced the right rack boot, rear lift shocks, cleaned MAP and throttle body. Today is replacing the sway bar links, and check to see if the timing belt was replaced recently, it did have new Toyota belts on the outside but no record of the timing belt being changed. Next weekend will be the spark plugs, valve cover gaskets, knock sensors and their wire harness, valley plate. Plus I got a oil leak, although it seems it could be the rear main seal, there is an oil galley near the seal location and it may just be the valve covers but right now I'll not too concerned as I would keep the oil full and just keep driving it as is. The body has minimal rust and my plan is to run it out to 500k as long as that seems feasible.

 

[Starman2112]

I'd skip any that has the 2AZ-FE 2.4L engine. Known for either pulling headbolts or burning oil. Not all of them, so if it's a good deal I wouldn't turn one down, but I certainly would not pay top dollar.

The 2.5L seems like a good motor though. Anything can be abused and turned into an oil burner, but the 2.5 seems decent in this regard. I think that is 2011 on, while the problematic 2.4 is 2002-2010.

Not sure about the 3.5, it is likely robust also but it will cost more to buy, and possibly maintain, and likely get lower mpg.

The 2.5L is 2010 and up.

 

[MattPersman]

They ARE paying top price for used cars but also charging TOP price for the replacement used car the market is sooo high right now. Only buy if you need something. Or if you can get high trade in and want a new car with good numbers

 

[atikovi]

desperately need help with a Toyota Camry used purchase 4/23/2021​

Kelly BB is giving me a cash buy back value $ for my older car , I have 3 local dealers that will honor it even if I don't trade it in to their dealership.
I want a reliable long lasting Toyota I checked the Camry , and the Corolla , amazing ly no call backs on the Corolla engines and transmissions but is a smaller car , so Id go for the bigger Camry . but which used in years should I definitely stay away from because of the engine failures ,oil burring and CVT transmissions , can any one give me a stay away list ? I would appreciate it ?

The title says you bought a Camry yesterday but in the post you're rambling on about a bunch of unrelated stuff. What is this thread about? I'm confused.