2003 Toyota Camry CDX 3.0 V6 petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Still a favourite

Faults:

Wear and tear parts replaced over the years. No major problems.

Tiny oil leak from somewhere, haven't figured it out where it's coming from but it's not causing an issue; I rarely if ever have to top up the oil, even though the engine has seen a lot of mileage.

Rust is becoming an issue however, but it is over 20 years old!

Oh and the A/C stopped working long ago, never bothered to repair. Leather seats also looking worn now.

General Comments:

What can I say about the Camry that has not already been said on here in hundreds of other reviews? Probably not much, but the reason people like these cars is simple - they are reliable and durable and there are not many cars made today that will hold up like this car has in over 20 years. I love 1990s / early 2000s Toyota.

The car is smooth to drive and the interior is very comfortable. 3.0 V6 is fast when you need it, not very economical by today's standard however.

I quite like how it looks, with light grey paintwork and alloy wheels.

I'll keep it so long as it keeps going! The engine is noisier now but no apparent issues. I never missed an oil change, but believe it or not I don't think the previous owner cared for it too much, certainly not as much as I have.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th August, 2025

23rd Aug 2025, 00:15

For your sake, I hope yours is equipped with the optional Side and Curtain Airbags as the XV30 generation Camry without the extra airbags was rated POOR by the IIHS when they tested it in a side crash-test.

And since most Toyotas owners have a very dismissive attitude towards safety, most of these XV30 Camry were ordered without the side and curtain airbags, so, be careful.

We're in 2025 and the roads are overcrowded with heavy electric cars and SUVs driven by careless drivers who are too busy texting whilst speeding and failing miserably to yield at junctions.

26th Aug 2025, 14:43

Nice vehicles: try to keep it going as long as is feasible. Like you say, rust may become an issue at 22 years old and 165k miles, however is it any worse than another car of similar vintage and mileage would be?

2003 Toyota Camry LE from North America

Summary:

Overall great car, but mine suffered the stripped head bolt problem

Faults:

Almost no issues aside from a recent head gasket problem. The car ran great for years, but apparently has a known issue with stripping head bolts because of the aluminum block.

General Comments:

I would definitely get another Toyota, but I would be wary of cars this old. I thought it would last up to 200,000 miles if properly maintained, but not in my case. I liked the ride, reliability, and the cost to own my Camry, but I would really consider getting one this old again.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th July, 2015

2003 Toyota Camry XLE V6 from North America

Summary:

It's a reliable first car

Faults:

One thing that I have disliked about this car is that it pulls left for no reason.

Another problem is that I want to put subwoofers in the car. And I had everything to do it until I found out that in order to put in a new head unit for the stereo, I would need to buy a $150 adapter harness; there goes a day of my life and $400 down the drain. Ended up reselling all my stuff. Got most of my money back.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 5th December, 2010

2003 Toyota Camry LE 2.4L 4 cylinder from North America

Summary:

Loved my 2003 Camry, and had no problems

Faults:

Nothing went wrong on my Camry until someone totaled it by hitting me head-on.

The only complaint I had with it was that the wheel covers seemed to stick out further than the tires, so it was very easy to scratch those by hitting a curb, and they were expensive to replace (about $85 each).

And it was hard to parallel park, because it was hard to see out the back window when parking.

But other than those two things, I really loved my Camry.

General Comments:

Comfortable ride and roomy interior.

Easy to do routine maintenance at home instead of having to pay the dealer.

Very safe vehicle.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd August, 2010