1984 Toyota Camry 2.0 from North America

Summary:

Best car ever

Faults:

Battery went dead.

Replaced fuel filter.

General Comments:

Okay, first off this was my first car, it was brown and was the hatchback version. When I went to look at it, I fell in love. I put carpet in the back, and I can't tell you how many nights I slept in this beast.

It ran perfect for a while, then developed this problem where it would gradually slow down and wouldn't shut off, but I couldn't go fast enough. I thought it was the fuel filter, so fixed that, and then went on a 300 mile trip to find out it wasn't the fuel filter. I would shut the car off, and it would either run good or do the same thing, but it still always got me where I need to go. An angry girl's dad beat my window in one night, haha. That was interesting. Fixed it with my sister's window on her car.

I bought it for 400 dollars BTW. So even though it had this unexplainable problem, I set out on a road trip one summer to the Grand Canyon with a friend.

I tore this car apart; I've taken it only 4 wheel drives would go. Actually, on the second day of the road trip and 400 miles from home, I got a hole on the gas tank (probably a gallon an hour was leaking) from a rock while "4 wheeling" haha. I patched it with some stuff from Napa.

The third day my car won't start, in the middle of the Tahoe Mountains, and it turned out to just be my battery was bad. So I rallied this car to Vegas and the Grand Canyon, I thought it was done for in the desert by Lake Havasu, because it kept slowing down and being really weird. My friend and I thought about ditching it and jumping a train a few times, but it always started back up and always got me home.

I drove it around town and school for a few more months, and it got a bad tires, so I actually sold it because I couldn't afford new tires.

I miss the car so much, I would pay triple the price I bought it for. Never found out what the problem was. I still see it around town; tons of kids who made fun of me for buying the ugly mess, miss it, just like I do.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 25th October, 2011

26th Oct 2011, 08:43

You don't miss the car, you miss the good times you had with it. Thanks for sharing the story.

1984 Toyota Camry LE 2.0 from North America

Summary:

A good one that is getting old

Faults:

I have to give my Camry (I call her Maggie Mae) so much credit for heart... she tries to run even when there are problems.

I was having problems with overheating. Because the radiator was old and there was rust, I replaced the radiator and one of the connecting hoses. Then I replaced the radiator cap. Finally, the thermostat. But...

Now I am told that the problem is likely a head gasket or worse and they won't know until they take it apart...

Having read the other review of the 1984 Camry, I felt almost like he was describing my car! But I have the automatic and he had a manual.

Rust has been a problem on mine. Also, the front windows came off the runners, although I can still open and close them. Back ones still work. At this point, wondering whether to go the expense of fixing the problem. She's 23 years old! Bet she'd keep running though if she were repaired.

General Comments:

A keeper for a point A to point B car if a good mechanic could attend to her.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 24th August, 2006

24th Aug 2006, 19:57

Easiest way to tell if your head gasket it toast is to check your oil. Run the car for a few minutes and take the dipstick out. You should see some form of beige creamy looking substance. If you don't, look into maybe your water pump as a failing part. If your head gasket in going, little or lots, you will see abnormal oil color for sure. But don't wait forever, the longer you wait, the more damage your doing to your engine.

Good Luck!