(I put this under The Catholic Bunker, in that it at least remotely touches on disaster and urban preparedness.  You always want a reliable car that doesn't spend half its time in the shop, a fortiori for if/when the SHTF.)

Those who read CI regularly may have heard of my car woes.  It is back in the shop for the umpteenth time, and the mechanic tells me that they can't keep replacing the rack and pinion with remanufactured units, which is what the warranty covers.  He told me that a new R&P would be about $800, and would have to be specially made (2009 Buick Lacrosse, piece of s*** car, lemon from day one, 126K miles).  Purchasing and installing a new R&P would not come under warranty.  If this is the case, I'm just going to park it in the short run --- I can drive my father's car, he no longer drives --- and get a good used car in the longer term.  I'll probably just give it to Goodwill or a similar charity, as I don't want to sell it to an individual and have them on my doorstep when yet another thing goes wrong with it.  I couldn't get pocket change out of a trade-in, no use even to think about it.  The tax deduction would be more advantageous than that.

I am looking at Toyota Camrys, which are supposed to be an excellent car if you just maintain them as you should.  I could get a 2018 Camry from Carmax for just shy of $20K.  I am not in a position to spend any more than that on a car.  Is the 2018 good?  Any problems anyone knows of with that year of Camrys?  Is there a preferred year (2016+) when the Camrys were especially good?  Any years where the Camry had issues?  (2009 was such a year for Buicks.)

Any ideas, I'd appreciate it.  Either here on CI or PM is fine.  Thanks in advance.

My first car was a 2001 Toyota Camry. Great car. Too bad I got rear ended on the highway and they ended up totaling the vehicle. 

I can’t tell you which year is the best, but I definitely recommend Toyota. I have had 2 Honda Accords as well. I will only buy Japanese makes.

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/used-toyota-camry-years-to-avoid-at-all-costs/
.
The 2007, 2008, and 2009 models of the Toyota Camry are inexpensive to purchase, but they can be a real maintenance nightmare. The big issue that owners have had with these years of the Toyota Camry has been with one of the most expensive components that can fail in a car: the engine. The engine for these model years burns so much oil so quickly that it can actually cause the motor to cease.
.
Personally, i've had great luck with Nissan Altimas.  I owned a '96 for 10 yrs and still own an '06.  Bought both a few years old with around 40-50k miles for around 10k.  Very reliable.

I have heard that if you get a Camry and take care of it, it will last you forever.  That's the big selling point with me.  I've also heard good things about Lexus.

Yeah, Lexus is the luxury model of Toyota, so same manufacturing.  My brother got a used Lexus 4x4 and people say it will regularly go for 300k miles.
.
Nissan and Infinity are same company.  Honda and Acura are same.  Volkswagen and Audi.

Honda and Toyota make the best engines in the world.

Honda girl here.

I know how to repair anything on a car, but knowing that, I might take the car to the dealer to do some work that I can't handle easily. That said the best car in my experience is the Camry with a non-interference engine. Now they make some interference engines with steel chains that they say last a lifetime, and do not require changing, but I would still prefer a non-interference engine. That said, I do not have any non-interference engines on my two cars because they didn't make my models in non-interference.

One is a truck and it was only made with an interference engine, the other is made with an interference engines with steel chain that they say lasts a lifetime. 

Great way to buy cars is take out a wanted add in the local paper.  
Contact the classifieds and say, Cash offered for Japanese Car, Truck, Station Wagon etc.  Give your number and let them call you.

You have just dated yourself. I now know you're not a young man. hahaha