1987 Toyota Camry LE 4 cylinder from North America

Summary:

A reliable bargain

Faults:

Automatic seatbelt works only when door is shut several times.

General Comments:

This car will not die!

This car has been in my family for 15 years, and lived through 16 Iowa winters!

The car is very smooth and extremely quiet.

The level of comfort and amenities is very high for a 1987 car.

Just add oil regularly and that's all it takes!

The brakes are slightly squishy compared to my previous Audi 5000.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th March, 2004

1987 Toyota Camry DX 2.0 or 2.2 4 cylinder... from North America

Faults:

My distributor seal and o-rings had to be replaced, because they leaked at 132,543 miles and the transformer cracked and leaked also.

I did a tune-up and replaced half of the electrical system including the alternator, battery and belts at 136,543 miles.

General Comments:

The car has a hard time starting.

The car is very comfortable and pleasant to drive.

Very reliable.

However it lacks power. Despite some reviews that rave about power, in my opinion the power is just not there. Factory rating puts it at 11.5 sec for 0-60, which is not very impressive at all. Fact: A Geo will beat you to 60 mph a second faster.

However despite my little complaint, the Camry is still a great car that was built to last. Very low maintenance, super reliable and cheap!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 10th September, 2003

9th Dec 2003, 04:58

I have an '87 Camry LE that I am selling (174K) - not because there is anything wrong with it - but, because I can't justify the insurance (I don't drive much) and I can't tolerate all the idiot drivers on the road. I would rather ride my bicycle.

I have had this "loss of power" thing since I bought it three years ago, but I read a comment from one user who said that it was a problem common to the '87s. An easy fix to this issue is to simply drop it into low gear and then back up to drive and the car is fine! When the car is running at full power; it will do 0 to 60 in 6-7 seconds... not bad for a four cylinder! I love this car (actually manufactured in Japan) ; it is 100% reliable.

27th Apr 2005, 19:49

The reason your Toyota is hard to start is because of your cold start injector time switch. This WILL fix that problem.

1987 Toyota Camry 2.0 from North America

Summary:

This car can be a great running automobile if well kept up

Faults:

Starter went out at 174,000 miles.

Alternator went out at 174,000 miles.

Front driver-side axle broke at 180,000 miles.

Seats have started to wear badly, but lasted for years before any visible damage occurred.

Alternator went out again at 200,000 miles.

Car sometimes does not want to start, but when driver alternates transmission from park to reverse and back to park again, or if car is physically shaken, it can then be started.

CV boots have been replaced two times in last four years.

Front wheel assembly went out at 196,000 miles.

General Comments:

This car has a lot of power when no electrical or mechanical problems are present.

Have towed trailers weighing over 2000 lbs for up to 1,600 miles, only stopping for gas on the way.

Have taken this car over rugged terrain and many dirt roads, always seeming to pull out of it.

This car has survived many long trips through heat and cold-Through steep grades and flat surfaces.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th August, 2003

1987 Toyota Camry DX 2.0L from North America

Summary:

$2000 and now it has 220,000 miles on it!

Faults:

The A/C did not work when I bought it, needing a compressor, condenser and dryer.

The front end has been done (new tie rods ends, struts, and sway bar bushings) and still needs control arm bushings, but are too expensive. This work was done by me at about 210,000 miles.

The alternator went dead at about 195,000 miles or so.

I have replaced the timing belt as a precaution.

General Comments:

The engine is working flawlessly at 220,00 miles!

The suspension still feels squishy even though the entire front end has been replaced.

The interior was immaculate when I bought it and still is as well as durable.

There are lots of neat features in the car (hidden storage in the back, lights turn off automatically, etc.).

The transmission is the weak point-as well as the starter/flywheel. The transmission is not shifting right, skipping second gear, and the starter flywheel problem is about $900 total to fix.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st July, 2003