Buyin a new 93 Camry soon!

[Zeppelin89]

Hey guys, I've been lookin for a good reliable car for school (Uni), and pretty much decided on the 3rd gen Camry, my other choice was the 94-95 Accord, but I just can't find one in good condition in a good deal..not to mention, there's nothing like the smooth, refined and high quality of a Camry engine, I test drove a 92 the other day...drives like my family's 98.

Anyways, my question to you guys is what you guys suggest, maintenance-wise, I should look into once I get the car, I'm spendin $3000 Can on it, + taxes/admin fees, prolly come to about 3600... here's a link..
http://www.trader.ca/powerpage/detai...vlotid=1146158

It's got 232,000km, i already carfaxed it, it's got the popular Green that those Camrys often have, and its a V4, Le.

I def. gotta check to see if the timingbelt's been done recently and when, I heard it should be changed (along with the water pump) at about 130k. I also wanna get new wheel covers, the 5 spoke ones, that are Toyota. Also, what's the consensus on Oil changes? How often and what kind?

btw, I posted before in the Corolla forums, my family used to have a hatchback 86 Corolla, and for a while I got excited it was the Trueno, or somehow related to it, so I looked into it, hehe, but it wasn't (its FWD, so makes sense), but it was still a great car, just got rid of it this year, replaced it with a 98 Corolla.

I was thinking of eventually modding it a little bit, like adding the Stock spoiler, fog lights, and perhaps changing the exhaust pipe.

I'm really big on cleaning my car as well, I go crazy on my parent's 98 Camry, V4 CE, So I wanted to ask you guys..

1) how to clean under the hood, as in the engine and all that, cuz I was lead to believe that was always a bad idea, get water into places you don't want to e.t.c,
2)I use the Mr.Clean thing, anyone else here use it? Any ideas on using a cheaper alternative for the soap? Or the stupid filter?
3) My 98 Camry, and the Corolla, both have this annoying problem where the front lamps/headlights get fogged up inside, or something..and there's no way to get rid of it, it's usually only one side, so it looks really bad, as one lamp looks nice and clear, while the other is dimmer as it looks fogged, I'm pretty sure its from the inside, as I've scrubbed like crazy lol


And lastly...did the 93 Camrys have ABS? I looked so hard to find a Black V4, but I just couldn't so I settled with the next best thing...the forest green.

I'd really appreciate anyone's opinion on the Car, and on general maintenance, considering I'm getting it with very little previous info.

[jrcrum]

Sounds like a good school car. Make sure you get underneath the car and check for oil leaks from the engine and transmission, and the rack&pinion. These are areas that I've had trouble with on the 93 I4 Camry my son owns, which has about the same mileage.

To clean under the hood, I just take my cars to the car wash, let the engine cool off for about 15 minutes, spray some Gunk engine cleaner on the greasy parts, and then use the car wash to wash everything. Of course, sometimes this causes water to go places it shouldn't and you have to dry it out, so maybe that's not the best way for you if you don't feel comfortable with that. You do need to avoid spraying too much water on electrical boxes, etc. As long as you are not too aggressive with the spraying and try to avoid the trouble spots like the fuse box, you should be able to use the carwash sprayer under the hood with no major problems.

As for the headlight fogging, check to make sure that it's not on the outside, due to oxidation of the plastic. You can tell by just running your fingers over it; if it feels a little rough it's oxidized. You can usually improve that with some polishing compound and a soft rag. If it's actually fogged up, you should be able to dry it out by pulling out the headlight bulb (from the back) and using a hair dryer (and some patience) to dry it out. But it will probably just come back after the next rain. You could try replacing the headlight bulb with a new one, that might help it seal up better.

I change oil and filter about every 5,000 miles. Changing it more often is a waste. But check it every week (transmission included). Leaks can develop quickly and they will be costly if you don't catch them.

[Strum]

I have the exact same car (color and engine) and I'm in the process of getting back on the road. I love the car and am in the process of getting it back on the road (fuel line leak). I currently am driving a 98 Camry, but as soon as this one is ready, I am giving my son the 98 and I'm taking the 93.

Mine does NOT have ABS breaks, but I'm not sure if that was an option.

I think you will enjoy this car if you decide to buy it. I'm in the process of looking for another Camry (daughter turns 16 in October) so I am keeping my eyes open for one that hasn't been modified.

Edit: Mine is a 6 cyl., but everything else appears to be the same.

[xet]

looks like a good car as long as you are fine with it being only an i4 if you do catch the modding bug many people regret not getting the v6 and a manual. but if that doesnt sound like you, you should love the camry you are looking at.

search for cleaning under the hood i believe venom5 made a great diy including pictures of what to put a plastic bag over and what to do.

headlights I know what you mean it could be 1 of 2 things, 1. yes it could be moisture build up in the inside in which case you gotta dry it out then check the seals or 2. the outside gets hazy i have been fighting with mine first i wetsanded it and it looked pretty good but then you gotta have plastx to keep it clean and keep wax on there to protect it from fogging up again.

[bigbird]

yeah if u can find a v6 (which would be around the same price) i do that, its just are reliable and has that extra passing power. but the i4 is good if u dont need that.

[Zeppelin89]

Originally Posted by bigbird

yeah if u can find a v6 (which would be around the same price) i do that, its just are reliable and has that extra passing power. but the i4 is good if u dont need that.

Oh man I'd love the V6, but it uses more gas, and in today's day and age, V4 is the way to go I thinks. lol

[xet]

I really don't think it is that big of a difference compared to the difference in power, when my dad drives mine he can get like 400 miles per tank when i drive i get like 330 before warning light haha. It isn't an extreme difference really but if every penny counts the i4 would still help

[Heat]

Stop calling it a V4, it’s an I4. If you call it a V4 in front of the seller you’ll just be advertising the fact that you don’t know that much about engines.


The “V” in “V6” refers to the layout of the engine, the cylinders are literally in the shape of a V. In an inline engine, the cylinders are all in a row. What you are looking at is an Inline 4, or I4. And yes, V4 engines were made at one time but the last they were produced was in the ‘60s and even then in oddball European cars. Just get in the habit of always calling a 4-cylinder car an I4 and you’ll be OK.


And as far as the wheels go, don’t waste money on them, the wheels the car has will work just fine. Put the money into practical things, like the radio and speakers, and potentially the exhaust system (if the one it has is in bad shape and needs to be replaced).


With regard to the oil and filter, I change it myself every 3,000 to 4,000 miles (roughly 4800 km to 6400 km). Yes, I know that I could probably wait between changes even more but I do the work myself and I like to keep the oil extra-clean. And I use Castrol GTX with a Toyota OEM filter, with a new crush washer each time.

[bigbird]

Originally Posted by Heat

And as far as the wheels go, don’t waste money on them, the wheels the car has will work just fine. Put the money into practical things, like the radio and speakers, and potentially the exhaust system (if the one it has is in bad shape and needs to be replaced).

no upgrade is practical friend, especially exhaust. wheels are much more practical then stereo(unless its busted of course) since, when done right, can improve safety and handling.

[Heat]

Zeppelin89, don't take what I said as being critical - I was just trying to educate. There was a short period of time when I was young and said V4 also until somebody explained why I meant I4 and not V4.

Bigbird - improving safety and handling with new wheels? New tires I completely agree with, but not with the new wheels. Of course, now that I just reread his post, he is wanting new wheel covers - sounds like a cheap upgrade. And the exhaust, that would be only if he needed to replace the exhaust that's on the car anyway. You're right in that it doesn't make sense to replace an exhaust system that's working fine.

As for the radio, I just spent $205 on a new radio (Sony GT410U) and four speakers for my '95 LE. It's made a world of difference in my driving experience, plus a good radio can easily be moved to his next car whenever this Toyota leaves his life. Just a few years ago I finally parted with a JVC tape deck that I had been using off and on since '86 (the first car it was in was a '79 New Yorker) - and in one of my current cars is an Alpine CD player that I've had since '00. Assuming this '93 Camry has the original radio / speakers, I wholeheartedly recommend putting $200 to $300 in a new radio and speakers - plus this would be a relatively easy project for him to do himself. Zeppelin89, if you do this, be sure to keep your old speakers / radio so that you can put them back in at a later date (and take the new stuff out).