Guys i need your candid advice on this. I am about making up my mind in buying 98 Toyota camry that its mileage is 200k. Everything looks very clean, from the body to the engine etc, all functions working well. Do you think that the engine has been over used at 200k? What are the chances of having a second value on the car after using it for abt 2 or 3 years? Please i need an advice and explanations please

First of all, I must applaud the seller for not altering the odometer. Odometer roll backs are quite rampant here. Take for instance, a dealer selling a 2002 Mazda Millenia with 76,000 miles or the other selling a 2007 Camry with 17,000 miles. One can say with a 99% degree of certainty that both cars had their odometers rolled back.

Now to your question, it is quite likely that a car with 200,000 miles has had most of it's parts replaced at one time or the other. The parts that have not been replaced may need replacing soon. With proper maintenance, you may get 50 to 100,000 miles more out of a 200,000 miles car.

The chances of having a second hand value after 2 or 3 years depends on how you use it. If you are hesitant to buy it now at 200,000 miles, imagine what the case may be in 3 years at 250,000. So the chances of a reasonable second hand value is not high.

Thank you so much BizBook for this prompt and insightful response. I sincerely appreciate it. We have great people in this house. My attraction to this car is that everything looks clean and on the other hand, my fear is if those parts dat needs to be changed overtime are the very expensive ones, then i will be spending so much money. My question is, from your experience sir, what are the parts that are likely going to give problem in future? Is the engine part of them?

Sir, I have an option of a 99 camry with 150k mileage and everything looks clean, but i noticed an oil leakage on the top side of the engine. A mechanic told me its not a problem, that the engine seal or so is bad. Everything will be fine as soon as its changed. What could be the course of the oil leakage sir ? I will be most grateful if i get your opinion on the 2 cars sir.

Unfortunately I cannot provide any useful insight without seeing both vehicles. But if the 1999 Camry has 150,000 true miles then that may be preferable provided the mechanic that commented on the oil leak is your mechanic and not the dealer's.

Whether you buy the 98 or 99 model, the maintenance cost will be relatively affordable. I say this because in purchasing spare parts, you will most likely purchase used parts which are usually cheaper and abundant in Lagos.

Concerning the parts that may develop problems in the future, I will leave that for the more knowledgeable fellows like Siena and Kunle-A. But the following easily comes to mind:

1. Ignition Starter. If it dies, the car cannot start.
2. Brake Pads and Rotor
3. Transmission
4. Suspension (you can manage with a bad suspension but driving will be rough)
5. etc

Thank you so much for your time and response. I sincerely appreciate.

When I bought my '99 camry (V6) in March 2009 it had 206,000 + miles on the odometer. I have since added 18,000 miles nearly 3 years later.  The most expensive replacements have been the radiator, air-fuel sensors, windscreen and shocks. I also replaced the timing belt as a proactive measure. Other repairs include exhaust pipe welding, change of tyres, rotors, brake pads.

I have also repaired the power windows four times and the central lock twice.lol. It's not as if it's a troublesome car, afterall it has never left me stranded except for a few times the battery head was not making proper contact. Not once was I unable to drive it to and from work. The car has been a good learning experience and my next car will not have a mileage anywhere near this one's.

If you are going to buy that car, then the seller should lower the price considerably.

@ Pannyman.WoWWW!!!!! really Then its not a bad deal anyway. Please just to knw, Is the Air-conditioner still working perfectly

Nothing do the AC. Never had reason to work on it. I intend to keep the car for two more years.

I am currently using a 2000 model camry  I bought exactly 3 yrs ago with 122K millage reading at the instance of purshase. I have since then been enjoying the magic of camry. I have only topped my water once, my break oil once and my stearing oil twice and yet the car is always on the road (I am sure this is hard to believe), buying it was one of the best decision I had made in a while at least considering the fact I was using a very problematic Otavia (Skoda) car before annoyingly purchasing the camry. My only advice to you is to look for a car below 140K millage reading to avoid excessive wear and tear of the vital parts.

I would also like to use this medium to ask the forum if I can find peace in buying an Rand Rover LR3 as I did with my Camry. I would also like to know if I would enjoy the level of performance I did enjoy with my 2000 model camry in the 2008/2009/2010 camry. I am seriously contemplating buying any of this 2 brands but I just need to know what am up against.

POWER OF CAMRY , I AM ALSO ENJOYING IT BOUGHT AT 160 0000 AT TOKUNBO AND HAVE NOT CHANGED ANY SINGLE THING EXPCET OIL AND FILTER THATS ALL AND ITS ALWAYS ON D ROAD 2000 MODEL COMPARING FROM MY PRVIOUS EXPERINCE FROM FORD TAURUS

Forget Mileage, I bought a toks EOD. Used 5000 miles only sparingly for two years and spent plenty to replace and maintain it. And am the very careful type. Pray for luck.

Mileage doesnt really matter. I bought a 94 nissan altima with about 113k mile on it. Though i find it hard to believe d odometer was tampered with but i have changed virtually every pheripheral in the engine, the radiator but the top gasket was d issue when it was over heating, the steering pump, starting coil, the key starter gave me trouble once too. But all the same the auto gear and the AC is perfect, the engine runs very well. I have also repaired d shaft, replaced stabilizer linkages, changed shocks etc

For a high mileage car, be expecting to replace the following soon,
a, timing belt
b, Four shock absorbers
c, Stabilizer linekages, shaft and steering rods lubrication or repairs for better handling
d, tires of course
e,

Thank you guys, you comments are helping me to take a decision. I appreciate. What about the oil leakages on top the engine which some machanics say it as a result of weak oil seal rubber, is it a problem? More comments and experience in terms of mileage.

I find the answers insightful.
Guys, i am in the process of buying a car for my father. Saw a 99 camry, 2.2 clean body with a mileage of 57,000. when i asked the dealer, he said that the previous owner was an elderly woman who rarely used the car and that it was parked most of the time, i don't believe him tho cos 57,000 is so far off for 99 camry, but then, do you think it is possible?

It is possible cos I also used 5000 miles in 2yrs. I only use d car on weekends when I go to church.

yungwun:

. . . . Saw a 99 camry, 2.2 clean body with a mileage of 57,000. when i asked the dealer, he said that the previous owner was an elderly woman who rarely used the car and that it was parked most of the time,  i don't believe him tho cos 57,000 is so far off for 99 camry,  but then, do you think it is possible?

Whenever a dealer tells you that a car has unbelievably low mileage because it was driven by an elderly man or woman, take that with a spoonful of salt. I say this because a 1999 Camry with 57,000 true miles will be a collector's item. It will be around 3 times the price of a similar Camry with high mileage. So it will not make business sense for somebody to buy and ship it to Nigeria.

If you have the VIN, post it here and I will run a VIN report for you. That will tell us if the 57,000 miles are true miles.

It could also be accidented,

@@@@@'

but it still suprises me at the reason people buy emm new or [b]used cars[/b]and expect not to change any parts or even maintain it

I'm even sure the new cars still have to be routinely maintained at the manufacture guideline

how could u drive a car and expect not to change the timing belt; shockers in naija roads; brake pad;disc;water pump etc

some of these cars are sold with the seller knowing the buyer might have to replace the brake pad/disc, radiator etc at some point but that still doesnt warrant written off the car

i could only assume the cars doesn't worth it if u have to replace things like top cylinder; pistons etc; then the engine is sold virtually dead

for me if the engine sounds good and drives well u might consider buying it

maintenance is the key

I am certain if that 5S-FE engine that comes with that model camry is well maintained, it can give you over 500,000 miles and it would still be running very fine.

The engine is superb and tolerates many bad mechanics around.

@ poster, if the offer price is quite competitive, and body is clean as pointed out, go for it! worst case scenario, u would replace the engine when wahala comes, but u cant replace d body easily.