2007 Toyota Camry

kdhspyder

For those who's considering a 07, are you considering vehicle stability control with tracking? I never had a car with VSC, but I never had any major problem in snow/rain (I live in midwest). But I saw a couple of articles saying that VSC is worth every penny. Anyone has some opinions/experiences?

Go here to the European Ins Inst testing. there is a great video on Stability Control. Click on 'Recommendation' and follow the links.

http://www.euroncap.com/content/safety_ratings/introduction.php

austinman7

kdhspyder:

Re: Your comment that the '07 Camry is just about "the same vehicle as before...not a whole lot different."

I live near the Georgetown plant, so our local media give a lot of coverage to what goes on there. A story just the other day, about the assembly line start-up for making the new model, quoted a Toyota spokesman at the plant saying the new Camry has 2000 parts, 1200 of which are different from the '06 model.

Of course, "different" is a little subjective -- how different, for instance. And some different parts, like a new engine, make a lot more difference than a new cupholder. Still, it would seem there's enough "different" in this new model to possibly, say, fix those rattles, but also cause new issues. Who knows.

My '02 Camry XLE had a rattle or two, but otherwise the quality was excellent.

bartalk3

I agree with you--the yellow plastic clashes with the grey interior. It would look much better with beige or tan interior. Let's hope. At whatever price, it's going to be a bargain, since both the engine and the new 6-speed transmission are also used by Lexus. Basically, if you're willing to sacrifice the lush interior and a few other Lexus options, you're getting a Lexus for the price of a Toyota.

kdhspyder

Good point. In viewing it online only it seems very similar, especially the CE/LE version but I'll defer to the specific details you mentioned. Tks

kdhspyder

you're getting a Lexus for the price of a Toyota.

This is one of the reasons for the Camry's overwhelming success. It's one the Detroiter's dont see. If you put an ES330 next to an LE Camry it's amazing that every body panel, with a few tweaks/curves, is exactly the same on both vehicles. One could take the bumpers off one and put them on another. Interior niceties for sure make Lexus standout.

But the $20000 Camry buyer is buying a 4c Lexus. It 'feels' and rides like a much more expensive vehicle.

By comparison, driving an Impala does not feel like one is driving GM's flagship Caddy.

210delray

...passenger seat should be 8-way, not just four way.

I agree! That was the only reason I bought an '05 XLE so my wife would have more flexibility in adjusting the passenger seat.

Oh well, I guess they've always got to find a way to cut costs (temp spare and exposed gooseneck trunk hinges are others).

bartalk3

210 delray: You mean the '05 XLE has an 8-way adjustable passenger seat? Didn't know that. So they've downgraded some features while upgrading others. The bare trunk hinges are also a downgrade, as noted earlier.

But it could be worse. The $50,000 Acura RL luxury vehicle has only a 4-way passenger seat, much like the Honda Accord. Fancy that.

neno8403

I sure do wish we could get this Camry variation in the states...Its the Toyota Aurion and Aurion Sportivo. It will only be offered in Australia (from what I heard). It will replace the Avalon in Australia but it clearly looks like a Gen 5 Camry on the side-profile, a Nissan Altima SE-R mixed with a Gen 5 Camry from the front, and the 2007 Camry in the rear. I like it. The goldish colored Aurion is the Sportivo version.

roberts5

I am impressed with the new 2007 Camry. With the Avalon 268 hp V-6 and a sixth gear, why won't it out accelerate and get better mileage than the 300 lbs. heavier Avalon?
Good job Toyota, you have raised the bar for the 2008 Accord. Keep up the good work.

jfgoing

VSC is great in the snow. I was up in the mountains in a friends Prius - not exactly noted for its sticky tires. But it was holding a nice straight line through the snow without chains while the AWD SUV's in front of us were fishtailing all over the place. Really impressive. (We put chains on eventually because of DOT requirements, but we probably could have gotten along without them.)

mackabee

What do you mean Bob?

Mackabee

210delray

You mean the '05 XLE has an 8-way adjustable passenger seat?

Yep, sure does, and it was standard. Pretty classy, huh? I would assume all 2002-06 Camry XLEs have it, or at least the '04-'06 models.

I asked my wife earlier this evening if the 8-way feature was key, and she said yes, and don't ever sell the '05 if the new Camry has gone to a 4-way. I joked we'd have to get a Lexus next time.

210delray

Well, I like the styling better -- hey, the Toyota emblem is in the center of the grille, but where did they get those awful colors (except the gray one)?

mdchachi

Don't listen to the naysayers. Any redesigned model will have many, many "issues". Most you will never see or hear of and will be quietly corrected at the factory or by the supplier. Consider how much software is loaded in vehicles these days. Now consider how many times you have heard of new software being bug free. (Even NASA software doesn't always work correctly). Of course 99% of the problems are small but those 1% can be bad. Consider the Prius stalling problem as an extreme example.

Personally I wouldn't buy a new model year vehicle until close to the end of the first year (if then). On the other hand, I'd rather have a first-model-year Toyota than a 3rd model year of just about any other make...

larryt22

Thanks for the pictures. Maybe this will lead people to knowing where they can buy side moldings for their 07 Camry

joecarnut

For those of you who have checked out the new Camry, how is the rear view out of it?

One of our drivers is about 5'4" and is concerned as the 06 Camry was not good for her in seeing out the back.
In fact I have noticed many of that generation Camry with dents in their rear bumper area.

Thanks,
Ken

austinman7

Don't know how much of a general indicator this is, but one of our local dealerships says their first sizeable shipment of new Camrys is due March 20. They do hope to have a sample or two in the next week or so.

ben_canada

Well, if the actual productions started on Feb 13rd, there should be a lot of "READY" Camrys already, right?

Long time ago someone form camryman.org (site currently down)who actually works in the plant told me it only takes 2 shifts (about 16 hrs) start to finish to make a new Camry! :P

lmacmil

"Long time ago someone form camryman.org (site currently down)who actually works in the plant told me it only takes 2 shifts (about 16 hrs) start to finish to make a new Camry!"

That sounds right from the plant tour I took last year but 10 of those hours are in the paint shop. They build about 480 cars on a normal 8 hr shift and run two shifts/day with the ability to run 2 hrs overtime per shift if demand requires it.

toycash

Production started last month in Japan, and it seems like many dealers' first Camrys will be Japanese built. They want to have plenty on hand, so that the pipeline will be stocked before the actual release date.

kdhspyder

Here is the limiting factor. An average store has about 20 Camry's on the lot at any time. A large store might have 400 on the lot. There are 1700 stores in NA or about 34,000 vehicles. There might be a few initial deliveries but to actually build 34,000 units it will take a good 30 days from 2-13 to achieve a 'full inventory' of the new '07's.

larryt22

I just checked the Georgetown website and they have not posted the production results for last week. However here were the production goals for last week.

2006 Camry = 3,174
2007 Camry = 826
Avalon = 2,214
Camry Solara = 1,382

I found it interesting that line 1 was still producing the 2006 Camry at full production while line 2 was starting up the 2007. That must mean there are still a lot of 2006 models that will need to be delivered to the dealers.

kdhspyder

or fleets.. I doubt that for the first few months the fleets will get any '07's.

jchan2

I think the remaining 06's will be piled on dealers who want many 07's and fleet buyers.

larryt22

Last week production numbers are up on the Georgetown website now.

Week of 2/13
2006 Camry Production = 3,139 (Line 1)
2007 Camry Production = 829 (Line 2)

Goal for Week of 2/20
2007 Camry = 2,422 combined on Line 1 & Line 2

Looks like 2006 production has ended and 2007 is ramping up very slowly.

mackabee

It doesn't work that way jchan2. Toyota sends cars to dealers under the "turn and earn" system. The more of one model you sell the more you get the next month. Dealers that still have lots of Camrys left on their lots right now will not be getting many 2007's next month or the next. March 6th each dealer in the US will have at least one 2007 on the lot.
:shades:
Mackabee

kdhspyder

Before accessories, like Mats, etc.

CE 4c AT .. $19955

LE 4c AT .. $21135
LE V6 AT .. $23675

SE 4c AT .. $22425
SE V6 AT .. $24950 cloth std + Navi + leather

XLE 4c AT .. $25050 Cloth std + Leather
XLE V6 AT .. $28155 Leather std + Navi

Almost no change at all from the 2006... as expected.

I'll guess the TCH to be in the $26500 to $31000 range depending on equipment.

fredvh

Thanks for the information kd... The price for the XLE 4-cylinder AT is $25050(this includes the leather, is that right?). Thanks again

dudleyr

So I suppose about $900 less for the Manual.

Any word yet on the official EPA numbers. Toyota hinted they would be higher. I am mostly curious about the 4-cyl with a Manual.

kdhspyder

No on the XLE 4c the price is for cloth interior. Leather and Navi are additional. It's actually the same as the current XLE with the same equipment ( I just went outside to check it )

kdhspyder

Actually ~ $1000 less for the M/T

alpha01

Don't forget, the XLE 4 gained the alloys and power moonroof as standard, along with Side Curtains (which all Camrys gained as standard).

~alpha

fredvh

How much is VSC? It's a must-have.

kdhspyder

This year..and I expect in the new model it's a $650 extra

toycash

They probably did that to avoid a gap in availability. The last time they switched body styles, was the last year that the Camry wasn't the best selling car in the country.

jchan2

I didn't know that.

Is it specific to trim lines? Like say I want a Camry XLE V6. If dealer A sells 30 Camry XLE V6s a quarter and dealer B only sells 14, would dealer A have more Camry XLE V6s available?

I know Toyota dealerships move a lot more than 30 Camry XLE V6s a quarter, but it's just for example purposes

mackabee

You got it.
Mack

kdhspyder

Yes to your question on XLE's. Dealer A will always get extra XLE's than will dealer B as long as it's sales continue or expand. If for somereason the sales slip to 20 then future allocations would likely be reduced in order to match the new level of 20.

It's every 15 days that a new allocation comes out. Your new allocation is based on what you sold previously.

However the planning goes out further. For example the first allocations on the new Camry were based on a moving average of 3rd and 4th Qtr of 2005. Replacements however are based on what you actually move.

The idea is sell one, get one, build one; sell three, get three, build three;etc. In this way Toyota's production closely tracks the actual sales and they don't end up with massive inventory overhangs that the domestics do. Also the old models often are sold just as the new ones arrive with very little overlap.

ix1is1

i just got quoted from longo toyota in so cal
2007 CAMRY 4 Cylinder XLE Automatic (Model# 2540)

CA..........................California Emissions

AW.........................16" Aluminm Wheels with P215/60R16 All Season Tires

CF...........................Carpet/Cargo Mats Set

MSRP.........................$23,971

austinman7

kdhspyder:

Hate to show my ignorance, but what is TCH?

kdhspyder

Toyota Camry Hybrid On the hybrid boards the Honda's are called HCH and HAH for short and the new Camry TCH

alpha01

Are you sure thats a quote for a 2007? The 2007 XLE 4s have alloy wheels standard (as well as moonroof).

I wonder when the official pricing announcment from Toyota will be coming out?

~alpha

bobob20032000

I got different pricing.

CE 4-Cyl. MT $18,270
CE 4-Cyl. AT $19,320
LE 4-Cyl. MT $19,450
LE 4-Cyl. AT $20,500
LE V6 AT $23,040
SE 4-Cyl. MT $20,790
SE 4-Cyl. AT $21,790
SE V6 AT $24,315
XLE 4-Cyl. AT $24,425
XLE V6 AT $27,520

jrock65

Do these prices include delivery fee?

alpha01

Good call. It looks like kdhspyder's figures included destination, and the above dont, perhaps?

~alpha

toyodlr

To believe that all the 'good' cars are going to be built and sold at first launch and there will be none left later in the year is, ahem, hoohaa.

I get to go to the dealer input meetings and sales manager roundtables and this has been a constant topic of discussion. With the '05 Tundra, Toyota reached their limits on Sunroofs and Stability Control about 3 months before the MY change. We could not order a truck with this equipment until the '06 was released. This is something that the manufacturers have to estimate for each year and if they under guess the number of requests for this equipment it causes a problem. As I said in an earlier post, if you want specific factory options order them early in the model year to eliminate the possibility of this problem.

toyodlr

Allocations are more complicated than that. It is based on models only for numbers. Your allocation will be based off of Camry only. It doesn't matter how many LE, XLE, etc. you sell. They then decide by a confusing formula how many Camry's you will earn. We then preference for what we want and it is similar to the draft after that but electronic.

But the end result is I can sell on XLE camry's one month and then be allocated on LE's if that is what I preference for. Toyota dealers have a lot of control over what models and equipment they actually get. They are not force fed like the domestics.

alpha01

http://www.pressroom.toyota.com/Releases/View?id=TYT2006022382754

I'm surprised that Toyota didnt present the increase in price of the XLE 4 as a function of the addition of the power moonroof and alloys as standard....

But what the hell is causing the price increase of the XLEV6?

~alpha

kdhspyder

Regarding the V6 XLE as I see it Toyota is going the Honda route. Everything is standard except some major packages like Navi. A 2006 XLE V6 lists now for $28460 before Navi.

On the XLE 4c the new price is within a few dollars of the '06 XLE including SR, AW and GY but not VSC options; now the first 3 are standard but VSC is still an option.

jrock65

So, I guess the price of a fully loaded Camry V6 XLE will be about $30,500?