Used 2008 Toyota Camry Sedan Consumer Reviews – 145 Car Reviews | Edmunds

2/21/2022 Update: 172k on the clock now. Hit a huge pothole summer 2020 on I94 that created the need to do the first ever suspension updates on this car at 151k miles. Replaced the CV/axle shafts, front left lower control arm, front struts, and sway bar end links. Also went ahead and replaced spark plugs for first time. At 155k, as a preventative measure, I had Toyota replace the transmission fluid (synthetic ATF flush). They have a specific process that heats the fluid to the perfect temperature so that the fluid expands to the correct level. At 165k I had the original flex pipe near the y pipe break due to corrosion going through salty Michigan winters. Easy $100 fix at Mr Muffler, but boy did the car sounds like a freight train for a couple days! Aside from these maintenance updates, the car is still driving and shifting very smoothly. Also handles well in the snow with these all season Goodyear Maxlife Assurance tires I put on. Still very happy with this car 9 years later. 2/21/2020 Update: 148k on the clock now and the car is still running strong. My wife drives it daily and I occasionally jump in and yet driving my 2010 Prius all week. It honestly feels like a powerhouse every time I get on the highway and go to pass. 2/21/2019 Review: We’ve had this Camry in the family since December 2010 with 29k miles certified used from Toyota. I took over the payments from my dad at 47k miles early 2013 and have throughly enjoyed ownership. Very powerful V6, comfortable leather seats for long drives, great style, smooth ride, and good features for a now 11 year old car. It has Bluetooth (phone calls only - audio only by Aux cable), heated leather seats, sunroof, navigation, premium JBL sound system, but doesn’t have auto climate control like the XLE models. Also has a stiffer sporty suspension when compared to the XLE so its fun to toss around curvy roads. While the car was under warranty, I had a couple of issues worth mentioning. One was a sunroof issue which was quickly repaired by Toyota. The next one could have been more expensive - the infamous VVTi oil hose issue. It’s just a rubber hose that routes oil up from the engine block to the heads for lubrication. Toyota used rubber material that degraded under high heat over time. At the 81k mile mark, my original VVTi oil hose had degraded to the point where I lost 2 quarts of oil in ~30minutes or driving time. I noticed the light show in the dash just before I reached home. When I popped the hood, I noticed oil was everywhere and I feared the worst. I towed the car to the dealership and they quickly pointed to the problematic VVTi hose issue. They put in the new enhanced rubber hose, topped the oil off, cleaned up the mess of oil and the car was back on the road. I was lucky that I wasn’t on a road trip, and also lucky that there was no engine damage. Toyota has since repaired the issue and I believe most owners received the bulletin to get the updated, stronger rubber VVTi hose. Another issue I ran into at 107k miles was a faulty trans temp sensor. While driving through Michigan on a short road trip, the check engine light came on. 10 miles later, the trans wouldn’t shift past 3rd gear and started making a smoky smell. After pulling over and letting the car cool down, I continued another 30miles to my destination with no issues. Apparently when the ECU senses an issue, it moves into “limp mode” to force you to pull over. I had the car towed to my mechanic immediately where he diagnosed the sensor problem. ~$250 later the car was running great again with fresh trans fluid, filter and temp sensor. Aside from the 2 critical issues mentioned above which could’ve caused a bad situation on a long road trip, the other maintenance items above & beyond oil/tires/brakehave been infrequent. I’ll list them below: -Rear wheel bearing @68k miles -Upstream O2 sensor @ 104k miles -Front … wheel bearing @125k miles Now with 136k miles on the clock, it still is very fun ride with great style and comfort. The 3.5L V6 engine in the car is also used in many Toyota/Lexus sedans and SUVs/trucks so it is a proven workhorse. Another plus is that it runs on 87 octane fuel in the Toyota’s, while most of the Lexus cars were tuned to run on premium 91+ octane. Despite the issues I’ve had in the past, I still have trust in this vehicle to drive across the country. Gas mileage has been average 22mpg in mixed conditions but I’ve also seen up to 27mpg on road trips - very close to EPA ratings.Read moreRead lessSafety5 out of 5 starsTechnology4 out of 5 starsPerformance5 out of 5 starsInterior5 out of 5 starsComfort5 out of 5 starsReliability4 out of 5 starsValue5 out of 5 stars