Faults:

Battery 125,000 miles.

A/C recharged 128,000.

General Comments:

Very reliable, the only maintenance needed was relatively inexpensive. I've had this car for over a year and put 10,000 miles on it and the only thing that stopped it from getting me from point A to point B was the battery.

Faults:

The exhaust has needed replacement frequently, every 50 K.

The CV boots cracked at 120K.

The clutch master cylinder went out at 90K.

The starter went at 100K.

General Comments:

Overall the car has been very reliable. It has started every time over the years, except when the starter went out and I had to bump start it by parking it on hills.

The engine is very low maintenance and is efficient with the 5 speed manual transmission. I have commonly achieved over 40 MPG on the highway with the car.

It is not exciting, but everything works well and lasts a long time.

Faults:

The rear trunk lock does not open with the key. The remote trunk release works like new, so this is has not been a problem.

An interior plastic part that guides the driver's lap belt and keeps it within easy reach has broken free of the seat. It makes the belt a bit harder to reach, but it has not been a problem.

The bumpers are black on this model. The rear bumper has started to fade and look dull. After so many years in the California sun, who could blame it?

General Comments:

My Camry was built in Japan in 1988. It is more than 17 years old now. It has very few miles on it and is remarkably well preserved. The original owner took fantastic care of this car.

The build quality is very high. All of the body panels are still perfectly aligned. The doors close easily and seal tight. The interior looks great and shows few signs of fading. The paint and chrome look like new.

Mechanically, the car works like new. The original clutch and struts show no significant signs of wear. It starts up easily and runs quietly. The engine makes decent power, but economy is where it truly shines. No matter where or how I drive the car, it gets 31 miles per gallon. That means 400 miles between fill ups. I am impressed that such an old car can run so well.

The 1989 Camry sedan is well designed. The interior offers lots of room for people over 6 feet tall. The trunk is quite large. The car handles all types of roads with stability and grace. The brakes are very easy to modulate and offer acceptable stopping power. The car really shines on the highway with a very smooth ride and very little noise.

Every time I get in the Camry I feel a huge temptation to go on a long road trip. It is an easy car to trust. I think driving it actually calms me down, even in heavy traffic. I wish everything in my life worked as well as this car!

Faults:

Replaced tires and hubcaps (kept original rims). Tires were just worn, probably normal wear.

Struts were going when I got it, and they were definitely in need of replacement by the time I sold it.

Fuel filter replaced, was restricting gas flow to the point of stalling or not starting.

Had to replace front, center, and rear exhaust pipes. Muffler was fine.

Passenger window would not go down, rear drivers side window would sometimes not go down within the first few minutes of driving (power windows).

Left CV Joint became dangerously worn and could be heard clicking. Right CV joint was also worn and would need replacing.

Body had A LOT of rust.

General Comments:

Interior was in very good condition, all surfaces and upholstery seemed fine. I imagine the transmission/clutch were replaced before I purchased it, because it shifted with amazing ease and precision. Fun drive, plenty of room up front, great gas mileage.