Which car would you daily drive?

[Deontologist]

I have two old cars that I've been thinking about dailying just because they might as well be put to use before being put out to pasture. Which one would you daily, of the two cars?

1) '06 Camry, 182k miles, last UOA showed 85ppm iron and 27ppm aluminum. 15,000 miles on Mobil 1. Mechanical problems: front bumper is falling off and attached by zip ties; serpentine belt tensioner is squealing and has been squealing for the last 40k miles. Other than that, no mechanical issues, not even a CEL.

2) '99 Sienna, 160k miles, still on original timing belt. Mechanical problems: apparently none. No noises or anything.

The goal is just to get me around town, to/from work, doing some errands, etc. Which would be less likely to leave me stranded somewhere? Even though I'll be staying in town and not too far from home, I'd rather not be broken down on the side of the road in 100 degree summer heat!

 

[JustN89]

Probably the Sienna because I don't believe that the 1MZ-FE is an interference engine. Otherwise, I'd probably drive the Camry. That wear isn't all that serious considering the mileage and unknown driving pattern, and a belt tensioner can be replaced in an afternoon.

 

[mcrn]

Why not get the timing belt replaced?

 

[blupupher]

Fix the tensioner, problem solved. Who cares what the bumper looks like. Drive it till the wheels fall off.

Replace the timing belt. Problem solved. Drive it till the wheels fall off.

The cheaper/easier one would be the tensioner.

Without knowing all the details (tire condition, interior condition, HVAC operation, etc) hard to say for sure.
With the details given, IMO, fix the tensioner on the Camry and sell the Sienna.
I hate the look of the Sienna anyway.

 

[Nick1994]

Sell the Sienna, keep the Camry.

 

[AZjeff]

2 older high mileage Toyotas, equally unlikely to leave you stranded. The Camry is 7 years newer and only 22k more miles. You might just need some new fasteners for the bumper cover to be right. Unless you need the hauling capacity and like the higher seating of the Sienna the easy choice is the Camry.

 

[Deontologist]

Timing belt was neglected and now doing the timing belt might cost as much as the car is worth.

Tires, interior, AC are all in functional condition. No rips, tears, or cracked dashboards despite both being stored in the FL sun all day.

 

[Andrew1972]

The 20 year Toyota I would dump unless you need utility of van.

 

[michaelluscher]

Well, I drive an '06 Camry, so I'm a little biased

Trim/condition would decide it for me

Do you need van utility?

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted by mcrn
Why not get the timing belt replaced?


This times a million!!

 

[Deontologist]

Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Originally Posted by mcrn
Why not get the timing belt replaced?


This times a million!!


To prove that timing belt change intervals can safely be extended.

In all honesty, it's not my car. It's my parents, but they got a new Toyota to neglect. I'm kind of interested in keeping the miles off my car by putting miles on a old Camry or Sienna.

 

[supton]

Van's have great utility but I bet the Camry is a better daily driver. Better mpg. IIRC you had a thread about how abused the Camry was, that would give me pause, but for a daily driver, who cares. Run until it makes a really scary noise, then ditch.

Do you have the option of running both?

I'd do the timing belt. It's the item most likely to strand you. What is that, a $700 job if you do it right?

 

[Snagglefoot]

The Camry should be taken off the road until the bumper is fixed. That leaves the Sienna. Attached by zip ties? Really?

 

[AZjeff]

Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
The Camry should be taken off the road until the bumper is fixed. That leaves the Sienna. Attached by zip ties? Really?


Likely the plastic bumper cover, has nothing to do with safety. I can't live with fixes like that but zip ties are strong unless they're the white ones with no UV protection. Better than duct tape.

 

[LotI]

Sell the Camry, buy a lowering kit and the biggest wheels that fit, tint the windows and roll in style in a minivan. Eventually you will break down on the side of the highway while us bitoger's snicker at you for spending money on modifying your ride vs. basic maintenance.

j/k, the Camry will probably be more economical but the van is more useful. If the van is more valuable, sell it and clean up the Camry.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Originally Posted by AZjeff
Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
The Camry should be taken off the road until the bumper is fixed. That leaves the Sienna. Attached by zip ties? Really?


Likely the plastic bumper cover, has nothing to do with safety. I can't live with fixes like that but zip ties are strong unless they're the white ones with no UV protection. Better than duct tape.


Don't follow too close behind.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted by Deontologist
2) '99 Sienna, 160k miles, still on original timing belt. Mechanical problems: apparently none. No noises or anything.

The goal is just to get me around town, to/from work, doing some errands, etc. Which would be less likely to leave me stranded somewhere? Even though I'll be staying in town and not too far from home, I'd rather not be broken down on the side of the road in 100 degree summer heat!

My old 1999 Sienna now has almost 420,000 miles on it with the original transmission. As long as there isn't major rust you should be good to go. I just drove ours down to Houston and back with no problems.

I'd change that timing belt however. It isn't hard to do, what usually fails are the tensioner and idler pulleys.

 

[Deontologist]

Originally Posted by supton
Van's have great utility but I bet the Camry is a better daily driver. Better mpg. IIRC you had a thread about how abused the Camry was, that would give me pause, but for a daily driver, who cares. Run until it makes a really scary noise, then ditch.

Do you have the option of running both?

I'd do the timing belt. It's the item most likely to strand you. What is that, a $700 job if you do it right?


$700 is also about how much the van is worth right now. That's the only thing keeping me from bothering with the timing belt.

 

[andyd]

Is the Sienna a V-6 ? What is changing the timing belt like in a van? Go in through the LF wheel well? For a town car, the capacity would be a plus. The Camry would be a great first car.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted by andyd
Is the Sienna a V-6 ? What is changing the timing belt like in a van? Go in through the LF wheel well? For a town car, the capacity would be a plus. The Camry would be a great first car.

Yes all Siennas are a V6. You can get to most of it from the top, the crankshaft pulley and the power steering belts are through the wheel well. As timing belt changes go this one is quite easy, much easier than my Honda Accord since there's more room to work on the front of a V6. And it would be the right wheel well.

An Aisin timing belt kit with Koyo pulleys, Aisin water pump and Mitsoboshi timing belt is less than $120 online if you don't get the tensioner (which isn't needed unless it is leaking). All parts are OEM to the vehicle and are exactly the same as what you get if you buy Toyota branded parts.