1987 Toyota Camry Base review from North America

The air conditioning went out in January 2004. I had the system inspected and the whole system will need to be replaced. The mechanic estimated about $1200 worth of work. Toyota estimated around $2500 worth of work. I'm quite impressed that the air conditioning lasted even this long.

Front struts will need to be replaced because they squeak.

Front and side engine mounts need to be replaced because the engine is slightly vibrating. It does this occasionally. When it isn't vibrating I can't tell if the engine is running or not. Toyota's estimate was $460.

The seat belts do not lock in the two front seats. From what I've been told, the 1987 Camry had an issue with the belts and their failure to lock in a collision after owning the car for a few years. I had Toyota inspect this since it was a recommended service from Toyota. $550 was the estimate.

The interior wears excellent.

The car rides and handles better than any American car I've driven.

The gas mileage is incredible for such an old vehicle. This saves me an incredible amount of money and that's important to a college student.

The performance of this Camry is decent for a 4-cylinder manual. The car rides and handles great on the highway even when I'm driving 80 MPH (miles per hour).

My only complaint about this car is that it has a high theft rating. In fact, someone broke into my car last summer. They managed to bend the driver side door back (I'm guessing with a crow bar) and got into the car. Oddly, they stole nothing. The door was fixed for $250 by a family mechanic.