300,000 mile car?
Pros:
Dependability, gas mileage, tight steering, value
Cons:
Styling, cost, suspension, paint prone to chipping, the spark plugs are hard to change!
The Bottom Line:
Keep this car maintained and it will take you where no other brand can go. Pay a little more up front and be rewarded with the extra trouble-free mile.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I have 190,000 miles on my 1998 V6 Camry CE with standard transmission. It has a lifetime average 26.9 MPG (I have recorded all of my gas).
I outfitted it with a trailer hitch and have pulled boats and trailers with lawn mowers garbage, and several loads of my furniture when I moved 250 miles, so this car has been used but not abused.
Repairs have been sparse and minor. I replaced one oxygen sensor and recently a tie rod that had a little play, otherwise it has only had routine maintenance. It gets an oil change every 5,000 miles, a new air filter about every 15,000, struts at 160,000, timing belt every 60,000, and I changed the platinum spark plugs at 110,000 and they were barely worn. I agree with other reviewers that the brakes are noisy at times and sometimes act like there is a warped rotor. I replaced the brake pads after 100,000 plus miles and have had no trouble since. I paid a little more for the Toyota than I might have for another brand but I believe this car is cheaper in the long run due to owner peace of mind and its lack of repair costs.
Other reviewers have faulted interior parts breaking or looking cheap. There is a lot of plastic but it looks nice and being lighter helps gas mileage so I have no complaints. For a mid-sized car, the trunk and interior are roomy, the V6 is peppy and responds quite well to the extra pulling demands I have made on it.
It has always had some extra noises in the front suspension (struts I think) but I will praise its handling in the same sentence. None of the standard domestic brands I have driven respond as predictably...none of the inch or so of slack in the steering I had to get used to in several Chevy Blazers and Ford Explorers I drove at work.
I have seen reviews here from folks with 60 and 80 thousand miles and ranting about how they hope to get 160,000 miles on this car too. I think we buy the Camry because of the reliability and mileage we get beyond the average of the "other" brands. In "dog years", a Toyota Camry has just barely grown into its feet at 100,000 miles!
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