New 2006 Corolla Or Used 2005 Camry

I don't mind fuel economy for either car, but long-term reliability, space etc. This car will be used for a family of four (adults).

With as little as I know about cars, I think if I were you, it would be the camry that would cut the deal here. For a family of four adults, space is a serious consideration and Camry definitely has more space than Corolla. However considering the specific camry unit you're talking about, its a bit unnerving for me as the previous owner put 38k on it within just one year (or may be in one and half year) which is higher than industry standard. Make sure the car is thoroughly checked and has extended warranty or remaining manufacturer's warranty.

Fishexpo, Bikeman and others can get you much better advice than this. Hang in there.

I agree that the Camry with that much mileage in such a relatively short amount of time may end up with more problems than the Corolla, in the long run. The prices you mentioned are very close and I think you should test drive the cars with the family in it to get their opinions as well. Get a consensus as to roominess and comfort from them and make an informed decision. I had a Camry before and it was an excellent car but developed too many problems for me to keep it. I am now partial to the Corollas and if it was me I would stick with that. Again, it is up to you to make the final decision, but that is my opinion only. Hope this helps.

I would tend toward the Camry, if only for the added room for four adults - assuming they'll be riding together often. They'd be quite crowded in the Corolla, particularly on a long trip.

I'm not as worried about the Camry's high mileage as I would be about the maintenance it received while those miles were being racked up. If the oil and other fluids were being changed on time, if the tires are in good condition, if the car has been kept clean and hasn't been involved in any accidents, then it should be OK. I would definitely take it to a trusted independent mechanic for a thorough mechanical inspection prior to the purchase.

This leaves the issue of price. For all those miles in such a short time, I think you'd have some negotiating room on the bottom line. Not being familiar with the Canadian auto market, 20,987 sounds pretty steep to me for a year-and-a-half old Camry with almost 40,000 miles! I'd try to get it for 19,500 -- or less! At the very least, I'd check that price through the Kelly Blue Book or Edmunds.com web sites, just to make sure you're not being fleeced!

Have you priced a new '06 Camry? You may be paying a bit more, but you'd be starting out with a new vehicle and you'd have no nagging doubts about it. I think the Corolla, as good a car as it is, is inadequate to your particular transportation needs.

You may need to change the tires of Camry within near future. However, I'd like to choose the camry if the MPG is not an issue in this case. Camry is more comfortable, soft, and quiet than corolla. If you will keep the car for a long time, 38k km may not affect to the remaining value of the car. Good luck for your new car!

I also live in Ontario. I currently drive a 1997 Corolla, which I bought used in 2001, from a Toyota dealer. I have been very happy with it.

I'll mention the following, just in case.

Used cars bought from a dealership also incur the 15% tax. If you are buying privately, be cautious because there are alot of curbside unregistered "dealers" who masquerade as private sellers. Private sellers must give you the car history document they buy from the provincial government. It will list all owners; don't accept "I'm selling it for my girlfriend, mother, etc." Trust your feelings. If something doesn't quite seem right, keep on moving.

I don't know which part of Ontario you are in, but there are hundreds of used cars for sale, so wait for the one that you are confident in.

If buying new, there is also the $800-1000 delivery charge, $100 AC surcharge, dealer prep [and anything else they can think of to charge for, such as a tank of gas!].

IIRC Any toyota still under factory warranty is eligible for the extended Toyota backed warranty program. But before they enroll you, Toyota wants to make sure that the car is mechanically sound, so a dealership does a thorough testing, including compression. If you can buy that inspection service by itself, I'd recommend it.

The AutoTrader website can give you lots of info about current pricing levels. It may also give you a lead on a good vehicle.

IRT Camry or Corolla, that's up to the four adults and their definition of comfort. They should at least sit in the vehicle as you test drive for 15 minutes. That is where a dealership can be useful. They can let you try both types of vehicles. The folks in the back seat need to assess knee room while the front seats are as far back as they will normall be. Put another way, a tall driver will be hard on the knees of the passenger behind him.

IRT to bargaining. Start low, be willing to walk away, don't let them pressure you in any way. When I bought my Corolla, it started at $12,800 and my counteroffer was $10,000; theirs was 12,000, mine was 10,000; theirs was 11,300, mine was 10,000; theirs was 10,500, mine was 10,000. Every time they came back with a price higher than 10,000 I said I would think about it, and I needed to have some lunch. The dealer knows if a customer goes out the door that the sale has probably disappeared. The salesperson would quickly go back to their supervisor and come back with a reduced price. [bTW, you know that the salesperson has absolutely no authority to promise or commit the dealership to anything? Furthermore, only things in writing matter. For instance, the salesperson said, "This car has been leased and driven by a woman" [supposedly women take better care of their cars] so I said "Add that to the contract", after which he never mentioned it again.]

Since it was a leased vehicle serviced at that dealership, I had a sentence added which basically said they would provide me with the service history. And, sure enough, the first time I asked to see the service history at the service counter so I could decide if the service they were recommending was necessary, they said "We cannot show that to you without the permission of the previous owner" What hogwash! It was a leased vehicle, Toyota owned it! Anyway, as soon as I went to the used car sales manager he straightened it out.

They finally agreed to $10,000. Then they tried to add $150 "document processing". I said no, they said it was standard, I said "When I eat in a restaurant I pay for the food, not to have the bill written up." They gave up.

Don't feel sorry for them. This is business for them, and nothing else. Whatever price they agree to, is a price they can live with.

I did add a high profit item, which was a 3 year/160,000KM extended warranty which cost IIRC about $1350. I needed the reassurrance of this insurance. As it turned out I have had only one small problem, which was an loose wire which caused the "Check Engine" light to come on; and the extended warranties don't cover loose wires. It cost me $180 to have them hook up the electronic reader, do a little detective work, and reconnect the wire; an outrageous charge, but impossible to contest. If anything similar happens I'll buy/borrow an OBD reader and seek the assistance of the folks on this forum. Other than that one item I have had no repair costs.

Currently I have put about 70,000 Km on it in the last 4 1/2 years and normal maintenance items such as tires and brakes [which I'll be posting a question about separately] are coming due. Oh, I also changed the timing belt at 120,000 Km, just in case.

So, overall, I have been very happy with my Corolla, and thank her during every long trip for being such a dependable automobile.

Yev in Toronto

Hi Guys,

I'm looking to make an informed and wise decision. I'm looking at either to get a brand new 2006 Corolla or a Used 2005 Camry. Here in Ontario, we only need to pay 7% tax on Used Cars while for New Cars, we have to pay 15% tax.

The Camry that I'm looking at is a 2005 Camry LE Automatic 4 cyl with 38,518 km. It's priced at $20,987.

The Corolla that I'm looking at is a 2006 Corolla CE with Package C. It's priced at $19760.

Price Comparision: Camry = $22456

Corolla = $22724

I don't mind fuel economy for either car, but long-term reliability, space etc. This car will be used for a family of four (adults).

Thanks.

I'd have to vote for a Camry. I have small children, and the Corolla is cramped. I would be concerned about taking 4 adults in the Corolla for any length of time.

Like someone else mentioned, check out the difference in price with a new unit. It may be $3k more than the Corolla, but you would have full factory warranty. Also, I would think you could get a decent price once the 07's start showing up at the dealerships.

I'd go for the Camry. It'll be much more comfortable for you and your family. USA members - 38km is 23,000 miles U.S., which is not all that bad, really.

I'd say go with the camry if there will be 4 adults in the car almost all the time. camry has more rear room. otherwise, i think a corolla will give you a better fuel economy. cramming 4 people once in a while is not that bad.

I would definately go with the Camry if it looked like this...

http://www.toyota.com/motorsports/pitpass/photos.html

Update: I went to the dealership to look at the cars. Get this, they're all rentals with various defects on them (rear bumper had a crash, all rims are scratched, etc).

I'm gonna look at getting the 2006 Toyota Corolla now. I negotiated for about $200 over invoice price, but the dealership is charging a $299 admin package fee. Is this acceptable?

Thanks.

I would definately go with the Camry if it looked like this...

 

http://www.toyota.com/motorsports/pitpass/photos.html

Best decision to get the new '06. Ask what it is and why you must pay it, and if they'd waive it. Get ready to walk if they aren't willing, sounds to me like a bullsnip reason to fleece you for a little extra scratch.