I just hit 300k miles on my 2004 Camry. It’s been a journey, and I feel like it’s about time to share the experience. Anyone else here hitting high mileage on their car? How’s it holding up for you?
How long have you had it? What kind of maintenance have you done, like fluid changes or brakes? Any major repairs needed? I’m interested to hear how much preventative maintenance you’ve done over the years.
@TimothyPerez
I’ve had it since late 2019, and it’s a 4-cylinder. To be honest, I didn’t keep up with maintenance much until this year. It was my first car, and I didn’t know much about taking care of it. I mostly just got oil changes every 6 months to a year.
From 2019 to 2023, I didn’t have any major repairs, though I probably should’ve. The only thing that went wrong was the battery dying in 2023, so I had to replace it. No other repairs during that time.
In 2023, I started paying more attention and decided to fix some things. I’ve spent close to $4000 in repairs, including thermostat replacement, radiator replacement, valve gasket cover replacements, control arm replacement, and wheel bearing and hub replacement. I also got new tires, which I definitely needed. Some of these repairs might have been overcharged since I was going to a mechanic I didn’t trust, but now I go to a more honest one, and everything’s running smoothly. So, over 5 years, $4000 in repairs.
From now on, I plan to do oil changes every 5k miles or 6 months and rotate the tires at the same time, along with a yearly inspection.
@Katnis
Thanks for sharing. $4000 over five years isn’t bad at all, especially considering you’re learning to take care of it yourself. You might save even more in the future if you decide to do some work on it yourself, like replacing the valve cover gasket. It’s usually a pretty cheap job with parts under $50. I know you’ve already had it done, but just a thought for future repairs.
Toyotas and Hondas don’t need a ton of special tools to work on. It’s just about whether you’re ready to spend some time learning the skills. It’s definitely cheaper than paying off a new car.
@TimothyPerez
I definitely want to try working on it more myself. I paid a little over $300 for the valve cover gasket replacement. For future repairs, I’ll look up the parts and see if I can do it myself. I’ve already started with small jobs like replacing the cabin air filter, wiper blades, and hood struts. I know they’re simple, but it’s a start, right? 
And yeah, I agree. I would love to avoid having a car payment. I got this car for free, and the money I’ve put into it is still way less than a car payment for a new one.
Every man will say and think, “nice”.
Zayne said:
Every man will say and think, “nice”.
Nice.
She’s officially hit the break-in point!
That’s awesome, great job!
Your car will last longer than a 2025 Camry.
StarlightSpecter said:
Your car will last longer than a 2025 Camry.
That’s what I’m concerned about!
Mine’s also around here, it’s a 3.0 V6. To be honest, I’m getting a bit tired of keeping up with it though.
Parrish said:
Mine’s also around here, it’s a 3.0 V6. To be honest, I’m getting a bit tired of keeping up with it though.
Time for a 4-cylinder. I just swapped out the accessory belt tensioner on my '08 Accord, and tomorrow I’m showing my kids how to change the valve cover gasket. I’m sitting at 283k miles.
Camrys, Corollas, Accords, and Civics—They all last a long time. Different years and models, but they all rock.
@TimothyPerez
Nice - I did my intake manifold gasket along with the valve cover gasket, ignition coils, and plugs. Took all day since I had no help haha.
@TimothyPerez
The 4-cylinder Toyotas had some issues with oil consumption, especially before the mid-2000s.
Merrick said:
@TimothyPerez
The 4-cylinder Toyotas had some issues with oil consumption, especially before the mid-2000s.
Yeah, the 2007-2008 models too. That 2AZ-FE engine is great, but Toyota cut corners to improve fuel economy. They used lower tension piston rings, which caused issues. The 10k oil change intervals were a problem during those years.
I really like the 2GR-FE in my 2014 Sienna AWD. I did the spark plugs at 120k miles, and it wasn’t too bad. Took about 4 hours.
I enjoy working on the 4-cylinder engines because it’s easy to access everything. It reminds me of working on my old cars. Those older cars had bigger engine bays, but they needed more frequent maintenance.
@TimothyPerez
Hondas of the time didn’t have those kinds of issues, I think.
Merrick said:
@TimothyPerez
Hondas of the time didn’t have those kinds of issues, I think.
Hondas had weak automatic transmissions. Every car has its pros and cons. My '08 Accord is still running on its original engine and transmission, but I try to take care of it now. My hotrod days are over—now I care about fuel economy and longevity.
@TimothyPerez
When did Honda’s automatic transmissions get weak? Was it in the 2000s, like the 7th-gen Civic or the 2001 Accord?
Merrick said:
@TimothyPerez
When did Honda’s automatic transmissions get weak? Was it in the 2000s, like the 7th-gen Civic or the 2001 Accord?
I’m not sure, but general opinion is that they aren’t as strong as the older models. I had a 2003 Pilot that had a recall for premature transmission failure. They added an oil jet to fix it, and we kept it running well with regular fluid changes. It lasted a long time—sold it at 171k miles, and the new owners are still driving it around 240k miles now.
So, preventative maintenance is key to keeping them running well. I don’t know about the newer models though.