Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-47
The struts have had to be replaced twice.
The front brake rotors continually warp, causing steering wheel shimmy. and guess what, at 40,500 miles the rubber engine timing belt broke, killing the engine. I had to have a engine put in at my expense because the car was 4,000 miles over the warranty mileage, even though it was only 2 years old.
You think you save money on gas, but you end up spending it on struts and a engine.
I am going back to GM trucks. I always drove a GM pickup and bought this car for the gas mileage, I did not know it had a rubber timing belt which if it breaks will kill the engine. So I saved on gas, then put out many times my savings on struts and now a engine. I will never again buy any car with a rubber timing belt like the Camry.
First of all timing belts are covered for 5 yr or 60k which ever come first and on a camry when the timing belt breaks it does not damage the engine, it's what called a no interference engine. so you either got taken or you are not telling the full story.
The previous post is correct. This is not an interference engine. I don't believe this guy ever owned this vehicle. I have NEVER heard of a timing belt breaking at 40K miles. This is nonsense. Most will last easily twice that long.
If this guy had trouble with a Toyota, wait until he gets a GM truck. Survey after survey show them to be among the worlds least reliable vehicles.
I think this is a bogus post.
Tom.
Complete B.S. The reason the timing belt should be replaced at 60,000 is simple: It will probably last 90,000 miles or more, but you don't want to take the chance of it breaking. So a belt breaking at 40k is ridiculous. Will this "kill" the engine? Of course--it won't run without a timing belt. Will it DAMAGE the engine? Absolutely not.
Whatever. Maybe the real problem here is that this guy doesn't realize the American-built Camry is superior to his Mexican-built GM.
It is possible the belt was damaged ever since it was new - it is rare, but it does happen.
My family have had GM products since 1972..
We have owned a 1972 Chevy Biscayne, 1979 Chevy Bel Air and Pontiac Parisienne, 1995 Pontiac Grand-Am and now a 1998 GM Envoy, and we have never been disappointed by GM, never. Now I own a GM Sierra 1994 and I don't have any problems with it. My sister owns a Tercel 1990 and a Corolla 1988, and has always had problems with it, and they don't do such heavy mileage.
So, Japanese cars are not the worst, but not the best...
Very true. How can someone say that ALL American cars are junk and ALL Jap cars are flawless? It seems like that someone has been BRAINWASHED by Japanese publicity a bit too much, as this statement or similar statement is just plain stupid and not based on large-scale facts. All I have to say about these people is "poor them".
The writer apparently was unaware that the power train warranty is 5 years/50,000 miles. The broken belt should have been covered under that warranty. As other respondents have commented, a timing belt break on a Toyota will not damage the engine; it will merely stop running. The recommended change interval for a timing belt on a 1999 Camry is 90,000 miles.
Wonder if the original author works for GM...
I just bought a 1999 Toyota Camry LE with 39,000 miles and a few extras like daytime running lights and ABS. I paid $11,500 from a dealer on the automile in Norwood Massachusetts. I have so looked forward to owning a Camry. My wife has driven a 1996 Tercel for over 100,000 trouble free miles with the 1.5 liter 12 valve OHC engine tagged to an automatic transmission outfitted with A/C and not much else. Regular maintenance seems to be the key. Many of my co-workers have driven their Camrys for many years and miles without regret. I sincerely hope my experience parallels theirs.
RFD, North Attleboro, MA.
I'm just in the process of retiring my 4th 250,000 mile plus 4 cylinder camry. Yes, timing belts have left me stranded a couple of times, but that was due to my taking them well past the recommended replacement interval. Very few problems otherwise. I've now purchased a '98 with a V6 -is this also a non-interference fit engine (meaning the valves don't get cratered when timing belt goes)? I have 72K miles on this one.
Just a Question.
I am being charged $250 to replace my timing belt
and on top of that I'm being charged $230 for a timing belt tension spring. Am I getting ripped off?
I just happened to find this page tonight, I must say anyone who feels that a Toyota is bad enough to go back to a GM either has a lemon or is dead set against Toyota to begin with and is just looking for an excuse. I have a 99 Camry with 88k I bought it with 50 about a year ago. The car truthfully runs as if it were brand new, absolutely nothing other than a squeaky strut makes this car not drive like it is brand new. I was drawn to the site to see if not changing the timing belt would be damaging and I am happy to see that it is not!! My recommendations to buy a camry couldn't be higher, and I feel that it is safe to say the same for any car. In addition, the camry just has that feeling of being well-made, the interior is solid as a rock, it rides as if you were isolated from the road, and remember I am saying this at 88K miles!! I previously had a 94 sable that I meticulously maintained, but drove hard, as I do that camry and it is running very well at 169K in the hands of my friend, but when it had 80K on it, it felt like an old car with tons of rattles and problems. I just don't see the camry being in that condition for another 100K Thanks for reading!!
I DO NOT OWN A LEMON!!
GM may not be the best, but they are reliable machines. I own a Chevy Citation and have had no serious problems with the car, engine, or transmission. Just normal maintenance.
I am having to replace the struts on my 99 Camry for the second time, and I have just over 30,000 miles on the car. The struts are definitely an issue.
I have a 1999 Camry Le the engine light has just come on, the vehicle has 62,000 miles on it. The problem I am having is that I am apprehensive to take it to a Toyota dealer because I feel that I am just giving them a blank check. I was wondering if the lights automatically came on at anything over 62,000 miles? I had a jeep cherokee that did that, and I was charged 75.00 just for them to shut it off! Should the belt need replacing could I get off cheaper if I took it to Firestone. Thanks for any suggestions. Kim.