Dealer says my Toyota Camry isn't worth fixing?

Its going to be expensive. Head gaskets are labor intensive. I had mine done ten years ago (different car than yours) and it was a thousand bucks. How much is your vehicle worth, and is it worth putting a bunch of cash into?

If it is, take it to an independent garage, not the dealer. Dealars charge too much, you can save something probably by going to a small shop. Your car is older, so they should hopefully know how to handle it.

good luck. It may be time to part with your faithful steed, but perhaps not.

well, A person can replace the head gaskets but this isn't an easy job and it will require some advanced knowledge about engines and of course this vehicle in particular. I have A 1993 Toyota Camry XLE V6. I love this car and even though it has 153,000 miles on it I have done extensive work to it. I bought it for 600$. Now, back to Your issue. Replacing the Head Gaskets is possible like I have said but it requires A person to remove the upper and lower intake manifolds, remove the Valve covers take the alternator off, remove the timing belt unbolt the the Heads to replace the gaskets. Then, when you reassemble the engine you will have to align markings in the camshaft and crank pully's in order to re-install the timing belt.

. Buy A Haynes Repair Manual for Your year, Make and Model car and this will all be explained in complete detail. I would also buy A new timing belt and water pump if you have torn down the engine this far it's A good idea to replace these parts because they are very difficult to get to and since you are there I would go ahead and do just that. Hope this helps!

Dealerships want to sell cars and for this reason they would suggest that.

But lets talk dollars here!

A remanufactured V6 costs less the 3000 dollars and a new radiator maybe 300 dollars. So the high end of getting your present car fixed is about 4000 dollars. But a new Camary will loose about 8000 dollars the first year in value just because it is new. There is also going to be about 1200 dollars in taxes, and a real possiblity of paying 800 dollars more for insurance. Which means a new car (Camary) is going to have a real expense of close to 10000 dollars the first year of ownership.

Now, it is your choice! Yes 4000 dollars is a lot of money (a replacement engine used can be found and that cost halved), but unless mathmatics has changed a lot 10000 dollars is more. I would suggest that even if you had to replace the transmission, CV's and all the brakes that you still would not loose 10000 dollars.

So the bottom line is (because this is what I do)-

Find a different shop and fix your car up- it is cheaper in the long run.

I propose you simply need go to auto zone or napa and allow them to assess the battery for you free,then you are going to find out what's wrong with it?Alternator or battery just isn't a colossal concern and yet another factor your toyota is exceptional coz 1996 is still very good and made in japan no longer like new toyota starting from 2003 is made in kentucky,u.S.A. And it's suck.But if which you could manage to pay for a brand new car so higher buy it,,,if no longer then fix and keep riding for a number of more years i m sure!I obtained a toyota camry 1998 and nonetheless driving 90 miles on throughway rapid than most automobiles in the market though!Simply do not forget trade oil every 3000 miles then you will pressure it to 200k miles with no problem!

Too bad. Just replacing the head gasket would be worth the expense . . . . but if the engine severely overheated there's a good chance that the head is warped, block damaged, other unseen damage.

Yes, take it to an independent shop - - - a used engine from a salvage yard might be the way to go - but what are the chances of finding a good running, well maintained 20 year old engine?

And you took a 92 to the dealer why???? Go to a hole in the wall repair shop. And if its worth it to you then repair it, but the car is only worth about 1300 bucks MAYBE. So just a scenario. When you go spend about 2 grand for all the work that will probably be needed on your car and as your leaving the repair shop someone hits the back of you and totals it. Guess what? Your getting 1300 bucks from the insurance company. MAYBE. So you would be out all that money. So in my opinion its not worth it. Id just buy another car, Doesnt have to be expensive

Don't listen to the dealer, they want you to buy another car and get in debt. go to a repair shop to get it done, replacing the radiator is an easy job, i suggest you buy the parts yourself and take it to the garage and pay for the labor, it's cheaper and you can get whatever brand you want for your parts. usually the repair shops use really cheap parts and gaskets. it's probably going to cost you around $200-$500 or even less, I paid $300 but my valves bent.

Bring it to an independent garage and have it fixed there. Talk to them about installing an used engine from japan as an option.

If your car has 300,000 on it and look like crap then yeah I would not put more money into it, but I think this car can do another 10 years, so I would fix it.

You took a twenty year old car to the dealer? You got rocks in your head or what? Get real and take it to a local garage where they'll fix it in a week. Sheesh! You don't have any men friends do you?