Should I Get Rid of My 2016 Toyota Camry

swiggity123 on 29/04/2024 - 22:23

Ok so I have a 2016 Toyota Camry with about 157,000kms. I’m single with no kids or dependents. I used to drive in the country and rural a bit but I have recently moved to Sydney. It’s a fantastic car and gets me from point A to point B. Was absolutely wonderful driving in the country on rural roads and towns.

Here’s my dilemma - the Camry is quite a guzzler for petrol in Sydney. It’s annoying to park. Especially where I live - it’s an older style apartment and having such a long car is an absolute pain.

I average at about 10-11L/100kms in Sydney. I used to get about 6-8L/100kms.

I could sell my car and buy a second hand hybrid or even a brand new hybrid. But it seems that all Hybrid cars have really long wait times? Or I could buy a smaller ICE car?

Or just simply not sell the Camry. I’m just not sure what to do

Poll Options

  • 233
    Keep the Camry - do not sell
  • 10
    Sell the Camry - buy a more efficient ICE vehicle
  • 14
    Sell the Camry - buy a second hand hybrid
  • 18
    Sell the Camry - buy a brand new Hybrid
Automotive Car Toyota

Comments

  • Benoffie on 29/04/2024 - 22:27

    I mean, the Camry will go forever but fuel and kms arent in your favour.

    Personally Id trade it in but it would depend on the $$$

    • swiggity123 on 29/04/2024 - 22:46
      +1

      That’s true - but if I were to get a hybrid it would be a Toyota too.

      • Pikaloo on 29/04/2024 - 23:38
        +1

        You can trade it for this: https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/2008-toyota-prius-a…

        • spacemannn on 30/04/2024 - 20:23

          Holy hell that is one ugly car. Almost like Toyota designers were trying to deter people from buying that thing.

          • ribze1 on 01/05/2024 - 08:43

            @spacemannn: I feel like that was the goal. Hey look we're being innovative and care about the environment, Tesla broke the mould by making good looking electric cars.

      • HeWhoKnows on 30/04/2024 - 12:31
        +2

        Surely it’s up to OP to solve this dilemma.
        All cars use significantly more fuel in the city so changing cars won’t solve this.
        If there is nothing wrong with the Camry then keep it.
        Fuel costs are not everything.
        It’s more important to have a reliable car that doesn’t cost much to insure, repair and maintain

        • Jackson on 30/04/2024 - 19:09
          +2

          EV use less in town than on the highway

        • Agret on 01/05/2024 - 02:59

          Hybrid cars can use the battery for crawling in stop start traffic so don't have to run the engine as often. EVs best in the city too.

  • Sye on 29/04/2024 - 22:36
    +20

    Is this still available?

    • swiggity123 on 29/04/2024 - 22:45
      +2

      Depends on the price lol

    • DashCam AKA Rolts on 29/04/2024 - 23:04
      +15

      @Sye; you still working FIFO? Got an agent lined up to pick up?

      • WhyAmICommenting on 30/04/2024 - 16:39
        +7

        I can do bank transfer, I’ll send you the proof.

    • Drakesy on 01/05/2024 - 17:10

      It's my brother's ex's housemate's mother's great grandson's father in-law's car, he'll be back on the third solstice of next month for 30 minutes, i'm happy to book you in if you'd like?

  • LanceVance on 29/04/2024 - 22:41
    +20

    Whatever the price difference is between your current one and a hybrid will likely buy a whole lot of fuel….

    • swiggity123 on 29/04/2024 - 22:45

      I mean it’s past $2/L where I live currently. Even with discounted GCs and fuel vouchers I’m still paying close to $2/L.

      • LanceVance on 29/04/2024 - 23:31
        +4

        What price difference are you expecting to pay between getting ride of yours and getting a hybrid, 5, 10…$15K? Also is the petrol consumption an issue or the size of the car, obviously if you get a hybrid camry your size issues won't be solved and then if you just get a smaller ICE car the difference in petrol consumption won't be actually that much.
        Hence why most people are saying just keep your current car.

      • freefall101 on 30/04/2024 - 01:20
        +14

        Let’s say you reduce your fuel consumption by 5L/100km moving to a hybrid, if it costs you $10k that’s 100,000km to break even. If it takes you 10 years to drive that many km it’s not worth it. On the other hand, if it’s $5k, 50,000km and it only takes you 2 years, worth it.

        How much would it cost, how many kms do you drive now and how much would it increase the residual value of the vehicle?

  • ncm on 29/04/2024 - 23:20
    +1

    Buy EV, you will never regret. Cost of ownership of Tesla EV'S pretty low https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-maintenance/the-cos…

    • DOGGYWOWWOW on 29/04/2024 - 23:49
      +4

      How's insurance on Teslas? I hear it's bad.

      • Muzeeb on 30/04/2024 - 00:24
        +25

        About as terrible as the depreciation.

        • nizzkid on 30/04/2024 - 06:22
          +3

          And the insanely exorbitant repair costs if anything where to go wrong outside of warrantee.

        • ncm on 30/04/2024 - 17:23
          +6

          I respect others' opinions, but I'm curious - who else owns an EV? I've owned a Mazda CX-5 and Tesla Model Y for 2 years and the Model Y has been a game-changer! Best car I've ever driven and maintained, I'm never going back to ICE cars again!

          • Caped Baldy on 30/04/2024 - 17:41
            +2

            @ncm: I've got the older Hyundai Ioniq Electric through work. Someone rear ended me and quoted like $15k to replace the rear bumper and repair everything else. I hear other electric cars can be pretty expensive for similar types of repairs.

            I do love the instant power and responsiveness. A lot of EVs I've driven have weird quirks.

            • miicah on 01/05/2024 - 09:13

              @Caped Baldy: I think you'll find if you crash any brand new MY car the repair costs will be exorbitant. There are so many sensors/cameras/cabling everywhere, especially in the bumpers.

            • Agret on 01/05/2024 - 09:36

              @Caped Baldy: What weird works have you found in the Ioniq?

              • Caped Baldy on 01/05/2024 - 10:21
                +2

                @Agret: I've driven the new ioniq 5 and 6 and they don't have any. Felt like normal cars. The 5 is a big vehicle which photos don't show.

                Polestar 2 has a great driving experience but the floor is slanted so awkward to get out of and the centre console takes up a heap of room.

                Model 3 has good centre storage but very spartan. No indicator stalks or proper gear selector.

                Mg4 felt like a normal car which is good. The engine automatically turns on and off when you in and leave the car.

                Didn't drive it but had a look at the atto3. Weird door handles and storage.

                I found that the byd seal was a bit too low off the ground (12 cm) and scrapped it leaving my driveway and when I entered a street with a dish drain gutter.

                The byd dolphin was good to drive and no quirks that I can think of though for all the BYDs, I think the software could be more polished. Can only adjust the cruise control by 5kmh and not 1kmh increments, one pedal could be stronger, and I couldn't manage to set up and cycle through favourite radio stations with the steering wheel controls (option might be there but I didn't see it in the short time I had it)

      • rickdwp on 30/04/2024 - 18:52
        +2

        $1,400 a year full comp with RACV, pretty much identical to my last car (RAV4)

      • vorsprung on 01/05/2024 - 07:57

        Mine has gone up with NRMA. First year 800, now I’m at 1500. Assume that’s a combination of inflation and the expense to repair them.

    • DingoBilly on 30/04/2024 - 06:42
      +2

      Buy an EV, but don't make the mistake of a Tesla. Plenty of better EVs out there.

      • Caped Baldy on 30/04/2024 - 10:43
        -1

        Another benefit is not supporting a Trump and Putin sycophant.

        • Pancaku on 30/04/2024 - 20:31
          -5

          We get it you drink soy milk

      • Cluster on 30/04/2024 - 12:02

        I'm in the EV market at the moment. Favouring an MG4 right now, but it's built by SAIC. State owned Chinese company. About as good a choice as putting money in Elon's pocket.

        • Caped Baldy on 30/04/2024 - 12:05
          +2

          It's tough, even Australian Teslas are built in China or you pay a premium for Euro or Korean built. I'm hoping the smaller and cheaper Kia/Hyundai's come to the market soon though some will be Chinese built.

        • WhyAmICommenting on 30/04/2024 - 16:40
          +1

          Any BYD fit your requirements?

    • swiggity123 on 30/04/2024 - 12:22
      +1

      I would absolutely love an EV especially with Amber electric where yesterday mid arvo it was 1c/kWh.
      The issues is I live in a old strata complex - will be unlikely getting approval to get an electric charging port hooked up. Could potential dangle the cord off my balcony tho LOL.
      My work also does not have any electric charging spots so yeah.

      • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 30/04/2024 - 18:58
        +2

        Just plug an extension cord into an outlet at your neighbour's pool equipment. Just don't go over their fence to reach it.

      • skillet on 01/05/2024 - 00:27

        You can buy a 3kW Honda inverter generator to charge your EV. They run for about 7 hours on a tank which will give you 21kW. Now you have a portable powerbank for your EV.

        • nobro25 on 01/05/2024 - 20:44

          I thought the whole point of an EV is not to ever buy Petrol.

  • battler on 29/04/2024 - 23:30
    +2

    You're at around 20,000kms/year up to now… will you be doing as much driving in the city?

    • swiggity123 on 30/04/2024 - 12:23

      I bought the car second hand - used to be a council vehicle. I do about 10,000-15,000kms/year

      • battler on 30/04/2024 - 12:38
        +6

        Perhaps do some maths… if the car is using ~3L more per 100 then is is costing $600 more per 10000km.
        Sounds like the car will cost up to $1000 more to you when living in the city versus living in the country, for same kms.
        I would cop that increase. You know what you have and you don't need to outlay ~50k on something new.

  • JimmyF on 29/04/2024 - 23:59
    +2

    I average at about 10-11L/100kms in Sydney.

    While 'high' compared to others, how many kms do you do?

    Spending $10k to change over to something else that uses slightly less fuel buys a lot of fuel if you only do a few hundred kms a week.

    • swiggity123 on 30/04/2024 - 12:25

      I do about 10-15k kms per year. Yeah I agree - but there is also the consideration of having a "newer" car too along with fuel benefits.

      • JimmyF on 30/04/2024 - 12:39
        +1

        I do about 10-15k kms per year.

        So you do at most about 300kms/week. Lets say you half your fill bill from 12l/100 to 6/100, that is a saving of 18l. @ $2.50/l you'll be saving $45 a week or ~$2300/year. Again, at most.

        but there is also the consideration of having a "newer" car too along with fuel benefits.

        Well that is a different thing. if you want a newer car, then go for it. Assuming you can afford it.

  • El cheepo on 30/04/2024 - 00:23
    +2

    Smaller ice vehicle if fuel and parking is your issue.

    The difference between a small ice and a hybrid isn’t massive, so why waste the extra money on a hybrid unless your gonna be racking up big kms.

    But if you can sanely continue to manage the size and your commute isn’t too far, why sell ozbargains favourite car?

    • Euphemistic on 30/04/2024 - 08:00
      +20

      Thanks ChatJVT.

  • brendanm on 30/04/2024 - 07:10
    +3

    Sell it and buy something of the same value, used Prius etc. Same Toyota feel, smaller, less fuel.

    • ricsantos on 01/05/2024 - 15:29

      I like this option. Get an old Prius. Smaller to park and more fuel efficient.

      • Euphemistic on 01/05/2024 - 15:49

        Just need to be aware of the battery health on older prius. Guy at work bought an early model and it had a dud battery. Full battery replacement was in the thousands, but he managed to get an individual cell/module for under $200 and DIY fixed it.

        On the other side of the coin, a friend had an import estima hybrid that had quite low battery capacity, but it still saved fuel compared to a petrol only variant. Just had barely any electric only drive.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 30/04/2024 - 08:00
    +1

    Well, it depends - what colour Camry are we talking?

    • BOGOF on 30/04/2024 - 08:13
      +2

      They're always white.

    • swiggity123 on 30/04/2024 - 12:27
      +2

      "Premium" Silver. haha

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 30/04/2024 - 12:30
        +2

        Sad they didn’t do an updated Camry green or champagne like we had in the 90s

  • Euphemistic on 30/04/2024 - 08:02
    +2

    The best reason to change your vehicle is a change of needs, which on face value is what you have.

    Dont go new. Just buy a Yaris for a little more than the value of your camry, only $1-2k more. Eg a few years younger. That way your changeover costs wont burn up all the petrol savings for the next 10 years.

  • 2esc on 30/04/2024 - 09:37

    I'd keep it personally but if you must upgrade and plan to go back to driving rural go the hybrid. City only driving maybe consider the ev.

    A family member works for racv and says the infrastructure just isnt there yet in regional areas if a small town is lucky enough to have a single charging station in may be out of order or a queue to use it. Some ev owners will place their car on charge and go have lunch but then go look in a few shops etc and its been sitting there while another ev wants to get charged.

    Nearly every day a ev needs to be put on a flat bed truck and taken to a charging station he said once the nearest functional charging station was 300klm away.. Yet he says the racv they carry a few liters of fuel with them and its enough to get a ice car to the next town.

    How much rural driving would you actually do?

    • swiggity123 on 30/04/2024 - 12:31

      I dont think Ill be going back rural anymore and am probably will be in Sydney for the next little while. At least 5 or so more years. The problem with EV and the reason I didnt keep it in my poll was simply cause I live in an older apartment complex where having an electric car isnt possible since theres no where to charge it. Unless I get approval or dangle a cord off my balcony lol. There is also no vehicle recharging at my car park at work, - its in the works but could be years.

  • JimB on 30/04/2024 - 10:18
    +1

    I've love for my car to use 10-11L/100kms in Sydney.

  • pao2x on 30/04/2024 - 10:56

    Keep it or buy a 2nd hand yaris/ corolla for parking convenience. Fuel is a non issue because you probably dont drive that much (between a corolla and a camry).

  • payless69 on 30/04/2024 - 12:03
    +2

    Upgrade to a Corolla!

  • bazingaa on 30/04/2024 - 12:14

    a second hand hybrid

    I think you can get Hybrid Camry (Japanese second hand import) for around $18k, mate got one. Another one is importing a X-Trail Hybrid for $21k.
    Don't know details about the process though.

    • TEER3X on 30/04/2024 - 17:30

      What about insurance costs on those imports?

      • bazingaa on 30/04/2024 - 18:45
        +1

        Sorry I don't know much.

  • nswnotill on 30/04/2024 - 15:10
    +1

    How close are you to public transport? Perhaps do some of your city travelling that way.

    • swiggity123 on 30/04/2024 - 19:48
      +1

      I do shift work - so do enjoy driving the car when I finish at midnight. But I do use public transport when I’m working in the weekday

    • brendanm on 01/05/2024 - 16:41

      Op said they wanted a more efficient drive, not to get stabbed.

  • DefariumZ on 30/04/2024 - 18:10

    A hybrid Camry or Lexus (thinking 2nd hand and non-uber vehicle) is a great investment.
    ~7L/100km weekly - including 3 days a week in Brisbane city driving in morning stop-start traffic.

    Alternatively, if you're single and don't need the extra long car - try Corolla hybrid (or Lexus CT200h). They are relatively gutless but efficiency is insanely good, also good for parking and carrying medium-sized things.

    3 big bonuses of hybrid:
    - generally lower wear on the battery systems than EVs (Toyota Hybrids have a very conservative power output) - battery should last a while
    - if you ever need to travel country-side, hybrid will be phenomenal + range (try 1400+km on a 70L tank of gas) including all the usual stops.
    - no overnight charging/requirement to have a proper charging unit in a garage.

  • rickdwp on 30/04/2024 - 19:01

    For fuel savings alone, nope not worth it. The cost of changing a car is itself a few grand in taxes, rego, insurance etc. If the value of a small hatch or something for parking is high then go for it. But financially it'll take several years to make up the difference

  • krisspy on 30/04/2024 - 21:45
    +2

    I'm sure everyone has been tempted but it's never a wise decision to get rid of your current car just for the sake of fuel savings.

    If you do end up swapping, have a look at the Nissan note e power. Around $16k for decent ones $20k for super low kms (less than 30thou) gets about 4l/100km round the city, may have to deal with usual grey import stuff from Japan but they're fairly reliable from user reviews. Or a Nissan sakura for less than $20k for low kms, full ev kei car

  • Garcat on 30/04/2024 - 22:03
    +1

    Buy a Hybrid Corolla, new or used, 5L/100km in the city and easy to park, done.

  • browser on 01/05/2024 - 00:20

    If you want to get a new or different car, go for it.

    But saying your beloved Camry is too long, or it costs you $6 more per 100km is not a good justification.

    • THICKnSLOW on 01/05/2024 - 00:49
      +1

      Perhaps where OP lives there are narrow laneways that only small cars can navigate effectively, and since he has no dependents he can go smaller vehicle even 2 door rather than a 4 door sedan.

      I like the smart four2 or Kia Picanto for city dwellers. Takes little room, cheap on petrol and has the amenities for short drives.

      • pandadude on 01/05/2024 - 09:48

        2 doors always have an increase in insurance premium over 4 doors.

  • Zenyatta on 01/05/2024 - 11:06
    +1

    If it were me, I'd probably get on the waitlist for a hybrid now and just keep driving the camry for a while. I don't know if the second hand market for cars has cooled enough to warrant buying a second hand hybrid, and there will be a certain amount of inflation in that market just due to the fact that people don't want to wait. So if you can afford to wait, you'll benefit from that.

    We went from a small hatchback (family of four) to a hybrid Rav4, but we had to wait a year and a half. Only having to fill the car once a month does mitigate the pain of higher petrol prices quite a bit, because I have the ability now to ride out the high parts of the cycle.

    You also might have more luck selling an ICE vehicle once petrol prices have settled down a bit. But maybe that doesn't matter at all, I don't know.

  • OzPeter on 01/05/2024 - 22:27

    If board of your Toyota, just sell it and get Mazda 3 or CX-30 for something small size. Another option just get second hand Toyota Camry Hybrid new generation. You still will have more joy to drive and enjoy your fuel consumption…

    If you have money for a brand new car, if I would be you, I just hold for one year and buy a new gen 2025 Camry Hybrid!
    https://youtu.be/7p4eRczmsmQ?si=tafuu8fo59GRbAnL

  • frugalftw on 01/05/2024 - 23:08
    +2

    Depends, is there a tissue box at the back?

  • ReaperX22 on 02/05/2024 - 10:25

    When was the last time you did a transmission oil change specifically? Might help with economy possibly.

    Keep the camry, it'll take you to 300k pretty easily if you maintain it.

    You will not recoup costs of a new car with fuel savings very easily unless you get a car cheaper/used vs your current trade in/sell value.

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