Uncomfortable but reliable car
Been through several alternators.
Valve cover gasket always cracks.
Great car. However this car is very uncomfortable to sit in, especially for long periods of time.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 2nd January, 2019
A major disappointment
In the 2 years I had this car, nothing failed so to speak, but everything rattled in this car! Everything! The dash, the doors, and the back had a squeak they could never find.
In the winter, when it got very cold as they do in Northern Ohio, the transmission never shifted right. It was like it was stuck in 2nd gear.
The CD player, made this odd clicking sound when certain CDs were played.
To this day, I could still kick myself for buying this car. I sold a GMC Sonoma that ran perfectly fine. I had researched and put a lot of time into making the choice to replace my Sonoma. It came down to the Camry or a Mitsubishi Galant; I should have bought the Galant. I should have listened to myself, not others.
This was one Sour Lemon, I thought I was getting a great car. I lost out on this one. Rattles, squeaks, and other odd quirks made it a disappointment. Every time I see one of these cars now, I cringe. A total waste of money; after 2 years I gave up and traded the car in. I took a loss on it, but I just wanted to wash my hands of the whole thing.
Many years after the fact, I don't know if I would consider another Camry, but it could very well have been I got a bad one.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 1st January, 2018
Nice and comfortable car, but not as convinced about Toyota quality as I used to be, anymore
Right after purchasing the car (for about 9000$ including tax) I noticed that it was emitting a large exhaust cloud after the car had been standing for a day or two. After maybe 10 seconds, the visible exhaust was almost gone. I returned to the dealership under the 30 days / 1000 mile warranty. They changed some valve stem seals.
About 2 miles of driving after picking up the car at the Californian dealership, I noticed that the engine was vibrating a lot. When opening the hood, I also noticed that the engine RPM was going up and down without anyone touching the accelerator. The engine almost stalled a couple of times as well. Back to the dealership we went, and this time they removed carbon buildup from the (/a?) throttle body.
From then on it has seemed to be fine. I could not notice any visible smoke at startup after the repairs.
These issues happened despite a so called 160 point inspection prior to our purchase.
These issues were fixed under warranty. The people at the Toyota service center appeared very friendly and professional. Nice, when you get in car trouble!
Very comfortable. Little noise from the engine. We are a family of 5 people, the kids presently being 17, 14 and 11 years old. They seem to have good space for a 5 seater.
The automatic transmission is very smooth.
Gas mileage has thus far been measured to 26.25 to 26.5 MPG under various driving conditions in, and around, San Diego.
The original sound system also seems to be of high quality.
The reasons that I have become unsure about Toyota is because I had problems with the two last ones (Sequoia + this one, bought in the US), but absolutely no issues with a '95 Corolla back in Norway. (I have been wondering if the latter 2 have been US built, and if that means a lower quality than some other cars sold under the Toyota brand name.)
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 4th October, 2015
Thank you for fixing your valve seals. While I'm not necessarily an environmentalist, my lungs wish that the guy who parks at the same train station lot I do would invest in those ;)
You will never regret your investment - bad valve seals kill catalytic converters.
The Toyota Camry is a great bang for your buck used car. For me the 05-06 (4 & 6 cylinder) is one of the better used car bargains. But finding a low mileage now for sale won't be easy. Many are well over 140,000, and up and up. Also never pay over Kelly Blue Book for one. And checking for odd engine sounds and smoke from the tailpipe is a must for any buyer when the engine is cold started, among of a lot of other items.
Last but not least, you have to get the car up to speed on the freeway to check for all types of other problems used cars have. Buying from a private party could have saved you thousands of dollars if you know what to look for when buying a used car. But having a warranty from a dealership can be priceless when you miss things on a used car.
“Bad valve seals kill catalytic converters” + 1000 :)
Even oil consumption that is not visible (e.g. blue smoke from the exhaust) will shorten the life of your catalyst.
7th Jan 2018, 04:56
Get the transmission flushed.