2013 and Earlier - Toyota Camry Prices Paid and Buying Experience

alpha01 · December 2003

I am assuming you went through Toyota Financial Services. If you are paying extra each month in your bill, you may want to make sure that your extra payment is going towards the loan pricipal. When my parents were interested in paying down their loan, I called TFS and was told that paying more each month would pre-pay the account, but not reduce the principal. I was given a separate address for which to send a check clearly labeled "For Payment to Principal", which saves a good deal in interest as compared to prepaying your account.

~alpha

masspector · December 2003

my loan is with bank of america, not tfs. At the time you could get a low rate like 0% for 36 or 1K rebate. i took rebate since the 60 month tfs was 2.9 like I got with bank of america. the only reason to go with the tfs loan was if i had wanted the 0% for 36 months, but that was too high of a payment. But you are right, I will check with the bank to make sure it is going to principle.

carolyn22 · December 2003

I just recently bought an 04 LE with ABS. I got it for $16,874 ($4,000 under MSRP) and 1.9% financing for 4 years. I'm really happy with the deal and even happier with the car!

rife · December 2003

Wow, that's a great price you paid. I've never heard of $2K below invoice on a Toyota. Was it a demo?

alpha01 · December 2003

Where are you located, what dealership did you use, who offered you the 1.9% for 4 years, what is the MSRP, what color did you get.... and most importantly... HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR NEW CAMRY!!!

~alpha

nw1997 · December 2003

Alpha01,

The dealership could not keep their word on our order. Vehicle suppose to be arriving before holidays, they cannot confirm this. We got our deposit back. We could no longer wait, so we went yesterday evening an put a down payment on an 04 Accord EX V6 w/navigation, they threw in mudguards and wheel locks. Dealer is tracking one down for us, should be able to pick up vehicle on Saturday. If you would like further info. such as dealer names Toyota or Honda and detailed experience you can reach me at nw1997@hotmail.com.

alpha01 · December 2003

Did you try another Toyota dealership? I will be emailing you, though really, you should post the name of the dishonest dealership RIGHT HERE. Its not against TownHall agreements, and would be a service to the rest of us. I'm sure you will be very happy with the Accord, though I know you had your heart set on the Camry SE V6, which is bit more rare than the Accord, and shines in areas where the Accord does not. You should also call 800.331.4331, Toyotas customer assistance center, and let them know that, as a result of how poorly you were treated by this dealship, you were forced to get an Accord, and that Toyota lost a loyal customer FOR GOOD. Explain to them everything- about how you had a deposit on the car, waited for months, etc. You never know what might come of it.

Best wishes,
Alpha

johnlee220 · December 2003

I just bought a new Camry in Ontario, Canada. When I was picking up the car, I noticed a 2"x1" scratch (down to the metal) on the rocker panel under the front passenger door. They assured me that it will be good as new after the repaint it.
I really want a new undamaged car. Does anyone know if I can force them to give me a different car? I did sign some papers including the ownership. Note that I haven't really taken possession of the car (they gave me a rental).

Thanks in advance.

bronzemaxell · December 2003

i believe dealer still need an other signature from you upon delivery of the vehicle, are they forcing you to sign it???

jiamin · December 2003

If I were you I wouldn't accept that severe damage. If you want another car of the same color and dealer agrees, write down the VIN. They may re-plain it and say OK here's another new one check it out.

Repaint could be almost the same as brand new, and could be not as good. I bought a new 94 Nissan Altima with a little paint off the door frame trim piece, black colored. They painted it and looked just fine. After a few years, the repaint area had many lines of tiny cracks, although no peeling off, but the other door with original paint had none.

carolyn22 · December 2003

<<Where are you located, what dealership did you use, who offered you the 1.9% for 4 years, what is the MSRP, what color did you get.... and most importantly... HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR NEW CAMRY!!!>>

I bought it at Miller Toyota in Manassas, Virginia. They were running a 3 day special after Thanksgiving with $4,000 off MSRP plus the 1.9% financing through Toyota financing. It is Catalina Blue, which is sometimes hard to find, and it wasn't a demo - it only had 8 miles on it when I bought it. I live about 2 hours south of Manassas (still in Virginia), but it was worth the drive. There weren't any dealers around my area that would even come come close to meeting that price.

I've been very happy with the car, and I've only ever owned a Honda or an Acura in the past. I couldn't believe it got the Camry for this price - I think it's about the same price I paid for my '92 Accord EX!

carolyn22 · December 2003

<<Where are you located, what dealership did you use, who offered you the 1.9% for 4 years, what is the MSRP, what color did you get.... and most importantly... HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR NEW CAMRY!!!>>

I bought it at Miller Toyota in Manassas, Virginia. They were running a 3 day special after Thanksgiving with $4,000 off MSRP plus the 1.9% financing through Toyota financing. It is Catalina Blue, which is sometimes hard to find, and it wasn't a demo - it only had 8 miles on it when I bought it. I live about 2 hours south of Manassas (still in Virginia), but it was worth the drive. There weren't any dealers around my area that would even come come close to meeting that price.

I've been very happy with the car, and I've only ever owned a Honda or an Acura in the past. I couldn't believe it got the Camry for this price - I think it's about the same price I paid for my '92 Accord EX!

slov98 · December 2003

that's the same dealership I went to, also got a great no haggle price, only 3k off msrp though, you got a great deal

rife · December 2003

can I take you car shopping with me next time?

gauravbindlish · December 2003

I am getting Camary LE at invoice price with a down payment of 2000 and 0% APR for 48 months. Is this a good deal? Can anyone give some recommendations on deals in Redmond-Bellevue area?

nw1997 · December 2003

Alpha01,

Sorry for taking so long for to reply. The dealership that gave us the poor and I am being very cool headed when I say "poor" was PAUL MILLER TOYOTA IN MONSEY NY. Anyway, we brought home our new Accord last night and man no regrets.

johnlee220 · December 2003

Background: 2"x1" scratch on delivery of new Camry.

After 3 hours of discussions, the assistant sales manager got really upset and said he would cancel the deal and refund the money. After the sales guy chased him down and told him we already paid in full and had use of a rental over the weekend, he came back and said he can't cancel the deal and we would have to take the car as is (they had fixed the scratch).
As we were leaving (without the car), he called the sales rep on the phone from the back office and said he could offer rustproofing and paint protection (before we had to pay $499), would we take it. We said we needed to think about it. Then they conferenced in the sales manager who said they'll do whatever we wanted to make us happy, including giving us a new car! We said, we'll call him tomorrow.
I get a call in the morning from the assistant sales manager to say he's cancelling the deal!
He would rather have a happy non-customer than a unhappy customer.

bronzemaxell · December 2003

after purchased of a new vehicle, toyota headquater normaly will send out a customer satisfaction survey to the new owners, then customers will have a chance to submit their buying experience to toyota, which has direct impact to the dealership and whoever was involved with the transaction.

in regard to the repaint, once it has been repainted, it is never orginal again, and time will make it even worse where there will be unmatched fading color, and paint peel off on the car body through out the years, normally 3 or 4 years down the road.

lilybeans · December 2003

Hi everyone. I've been reading these boards for a while, but never posted. We needed a new car last month, and so we traded in a 98 Jetta. The first Toyota dealer offered us $5600 for it. Frankly, I didn't care what was offered, as long as I paid $14000 out the door, tax, tag, and title included. The best they would do is $15,900 plus the payoff on the trade. This was for an LE. I told them no, and they came down..get this....a whole $25! Well, after that they gave me the song and dance about good luck, and nice doing business with you, etc.

We then went to Bev Smith Toyota in Ft. Pierce, Florida. I told them what I wanted to do, and they agreed after about 5 minutes of negotiation. talk really. So we got the car we wanted for the price I wanted. Plus, the car came with leather, and they threw in floor mats. So all in all I was happy with the price. who knows if I paid too much. They did the deal I wanted, so I can't complain.

I can say this was without a doubt the best car buying experience I have ever had. No pressure, no garbage, none of the usual games we see in
Florida. I highly recommend this dealership. Great car, as well.

alpha01 · December 2003

Congratulations. What exactly did they give you at your purchasing dealership for your trade of the 98 Jetta? Which color did you choose? Is it an LE model w/ leather? If so, how many miles were on the odo when you picked it up?

~alpha

lilybeans · December 2003

It's Lunar Mist LE, leather installed by SE Toyota, 5 miles at delivery.

rickem · December 2003

Thats a good deal in that your final price for the car will be what you negotiated up front. Just make your you pay the car off during that 48 month term.

Also, try to lower the price they give you as well. I know they're giving your a no interest term, but its always worth a shot.

ultratech · December 2003

I'm in Southern California, and the best quote I've got so far for a 2004 4 cyl LE Auto is
$17,600 inc dest fee.
-$750 Rebate
_____
$16,950 + tax & lic .. about $2000 under invoice I think.

Pretty much the same as carsdirect. If anyone can contribute, please let me know.
Thank you.

alpha01 · December 2003

with which options? If you've got ANY, thats a very good deal. I recommend ABS, its worth the extra $300. Some people dont care, but for such a low price, the added control is good to have.

~alpha

cqs · December 2003

ultratech:I asked around in Twin City area,2004 Camry LE 4 auto is about 18000 which already include the 750 rebate. why the price is so much difference? why more expensive at here? if I can get your price at here I will buy it.
thx

shilsum · December 2003

Hello all. I have decided to buy a Camry XLE by the 31st from a Bay Area Toyota dealer.

If anyone has recently bought one, can they share the price at which they bought the car?

XLE with
- Moon roof
- HU Premium Package (Leather interior, alloy wheets, power seats)
- GY Side and Curtain Airbags
- CF Carpet Floor / Trunk Mat Set

Here is price quote that I have got till now:

MSRP $ 26,174/-

Price $ 24,174/-

ultratech · December 2003

My quote for the Camry is just for the basic LE, without any options, but like alpha01 said, if only $300 for ABS, I would go for that too.

CQS: Have you tried carsdirect.com for your area?

cqs · December 2003

I tried carsdirect.com, no much differerce, the carsdirect price for a basic Camry LE without any option is $18032, with ABS is $18290 (just plus $258), which already included the $750 rebate.
Thx!

eastwind_2000 · December 2003

Bought my Camry before Thanksgiving. It's 2004
Camry LE, Auto, with sunroof and ABS. MSRP was $22064,
the invoice price was about $19600, I paid
$18400, $0 down, 60 month, 2.9% APR. I am
in Mass and the dealer was Ira Toyota, which is
the second largest dealer in NE.

flyingcarpet · December 2003

That sounds like a GREAT price! We are in eastern Mass and looking for a Camry too; can you share more details or any tips about your experience? How did you go about getting that price? Were you completely happy with your experience at Ira? Did you go to any other dealers? Thanks much!

eastwind_2000 · December 2003

Ira was the only dealer that I went to. I felt happy with my experience, even though I did have some tough time to make the deal.

When I went to Ira, I had two things in my hand: an e-quote from another dealer, a loan permission from my credit union. These two were very helpful in making the deal because the dealer knew that I had a second choice and I didnt have to stay with them even though I showed them I really liked the Camry that I just test drove. I negotiated with the sales manager for about one hour and finally decided to go to the dealer who gave me the e-quote. The sales manager said fine (angrily) and shook hand with me. It seemed dramatic to me that he chased me after I left the showroom and agreed to accept my offer, which was $18500, if I would use Toyotas finance, which was actually better than the one from my credit union.

I am eligible for Toyotas $400 college graduate rebate. When I bought my Camry, Toyota offered a $350 market support incentive to dealers, which meant that if the dealer could sell a car in 30 days the dealer would get $350. Therefore, without any incentives, $19250, which is about $350 lower than invoice price (about $19600), is probably acceptable to dealers.

BTW: Go to Iras website, and you will find a $100 coupon as you leave their web. You may show this coupon after you negotiate the deal. Ira does honor this. Therefore, my final price is $18400.

flyingcarpet · December 2003

Thanks for the info! How did you find out about Toyota's $350 market support incentive and college graduate rebate?
We are hoping to buy this week--maybe some end-of-year deals... We'll let you know how it turns out!

eastwind_2000 · December 2003

I think college graduate rebate is always available. Generally, you are qualified if you graduated from a university in two years and you
have a job now.

I found the market support incentive from edmunds.com when I did my research. It seems that right now only low APR is left. But you may ask Ira if they still have it.

Good luck and happy new year!!

cqs · December 2003

I found the carsdirect and edmunds has different invoice price for a 04 Camry auto LE just with ABS, at edmunds, it is $18559 which include 515 destination charge, but at carsdirect, it is $18890, also include Manufacturer's Destination Charge 515,
So which one is correct? Why carsdirect invoice price is $331 more than edmunds?
Anyone know this?
Thanks

masspector · December 2003

If you click on the area where it says invoice price on the CD website you get a pop up window that explains the prices. This is an excerpt from that pop up window for a camry le auto in my area:

"Invoice is popularly known as the published amount that the dealer paid the manufacturer for the vehicle. This may or may not bear close relation to the dealers actual cost, but can be useful as a benchmark. This figure is available on many other web sites; however, only CarsDirect.com adds an estimate of local and regional fees from the manufacturer to the dealers to this price, which makes it very close to the actual sticker invoice amount for cars at your local dealer. No other source has this level of detail. Most other sources of Invoice are not accurate at a regional and local level.

An estimate of these manufacturer-to-dealers fees (such as an advertising fee) is provided for each car and is added to the Invoice to make this figure as accurate as possible. We make this estimate for most cars in most regions. There are some regions and vehicles for which we do not have estimates of these fees.

For this model, we have added $592.00 to the Invoice to represent these fees."

Notice what CD estimates for ad fees is added into their invoice price. When I was shopping I used the edmunds invoice as the real invoice price and used CD as a guide for the market in my area.

alpha01 · December 2003

Excellent post, and advice! Thanks for your continuous strong contributions to the many Camry forums.

~alpha

PS- Happy New Year to all!!

sdhutch · December 2003

I can get an 04 Camry SE, 4 Cylinder, w/ ABS, alloys, spoiler, moonroof, mats, and single disc JBL upgrade stereo, for $19,650 (after $750 rebate). Is this a good deal?

alpha01 · January 2004

Yes!

Congrats on your new Camry.

~alpha

dmurphy5 · January 2004

I'd appreciate it if anyone who has recently purchased an 04 auto. camry LE would post their purchase price. I'm also interested in hearing if anyone has had any success in refusing to pay the additional dealer fees that are preprinted on the contract. Thanks.

cqs · January 2004

I plan to go for a 04 Camry LE auto just with ABS if I can get it around $18000 next week in Twin Cities area.
Happy New year!

masspector · January 2004

I really love my camry xle and as usual when I find something I like I get kinda passionate about it, like alpha does. I enjoy helping others if I can. Us buyers have to stick together. The sales pros do it everyday, we only do it every few years.

Speaking of sales pros, the smart shopper boards are full of useful general car buying info. I would sugest checking them out before you buy. Some of the regular car pros there, driftracer, landru, royce, isellhondas, and others that I cannot rememeber offer a great service to the edmunds community and can provide answers from the other side of the desk. Also royce offers a great service in real world trade in values thread if you have a trade in. Have him check it out before you go to buy so there will be no surprises with the trade.

Happy new year to all and I hope you all have a prosperous 2004.

floridanight · January 2004

After reading the info contained on this board and doing research, I finally traded in my 1994 Camry V6 XLE with 140,000 miles on it (still in good condition) and bought a brand new one this afternoon. I purchased a

2004 Camry V6 XLE with the GU package, a moon roof with wind deflector, and Luxury leather faced seats in Lunar Mist (why don't they just say silver??).

My out the door price (included all taxes, title, tag transfer) was $25,600. I used my 94 as a trade in.

This is the first time I have ever purchased a new car on my own (dh always handled the actual price, etc.) I found it very difficult to compare the prices on the window with what I actually paid for it. While I don't think it was a great deal, I think it was pretty good?

vivpuri · January 2004

Bought Camry LE from Manassas, VA for $17093. Price includes ABS + Floor mats. will have to give for TTL since i will get it registered it from DE. Thanks for the posts from guys who told about the offer in Manassas. The price is still $4000 of MSRP(4000 includes the $750 from toyota).
I am located in DE but the toyota dealers out here(there are only 4)were really rude and abusive. So drove 4 hours each side to buy the car. Had a real good experience at the dealership. I was not in a mood to haggle and so were they. Bought the car in 20-25 mins.

Thank you guys for all you messages.

mimiata · January 2004

I have a quote for zero down for a 48 month lease at 15,000 miles per year for a Camry XLE with the HV package (moonroof, 16 in. wheeels, the whole bit) for $369 per month.

No money is to change hands at the "sale"

Please let me know ASAP.

Thanks

mimiata · January 2004

My Florida dealer quoted me $22,254 plus tax for a Camry XLE with the HV package (moonroof, leather,6 cd changer,fog lamps, and a bunch of other stuff)

It sounds good , but I'm not sure if it could not be better.

He would also lease this vehicle to me for $369 per month for 48 months with 15,000 miles per year. I would NOT lay OUT ONE CENT for this deal.

I am not sure whether buying is better than leasing because I have terible luck with cars once they come off warranty. That is my only reason to lease.

So, what can you ofer in the way of help? I need to say yes or no by Mon. at 6 pm.

Thanks

emarks1 · January 2004

"My Florida dealer quoted me $22,254 plus tax for a Camry XLE with the HV package (moonroof, leather,6 cd changer,fog lamps, and a bunch of other stuff)"

According to carsdirect.com

Your Price $22,285
MSRP Price: $25,340

Looks like a decent deal.
I'd ask the dealer to throw in 1 or 2 years of prepaid maintenance as well. It doesnt cost them much and brings you back to the dealership for service.

syedqadri · January 2004

I want to pay cash for a camry. Hi,

sorry to bother you. I am in seach to buy a camry right away. I wanted to buy a new one (2003) or buy a used one. I went to look at avis rental cars (for sale). the dealer at avis cars for sale for selling for 11,000 for a 2003 Camry Le (power everything). At other dealers I am finding it for 10,000 for 1999 with 38,000 miles. But when buying from a dealers they tack so many other charges (like prep charges............ugh.)

I was also looking at buying new but at the dealer the salesman would quote one price and the manager would say sorry can't do it and want to sell for $2000 more. I am thinking about looking into carbargains but they charge $190 and I don't want to commit that kind of money.

Please help. Could you post this on the web site as well.

should I purchase a new one or an old one to save on depriciation? Is 50,000 too much on a 1 year old car. I kinda hate car buying. I wish it was as painless as buying a tv.

thanks for info and expertise. could email me directly as well at syedqadri@aol.com

thanks for your help.

sophie.

syedqadri · January 2004

what has been your experience. Do these save money and headache? Please let me know. I have been to several dealers here in LOng island new York and have hated the experience. They quote one price and the manager comes and says sorry they can't do it. I bet they call monday and ask how they can earn my business. good I hate this. I don't like these games. anybody else agree. thank goodness for the internet.

sophie.

syedqadri · January 2004

Hi,

can anybody post what they paid for 2003 camry in the northeast especially new york, long island.

any good dealers around here? I want to pay cash.

Better idea to buy used or new. I want to buy a 2003 camry with under 40,000 miles. I heard toyotas run for 200k.

syedqadri · January 2004

hi,

sorry for a million posts but I have a zillion ??? and am anxious to buy a car right away for work as my former car is out of commission.

I live in New York.

does anybody have any experience with rental fleet cars for sale thru avis, hertz, or enterprise?

Pls. let me know.

email me at syedqadri@aol.com

thanks.

sophie.

2013 and Earlier - Toyota Camry Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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