Cars just don’t run like they used to. Even reliable choices like the Toyota Camry have started getting complaints about needing more frequent repairs.
Auto mechanic and TikToker Mech_Commons (@mech_commons) recently garnered over 59,000 views for a post about a 2019 Toyota Camry with a 2.5 transmission that was emitting a strange noise.
In the caption, the mechanic describes the sound as a “whining metallic noise that become[s] more pronounced with increasing speeds.” He also notes that it would cost $7,000 to replace the transmission.
Viewers agreed with the TikToker
The Daily Dot reached out to Mech_Commons via TikTok comment and Toyota via email, but did not hear back as of publication. However, many TikTok users seemed to side with the mechanic. They shared the different kinds of repairs their Toyota Camrys had required in the past.
“My 2020 Camry had a new transmission put in at 23k miles,” one person said.
“I have sadly had the worse experience with Toyota when it came to reliability. Not once but twice. The reliability just isn’t there anymore,” a second remarked.
“My 2021 Toyota Camry had the fly wheel break in the engine. The engine was torn apart and most of it was replaced at 96k miles. Bought at 31k,” another shared.
“Take it to Carmax and trade it in,” someone else advised.
Many still believe in the Toyota Camry
Many viewers seemed to think that the the “whining metallic noise” was an issue specific to the car in the video. They argued that it was not an indictment of Toyota Camrys, but instead blamed the owner and suggested that they had not performed the necessary repairs and maintenance.
“It was probably never serviced at the interval of 30k miles. I always service mine at 25-30k miles but I do it myself and it’s never had an issue,” one user said.
“Our 2019 Camry still doing great,” a second added.
“This is why I tell people every dealership has a service department for a reason,” a third wrote.
“My 2019 had 140k on it before I crashed it and never once had a problem,” another claimed.
Some viewers shared stories about the reliability of the Toyota Camry from different years. They believed that vehicles manufactured in these years required less frequent repairs.
“2011 to 2017 were the best years for the Camry. Indestructible,” one user commented.
“My ’24 has lifetime powertrain,” a second said.
What’s the problem with newer vehicles?
According to Indianapolis dealership Indy Auto Man, automaker policies have changed a good deal in the past decades. These changes have resulted in structural issues that cause more frequent malfunctions.
These days, the most common vehicular breakdowns are due to a “changed design of cars, new materials, and increased requirements for comfort driving.” As a result, even basic sedans like the Toyota Camry become so complex that the smallest issues require an expert to repair them.
Certain design changes intended to increase performance have also worked to decrease the vehicle’s reliability. For example, nowadays the timing chain drive is placed between the last cylinder and the flywheel. But as a result of this placement, mechanics have to remove the entire engine in order to replace the component, making it a more costly and time-consuming repair.
Complicated fuel injection systems, additional turbines, and computer controls also work to increase efficiency of newer car models, but in turn, these decrease the car’s reliability. An increased amount of electronic controls that record performance through sensors also means that any failure, big or small, requires urgent repair.
Is repairing the 2019 Toyota Camry worth it?
According to the Kelley Blue Book’s average price for a 2019 Toyota Camry, the $7,000 repair may not be worth it. With 2019 Toyota Camrys ranging from $19,338 for the L Sedan 4D model to $22,954 for the XSE Sedan model, $7,000 is a good chunk of the resale value.
However, other concerns can factor into the calculations of whether or not to get the repair. These include local car prices, budgetary concerns, and the personal value people place on their own cars.
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