[Temeku]

Hello. I've owned two cars in the past; a used 2008 Toyota Yaris (that I only owned for five months before totaling it in a car crash), then a new 2011 Mazda2, which I totally loved every day until it was repossessed and immediately auctioned due to financial troubles on my part earlier this year. I've been without a car now for three months in the most car-dependent state on the planet, and yeah, it sucks.

So now that I'm steadily employed and relatively financially stable again, I need another car, and fast. I absolutely do not want to deal with monthly payments, aside from auto insurance and regular maintenance/gas. At first, I was looking at 4th generation Camrys, since they're still everywhere and those were the last generation of said reliable car before all the cars started getting really fat and bloated (high beltines, anyone?). But the average price of those Camrys is too high for me to save up for at the moment ($2300-$3300). I also looked at used 2000s cars to buy outright, but most under $2500 are full of problems. So I opted for pre-1997 cars for less than $2000.

That's where the 2nd generation Camry comes in. Here in Southern California, especially in L.A. and vicinity, there are still quite a few of these 1987-1991 Camrys zipping around, and with no rust. In my city alone, there are probably a dozen or so of them on the roads (white seems to be the popular color of choice). I see enough of them daily to where I feel they have proven themselves to be sturdy, reliable vehicles for their age. I see just as many 1986-89 and 1990-93 Honda Accords and Civics here, but those are stolen even more, and I don't need that. I also could have opted for the just-as-good-if-not-better 3rd generation Camrys (1992-1996), but they're too round and ordinary-looking for my taste. The 2nd gen Camrys got it right IMO, not too boxy but not too round either.

So I've been doing extensive research on these 2nd gen Camrys every single day for the past month now, and there are over 100 of them for sale locally on craigslist. Many have between 100K and 200k miles; I've even seen some with 300,000+ miles on them (!!!). So I'm currently saving up about $1500 for one, that seems like a reasonable price to me. Now I am not a mechanic nor am I very mechanically inclined with cars (the most I've done is change the air filter on my 2011 Mazda2), however I'm willing to learn what is needed to keep the car running smoothly. In fact, it kinda seems like it would make me feel more personally attached to the car, thus making it even more special. I would not typically drive long distances in the car, I just need to get to my job and college (all within a few miles) and occasionally my friend's house and stuff like that. Local driving, mostly. However I should mention that the roads here are pretty crappy in general. We also have many, many curvy & twisty roads, often with long, gradual as well as very steep grades/inclines. I hope the Camry can handle it.

I do love listening to music, oh man do I love me some good tunes. So I've already looked into Pioneer audio systems for the car just in case, as I don't believe the stock stereo/speakers will do the bass any real justice.

As for safety, to be honest, I'm not all that concerned. Post-1985 cars I'm not worried about. It has just enough for me, I'm fairly minimal in my preferences in a car. All I need is a good sound system, A/C and the typical power steering/etc and I'm set. I'm 23, by the way.

So tl;dr - are these good cars? Is $1500 worth it? Any advice/tips/recommendations/etc? Thank you.

 

[Kingdom934]

The Gen2 were were not the best in audio field or any 80's car. Running 4" in front and 6.5" (ish) in the rear, it didn't do much in the lower end sound range. The Gen3 with the 6.5" in the front and 6X9 in the back is much better. Some people can opt that it sounds pretty decent though, but I never had a Gen2 to test my ears on.

For a Gen2 $1500 is about right, but for that price, I would want to have all the power options (LE Trim) and body in reasonably good condition. V6/I4, but the V6 does have a weak point with the transmission with the reverse usually failing first unless proper maintenance was done to the transmission.

 

[Phil_Bleach]

Yes they are good cars, but you need to consider the fact that the newest 2nd Gens will soon turn 25 years old. It's a good thing you want to learn how to fix things yourself, you'll find a lot of support from this forum.

If you can drive stick I'd recommend you buy a 4 cyl manual car for fuel economy, reliability and ease of maintenance.

If you don't have tools of your own you will need to buy metric sockets and wrenches. You'll use that 10 mm socket a lot.

Inspect the vehicle before you buy it. Bring a flashlight with you. Inspect the rubber hoses, check for leaking fluids, integrity of steering parts and suspension. How the car performs mechanically is more important that its looks. 1500$ is a fair price for a well-maintained 2nd gen.

When you finally decide to buy the car get the Toyota Factory Service Manual and study it. Do your own fluid changes and tune-ups. Come to the forum, read threads, ask questions, spend some time here. You will get to know your car and once you know how your car works it can save your ass, believe me. If money is tight, resist the urge to modify and customize your ride. Keep your money for maintenance and repairs.

The more you work on them the more you get attached. Yes they're reliable, rather safe for their age, extremely well built and engineered, get decent mpg... just perfect cars IMO.

 

[Kingdom934]

Yes they are good cars, but you need to consider the fact that the newest 2nd Gens will soon turn 25 years old. It's a good thing you want to learn how to fix things yourself, you'll find a lot of support from this forum.

If you can drive stick I'd recommend you buy a 4 cyl manual car for fuel economy, reliability and ease of maintenance.

If you don't have tools of your own you will need to buy metric sockets and wrenches. You'll use that 10 mm socket a lot.

Inspect the vehicle before you buy it. Bring a flashlight with you. Inspect the rubber hoses, check for leaking fluids, integrity of steering parts and suspension. How the car performs mechanically is more important that its looks. 1500$ is a fair price for a well-maintained 2nd gen.

When you finally decide to buy the car get the Toyota Factory Service Manual and study it. Do your own fluid changes and tune-ups. Come to the forum, read threads, ask questions, spend some time here. You will get to know your car and once you know how your car works it can save your ass, believe me. If money is tight, resist the urge to modify and customize your ride. Keep your money for maintenance and repairs.

The more you work on them the more you get attached. Yes they're reliable, rather safe for their age, extremely well built and engineered, get decent mpg... just perfect cars IMO.

If the Gen1/Gen2 didn't rust out as they do, I would probably be still driving my Gen1! So freaking easy to work on and get pretty good space and gas mileage. Of course, it won't win any crash test though...

Trying to find a manual Camry here is like trying to find Gen3 SE Camry. Quite a rare treat, but I'd love to grab a manual Camry. A lot of manual camry are base models though.

 

[Phil_Bleach]

Well since OP is from So Cal I think rust isn't an issue for him I agree the four cylinders are easy to work on, lots of space in the engine bay. When I bought my V6 I had no previous experience working on cars, only mopeds and scooters. I popped the hood open and it made my head spin. What the hell am I getting myself into, I thought. For the more complicated jobs I drive my car to my old man's garage and it's like walking a tightrope without a net. I must not fail. I'm 40 miles away from civilization, no internet, no spare vehicle, no experience. Just my FSM and tools. That's how I get my adrenaline fix I love what you do for me Toyota!

 

[84Cressida]

I'd recommend the 4 banger since it's easier to work on and the consensus is that it's more reliable. And as botee, the earliest gen 2 is approaching 30 years old and the newest 25, so most you'll come across will have some issues most likely depending on the owner. A cream puff clean one will go for more than $1500.

 

[cipher93]

A creampuff well documentedV6 LE I toyed with buying sold for around $3000 locally, and had less than 100k on it. That is what I would consider absolute top of the market for a 2nd gen of any kind. But in reality your garden variety 2nd gen will probably be a 4 cylinder with some combination of power windows/locks/mirrors, tach, cruise, and tape deck but probably not all of them and will likely be worth around $1500 for a clean example with recent records. With a car as old as these the key is records. Receipts in the glove box are the best but if the owner used a place that reported to CarFax that is fine too. Of course this is not a promise of quality - I bought a car with some of the most complete documentation I've seen on a used vehicle and the transmission was rebuilt a few weeks later, but it helps. Also receipts from the last 2-3 years are worth far more than something from 1999. If it doesn't look nice walk, a great money of these cars have been run into the ground and not worth messing with, so don't settle for junk when a good one will probably only be a couple hundred more.

The reality is I doubt you will find one of these that won't need at least some work, and odds are someone is selling it for a reason. For a private sale I'd highly suggest finding a trusted mechanic to check it out, and in California make sure it will pass emissions. Common wear items that tend to be neglected and fail or are wear items on these are struts (leaks), motor mounts (odd vibrations/excess noise/clunks), hoses (cracks, swelling), the ignition system (especially ignition coil causing poor running)), leaks from the front end of the engine (oil pump, front crank seal, and occasionally cam seal), timing belt/water pump, A/T and differential fluid changes being ignored (check for dark/burnt smelling fluid), and drive axle boots tearing (flings grease everywhere).

None of this is abnormal for an older car of any make really. I also suggest the I4 as it's easy to work on and the V6 is prone to head gasket issues. A small puff of smoke on start up is normal due to worn valve stem seals and no big deal; avoid cars that smoke while idling or revving. On the plus side in California rust will be far less of an issue (but still get under it and inspect the fuel/brake lines), and in terms of electronic stuff most of it generally works and when it fails is easily fixed. The most common issues are probably minor stuff like a dead tape deck or broken wire driver's door impacting power window operation.

They do drive and ride rather nice/easy when in good shape and even the I4/Auto combo should be able to keep with traffic and get out of it's own way. As said above you will need a metric socket set: the Lowes Kobalt 3/8" drive is great for the money but the Harbor Freight set is more or less the same thing and also fine if it's on sale, and the factory service manual is a must. There are not too many mods for them unless you go with an AllTrac or engine swap, and even then I'd focus on having money on hand for repairs. If you can DIY it you'll save a fortune. As for audio, I had a Kenwood Excelon HU, 6.5" Excelon rear speakers, and 3.5" JL speakers. It was crisp and clear but had even less bass than my Corolla. If you want any bass you'll need a sub. Right now though since the car is nearing the end I just have a newer Toyota OEM tape deck and the JLs and frankly it doesn't sound bad at all for what it is. Just depends what your level of expectation is, for me as a short trip/winter car it works fine.

 

[66conv6]

If you're driving in heavy traffic I'd get the 4 cylinder engine and automatic trans. You're pretty much guaranteed to have neglect issues from the previous owner so I'd keep money for repairs and not a stereo. You should be studying!


We've had our 87 for 28 years and it drives/looks pretty much like new but we've always taken good care of it. Passes smog even in Los Angeles.

 

[Temeku]

Thank you all for your replies. I don't personally know any "trusted" mechanics, however when selecting a car, I google the area/neighborhood it's located in for auto mechanics in that area and their rates, and reviews. I also use the CA smog website to check out the plates when available. I can technically drive stick, but it's been a while and I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it.

I have no plans to modify the car, I wouldn't know enough to even start on that. I'd like to keep the car looking & running as it was originally meant to.

Listings like this usually catch my eye. Ones like that are not the LE model, but appear to have power options anyway. A good thing about the car's age is that I won't have to get it smogged for that much longer, depending on the year. (30+ year-old cars become exempt from smog in CA) But with low miles and no apparent problems for that price, I do become a little suspicious. I plan to test drive these cars in all sorts of roads and conditions, and use everything in the car to check if it all works like it should. After that, if I feel confident about the car, I will have it inspected before buying.

Just in case you're curious, here are all the local listings on craigslist near me: http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/search/cta?auto_transmission=2&hasPic=1&max_auto_year=1991&min_auto_year=1987&nearbyArea=103&nearbyArea=209&nearbyArea=7&nearbyArea=8&query=toyota%20camry&searchNearby=1

 

[Kingdom934]

Wow there is some pretty nice cars there. I am envious

84Cressida, look what is there too!
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/5294825196.html

and I'd buy this since these are nonexistant. LE trim too
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/5324965855.html


OK...getting off subject, lol.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/5332276078.html

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/ant/cto/5330496170.html

Those two looks good as well.

But like always it could be car flippers. I see them quite often enough overhere.

 

[zythr]

A creampuff well documentedV6 LE I toyed with buying sold for around $3000 locally, and had less than 100k on it. That is what I would consider absolute top of the market for a 2nd gen of any kind. But in reality your garden variety 2nd gen will probably be a 4 cylinder with some combination of power windows/locks/mirrors, tach, cruise, and tape deck but probably not all of them and will likely be worth around $1500 for a clean example with recent records. With a car as old as these the key is records. Receipts in the glove box are the best but if the owner used a place that reported to CarFax that is fine too. Of course this is not a promise of quality - I bought a car with some of the most complete documentation I've seen on a used vehicle and the transmission was rebuilt a few weeks later, but it helps. Also receipts from the last 2-3 years are worth far more than something from 1999. If it doesn't look nice walk, a great money of these cars have been run into the ground and not worth messing with, so don't settle for junk when a good one will probably only be a couple hundred more.

The reality is I doubt you will find one of these that won't need at least some work, and odds are someone is selling it for a reason. For a private sale I'd highly suggest finding a trusted mechanic to check it out, and in California make sure it will pass emissions. Common wear items that tend to be neglected and fail or are wear items on these are struts (leaks), motor mounts (odd vibrations/excess noise/clunks), hoses (cracks, swelling), the ignition system (especially ignition coil causing poor running)), leaks from the front end of the engine (oil pump, front crank seal, and occasionally cam seal), timing belt/water pump, A/T and differential fluid changes being ignored (check for dark/burnt smelling fluid), and drive axle boots tearing (flings grease everywhere).

None of this is abnormal for an older car of any make really. I also suggest the I4 as it's easy to work on and the V6 is prone to head gasket issues. A small puff of smoke on start up is normal due to worn valve stem seals and no big deal; avoid cars that smoke while idling or revving. On the plus side in California rust will be far less of an issue (but still get under it and inspect the fuel/brake lines), and in terms of electronic stuff most of it generally works and when it fails is easily fixed. The most common issues are probably minor stuff like a dead tape deck or broken wire driver's door impacting power window operation.

They do drive and ride rather nice/easy when in good shape and even the I4/Auto combo should be able to keep with traffic and get out of it's own way. As said above you will need a metric socket set: the Lowes Kobalt 3/8" drive is great for the money but the Harbor Freight set is more or less the same thing and also fine if it's on sale, and the factory service manual is a must. There are not too many mods for them unless you go with an AllTrac or engine swap, and even then I'd focus on having money on hand for repairs. If you can DIY it you'll save a fortune. As for audio, I had a Kenwood Excelon HU, 6.5" Excelon rear speakers, and 3.5" JL speakers. It was crisp and clear but had even less bass than my Corolla. If you want any bass you'll need a sub. Right now though since the car is nearing the end I just have a newer Toyota OEM tape deck and the JLs and frankly it doesn't sound bad at all for what it is. Just depends what your level of expectation is, for me as a short trip/winter car it works fine.

In other words, OP has an uphill battle finding one of these Camrys in good shape.

 

[cipher93]

In other words, OP has an uphill battle finding one of these Camrys in good shape.

Not per se, but as said above the youngest examples of these cars are approaching 25 years old which is about 15 more than the designers envisioned . Any car that age will need some work from time to time and has a well established list of common failure points that should be checked before purchase. He also needs to be cautious to not spend all he has on the car and then having nothing left if it requires repair in a short period of time. I'd try to have at least $500 on hand for emergencies, at least until he gets comfortable with the car. Personally I like the looks of the blue one; the wagon has a lot of great new parts but whenever I see that I wonder why a lot of work got put into a car and now they're getting rid of it...

 

[zythr]

Not per se, but as said above the youngest examples of these cars are approaching 25 years old which is about 15 more than the designers envisioned . Any car that age will need some work from time to time and has a well established list of common failure points that should be checked before purchase. He also needs to be cautious to not spend all he has on the car and then having nothing left if it requires repair in a short period of time. I'd try to have at least $500 on hand for emergencies, at least until he gets comfortable with the car. Personally I like the looks of the blue one; the wagon has a lot of great new parts but whenever I see that I wonder why a lot of work got put into a car and now they're getting rid of it...

There's the rub, finding one that has been well maintained all those years. Too bad the OP has so little to spend. His task may indeed be daunting.

You gave a good example with the wagon,one the OP can cross of his list.If it had all that work it is probably work to hold the car over until it can be sold.

 

[Temeku]

Wow there is some pretty nice cars there. I am envious

84Cressida, look what is there too!
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/5294825196.html

and I'd buy this since these are nonexistant. LE trim too
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/5324965855.html


OK...getting off subject, lol.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/5332276078.html

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/ant/cto/5330496170.html

Those two looks good as well.

But like always it could be car flippers. I see them quite often enough overhere.

Yeah I enjoy looking at the listings every day. First week of January, hopefully.

There's the rub, finding one that has been well maintained all those years. Too bad the OP has so little to spend. His task may indeed be daunting.

You gave a good example with the wagon,one the OP can cross of his list.If it had all that work it is probably work to hold the car over until it can be sold.

I don't see as many wagons, plus the mileage isn't as good on them and I like the look of the sedan better anyway.

Not per se, but as said above the youngest examples of these cars are approaching 25 years old which is about 15 more than the designers envisioned . Any car that age will need some work from time to time and has a well established list of common failure points that should be checked before purchase. He also needs to be cautious to not spend all he has on the car and then having nothing left if it requires repair in a short period of time. I'd try to have at least $500 on hand for emergencies, at least until he gets comfortable with the car. Personally I like the looks of the blue one; the wagon has a lot of great new parts but whenever I see that I wonder why a lot of work got put into a car and now they're getting rid of it...

Yeah the blue one is one I'm seriously considering. Many of these listings may not be available by January, however. So I'm trying not to get too attached to any one of them just yet. Around the last week of December, I'll contact one or two sellers and try to make an appointment.

I took a short walk around Lynwood (in South L.A.) yesterday, and I spotted a couple 2nd gens in great condition. Every time I see one, it keeps my confidence about those cars high.

 

[zythr]

Yeah I enjoy looking at the listings every day. First week of January, hopefully.



I don't see as many wagons, plus the mileage isn't as good on them and I like the look of the sedan better anyway.



Yeah the blue one is one I'm seriously considering. Many of these listings may not be available by January, however. So I'm trying not to get too attached to any one of them just yet. Around the last week of December, I'll contact one or two sellers and try to make an appointment.

I took a short walk around Lynwood (in South L.A.) yesterday, and I spotted a couple 2nd gens in great condition. Every time I see one, it keeps my confidence about those cars high.

Wagons rule for space and comfort, plus they look more expensive than they are. Heck they even look good in white.

 

[Temeku]

(...) The reality is I doubt you will find one of these that won't need at least some work, and odds are someone is selling it for a reason. For a private sale I'd highly suggest finding a trusted mechanic to check it out, and in California make sure it will pass emissions. Common wear items that tend to be neglected and fail or are wear items on these are struts (leaks), motor mounts (odd vibrations/excess noise/clunks), hoses (cracks, swelling), the ignition system (especially ignition coil causing poor running)), leaks from the front end of the engine (oil pump, front crank seal, and occasionally cam seal), timing belt/water pump, A/T and differential fluid changes being ignored (check for dark/burnt smelling fluid), and drive axle boots tearing (flings grease everywhere).

None of this is abnormal for an older car of any make really. I also suggest the I4 as it's easy to work on and the V6 is prone to head gasket issues. A small puff of smoke on start up is normal due to worn valve stem seals and no big deal; avoid cars that smoke while idling or revving. On the plus side in California rust will be far less of an issue (but still get under it and inspect the fuel/brake lines), and in terms of electronic stuff most of it generally works and when it fails is easily fixed. The most common issues are probably minor stuff like a dead tape deck or broken wire driver's door impacting power window operation.

They do drive and ride rather nice/easy when in good shape and even the I4/Auto combo should be able to keep with traffic and get out of it's own way. As said above you will need a metric socket set: the Lowes Kobalt 3/8" drive is great for the money but the Harbor Freight set is more or less the same thing and also fine if it's on sale, and the factory service manual is a must. There are not too many mods for them unless you go with an AllTrac or engine swap, and even then I'd focus on having money on hand for repairs. If you can DIY it you'll save a fortune. As for audio, I had a Kenwood Excelon HU, 6.5" Excelon rear speakers, and 3.5" JL speakers. It was crisp and clear but had even less bass than my Corolla. If you want any bass you'll need a sub. Right now though since the car is nearing the end I just have a newer Toyota OEM tape deck and the JLs and frankly it doesn't sound bad at all for what it is. Just depends what your level of expectation is, for me as a short trip/winter car it works fine.

I do hope those items are DIY-fixable (and not too expensive)....all I remember out of those is helping my Dad replace a timing belt in our old 1993 Nissan Sentra a long time ago. The timing belt problem was responsible for incredibly annoying, loud high-pitched screeching/squealing when the car started up, and when accelerating under 30mph or so. I was so glad when we fixed it.

And I'll watch out for those V6's now that you mentioned it. Also, after reading other threads, I've seen some complain about the puff of smoke upon startup (and a video too) due to those worn valve stem seals - can those be replaced, and at what cost$$$, if I come across that problem? What if left ignored?

Also, I'm trying to avoid needing subs or amps just to have decent bass in the car. The factory stereo on my 2011 Mazda2 had surprisingly excellent bass - I wouldn't need anything more than that. I discovered deep/low bass grooves on songs I didn't even know existed until playing them in that car. Amps and subs are pricey (and subs take up valuable trunk space), I'd rather not have to go through all of that. I just want to replace the factory head unit and speakers, without adding anything else.

Wagons rule for space and comfort, plus they look more expensive than they are. Heck they even look good in white.

I'm focusing more on fuel economy rather than space, though. I've only owned small cars/hatchbacks in the past, I never had to haul anything that didn't fit in them.

 

[zythr]

I do hope those items are DIY-fixable (and not too expensive)....all I remember out of those is helping my Dad replace a timing belt in our old 1993 Nissan Sentra a long time ago. The timing belt problem was responsible for incredibly annoying, loud high-pitched screeching/squealing when the car started up, and when accelerating under 30mph or so. I was so glad when we fixed it.

And I'll watch out for those V6's now that you mentioned it. Also, after reading other threads, I've seen some complain about the puff of smoke upon startup (and a video too) due to those worn valve stem seals - can those be replaced, and at what cost$$$, if I come across that problem? What if left ignored?

Also, I'm trying to avoid needing subs or amps just to have decent bass in the car. The factory stereo on my 2011 Mazda2 had surprisingly excellent bass - I wouldn't need anything more than that. I discovered deep/low bass grooves on songs I didn't even know existed until playing them in that car. Amps and subs are pricey (and subs take up valuable trunk space), I'd rather not have to go through all of that. I just want to replace the factory head unit and speakers, without adding anything else.



I'm focusing more on fuel economy rather than space, though. I've only owned small cars/hatchbacks in the past, I never had to haul anything that didn't fit in them.

I see. You're fortunate to live where you do where you have a choice of these older cars. That's not the case for those of us who live in salt belt states. I personally have not seen this Gen in a long time,thanks in large part to rust.

 

[cipher93]

I do hope those items are DIY-fixable (and not too expensive)....all I remember out of those is helping my Dad replace a timing belt in our old 1993 Nissan Sentra a long time ago. The timing belt problem was responsible for incredibly annoying, loud high-pitched screeching/squealing when the car started up, and when accelerating under 30mph or so. I was so glad when we fixed it.

And I'll watch out for those V6's now that you mentioned it. Also, after reading other threads, I've seen some complain about the puff of smoke upon startup (and a video too) due to those worn valve stem seals - can those be replaced, and at what cost$$$, if I come across that problem? What if left ignored?

Also, I'm trying to avoid needing subs or amps just to have decent bass in the car. The factory stereo on my 2011 Mazda2 had surprisingly excellent bass - I wouldn't need anything more than that. I discovered deep/low bass grooves on songs I didn't even know existed until playing them in that car. Amps and subs are pricey (and subs take up valuable trunk space), I'd rather not have to go through all of that. I just want to replace the factory head unit and speakers, without adding anything else.

I'd imagine if you can do a timing belt on a Sentra you can do it on the 4 cylinder Camry. May be a little tighter but a FWD timing belt is a FWD timing belt for the most part, excluding some Hondas that drive the balance shafts off the belt and can be a pain to do.

Warn stem seals can be replaced. It requires taking the head partially apart (timing belt, cams, lifters) to get the seals replaced. It can be done with the engine in the car and head on the block with the right tools and a way to hold up the valves. My mechanic quoted me around $400-500 on an old Corolla years ago, probably more now but that cylinder is identical in configuration to these so it's not a terribly difficult job. But I personally wouldn't bother with it on a car like this, oil use from this 'problem' in my experience is minimal.

 

[Temeku]

I see. You're fortunate to live where you do where you have a choice of these older cars. That's not the case for those of us who live in salt belt states. I personally have not seen this Gen in a long time,thanks in large part to rust.

Yeah you see rare cars in parts of L.A. especially (usually the low income areas). Not usually near the beach, though. I've seen even high-end luxury vehicles prone to rust and paint oxidation over there. But in my part of town, quite a few rust-free 2nd gen Camry's floating around. The paint oxidized on them long ago, though.

I'd imagine if you can do a timing belt on a Sentra you can do it on the 4 cylinder Camry. May be a little tighter but a FWD timing belt is a FWD timing belt for the most part, excluding some Hondas that drive the balance shafts off the belt and can be a pain to do.

Warn stem seals can be replaced. It requires taking the head partially apart (timing belt, cams, lifters) to get the seals replaced. It can be done with the engine in the car and head on the block with the right tools and a way to hold up the valves. My mechanic quoted me around $400-500 on an old Corolla years ago, probably more now but that cylinder is identical in configuration to these so it's not a terribly difficult job. But I personally wouldn't bother with it on a car like this, oil use from this 'problem' in my experience is minimal.

I see. So it should be fine if left ignored, then?

A recent listing in my area....I like this one, that color is rare. Sandalwood Metallic was only available for the '90 model year Camry's.

 

[Phil_Bleach]

A recent listing in my area....I like this one, that color is rare. Sandalwood Metallic was only available for the '90 model year Camry's.

Link leads to a 74 Mazda wagon. Cool car though!