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Comments
03 camry LE w/
pwr seat/floor mats/auto
MSRP Price: $20,809
Invoice Price : $18,804
Dealer offered @ 18,800
superman- good price. but why not get the ABS? the system retails at just 300. I think its worth it.
~alpha
~alpha
Mackabee
Basically I have read on Car and Driver forums that it will be same engine as the current one in Lexus ES300.
Thanks for the verification
I appreciate your apology, because I think it was called for. I, too, apologize if I was too strong in my reply. Best wishes for happy holidays!
xxbuster -- I'm going to mention this "clunk" when I take my car in for its first service, in a few months. I'll let you know if I find out anything. So far, I was just asking if anyone else on this thread had any ideas about it. I feel the kind of jerk in the car you are talking about too.
My owner's manual suggests 91 (or higher) octane gas for "improved vehicle performance," even though it says 87 octane is acceptable. Is there a consensus that 91 or higher is the best way to go? Is it only to get better performance, or will it help the engine last longer?
On oil changes -- between my salesperson, the dealership, the owner's manual, and the maintenance guide, I'm seeing four possiblities for oil-change intervals -- 3,000, 3,500, 5,000, or 7,500, i.e.:
1. A flyer from the dealer has a boldface warning that says, "Performing oil change services every 3,000 miles will eliminate a condition know as 'oil gelling' or 'oil sludge.' These conditions cause severe engine damage and are not covered under the manufacturer's warranty."
2. My salesperson recommended 3,500 miles.
3. The owner's manual says 7,500 miles for what I think are my driving conditions.
4. If I'm wrong about the "repeated trips of less than five miles in temperatures below freezing" condition, then it would drop back to 5,000 miles, says the maintenance guide.
Anyone have a recommendation? BTW -- I read the lengthy posts last summer about the oil gell situation.
At this point, I'm inclined to buy 91 or higher octane gas and change the oil every 3,000 miles. But if anyone has a rationale for this much cost and frequent service being unnecessary, I would love to hear what you have decided on, and why.
Thanks.
~alpha
Five quarts of Valvoline and a Toyota filter cost less than $13. And I change oil between 2500 and 3000 miles. I've tried premium gas on a trip and regular on the way back and didn't notice any difference in performance or MPG. Except for the "clunk" in the morning and the outside thermometer taking twenty minutes to give an accurate reading, the car is fine.
Second, I am conservative when discussing oil changes. I don't believe technology exempts us from 3000 mile oil changes. In fact, I think it is even more necessary than before due to higher compression engines and crummy fuel that we are forced to use. I don't care what the manual says, you will extend engine life by changing every 3000 miles. If you want to follow the manual, follow the 5000 mile interval program even if you don't think you fall into the "severe" driving category.
I, too, am conservative about oil changes. $15 - $20 for an oil change is VERY inexpensive insurance for your car. It will not EVER hurt your vehicle to change the oil more frequently, but CAN adversely affect it if not done frequently enough. Honestly, I have mine done between 3,000 and 5,000 miles. The way that I decide is I look at the oil on my dipstick at 3,000 miles and if it has ANY discoloration or if it is running a bit lower than I like, I have it done then. If it is still clear and near full, then I wait until 5,000 miles.
Using the 7,500 mile interval just doesn't make alot of sense in terms of just the cost versus the risks. Also, part of what the determining facors are are cold, and/or dusty or construction type environments. At least here, it's either Winter or Construction time, so going with anything longer than 5,000 does not make any sense even if you're following the manufacturer's specs.
Just my $.02
Ken
My gripe is that I recently was shopping for a new car. I've always had V6 and just did not want a 4 cylinder. So I went to my local Toyota dealer wanting to test drive a V6 Camry, and all they had were 4 cyl. I did test drive a 4 cyl. but it just did not have "power" and the salesman checked to see when any V6's were to arrive and no one could answer that. Is there something wrong with the V6 Camry's?
Needless to say, you know where I ended my shopping at.
Today I received a packet from Toyota Financial Services with certificates that cover the cost of my first three scheduled maintenances -- oil change, lub, fluid check, etc. This was part of my sales deal -- a nice perq. The cover letter tells me to use a 5,000-mile interval for this service. This is the fifth recommendation on service interval I've gotten from someone connected with Toyota since buying the car (see my post #4898).
So, based on all that and the very welcome advice from alpha01, xbbuster, cliffy1, and toyotaken, it looks like a range from 3,000 to 5,000 is the most popular choice. I respect cliffy1's point of view and agree that money spent on regular maintenance will pay off in the long run. I think I'll take it in for the first service at 3,000 and see what my service manager says. I may wind up edging toward 4,000, but that will probably be tops with me.
I wish I could get 91 octane gas. Pumps in my area are 87, 89, and 93, so I'm going with 93 for now.
I read with interest about the problems with rattles some Camry owners are having, and the news release from Toyota saying their engineers have solved the problem. So far, my car is tight as a drum. That's a three-week perspective -- hope it holds true over the long run.
One of the things I especially like about this car is its sense of roominess, at least relative to today's standards. I'm a middle-aged fellow who drove many cars that were average size in the 1960s and that would be absolute cruise ships by today's standards (a 1965 Pontiac Catalina, for example). Many of today's cars are just too small for me. So the Camry, while still small when compared with cars of my youth, does a nice job of maximizing its dimensions and giving me room to stretch out. Nice job, Toyota.
Also, I did not get anti-lock brakes mostly because traction control was not available. Was or is this an option?
Sorry! Happy trailing........
Broomstick?? Not sure exactly what you mean, and it doesn't really matter. I have the car I was truly meant to have. And I'm sure you do too.
Even though you have a very bad attitude, Happy New Year to you.
And if you only wanted to comment on the availability of the Camry you could've left it at "my dealer couldn't find a V6" instead of commenting on the Camrys lack of power as opposed to a car with 100 more HP.
Shame on you. You must be blind. LOL.
Take it easy and don't get offended by the comments. They are just being hardcore Camry fans.;)
Happy New Year to you too!
~alpha
Happy New Year to everyone and let's remember our manners for the new year!!
The Sandman :-)
In the demo drive we took of the Camry
LE auto, we found that the doors lock
automatically when the car is put in drive. My
wife doesnt like this feature. Does anyone know
if and how this can be disabled?
Thanks,
AK
1) I read that timing chains are much better and stronger, not to mention doesn't require replacement. Why did Toyota continue to use a timing belt in the 2002 Camry? Was it just a matter a saving money?
2) I heard that the Double wishbone suspension system was superior to the Chapman suspension system used by Camrys. Do you think the decision to use Chapmans (an older technology) was again a cost saving issue?
Double wishbone suspensions are desirable due to their potentially superior handling characteristics as compared to struts. This is because they excel at camber control, which means that it keeps the wheel perpendicular to the road surface while it moves up and down. For handling, this is a good thing.
Another advantage of double wishbone suspensions is that they require less height than a comparable strut suspension, so lower designs are possible... probably more important to sports car designers.
The main disadvantage of double wishbone suspensions is cost... they have a lot more parts than a strut suspension.
Struts are comparatively inexpensive and compact, although they tend to be tall. Despite the disadvantages as compared to a double wishbone suspension, a well-designed strut suspension can provide very good handling.
Of course, the handling advantages of a double wishbone suspension are potential... it ultimately depends on a lot of factors. In the Camry's class, the Honda Accord has a double wishbone suspension, and is generally considered to be a somewhat more nimble handler, with a touch more ride harshness. The Camry is tuned more toward a smooth ride, but it remains a competent handler as well.
However, the Hyundai Sonata uses a double wishbone suspension and is considered to be a below average handler. OTOH, the Nissan Altima uses struts and is considered to be one of the best handling cars in its class. And finally, BMW uses struts in cars that many people consider to be among the best handling production automobiles regardless of manufacturer. So it's more than just the choice of suspension types... it's also a matter of the design choices made by the manufacturer.
As for the Camry, its strut-based suspension is an appropriate choice for its intended mission... comfortable ride and competent handling. No need for double wishbones here.
The McPherson strut on the Camry is generally smoother riding than a double wishbone.
~alpha
The timing belt gathered a lot of interest by automotive engine designers 20 years ago.
The Japanese were the first to drive their camshafts with these timing belts. Then other manufacturers followed suit.
Some did not.
Saturn decided that they would not adopt a belt and utilized a chain in their initial entry to the automotive market. They continue this decision and advertise the advantages of the chain timing drive.
Jaguar never gave in to the new technology.
Take a look at what auto manufacturers a bragging about today.
"Chain Drive"! Subaru has changed from belt to chain, Porsche has made the switch back to chain, .....
Why has the automotive industry changed the trend?
Because chain is a trouble free product.
Have you ever seen a timing chain replacement as a scheduled maintenance on a car?
All belt drives require scheduled replacement with potentially expensive consequences if you do not heed their recommendations.
What about noise?
Several years ago when we developed the original PDQ (Super Quiet) operator, we did most of our noise testing from the space over the garage. Isn't this where most people want quiet?
We found that the harmonic motor and drive train vibrations caused nearly all of the noise. Chain noise was not transmitted to the space over the garage.
How many people are worried about the noise in the garage? Everyone wants reliability.
http://216.239.53.100/search?q=cache:TNNhygyDBQMC:www.allstarcorp.com/Manuals/Tech%2520Notes/TechTips0702.pdf+%22chain+replacement+%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8