Toyota Camry 2006 and earlier

teo

What really counts in the end is to be happy with whatever vehicle you choose. Glad to hear you have finally found something that fits you like a glove.

I like the new Camry, altough personally, I haven't seen it in person yet. I am sure it is a very good car; however, I am not particulary thrilled about the price gouging that is taking place with this car....is better to let things cool down a bit so dealers will be more willing to deal on Camrys again. Even if it is a Toyota it is still a first year model after a major redesign...yes I know Toyotas are 'Perfect' but remember folks that they are still made by humans...

I have close to 4K miles on my Impala LS and have had ZERO problems and also haven't had any rattles, squeaks or noises of any kind in the cockpit....just quiet, quiet. Best car I ever owned! This car is solid and indeed one of the first GM cars to show a different quality/manufacture approach from their past products.

GM has been implementing the "Toyota Manufacturing System" in their assembly plants and it shows.

Thank you Toyota for a very well built Chevy product

Looking forward to the 2002 Pontiac Vibe (a.k.a Toyota Matrix)

Enjoy your cars!

mpgman

Try this. Tell the dealer that the only way you will buy the SE is if he swaps the deck lid with another car of the same color that doesn't have one. Not sure what this would cost, since you would need a fix for the rear mounted tail light but some people have done it with Proteges.

mackabee

You haven't seen the car, yet you assert there is "price gouging" going on. On what do you base your statement. We have been selling Camry for the last 3 weeks and all have sold for less than MSRP, in some cases LE's were sold pretty close to invoice.

: )

Mackabee

teo

Based on responses seen here. Unfortunately my two nearby Toyota stores are not the best examples of a well run business. Still I am curious to see it in person and find out for myself.

But you are right, I have to see it first hand and find out more about it in terms of prices, etc.

I am not in the market right now as I just bought my Impala LS back in April (And enjoying it very much) but my wife will eventually when we are ready to sell/trade her very reliable '97 Mercury Tracer LS (Yeah the only reliable Ford product ever) with just 41K on the clock.

Do you do internet sales to customers in South Florida?

baveux

So you are a car salesman ....another rich man,I'm in the wrong business....Now can you tell me if the 4 cyl in the Camry 2002 is totally new ?
Same goes for the auto tranny ?
By the way it is true that the 2002 Camry was available in Europe or Japan since 2 years ?

azstan

Mackabee...

I have been to 4 dealers in two cities here in AZ.
LE's selling near invoice? Not around here!
They are NOT moving off MSRP...in fact one dealer in Phoenix ADDED $2500 to the sticker price.

Buying a car remains a traumatic experience.

Buyer Beware!

raybear

Clyde-If the Phoenix area dealers don't step up and help on pricing the Southern California dealers will, maybe you should consider contacting a few of them. You can always shop online.

coolguyky7

The 4 cylinder is completely new....and I could have sworn i remember reading something about new transmissions...something about being smoother or some new construction! Definitely won't be a disappointment!

cgilbert1

Hi everyone. I am interested in buying a 1999 Camry from a private seller. It is a 4-cyl., automatic, 36,000 miles, and asking 12,900. I just want to know if Camry's are good, reliable cars. I've never bought a used car before, so I'm a little scared. Thanks!

s852

I went to the KBB web site and saw that JBL is a no cost option if you order certain option packages. It is not standard equipment.
The Toyota website shows the JBL stereo as part of an option package on the LE and standard on the XLE.

ral2167

try to see if seller will allow you to get car inspected by local toyota dealer prior to purchase-- or make sale contingent on satisfactory inspection by toyota service (or independent service guy you take yoiur cars to in past ) .. might cost you $70 or so for the inspection...but might be worth the peace of mind...

mackabee

I am not supposed to solicit sales from this group, please e-mail me and I can give you some information regarding internet sales.
babeux, the 4cyl engine is the same used in the 4 cyl Highlander, the tranny is new. Yes, I do sell Toyotas in southeaster Va, but I am by no means rich. Somehow there's this stereotype that car salesman are rich, we do pretty good. Live comfortably but I would not say rich. And no, 97-2001 Us Camry is the same that has been selling in Japan and Europe for the last 5 years, matter of fact check out Toyotas japanese website at www.toyota.co.jp and you will be amazed how the Japanese have duped the American buying public by selling some Toyotas with a different badge and charging more plus extending the warranty and offering a few perks (Lexus) by the way Honda has been doing the same with their Acura brand. It's all about how you market a car. Any way, look up the Toyota Altezza (Lexus IS300) the Toyota Windom (Lexus ES300) Landcruiser Cygnos (Lexus LX470) the Toyota Aristo (Lexus LS430) etc..etc..

: )

Mackabee

mackabee

while you are there, check out the Toyota Corolla. That's what we will be getting for 2003 here in the US.

: )

Mackabee

venus537

I remember reading that your Impala was your dream car and this was well before April. I also remember reading that you were having some trouble with your suspension.

ike3

Hey, you wrote to me earlier that you were going to check out the new Altima. Did you finally get around to doing it? What impressions can you share with this saavy group of Camry watchers/ owners? Pluses? Minuses? ike3

lenscap

I take exception to your comment about Toyota "duping" the American public by selling Toyotas as Lexuses just with a higher price tag.

1. Cars that are Lexuses here but Toyotas in Japan are sold through completely different sales channels in Japan and are more upmarket cars over there. So, you will never see a Toyota Celsior (LS 430) in the same showroom as a Corolla. While all cars in Japan wear a Toyota nameplate they are different, just not like what we see here in the US. For example, if GM sold cars in Japan like Toyota, all would be badged GM. But A Cadillac would not be sold alongside a Chevy. Plus, Lexuses in Japan (i.e. the Celsior, Aristo, etc.) cost more in Japan also because they are higher line cars. They are not just marked up in the US.

2. I believe all Lexuses are made on their own assembly lines, not alongside other Toyotas. And if I remember correctly the plant where the ES 300/Windom is made was rated the world's best plant for quality.

3. More "effort" for lack of a better term is applied to Lexus models since they are more exclusive. I read last year that Toyota's best engineers were put on the redesign of the LS 430. Can't say that about the Corolla.

You may be a good Toyota salesman but stop dissing your own company. Toyota is on top partly because of Lexus and that they deliver to the market what consumers want. Lexus is much more than just marketing, and you of all people should no better and stop making false statements.

Also, please keep your facts straight. The LS 430 in Japan is the Celsior. It's the GS 300/430 that's the Aristo.

teo

I upgraded from a 2000 to a 2001 LS. The '01 LS is much better in most respects. Close to 4K miles and zero problems

felixdacat13

Can anyone have a rough idea about a lease rate for a Camry V6?
I want a 36 month lease with no money up front (except first month), no ballon payment on the back end, 12K miles per year. I have a 750 beacon score.
Does anyone know if Toyota will be having any lease deals in the next two months that coincide with their big Camry marketing push?

mackabee

Got a little touchy there huh, so I might have gotten the celsior and aristo confused but I still made my point, and you probably still believe in the Easter bunny.

: )

Mackabee

mtplus1

Please check you e-mail @ excite.

Regards

lenscap

You may have made your point, but your point is incorrect. A Seville is not a Cavalier (both GM), a Lincoln LS is not a Focus (both Ford), an A8 is not a Jetta (both VW) and a Celsior is not a Corolla. Made by the same company, yes, but vastly different cars.

The only exception may the Altezza since I'm not sure which of the many sales channels in Japan it is sold under. The marketing/selling of cars is different in Japan, and just because all cars say "Toyota" they are not in the same "class."

ravvie4me

that is in the Camrys and Highlanders still have a timing belt? Or did it switch over to the chain?

-RAVvie4me

jrct9454

...uses a chain, not a belt, to drive the camshafts. This increases life, but it is not indefinite. Chains can stretch, and tensioners may need replacing, but overall, this is a "good thing" from a maintenance perspective.

joegraves

I must admit that I was never really excited about the looks of the 97-01 Camry. I much prefer the new body style (but I always loved the look of the Avalon so maybe that's why) My fear is there will be too much of a gap between the Corolla and Camry (until the '03 Corolla comes out). Anyway, I was talking to the general manager at the last dealership I worked at and he thinks we're crazy for selling any '02 Camry at $700 over when he's selling them at sticker! I know Toyota is spending a boat load on advertising in the next couple months...they want to keep "the best selling car in America" on their mantle. I think they hit the bulls eye with the '02 IMHO.

ravvie4me

Good. Those belts at 60,000 miles are a hassle (if you know what I mean $$$!!!).

-RAVvie4me

jimxo

Just worked out a deal on a 2002 Camry SE for a family member. $700.00 over invoice (3%), not bad considering the first two dealers wanted to discount 1k off MSRP.

tomsoltis

Thanks to all of you who responded trying to help us out w/the sputtering '90 camry. I'll try your suggestions and keep you posted on the outcomes. Thanks again.

3pointstar

Thanks for clarifying LENSCAP. I also read several months ago that Toyota wants to make the Lexus name standard around the world, so The Celsior would eventually be sold through Lexus retail channels rather than Toyota, even in Japan.

The '02 Camry has a "new" 4 cylinder engine. For a more technical discussion, check out a very good article at:

http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/090103.html

OK, if they wanted to reduce NVH, why go to a timing chain? My understanding was that timing belts were quieter. Oh well...

modernjazz

Please see my post #262 under maintainance and repairs: Toyota Camry.

I, too, was having the very frustrating/dangerous problem of sputtering/missing/stalling/hard starting after a rain ('90 4cyl--['87-'91 4 cyl's are the same.]) I completely tuned up the car with all brand new OE parts with little or improvement.

The key was changing my ignition coil and distributor O-ring (a $1 part to stop/prevent oil leaking where distributor meets cylinder head). The coil is an "internal" type (inside the distributor). Either have a mechanic do it or look at my posting #262 for "basic" steps for the job, although I highly suggest you read up on the procedure first in a Chilton and/or Haynes and/or official Toyota manual. The Chilton and Haynes are incomplete and the Toyota manual has strange indexing.

Good luck with your moisture-related problems!!! The new coil made my very unreliable Camry BRAND NEW AGAIN!!!

toledo19

You "upgraded"? I thought it was a GM buyback because of a suspension problem. This is what you said in the Impala forum anyway.

Lenscap, I understood Mackabee's point to be Toyota sells a "Lexus" in Japan that is called a Toyota, though the cars are identical, and I think he is correct. Don't understand why you think this is slamming the Co.

everyday

Is that Nissan Maxima styling I see on the new Camry? Tail lights look kinda familiar...hmmm....Nissan Altima, maybe?

Overall, it looks like an improvement, but I'll wait a couple of years. I heard they'll try to get the logo in the center of the front grill as a refresher for the 2004 model.

trd4me

Hey, styling ques are ripped off all over the place in today's market. When I look at the new Camry I also see hints of a Chrysler stuck in. Then again, you can also say the the rear lights on the '02 Maxima have a slight resemblence to the Toyota Altezza/Lexus IS. In anycase, I think the '02 Camry looks pretty nice. Case in point, the Camry SE show in Dark Red Mica on Toyota's gallery page.

coolguyky7

I love the SE in Salsa Red too.

dreamwind

I was comparing the two cars when I was repairing my 2001 Camry, and I think the new Camry and Avalon look pretty similar.

Ugh, I want one.

I have a 2001 Camry with 7000 miles, should I trade and get the 2002 Camry? My payment ends in about 2+ years.

Did you guys see the 2002 Camry comercials? There's one that is like a minute long, and I think it looks --really-- cool.. ugh, I want one, I want one, I want one!!!

maxamillion1

I finally checked some out last week, and I like them a lot, the SE models look real good with those alloys, and the Lunar Mist SEV6 I saw with black Leather was so nice. The problem with me is that I like the exterior styling of the Altima, but I like the materials in the Camry a whole lot better. Why can't I just custom match both cars? Darn it.

Well, I remember about two weeks ago, I was complaining about the pricing of the Camry, now this week it's the Altima's turn.

everyday

C'mon, what's nice is that new Lexus ES 300. If Toyota can give some of that styling to the Camry, then we can talk.

sandman46

Just passed the Toyota dealer here in Coconut Creek, Florida and there were a bunch in the back lot, we even saw one on a test drive as we passed by. It was a silver LE and it looked real sharp, except that the wheel covers aren't fancy enuf. But a beautiful car none the less. I REALLY WANT ONE!

talon95

I too got the impression that mackabee was implying that the Lexus brand name is, how do you say it, a bit of a scam or overrated or something in the US, since the same cars are sold as Toyotas in Japan. He may not have been actually saying this, but that's how I perceived his post.

I fully understand that the Japanese market is very different than the US market. To my knowledge, there are no specific "luxury" car brand names in Japan, and people have no problem with buying a LS430-grade car from the same manufacturer that sells Tercel/Corolla/Echo-grade cars.

Obviously, the same applies to varying degrees when comparing Honda/Acura and Nissan/Infiniti in the US to their Japanese counterparts.

As we Americans know, the prestige thing is really a big deal here. Although Toyota, Honda and Nissan are certainly respected names, and not considered downmarket at all, there's a limit to how much an American is willing to spend for a car from a mid-grade marquee such as those 3. Once you hit some undefined price threshold, Americans expect a more prestigious, exclusive name like Lexus/Acura/Infiniti for their dollar. There are exceptions (SUVs, sports cars like the NSX, ZX and Supra). It seems we're mostly talking about luxury sedans and sports sedans that would compete in similar price ranges to Mercedes, BMW, etc.

Sorry, if I'm stating the obvious to most of you.

However, the concept that Americans are not inclined to buy high-priced cars from mid-level marquees will face an interesting test in the near future, with Volkswagen introducing the $40,000 Passat W-8 and the $70,000 D1 (I think that's the name...) luxury sedan. I think VW is considered by most Americans to be at roughly the same level as Toyota/Honda, etc. A highly respected mid-level manufacturer, but not considered a prestige marquee. So the D1 in particular should be very interesting... how will people feel about paying mid- to high-end Mercedes/BMW/Audi/Lexus prices for a VW?

s852

I don't think the US needs $40K to $70K VWs. That is what Audi is for. Maybe this is a sign that they plan to merge Audi and VW together at some point in the future. At least VW now has a 4 year warranty that is almost comparable to those from Mercedes and Lexus etc., but they don't have the level of dealer service you expect when you buy from a prestigious brand (free loaners, fancy showrooms and waiting rooms stocked with free juices, sodas, coffees and snacks, free car washes, manicures, and so forth).
That is part of what you are paying for when you buy an ES300 instead of a Camry or Passat.
If you don't live close enough or don't have time to go to the dealer to take advantage of all these perks, then you are not getting your money's worth and might as well get a Camry instead of a Lexus.

pkradd

If you like the styling of the Altima take a look at the New Passat 2001.5 or 2002. As a former Camry owner I find the Passat much more fun to drive and it has a lot standard equipment even the new Camry doesn't have. You get imobilizer as standard, airbags all around plus air curtains. I read that Toyota used the A4 platform (Audi and Passat) as a basis for their "target". Quality of interior is excellent. Of course, the reliability factor for the new Passat is yet to be determined. Will probably not be as high as Camry, but hey, what car really is?

s852

I am leaning towards an Accord EXV6 coupe, because it does most things well, looks good and is a great value at the price.
I'm "thinking about" a Camry XLE V6 because it would be nice to have an all-new model and a navigation system, but the price is keeping me away. If the SE model was available without the spoiler and with climate control, I would think about it a little harder.
I plan on keeping my next car for between 30-50K miles and now that the the 2002 VWs have a 4 year 50K mile bumper to bumper warranty, the Passat is penciled in on my list of cars again.
The Passat looks great and the interior of the GLX is gorgeous. If I lived closer to a VW dealership and it would not be so inconvenient to deal with potential frequent warranty repairs, the Passat would probably be my first choice based on looks alone, but warranty repairs will be a pain even if they are "free" with the new 2002 warranty.

kneebull

Grandfather's 2001 Camry (4 cylinder) idles at around 1800 rpm when it is cold out and around
1600 rpm when it is warm. It comes down after driving for 5-10 minutes. He took it to the dealer and they said that is normal. We don't believe them. Has anybody else had this problem?
Is there a service bulletin? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

azstan

Mike...when I read your post, I thought that 1600 rmp warm is pretty high. So I went back out and cranked up my 1992 4 cylinder...still warm...and it idles at around 600 rpm.

I would not believe the dealer either.

modernjazz

Hey, man,

Please see my post #1882 of my experience replacing my camry's ignition coil. I even asked some mechanics their opinion of the coil before I changed it, and some were skeptical.

I'M TELLING YOU, PLEASE CHANGE THE COIL! YOU WON'T REGRET IT BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WILL ONLY GET WORSE/MORE UNRELIABLE/MORE DANGEROUS.

I don't want to see anybody else to experience the frustration/agita that I suffered.

Good luck and let me know what happens!!

luckystar

I am going to get a 2002 Camry this week...LE V6, but I'm stumped about the color. I really liked the Salsa Red in the brochure, but after I saw it in the showroom, I was kind of disappointed because I expected it to be a little brighter. I am now considering black, but I am worried about how it'll look after a year with the sun beating down on it and frequent washes. I guess silver is way to go if I don't want little scratches showing up, but EVERYONE has a silver car... Anyways, please share your experiences, I would really appreciate it!

dreamwind

None of the dealers in my area have LE's or XLE without V6's... All the Camry's I have seen around here are all XLE V6's or SE, which I am not interested it..
I want one now!! I want one now!

Tempted, tempted, tempted..

dreamwind

How 'bout gold?

luckystar

No, I'm not going for gold...the color looks too mature for me. (I'm 19). Also we already have a gold colored car.

jeffyjc

Aloha, I have had mine now for 5 days...love it, got the le auto with keyless entry and power seat added... out the door for just over 20,500.00
paid cash on a clean deal...no trade in..the color is great very sharp looking...good luck

luckystar

No, I'm not going for gold...the color looks too mature for me. (I'm 19). Also we already have a gold colored car.