Millenia ('99) vs. Camry ('97)

[notty_lad]

Hello mates,

I was wondering how does a Millenia fare in comparison to a Camry?

I am confused between the two and I have to make a decision to buy one.

Here is the Millenia:
1999 mazda millenia CLENE TITLE

and here's the Camry:
1997 Toyota Camry LE 4 cylinder 122K auto

Which one do you think I should go for?
I read that Millenia is too costly to maintain .. could someone confirm that?

Please help me make an honest assessment of the two and choose between the two.

Thank you .. much appreciated.

[Millenia-Falcon]

I would go with the Millenia, and not just because it looks exactly like mine. First off, the 2.5 model, which is the one you linked, is very reliable. Very on par with the camry. The 2.3 is the trouble model. Also the millenia has less miles and though its hard to determine from those pics, looks in better condition. And it's newer. And I think overall, the Millenia would be a slighty higher quality.

[notty_lad]

Thank you for your prompt reply mate.

My only concern is the maintenance cost. Of course I saw the millenia and the condition is great. But I read that maintenance can kill you.
I'm just a student and don't make a lot of money so I'm worried of getting strangled by the maintenance cost in the future.

Could you give me a perspective on it?

[Nabil]

If you are a student and CANNOT work on cars on your own by following instructions from this site, then you are better off with the Camry.
I have a 95 Camry and that car is so **** reliable. Same engine is in yours. Oil change is actually all you need to do whereas in the Millenia, it might not always be oil change.
I have an 01 Millenia and it gives me headache sometimes although I don't drive it so much.

This is a true advice to you. It's hard to follow this advice because the Millenia is such a sexy car lol.

[Nabil]

Eh! The new forum takes the cuss away lol. I didn't say the F word though... It was the D word.

[notty_lad]

Thanks for the reply.

I think I have almost decided I won't go with the Millenia because of the fears of maintenance.

Although now I've also got an option for a Honda Accord of 97 which also seems good. I'll have to figure out between the Accord and Camry now I guess.

[Xedosman]

I agree with Nabil. The Millenia is reliable, but the Camry is even more reliable. If you're a student with limited funds, the Camry is an ideal car. I've had one too, a 92 with the same 2,2 engine. They're known to cover at least 400k miles without fuss.

The Millenia should be concidered the enthusiasts choice. The Camry is reliable transport. To give you an idea how well the Millenia drives; my Xedos (its euro sibling) is a better highway cruiser than a BMW 530i Touring (estate). Beyond 85 mph you wish it was 6-speed instead of 5-speed manual, because the 3,0 inline 6 isn't as smooth as the Mazda 2,5 V6. As you may be aware of, BMW is known to build some of the best and smoothest engines in the world. Only the 2,5 Mazda V6 is even smoother. The 2,3 Mazda even beats the 2,5 for smoothness and some say it cruises better at 120mph than a Merc S600. No kidding. The Camry is not in this leauge to put it that way. Though it will cruise reasonably smooth in legal speeds, upwards 75 mph.

I hope this comparison helps you make a decision

PS. Both cars offer good chrash protection for their age, the Camry actually got 4 star NCAP rating, as opposed to most euro cars from that era which generally got 3 stars.

[notty_lad]

Wow .. that's quite a meaty post!

Thanks for the insight.

Would you suggest a 1997 Camry is better than a 1997 Accord LX then? (Similar condition cars)

Coz' the answer will put the final nail on the head and I'll push the button.

[T2T]

I think your decision to pick the Camry over the Millenia is a fair one - given your current student status. Don't get me wrong, the Millenia is a great car for an enthusiast who doesn't mind doing a little bit of their own work.

I inherited my Millenia from my wife (as my commuter vehicle) - she got the new vehicle we purchased. We've owned the Millenia since day one, yet it seems that most of the parts are a bit harder to come by - most gaskets need to be ordered, even from my local import parts place. Parts are a bit more costly. For the Milly, the EGR valve runs about $299. Heck, for my Taurus, it was a $53 part.

Don't get me wrong, I like my Milly. Then again, I love to tinker and have quite a few tools if something comes up that needs a bit of attention.

[ME2000]

Originally Posted by Xedosman

I agree with Nabil. The Millenia is reliable, but the Camry is even more reliable.

The 2,3 Mazda even beats the 2,5 for smoothness and some say it cruises better at 120mph than a Merc S600. No kidding.

I hope this comparison helps you make a decision

I agree with Xedos. I know because I've done 130mph and it feels like your riding on air, no shaking or ANYTHING. Its really does do 120 like its doing 80 and I have the 2.3. It is reliable for me so far, and I've put 25K miles on since I bought it last year.

My first car was a camry and I agree they are UBER-reliable, it took me forever to break that thing. Just make sure you had the timing belt inspected/replaced check your fluids and you're set. I'll try to put another 25-50K miles on it within 2 years and probably will trade it. I just want to basically put as many miles on it as possible. Its been a great car.