In buying a used Camry, is lower mileage always better?

michael225

I am considering the purchase of a used '99 Camry LE with only 62,000 miles. I verified the odometer reading with AutoCheck. During the first 5 years of ownership, the car was driven 30k miles, but during the last 10 years the car has been used progressively less and less and the owner's family has persuaded their elderly member to sell the little used vehicle. Although we tend to think that less mileage is always better, can minimal use introduce mechanical problems? If so, what should I look for?
Thanks, Mike

carboy21

It must be all junked out inside the engines/transmission/suspension..... etc, like oil sludge and rust.
Never buy little driven old cars. They are not antique furniture.

Mr_Shiftright

It depends and carboy has a point. If this low mileage car has sat for months and even years without use, it could have problems like flat-spotted tires, sticking brake calipers, rotten gas in the tank, rodent infestation, things like that. Best thing to do is have it brought to a shop and given a thorough inspection.

michael225

My sincere thanks to each commentator. It should have occurred to me that oil sludge as well as other lack of use problems are likely. I will remember "Never buy little driven old cars."

(As a PC novice, I didn't even know that Edmunds "forums" existed to help fellow consumers. Its a very helpful resource. I will soon post another question concerning a different used car (a '99 Lexus) that I am also interested in.) Mike