2001 Toyota Camry Le Sedan 4-door 2.2l on 2040-cars

VIN: 4T1BG22K11U050507 Year: 2001
Warranty: Vehicle does NOT have an existing warranty
Make: Toyota
Model: Camry
Options: Cassette Player, CD Player
Trim: LE Sedan 4-Door
Safety Features: Driver Airbag, Passenger Airbag
Power Options: Air Conditioning, Cruise Control, Power Locks, Power Windows, Power Seats
Drive Type: FWD
Mileage: 126,159
Number of Doors: 4
Exterior Color: Green
Interior Color: Tan
Number of Cylinders: 4

Condition: Used: A vehicle is considered used if it has been registered and issued a title. Used vehicles have had at least one previous owner. The condition of the exterior, interior and engine can vary depending on the vehicle's history. See the seller's listing for full details and description of any imperfections. ... 

--Winning bidder must make a $150 paypal deposit within 48 hours of auction end--
--Winning bidder must pick up the car and pay cash within 7 days of auction end--

This 2001 Toyota Camry LE is located in Palm Bay Florida, zip code 32909.  Please do not place a bid until you've read everything here, looked at all the photos, and are 100% positive that you're going to drive here to Palm Bay FL and pick up the car within 7 days. If the winning bidder doesn't get here within 7 days, I'm driving to Carmax in Orlando and selling it, period.

I bought this car, used, from Ted Britt Ford Virginia in January 2005. It had 30,000 miles at that time. It had an oil leak, from the oil pan gasket, at that time. I drove it home from Virginia and rolled myself under the car with every intention of fixing the oil leak but I discovered that many of the bolts around the exhaust manifold (which has to be removed in order to get to the oil pan) were fairly rusted and nigh impossible to remove. I realized that Ted Britt Ford must have faced the same issue when I discovered that they had smothered some high temperature gunk around the seal of the oil pan -- they hadn't wanted to go through the trouble either.  So, I never fixed the oil leak. The car has been leaking a very small amount of oil from that same spot for 8 1/2 years.  The oil dipstick has read slightly below 'full' for 8 1/2 years.  I've been putting cardboard boxes on the floor of my garage for 8 1/2 years. It's never bothered me too much.

When I purchased the car back in 2005, over the internet, there was no indication of any body damage, and yet when I showed up at the dealership, I realized there was a small amount of damage after all. Please see photo 1 and 2.  I had already flown up there to pick up the car, so I took it anyways.

In 2006, the check engine light went on.  I took the car to AutoZone and they read the code: P0401 EGR Insufficient Flow Detected. I bought a new PCV valve and went through the pain of getting up behind the engine and replacing it.  About 6 months later the check engine light came back on, same code.  Forget it, it's been on ever since.  Trick is, when the weather gets cold, it goes off after a day or two. Then when it warms up outside it comes back on. The check engine light has been going on and off since 2006.  It really only goes off when the outside temperature drops below 50 degrees (I've lived mostly in warm states like Florida and Texas it's on most of the time).

Also in 2006, the gas pedal started to stick from time to time -- in the OFF position. I would be sitting at a red light, and then the light would turn green and I would push down and it would be stuck, wouldn't go down the way it normally should.  I would tap on it a few times and it would come unstuck every time, but for that 2 seconds it can be nerve wracking, wondering whether the car is actually going to move at all.  It has had this problem for the last 7 years, off and on, but mostly after I've done a lot of highway driving with Cruise Control on. The pedal hasn't stuck for almost a year now, but I haven't done any long road trips where I had the need to use much cruise control.  The pedal has NEVER once gotten stuck while the car has been moving, not once, ever. Only at red lights and stop signs, very infrequently, and again, seems to be related to cruise control usage.

On August 18, 2007, I backed out of a parking spot and an 80 year old Grandma, doing 30 mph, hit the rear bumper.  This is one of those situations where you 'know' there's nothing you could've done, I looked both ways etc but she came out of nowhere. I didn't make an issue of it, what's the point, she had the right of way and I would've just looked like an *** for picking on an old lady.  The following week I bought a new bumper on Ebay and installed it myself.  It fit ok, but I couldn't fit a few of the plastic grommets in and it wasn't a 'perfect' fit with the rest of the body. See photos 3, 4, 5, and 6. It's been this way for ~6 years now, I've never had a single problem with it.

On August 18, 2008, one year later exactly, I rear ended an SUV in Austin TX. It was raining and I tried to stop and ended up just barely hitting the SUV. Did some damage to the hood and front lights. I took it in to see what they would charge me: ~$2000.  Insurance said they would cut me a check for $1100.  I took the check and left the damage as you see it in photos 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.  Hasn't been a problem for ~5 years now.

Later in 2008, when we lived in Graduate student housing at University of Texas, a kid scratched the word "STOP" into the trunk.  Never figured out why, but he scrawled worse things on other people's cars, so I got off lucky :) It's been this way for ~5 yrs now, see photo 13.

In 2009, the driver's door handle snapped off. It took me a couple days to get the hang of opening the handle-less door (takes two hands to do it).  This is annoying, to be sure -- especially when your hands are sweaty or it's raining = forget about it, you'll have to go through the passenger side door and climb over. See photo 14.

Also in 2009, the driver's power window wouldn't go up one day.  I stopped at a McDonald's drive thru, and when I moved away with my food the window wouldn't go up.  I drove for about 10 minutes, clicking the whole way, and then it went up for no reason.  This experience has repeated itself at least a dozen times since 2009.  As a rule, I don't use the window anymore, afraid that it may never go up again.  The winning bidder of this auction is NOT allowed to roll down the window until CASHY-MONEY hits my palm :) I'm being serious! As you're driving back to your place if you can't stand the suspense, then feel free to roll down the window at your own peril -- but you're not doing it until you've paid for the car!

In January 2013 I noticed a small crack in the radiator.  I used water-weld to patch it up.  I keep an eye on it. Hasn't been a problem.  I actually bought a new radiator but don't haven't had time to install it.  If you want the radiator (new in the box) we can arrange that for $70 cash as a side deal when you come to get the car. No pressure either way.

In April 2013, I replaced the front brake rotors and pads with brand new parts.  I checked the rear drums and shoes, looked good still -- but then, I drive like an old man, I drive slow and I never brake hard. I already had the new parts to replace the rear brakes, but when I took off the tires to start the job, I realized that they were in really good shape and totally not worth the effort. I happily returned the parts.

The car has had regular oil changes, done at Walmart, for 8 1/2 years. None of the belts have been replaced in the last 100,000 miles, including the timing belt. The transmission fluid was replaced 85,000 miles ago. The brake fluid has never been replaced.  The air filter was replaced about 85,000 miles ago.  The battery was replaced in the Summer of 2012. At the most recent oil change, the receipt said the tires were '3/32.' They'll need to be replaced soon. The car has scratches and a few other minor dings, look at all the photos. I've already noted all the major stuff but look at the photos anyhow. The car is dirty inside, look at the photos. The CD player works but it's not like the new model cars with all the anti-skip protection. It works like a 2001 CD player. Radio works. Wipers work. Cruise control works. Gas pedal can get stuck at red lights/stop signs when you want to go, tapping on it has always solved the problem, hasn't been an issue for about a year now. Power steering works, brakes work great. The A/C still blows cold, the heater works fine. The power mirrors work. The turn and brake lights work, headlights work.

And finally, the car runs well. Hard to believe, because I never did much to maintain it, but it runs great. No weird noises to speak of. I attribute this, in part, to how easy I've been on the car.  I don't accelerate quickly and I don't brake hard. Anyhow, if I weren't moving to Colorado I would be keeping the car. I pressed my luck (and so far I'm winning) when it comes to this car, and Florida's a warm state so if it had ever broken down somewhere it wouldn't have been a big deal -- not like getting stuck in the mountains somewhere or in the freezing cold of Colorado.

The car has a clean title, from the state of Texas, where we live half the time. When you come to pick up the car, feel free to give it a drive, take it to a mechanic etc, but don't even think about rolling down the driver's window :)  If it's everything you expected after reading this ad, we'll go to a local bank where you can get cash money to pay for the transaction. I will write up a bill of sale and I'll sign the title over at the bank, give you the keys etc... Again, 7 days after the auction ends, I'm selling the car to Carmax in Orlando if the winning bidder hasn't shown up.  Also, I've listed the car locally, and if it sells locally I'm going to end this auction without any warning, sorry!

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On Jun-07-13 at 18:31:24 PDT, seller added the following information:

 PS -- when the trunk is closed, you can't see any evidence that the rear bumper is missing those little plastic grommets where it didn't line up with the holes etc... you can only see that when the trunk is open.