Repair or Replace 2012 Camry? Need advice!

[capitalhockey]

Our 2012 Camry has 90k...it's my wife's commuter car...her work is less than 10 miles each way...so yearly, it's less than 2k miles. No issues over the last 12 years...just basic service maintenance as recommended by manual.

I took it to the shop recently since there's a loud ticking sound while driving and accelerating. The mechanic gave me below quote for fixes:

1) Remove & replace front wheel bearing (both sides). Remove & replaced front wheel hub (both sides): $2,059

2) Remove & replace CV Axle Assembly: $607

3) Rear Brake Services: $528

4) Cooling System Service: $255

5) Battery Service / replacement: $277

Total: $3,726

Mechanic said items #1 and #2 are required to fix the noise problem. Items 3, 4, and 5 are highly recommended for the near future. The car also have a 90k service coming up (timing kit service, tune-up and fuel induction). Overall, this could be up to $4,200 to keep the car going.

We are thinking of just getting a new Toyota Corolla (MSRP $23,000) instead of putting in $4,200 in old car. We would also sell old car (fully paid off) to CarMax or trade-in to net against new car cost. The other pros are below:

a) New Safety features we dont have in current old car (backup camera, blindspot alert, etc)

b) Should be maintenance free besides oil change for first 8-10 years

c) Our older son is 8 years old....we could give our son the new car (which would be 10 years old) when he heads off to college....if we keep old car, camry will be 22 years when we give to him.

Thoughts or advice for our decision?

Thank you.

[delamer]

How much is it worth as a trade-in?

I’d buy a new car due to the significant improvement in safety features, in the last 12 years. But the value of enhanced safety features is argued about on this forum all of the time.

I definitely wouldn’t factor in about what my 8-year-old might want or need in terms of vehicles in 10 years. Who knows what might the optimal vehicle by then?

[Normchad]

I’m always in favor of a new car, just for the safety features but also the peace of mind.

I would not spend this much money for those repairs though. The prices for the brakes, coolant work, and battery replacement are very high. So I’m sure the prices for &1 and &2 are too high as well.

If you’d like to keep the car, I recommend you take it to a different mechanic, and have them look at it and provide recommendations. Only tell them your symptoms. Don’t tell them what the first mechanic said.

[capitalhockey]

How much is it worth as a trade-in?

I’d buy a new car due to the significant improvement in safety features, in the last 12 years. But the value of enhanced safety features is argued about on this forum all of the time.

I definitely wouldn’t factor in about what my 8-year-old might want or need in terms of vehicles in 10 years. Who knows what might the optimal vehicle by then?

Thanks for the insights.

The trade in value is about $7k

[mrmass]

How much is it worth as a trade-in?

I’d buy a new car due to the significant improvement in safety features, in the last 12 years. But the value of enhanced safety features is argued about on this forum all of the time.

I definitely wouldn’t factor in about what my 8-year-old might want or need in terms of vehicles in 10 years. Who knows what might the optimal vehicle by then?

Thanks for the insights.

The trade in value is about $7k

Do you have an offer for 7K if so jump at that. I really don't see it as a 7K car.

[capitalhockey]

Thanks for the insights.

The trade in value is about $7k

Do you have an offer for 7K if so jump at that. I really don't see it as a 7K car.

I used Kelly Blue Book with VIN number...it spits out range of 7k to 9k based on model, mileage, etc

[PNWpilot]

3) Rear Brake Services: $528

4) Cooling System Service: $255

5) Battery Service / replacement: $277

OP,

These items are not the cause of your noise issue. These are "extra" items the mechanic is trying to upsell. Does your A/C system work? No need for the cooling system service.

Does your car start? No need for the battery replacement. If it has been more than 2-3 years since you replaced the battery, take it to Autozone and buy a new one. They'll install it for you for free. Cost is usually $150 or so.

When did you last replace the rear brakes? My current daily driver has 120k miles and rear brakes are fine. Front brakes have been replaced twice. If you do decide to replace the rear brakes, get multiple quotes. This is a relatively easy job and prices can vary. I'm not sure where you're located, but $528 is high. This can also be DIY with a few YouTube videos, although that depends on your level of handiness.

I would not trade the car in.

Edited to add: ask for the millimeter measurement on the rear brake pads. If it's <5mm, you should consider changing them at some point. Again, get multiple quotes.

[thedaybeforetoday]

Do you have an offer for 7K if so jump at that. I really don't see it as a 7K car.

I used Kelly Blue Book with VIN number...it spits out range of 7k to 9k based on model, mileage, etc

We have the same year, make and model with $170k miles and are spending $1200 as I write this today on rear brakes and struts to fix it up.
I priced out retail to see what a replacement car of the same ilk would cost and it was in the 7-9k range, so we are fixing ours.

[Padlin]

You mentioned you took it into “the shop”, if “the shop” is a dealer, find an independent repair shop and see what they quote to fix the loud ticking.

[austin757]

OP,

Do you know if your Camry ever had its torque converter replaced? This was a common issue with the Camry in 2012-13, but I believe it’s more of an aggressive shudder, rather than the noises you’re experiencing. I could be wrong, though.

[sls239]

I very much think you should get a second opinion.

The piling on of extra stuff is a red flag. As it the fact that they call everything a “service.”

And did they say why they thought both wheels would need bearings?

[bendix]

1) Remove & replace front wheel bearing (both sides). Remove & replaced front wheel hub (both sides): $2,059

The material value of this is maybe $200, so 90% is labor. If you find a cheaper shop, you could get that for less.

Your car may still sell for like $10k or so. It´s worth doing some repairs, but unless you plan to drive this car for another 5+ years, I am not sure I`d spend 4-5k on it. I am actually in a similar boat and I am doing a surprising amount of repairs myself. I dont want to buy a new car and neither do I want to pay someone $300 an hour to fix simple things, so... self repair it is for me in many cases.

[adamthesmythe]

If the sound is coming from wheel bearings then near-term failure is likely. Then the car will (maybe suddenly) become undriveable.

If someone will give you 7K then take it. Personally I would feel bad about selling it to a private buyer unless it was a mechanic who knows about the issues.

Fixing the brakes is probably not very important because if the wheel bearings seize the car will come to a stop (suddenly).

[climber2020]

You’re getting ripped off and should find a different mechanic.

I have the same car as you but with 167,000 miles on it. All the Camrys from 2012 have timing chains which should never need to be replaced, and certainly not at 90k miles. My car has also never had a tune up (not necessary) and the battery replacement shouldn’t be $300. I’ve also never had my cooling system serviced; what exactly is wrong with yours?

OP,

Do you know if your Camry ever had its torque converter replaced? This was a common issue with the Camry in 2012-13, but I believe it’s more of an aggressive shudder, rather than the noises you’re experiencing. I could be wrong, though.

This is correct. The torque converter issue is a shudder that usually occurs around 40 mph with light acceleration between gears 3 and 4. The extended warranty Toyota issued for this known problem has expired.

My car has had this problem off and on for almost 5 years. My plan is to keep driving the car without repairing the torque converter and see how long it takes for the transmission to die.

[Kagord]

I'd get a 2nd quote from another shop.

My 2 cents, I think it's unusual that both the wheel bearing and CV joint is making the clicking noise. And to replace both wheel bearings at that low mileage Toyota is very unusual, and that pricing is very high. If the clicking noise is louder during a turn, I'd suspect the CV joint, as the load is increased on that part during a turn.

Safety wise, I'd get it taken care of ASAP.

[suemarkp]

Some things just need to be maintained on time intervals. Coolant and brake fluid should be changed every 5 to 6 years. Batteries last about 5 to 7 years. If you have not changed these items, they may be due. It is not a bad indication on the car, it is just the way it is. Same with oil changes and sometimes axle and transmission fluid changes.

Brakes wear, so if you've never done the rears they may be due at around 90K miles.

I agree with the others that the prices seem a bit high.

Fix versus trade in is a tougher decision. I tend to keep cars around 10 years or 100K miles. You tend to hit the more expensive maintenance items around this time, and all those 5-6 year things are coming up again, so that pushes me to put that on someone else. The technology updates are nice too. My 2016 honda is annoying when a picture or emoticon comes in on a text message. It can't show it, but reads to me some long filename name out loud like a3dkj5v984j58vj3fow34d8ug.jpeg which is annoying. A newer car will show the picture (or skip reading the file name), do android auto or car play, have a backup camera, and have better safety features.

[Vinny_in_NJ]

These are my thoughts. If Cooling system service is for your radiator and cooling the engine system - when's the last time it was done? I think around me a cooling system fluid replacement is $180 on special. I bought a battery from Costco and it was $160 in April and I installed it myself; the same size and type was $260 everywhere else - when was that last replaced? Brakes unless all 4 wheels seems a little high, I paid $450 for rear brakes last year and that was too high ... the mechanic screwed us and we didn't have a written estimate. I can't speak of anything about front end other than any FWD car I've owned usually had CV joints done at some point.

I definitely would get a second estimate but the question to ask yourself is with such a small commute is it worth a new car? If you have a newer car that you use for longer distance the money paid (after the 2nd estimate) to repair the car can get you maybe a car later on so you don't settle now - if that's what you will be doing. Years ago my wife's minivan needed a $2,000 repair - it was 11 years old and had about 105,000 miles on it. I was commuting 90+ miles south and she was traveling 35+ miles north - our decision based on the distance that we would be separated by was to take the money and put it into a new(er) car. My wife loved the car but she was traveling at all different hours due to her sister being ill. If that same scenario happened today we would have put the money into the car since I'm home now.

The safety feature aspect may be a little overblown in today's new cars. I love blind spot detection but it won't pick up a car that is 2 lanes away and speeding up to get into the lane next to you. I hate adaptive cruise control, driving in NJ you have drivers who will jump in front of you and I don't want my car to "think" there's going to be a collision and brake - it does it all the time. But that's me, others just love everything about these features.

Good luck whichever way you choose!

[ROIGuy]

I very much think you should get a second opinion.

The piling on of extra stuff is a red flag. As it the fact that they call everything a “service.”

And did they say why they thought both wheels would need bearings?

+1

[Laundry_Service]

I think these prices are high. I'm not one to suggest everyone can do their own maintenance but changing the coolant on these are very easy and same with the battery, but may not be for you.

I would consider calling around to some other shops and see if they can give you quotes for the wheel bearings and CV axles. See if you have a independent Toyota or Japanese shop, these should be straight forward repairs.

[wander]

Did the mechanic explain the cause of the ticking noise? That was the reason that brought the car to the shop in the first place.

[austin757]

Is the $7k trade-in “as is” condition with the present issues?

[MathWizard]

Take it to another mechanic to see what they say. Don't mention anything that the
first shop said.

I would get a different car vs. repair given that amount of cost.

If you keep the car, and the mechanic says the same thing about #1 and #2, get them
done.

Go to Autozone and get a new battery, which they will install. Getting stuck with
a dead battery is inconvenient, and the time it tales to resolve is not worth it.

If you want to replace the rear brakes and can't do it yourself
(quite easy job that I have done since I was 16), then take it to
an independent mechanic, or even Midas Muffler, they should
do it for much cheaper.

I'd wait on the coolant.

[tibbitts]

I would get an actual offer for selling the car so you can make a comparison. $23k for a Corolla seems very low; I would make sure you can buy a Corolla you actually want for that price. If you're coming from a very high trim level Camry (you didn't specify) I would be especially cautious about moving to a very low trim level Corolla.

A lot of this has to do with your own feelings about vehicle imperfections. If you could compare your car to itself when it came off the assembly line, it would be pretty terrible. Most parts deteriorate gradually. Some people value having a "nice" car - even a modest model maybe, but one that's in excellent condition - and some just don't care as long as a car works at some very minimal level. Only you can say where you fit on that spectrum.

By all means get another opinion on repairs but expect to pay for that (not always, but often), so it might not be practical to get that many estimates like you would for a new roof or hvac for example.

[bloom2708]

$2,059 quote for 2 front wheel hubs. My we are in trouble aren't we?

You can probably by the pair for $120. Labor $150 per hour.

I would not return to that repair shop.

The CV axle could be causing the clicking. But a bad wheel bearing is a howl/hum. Gets worse or better when turning. I guess it is possible that both are bad. Seems unlikely.

[ccieemeritus]

I'm not happy with those repair prices. The battery service, in particular, is unwarranted unless it fails a test or you have starting problems (when was your battery last replaced?). Usually I wait until a starter problem occurs and call AAA (with the possible exception of an imminent road-trip to cold/isolated country).

My one key piece of advice is: never skimp on brake maintenance. Go somewhere else perhaps, but always ask for a brake inspection when doing maintenance. If the pads/drums are low, fix them or sell the car. (this attestation from someone who drove my first "hand me down car" without maintenance until the brakes failed while driving...fortunately without an accident).

[carolinaman]

I'd get a 2nd quote from another shop.

My 2 cents, I think it's unusual that both the wheel bearing and CV joint is making the clicking noise. And to replace both wheel bearings at that low mileage Toyota is very unusual, and that pricing is very high. If the clicking noise is louder during a turn, I'd suspect the CV joint, as the load is increased on that part during a turn.

Safety wise, I'd get it taken care of ASAP.

+1. I agree, get another quote from a reputable shop. If you do not know one, ask your friends for recommendations. There are plenty of good independent auto repair shops whose prices are much less than Toyota.

I think a new car is the right approach, but you need to fix whatever is causing the noise first and make sure it is not a safety issue.

[alaska55]

If the shop is telling you need a timing service find a new shop. It has a timing chain it should last the life of the car if it hasn't been abused. The chances of your camry needing a timing chain is almost zero unless you never changed the oil and filter at 90k miles on the car.

[hudson]

Our 2012 Camry has 90k...it's my wife's commuter car...her work is less than 10 miles each way...so yearly, it's less than 2k miles. No issues over the last 12 years...just basic service maintenance as recommended by manual.

I took it to the shop recently since there's a loud ticking sound while driving and accelerating. The mechanic gave me below quote for fixes:

1) Remove & replace front wheel bearing (both sides). Remove & replaced front wheel hub (both sides): $2,059

2) Remove & replace CV Axle Assembly: $607

3) Rear Brake Services: $528

4) Cooling System Service: $255

5) Battery Service / replacement: $277

Total: $3,726

Mechanic said items #1 and #2 are required to fix the noise problem. Items 3, 4, and 5 are highly recommended for the near future. The car also have a 90k service coming up (timing kit service, tune-up and fuel induction). Overall, this could be up to $4,200 to keep the car going.

We are thinking of just getting a new Toyota Corolla (MSRP $23,000) instead of putting in $4,200 in old car. We would also sell old car (fully paid off) to CarMax or trade-in to net against new car cost. The other pros are below:

a) New Safety features we dont have in current old car (backup camera, blindspot alert, etc)

b) Should be maintenance free besides oil change for first 8-10 years

c) Our older son is 8 years old....we could give our son the new car (which would be 10 years old) when he heads off to college....if we keep old car, camry will be 22 years when we give to him.

Thoughts or advice for our decision?

Thank you.

If you want a new vehicle, go for it. Getting a backup camera would be a good enough excuse for me to buy new. The add-ons cameras are fine; but I'll pass.
Consider asking around for a mechanic that folks you know trust. If that mechanic works for you cultivate that shop!
I try not to do preventative services unless it's time according to the manual.
My mechanic shop does watch the brakes otherwise, they only do what I ask.
With five new Toyotas since 2000, how many times have I gone to the dealer for repairs? Zero, as I've been burned too many times.
I have gone to dealerships for free recall service probably once or twice per vehicle. On one recall trip, they tried to sell me a water pump. I passed; that water pump was still running fine when I sold the car years later.

Bottom Lines: Replacing a 2012 with new? For me? probably not. For my wife? Yes especially to get the new safety features.
Mechanics? Trusted shops are a plus!

[Kagord]

I think you should take it to a reputable Toyota dealer for an inspection for the noise you are hearing, then you'll have top dollar pricing for what's probably actually needed, with Toyota parts. Worth the $200 or whatever for a 2nd opinion from people who will know that car.

Post that back here.

[Outer Marker]

I agree with the need for a second opinion. I'd do some research and find a well regarded local mechanic vs. the dealership.

[bd7]

Our 2012 Camry has 90k...it's my wife's commuter car...her work is less than 10 miles each way...so yearly, it's less than 2k miles. No issues over the last 12 years...just basic service maintenance as recommended by manual.

I took it to the shop recently since there's a loud ticking sound while driving and accelerating. The mechanic gave me below quote for fixes:

1) Remove & replace front wheel bearing (both sides). Remove & replaced front wheel hub (both sides): $2,059

2) Remove & replace CV Axle Assembly: $607

3) Rear Brake Services: $528

4) Cooling System Service: $255

5) Battery Service / replacement: $277

Total: $3,726

Do you live in an area where they use salt in the winter and if so, is the car corroded or crusty underneath? Do you drive on very rough roads at all? Was this an independent shop or a dealer service department?

[Fat Tails]

You likely need items 1 & 2. They priced them separately, but some of the work for the tasks are the same. See if they, or another shop will give you a better price for doing both jobs at the same time.

[Earthless]

I’ve also never had my cooling system serviced;

This is not recommended. The corrosion prevention chemicals in the coolant deplete over time. Coolant should be periodically changed- probably twice in twelve years.

[MnD]

My 2 cents, I think it's unusual that both the wheel bearing and CV joint is making the clicking noise. And to replace both wheel bearings at that low mileage Toyota is very unusual, and that pricing is very high. If the clicking noise is louder during a turn, I'd suspect the CV joint, as the load is increased on that part during a turn.

This!
Both front wheel bearings AND a CV at 90K? Highly unlikely.
My money would be on the CV joint.

Wheel bearing is typically an increased whining noise and they rarely fail simultaneously.
But wheel bearing noise can also increase when in a turn at highway speeds.

[YeahBuddy]

Was this a quote from a local independent mechanic, or the dealership? Those quotes sound very high. And the recommended work sounds erroneous. I'd get a second estimate. And maybe a third. Next, I've rarely heard of replacing just the rear brakes. Have you replaced front brakes at some point without doing the rear brakes? Does your A/C work? If so, I don't think you need that cooling system service. And $277 is about double the price of a battery for an old Camry.

[Galt guy]

I call BS. "Ticking" is not typically a wheel bearing symptom when driving. Bearings make a roaring sound when they're worn, and it would be very unusual for both to be worn at this mileage. Ask a friend who knows about cars who they think is a reputable mechanic in your area and get a second opinion.

[thedaybeforetoday]

Our 2012 Camry has 90k...it's my wife's commuter car...her work is less than 10 miles each way...so yearly, it's less than 2k miles. No issues over the last 12 years...just basic service maintenance as recommended by manual.

I took it to the shop recently since there's a loud ticking sound while driving and accelerating. The mechanic gave me below quote for fixes:

As I mentioned, we have a 2012 Camry with 170k miles just back from the shop. Here's my take. We live in a fairly expensive part of the Northeast and use an independent shop to repair and maintain our vehicles.

1) Remove & replace front wheel bearing (both sides). Remove & replaced front wheel hub (both sides): $2,059
Should be under $450/wheel

2) Remove & replace CV Axle Assembly: $607
Weird this would be needed but maybe that's about right

3) Rear Brake Services: $528
Just had our rear strut/shock assembly replaced for the first time and while wheels were off, we were charged $200 for rear brake pads and new rotors.

4) Cooling System Service: $255
Huh? Never had this done.

5) Battery Service / replacement: $277
Not sure what battery service is, but replacement should be just over $100

Total: $3,726

Mechanic said items #1 and #2 are required to fix the noise problem. Items 3, 4, and 5 are highly recommended for the near future. The car also have a 90k service coming up (timing kit service, tune-up and fuel induction). Overall, this could be up to $4,200 to keep the car going.

We are thinking of just getting a new Toyota Corolla (MSRP $23,000) instead of putting in $4,200 in old car. We would also sell old car (fully paid off) to CarMax or trade-in to net against new car cost. The other pros are below:

a) New Safety features we dont have in current old car (backup camera, blindspot alert, etc)

b) Should be maintenance free besides oil change for first 8-10 years

c) Our older son is 8 years old....we could give our son the new car (which would be 10 years old) when he heads off to college....if we keep old car, camry will be 22 years when we give to him.

Thoughts or advice for our decision?

Thank you.

[RickBoglehead]

Putting that into a 2012 is crazy.

Your maintenance expectations of oil changes only for 8 to 10 years is also crazy. Download the maintenance schedule and read it.

[Mr. Rumples]

Don't let the 2,000 miles throw you. Driving short distances, especially if its stop and go, takes a toll on a vehicle.

[steelhorse]

Toyota CV axles are the best quality, don't replace them. My Tundra has the originals with 238,000 on them. Your cooling system is fine if your car isn't overheating. Your battery is probably fine, over $200 is ridiculous to pay for a new battery. 90,000 is nothing for a Toyota. Ask neighbors/friends etc. around your area for an honest mechanic. That guy is a Rip-off!

[illumination]

I would not sell the car and buy a new one because of a shady repair place trying to shoot the moon. A Camry with only 90k miles and a 2k annual commute, just seems silly not to keep what you have going. I would wager the fix is something very simple. It seems clear to me this person didn't really do much troubleshooting and is just firing the parts cannon at it. If there say is a damaged CV axle or wheel bearing, you don't just automatically replace both sides.

Find a different repair shop.

[old medic]

I would find a new shop.... You need to remove the hubs and steering knuckle to replace the CV axles anyway.... hubs and axles are about $400 and take about an hour per side...

[Watty]

Thoughts or advice for our decision?

My general car ownership plan has generally been to buy new modest trim level Toyotas or Hondas and keep them for about them years then replace them with a similar new car. A ten year old one owner never wrecked Toyota with reasonable miles is sort of the Holy Grail of used cars for some car buyers so they will sell for so much that replacing them with a different new car can make sense.

If you have the budget for it then replacing a 13 years old Camry looks like a reasonable choice to me even if it did not require repairs right now. Over the next 10+ year the yearly cost of depreciation and non-routine maintenance of a new Corolla will likely not be that much different.

The big question is how much you could sell the Camry for right now in AS IS condition. With the list of things which you have been told that need to be done(correct or not) I would not feel comfortable with selling it to an individual even if you disclose it so you might want to get a quote from places like CarMax to see what they will pay for it. You might want to update your post with the CarMax offer since that will be very important.

Also consider the Out The Door price on the Corolla since you will also have other things like sales tax and registration if you get that.

Total: $3,726

People have said that this sounds high which it may be but you also need to keep in mind that if you give the OK for work when they do it they legitimately might find other work which needs to be done too so the total cost could be even higher.

Be sure to also look at the tires since at 90k miles it may be well into the second set of tires which may need to be replaced in the not too distant future. If the tires are not fairly new also budget for when you will need to replace the tires.

Our 2012 Camry has 90k...it's my wife's commuter car...her work is less than 10 miles each way...so yearly, it's less than 2k miles.

This use pretty much screams for you to get an electric car if you own a house and can install a charger.

I am not current on the electric car market but there seem to be all sorts of rebates even on used electric cars so you should research those.

I just bought a new 2024 Corolla a few months ago and I am generally happy with it but I would have bought an electric car if there was not a good chance that we might move to some sort of retirement community in the next five years or so where charging an electric car could be an issue.

I also looked at the Subaru Crosstrek and you might be able to get a really good deal on that since they still have a LOT of 2024s on the lot still even though the 2025 crosstreks are also on the lot now. The list price is a bit higher but if you get a good deal it might cost less than the Corolla which is still in short supply, especially in some parts of the country. You would need to research it but I would suspect that the Crosstrek would also be a safer and less expensive car to insure if you hand it down to your kid when they start driving.

Another wild card is what is going to happen with tariffs but discussion of that is rightfully not allowed here.

[globalpatriot]

Lease a nice EV for her. Charge at home and save a lot on gas and help the environment. https://insideevs.com/features/410039/b ... his-month/

Honda Prologue for $229 a month -- https://insideevs.com/features/410039/b ... his-month/

[climber2020]

I’ve also never had my cooling system serviced;

This is not recommended. The corrosion prevention chemicals in the coolant deplete over time. Coolant should be periodically changed- probably twice in twelve years.

I misread the original post. I thought cooling system referred to the air conditioner, which I've never serviced and works great.

The engine coolant I get checked regularly according to the maintenance manual.

[yankees60]

Lease a nice EV for her. Charge at home and save a lot on gas and help the environment. https://insideevs.com/features/410039/b ... his-month/

Honda Prologue for $229 a month -- https://insideevs.com/features/410039/b ... his-month/

That would be a cost of $2,750 for only that cost to run the car. That gives a starting cost per mile of $1.38 before adding in other costs like gas and maintenance and insurance.