CAR TALK\Trusty, well-maintained Toyota may top 200,000-mile mark.

Byline: Tom and Ray Magliozzi 

Dear Tom and Ray:I have a 1986 Toyota Camry with 140,000 miles on it. There are no apparent problems. It has always been serviced by the dealer with emphasis on preventive maintenance. However, considering the mileage, do you suggest it's time for a replacement? If so, can you recommend possible choices in this size/price bracket? I have always been well satisfied with the Camry, but the price increase has to be considered.

- Martha

Ray: I certainly don't suggest you run right out and dump this car, Martha. I've seen well-taken-care-of Camrys go 240,000 miles. So there's no reason to believe that this one is going to fall apart just because of the mileage.

Tom: However, if reliability is an issue, then you're right to think about trading it in. Things are going to start to break one of these years. And while they might not be catastrophic problems (a fuel pump here, an alternator there), they may start to come at inconvenient times. There's a degree of uncertainty that comes with owning an older car, and you have to accept the possibility that you may get stranded somewhere.

Ray: So if that disturbs you, then I'd recommend a 1996 Camry. It was a good car in 1986, and it's an even better car now.

Tom: If the price is a real concern, I can think of three options for you. One is to lease a '96 Camry (which would give you lower monthly payments), and if you like it, buy it when the lease is up.

Ray: Another option is to buy a '95 or '94 Camry, which would still have many good miles left in it.

Tom: Or, just keep driving your current car until it really gets unreliable. And while you're doing that, start socking away some money for a bigger down payment. Who knows, by the time this old Camry finally dies, you may be able to afford a Lexus

Dear Tom and Ray:I have a 1986 Buick Century which has been a great car (aside from having the steering rack replaced twice). The only problem I have is that there is a tapping in the engine which lasts for a couple of minutes after starting, but only when the engine is hot. The noise is louder in the summer than in the winter. My mechanic tells me not to worry about it. Is he right? Or is he just sick of working on my car after 170,000 miles? Should I be planning the demise of my beloved Buick, or do I have another 50,000 miles or so to enjoy her? - Sleepless in Smithfield

Tom: Dear Sleepless: If the "demise" you have in mind involves anything more intricate than, say, taking off the plates, you may want to start planning for it now to give your self a head start.

Ray: My guess is that you have low oil pressure. Oil is at its "thinnest" when it's hot, which is when you're experiencing symptoms. And low oil pressure could be caused by a weak oil pump, a worn-out crankshaft, or worn-out bearings. And in your case (with 170,000 miles) probably all three.

Tom: So unless you're willing to spend a couple of thousand dollars on this car, I'd throw in some 20W-50-weight oil or some overripe bananas and see how long you can put off the inevitable "flickering oil light syndrome" a k a "the death knell."

Ray: It's not necessarily imminent. You could get another 10,000 or 20,000 miles out it if you're really lucky. But that assumes that nothing else goes horribly wrong before the oil pressure drops below the Mendoza line.

Tom: Which is what your mechanic was obviously counting on. The reason he told you not to worry about that little tapping noise is because he probably knew the transmission was about to fall out anyway.