1997 - 2001 Toyota Camry Pre-Owned
by Trevor HofmannCanadian Auto Press
1997 - 2001 Toyota Camry - A Good Buy at Almost Any Price
Look up the word "reliable" in Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and the words "dependable" and "trustworthy" appear.
That's what millions of owners think about every time they hear the Camry name in conversation. That said it's been coming up in conversations for almost 20 years. The first generation Toyota Camry, launched in 1983 to replace the aging rear-wheel drive Corona, earned an unprecedented 99 percent customer satisfaction rating. As impressive, it has also won the CAA Used Car Performance Award seven times. One would expect it to show up on the CAA Top Ten Vehicles Ownership Satisfaction Survey as well. What's not expected is that upon this reviews writing it owned 3 of the top 10 spots, with the 1997 - 2001 model placed above two previous Camry generations, in fourth spot on the list.
The 1997 Camry broke from tradition in offering a rakish, sporty design - at least it was sporty for Toyota's conservative mid-size customer. Trim levels included the CE, CE V6, LE and XLE V6 in 4-door sedan body configurations only, as the wagon and coupe were discontinued. The coupe, however, showed up in 1999 as the Solara with a convertible to follow.
A new 133-horsepower 2.2-litre 4-cylinder in the base CE and LE models improved
performance while reducing fuel consumption. Just how miserly was it? Mated to the standard five-speed manual, 10.0 / 6.8 L/100 km was achievable in city / highway driving respectively. Those numbers went up slightly with the four-speed automatic. A four-speed automatic transmission was the only choice when the 194-horsepower 3.0-litre V6 was ordered, only this unit incorporated "intelligent" shifting. Depending on a driver's style, either power or normal shift modes allowed the engine to achieve its full redline potential or shifted early to save fuel. A conservative driver was capable of 12.3 L/100 km in the city or 8.1 L/100 km on the highway. A more aggressive driver would probably appreciate the car's optional traction control.
Other improvements included a wheelbase extension of 50 mm (2 inches), allowing larger
rear door openings and improved rear legroom. Of course interior quality moved up a notch, as did optional convenience items, pushing the XLE further up market. On the safety front, standard driver and passenger front airbags were available, as were anti-lock brakes. In 1998, seatbelt pretensioners and an engine immobilizer became standard equipment.
The only significant changes introduced during Camry's fourth generation occurred with the 2000 model, which received mild cosmetic enhancements to the front and rear fascias plus a base engine output upgrade to 136-horsepower.
As good as the Camry was it couldn't escape problems completely. The 3.0-litre engine occasionally experienced oil sludge accumulation in the cylinder head drain back passages preventing sufficient oil flow from the top of the engine to the oil pan. This may overwhelm both the valve stem seals and PCV system, causing oil consumption and occasionally emitting burnt oil vapor from the tailpipe. Also, 1997 cars experienced leaks in the V6 engine head gasket plus steering rack housing bushings were prone to wear.
The 1997 Camry's recalls point out two more infirmities, one of which included
a malfunctioning key interlock solenoid that could ultimately allow the car to roll away after being parked; 23,281 cars were affected. Only 4,825 vehicles had the second problem, a brake booster vacuum hose that was prone to clog with ice in extremely cold conditions and only when the brakes were used infrequently. This would result in poor braking performance that could lead to an accident. The Camry's 1998 recall affected 21,454 cars but might be the most dangerous, considering it wasn't climate sensitive. It was possible for the steering wheel set nut to loosen and cause an abnormal steering vibration. The nut could eventually come off, separating the steering wheel from the steering shaft... not good. That said, cars available now should have these recall items rectified.
These problems aside, the previous generation Camry is a superb buy for the used car shopper.
Mind you, you'll need to discard any inklings of getting a bargain. Owners and dealers alike know they can ask an extremely high price and close a quick sale without much haggling. Case in point, when I first did a review of this model in September of 2002 the lowest price for a 1997 model was $3,900 and the highest, about $13,000, rounded off. Now, almost three years later, the lowest price for a 1997 model is $5,900 and the highest is close to $14,000. That's an increase of $2,000 at the bottom end and $1,000 at the top end, despite the same car aging and racking up more kilometers than it had three years ago! Say what?! Rarely do run of the mill family sedans increase in value, and I wouldn't go buying up a bunch in speculation of this trend continuing, but the anomaly called Camry is a hot commodity and hot commodities demand higher prices. The same situation occurs for 1998 through 2001 models, by the way. So, expect to pay a premium price for what many used car buyers consider a premium ownership experience.
Specifications:
- 1997 Lowest-Highest Price*: $5,900 - $14,000 (120,000 to 160,000 km**)
- 1998 Lowest-Highest Price*: $6,900 - $15,000 (90,000 to 140,000 km**)
- 1999 Lowest-Highest Price*: $7,900 - $16,000 (75,000 to 120,000 km**)
- 2000 Lowest-Highest Price*: $9,900 - $21,000 (60,000 to 100,000 km**)
- 2001 Lowest-Highest Price*: $10,500 - $22,000 (45,000 to 80,000 km**)
- Body Type: 4-door sedan
- Layout: front engine, FWD
- Base Engine (97 - 99): 133-hp, 147 lb-ft of torque, 2.2L, 16-valve DOHC I-4
- Base Engine (00 - 01): 136-hp, 150 lb-ft of torque, 2.2L, 16-valve DOHC I-4
- Optional Engine: 194-hp, 209 lb-ft of torque, 3.0L, 24-valve DOHC V6
- Transmission: 5-spd manual (optional 4-spd auto)
- Curb Weight (min - max): 1,360 - 1,465 kg (2,998 - 3,230 lbs)
- Acceleration (0 - 100 km/h): 7.2 seconds (V6)
- Brakes (front/rear): disc/drum (optional rear discs, ABS)
- Cargo Volume (trunk): 399 L (14.1 cu ft)
- Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 10.0 / 6.8 L/100 km
- Direct Competitors: Chevrolet Malibu, Chrysler Cirrus/Sebring, Daewoo Leganza, Dodge Stratus, Ford Taurus, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 626, Nissan Altima, Saturn L Series, Volkswagen Passat
- Web Site: www.toyota.ca
** Mileage averages based on approximately 15,000 to 20,000 km travel per year (calculated in 2005 model year)
