27th Feb 2003, 14:11

I have owned my 1997 Toyota Camry for over three months and have put over 7000 miles on it. The only real problem that I have encountered is the front strut supports wearing out and the dealer took care of that under the warranty. This car has been all over California and Oregon and starts and drives just as if it were new. My Aunt has a 1995 Camry and it has been driven into the ground (ie. put into reverse while at freeway speeds, corners on 2 wheels, hard acceleration off the line every time) and it has over 130,000 miles on it and it is still running and is a reliable commuter vehicle now! I can't believe it, but the car still works. Two thumbs up for Toyota!

27th Jul 2003, 05:51

I have to agree, there is something wrong if you have to replace the motor at low mileage especially a Toyota! Make sure you are getting s good quality oil and filter, some garages use low quality cheap oil and that is one of the worse things you can do for your car no matter how much you change it...and the front strut problem, if it's a '97 and you are putting new struts on it in 2003 and that is all then I think you are doing well! I would never compare Toyota to a Ford come on!

7th Nov 2003, 10:27

I own a 1997 Camry, I just found out I need front and back struts, that will put me back at about $900. I only have 46,000 miles and don't drive in dirt roads.

15th Nov 2003, 16:40

My 1997 Camry LE has almost 100k miles and not one drop of oil or transmission fluid anywhere. I change the oil every 2k miles and the transmission fluid every 10k. The oil all has to meet the same minimum requirements, so it does not matter if it is cheaper or not. The filter must be changed each time however. Change it hot and often and you will get 200 k out of these engines no problem.

The shock mounts go bad on these cars and the suspension is not as good as the 6 cylinder models. My front drivers side mount went out around 55k and just made a rattling noise. I will replace the shocks with the 6-cylinder model when I have more time.

Plastic pieces broken off here and there. This is typical for a Japanese car. Drivers lock is going out and the trunk lock can only be opened now with the latch inside.

The car is dead reliable. I drive it everywhere. Nothing but regular maintenance. I do not mind about the plastic and the locks, these do not leave me stranded, and can be fixed on your own with some patience. The suspension is inferior, but can be corrected.

I'm sorry to hear about your experiences. I have never ever heard of a Toyota throwing a rod at such a low mileage. There must have been an outside reason for this. (IE incorrect oil level etc). Dealers are synonymous with lying as well.

16th Dec 2003, 19:29

I just had the front struts replaced on my 1997 Toyota Camry LE, which has 90,000 miles. I bought the car new and have babied it, expecting it to last for years based on all the favorable comments other Toyota owners have conveyed to me. However, today the engine threw a rod and the engine must now be replaced. I am very disappointed.

8th Mar 2004, 11:33

I own a 97 Camry (4cyl) The only parts I have put into it besides the normal oil/filter every 3000 miles is the front brakes need replacing more than normal (every 15-20 thousand miles).

The alternator, plugs/plug wires, A/C, and struts are all original.

Btw...it has 125,000 miles on it.

Ballard.

9th Apr 2004, 23:00

I bought a 1997 Camry LE and have had it for 2 years now. I bought it used from my brother at 80,000 miles.

With the exception of the inferior suspension mounts, my car has had no problems at all. The mounts do not worry me, all it does is rattle when you go over a big bump. This doesn't interfere with the performance of the handling, etc. Even with the rattle, this is one of the quietest cars I have ever had. I can hear myself whisper while driving on the highway.

It just passed the 150,000 mark this week. I drive 300+ miles every week during college and it is more dependable than any car I have ever had.

I forgot to add one more problem - the battery connections show corrosion very quickly after cleaning, or replacing. But since I check and clean them every few months, it isn't a problem.

13th Apr 2004, 07:22

I too was surprised to have so many problems with a car that was considered reliable. At 45,000 miles my shock mounts started creaking when I drove over rough road. My trunk lock started giving me problems around 50,000 miles and I now must resort to using the inside latch to get it open. My gas latch is now starting to go and I have had to pry open the swing door to get to the gas cap on several occasions. Today my car has 80,000 miles on it and the front struts and alternator need to be replaced as soon as possible. What is really aggravating is that all of this has occurred despite faithful oil changes and check-ups with the dealer.

18th Apr 2004, 17:46

I purchased my '97 Camry LE 4 cyl. about 18 months ago with 67,000 miles on it. It now has more than 92,000 miles. Other than having the timing belt replaced at about 80,000 miles and regular oil/filter changes every 4000 miles I haven't had to do anything else. The noisy shock mounts are "typical" on the 97 Camry. While it is an annoyance, I would take that over the typical American made piece of junk that you only dream of getting 100,000 miles from without shelling out $5,000 worth of repairs during that time. As with every single purchase one can make there will always be the risk of getting a lemon. But I'll take my chance with getting the 1-in-a-thousand Toyota lemon rather than the 1-in-a-hundred chance with a Ford, Chevy, or Dodge.

9th May 2004, 09:52

I have been mostly satisfied with my '97 6-cylinder CE, which is now at 130K km. The only big problem has been the suspension. It started knocking at about 90 000 km. The dealership tried to fix it, but failed. Though the car was still under warranty, nothing further was done to help me. The dealership claimed that mine was the only one they'd ever heard of having such a problem. I find that hard to believe, given the comments from others here.

Too bad, really, because the car is so fine otherwise. The engine is so quiet that the suspension noise seems even louder.

Gary