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Dear Car Talk: I have a 1999 Toyota Camry LE, with 318,000 miles. I bought it new in 1999. In the last three months, I’ve spent about $2,000 on repairs. First, I needed new coils, wires and plugs. Then, the timing belt snapped and had to be replaced.
I drive this car to work every day. And now, I find that I’m worried about the next breakdown. It doesn’t leak or burn oil. But I should mention that the passenger door handles — both interior and exterior — are broken.
My question: Is it time to donate, sell, or otherwise dispose of this car, and buy another Toyota? And what should I get for my daily commute? — Bob
Gee, Bob, I feel for you, brother. You’ve only driven this car for 27 years. You’ve barely passed 300,000 miles, and already it cost you $2,000. What a piece of junk!
Actually, it sounds like it’s been a fabulous car, Bob. And I have no idea what will cause the next breakdown or when it will happen. But “soon” is a good guess. When a car has even 150,000 miles on, you have to expect its reliability to fall off.
And if that’s a lifestyle you no longer want to live, then yes, donate this to your public radio station (search for the “Car Talk vehicle donation program”), give it to a relative or friend to whom reliability is not so important, or turn it into a planter. And based on your — I would say — pretty positive experience with this Camry, you might want to get another one.
You’ll be amazed by how much more comfortable and quiet the new one is. How many new convenience features it has. How much better the hybrid mileage is. How well the passenger door opens — from the inside and out. And you’ll be availing yourself of 25-plus years of reliability and safety improvements — the safety improvements being reasons enough to upgrade.
Even though your old Camry still runs, and even runs pretty well, you now have my full blessing to let it go, Bob. You’ve squeezed pretty much every ounce of life out of this car. Maybe twice. Someone, or some charity, will now be grateful to have it. And you, Bob, can take that bold step and move into the 2000s. We’ll be here to welcome you.
Got a question about cars? Write to Ray in care of King Features, 300 W. 57th St., 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019, or email by visiting the Car Talk website at www.cartalk.com.