4 cylinder has plenty of power..lot better mileage as well

 

Can't speak to the v6 but I have a 2013 camry with the 2AR-FE (I4) motor.

The variable valve timing really gives you a boost when you need it to pass. I have a 40 minute rural commute on 2 lanes and need to pass grain trucks, slower vehicles etc. and its never lacking for power. I also get 35-37mpg highway so its hard to beat.

About 120k miles and I've put 70k of those on it. Never had any reliability issues; this particular engine seems well regarded in terms of reliability.

3 Most Common Toyota 2AR-FE Engine Problems and Reliability

Learn about common problems on the Toyota 2AR-FE engine including the water pump, transmission, and knocking. How reliable is the 2AR FE?

tuningpro.co

 

This will definitely be the same exact year/model I'll get next, making sure the torque converter issue was addressed.

 

Thank you! That info was a huge help. I was leaning toward the V6 but realize it's also harder to work on and would use more gas. Sounds like the 4 will be enough for me.

 

The 4 cylinder is perfect for your needs unless you tow a heavy load.

 

You'd probably be happy with either one. I4 gives a few more MPG real world. You have to decide what's more import to you. V6 will give you more power, but will cost US$2000 or more over the I4. And it can be more expensive and time consuming to perform certain tasks/repairs. For some people once they have a V6 they can't go back. For me, my first vehicle had an inline 6 but everything that followed was an I4. It didn't seem to matter much to me but everyone is different.

PS- I don't know that The Dude would settle for anything less than a V6.

 

Beware of the torque converter issue with early 7th Generation Camrys. I know that it impacted 4 cylinder Camrys... I don't think that it impacted V6 ones. (I'm not 100% sure- so if you are looking at a V6 Camry of that era you might want to double check.

Toyota offered an extended warranty for vehicles that were impacted- 2012-2014 Camrys. I believe that coverage was 8 years or 150,000 miles- whichever comes first. If you are looking at a 2013 Camry- which would either fall outside of that warranty coverage or be very close to having that warranty expire (depending on the original date of purchase)... I'd make sure that the warranty repair was already done. It's not a cheap repair to do if you are outside of that warranty coverage.

With all of that said- if 99% of the time you are going to be on the highway for an hour per day- a V6 Camry doesn't make a lot of sense. The four cylinder is plenty peppy to get you up to freeway speed and will offer you better fuel economy on the highway (34mpg vs 30mpg for the V6). The V6, as others have mentioned, has higher maintenance costs and will likely cost an extra grand or two to buy compared to a similar age/mileage 4 cylinder XLE.

Good luck.

 

Beware of the torque converter issue with early 7th Generation Camrys. I know that it impacted 4 cylinder Camrys... I don't think that it impacted V6 ones. (I'm not 100% sure- so if you are looking at a V6 Camry of that era you might want to double check.

Toyota offered an extended warranty for vehicles that were impacted- 2012-2014 Camrys. I believe that coverage was 8 years or 150,000 miles- whichever comes first. If you are looking at a 2013 Camry- which would either fall outside of that warranty coverage or be very close to having that warranty expire (depending on the original date of purchase)... I'd make sure that the warranty repair was already done. It's not a cheap repair to do if you are outside of that warranty coverage.

With all of that said- if 99% of the time you are going to be on the highway for an hour per day- a V6 Camry doesn't make a lot of sense. The four cylinder is plenty peppy to get you up to freeway speed and will offer you better fuel economy on the highway (34mpg vs 30mpg for the V6). The V6, as others have mentioned, has higher maintenance costs and will likely cost an extra grand or two to buy compared to a similar age/mileage 4 cylinder XLE.

Good luck.

Here's a question for you - what year Camry would be the ultimate reliability considering my commute? I have found late 90's and early 2000's with lower mileage in my area, and don't care about having a "cool new looking car," I simply want amazing reliability with a timing chain and I'm good.

Thank you.

 

95-96....97-01 2.2 liter they have timing belts tho

 

I found this online:
"The V6 Camrys from 1990 to 2006 had timing belts and non-interference engines. From 2002 to 2021 all Toyota Camry 4 cylinder models had a timing chain and interference engine. The 4 cylinder Camrys from 1990 to 2001 had timing belts and non-interference engines."

Watch out for 2007-2011 Camry's for oil burning issues because of piston/ring issues. Toyota fixed some of them, so look for the ones that already had the repair done if you're going for a sixth gen.

 

i would steer clear of the 2.4 engines

 

The 2013 4-liter has a 2.5 engine, I just read.

 

All used cars will be like that- be it a Toyota or something else. Used cars are used, so the current condition is heavily dependent on the previous owners' care... far from simple, unless you just buy the first thing that you see on the lot and live in ignorance. The way that I chose to look at it when I was in the market was like this: "would I rather potentially deal with _ issue, or _ issue?" That mindset helped me narrow it down quite a lot. For instance, when I chose my generation of Accord, I weighed the issues and decided I'd rather deal with potential (and more common) excessive oil consumption, than deal with potential (and usually more rare) transmission failure.

Besides this though, I say to go for whichever model does the best during an independent inspection, and has the best, most complete service history. Paying cash is definitely a plus- I did it, and I feel great knowing that I don't have a monthly payment to remember to make each month. And yes, the most vocal reviewers are the ones who have had issues, so take those with a grain of salt (or, perhaps, a heap).
Good luck!

 

Well said @Ash051. Only thing I would add is that the Camry is a slightly bigger car than the Corolla. I've driven both but the Camry was more comfortable than the Corolla, especially the Camry LE models. I guess it's more a matter of preference and what is more important to you (e.g. comfort, fuel economy, etc). And very much agree that paying cash is more satisfying than financing.

 

Getting an earlier model in great condition is like the holy grail for many thrifty car shoppers. But barring chance or luck, it requires lot's of research and time & effort to find the rare gem.

 

I have the 2012 Camry SE w/the 4cyl. I drove it from Ashland OR (filled up fully first before leaving) and made it to San Jose CA straight down I-5 South and made it with just over 1/4 tank remaining. Total mileage was 390 miles and that was with a 10 mile detour to take a pic of the Welcome to Oregon sign (I had forgotten to take it going TO Oregon lol). I did not fill up that entire trip as i wanted to see my range (my stock head unit was replaced and so it doesnt have the instant mpg/fuel range) and if i could make it home with one tank. I'd say thats pretty damn gd gas mileage

 

In theory, you could go 578 miles hwy on one full tank of fuel.

Gas Mileage of 2012 Toyota Camry

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