1988 Toyota Camry LE 4 cylinder from North America
Summary:
An older Camry is an excellent, reliable first car.
Faults:
I haven't had many problems so far.
The transmission needed to be replaced shortly after I bought it. I encountered some problems in finding a mechanic in the area who would repair a foreign car.
The brake pads also needed to be replaced. This was not a major repair.
There are also some minor rust spots starting to form.
General Comments:
Overall, I am very pleased with my Camry. It is very enjoyable to drive and it's been very reliable so far. I've talked to other owners of Toyotas that claim they were able to drive their cars beyond 200,000 miles.
There are some nice features that I was surprised to find in an older car. The automatic seat belts are a good safety feature and contribute to lower insurance rates. The air conditioning and heating are excellent. Also, the headlights turn off automatically when you open the driver's side door. This is a feature that I find very helpful.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 12th July, 2001
29th Aug 2001, 22:04
I just bought a 1988 LE camry and it only had 122000 miles on it, and it has been one of the best cars I ever driven.
3rd Sep 2002, 02:22
I got a 1988 Camry LE DOHC 2l 16 Valve and it has over 300000 kilometers runs fine, but needs a new transmission.
7th Feb 2005, 22:50
I got an 88 camry LE, 255,000km, and no problems at all, well transmission was changed, I luv this car.
2nd Feb 2006, 10:06
I just bought a 1988 Toyota Camry Deluxe with 152,000 on it, it runs great and starts every time. I have had a Camry in the past and it was very much abused by the previous owners, but it still ran and drove well... SO yes Camry is a very good buy.
8th Feb 2007, 19:39
I own a 1988 Camry, with only 38,000 miles as of today. It was garage kept for 18 years by my grandmother.
22nd Apr 2008, 00:26
88 CAMRY? I love my car. It runs great even with myself driving like a mad man. 70 mph, is not a problem. I love getting in it, knowing that it'll start every time. By far the most reliable car ever, my opinion.
12th May 2009, 15:21
I own a 88 camry le with 165,000 miles and it's still going strong, Just can't kill it, it was rear-ended 30,000 miles ago and repaired but still going strong.. too bad they are not made like this nowadays.
23rd Jan 2010, 14:32
I have an 88 Camry LE 4 cyl. Has 274K and still going strong. Slight overdrive miss every now and then. It gets driven about 500 miles a week right now and has is very reliable. I'll do a tranny filter change and flush and see if that fixes the issue with the overdrive. Great car!
6th Aug 2001, 18:28
My 1988 Camry LE has just over 252,000 miles on it, and it still runs PERFECTLY.