91 Camry - Loud noises at high speed

It may be a bad rubber bushing making the noise. Does the car sit low with 4 people in it, My rear springs are junk.

No. All Camrys do not do this. Find another one that doesn't. Once purchased a car for my wife where the transmission didn't sound right to me. Can't believe I did this, but the car was all shiny and nice and the price was right. Wound up trying to return it under the

72 hour recission period, but the salesman managed to talk me out it. Sure enough, before long, the transmission went out. Come to think of it, that was many years ago, and I now realize I never bought another used car from a dealer. Seems to me, they know too many ways to gloss over imperfections. I think I found out later on that same car, that the shiny black battery just had shiny black paint with a layer of white acidic corrosion underneath. Just one experience, yours may differ, but I wouldn't buy a car that makes strange noises on the test drive.

Could be the rear suspension bottoming by hitting the bump-stops,...but that should only happen on reasonabley big bumps in the road,....if this is not the case,..look for another car.

Jason

I talked to the mechanic who examined the car - he examined the bushings and reckons they're not loose, and says it's the springs.

What are the symptoms of your bad springs, and did it happen before you bought the car or as a result of heavy loading ?

Hmmm, would this sound different to the bushings problem ? The problem happened when my father in law (sadly I wasn't driving when it happened, just a passenger) was out in the country at high speed. I couldn't feel any large bumps when it happened on the straight, but I guess that's what the suspension is for anyway. It was most obvious on the corners.

They're looking at options to replace the springs before I buy but are muttering about this changing the handling and making it less comfortable to ride. If this is the problem then I'd rather be able to have stuff in the back than have really smooth handling - especially given the age of the car.

Andrew

Are you so far removed from civilization that you only have this one source for cars, or are you close to a larger city? General advice for buying from used car salesman is not to believe anything they say. Sadly, most are more interested in making the sale, than insuring you get a good vehicle. Chances are, that if you agree to buy the car if they replace the springs, they'll replace the springs, you'll buy the car - but the noise will still be there. The factory service manual (steering and alignment section) lists the standard ride height - so you could measure to determine the variance from new. According to Eibach, " A common misconception is that a coil spring "sags" losing spring rate over time, but a look at the components of the equation for the spring rate of a coil spring will show you that is not likely if the spring is properly designed."

If the springs were allowing the suspension to "bottom" and you were riding as a passenger, you'd feel it. Doesn't sound to me like this would be the source of "noises". Those could be a number of other things, some inexpensive and simple to diagnose, others more costly and difficult to isolate. Seems preposterous that you're doing this sort of diagnostic exercise when _you don't even own this car_. My opinion, I would just walk away and find another car that doesn't makes "noises at high speed" on the test drive. Personally, I prefer to buy from a private party, meet the owner at their home, and find a vehicle that has received tender loving care, and has a complete documented service history. There a lots of Camrys in the world. You don't have to buy this one, do you?

Larger is relative in NZ, but I'm about 4 hours drive from a major center. The dealer is a large one for this town, and the rest seem really not very nice.

This is my first purchase from a dealer and I've been around most if not all of the yards in this town. The other dealers in the range I'm looking at have been much worse to talk to and have had worse cars and higher prices. Another city would mean having to take a weekend away and not having the thinking space to get the car checked by someone else and decide myself.

I have basically got their word that this will fix the problem - they have an associated service centre and this is where the diagnosis has come from.

Not a bad thought at all - thankyou.

Nope, the sound and thump was heard / felt, but any obvious bump in the roadway was not

Basically for the level of $$$ I'm looking at the Camry has come out pretty good in safety and reliability. Based on that, the need for a car soonish and my 'perception' (please don't laugh too hard) of the dealer, this is the best current bet I have

I like to know about stuff before I buy it...

Again, thanks for your comments.

For their word to be enforceable, that is, they will do additional repairs if spring replacement does not satisfactorily resolve the problem for you, and also to clarify the nature of the understanding between the parties, all agreements of consequence should be reduced to writing.