Hello All!
Unlike Luke, I am looking for something more pedestrian. I have my eyes on a Toyota Camry, about 4 years old for under $8.5K. I hate paying retail, and am hoping someone knows someone, who knows someone, who may be able to help in the NYC area. As always, any money I save on the "family truckster" gives me more money to spend on Ferraris!
You can e-mail me:
tom@tomyang.net
Tom
Help Me Find a Car!
Help Me Find a Car!
'63 330 America #5053
....wanna take over my A4 lease? Hey, it is 299 a month. I am selling it to also get more $ in the piggy bank for the F car. My pedestrian car is the family truckster with the swing down DVD player, so that one stays.
Try to get a Camry at auction. Do you have craigslist.org over there? Good luck with the search.
Try to get a Camry at auction. Do you have craigslist.org over there? Good luck with the search.
Ex 1963 Ferrari 250 GTE, 99 Modena 360, 11 Maserati QPorte S, 08 merc gl550, 67 Cadillac Coupe DeVille Convertible, 2008 Ducati Hypermotard S, 2006 MV Agusta Brutale S, 1991 Ducati 907i.e.
I tend to like old Toyotas (80s and early 90's vintage). Especially the rear drive. I wouldn't let a 10 year old yota with 100K on the clock scare you away. Let it scare everyone else away.
If you want the deal-of-the-day for rear wheel drive, get a 89-92 Cressida. Predessor to the GS300. Every bit the rock Toyota with evey bell and whistle they moved over to Lexus. In fact, in Japan, there is no "Lexus", they are just high-end Toyota models. In fact, if you
If you need front wheel drive, Camry is the car.
Something like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... egory=6017
Look through eBay and see the mileage these things rack up. 200K is no big deal.
Helps if a "car guy" owned it. Yeah, I know that's getting rare now. Used to be that a "man" was somone who could pull and go through an engine. Now, you've got to worry about hangnails. ;)
A car guy would have switched to synthetic oil & done the proper maintenance. I bought a Cressida from Bill Gate's ZIP code and it had a stack of receipts. They didn't scrimp, but the engine was in dire need of love. No car guy would have let things go that way.
Buying tip for Toyotas. Look at the hose clamps. They should be the correct, perfectly engineered, simple spring constant-tension clamps. If it's got worm-screw-clamps, some idiot has been under the hood.
Look at the coolant. Toyota started making their own cooland in 93 and it's red. Anything else shows a lack of proper understanding for the car.
Make sure the timing belt has been changed. It's usually a 60K affair. The only interference engine on the Camry was the 1.8L.
Engine should be clean - regardless of age - and not covered in crud. Anything less and it's been neglected. As expected. Everything should work perfectly. Use your car-guy skills and you'll be able to ferret out a 10 year old car that will last an easy 10 more years.
If you're going to get a V6 Camry, consider the ES300. It's the same car with the Lexus touch.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... egory=6298
As a bonus, any Lexus will have it's total service history computerized and accessable from any dealer.
You're looking for the head-gasket problem with the V6s. A proper cooling system is a must. The car should not overheat. The gauge should stay right still after warmup. On my Supra it's 3/5 and on the Cressida it's 1/2.
The "sludge" problem with with the first gen VVTi V6s. They run hotter (to get more efficiency) and with "marginal maintenance" can sludge up bad. First gen VVTi + dino oil + stick-the-key-in-it-and-go + short trips = not good. This is right around the "4 year old" Camry you specified. The later redesigned the water jacket and head to amelorate this problem.
My personal favorite engine is the I6s. For cars like you would consider, it's the 2JZ-GE found in the GS300 and IS300.
There are two MPG zones. The 20 city and 30 city. Ironically, the LS400 with the 4.0 V8 and the GS300 with the I6 and the GS300 with the V6 get about the same mileage. The Camry compared to the Lexus gets much better. More weight in the Lexus. Some go for mileage, but I won't let my wife drive in any car that doens't weight over 3100 lbs. The LS400 is about as safe as a sedan is going to get. MUCH of the other vehicle will yield before the Lexus is sacrificed to the point the occupants receive direct trauma. Always wear your safety belt. :D
Sorry to waste bandwith, but you asked a question I'm an near-expert in!
If you want the deal-of-the-day for rear wheel drive, get a 89-92 Cressida. Predessor to the GS300. Every bit the rock Toyota with evey bell and whistle they moved over to Lexus. In fact, in Japan, there is no "Lexus", they are just high-end Toyota models. In fact, if you
If you need front wheel drive, Camry is the car.
Something like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... egory=6017
Look through eBay and see the mileage these things rack up. 200K is no big deal.
Helps if a "car guy" owned it. Yeah, I know that's getting rare now. Used to be that a "man" was somone who could pull and go through an engine. Now, you've got to worry about hangnails. ;)
A car guy would have switched to synthetic oil & done the proper maintenance. I bought a Cressida from Bill Gate's ZIP code and it had a stack of receipts. They didn't scrimp, but the engine was in dire need of love. No car guy would have let things go that way.
Buying tip for Toyotas. Look at the hose clamps. They should be the correct, perfectly engineered, simple spring constant-tension clamps. If it's got worm-screw-clamps, some idiot has been under the hood.
Look at the coolant. Toyota started making their own cooland in 93 and it's red. Anything else shows a lack of proper understanding for the car.
Make sure the timing belt has been changed. It's usually a 60K affair. The only interference engine on the Camry was the 1.8L.
Engine should be clean - regardless of age - and not covered in crud. Anything less and it's been neglected. As expected. Everything should work perfectly. Use your car-guy skills and you'll be able to ferret out a 10 year old car that will last an easy 10 more years.
If you're going to get a V6 Camry, consider the ES300. It's the same car with the Lexus touch.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... egory=6298
As a bonus, any Lexus will have it's total service history computerized and accessable from any dealer.
You're looking for the head-gasket problem with the V6s. A proper cooling system is a must. The car should not overheat. The gauge should stay right still after warmup. On my Supra it's 3/5 and on the Cressida it's 1/2.
The "sludge" problem with with the first gen VVTi V6s. They run hotter (to get more efficiency) and with "marginal maintenance" can sludge up bad. First gen VVTi + dino oil + stick-the-key-in-it-and-go + short trips = not good. This is right around the "4 year old" Camry you specified. The later redesigned the water jacket and head to amelorate this problem.
My personal favorite engine is the I6s. For cars like you would consider, it's the 2JZ-GE found in the GS300 and IS300.
There are two MPG zones. The 20 city and 30 city. Ironically, the LS400 with the 4.0 V8 and the GS300 with the I6 and the GS300 with the V6 get about the same mileage. The Camry compared to the Lexus gets much better. More weight in the Lexus. Some go for mileage, but I won't let my wife drive in any car that doens't weight over 3100 lbs. The LS400 is about as safe as a sedan is going to get. MUCH of the other vehicle will yield before the Lexus is sacrificed to the point the occupants receive direct trauma. Always wear your safety belt. :D
Sorry to waste bandwith, but you asked a question I'm an near-expert in!
Why not aim for a sub $8K Benz? A 300E, a 190E 2.6, or one of the larger/earlier 420 SELs would all make good commuters. They go forever, as the world's taxi fleets would attest, and tend be built with safety in mind, which was not an emphasis with 80s and early 90s Toyotas. Sure, parts are a bit more, but they made so many, junkyards are full of crashed ones with perfectly good bits. The Camry is a perfect appliance, really, but a little lacking in soul and style, IMO. Have you seen Repo Man? Do you remember the scene from the store, with cans labeled "food", "drink"? This is the generic "car". On the other hand, I understand how it is the antidote to the Ferrari and a very sensible/reliable
choice, as well as a nice way to travel incognito, hunting for parts on Canal Street....
:)
thx
luke
choice, as well as a nice way to travel incognito, hunting for parts on Canal Street....
:)
thx
luke
Ex 1963 Ferrari 250 GTE, 99 Modena 360, 11 Maserati QPorte S, 08 merc gl550, 67 Cadillac Coupe DeVille Convertible, 2008 Ducati Hypermotard S, 2006 MV Agusta Brutale S, 1991 Ducati 907i.e.
Maybe I bought the wrong Benz, but I have honestly fantasized about:
1) Attacking it with a sledghammer
2) Pushing it over a cliff
3) Setting it on fire
If I'm careful, I can probably accomplish all three in one theraputic afternoon.
On the other hand, both of the LS400's I've owned have been wonderful cars (10 years now). And they're the perfect antidote to the Ferrari, when you need a rest.
1) Attacking it with a sledghammer
2) Pushing it over a cliff
3) Setting it on fire
If I'm careful, I can probably accomplish all three in one theraputic afternoon.
On the other hand, both of the LS400's I've owned have been wonderful cars (10 years now). And they're the perfect antidote to the Ferrari, when you need a rest.
Deane
'67 330GTS (gone but not forgotten)
'67 330GTS (gone but not forgotten)
Tom,
Personally I'd combine the Toyota idea with the Mercedes idea. Look for an early 1990's Lexus LS 400. It's a great car, right in your price range, and it's dead reliable. And parts are widely available.
Your best bet for a great price would be to get someone to take you to a local dealer auction.
--Matt
Personally I'd combine the Toyota idea with the Mercedes idea. Look for an early 1990's Lexus LS 400. It's a great car, right in your price range, and it's dead reliable. And parts are widely available.
Your best bet for a great price would be to get someone to take you to a local dealer auction.
--Matt
That's a great idea. You might want to avoid cars with the air suspension option, though - rides great but a replacement strut is very expensive. It is kind of cool how it hunkers down at high speed, though.
Otherwise, most Lexus parts come at Toyota prices.
Otherwise, most Lexus parts come at Toyota prices.
Deane
'67 330GTS (gone but not forgotten)
'67 330GTS (gone but not forgotten)
Hi Guys,
Thanks for all the input, especially Koll with the specific knowledge in this matter! Here are my thoughts:
The plan is to have a friend of mine go to the local auctions to find a Camry for under $9K. That should yield a four year old car with under 70K miles. Conisdering my last one is 18 years old, this one should last as long. I've thought about going the Lexus/Infinity route, but I like the efficiency of the fours. I figure I'm buring enough fossil fuels with all my other cars!
As far as Mercedes is concerned, I feel that repairs will always be more expensive. I don't know about the later ones, but I hear of horror stories about vaccum problems, and HVAC problems that cost a ton to repair. The Japanese cars can be costly to repair when they break down, but they just don't break! Most modern luxury cars seem fine when they're new, and under warrenty, but what happens when they pass 100K imiles? Any one I know that owns a MB or BMW past 100K miles must make a real commitment towards maintenance and repair costs, while every Honda and Toyota I know past 100K costs about the same to run as when it had 30K miles.
As far as safety is concerned, any newer Camry should be safer than what I currently drive, so I figure I'll be ahead of the game. Besides, if I was worried about safety, I wouldn't be driving my older Classics!
Thanks guys!
Tom
Thanks for all the input, especially Koll with the specific knowledge in this matter! Here are my thoughts:
The plan is to have a friend of mine go to the local auctions to find a Camry for under $9K. That should yield a four year old car with under 70K miles. Conisdering my last one is 18 years old, this one should last as long. I've thought about going the Lexus/Infinity route, but I like the efficiency of the fours. I figure I'm buring enough fossil fuels with all my other cars!
As far as Mercedes is concerned, I feel that repairs will always be more expensive. I don't know about the later ones, but I hear of horror stories about vaccum problems, and HVAC problems that cost a ton to repair. The Japanese cars can be costly to repair when they break down, but they just don't break! Most modern luxury cars seem fine when they're new, and under warrenty, but what happens when they pass 100K imiles? Any one I know that owns a MB or BMW past 100K miles must make a real commitment towards maintenance and repair costs, while every Honda and Toyota I know past 100K costs about the same to run as when it had 30K miles.
As far as safety is concerned, any newer Camry should be safer than what I currently drive, so I figure I'll be ahead of the game. Besides, if I was worried about safety, I wouldn't be driving my older Classics!
Thanks guys!
Tom
'63 330 America #5053