How reliable is the 3.0L V6 vs the 2.2L 4 cylinders in the 1997-2001 Camrys?
- Thread starter mosaud1998
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Who wants a boring daily? You're in it...DAILY!!!
So how does that work? Do you drive in a non-boring fashion? Like, just nail it and leave every stop in a cloud of rubber dust? Speed up every time someone tries to pass you? Brake check anyone following too close? ok not that, that's a fast way to regret.
My (by all accounts here) slow car is still entertaining enough at extra legal speeds. I mean, toss in some wheel shake, something that sounds like crank bearings spinning on the wrong axis, and a tendency to change lanes in the gentlest of breezes... what's not keeping me fully focused on the job at hand?
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Very true. But depends on the commute. My old '00 Camry would be fine in the country side if I just got it up to 65 mph, set the cruise, and relaxed for the drive. But I need to merge onto the freeway, which shortly comes up on traffic, then move over a couple lanes where you need to go from 5 mph to 65 mph reasonably unless you want to get rear-ended. Don't need to be a rocket but wow that old Camry has got an anchor tied behind it by now.
True. One of the short on-ramps down in MA had me rethinking how to go in that direction. Yeah, this car is seriously lacking 0-60, and let's not talk about 0-80.
But I swear, it downshifts less above 70 than it does at 60. Probably an illusion, backroads have way more incline than the highway. But the one time I took it into the hills in Vermont... wowzer, I bet I killed a few horsepower there--I had left it on cruise and boy was it working!
A car that is fun to drive has nothing to do with being a jerk and not letting someone pass or brake checking. I've had way too many cars that were unbearably slow to the point of being dangerous and there was nothing fun or entertaining about them, total penalty boxes.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
There’s just something about that charm though knowing you’re in a car that no matter how hard you try, you can’t kill
There’s just something about that charm though knowing you’re in a car that no matter how hard you try, you can’t kill
It stays alive just to spite you...lol
I've always tried to buy a car with a bit of go. I think of it as a safety feature. Sometimes you have to get out of the way and you want a car that can do that for you. When I pass a car or a long truck on a 2 lane highway I want car that can accelerate.
My Solara V6 had good acceleration as well as quite reasonable gas mileage. It also had a huge back seat. Real people could travel cross country back there - and did. I never used premium fuel though it supposedly had a bit more go if you did.
My Solara V6 had good acceleration as well as quite reasonable gas mileage. It also had a huge back seat. Real people could travel cross country back there - and did. I never used premium fuel though it supposedly had a bit more go if you did.
So what is an entertaining car? what does it do to make it entertaining? or what are you doing to make the drive enjoyable?
I have acceleration and braking matter very little in heavy traffic. Don’t matter either when the roads are empty, although sure it is fun to give it the beans. But that is all of a few seconds, then settle in for ten or twenty miles.
No. The sludge problem occurred when cheap bulk dino old was used and not changed often enough. Many owners went by the owners manual's 7500 mile oil change intervals. You know how that goes with the average driver, they will stretch it to 9 or 10000 miles, it will run a quart or so low on oil for a while, then they get the oil changed at a local quicky lube, and then after 70000 miles or so of doing this they have a sludge problem. The 4 cylinder had the same problem, but not to the extent of the V/6. The problem was not limited to Toyota either, other auto manufacturers also had this problem, most notably Nissan and Chrysler, and the problem isn't a new one, Ford had this problem on their Windsor V/8s all the way back in the 60s and 70s.
When cheap dino oil is used the oil changes need to be done every 3000 miles. If you use a good synthetic oil you can stretch it to 5000 miles (but no longer).
I totally agree. The Avalon < V6 < 4 cyl thing in older car is definitely true as the target buyers definitely want lower cost of ownership than comfort, or they would not buy something that old in the first place.
I'd go one step further and say cloth seats if not very dirty, would sell better than leather as they are likely cracked and hardened by then. Also sun / moon roof is a liability not a feature as they likely leak by then as well.
Seller has a good rating, 48 reviews with a 5/5 score. Plus car looks real good. Wish the description was in lower case and a little more detail. But car looks super clean and glossy.
so you are considering years beyond 97-02? I think that is smart for a few reasons, most 97-02's are beat, but you'll find many more 03-11's. Some 4 bangers had oil consumption issues but your a BITOG member and that gives you luck. Also, consider the Lexus instead if you have the budget. It will feel more like the bmw.
There are some 07-09 Camrys. A bit over budget but if I can find the right one, I'll pull the trigger.
I'm still considering that 99 Camry XLE V6 that has 123k miles and the dealers asking $4,495. The interview for the new job is Tuesday next week. If I get the job (hoping I do because I am tired of working at this current job. Too much work for little pay), I am thinking of walking back into the dealership with $3,500 in all 100s and slapping it on the sales managers'/owners' desk.
If she doesn't take it, she's an idiot. I spoke to the mechanic that worked on my dad's old Camry in regards to how much he'd charge for the timing belt, water pump, and all 6 spark plugs on the 99 Camry. He quoted me $900 for parts plus labor. He's an ex Toyota Mechanic.
Idk why but I feel like $900 is a lot for the timing belt and all 6 spark plugs. I can get an asin timing belt kit, NGK plugs, and PRESTONE prediluted red coolant (2 gallons) for $192. Everything off Rockauto. He said he was going to use the Asin timing belt kit, OEM Toyota spark plugs, and OEM Toyota coolant and give me a 1-year warranty if I go with him.
So, let's say $400 for OEM Toyota stuff. So, he's charging $500 for labor?
If she doesn't take it, she's an idiot. I spoke to the mechanic that worked on my dad's old Camry in regards to how much he'd charge for the timing belt, water pump, and all 6 spark plugs on the 99 Camry. He quoted me $900 for parts plus labor. He's an ex Toyota Mechanic.
Idk why but I feel like $900 is a lot for the timing belt and all 6 spark plugs. I can get an asin timing belt kit, NGK plugs, and PRESTONE prediluted red coolant (2 gallons) for $192. Everything off Rockauto. He said he was going to use the Asin timing belt kit, OEM Toyota spark plugs, and OEM Toyota coolant and give me a 1-year warranty if I go with him.
So, let's say $400 for OEM Toyota stuff. So, he's charging $500 for labor?
That says 3 hours, seems on the short side. Hour for plugs seems high.
But if its a garage, then overhead and parts markup comes into play. $900 isn’t bad for a TB in general--if not cheap.
$500 labor for both of those services is a bargain.
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