1984 Toyota Camry LE 4 Door hatchback review from North America

Grey window tint has turned purple.

Clear coat is flaking.

Several patches of minor body rust.

Hood latches a bit low.

Hatch is hard to open.

Interior hatchback release handle is questionably functional.

Interior fuel door release lever does not work.

Pulls left.

Engine smokes.

Several oil leaks.

Replaced both electric radiator fans.

Replaced thermostat.

Radiator clogged.

Dash light dimmer knob shattered. (Flush mount style knob, plastic broke into slivers inside the dash)

Two speakers do not play.

Transmission slips.

Transmission shifts very slow (i.e. 8-10 second shifts)

Sometimes skips second gear. (sometimes not)

Drivers side power window does not work ($10 relay)

Power door locks do not lock. (Unlocks fine)

Center console lid hinge broken.

This car was extremely reliable, somewhat fast, and rather nice in its time, unfortunately at around 200,000 miles the other shoe fell. Since the 200K mark, everything has been meeting its doom on the vehicle. Some things are normal with age (i.e. thermostat, clear coat, tint changing) but others aren't quite so (radiator, dash knob, remote latch levers, transmission)

By the way, as a side note, this car comes equipped with the coolest thing ever. The drivers side door lock keyhole is lighted so you can lock and unlock your door at night.

I like the ECT (Electronic Controlled Transmission) With the Economy, Normal, and Power modes, it provides an owner with the option of suiting the car to their own preference, as opposed to having to buy a new car because the mileage isn't good enough, or because you want something faster, a person can press the button, and change the shift pattern of the transmission, and effectively modify the power band, and mileage of the car. The overdrive is also helpful on trips.

Unfortunately the cooling system has been a constant annoyance, as something or another always fails. Considering that the Japanese motor car engineers have a reputation for precision, it stands to say that the radiator was no exception. There is absolutely *no* more cooling than required. If one fan goes out, the other cannot keep the car from overheating. If the thermostat sticks, the bypass cannot flow enough coolant to keep the car from overheating. If the coolant is low, it will overheat, as opposed to running a bit hotter than usual like other vehicles I have driven. If a few of the radiator tubes get plugged, it will overheat. That is the biggest complaint I have about this vehicle, is that the cooling system was designed with no room to spare.

The transmission has also become a source of trouble, with very slow, sloppy shifts, it is difficult to keep the engine speed at a regular pace, and with the clutch-packs slipping, not much of the engine power is going to the wheels any more. Occasionally it will shift to second only long enough for the valve body to pressurize for third. Other times it stays in second as it should until the speed of the car is appropriate for third.

The body also seems to attract more rust than other vehicles. I'm not to sure about this one.

If, however, I catch it on a good day, and it shifts firm, and holds power, the car is relatively quick for its engine class.

The only other complaint I would have is a poor suspension system, the back end of the car is bouncy, and the tires squeal too easily going around corners.

But despite all this, It served very well for the first 200,000 miles, and I would expect a similar car with fewer miles to be a good investment to anyone looking for a low cost, reliable, very functional vehicle.