2005 Toyota Camry LE with 26k miles on the odometer.This car feels and drive like new and the dealer wants $5600. Is it a good deal?
Did you have a mechanic inspect it yet? That’s what I would do first and foremost. Pay special attention to rubber things such as belts as time would have taken a toll on them regardless of how often the car has been driven
Its a certified used car at my local Toyota dealership…the car is showroom condition and was inspected with a fine toothcomb.
Certified can mean anything. It can mean a mechanic truly did give it a thorough inspection. Or it could mean nothing more than an advertising term the dealer uses (with no inspection at all).
I would want an independent mechanic of my choosing to inspect the vehicle. It might cost $100, but it can save you thousands later.
I’d look for signs to see if it really has 26000 on the odometer. 2200/year is pretty low.
Yeah, sometimes miles can be too low. There could be lots of maintenance needed because of its age.
If it is worth that to you then the answer is Yes. Only you can make that decision.
Is it officially a Toyota Certified pre-owned or just what the dealer says is “certified” ? Check what Toyota lists as qualifications for an official “Certified Pre-Owned” car in their program.
GM won’t certify a car over 6 years old and over a certain number of miles, I believe. There’d be no such thing as a 12 year-old certified car! GM gives factory warranty on certified cars.
Something doesn’t sound right. 
CSA
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“Toyota Certified Pre-Owned vehicles must have less than 85,000 miles on the odometer, and can only be the current model or six model years back.”
CSA
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I think the OP is in Canada so there maybe a difference in value just like there is in zip code areas in the US.
Do you mean certified pre-owned . . . ?
If so, the car should be way too old to fall in that category
Due to its age, it’s simply a used car, nothing more and nothing less
The price seems borderline to me. Seems they’re charging you a considerable premium for the low mileage. Is it a 4-cylinder or V6
There’s a big difference. A true factory Certified Pre-Owned can also give peace of mind in the form of a factory warranty.
I have purchased GM certified pre-owned cars that come with extended Bumper-to Bumper and drivetrain warranties that are the same coverage as on a new vehicle.
CSA
I’ve driven cars with one tire in the salvage yard that feel like that! Be careful. Most cars today go down the road pretty well right up to the last gasp.
Personally, I’d opt for something younger. This thing will be a rolling museum piece if you start out at 12 years and drive it another 5. My daughter was in 4th grade when it was new. Now she’s married and in a doctor’s graduate program at college. Time flies.
Do you live where environmental (or man-caused) elements eat cars? Does this car have a timing belt? Sludge issues? Certified (in writing) non-flood?
CSA
If it’s a 4-cylinder, it’s got a timing chain. The V6 models have a timing belt
I think the sludge issues did not apply to this generation Camry, but they certainly were an issue on the previous one
2005 sweet spot for Camrys,
Have an independent mechanic check it out but used cars don’t come any better if it checks out.
I agree with others. Here in US a 12-13 yr old car can not be certified by Toyota.
I had an 05 and the 4 cylinder engine is prone to head bolt failure, but mine did well until 170K miles when I got rid of it. As a point of reference, I sold mine 6 months ago for over 5K. It was well maintained but again 170K miles on it. If this car checks out okay, then it might be worth it regardless of the certification.
You were right! the car has a 1 month,1700km warranty and is not certified… I think I’ll pass on this one. I will continue driving my trusty 99 Corolla until it falls apart.
I used the kbb.com website, entered the vehicle attributes and my zip code
The price is fair, were you to buy that car from the dealer
Check out the history. I am skeptical about the mileage.
I had the 05 camry with 2.4l. It was a great car. I just sold it a couple of weeks ago for $1500. Mine had 270,000 miles on it. For the first 245,000 it’s total maintenance included a thermostat and 2 sets of spark plugs. Other than that it was regular oil changes and transmission fluid changes. At 245K I had a valve issue and swapped the engine with one from a 02 camry and was plagued with an oil leak after the motor swap. I drove it for another 20K miles and recently sold it.
There was a head bolt issue that these engines may have. Mine did not have the problem but my dad’s 04 did at about 160K. It was caused by the factory over torquing the head bolts and the threads in the block giving out. This will cause a leaky head gasket and is a costly repair.
Things that a 13 year old car might need is belt and hoses. It would also be a good idea to change the transmission fluid. It is entirely possible that things like oil seals may start to seep in near future due to age and not mileage. Also the struts may not be in perfect condition either due to age.
As far as is it worth $5,800? I’d think it was a fair price given that ones with 150,000 miles are $3,500+.
No it wasn’t, but they want you to think it was.
You need to look at the actual “certified” paperwork and determine what it means. Not what the dealership says they inspected - they’re probably lying about that. What you want to know is what the dealership will do when something breaks. “Certified” is useless if the dealership won’t stand behind the certification.