Does a Toyota EVER Die!? I Bought a CRAZY High Mileage, CRAZY Cheap Camry Wagon To Find Out!

[@mattmayo3539]

The $500 car is one of the most underrated workhorses in society. It’s critical that these cars exist to help those who can only afford that much.

[@dagabbagool2600]

Which is why an EV only future, like some want to mandate, would be devastating for the poor.

[@mattmayo3539]

@@dagabbagool2600 they’ll exist. The feds aren’t going to outlaw your old car anytime soon. These are the cars that put you through school or job training. The car that takes you to that life changing job interview. It’s pretty fascinating.

[@chrrybmbxxxv]

Or we could just reallocate some of the insane amount of money that towns and cities spend on road maintenance to make more non-driving options. A competent bus system is an easy option to implement without costing as much as some others, and taking a lot of cars off the road.

[@kuyre2239]

if you go to middle east. cars are ALL 90s toyota and honda and few german.

[@mattmayo3539]

@@chrrybmbxxxv agreed

[@serenitynow8265]

We seriously need to bring back Affordable, Reliable & Fun (Sporty) wagons to N. America. So tired of the SUV overkill already. Very cool to see this find, hope you will keep us updated on it's future. Cheers!

[@Kacpa2]

Problem is manufacturers pushed people into SUVs as they could scalp more more money of them while paying less and not having to try so hard by using "light truck" loopholes. Women also preffer to seat high up, so they found perfect storm of worst things. Chicken tax also punishes imports so they are much more expensive than in europe or japan. Subaru is only one left with Outback, excluding Volvo and couple others in premium segment. Outback is cheaper because its made in US so it avoids that idiotic tax. To fix this, law would need to be changed to properly punish people for going for SUVs financially(or not even punish but make it fair and appropriate for the size and EPA things for the vehicle) And get rid of chicken tax, close the light truck loophole so pick up trucks and suvs are not so profitable and easy to push through with no effort for automakers. And then it might slowly get back up. Camry and Accord wagons could come back with lots of other cars from europe and japan as valid and properly affordable choice. In europe we also have slightly smaller wagons as options from Corollas/Civics and in some cases even smaller models got wagons like Puegot cars had wagon/mpv versions for smaller hatchbacks like 207 and 307/308. And it made them incredibly capable. 307/308 even had front facing third row option.

[@raveporn]

Unethical US capitalism and reliable cars do not mix.

[@johnshepard313]

I completely agree. The 3rd row seat in the trunk was such a cool ass feature. I'd prefer a wagon like this compared to most cookie cutter SUVs (although definitely want it to have speed LOL)

[@albertoserna3968]

The way the economy is going,those people will probably move into their SUVs.

[@XBKLYN]

Wagons are awesome as the Europeans have known for decades.

[@FullTimeGT]

This car deserves respect. Just treat it nice, do not trash it, do all the scheduled maintenances, and run it as a daily if you want to see how well it does over time!

[@1nvisible1]

*Lift kit, light bar and 18" lexus takeoffs.*

[@richfarfugnuven6308]

​@@1nvisible140" tires...

[@b-genspinster7895]

@@1nvisible1chain steering wheel

[@AnthonyChhan]

Don't forget about timing belt maintenance. I'd say that is top priority all the time.

[@jafrikancarbon1234]

I would've definitely bought that Camry ❤

[@tpp4007]

I had a 1996 Toyota Camry XLE V6 and it had 560K miles before someone side swipe me and bend the frame and it was a total lost. I’m telling you, it was still driving buttery smooth with that V6 engine. Unfortunately, I couldn’t drive it no more because of the frame being bent.

[@robertokandal]

well they can straight the frame ..i already worked on it...and even reinforce it

[@yellowhousetech]

Honestly with that many miles, that Toyota deserves to get some love. Hopefully you guys can find a bumper and two matching hubcaps to make this Camry whole once again :)

[@mikefoehr235]

Fix the oil leak. Not sure if it a chain driven cam...if so, maybe the cover is leaking or could be the valve covers.

[@Expressionistix]

This will probably be the first and last time you see thins thing on the channel.

[@apexchaser6187]

I think addressing the oil leak is probably a better way to show that car some love... But for sure, doing a bit of restoration on the exterior would be the cherry on top.

[@Pau_Pau9]

I'll bet bumper and hubcaps can be obtained for less than $100!

[@zandaughtry7936]

@@mikefoehr235 The valve covers are notorious for leaking on the 1MZ-FE. Unfortunately you have to take the whole intake manifold off to get them

[@christopherarmstrong2095]

Don’t forget to do the timing belt. You can’t check oil with engine running. You do check transmission fluid while running.

[@lurkingarachnid7475]

350,000 miles on a 1996 Camry means that the owner took care of it that's why it lasted so long, but a lot 90s Toyota are still running 😮

[@StrongLeoMale]

They were built to last, 90's Toyotas and Honda's

[@AngelRodriguez-br8vh]

I own a 99 corolla. It only had 123k miles when I bough it. The previous owner was not great with its maintenance but after a bit of money on repairs the car is running smooth. It burns a bit of oil, maybe 1qt every 1500 miles which isn't too bad. I expect it to reach the 300k lifespan stated by the owners manual, probably another 15 years if I keep driving it 6k miles a year!

[@Kea605]

Even 1980s still on road.

[@louiearmstrong]

It also means, NON INTERFERENCE ENGINE in all caps. A timing chain/belt break is recoverable, in interference engines, they self destruct

[@bobsacamano7653]

you don't need to take care of a 90's toyota. The only ones not on the road were in accidents.

[@bobcantstandzyobitz9778]

I have a 357k 2014 Mazda 3 hatchback and took it for an oil change. The mechanic asked when I had the engine rebuilt. I said I haven't had to do anything to the engine. He said it's incredible, it's bone dry in there, none of the seals are leaking. I love that car. It treats me well. This toyota would be a perfect work car for me.

[@NenadTrajkovic]

What more does a person need... It is honestly a vehicle that has everything you need, reliable and worth preserving! Please fix it and film its development for us!

[@willpeony5534]

A person also needs rhythm and talent.

[@robertlewis7777]

We've owned several 300k mile plus Toyotas, in fact we sold our '97 Camry with 380k on it, new owner drove it from North Carolina to Arizona, and is still driving it.

[@Brararaf101]

@@robertlewis7777 ever change the trans fluid or do you keep orig? i had 06 w 350k

[@NenadTrajkovic]

@@willpeony5534 that is deferant story

[@kwebb4078bn]

​@@robertlewis7777I can back that up. I own one with 407k on the odometer.

[@jonnyboat2]

I had a 1990 camry that I bought in 1990 and sold it in 2021. You need to stop at Walmart and get an Obd2 reader for the check engine light. It might be a bad gas cap. Your battery might be dead because your alternator is bad or going bad. Auto Zone can check your alternator. When your engine is cold in the morning, take off your radiator cap, top off your radiator fluid, start your engine and let it idle with the radiator cap off for five or ten minutes while watching the radiator fluid at the fluid fill neck where the cap goes. If you see bubbles coming up through the fluid, you might have a blown head gasket. Also, that year may still have had a separate differential fluid reservoir with a fill and a drain plug separate from your transmission. Check your differential fluid level to make sure it's not empty. If it's empty, that could cause your speedometer to bounce around which may indicate worn out parts related to your speedometer or differential.

[@cobracommander2885]

I have a 2003 Toyota Corolla with just over 400k miles on it. Hope it lasts forever

[@mikefoehr235]

We had an 04 Corolla and traded it in at 360 000 kms for a RAV 4 for my wife. It was one of the very best cars i ever owned. One bad fuel pump and one ECM both under warranty or recall and then it wouldn't quit. I drove the Snot out of it. I also maintained it meticulously and got many oil changes and filter.

[@Welcometofacsistube]

Big deal. I have a 300m with 3500000km on it, driven daily. A 2002 yukon with 420000kms on it, driven daily.

[@mikefoehr235]

@@Welcometofacsistube 400 000 miles is around 600 000 kms which is a big enough deal. There aren't that many engines made that last that long. I did meet a Scotish/Canadian guy years ago who had a gm diesel pickup. He changed the oil every 4th tank of fuel and his Silverado had 3.5 MN KMS in it. Now, that is pretty impressive.

[@cobracommander2885]

@@Welcometofacsistube yes, my Corolla has 400000 miles on it . Not km

[@erikgonzalez2278]

Same I have 330k miles!

[@vj5225]

My mom has a 1999 Toyota with over 327,000 miles. She bought it brand new. Only the driver side window doesn't go down other than that it works great. Starts and drives still like the day she bought it.

[@TheKnobCalledTone.]

The window is probably an easy fix. In the worst case scenario it might be the window regulator that's gone bad (cheap and easy to find a replacement at a junkyard), otherwise it could be something as simple as the window coming off its runners, a fuse or the window switch needing a bit of Deoxit on it.

[@VickyLSavage02]

My passenger window Dosent work😭

[@TheHamburgler123]

@@TheKnobCalledTone. Exactly. Even if you're not handy at all, this would be a repair that anyone could do while following a KZbin tutorial. It would be an easy, cheap fix.

[@ecymbura31]

That thing is a gem! Gold emblems, V6, spotless interior, honestly if you just threw a new set of wheel covers on that and gave it a good detail it would look amazing. That car has life left

[@653j521]

Take care of the rust? It's always a question of when to stop fixing a car: when the body is too bad or the engine is too bad.

[@perrinayebarra]

@@653j521the rust on that thing is very minor and easily fixed.

[@mescko]

@@perrinayebarra And as many white Camrys as were made of this gen I bet you could find one with a better bumper cover.

[@WayApp]

What an incredible find! This high mileage Camry wagon is a prime example of why Toyota has such a loyal following. It's impressive how well it has held up, and it's a testament to the care and craftsmanship put into these vehicles. Thanks for sharing this remarkable story!

[@subaruamazon]

gm just doesnt get it do they ?

[@billibarou]

@@subaruamazon you should check again. We recently were in the market for a car, and bought a Chevy Malibu because they had higher quality and reliability ratings than the Toyota Camry. In this day and age don't assume that brand loyalty any more. Personally I was always a Nissan buyer, but in recent years I have pulled back from them because of issues.

[@subaruamazon]

@@billibarou not a big fan of gm even though my first car was a chevy nova.

[@user-tb7rn1il3q]

@@billibarou Those ratings are not scientific and should be taken with a grain of salt. Nevertheless GM makes good products which are usually cheap to repair when they do like all cars eventually break. Many Toyota dealers are still ripping people off. They are good cars as well, but not for more than $500 over dealer cost.

[@MorticiaAddams23]

​@@billibarounot a chance a Malibu has higher ratings than a Camry in any area.

[@zachtravers]

The 1MZ-FE is one of the best engines ever made, as long as you keep up on the oil changes to avoid the sludge issues. We had a 2002 Lexus RX300 (1MZ-FE with VVT-i) with 347k miles on it, we only traded it due to rust, it wouldn't pass inspection.

[@mikefoehr235]

I thought 2gr fe...I guess those came later.

[@zachtravers]

@@mikefoehr235 the 2GR didn't go into the Camry until 2007. 1993-2006 used the 1MZ-FE and the 3MZ-FE from 04-06 in SE trim.

[@mikefoehr235]

@@zachtravers Are the GR V6s based on the MZ architecture?

[@zachtravers]

@@mikefoehr235 nope, there's many types of GR engines, none are related to the MZ family, as the GR replaced the MZ.

[@mikefoehr235]

@@zachtravers I had a 13 Tacoma with the 1gr fe 4 litre. I changed the oil religiously and those cannot be ruined unless you do something totally idiotic. The 4 litre v6 is one crazy fantastic engine from Toyota.

[@snakehandler87]

One of my absolute favorite specific models of all time. How many of y'all miss wagons?

[@thystaff742]

Best of both worlds between a small truck and a car. Yet the automakers made sure to kill the wagon by pushing SUVs.

[@rocknrollermann]

i 'd love to have it

[@michaelcliffe562]

Luckily where I live wagons are the largest segment of the market after useless SUVs..

[@theowink]

Polish the headlights

[@cruiser6260]

@@thystaff742 market demanded SUV because it IS a wagon with the ground clearance of a 70s sedan or wagon. Manufacturer only makes more of what u buy. Now Porsche and Lamborghini and Bentley have to make SUV too

[@Wannabecowboy004]

I have a 2000 Camry I paid 500$ for, it had 250k when I got it 3yrs ago everything worked as it should and it’s still going strong only 2000mi from 300k of course it’s the 5SFE but been solid reliable, I say keep it and just run it as a hauler to haul stuff around rack up the miles 🙂

[@zandaughtry7936]

My 2000 Solara has the automatic with 260k miles and is surviving despite what appears to be unchanged ATF lmao

[@robbiepayne97]

​@@zandaughtry7936 I got a 2001 Solara as well with 154k, bought it April 2022 with 147k and it's still going strong, 4cyl 2.2l 5S-FE engine!

[@piggy310]

"of course it's the 5sfe" You say that like it's a negative.

[@shanedottie]

Absolutely love this kind of stuff. Need to have a community of high mileage gems

[@isolationeitheror]

Agreed! And the host is very funny too

[@zak182006]

never thought to check the oil with the car on lol

[@Tempsho]

That’s probably why it was registering high

[@timsouttahere]

These guys know nothing about cars.

[@bryankerbow7871]

The reason the oil is showing high is because the oil pump is pumping oil.

[@matthewbowen5841]

Aaaaand this is why I avoid everything TFL related. I did have to check in on the old Camry wagon. Charisma-free, annoying, talentless people who know nothing about cars being professional car presenters. Why?

[@rogerpedrosa1854]

1995 Toyota Avalon V6 350,000 miles 2004 Toyota sienna 200,000 miles. 2014 Toyota Corolla 120,000 miles. 2019 highlander 30,000 miles. Had no problems with any of them besides basic maintenance. Toyota family here Toyota strong💪

[@duggydo]

Please take it to Toby and see put it up on the lift. He can also use scanner to see what the light is about.

[@zach_hall04]

probably 02 sensor no issues

[@Chickennss]

It’s amazing how long an engine can go when it’s HP is tuned to much less than it is capable of.

[@GameMaster7105]

Looks like a winner. This little wagon deserves a restoration!

[@jaet4018]

All we own are Toyotas & Hondas. '98-2010. Take care of them & they take care of you. Awesome reliability.

[@electrikoptik]

"Does a Toyota EVER Die!? " If you've ever been to Africa or any remote part of the world you'll quickly learn that the answer is "no".

[@mikefoehr235]

I am a Canadian and many Americans and even Candians tell me how crappy Toyota trucks are because of frame rust. If you spray the frames and under body once a year, they don't rust much at all. I absolutely love my 20 Tundra with the 5.7 V8. The V8 is a rocket ship. Toyota power trains are near indestructible.

[@electrikoptik]

@@mikefoehr235 Salt will rust all cars, without prejudice.

[@mikefoehr235]

@@electrikoptik yup

[@VickyLSavage02]

Toyota cars are made for 3rd world country to last 30+ years

[@Bb-xw9um]

In Central America in the rurals, you’ll see some farmers still driving old beat up Toyotas and Nissan trucks from the 70’s.

[@williamhenson621]

I’m so glad you guys made a video on this. I also owned a gray 1996 Camry, it was in the sedan LE trim and it had almost 300K miles on it. I owned it for 6 years and it fired up perfectly every time I drove it. it was the perfect cruiser and it even had power windows and a sun roof which for me in my early 20 was a dream car. I now own a 2018 Camry SE, and I’m glad I stuck with the same vehicle. It’s perfect for me and I’ve already put over 75K miles on my new Camry! I plan to own this one for a very long time and I look forward to putting many more more miles on it thanks to Toyota and their OG reliability status

[@Kristian_Saile]

So I went through the mental process of what would make the best expendable commuter car. Cheap to buy, cheap to operate, well built, reliable, etc. Accords, Civics, Camry’s and Corrollas from the 90’s were no brainers, what I went with was a ‘98 Avalon, basically a stretched v6 Camry with more comfort and space and not as desirable so cheaper. It’s been awesome, we pile so many miles on this thing, it floats down the road in supreme quiet and comfort. It’s definitely the Buick of the Toyota line. That being said, this age car is all about how well it was kept up. Belts, hoses, seals, consumables… no matter what car, if it was neglected it will be a money pit. Our Avalon had a full service history and was religiously maintained by the original owner at their local Toyota dealership. It had been sitting for a couple of years and so I had to give it new injectors, I went through the brakes, and a few other little things but now it should go 100’s if thousands of miles yet just doing routine upkeep. I think this was peak Toyota, just enough technology to be comfortable but not overly laden with stuff to go bad. That wagon was a good find! Hope you do a series on it.

[@matthewbowen5841]

When you know, you know.

[@scott4825]

Those 97-98 Avalons were very close to Lexus in quality. My 97 had this bulletproof white paint that was like 10 layers thick. Damn reliable and I think it was the same platform as a Camry, so a lot of those parts are interchangeable. Then it makes a great family car because the kids in the back seat are farther away from the front seats. The 2000 Avalon which we also owned had no where near the room.

[@Grant849]

​@@scott4825Avalon's are closer to Lexus. Definitely aren't the cheaper Camrys trust me haha

[@scott4825]

@@Grant849 This one was really on the mark though. Again I also owned the 2000 Avalon. They were both leather with high specs, but the 1997 was a much nicer car. Road noise and everything else was pretty much on par with Lexus. Not the case with the 2000.

[@jerrylemky1882]

Honestly, I'd love to see that car fixed up and see how far it will go before needing anything serious. I don't know if you are going to hang onto it or not but, if you do, I look forward to any and all updates.

[@kimoandrews5802]

The moment you care about it the engine, transmission, rear diff, windshield wipers, door handles, etc will fail all at once.

[@vancity_coaster]

I remember a fellow stopped in to my workplace with a broken strut, and had a Camry like that with 500k on it. I put all new struts in it and he drove back to California from Canada. He liked it, and other than a dent and a window motor it was ok.

[@SuperMoofie]

I have one just like it. This is my third 96' built Camry wagon. The best car ever built. The engine design was worked on by 100 engineers. It's got space, easy and cheap to maintain, reliable, comfortable, and sleek design. The two little wipers on the rear window are special to this model of wagon. Fantastic piece of engineering, with the Lexus standard of interior confort and noise dampening. Yep, that's what they did :)

[@GKMess42]

I want to see it fixed up as a daily driver (like someone might do), and I'd like to see if it can still hold its maximum GVWR once it's fixed up a bit.

[@thechriscollection9983]

These Camry wagons are so rare! Probably can find all your needed parts at a local pick and pull, most parts can be had from the more common sedan. Great luck with it!

[@Rage1732]

Two rear “wings”?? And you said it twice. I don’t know how they do things in Colorado, but…wipers.

[@gobsmacked230]

That was fun!...those Camrys from the 90's were indestructible (the sludge-prone versions began in 1997 thru 2002 until Toyota fixed the problem) due to a new head design but even they were ok with frequent enough oil changes. My nephew has a nice 2003 Camry with 105k original miles (got it several years ago from the original owner with 78k miles) and he wants to keep it forever!...they are very comfortable and super reliable.

[@alphawoolf5981]

My family owned a brand new 1974 Toyota Corolla wagon well into 1990s. It had at least 200k on the odometer (it rolled over twice). We eventually had to get rid of it not for any fault of its own, but a guy we had work on the brakes did not put all the parts back in(!). Absolutely bullet proof cars.

[@ghw7192]

My daughter's 1999 Camry had 368,000 miles on it the last time I looked. She has an excellent mechanic and follows the maintenance schedule he recommended.

[@tuffytoys9707]

You Made out great. That Radio alone was worth the purchase. What you should do is a series on repairing the High Mileage Car. Like fixing the check engine light, Rear Window, Oil leak etc but Fixing on the cheap side with a Minimalist cash output like you were a young person who just got their first job or a student and must keep expenses low etc.

[@chipb1193]

I like this idea

[@donc6781]

Never spend money on Old cars with high mileage unless necessary!

[@zandaughtry7936]

@@donc6781 Agreed. Picked up a 2000 Solara with the 1MZ-FE and dont plan on buying nothing but oil lmao

[@PSXBOX-lz1zq]

​@@donc6781 that's not the case in the middle east. especially with company fleet

[@donc6781]

@@PSXBOX-lz1zq I was referring to the US car market With no rust in the Middle East, you can literally drive the car forever- just replace parts as needed!

[@cameronnorton5898]

My 1996 4Runner 5 speed 4x4 has 350,000 miles as well. Still runs like a Swiss watch. Has no leaks

[@barrydraper]

You wouldn't want to try this with most other car brands. You might want to just clean it up, fix the 3rd seat latch, get a couple hubcaps and maybe donate it to someone in your area. Otherwise, keep it & go for the 500K mile mark or better.

[@EBuff75]

I was thinking this same thing. There are charities which work to get free / low cost transportation for people who need it, and this might be a good candidate.

[@TheKnobCalledTone.]

@@EBuff75 I wouldn't donate it to charity because of all the potential liability issues.

[@barrydraper]

@@TheKnobCalledTone. There are no liabilities donating to charity. They often just send the car to auction for the proceeds. The donor gets the tax deduction. Win / Win for everyone...

[@DaveGmn]

Re: your passenger rear power window no-go -- if they aren't regularly used, the window glass can get stuck anywhere along the weather channelling in the door. Try a spritz of silicone lube around the periphery. We had an 01 Avalon (stretch Camry) with, I thought, both rear windows inoperable. All it took was a little silicone spray and they've been working ever since.

[@shawnnicholas660]

We drove our 1993 toyota camry le too 440k. We parked it still running and driving. Just couldn't keep an alignment on it so it would eat tires.

[@TruthSeekerAll]

Awesome im a great fan of these Camrys. They never failed to impress me. 😊

[@TheCoyote808]

What would Toby say about it? I'd like to see just how much cost of ownership would be for this over say the next year.

[@donc6781]

I’m guessing not so much. Sure it’s going to leak some fluids - it’s old it’s deserves to mark his territory

[@johnvender]

Relative to almost all cars that age and with that many miles peanuts. Even five years...

[@mromatic17]

toby is a f@cking con artist! he was trying to charge 2500 for a few shocks and valve cover gaskets on the cheap truck challenge. every price he has thrown out there for repais is always 2 to 3 times higher than what it should be. I'm not against anyone making money, but if you're f@cking ppl than thats BS!

[@krusejonathan01]

@@donc6781100% agree. People get so worked up about small engine oil leaks. Check the oil when you fill the gas tank. If it needs oil… add oil. Problem solved.

[@Zinger3030]

I bought a 2008 Avalon to Doordash in. The plan was to drive it and fix it as it broke. Best $5900 ever spent. 2 years later and I have beaten the living hell out of it, replaced the entire front suspension(which was already shot), new brakes, a new tire, a new oil filter housing, and that is pretty much it. I just rolled over 224,000 miles and it runs absolutely perfect and is unbelievably fast. It actually runs better than my 2017 Rav4 did(transmission was goofy and lots of brake issues with the Rav4), so I guess I will keep beating the brakes off of it. Old Toyotas really only die when you wreck them.

[@edwinroyal9734]

My Doordash car is a 2006 Camry. 341,000 miles. $2500 in 2016 @ 200,000 miles. Best money I ever spent.

[@kevinburroughs6583]

It's all about perspective. I l.ove how Brendon always had a positive perspective on these high mile cars. "A C on a $500 car"

[@swaemy]

I'm still driving my 95 LE V6. 425K miles. My rockers are gone, but it's still my daily. Cold A/C & hot heat.

[@Bdub1952]

I'd love to have a pristine, low-mileage version of this wagon. I doubt that too many have survived.

[@natural_law]

with a manual trannny...

[@TheHamburgler123]

Never say never. I'm sure there's some granny out there in the mountain west or southeast with a low-mileage, rust-free specimen. I checked "Bring a Trailer" and there was a beautiful 94 Camry LE Wagon with 104k that just sold a few months ago for $8850. It looked like it was in excellent shape both aesthetically and mechanically.

[@evdanielsson7]

they’re out there! I bought my ‘95 LE V6 wagon a year ago with 95k miles on it. little old lady was selling it. I paid $2k! it’s in fantastic shape and everything works great.

[@Pure-Luck447]

Maybe you could import a jdm

[@evdanielsson7]

@@Pure-Luck447 I could be wrong, but I believe only the US and Australia received this generation of Camry wagon (called the Vienta in Australia).

[@georgesadler7830]

Thank you for the video, I am currently working on a 1986 Toyota Camry Le. I hope to get this classic Camry running soon. This four-cylinder Camry has a Timing Belt. From about 2002 to the present, all four-cylinder Toyota Camry has Timing Chains. The six-cylinder Camrys all have Timing Chains starting in 2008 to the present.

[@adamwilling2457]

Good buy. I'd keep it. I have a 2008 Toyota Matrix Xr that is going on 220k miles and it still runs great. It costs me very little to maintain.

[@MusicWisp]

I miss my matrix xr. It was an 03. It got totaled but probably saved my life. Amazing gas mileage. Great cargo space. Perfect for college.

[@mattsanchez4893]

2007 Highlander owner here, 207000 miles, no issues at all, hope it lasts as long as this Camry!!

[@drewintampa]

I am a station wagon enthusiast. Love them. Owned many over the years. It was standard for wagons in the 90's to have the rear facing seat. My Grandmother bought a Camry wagon brand new in 1995. Loved that car. We also donated it after her death. Drive the car in good health. If it broke down in a month, you still got a great deal. PS: Get some hubcaps for the old girl. She needs some love.

[@atsirdsart7386]

Super weird question but was her name Lydian? I bought a low mileage camry wagon with an identical story and part of me wants to find the family and thank them. All i have to go off of is her old bill of sale left in the glove box. Even if it's not her, that's so wild. Great little cars.

[@crusheen]

The speedometer cable is long wound springy cable that spins inside its housing. When it gets this old, all the lube inside it becomes super dry and gunky, and the speedo will "catch and release" somewhat unpredictably at times, and usually at slow speed more than at super high speed. And it will sometimes go away completely when its hot enough, or after driving for quite some time. Will be especially noticeable when cold. Can be repaired pretty easily by removing and cleaning the inside of the cable housing with brake cleaner, and then re-lubing the cable before putting it back in.

[@timfagan816]

I think this is what's happened to my 98 subaru, sometimes the speedo works other times not. Then after a few minutes it starts working again. If I go above 50mph it works straight away. Which is hard because I live in a city with an 18mph speed limit. Sometimes if I can't get to that speed for a while the check engine light comes on, and will only go away when the speedo starts working again. Would the check engine, be connected to the abs sensors being confused by a non working speedo?

[@jamesknudsen1852]

This brought to mind a woman who was wondering how she was going to commute 50 miles to a theater gig she had landed. She was convinced she couldn't trust her car because it was 10 years old. The car was a Toyota Cressida. I'm just going to let that hang there for a while... a Cressida. I told her I wouldn't hesitate to drive that thing across the country. She wasn't convinced.

[@cawag98]

The answer of the question 'old car on long trip' is nuanced between the two answers of 'don't' and 'do', but starting with a good brand and decent mechanicals like in Toyota's cars, if she were to have the car checked out before the trip, and then regular maintenance / inspections done it would be good to go.

[@tcabrera2241]

I have a 1994 Toyota Camry and it's at 455k, though the outside paint is faded and headlight is housing is off;it runs great.

[@kevinthomson6324]

My first 4 vehicles were under $500. Back in the day you could still find a reliable vehicle for that price. Once you fixed the problem the current owner didn’t want to deal with. Also knowing a place that did “hot” safety inspections for $50 didn’t hurt either. Side note… I had no idea the Camry wagons had a third row seat!

[@dot_boi]

I bought an 01 sedan with 310k miles last of the 90's generation, 4 banger and automatic for $500. Daily drive it to work every single day currently. I took a risk and changed the trannie fluid, but it shifts better than before. Everything is mechanically functional, including the AC / Heat, non- leaking sunroof, all power windows and locks work. Interior and exterior scuffs, but in a car like this it doesn't really matter. Its just a beater so I don't put as many miles on the fun car and save a bit of fuel.

[@chrisberry5160]

What I love most about this car is the wheels and tires will probably be the most expensive things to replace lol

[@leod7454]

You got a long way to go. My GMC van has 896,000 plus and is still on the road.

[@justdoingitjim7095]

I love these little wagons! You have a mostly unobstructed view all around with a lot fewer blind spots than SUV's. They're comfortable to sit in and drive and handle long drives well. Most people prefer the more "stylish" newer vehicles, so that means these little cars are cheap too. I'm currently driving a 1999 Subaru Legacy Outback wagon and it get's an average of 27mpg. While it's not as much as newer cars, it has the best AWD in the industry and you won't find many 4X4's getting that kind of mileage!

[@Castielj]

Great video. My 1995 Camry 4cyl sedan had 252K miles before I had to get rid of it, because it no longer passed Texas annual inspection due to an exhaust & oil leak that were too expensive to fix. My Camry leaked thru about a quart of oil every 1K miles, but I was able to safetly drive round trip from Texas to Los Angeles without any issues. Just had to top off oil during the trip. I suggest you try driving your Camry on a long distance trip of 1K miles or more and see what happens.

[@vwsandvettes3253]

Great purchase Brendan! I don't know if you want to go to the effort, but it would interesting to see if you can track down and fix the oil leak. Is dropping the pan to see how clean (or otherwise!) the engine is an option? I've heard about sludge buildup, but I'm guessing this car doesn't have that problem with that many miles. Sometimes cars that aren't driven often, or far enough to let the oil heat up, will suffer from sludge buildup. Again great find, and I like your optimism!

[@rushnerd]

In these guys it's usually just the valve cover. My 94' had that and I just did it myself. It was so easy that it was actually fun and I went crazy and metallic anodized painted the valve cover and heatshields while I was at it lol. There are few cars around that are modern enough yet this simple (not to mention reliable).

[@bannedbycommieyoutube5time920]

The sludge was an issue with lack of maintenance with the V-6 in particular

[@rushnerd]

@@bannedbycommieyoutube5time920 Yeah I'm not sure about other auto makes and models, but I know the only thing you REALLY need to do with Toyotas is change that oil regularly and pretty much NEVER let it get even a bit low. Not sure about these camrys 4 bangers or V6, but my 01' Celica and 88' Supra have ZERO tolerance for even a bit of oil loss. You will kill the engine fast. I remember my 94 4cyl had a valve cover leak (which I fixed eventually) and an oil pan leak, yet it magically never really seemed to lose any oil.

[@clivewarner2162]

Good bargain! What a shame the wagon was discontinued. I would: See if I could find a replacement front bumper at a junkyard. Also obtain 4 hubcaps. Do anything low-cost to reduce oil leaks. Fit a better infotainment system. Deep-clean the interior. Fix the nonworking window. Scan codes, maybe the Check Engine is just O2 sensors. And maybe try to see why the ABS doesn't work (probably a CAN fault or wheel sensor.) I once had a 97 Nissan Maxima, also a bomb-proof car if not overheated.

[@darrendaine4914]

You checked the oil while the engine was running?

[@ThisThing-so3dq]

He would have had to jump it again

[@macbook802]

​@@ThisThing-so3dqhe should have checked it before starting it. You can't check it while it's running, there's no excuse for stupid

[@asmirann3636]

​@@macbook802Many people simply don't know.

[@macbook802]

@@asmirann3636 yea I guess that makes sense

[@freshjoo]

My family had one of these growing up and I remember it fondly. All the kids loved sitting in the back seat facing reverse. Great family car

[@KeywordManagement]

Great episode - let us know what you find for engine codes.

[@SH-di8im]

New subscriber here I approve of this video. I always had a soft spot for Toyota’s. Especially the older ones.

[@dorkultra]

would love to see regular followups on this car, it's quite a hidden gem

[@SpaceMan101South]

My parents had the Camry wagon when I was growing up in the 2000s. It ran then, and it still runs now. If you ever see a grey/silver camry wagon driving on the gulf coast near Mobile Alabama give us a wave.

[@Jmdp.94]

Super solid interior condition for 500 bucks!

[@atodaso1668]

And AC!

[@vitalino1981]

Judging from the spotless clean interior, I strongly suggest most of the mileage done on the highway, which is less damaging than city mileage.

[@TalismanPHX]

The previous owner cared for this car. Must have been elderly owned and may have been donated by the family as part of an estate. A good deep clean and comprehensive fluid service

[@pokedude104]

one thing a lot of people dont think about is where those miles got put on. There's a massive difference between 50km of bumper to bumper city traffic and 50km of cruising on the highway at 110. Even cars you don't think could be reliable might surprise you if it spends most of its time on the highway.

[@230k19]

Leak down test and what is up with the check engine light? It would also be really neat to see a dyno test. I think those things would give a really good idea of how well the engine has held up.

[@donc6781]

It’s lasted 28 years & 353k miles, so we have a good idea how well the motor has been. My biggest concern would be, how rusty is on the frame, is it still Safe to be on the road?

[@230k19]

@@donc6781 *has been. I want to know how it is now.

[@donc6781]

@@230k19 Even if it blew up tomorrow, it served someone well. My only concern would be Rust on the frame.

[@230k19]

@@donc6781 definitely an impressive car. Especially considering those V6 were not that great.

[@bensaisakura4322]

These engine's made 190-198 to the crank but with the Automatic it robbed nearly 50whp. Most don't make more than 140-150whp. Even supercharged mine made 170-175whp (untuned TRD Supercharged 94 wagon)

[@pennywise8182]

Congrats,you are now an official member of the "Daddy Car Club" with this front drive wagon..... Mommies drive mini vans.👏👏

[@mardamek]

It’s a little strange that being an unfamiliar car with such high mileage you did not check the fluids first before starting it. I’m glad it worked out, though.

[@Josh-ux6zz]

I’ve never seen anyone check the oil level while running

[@MexicoAdventurer]

I bought a 1982 Chevy Citation 2 hatchback for $200 back in 1990. It had 67,000 miles on it, and it lasted me a year. I wrecked in it and went over a ravine, when I fell asleep at the wheel on a very long trip. Otherwise, I'd have owned that car for 20 years. I loved buying older cars because I feel like I'm beating the system. I'll drive them 6 months to a year, or 2 years, fix them up and give them away. So far, I've owned 34 vehicles and 6 motorcycles. The 94 Ford Glaval E150 conversion van I have now, I bought it in 2014 for $1,500, and still have it. It's my primary vehicle. It had 119,000 miles at purchase, and it has 177,000 miles on it now. My 2003 Tahoe that I bought in 2017 for $2,000, I still have that, too. Had 268,000 miles on it, 273,000 now. It's in storage in the USA, haven't driven it for 3 years. My mechanic fixed it up very nicely, it's in great condition. Debating spending the $3000 for legalization to bring it here to Mexico. Or, keep it in the USA, or... sell it. In 2007 I bought a 1991 Honda Accord LX for $100, that was being used for moving hay to a horse pasture. It had 97,000 miles on it when i bought it. I put $200 in the motor, and $400 in a new (used) transmission. I drove that car for 10 years and parked it in my driveway. It's still a great car, I keep it as a spare. 167,000 miles on it now. My 2006 Kawasaki Ninja, I literally bought it from a 55 year old lady in 2018, who, she bought it new. She dropped it, and put it away. It had, has 495 miles on it. I legalized it for Mexico and had it shipped here. Never even started it yet. Gonna fix it one day. I had a 1990 Ford ranger that I also bought in 2007 for $400, that a so-called friend stole from me and sold it to a scrap yard when I was on a missionary trip in Mexico in 2012. He also stole my two best guitar amplifiers and my $13,000 hearing aids which were inside the truck. Friends aren't worth it but old cars are.

[@ledoutofshadow8004]

I have a 1996 Toyota Hiace van for work. 680,000 K and runs great. I take care of it, fix things right away and change the oil on schedule with good oil and filter. In the 20 years i have had it, i have missed 1 day of business when the clutch failed. Great machine.

[@dewdew34]

Would love to find an avg mileage good shape Accord or Camry wagon to haul stuff. Great versatile cars.

[@bryonwright]

bought my '93 wagon in white today as well with 213k miles, sight unseen at the local auto auction and flat out said when I got home after a 1.5 hour drive back, "THIS IS THE BEST MONEY I EVER SPENT!". only thing i found wrong was a clogged windshield waster nozzle. I expect to take my $1500 (bought in CA, go figure) and make this last many more years than last truck ever did. I totally appreciate this video.. so much more that my only issue was a slightly clogged washer nozzle.. trusted that it was a smogged auction vehicle with a clean title.

[@hutzman7664]

I love those wagons. Plenty of life left in that thing.

[@wesleyjones1169]

I have a 07 Camry XLE V6 which just reached about 164k. I have taken this car everywhere especially through the desert. Drove to Vegas and back home with a/c full blast and triple digit heat didn't skip a beat not once. I have another car at home that's basically a garage queen but the Camry is what I drive 95 percent of the time. It's a great daily and a great road trip car which is why no matter what car I have I make sure a Toyota is always in the mix.

[@jimbosc]

Love the 1MZ engine - the CEL is likely an emissions code based on being an owner of several old Toyotas

[@RAGINGINSOMNIA-o8e]

My friend bought a 1988 Camry Wagon new and drove until 2006. I loved that car. It was the generation before this one.

[@eamo_98]

I love this car because of the dual rear wipers, no other reason 😊

[@motleydude73]

Hubnut agrees.

[@MarkM58]

wings LOL

[@426envy]

My ‘99 Camry (5S-FE) just rolled over 333,000 and still going strong. No rust, cold AC, the only thing that doesn’t work is the clock, and occasionally it does come on. I just had a timing belt, water pump, t-stat, cam seal, crank seal, & oil pump seals replaced, she’s ready for the next 100K.

[@fawzimansour8877]

Checking oil level while the engine is running 😂..

[@EchoTravelsUSA]

Thank you for posting this. Being a RAV4 owner, this video only reassures me that I made the right decision in replacing my 2010 Murano with my 2016 RAV4. Gotta love Toyota!

[@minormunitions]

I love the affordable car videos. Don’t care about the expensive car videos 😂

[@evdanielsson7]

it’s always exciting seeing a new Camry Wagon video pop up! I bought a ‘95 LE V6 wagon a year ago in Cashmere Beige. she had 95k miles when I got her. excellent condition and it’s been a fantastic car so far for me. I look forward to many more years with her! she’s getting close to 99k miles (she’s not my daily) and I’ll have to throw her a party when we hit 100k. she’s got the third row, roof rack, sunroof, CD player. everything works perfectly (except the tape deck, sadly. but I am squiring quite the CD collection lol).

[@blue_lancer_es]

Did he really check the engine oil with the car on? Must be a colorado thing.

[@atmartens]

I mean… he shouldn’t have but also the battery was dead and he’d have to jump it again.

[@macbook802]

​@@atmartenshe should have checked it before starting it.

[@FuckSlowShit]

He is a professional he said

[@blue_lancer_es]

@@atmartens macbook said what I was thinking.

[@luiseldewashington1768]

I bought an $800 dollars 2000 civic with 250k miles in march, fixed some minor stuff, already put 1k miles on it and runs pretty good, specially now with gasoline being so expensive

[@ecovango6675]

Toyotas are fantastic cars they are extremely reliable when taken care of! Congrats on your $600 Camry wagon!

[@Odd1Out650]

My daily is a 1995 Camry 4-cyl with 444k miles. It runs like a champ and has only needed minor repairs since I bought it over 7 years ago. Old Toyotas are the best.

[@ryanb5189]

I just realized I’ve been checking my engine oil the wrong way my whole life…the engine should be running! What else have I been doing wrong the last 40 years? 😅 But seriously, I appreciate these type of videos. Beaters rule!

[@cmcb7230]

Yeah if yours was overfilled like his Camry you should let a quart or two out and recheck!!

[@trwill8]

The engine definitely shouldn’t be running

[@CosmykTheDolfyn]

Yeah, never check the engine oil while the car is running. These cars are calibrated to be checked with the engine cold and without the oil being in circulation/sloshing around. A very, very, very few cars that are dry sump engines are calibrated to have the oil checked while the engine is idle. Those cars are Porsche Boxsters, and some racing cars. Ton of motorcycles are made that way. In no way is an old beater Camry meant to have the oil checked while idling.

[@ryanb5189]

I was being sarcastic y’all

[@warrengauthier4699]

I had a 92 Camry LE wagon V6 with all of the options including the sunroof. It worked perfect, drove perfect and never failed me.

[@nedaCFilms]

I’ve owned a couple of mid ‘90s GM W/T pickups with the 4.3 Vortec V6 and both were over 300,000 miles when I sold them. Had a 4.6 Ford pickup with over 300,000 miles as well. There’s quite a few vehicles that will run well over 300k if you just keep the oil clean and don’t beat the absolute sh*t out of them lol😉

[@mikefoehr235]

Our 97 Tauras went to 326 000 kms but it need 2 engines, would have needed a 3rd tranny and so many other parts....so gm and Ford cured me to Toyota.

[@waterloo123100]

People act like 250k is a lot for a vehicle. When it has over 450k and still running like a top I’ll be Impressed

[@imadsyrian]

I really love that type of content 👏🏻 keep up man ❤

[@TheKnobCalledTone.]

350K miles? It's barely broken in. I agree with everyone that says keep up the maintenance and use it as a daily.

[@hitchedtohorsepower]

I never understand why people don't replace hood and hatch struts! They are extremely cheap and even easier to replace. All you need is a flat head screw driver and something and someone to hold it open while you swap them! People can get hurt quite bad from bad hood struts too. Not as much when they are completely gone but when they stay up momentarily before falling.

[@FuckSlowShit]

Same goes for the new SUVs people are driving you think they gonna spend a dime on their new crap ? Hell no gas is enough to spend. They just drive them like they going to last forever more than the old vehicles. Dumb ass people I swear

[@waterloo123100]

Most people don’t even open the hood without crying to a mechanic. Hood struts are a lot for them.

[@hitchedtohorsepower]

@waterloo123100 unfortunately very true. I don't understand some mechanics for what they quote for hood struts. I'm not a mechanic but I work on lots of friend's cars. When they have bad hood struts I'll tell them and lots don't care because they rarely if ever open the hood. I tell them if they want the other work done they are paying for struts. It's only $6 to about $20 on the high end so they agree and I don't mind taking the 5 minutes it takes me to swap them. But I've heard quotes for shops of $75 to $100 to replace them. I guess shops just put some channel locks on the struts and don't care 🤷‍♂️

[@countryfriedgamer15o]

​​@@hitchedtohorsepower I think that's a shady business practice, making them pay to replace an unnecessary part before you replace the necessary part. As someone who does some of his own work and not run to the mechanic for every problem I don't even replace them. I think it's pointless to pay for something so irrelevant to the overall vehicle's performance. It doesn't in any way shape or form keep it on the road so why waste your time replacing just so it will fail again later. Hood struts are absolute trash and have no real purpose, I wouldn't even trust new ones to hold my hood up. The old style coil spring did a way better job of holding a hood or prop rod. Improvising with a rod or stick is nearly free and will last almost forever. Personally I think most people rather fix the important things that keep the wheels turning then some useless cosmetic garbage. I can imagine you would say the same crap over wipers too that you won't replace a leaking water pump until they pay for the wipers. And before you start whining about you're the one under the hood working on it don't forget not every vehicle even has them. It's not that hard just to find something to prop it up or clamp a pair of vice grips on it. You're just making them pay for something that only you reap the benefits from.

[@ricgunn1439]

​@@countryfriedgamer15o what is the purpose of this rant.🫤

[@MegaRetr]

One of my absolute favorite specific models of all time