Hi all, still car hunting. There are three cars I'm looking at mainly and trying to avoid Honda because of transmission issues (but I've seen a few 2010 Civics and one 2011 Accord).
1. One particular one I'm looking at is a one owner 2006 Camry 4 cylinder 160k for $5500, pristine on photos. Seller reiterated that it's well-maintained (vague).
2. Then there's one 2011 Camry 4 cylinder for $5200, the seller is second owner who bought in 2015 with 35k and now it's with 175k and disclosed that the automatic transmission was replaced this past year with a brand new one, new coolant, oil, spark plugs, suspension system front and rear. What's a better deal? What would be more reliable in the long run?
3. I've seen a few Lexus ES 350s 2007-2009 with around 150k for $6000 but I'm guessing it's better to avoid them because when they break it might be too expensive to work on.
4. Corollas 03-08 around 150-180k miles for $3500-6000. One in particular is 2007 Corolla 150k for $6000. Another is 2004 Corolla 150k $3800.
Any feedback is appreciated! I plan on having a mechanic look at these cars.
The Camrys are in the age range where the 4-cylinder engines had oil burning problems.
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/toyota-camry-the-most-annoying-problem-you-should-know-about/
"For the Toyota Camry, both the HV Hybrid (2007–2011) and the standard Camry (2007–2009) were affected." From the article, 2006 and 2011 should be ok right? 😅 Even though they have the 2AZ-FE engine. Scotty just also posted an hour ago reviewing a 2011 Camry, 6-speed standard transmission, and stated it should not be affected. What are your thoughts?
I would be cautious about them, too close for comfort.
"Certain Toyota models, both Camrys and other models primarily from 2006 through 2011, have been going through as much as a quart of oil in 1,200 miles."
It makes me paranoid 😅 either burning oil or oil sludge. But I'll try to check the VIN if they're also made in Japan vs Kentucky. Maybe that'll make things a slight bit better. But a brand new transmission should be a good thing in terms of longevity and reliability? I guess I lean towards the 2011 because newer and I'm tired of old cars suffocating me.
Just checked and the 2011 Camry made in Indiana
You can bet the transmission is not brand new. If a factory rebuilt it should be OK. If rebuilt at a trans shop it's a gamble, per Scotty those are frequently not done right. It might even be a "new" transmission from a junkyard. I'd want to see receipts.
You're right. I forgot it's a 12 year old car. I'll ask about it! Thanks for the feedback.
The seller told me he went to Aamco and got a lifetime warranty for the automatic transmission. Warranty is supposedly okay for new owners.
The seller told me he went to Aamco and got a lifetime warranty for the automatic transmission. Warranty is supposedly okay for new owners. Spent $3200!
AAMCO is one of the worst gyp joints on the planet. Good luck with the transmission and the "lifetime warranty".
My Buddha! Thank you for letting me know. I'm gonna avoid that seller and that car with a 100 mile foot pole 😂
Worse is the question of what did they do (or not do) that ruined a very reliable transmission??? If they screwed the transmission up, the engine is not far behind.
First, if you are looking at a Toyota... I would establish a junk Toyota Owners account using an unimportant email address:
https://www.toyota.com/owners/my-vehicle/service-history
Then I put the VINs of all the used cars I saw into the account. There is a point where you max things out, so have a few email addresses as backup...
I am NOT exaggerating when I say I found over 3 dozen (yes, over 36) Toyotas being sold on OfferUP and a few on Craigslist that HAD DOCUMENTED ODOMETER ROLLBACKS. The Takata airbag recall was a blessing in disguise because Toyota dealers did not necessarily submit these into CarFax, but did report them to NHTSA as completed... So these criminals overlooked how preposterous their rollbacks looked. The owners website shows the details.
The end result? I found a couple of dozen of cars that were rolled back over 100k!!! Oh, and not just 100k, one was 150k and one was 120k with the mileage changing 4 or 5 years ago, so probably a lot more than that. Toyotas are worth the effort to do a rollback and detail job... Their reputation makes resale values worth it.
On a few of the OfferUp ads, I used a license plate VIN converter (using it on a VPN in private browsing mode so that I could use the service for free more often) to track things down and quite a few had pictures with strange numbers on the windshield or on a piece of tape...Those usually had Google/Bing results leading back to auction sites or those auto donation charities.
Toyota of Orange sold two used cars that I am aware of that had rollbacks... They disclosed it, but that's how desperate dealerships were during the plandemic.
I am a former public utility company investigator who had a driveway dealership next door, I distrust most people who buy cars and resell them in less than 3-4 years... (Although now, I am tracking a former car from my family that was totaled and it has been 2.5 years and they're just now smogging it. At least the title is officially "salvaged."
Also, you can set up your own CarFax account for free and add cars to your garage to view service records, you won't get all the other stuff, but it's free.
I dork out over this stuff but, like Pavlov's dog, I get a high reward when I catch fraud. Too bad the California DMV and law enforcement doesn't give a crap.
I've bought 6 used Toyotas in the last 4.5 years after NEVER buying a used car before.
That's insane! I will prob find a way to make temporary burner email accounts that can access emails to find out. I do know someone who offers to sell CarFax's for $5 so if it's a car I really really like, then I would just send VIN/license plate and then get a carfax emailed to me. I agree; it is SO satisfying to call someone's bluff out especially if it's a salvaged car that's supposed to be a 1 owner, low mileage, no accident car. I appreciate the feedback and will be avoiding the 2011 Camry now; it is a good point to realize that if a transmission is out and needed replacement, the engine may be going out soon too.
2004 corolla seems to be the best for the price, given its in decent shape.
If you are looking at Corollas from 03-08 you may want to check out the Matrix also, same thing just a hatchback.
Definitely. I am trying to see if I can get a one owner 2008 Matrix 168k for $4000 (maybe even less). Does this sound like a deal in this economy?
I would say that is a fair deal if it is in decent shape. I have been happy with my 2005, it isn't perfect, but it is reliable, and much easier to work on, and simple compared to newer cars. Check it out good, and the more maintenance records the better.