I found this pretty nice used 07 TCH on Cars.com: http://bit.ly/bJfTWe

I test drove it. It drove well and aside from a few minor blemishes inside and on the body, it was a good deal. It has 70k miles on it. It has a clear title, clear AutoCheck, clear Carfax (you can see it in the link above), and Carfax lists all the maintenance work done on it since it was bought. It is a one owner car and the owner did every regularly scheduled maintenance on the vehicle (oil, brakes, etc.).

So after test driving it for a good ten miles, we pull into the parking lot and I open up the hood and I hear this strange sound coming from the bottom left part of the engine compartment near the ABS booster. I can't quite describe the sound, but it sounded like a whirring fan along with some gurgling sound (I wish I had captured video/audio of it). EDIT - my wife only recalls the whirring and wushing sounds, but no gurgling. But I could not see anything and it stopped after about 30 seconds. I assumed it was some type of new fangled cooler for the hybrid.

I searched on here and found someone else facing a similar issue:

https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...-noises-24689/

I have not taken possession of the car yet, but will do so tomorrow (Monday). So I called the seller tonight and asked him to check if he saw any leaked pink coolant inside the engine cavity.

I don't recall seeing anything leaking or dripping when I looked yesterday, but I just want to make sure. I did notice that the coolant level was low, and considering that this car was dealer serviced on 10/2009 (8,000 miles ago), it did seem a little strange the coolant was low.

And one more thing, when I pulled the oil dipstick, I saw a little smoke come out. The same thing happened when opened up the main oil filler cap. Just a minuscule bit of smoke that came out and then quickly dissipated.

What do you guys think?

Update: The seller did go and look at the area under where the coolant pump is and he said he could see some dried pink residue. I told him that is almost a guarantee that the coolant pump is leaking.

 

That may be your ABS pump, pumping up. It sounds like a rather loud rattling, mechanical pumping sound. It comes from the front left side, ABS area. I have felt the lines from the ABS vibrate some when it does this. Mine usually does it after I park (engine off) and lift the hood for some reason.

My 2007 when new made the same ABS pump noise from day one.

I'm not sure about your crankcase oil smoking some from the dip stick. This may be normal on a engine that has just been shut off. I usually look at the oil level on mine after it has set for a few hours or overnight. Use 5W-20 is what this engine takes. You can use 0W-20 which may work well if you in a colder climate. The 0W is a full synthetic oil. I prefer the toyota oem filter myself.

The Camry Hybrids do seem to have a problem with the water pump leaking the pink coolant around 60,000 miles. It's located down under the ABS area. Look for a pulley with a belt on it behind the AC compressor on the lower right front of the engine. It may have pink residue on the pulley. Any question on the pump I would ask for a new one to be installed before buying the car.

Any questions I would take the car to a Toyota dealer and have them take a look. There is a way to see the pump better by removing the passenger side tire. I don't know if they have to lift a panel to see the pump or not.

I have been told sometimes when the pump first starts to leak it will weep out on the pulley shaft itself. That part of the pump may be harder to see.

That sure looks like a good price for a nice car. The large traction battery in the trunk is now priced down around $1500. I have never heard of it failing on the Camry's. Two Prius owners here in town had to be replace around 235,000 miles and another at 248,000. That's a low price for batteries after that many miles. These newer packs were using in the 2007 Camry's and newer may last even longer.

 

rburt07,

Thank you for your advice. I am starting to think the same, since I did brake the car really hard just a few minutes before to test how well the ABS works and if the car pulled in any direction. I've asked the seller to examine the engine compartment for any pink residue on the pulley. The slight smoke coming from the engine when looking at the oil did not concern me much, but I just wanted to run it by you guys.

 

Before you spend $14K, spend $100 having the car checked out at your Toyota dealer.

If the owner won't let you take the car to the dealership, WALK AWAY!

 

The problem is that he lives in Charlotte, NC and I am down in GA. I did ask him to have the car checked out - radiator/water pump pressure tested and also the PCV valve looked at for the smoke from the oil cap and dipstick.

 

UPDATE!!!

I would NOT buy this car from this guy under any circumstances!

He is a DEALER pretending to be a private owner. Here's the proof:

1. Car was sold at a dealer's auction. These auctions are closed to the general public.

2. He took photos of the car in a driveway, not a dealer's lot. By inference, he is trying to present himself as a private owner vs. a dealer. Legitimate dealers clearly identify themselves as dealers. If he is being deceptive about this, what else is he hiding? In some states, this is ILLEGAL.

3. When you Google his phone number, you will find other cars he is or has sold using this same practice. One includes a 2006 BMW, possibly others. He could also have other phone numbers he uses to hide the fact that he is selling multiple cars as a dealer.

WALK AWAY!!!!!

 

Yeah, I met the guy at a mall in Charlotte to check out the car. He then took me to Budget Auto Sales, 5104 Hwy 74 in Monroe, NC to do the paperwork. The dealer is a friend of his and this guy does these types of sales for a little extra cash on the side....that is what he told me.

I have signed the title and the title transfer paper on Saturday, but not the bill of sale or the warranty sheet (AS-IS). I still have not paid him. He was supposed to meet me at a half-way point in Columbia, SC to give me the car and title/paperwork and for me to give him a cashier's check.

Even though the paperwork is from a dealer, I was instructed to make a check out to the guy not the dealership?

Can I still walk away?

 

This deal isn't done until everything is signed and money and car keys have changed hands. Did you get it checked out at a Toyota dealership?

 

Not yet, I live in Augusta, GA and he is up in Charlotte, NC.

I have asked him to do so at a local Toyota dealership and that I'd be willing to split the cost of a checkup (~$100). He has not gotten back to me yet. We'll see. If he starts hemming and hawing, then I'll just walk away.

What happens to the title and the transfer of title form that I have already signed? I can walk away without worrying about the dealer coming after me?

Update: The seller did go and look at the area under where the coolant pump is and he said he could see some dried pink residue. I told him that is almost a guarantee that the coolant pump is leaking.

 

You definitely have a leaking water pump. I had mine replaced a few months ago and the dealer charged $300 for the work and pump.

My understanding is until you pay, the car remains his. Is this the title transfer from you signed - if so, download a new one. This was from http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/vehicle_ser...oregister.html