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Toyota Camry 2006 and earlier

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Comments

  • ludacrisludacris Member Posts: 185
    I'll take it! (...then again im a Nissan boy lol).

    Yeah I'm curious to see how many Camry/Accord buyers are willing to switch to the Altima. Nissan seems pretty confident that they'll sell many more Altimas than they sell now very easily. I'll admit that I'm a lil scared that it'll turn into the Saturn LS of Nissan...although this car is much better...
  • mmccloskeymmccloskey Member Posts: 168
    As more valid information trickles out about the features of the new Camry, is there any mention of a remote trunk release feature/option? This is something that is considered 'standard' on many comparable vehicles and considering the caliber of the Camry/Solara, I for one, expected this on my 2K Solara. I would gladly forfeit the auto-dimming rear-view mirror for a remote trunk release. Hopefully the upcoming Camry will incorporate this 'necessity'. BTW, my Camry/Solara SLE has been wonderful and each time I drive it, I know I couldn't have gotten a better vehicle for the money (except a Lexus!).

    M. J. McCloskey
  • sunshine60105sunshine60105 Member Posts: 129
    192 horsepower is alot!!!!! I think that's enough horsepower for the Camry. :)The 192 horsepower is for the V6 I am assuming. :)>:)
  • sunshine60105sunshine60105 Member Posts: 129
    Ok, so the V6 model weighs in the upper 3200 range
    ,and a SE v6 weighs 3300 ;then, how much does a XLE 4 cylinder weigh? :) Do you know? If you do;then, this information would be appreciated. Just curious is all. :)
    Chow!
  • sunshine60105sunshine60105 Member Posts: 129
    Very true, if someone wants a car to race ;then, they better off getting a hot rod,but if they want reliability ;then, Toyota is great with that.
    I'm defintely getting a 2002 Camry....
    It's very true about the high price of the Camry,but that doesn't mean that you have to pay the price that is on the sticker, it's up to the buyer to present to the saleperson a price,and it's up to the salesperson to take or leave,but eventually that person will get the Camry for the price that they presented.
  • sunshine60105sunshine60105 Member Posts: 129
    Is the navigator system standard in the XLE 2002 Camrys ,or is it a option that comes with the XLE?
    :)
  • armtdmarmtdm Member Posts: 2,057
    Well, currently a 92 Camry SE V6 (discontinued this model in 96-96) (really handles great compared to other models and happy to see they may be bringing this model back, but have also owned a 95 Maxima GLE andd 98 MAxima SE I will tell you that the Maxima is a great car. Never ever went to the dealer, 12,000 mile oil chagnes on both with synthetic and that V6 (as Consumer Reports says) may be the sweetest V6 ever made to date. Just a great engine. Reliabilty and durability are equal to or greater then Toyotas.

    Anyone looking at a Camry should look at the Maxima,price (invoice and what you can buy them for are really very close to Camry.
  • kam66kam66 Member Posts: 31
    I agree with your post regarding the Maxima SE. My wife and I test drove one and liked it (reliability, control layout, engine), although we found the clutch and shifter to be a little vague. The seats weren't as comfortable as some of the cars we drove and I was surprised at how tight rear headroom was (I'm 6'2" with more of my height in the torso). It actually took a couple of minutes in the rear seat for the cushion to compress and my head not to hit the headliner. The exterior styling doesn't do anything for me, but a very good deal could overcome that. BTW I'm more partial to Maximas from 2 body styles ago while my wife prefers the previous one.

    From our limited test drive in the 2001 Camry my wife and I were left shaking our heads in disappointment. Perhaps we ended up with a bad sample (only manual transmission out of 60 Camrys on lot), but the clutch was very light with a difficult to discern engagement point, the shifter was felt rubbery, and the suspension felt soft with a lack of precision. We asked the sales person if the Camry could be ordered with a sports suspension and the answer we got back was no (not sure if he knew about the TRD options - I've only learned about them recently through message boards like this one). As the limited information regarding the Camry hints at a firmer suspension and more sporting ride than the current model, we'll probably test drive the 2002 before making our final decision on a sedan. More than likely we'll look at an SE V6, although if no manual transmission is offered than we'll probably buy elsewhere.

    Other sedans we are looking at are the Passat, Accord (EX 4 manual), IS300 (manual) and TL-S (no manual but fun car). We'll probably also test drive the Altima before purchasing a vehicle this fall. Every car in the group we're looking at has its strengths and weaknesses but I doubt we can make a bad choice among any of them.

    I appreciate all the info this forum has made available and will keep on lurking up until we make our purchase. Thanks,

    KAM
  • sbell4sbell4 Member Posts: 446
    Factory option in package # 9 (GWAT) available only on XLE. In the Southeast it will be on 33% of the XLE V6 which will make up around 3% of the Camry sales in the first production wave. It is not availble without a factory special order on the 4 cyl right now. Note that factory combinations will vary from region to region and you need to contact a dealer in your area for the breakdown of how the Camry is being equiped for your region.
  • vnguyen16vnguyen16 Member Posts: 10
    Keep yor mind open for the new 2002 vehicles. 2002 Altima could be one of the best among midsize sedans in terms of performance, drive handling, styling and low pricing. Nissan is known good for quality and salvage value,too. You should read all test drive reports from many groups such as Edmund, Motor Trend, Autoweek and more to get the idea how these vehicles are compared. Don't forget to use email to ask for lowest price that you can get.
  • carguy000carguy000 Member Posts: 55
    I'm sorry, I don't remember the curb weight for the four cylinder, but it must have not been a big difference for me NOT to remember it. :) Take care.
  • ecarmackecarmack Member Posts: 161
    The IS300 doesn't have a manual trans yet, does it? The CL-S gets a 6 spd this fall and the TL-S should follow next year. Which has some thinking about the possibility of a manual with the 6 cyl Accord in a couple years.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    The IS does have a 5sp manual as of August, I believe.
    ~alpha
  • kam66kam66 Member Posts: 31
    Didn't mean to insinuate we'd driven a manual IS300 yet, only the auto about a month ago. We liked it, but we'd only be interested in the manual (will test drive next month when it comes out). One of the downsides for us is that it is rear wheel drive we aren't sure how it will handle in the snow.

    If the TL-S had a manual we'd have probably already bought it (we figure it would be a little lighter, cheaper, quicker, and possibly better MPG). For some reason Honda doesn't currently offer manual transmissions with their V6s, and unfortuneatly it looks like Toyota is following suit with the 2002 Camry. Maybe if they offered a CVT like the 2002 Audi I could understand since the acceleration and MPG are as good as the manual. For the time being I'd rather row my own until the CVT technology proves its reliability.
  • har1bushhar1bush Member Posts: 207
    who said 192hp isn't enough? I only said that for the mass crowd, 192hp is plenty and that only a few enthusiasts might cringe at the fact that all the other cars in competition have more horses. Besides, what's in the peak horsepower/torque numbers anyways? It's all about a flat torque curve and a matching weight. I'd be perfectly content with Toyota keeping the same engine, but I would have liked to see the numbers upped a tad bit.
  • vincer2vincer2 Member Posts: 97
    the 30 amp fuse for the circuit that controls power windows/locks/moonroof intermittently blows in my 96 camry. it will be ok for 4-6 months then it will blow fuses repetitively when moving any window up or down.

    3 different dealers have been reluctant to even look at it due to the difficulty in diagnosing the problem.

    has anyone had a similar problem and if so what was the corrective action?

    thanks in advance,
    Vince
  • ravvie4meravvie4me Member Posts: 110
    Somebody remarked earlier that 192hp is enough for the V6 in the Camry because it's a "family sedan."
    Then how do you explain the Sienna? A family VAN with a 210(?)hp VVT-i V6? It's the same V6 engine as Camry! It (Sienna) had good power w/o VVT-i even with it's heavier curb weight.

    If Toyota could boost the power in a van (based off the Camry w/the same engine nonetheless) that didn't even need it, then why not in a sedan (Camry) that could use a little boost?
    Come on Toyota. PLEASE!!!

    -RAVvie4me
  • har1bushhar1bush Member Posts: 207
    But the Sienna is not only heavier, but also carries more people and passengers, not to mention it's more expensive than a Camry... what do you expect?
  • ravvie4meravvie4me Member Posts: 110
    I guess I didn't take that into account. It just seems weird that Toyota don't just give it some kind of power boost, even just to 200hp. Toyota had a chance to blow away the Accord and didn't capitalize on it.

    Sorry if I sounded angry in my previous post.

    -RAVvie4me
  • har1bushhar1bush Member Posts: 207
    Yeah, I expected more power myself... but I think most people here are saying that there's more to a car than just horsepower and that the current engine is certainly more than decent enough.
  • johndoe6johndoe6 Member Posts: 12
    So, did anybody purchase a new Camry this weekend? Tell us about it if you did. Where is all the Camry people this weekend?
  • gp10sne1gp10sne1 Member Posts: 2
    Hi,

    I just purchased a 98 that came off lease with 16K miles so I thought it would almost like new. I'm a little disappointed because I'm hearing a sound like a click or ping sometimes when I change gears or when the auto trans is about to shift. I had my friend go through the gears while I looked underneath and the tranny sounds solid but the sound almost seemed to come from the exhaust. I have to schedule an appointment at the dealer but thought somebody out there might have experienced this already. Any help will be appreciated.

    Thanks
  • robert_s_22robert_s_22 Member Posts: 25
    I think anything around 200 is fine. I have a 1998 XLE V-6 .. I see a lot of Camrys around and ALMOST EVERY ONE is a 4-cyl LE. So my question to all of you is, considering MOST of you will probably get a 4 cyl anyway what real difference does it make. By the way I will get nothing less than a V-6 and probably nothing less than an XLE on my next Camry (I've been spoiled) I am also considering a Lexus ES300. With the new 5 speed auto in the ES300 the are looking at 0-60 in the 7.5 second range, plenty fast. Keep in mind Toyota/ Lexus cars are very efficent. Case in point the Infiniti Q45 has 340 horsepower and the Lexus LS430 has 290 horsepower, the Lexus runs 0-60 in 6.4 seconds and the Infiniti runs it in 6.5. I will own nothing but a Toyota/ Lexus because they are bullet proof. My parent have a 99 Acura TL and have had a few problems with it, My Camry has been trouble free for 82,000 miles. I've done nothing but change the oil,and air filter..
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    Does anyone know the actual figures (percentage split) that Toyota sells, of Camry I4s vs. Camry V6s? I agree that LE 4s run the majority, but, in this region, NJ, there are also seemingly alot of CE 4s and LE V6s. These are the ones I've seen most.
    UM can the new one frekin come out! I'm tired of reading about the Altima (I really don't like the rear end styling by the way).
    I think Nissan has made a huge advancement with the 02 Altima, but I really question their ability to dethrone the new Camry. Only time will tell I suppose.
    -alpha
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    ...73% of Camrys produced are LE models, I think that includes the I4 and V6. I have only seen about 4 XLE models in my area, and most that I see have out-of state tags on them, the XLE is almost never found in my area, due to the Avalon, people love them around here in S.c, and the South in general.
  • sunshine60105sunshine60105 Member Posts: 129
    I didn't mean it the way it sounded, just meant that 192 horsepower would be alot for me to handle, dont think I could handle a car with that much horsepower.. That's all... Didn't mean to offend ya... :)
  • canccanc Member Posts: 715
    When I was speaking with my local Toyota dealer about whether I should buy a V6 engine or not, he told me the 4 cylinder is very efficient, and the V6 accounts for only 10% of his dealership's yearly sales. Although it would be nice to see more technology in the Toyota V6, the demand isn't really there and so I think Toyota invested more time and money into the 4 cylinder engine.

    One thing I'd like Toyota to improve with their Camry V6 engine is to recommend regular unleaded and not premium fuel. Even the Cadillac Northstar V8 manages well with regular unleaded.
  • rward99rward99 Member Posts: 185
    Toyota is upgrading the 4-cylinder engine in the 2002 Camry. I don't have any details right now, but an announcement should be coming soon. I believe details will be released this week. They unvail the 2002 model in the plant to the employees on Wednesday afternoon, so probably either Wednesday or Thursday morning there will be some information.

    Production of the new model is still down this week, while they do the quality inspections.
  • edwardh5edwardh5 Member Posts: 130
    a dealer told me 95% are 4s
  • robert_s_22robert_s_22 Member Posts: 25
    I guess that makes me feel good, I have the top 1 % of Camry's. I read somewhere the new 4 cyl will be a 2.4 with 160 horsepower and more torque. Don't let anyone fool you. The V-6 is incredibly smooth and sounds quite good at upper RPM's ...
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    According to a recent Press Release, as well as info on Toyota's web page, the 2002 Solara is using the 2.4L DOHC VVT 4cly producing 157hp and 163lb. ft. torque. It seems logical that the 2002 Camry will be sharing this engine.

    concerning %V6s- it seems that it varies widely by region, cause I do see quite a few up here, I can't believe that only 5% are sold with the V6.
    ~alpha
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Go try and find a 3rd Generation V6 coupe. A few years back, I decided I wanted one and it took me over a year to find one. Ended up with a 94 V6 red with tan leather, and only 13K miles. Didn't want red, but at that point I didn't care. Lowered it, put Z-rated tires on, some KYB struts and a few engine mods. Handled as good as any $25,000 sports car but still had a great ride. Would run 130mph smooth as glass. Sold it three years/50K miles later for $1000 less than I paid for it. Try that with a Mustang, Z28, or any other low priced sports car. I'll bet many people here have never even seen a V6 coupe they are that rare. Heck the 4 banger coupes aren't that common.
  • sinjin_dogsinjin_dog Member Posts: 84
    When I was buying my 2000 LE (4cyl), my dealer (one of the larger dealer in my area) told that they sell 11 to 1 ratio (4 cyl vs 6cyl).
  • yankeryanker Member Posts: 156
    in this topic a while ago the subject of blue smoke upon startup was discussed. What is the cause and how serious is it? I have 74000 miles and havwe changed oil every 4000 miles.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    ...in my '97 Camry was due to valve stem seal wear. Oil in the cylinder head runs down past the seals into the combustion chambers as the engine sits. On startup, the oil is burned and goes out the tailpipe as blue smoke.

    It's not critical to fix immediately, but will get worse. If you're in an area where emissions tests are required, your car may not pass.
  • s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    It looks like the 2002 Camry is going to be the only mainstream 2002 family sedan available with a navigation system. The new Altima does not have it and the Accord or any domestics also do not have it for 2002.
    The 2002 Maxima will have it available, but the 260 HP Maxima SE or GLE are a little more upscale and expensive than "typical mainstream" family sedans. Otherwise you will need to get a near-luxury sedan like a TL.
    Hopefully the 2002 Camry will be very nice and the GPS will be full-featured and DVD-based.
  • robert_s_22robert_s_22 Member Posts: 25
    If anyone cares here's some pictures of the ES300. The Camry should look pretty close. Also go to page 3 for interior pics. Let me know what you think !! http://www.clublexus.com/vb/index.php


    1) go to ES300 Model


    2) 2002 ES300 Official Pics

        The pics are on page 2 and 3 !!

  • coolguyky7coolguyky7 Member Posts: 932
    Both of my parents work for Toyota (which saves me around $2000 on a new car :-) )and very soon I shall be driving and I have several decisions to make on what car I want. I have several 2002 models in mind. These are the ECHO, Corolla, Celica, Camry (redesign), Solara, RAV4 and Matrix (2003). The ECHO, Matrix and Corolla would be loaded. Celica, RAV4 would be moderately loaded while the Solara and Camry would have few options on them. I want a vehicle that can get me from point A to point B in an efficient and safe manner although it needs to be stylish, practical and easy to drive. I don't want a vehicle that wouldn't be utilized. (example-I have no use for a Land Cruiser nor an MR Spyder) I also want a vehicle that gives me a good view of the road. Someone I know has a 91 Civic...and I love how I can see the front end of the car from the passenger seat. My vehicle would definitely be automatic, have ABS and side impact airbags (if available) and a CD player. I want to know which vehicle would best suit my needs. I deeply appreciate everyone's advice.

    BTW--I love the 2001 Lunar Mist Metallic Camry with black pearl emblems with shiny silver wheels....the 2002 Camry is going to slam the Accord and all other sedans. It will have GPS and other features that will endanger the Avalon's luxury territory. I have inside info. My parents have been up close to the new Camry. By the way....from year to date....the Camry has sold 198k units and the Accord 216k with the Taurus trailing Camry by 1k. Honda makes good cars but Toyota does it better. Go with the original....choose Camry. Toyota interiors are also nicer and more ergonomic than Honda. The past Civics have been atrocities. Take a 97 Camry and set it next to a 98 Accord. The headlights are the same shape. Look at the tail lights. Cover the white upper area of the Accord tail lights and you have a narrow red/pink area that resembles the Camry. Honda must think that the Camry is good enough to copy. (This case is also appearing in Sienna/Odysseys and 1999 Celica/current Integras along with Chrysler 300M/Concorde headlights/2002 Acura RSX headlights)Honda needs to get some originality. All the Toyotas came out before the Hondas/Acuras too. Go with the original...not some look-a-like IMHO.

    2002 Camry pictures

    http://mag-x.com/scoop/camry0106/index.html
  • jtw229jtw229 Member Posts: 7
    I have a 99 LE V6 and have been extremely happy with it since day one. I am, however, considering going to a larger car such as a used Lexus LS 400 or a new Crown Victoria for safety reasons. Both of these large cars have great crash tests records as does the Camry from what I have seen. The aforementioned large cars, however, have 750 pounds on the Camry and, all things being equal, offer better protection in a crash I would guess. Is my logic of "bigger is safer" accurate? Opinions would be appreciated.
  • s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    If everything were otherwise equal, if a larger car hit a smaller car, the people in the larger car would be safer in that situation.

    Plenty of insurance and goverment test results and statistics are available on the safety history of the Camry.
  • driver36driver36 Member Posts: 57
    Does any body knows when is the next generation Camry coming out?
    I'm in the market looking for a family car by the end of this year. And wonder if I can catch the new Camry!
    thx for any input!

    Driver36
  • robert_s_22robert_s_22 Member Posts: 25
    I totally agree with you on Toyota quality. My parents have an Acura TL and a Toyota Tundra, they drive the Tundra on dirt roads and it's still comletly rattle free after 20K miles. The TL has about 30K miles and has been to the dealership more than once !! My Toyota (japanese built) has 82,000 miles and has nary a rattle. Also has anone else had problems with Acura/ Honda automatic transmissions. They are horrible, not near as smooth as Toyota/ Lexus automatics. Same for the motors. They lack the silky smooth operation of Toyota motors. And regarding the LS400 versus Crown Victoria, I would get the LS400 hands down, the're awesome cars. Take care
  • robert_s_22robert_s_22 Member Posts: 25
    Check out those ES300 pitures and let me know what you think ...
  • s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    I drove a 2000 EXV6 and the 4-speed automatic transmission was not that smooth, but the engine was very smooth. I drove a 2002 TL base model and both the engine and 5 speed automatic were silky smooth on that car.
  • har1bushhar1bush Member Posts: 207
    Go with the original....choose Camry

    hmm that's gotta be the first person who thinks the Camry's design is ORIGINAL! maybe it's the first one to carry on the most boring design on the road today... i dunno... If anything I'd say that Honda copied their own design from their previous models -- look at the past 3 generations of Accords, as well as the Legend, TL, CL, RL... you are a fool if you can't see their resemblance.
  • ludacrisludacris Member Posts: 185
    OK...just saw the pix of the ES300 and I gotta say the Camry looks much better...that ES looks like a blob lol
  • wenyuewenyue Member Posts: 558
    Here is a pretty good article about the 2002 Lexus ES300. Check it out. It does sort of look a little bit rounded. ;)


    http://www.familycar.com./RoadTests/2002-LexusES300/index.htm

  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    Honda has been known to make pretty harsh feeling transmissions. Fortunately, they do tend to be pretty reliable. As a Toyota salesman, I hate admitting anything good about the competition, but the truth is, there is nothing wrong with Honda transmissions. They just don't shift real smooth.
  • kroliphkroliph Member Posts: 75
    Just got the new issue of Automobile magazine. They had pictures of the new Camry and ES300. The styling of these new cars leaves allot to be desired. It you ask me, I'd say they sort of look like something from Hyundai. Maybe the Camry needs to go through an ugly duck stage like the 1996 Taurus. The new Altima is definitely a better looking car.
  • sbell4sbell4 Member Posts: 446
    Each dealer will have at least one 2002 on its lot by August 17th.
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