tenac2215

So I'm trying to find a new daily driver. I'm gonna start doing a lot more driving for work be id like to try and keep my sc400 in the lower mileage range. Came across a 95 4cylinder auto Camry with 150000 on the odometer for pretty cheap. Wondering if anyone had any experience with third gen camrys and certain things I should look for and what to expect. Thanks for any input!!

mmarshall

In a nutshell (and I realize this may be an overly-simplistic answer), there is good and bad in a Camry of that vintage. The 3Gen (1992-1996) was, IMO, the best Camry ever built, quality-wise. It also had excellent comfort and road manners. But, of course, you're dealing with vehicles that are now 20 years old or more, and may likely need a number of repairs and/or new parts.

MattyG

I had one. It went all the way to 334K (approx. 208,000 miles) before it got wiped out by a Tundra driver. It was running like new without any problems whatsoever. Just the usual things to look for: should feel peppy even with the 2.2 4 cylinder automatic. Should be really smooth and quiet. The engine should sound quiet while it's idling and you have the hood up. No noise etc.

150K is nothing for that generation of car. You might need to do shocks and struts if it's got a harsh ride or bounces too much. Take it for a drive and it should run smooth, quiet, and run over bumps no problem.

That generation of Camry has a lot of good Toyota parts in it. Even the dash of my 2GS430 has the same or very similar material from that year of car. And the controls look similar too. Lot of quality there.

jimbosr1

the local toyota dealer has one on the sales floor with 640,000 miles on it.not for sale.

Sulu

I had a 1995 Camry, on a 4-year lease. The dealer made me a deal and bought out my lease before I had it for 3 years. It was a very nice car but I think that a pre-facelift 1994 model would be a better deal. To keep prices down (as has been said, that generation of Camry was the most over-engineered model), Toyota started removing little things here and there, such as covers on the sun visor vanity mirrors and the hinged cover on the little storage area under the single-DIN radio. The missing mirror covers meant that if you had the sun visors down, there would random, distracting reflections (even sunlight). The storage area under the radio is not there if you have a double-DIN radio, and the missing cover meant that there was an obvious hole in the dashboard of single-DIN radios.

That said, I myself would be wary of a 20-year old car, no matter how well the salesperson sells it to you: "Beware of 20-year Camrys driven some time in its life by a little old lady"!

Aron9000

Dealer or private seller???

Really the history of the car would be what I buy it based on. Documented services records, generally very clean inside and out, buy it. Also I'd look at number of owners, 1 or 2, usually they keep up with maintence and take care of their cars. 3, 4, or more owners, yeah they generally don't give a crap about the car.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

the good news is after you drive that 21 yr old camry a bunch of miles, your SC is gonna seem like heaven.

grabber2

There was two money-green 1995-1996 Camry on my block........both owner were old lady....lol

JDR76

My parents had a 95 Camry. They kept it for 10 years and 105k miles, without ever a single issue. My favorite Camry to date. They were very high quality cars.

That's very interesting. I don't recall the mirrors, but I definitely know my folks' 95 Camry had the door over the storage area below radio.

mjeds

wife had one before the 2007 Camry Hybrid, only issue she ever had with it was the head gasket on the 2.2L 4-banger motor. twice in 164,000 miles. My 1995 4-runner 3.0 v6 is plagued with the same issue.

mmarshall

Sounds like you and I both agree on that. The 3Gen Camry, though lacking plush trim inside like today's version, was mechanically superb. It really cemented that car's reputation in the American market.


Little old ladies often don't give their cars proper service LOL.