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Comments
~alpha
BUT i live in SoCAL and honestly don't believe it is such a "safety hazard" to not have it. I mean i guess it becomes useful when it rains, but most days, if you ever slam on the brakes, you're going straight anyways, so does it matter that you are skidding to a stop? that's my opinion, but sure for $300, abs is nice, if you can get it.
btw, i like the different tailights!
With additional $2000 CND or $1200 US from base model to LE V6, here what you can get:
- 4 dics brake
- ABS
- Aluminium rims
- V6 with +53 HP more than 4 IL
They could put low cost timer on the glove box light if they think it could discharge the battery quickly (again need to be 20W light bulb). I hope they will not do the same for the trunk light in future.
~alpha
2) I have to laugh about all this glove box light talk. Face it, Toyota was just cutting costs. They certainly could have had that little stalk that pops out when the box is opened allowing the light to shine and gets pushed in when the box closes shutting it off. I guess if they needed to cut costs this was one good place to do it. Another annoying place they cut costs....no light chime if you forget and leave your lights on and shut the engine....I know the lights shut off after a minute or so....but what if they didn't. Still, an understandable place to cut costs. Unfortunately they also chose to cut costs in other areas--See the rattles forum.
3) PASSAT: I fail to understand why folks are so enamoured with this car. It costs more, appears smaller and Volkswagon, from what I have seen of late, has all kinds of electrical and mechanical problems...'coils' appear to be their sludge issue though they do not address it. I'd take a Camry, Accord or Taurus before you got me near on e of those.
I purchsed a cargo net for my wife's RAV and it came with the little hooks that needed to be screwed in. As for my 2002 Camry...the hooks and net were there when I bought the car.
While I'm dreaming, how about standard leather and 6 disc CD. What's with Toyota being so behind the times with this?
With a lot of us giving suggestions, maybe Toyota might start to think if ever they read Edmunds.
Toyota will not just think that most buyers of Camry's are conservative and do not like change a lot, unless they hear from us.
Camry's are well built cars, but Toyota always take the part of a catch up with the Accord in terms of hp, 6 cd changes...Again, don't get me wrong, the Camry is still top on my list while shopping for a car.. hopefully soon (I will be back to Toyotas again..)
(Probably get a Sienna in a couple years so then she will have to learn - in other words, I'll have to teach her)
But seriously, I dont think it would be that big a deal to add ABS to the standard equipment list. Toyota charges $300 for ABS as an option, why not just boost the price of LE and SE models around that much, and call it even?
~alpha
After reading a few posts on possible solutions I decided to stop by the dealer one cold morning and go for a test drive. The tech heard the noise as we drove. He almost immediately thought the noise was actually outside the car and was either windshield clips or the piece of plastic under the wipers but over the windshield. I was skeptical as we drove along because the rattles appeared at different locations. When we stopped I remained in the car at the wheel. He exited the car and closed the door. On the passenger side he started poking around the plastic piece just under the wipers/over the windshield. Sure enough I heard crackling that at first came from the drivers side and then else where as he poked around. He said the noise was actually from outside the car and passing in thru the glass.
I dropped the car the next day. I have had it back now for four days. The creaking is gone (so far) when I brake or pull out. It also appears to be gone while driving. I HOPE IT LASTS!!!!! Of course now the passenger pillar door rattle is that much louder as is the driver side. I will return to Toyota in a few weeks and give them a shot at fixing this too.
I too, remain skeptical but those of you waiting for a solution might want to schedule an appt for this fix. It was not very invasive and the chance of it making things worse appears nill. Here is what the work order (covered under warranty of course) said:
Cowl Panel making contact with windsheild, Tech R&R cowl panel. Installed noise reduction tape and road tested, noise is gone.
GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2) the acorn defense system...to protect against falling acorns.
I guess it's kind of late to be thinking about rattles, but can someone update me on whether these rattles were confined to 02. Mine is a post Jan 03 model since it has the new V6. I bought the car for its quiet ride. For those who had them do these rattles appear early? Thanks
the only way I would like to see the V6 standard is if it added no cost to the base. The thing is, the 4 cyl provides decent power (in my opinion), was much cheaper to buy, and gets 30+ on the highway (did a road trip yesterday...round trip to philly, mostly at speads between 70 and 80, and used 10.7 gallons in 345 miles).
I know I would not have paid 2K more for my Camry!
Interesting note: the 04 Solara will get "regular" side airbags and ABS standard, with curtains optional. Sounds like a good strategy for the Camry 4door too, if you ask me!
~alpha
I don't like the way the dealers load up the Camry's with inflated accessories that they try to ram down your throat. Also the most obnoxious salesmen I've come across were at Toyota. Honda was the exact opposite. In the end it was the car, and I get the impression that the tight market we have now enable me to bargain a bit. In the past when I shopped Toyota, I usually got the 'take it or leave it' signal.
Hopefully, they are the remaining few. I also agree that it is much easier to compare an Accord than a Camry in terms options. This has always been the way Toyota has been doing for some time. For the Accord you have very few option choices, like in the EX I think one of the very few options is just the navigation. Leather, sunroof are standard. Despite this, I think a Camry is as good as the Accord....
I do hope that you will enjoy the Camry...for a long time.
Bought at Costco via special order.
If you want the lowest noise, look at the Yokohama Avid Touring (www.tirerack.com). It is only a S-rated tire, so handling will not be very crisp, but the quietness is amazing. Very cheap too.
We expect you to continue to be yourself in this forums. I usually seek your posts to learn about a vehicle. We thank you too!
~alpha
I have a 'tires for life' deal from the dealer. Get it serviced there and if the tires wear smoothly they'll give you another set of the same (Mich.E) when they wear out, as long as you own your car. There's probably a clause saying you have to have clean underpants, I haven't read all of the fine print.
Anyway should I do all my servicing at the dealer?
I believe it helped the ones that had the oil sludge problem.
On tires go to Tirerack.com It is a great site, I use Dunlop SP Sport A2's. AA traction. Try to get them a little over the OEM tire size. A few mm's of width on your 4 tires will really help your handling.
Has anyone had experience with these tires....good or bad? They are very quiet and the car handles well although the tread is not very aggressive if deep snow is an issue. I have been pleased with other Michelin tires in the past, but the "Energy" brand is a new one for me.
Doug
In Canada, I would always keep a set of snows on steel wheels or cheap alloys for the winter, and swap back and forth as the seasons dictate. Tire Rack is a good place to start if you want to do this.
In any case, the Michelin tires on your car are the best of the OEM alternatives that Toyota puts on Camrys. The GYs and Generals and Contis are just awful; Dunlops and BS are better, but the Bridgestones wear out at an incredible rate - at least twice as fast as your Michelins will, if rotated properly at 5k intervals.
We have a Subaru Outback that we use in the winters up here in Canada. This past winter was really brutal and the Outback got us through everything. My wife and I are retired so we just pick our spots to use each car.
Doug
also i think i read somewhere that adding larger wheels may cause it to rub the inner treadwell wen turning is this true. sorry for all of the questions, but i don't know much about cars as this is my first car i bought. thanks.
I don't know why some magazines still consider the Camry's styling to be conservative. In my opinion, I think it's quite attractive for a family sedan. Last night when I went out for dinner, I had two bikers who kept on staring at my car when I was parking it.
When I got out my car, they asked me with a surprising look on their faces," Is that a CAMRY?". I said, "ya..." Then they asked if it was the all new style. The styling must be way better than the previous model since I've never had anyone asking me that was a Camry when I bought it new back in 97.
I've got the Energy tires from Michelin too. It was winter when I got my car and I found that the tires didn't have a good as a grip as the old Michelins I had in the 97. But that doesn't mean they're not good tires. We had a pretty bad winter here in Canada but I never lost control with these tires. Now that spring is here, I find that these tires are even better than the old ones on dry pavement. I've tried entering corners faster than usual as I've tried with the older set of tires, but I don't get any squeals now. Well, maybe it has to do with the sportier suspension configuration also.
I'm really satisfied with this one so guess I'll be keeping it for awhile. It maybe one of the slowest in its class but it surely doesn't mean it is slow. It has way more than enough power for normal driving. (I'm not a race car driver)
the reason i ask, is because when i bought my car and had it returned to have scratches rebuffed. I came back the next day and there were more scratches and apparently they didn't do anything it at all. any input is appreciated.
also, my mpg has still been consistently poor:
around 19.8-22.5 mpg on mixed city/highway, and i don't even use A/c or accelerate hard. anyone else getting poor mileage from their 4?
So when a Toyota dealer claims Invoice+X you have to add $675 to the invoice price you see on edmunds.
Toyota is the only manufacturer does that.
~alpha
As I know for sure, Acura, Audi, BMW, Ford, Honda, Chrysler don't do that. Do you know any mfr does that?