Should I buy a used 2011 Camry that had the radiator and water pump replaced to pass inspection?

I think it’s fine to buy this Camry

You know for a fact this particular car has been well maintained

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I’m with whoever said never tell what you paid for a used car because someone will always say you paid too much. Ten years can be worse than 150k miles. I and still running with 470K on a Honda D16Y7 and 250K on a Toyota 2TR-FE, both four cylinder. Under carriage rust?

The radiator would not be part of a safety inspection, but could have been changed as a result of a dealer inspection. Is the dealer certifying this car and/or giving you a warranty?As for the radiator swap, whoever said do a compression test gave you good advice. If the car is only appropriately rusty and passes a compression test, it could be worth buying, especially if the dealer will offer a warranty. I hear the used car market right now is bonkers and you are closer to it to decide than I am.

+1
I recall, back in 1960, that my parents came very close to buying a very nice-looking '57 Ford that was equipped with “all the bells and whistles” for that time, and which seemed to be priced somewhat low. The couple who were selling it said that they were selling it for their son, who was now a priest and who had no further need for the car. The only catch was that their son “wouldn’t allow anyone to test-drive it”. :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

It was a 4-door Fairlane 500, like this one, but without the fender skirts:

A gut feeling convinced my parents to back away from this deal, and a few weeks later they found out that the couple in question didn’t have a son, and that they had previously sold re-built wrecks by using a… priestly… sales line.

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Sounds OK. Dealers send the dogs to the auction lots. They have a reputation to protect.

Used vehicles are in short supply so not as many go to auction as they did 2 years ago .

Looking at the Craiglist ads dealers are posting vehicles that they would not even have on their lots before this vehicle shortage.

Used cars…

For the last 30-years or so, I have become very hesitant to consider buying any used cars or recommending a friend or relative buy a used car, unless that car is sold as a “certified used car” by a reputable, long-term car dealer. (Not a dealer that pops up on a lot that that was a lawn mower repair shop, sales lot for sheds, or a hot tub dealer just a few months ago…)

It all started when a co-worker transferred in from out of state, but had bought a late model mini-van just before transferring. A year or so later, the co-worker started having “flakey” electrical problems.

Several of us went outside to see what he was talking about, as what he said did not make sense. His engine light would come on, dimly, then get brighter and his engine would surge, then slow back to an idle and the engine light would go out for a few seconds, only to do it all over again.

I tried to look under his dash to see if anything was amiss and as I got my face just under the dash, reach up, and grabbed the bottom edge of the dash, I got a face full of sand, not dust or dirt, but sand…

One of the other co-workers said, oh boy, you’ve bought a flood totaled car. Probably one that was totaled after it was flooded by a hurricane.

We pulled up the back seat and reached under the loose carpet and found lots more sand and even small seashells.

He contacted a lawyer but it did not do any good and after paying for some expensive repairs, he bought a replacement car.

Now you’ve said that the dealer gave you some history about the car and you’ve said it was a Toyota dealer and one that had serviced the car frequently. That’s Good! That means the dealer is not a “fly-by-night” business and will be there and plans to stay there.

My wife bought her 1985 Toyota Corolla new from a local dealer and the car came with oil changes and state inspection for life. Thirty-seven years later, they still honor the oil changes and state inspections!

However, before the Corolla, she had her eye on a used Mercury Monarch from a used car dealer. Oh, it was a pretty car. I liked the big 390 with 4 barrel holley carburetor. The front seats were big, overstuffed bucket seats and it certainly seems to be a dream to drive.

My concern was that it was a big car and my wife was a fairly new driver with a tight parking lot at work. But the salesman did his best to convince us that she would have no problem driving and parking it once she got use to the larger size.

And it was here that he really went to work on my wife. He told her that he took it in as a trade from another woman who just wanted a newer car.

I have since learned that what he was doing was “Puffing.” This is a term in commercial law which means to convey an overstated belief about some good or service to a prospective buyer with the goal of making a sale of that good or service. Basically, lying your fool head off…

I was hesitant, but he kept puffing and even offered to call the previous owner so we could talk to her. I took him up on it. He called a number, the first warning sign was he did it from memory… Next he asked for “Mrs. Jones”, I do not remember the actually name… Told the person exactly who he was and that he took her 1979 Mercury Monarch in as trade and that he has a woman (my wife) interested in her car, but she was concerned about it being a full size car and then he asked her if she would talk to my wife.

As he handed the phone to my wife, I took the phone, identified myself as the husband and asked a few leading questions, like dependability, ease of parking, riding comfort, gas mileage, etc… and all her answers were vague at best, it was then that I asked her if she ever had problems with the police driving this “Bright Red Car,” and she replied she never had a problem. (The Mercury Monarch was Green…)

I handed the phone back to the salesman and told him his wife needs to speak to him. He took the phone and said, “Honey?”

While he was fumbling around on the phone, I took my wife to the manager’s office, told him what the salesman tried and that we would not be buying the Monarch and that I was going to report the dealership to the Attorney General, the District Attorney, the Federal Trade Commission, the local newspapers, and all the local TV investigative newscasters…

Well, I did call a local TV station and asked if anyone was interested in a sleazy used car dealers however, no one ever got called back.

We ultimately bought the '85 Corella and we are still getting Free Oil Changes and State Inspections…

So, If you trust the dealership, the Carfax, and performed your due diligence (as suggested, take it to an independent “Qualified” mechanic–not your “brother-in-law”), then I would not say you had gone wrong…

Good Luck, Drive Safe, and that Corolla will probably be around much longer than you want…

Guess who has had their Screen Name changed ?

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Is a 2011 Camry usually a good buy?
Maybe.
Never trust someone with a cat avatar.

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Sigh. Oh well. :wink::kissing_cat::grin:

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Except @Marnet of course.

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To lengthy, and too much B.S.

B.S. Local news stations are always interested in sleazy dealers and/or shops.

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Nonsense , dealerships change owners a lot . You can drive by one on Friday and on Monday it will have a new name on the building. Dealers are now selling vehicles from their lots that would have been sent to auction 2 years ago. The place we bought our 2010 Volvo is on it’s third owner group .