Making my Camry go 1,000,000 miles

beethoven07

Thanks for your info on Lubeguard. I'm highly considering the purchase and use of their AT additive for my next service.

Very counter intuitive of me... I normally don't believe in the use of additives.

armtdm

me too, never ever use them (additives) but with all the great comments I decided (please do not let me regret this decision) to put it in. Fluid change only a few weeks ago so I syphoned out the proper amount and added the Lubeguard. Only drove it 10-15 miles. tranny operating fine before at 143,000 miles so a change may be difficult to detemine. Will see.

I did order some for my 6 spd manual though where I truly need it (if it works) when cold shifting is a problem.

I just am finalizing my opinion on the use of another product that so far has not performed as marketed and now the company tells me I did not follow directions, which by the way, the instructions they now state I should have followed are not on the web site or bottle or box it shipped with. Just CYA as always.

Will see on the Lubeguard

mrdetailer

My Subaru's manual also shifted rough when going into 2nd and 4th gears. A click could be heard and it would seem to bounce a little before going into gear. With the addition of Lubegard it has improved greatly, but is still present on fast or hard shifts, although at a much reduced level. So my opinion is that it will improve what's there, but it can't entirely cover up something that has already been damaged.

qwertop

what does everyone think of toyota's new aluminum block engines? will they last as long as the old ones?

beethoven07

Can you be more specific as to what engines you are referring to? As far as I know Toyota has quite a few aluminum engines out currently.

Thanks

qwertop

just all of them in general. I think all toyota cars, excluding the trucks/SUVs, now come with aluminum block engines. (zz series engines in corrola, celica, matrix, new camry engine, etc.)

beethoven07

I believe the aluminum engines to be great and suspect they will hold up well. They are very smooth and well balanced. I'm not that schooled in metalergy, but I know Toyota is. I believe they wouldn't use aluminum if they didn't feel it would hold up.

I'm curious to hear others thoughts though.

8u6hfd

In the Camry:

The 1MZ-FE (since 1994)and 1AZ-FE use aluminum blocks.

All the "VZ" & "S" series engines had iron blocks.

beethoven07

I figured if I'm going to be living with my Camry for 1,000,000 miles I might as well have good road music at my disposal.

I am getting ready to order a high end Alpine CD receiver and XM satellite radio tuner. I will let everyone know how the new XM satellite radio system works and sounds.

Currently only at 14,500 miles, just another 985,500 miles to go.

andre1969

The thing you'd have to worry about with aluminum engines is that they don't stand up to abuse like an older iron-block engine. Let them overheat or run low on oil, and you can be in for some serious trouble. While, naturally, doing that to an iron block/iron head engine is also far from a good thing, you can often get away with it a few times before doing any real damage.

This is something to think about as the car ages. If you're dead serious about driving your car forever, I'd keep up on the oil and coolant changes, and don't try to stretch the intervals. Over time, you're going to build up sludge (I hate using that word nowadays, since it's such a touchy subject) and other debris that, if you extend your intervals too far, is only going to build up quicker. Maybe pushing your change intervals won't make a noticeable difference in the first 100,000 miles or so, but when you're talking about going 10 times that, I'm sure it's going to matter.

beethoven07

Thanks for your post. I certainly agree with you that it would be wise to not stretch the oil change intervals too far if my goal is to have a functioning car after several hundred thousand miles.

I use Amsoil 5w30 engine oil as it stands right now. I change the oil between 2,500 and 3,000 miles when most of my driving is city. At the maximum, I change my oil between 6,000 and 7,000 miles if all the driving is highway.

hobieslug

good luck but i think your in the wrong part of the country
i lived up north and know i live in central florida [away from the coasts]
what a differance my accord has 250,000
i checked the valves last week and found zero wear needed no adjustment
oil flow at start up is instant
operating temp happen about two blocks down the road
98% highway miles
original a/c alt c/v joint[couple of boots]
changed the water pump with every belt change[4th belt] that would be the only major part change
I feel 250,000 for most of the north is like me doing a mil.

cynthiag

I think it's kind of a cool goal!

I just gave up my 1985 Camry, reasonable maintenance, but not perfect. Very few repairs... however, at 198,000, the transmission was about to go and so was a wheel bearing. And I'm not sure that the engine would have lasted too much longer. I'd hoped to make 200,000, but that car had a hard life, never garaged, rear-ended 3 times, (no damage), front-ended once (3/4" tear in bumper was all), major crash once (rear passenger door and quarter panel replaced), stolen once, broken into about 3 times.

Carried all kinds of loads, she was a liftback.

So, no where near your goal, but I can't complain a bit, great car, did everything I asked, never stranded me and pleasant to drive for 17 years.

Starting over with a Subaru Outback as of this past week. Should be interesting to see how it compares to the Camry.

hobieslug

beethoven07 andre is right overheating problem is
a killer
keep an eye on the fans, sensor, an everything related to the cooling system
but that's going to be a problem further down the road
scheduale maintance is probably the only thing you'll be dealing with for a while

nippononly

They cool much faster than an iron block, so for someone doing a lot of short trips, I would think an aluminum engine is going to suffer sooner than the old iron ones, because of so much expansion and contraction. Can't be good for it - just a thought.

Recently sold my '83 toyota celica with 250K miles - got kind of bored with it, and bought a new celica. That car was my daily driver the day I sold it, and I clocked more than 20K miles per year in it, and I think if the next owner takes care of it, it could very easily go 1 million miles. Alas, I like the shiny new ones, or I could have kept it and tested it. That would only have meant the rest of my life driving a car older than current college graduates! but I never had to repair it, and just performed the maintenance per the schedule.

Of course, my old celica had an iron block...! :-)

beethoven07

Did your Celica have the 22RE engine? Those engines seemed to be indestructible.

jrosasmc

My '86 Toyota truck had a 22R and you couldn't kill it.

nippononly

it had the 22RE. At the end when I sold it, it was still running perfectly, except for a little idle wander, just slight. Never needed oil between changes either, and didn't leak anything. That engine really is indestructible - I have known so many other people who had trucks or celicas with that engine, all still running fine a gazillion miles later. Problem is, the cars get old, and the steering begins to go, and the seats get worn out, and a hundred other little things. It is too bad the bodies of the cars were not built to the same spec as the engines, or people would still be driving them 20 more years from now. Hard to believe there are people graduating high school this year that are younger than my old celica!

beethoven07

...that my engine will prove to be as bullet proof as the 22RE. The highest mileage Toyotas out there that I have seen have had the 22R or RE motors in them.

I'm only at 16,000 miles on my Camry - 984,000 miles to go.

sailorbeavis

Realize that you may encounter some signal problems in some urban areas. Wi-Fi wireless computer networks use the 2.4Ghz band for transmission, so your 2.3Ghz XM receiver might pick up some static on city streets.

As far as other cars that could go the distance... you didn't say new or used, so: strange as this may sound, I would recommend the Ford Tempo, with either the 2.3L I-4 or the 3.0L V6. Both engines are excellent high-mileage pushrod powerplants - the 2.3L is known for running over 250k without problems - and the rest of the car isn't bad either, as long as it is cared for as well as your Camry. They are simple engines, easy to work on, so you can easily do your own maintenance. The only major weak spot on a Tempo is the ignition system, which is easily upgradeable. And the manual transmission is a must; if it's good enough for the Taurus SHO, it's good enough for me. :-)

Then again, that's the thing about Tempos; no one cares for them like they would a Benz or even a Camry. (For anyone who happens to own one and is interested in keeping it in tip-top shape, I found that TempoTopaz.com is an invaluable resource.)

leomort

just turn 190K on my '94 Toyota Paseo. Should hit the 200K mark by the end of this year. My endeavor is to keep the car until the 250K mark.

Leo

justfind6

I didn't read thru all the previous posts, but I've always been intrigued by this product:

http://www.preluber.com/index.htm

I don't know of many cars with 1,000,000 miles. There's the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, the Volvo mentioned way back, and a Mercedes diesel that they keep at MB USA headquarters in North Jersey.

My next door neighbor had 247,000 on her '87 Maxima when the odometer broke a few years ago. She never got it fixed, but she figures she's over 300k now.

My old barber in Hackensack, NJ (at the Packard's building, if it's still there) has a '67 (I think) Dodge Dart that had over 750,000 on it last time I talked to him, which was maybe seven years ago now. He had put in one new transmission over the years, but no major repairs apart from that.

Dave

husker92

I am needing to replace the front brake pads on my 1997 camry LE (4 cyl). Anyone have suggestions on the brands that work best on this Toyota?

At 61,000 and still running like a dream!!!

armtdm

Are teh best brake pads

Best price go here http://www.toyotapart.com/

8u6hfd

If you don't mind replacing them more often.

The Toyota OEM pads are softer than aftermaket. This means less grinding and less noise, but shorter life.

Going with the lifetime pads can be risky because they tend to be hard and abrasive, that they squeal and wear down your rotors quicker.

You'll have to decide which trade-off you like better.

Don't forget, flush your brake fluid every 2 years.

corsicachevy

Early in the discussion someone mentioned that cars like the 240 Volvo, VW Bug and Chevrolet Chevette were perfectly suited for going the long haul. Crude, simple and durable.

Thinking along those lines, would you consider swapping your Camry for a Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck with a 2.2 liter OHV four cylinder and a five speed manual? Would this be a better tool in your quest for a million?

caesarslegion

Some times stone axe simple wins the race. You might have to put up wind noise and lack of style though.

armtdm

I disagree

Original set of pads on front went 60,000 miles and Toyota ORM replacements still on front at 145,000, so on the second set. rear discs replaced at 100,000, second set still on.

Many aftermarket will squeal, etc. and just not worth the lower price. And from the wholesalers on the internet you can get OEM pads at AutoZone prices.

8u6hfd

A good number of Camry owners (especially during the time when the brake pad manufacturing plant had that fire, which killed some of the quality), as well as Avalon, ES300, etc...complained that their pads lasted 20,000 to 30,000 miles (heck mine lasted that long also, but I was doing mostly city miles at that time)...Toyota's statement was....soft pads to reduce the squealing and grinding.
(yeah, were going to butt heads in this subject of OEM pads)

The best pads I used on my Camry was the TRD HP pads, carbon-metallic pads (made by Performance Friction), which lasted (before I traded the car in) over 60,000 miles with a nice chunk of life left.

beethoven07

I've been away from my board for a while and am glad there have been some visitors.

I just added a 2003 Matrix to the garage to go along with the Camry. My fiancee will primarily drive the Matrix while I will continue to drive the Camry. So far the Camry is only at 16,500 flawless miles - long way to go to hit my goal. As aforementioned though, my job will be affording me much road travel here shortly.

In response to corsicachevy... I did consider purchasing a small pickup at one time in regards to my goal to take a vehicle 1,000,000 miles. I decided against it though as a sedan just seemed more comfortable for the long haul. When I considered the pickup, I was looking at the Tacoma as opposed to the Chevy. The statistics I had read indicated it was more reliable. Have you had good luck with an S-10? I do think they are nice looking trucks

corsicachevy

beethoven - No, I have not owned an S-10. A VERY frugal friend of mine has a base model S-10 - four cylinder, manual, nothing else - that she has driven for over 150,000 miles. The major mechanicals are all in fine shape (engine, transmission, suspension). The interior is typical GM garbage, but everything still works.

The only reason I suggested the S-10 is because it is simple and durable, not because it would be a comfortable daily driver. The Tacoma is a much nicer truck, but the S-10 may be better suited for the loooooong haul.

rdavis2710

Good morning:

I have enjoyed this thread - I have a few questions for the board:

I have a 99 Camry XLE - besides new tires, and oil changes every 3K - I have done ZERO maint on this vehivle. I now have 55K. Should I:

1. Get the anti freeze changed? I just checked it and it looks very clean.

2. Change the transmission fluid.

3. Any other essential items. Belts?

4. I posted on another board - I have one problem. The brake light comes on first thing when I use the car in the morning. Then it goes off but sometimes comes on when I go around a corner. I checked the brake fluid - its below the max line but above the min level. The brakes still work perfect. I hate to bring it to the dealer and get charged the usual BIG bucks!

Thanks for any help to these questions. I have enjoyed reading your postings.

Rick

nippononly

DEFINITELY change the antifreeze and flush the auto trans. You should also replace the plugs and the air filter. And maybe rotate the tires? And check the serpentine belt to see if it ought to be replaced.

Saw a story the other day about that Accord in the midwest someplace that went more than 650K miles, and that is just since the first odo broke at 300K+. If a humble Accord can do it, then CERTAINLY your camry can!

nippononly

Even tho the brake fluid cylinder looks like it has enough, your front brakes may be worn, in which case the fluid level would drop in the master cylinder, maybe enough to turn on the brake warning light. I would top it up to the full line before taking it to the dealer. If the light is coming on when you go around corners, that is most likely what it is. It is possible it is time for new front brakes?

armtdm

As brakes wear it requires more fluid to push the cylinders out to work the pads. As such, fluid level will decrease over time. Need to try adding fluid and then if thei does not stop the light bring it in

rdavis2710

To all:

Many thanks for the info on the brake fluid - I tried it and sure enough - the light has gone out! I added about a 1/3 of a cup - and the light has gone out. I bought DOT 3....

My question is - based on ARMTDM's post - is this a sign that I need new brake pads? I have not noticed any problem with stopping distances and such.

I also just went out and replaced the air filter - WOW!!! $16.50 at napa. I remember the days when you could get a LEE air filter for 3 bucks. I also found a stack of leaves and other debris under the air filter.

Thanks for the help on the brakes.

Rick

nippononly

be time for a brake check...the only other reason fluid levels in the master cylinder would be dropping would be a leak, which is not good! Either way, take it to of those places that will do a brake check for free, they will tell you if the pads need replacement. Those camrys tend to go thru their brakes...

Used to be most cars were carbureted, and in fact, if you still have a carburetor in your car today, you can STILL get air filters for $4-5! But most of the filters for fuel injected cars cost a wee bit more...

armtdm

But a brake pad check, if free may be a good idea.

beezer

hi all.

my father has a 1994 toyota camry xle v6. he's looking for a front down pipe (it looks like a "Y" and it connects to the exhaust manifold.) does anybody know where he may be able to find this part? any ideas on where to look online?

thanks. any help would be greatly appreciated.

8u6hfd

Dealership (which costs a lot of money) or a junkyard.

djsg143

I really enjoy this column, but could never go through all the posts. I do have a request for anyone out there who has concrete data and research to share.

I would like to make my 2000 LE last as long as possible. While critics maintain that this car is plain in design, I feel its design is perfect. I intend on doing some work on the car and once finished it will be quite an investment. Therefore I would like to gather as much info on how to maintain this car's drivetrain for as long as possible. If anyone would like to share data, please respond. Thanks

For those who might be curious as to what I plan to do to the Camry.

-Fine tune lighting on dash and headlights.
-Larger wheels and lower profile tires
-TRD body kit package (w/ struts and springs)
-Replace some of the cheaper interior bits
-Get more HP and performance out of the 4-banger (need advice for this one, usually the v6 is the candidate for upgrades, but I feel if VW, Nissan, and the 2002 Camry can, then this one can also)

Once completed I feel this car will make a statement. See cardomain.com for photos of other 1997-2001 that have been worked on. Thanks

armtdm

Wouldn't it be just as expensive as to have spent the money on a "statement car" in the first place. A 4 banger will always be a 4 banger. You can place all the Vtec decals ( I know, not a Honda) , large spoilers and tin can mufflers you want on it and it will still be a four banger that looks like something I cooked on the stove the other nnight but cannot say the word on Edmunds as it is not PC. Just does not make any sense to me.

djsg143

While I have seen honda's that have been worked on throwing R decals and whatever else, I do not want to go that far with the Camry. Tin Can exhuast that can fit a melon are not for me, nor are decals that insinuate that I am driving a hot rod. I only want to modify what I feel are shortcomings on the 97-01 designs that were done to make it more appealing to different market segments.

Furthermore, buying a statement car would not be cheaper, unless I shopped used, at which point it becomes a gamble as more and more ex-rentals and abused leases end up in that market. I can get TRD body kits, which would help by adding beefier stabilizer bars, sportier strut/springs, alloys, and effects for $4000. Definately cheaper than buying a new or used car (unless Hooptie is the statement I'm trying to make).

As for your statement regarding 4 bangers ("a 4 banger will always be a 4 banger"). 4 bangers range from 115 hp (see Civic) to close to 200 hp (see altima, jetta, passat, Mazda 6, Miata, WRX, etc.). While I am not looking to turn this Camry into a hotrod, I would like to know if there are modifications that I can do that would make for a more efficient, slightly more powerful, and durable engine.

Thanks for your reply though.

armtdm

Engine modifications rarely incerase the life though. Plus, they also void the warranty is there still is one.

I would stick to maintenance to assure longevity.
Using the severe schedule with quality fluids and you will be fine.

djsg143

Thanks for your advice!

8u6hfd

The only thing that can significantly increase the power of the 5S-FE motor is the Burien Toyota simple turbo kit http://www.poweredbytoyota.com

A Jacobs Electronics ignition system, http://www.jacobselectronics.com will increase the low end pickup and overall powerband of the motor (and best of all....NO CUTTING OF WIRES for install), and maintain fuel efficiently.

Headlights: don't get those fake HID bulbs. From my personal experience, they look cool....but visibility turns horrendous when the weather gets wet. Get the some aftermarket fog lights, like the Toyota projector fogs. If you still want the "look" get Sylvania Silverstars.

Dash lighting: the best is replacing the stock ones with red 194 bulbs. They look cool, and also easier on the eyes and easier to read at night.

Wheels, stick the TRD package, while you can't really brag too much about the 16" rims, they are however high quality BBS RX rims, one of the best out there.

gekko2

I have a Lexus ES300 and I read the manual as well as a few dealers service manuals and I boiled down what I thought were the simple minimum maintenance requirements that I should follow. I nixed a lot of the dealer "fluff" and also added a few services of my own. Does anyone have any additions/deletions/changes/comments? See below. Thanks.

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

Every 3,750 Miles:
Oil and Oil Filter Change

Every 30,000 Miles:
Radiator Coolant Flush/Change
Air Filter Change
BG MOA Oil Additive
BG 44K Fuel Induction Additive

Every 60,000 Miles:
Transmission Fluid Flush/Change
Spark Plugs Change/Tune-Up
Brake Fluid Flush/Change
Power Steering Fluid Flush/Change
Battery Check/Change

Every 90,000 Miles:
Timing Belt Change

Every 1 Year:
Exterior Wax/Detail
Interior Leather/Wood Cleaning and Conditioning/Detail and Carpet Shampoo
Wiper Blade Inserts Change

rae52

gekko2, there is NO need for the fuel and oil additives; that's the purpose of 3750 mile oil changes! If your using a quality brand of gas and do at least 50% highway driving, you don't have to use a gas additive.

8u6hfd

The BG MOA program offers an additional incentive. An extra roadside assistance program.

BG 44K is a blessing in a can. Nothing is better than BG 44K.

gekko2

8u6hfd or anyone - can you tell us more about the BG MOA and BG 44K products and why they are good to use? Lots of mechanics swear by them and that's why I use them.

I also use a shop that has the special BG machines for flushing/sucking the radiator/tranny etc. before fluid refill.

Opinions?