The first person I knew to jump on the Toyota Camry bandwagon was my father, who purchased his first new one back in 1987, and ended up owning three more after that. I remember a popular topic of discussion at family gatherings back then was problems people were having with their cars, and after everybody else had their turn, my dad would always chime in last and end the topic by boasting that he was not having any. Even after almost four decades, this 1987 Camry appears to still be going strong, with the seller praising the reliability of older Toyotas, calling them the most reliable rigs out there. Priced at $6,200, this one’s located in Spokane, Washington, and can be found here on Craigslist. We’d like to thank reader Curvette for sending in the excellent tip here!
My first Toyota was a 2002 Solara, which was essentially a two-door Camry, and other than tires and routine maintenance, I don’t remember ever having any issues at all. I put nearly 150k miles on it and recall getting a higher trade-in than expected, as holding its value is something the Toyota brand is known for. This Camry has traveled only 90,000 miles, with the seller reporting it’s rarely been driven as of late, and I’d have to agree with his assessment that this one’s still beautiful on the outside. It’s also wearing an almost-new set of tires, so I’m guessing the next owner won’t have much to do other than continue giving this sedan a high-level of care and preserving it.
A 2-liter, four-cylinder engine provides the power here, just not a lot of it, as the factory horsepower rating is only 115. However, as long as you don’t mind non-spirited performance, this one’s probably got lots of life left. The owner also mentions that the top end has recently been resealed and the fluids changed, and that the Camry runs and drives great, with everything in the bay appearing to still be in good order.
Most of the interior’s components have held up nicely and look far younger than their age, with the carpet on the driver’s side showing the most wear, which would be quick and easy to remedy. This one also comes from the era of those automatic shoulder belts that travel around the door perimeter, and although they’re not my favorite, it’s probably not a deal breaker. For an eighties Toyota Camry, this one seems like a fine example, with very few areas to fault. Is $6,200 a reasonable price to pay for this one?
My kid needs one of these.He can break a rock in two.
Boring transportation appliance.
You say that like it’s a bad thing? Not everyone drives a Hemi Cuda for errands every day.
Reliable transportation appliance. Unlike today’s new cars, which are disposable appliances.
Right down the road. Hmmmm…..what exactly is a Camry anyway?
A. Camry is …forever . Easily going past half a million miles . The exact opposite of a KIA / Hundai . A car that needs nothing , but admiration and gasoline .
nice basic transportation and with all the recalls that are happening in every brand you know this one is going to last with proper maintenance.
You said it . . . I picked-up the same year Camry about 3 years ago, zero rust, with 38 k on it for $5k. It is a “J” VIN car.
It has 127k on it now, with no major issues in-between nor expected in the future. I drive it 80 miles a day back & forth to work.
Oh what a feeling !!!
Great reliable cars! This one needs a 5 speed to make it fun to drive! The one Camry of this vintage that has value: a 5 speed, All Trac, Wagon. Pretty rare and solid drivers!!
This is perfect. Provided the lack of miles doesn’t indicate potential issues this is a good deal. Yeah, 6Gs for a forty year old car with zero fun factor seems like a lot to some but this is utility, not indulgence. The automatic is just right to trundle down the road. Don’t have to shift at redline.
I have 91 Corolla 77K as a spare car park outdoor NYC since 2003 never let me down DIY maintenance & actually fun to drive when I drive it once in a while. I would buy this to replace it, but I would need an indoor garage to preserve. this ad actually been on C.L. 6 month’s or more since I remember being in WA state.
I’m into all pre 1988 cars but 80’s Japanese for simplicity & reliability for everyday driving is my preference. my go to everyday bought new 2015 Nissan Versa S base 4 speed auto w/ no p/w & lock – Non CVT as long I got A/C & radio I’m good. all that nonsense w/ check engine & gadgets on the newer cars really turns me & $$$ off – my 2 cents.
Worth it? I would say likely. My mom had one with 300k on it … with the original clutch. Finally replaced the clutch around 305k then gave to my sister who eventually wanted something bigger and donated it with 340K on it. I suspect it is still rolling around the Pacific NW somewhere. I think the water pump was replaced along with brakes and that was about it. Also in white.
These were great cars and still are I owned a 1985 1986 and a 1988 I drove for 10 years and had no issues changed the oil ever 5000 miles and tires as needed spark plugs 60,000 the best car I have ever owned.
Love the story of your Dad listening to everyone else’s car issues. I think I can probably guess what everyone else in the family was driving. Even today, with the internet at everyone’s fingertips, where nothing is a secret anymore, there’s still a large swath of people out there who will never buy anything but American and do zero research before buying a car. They also like to say things like, “foreign cars last longer because their owners take better care of them”.
Huh? No sense in trying to rationalize or reason with them. Just sit back and enjoy the reliable ride, while saving money, time and lack of headaches. Nice car, it would be even better if it were in wagon form. Thanks as always to curvette for sharing the PNW survivors.