Toyota Camry 2006 and earlier

catalinablue

I want to purchase a Catalina Blue XLE V6 with Package 7 (traction control). The salesperson who checked availability told me that there is only ONE XLE V6 w/cloth interior and Pkg 7 in the entire Northeast region (I'm in NJ) and it is in silver. He also said that Toyota is not manufacturing ANY XLE V6s with cloth interior, only leather, that Pkg 7 is included on all XLEs, and either Pkg 7 or 8 as well. Has anyone else heard this?

When I asked about ordering the car I want he said that the last car he special ordered from Toyota took over a year to arrive and when it did, it was the wrong interior. He said Toyota is notorious for slow and incorrect fulfillment of customer special orders. Has anyone heard or experienced this from Toyota?

Can anyone tell me how to determine, short of calling every Toyota dealer in NJ/NY/PA and asking, if there is the car I want in stock anywhere in the tri-state area? I've looked at the dealer inventory on dealer webpages, but it usually does not tell the actual color of the car (i.e., it says "Blue", but not Stratosphere or Catalina).

I am VERY bummed. I was set to buy this car tonight. Now it looks unlikely.

I would appreciate any advice.

raybear

I don't know what else to tell you. Don't call, you can email the dealers you find on Toyota's website. Your dealer is right about ordering. Maybe there's something in a different region if you're willing to travel. Track down Cliffy and see if he has any information.

luckystar

I ordered an LE V6 in mid-September, and took delivery at the end of November. I don't really know the logistics involved in ordering from Toyota in the States, but my Camry came all the way from Japan to Canada and it only took 2 months. I hope this helps to give you an idea.

catalinablue

Would you please see my message (#2851) and let me know if you have any advice or ideas?

Thank you, and thank you to Raybear and LuckyStar for responding.

cliffy1

Ordering cars, particularly domestically built cars is not all that difficult. Because the Camry is built in KY, it only takes 4 to 6 weeks for a *properly* placed order to arrive. Your dealer is correct that Toyota is sending nearly all of the V6 XLE models with leather, but that is to meet the highest demand. It does not mean that we can't get something different.

Some dealers don't like to place orders. Shop around until you find one that will work with you.

cs2002

I am in the market (Puget Sound area) to buy a 4-cyn automatic LE. After weeks of search with several local dealerships, I've been told that it is really hard to find one with just the specs I requested (ABS, VIP Keyless Security System, and 5pc Carpet/Cargo Mat Set). Finally, it all comes down to one single car - the only one available in the entire area.

And this "the only" one is a dealer trade all the way from Oregon - already got 300 miles on it. I never bought any car from out of state Washington, so I am kinda concerned about how the licensing issue will work out. My dad's friend's friend got their car from an auction (the auction location was in Washington but the car turned out having another state's license), they ended up paying extra hundreds of $$$ when they went for title registration. Can anyone shed some lights on this? Thanks!

p.s. I have received 3 quotes - all are $300 over invoice. On the dealers' invoices, there is $400 "National Toyota Advertising" fee in addition to Base Invoice ($17,721 same as listed on Edmund's), options' invoice, and destination charges. Should the advertising fee be added to the dealers' invoice? Is this a good price?

cs2002

I am not sure if ABS is really necessary on the 02 LE 4 cyn. I live in the Greater Seattle area where it is almost always raining...

It is just that it is very hard to find one with both ABS and Keyless Security in this region. So I am wondering if I should go buy the next one w/o ABS but just 13 miles on it.

Any advice/comments/ideas are appreciated.

alpha01

cs2002: Personally, I feel that if you can afford the ABS, you should purchase the system, because of the greater control it facilitates during rainy conditions. Wheel lock-up is not a fun thing (at least when you dont want/dont expect it to occur). Considering your region, if it were I, the ABS would be a mandatory option.
About the problem getting a Camry that you want- have you explored the option of internet purchasing? CarsDirect.com is a very reputable service. Aside from that, during my family's 02 Camry purchase, we wanted Pkg 1, Alloy Wheels, ABS, and 5pc Floormats in Stratosphere Mica. NONE were so equipped in the 4 dealers we visited, however, the dealer we wound up purchasing the car from had a Stratosphere Camry w/ everything except the Alloys. We closed the deal with Alloys in the negotiated price ($500 above invoice) and received a voucher to have the Alloys installed when they came in. Point: Can you get the Remote/Alarm as a dealer installed accessory instead of a factory option? I would try and find out.
I love Toyotas, I love Camrys, I love cars, and I love learning about them. Let me know what you think of my suggestions.
~alpha

raybear

If you can afford to wait you can always order a car.

cs2002

thank you guys for all your input!

alpha, you have a great point there - buy the car that meets most of the specs (in my case, mainly the ABS) and install other options when they become available. it is one of my choices too - that's why i am still debating whether to
1)buy one with only ABS then purchase the Keyless Security (maybe even after-market), or
2)just get that one with the high mileage then don't have to go shopping for the accessories because it's got all my specs.
i agree that ABS is very important.

raybear, actually i asked the dealers for a special order from the factory. but interestingly none of them were interested - one even skipped over my suggestion, others wanted to charge more to go with the special order. ???

i will go shopping again this weekend - i'll let you all know if i have a brand new car on Monday.

bironb

I recently purchased a 2002 Highlander with a 3.0 litre V6 and there is what sounds like a tick, tick, tick sound when idling. Apparently,
this is pretty common with the Highlander's and has had much discussion on Edmund's Highlander Forum. My service dealer told me that the sound is coming from the fuel injectors, and it's common to Toyota V6 engines. I don't know if the Camry has the same 1 MZ-FE V6 engine has the Highlander, but if it is has anyone noticed the same ticking sound and what was Toyota's response to it?

plumman

Just purchased a Lunar Mist Le with Package 1(Keyless and Pwr Drivers seat) for 20300 out the door. 7% sales tax in GA. That seems to be 700 over invoice which includes the 2% holdback charge. The car has 300 miles on it and is starting to loosen up. Just passed 1/2 tank.
I think I got a good deal and just love the mileage. Quiet car!!!

4apexs

Great board!
We have narrowed down choice to 2002 SE 4cyl auto or XLE 4cyl auto. Both appear to have 16" tires, but different suspensions. Car will be used 90% highway. I've test driven LE and SE, but not XLE. SE was slightly stiffer, but better control in side winds. Perhaps XLE with 16" tires is best combo of control, ride comfort?? I would really appreciate comments on handling, ride comfort between these two.

wain

what do replacement 16 inch tires cost?

fredvh

Did you get the 4-cylinder? What is your mileage?

crissy1

Does anyone know of a good dealership in the So. California area, esp. Orange County or possibly San Gabriel Valley area? I've decided to take a look at used Camrys, but have been completely turned off by the aggressive sales staff at the Toyota dealerships I've visited. They're lined up waiting to pounce on you and sell you ANYTHING, regardless of your needs. Some don't put prices on the windows, either. I've walked out of the last two dealerships without taking a test drive, as have some people to whom I've spoken. I'm just about to cross Toyota off my list. Is there a Toyota dealership around here with a good sales staff? Thanks for any input.

raybear

Drop me an email and I'll send you some of my contacts.

billbabakian

Edmunds.com says a 2002 toyota camry LE V6 requires premium unleaded. I went to the dealer and he said this was wrong, regular unleaded would be fine? Who should I believe and is there any reason why there is confusion on this point?

pepperboy

Many modern engines automatically retard the timing if the octane is not sufficient to prevent pre-ignition. In short, you won't damage the engine by using regular, but you will loose a bit of power and perhaps get a bit lower mileage. If I'm not mistaken, the book recommends premium.

terra_31

Hi,

I would like to know the invoice price for the rear spoiler for 2002 Camry LE V4. In addition, does anyone know the invoice price for the following options? I cannot find it from edmunds.com or yahoo.com. Thank you in advance!

DG Door Edge Guards
GE Night Vision/Comp mirror upg
A1 Extramil Alum. Wheel Upg.
* wheel locks
* road hazard tire & wheel warranty
RS Rear Spoiler
MG Mud Guards

Basically, I got a V4 with the above options and ABS for 20300.00 + TTL, is it a okay deal??

Thank You!

Terra

sam_beaver

[I went to the dealer and he said ... regular unleaded would be fine? Who should I believe and is there any reason why there is confusion on this point?]

According to the owner's manual, the engine takes regular but will get better performance with premium. The book does not recommend premium outright; it recommends it "for better performance". But it doesn't specify how much performance you'll lose by using regular.

alpha01

Where were you able to find an LE I4 with ABS but NOTR pkg 1 (keyless and pwr driver's seat) or pkg. 2 (keyless, pwr drv seat, JBL)? Is yours an automatic or a manual transmission model? I have never seen an auto LE I4 that didnt have pkg 1 or 2.
~alpha

roadking07728

A V-4 Camry. This might be the single greatest example of why the Camry bore-mobile does so well with the general public. People who buy Camrys treat them like a refrigerator, and they about as exciting. When was the last time a car had a V-4? Please people...I can't take it anymore!

Yesterday, I actually saw a Camry with "God Bless America" bumper stickers on it. Put your money where your mouth is! People are so quick to shout patriotism even as they have complete disregard for the American economy. A car is the second largest purchase a person ever makes, and they decided to send that money overseas. Now they want to ride around with patriotic bumper stickers? I don't think so.

alpha01

Don't start with the patriotism BS. Our 02 Camry is assemblied in and has a high parts supply content coming from the USA. How is it better to say, purchase a Mexican built PT Cruiser or a Canadian General Motors vehicle than an AMERICAN BUILT Toyota. Thousands and thousands of people, both directly and indirectly, across this great country of ours depend upon JAPAN's Big Three (Toyota, Honda, Nissan) for their existence. Driving a Camry with a patriotic bumper sticker is NOT WRONG. If GM or Ford (since by your definition of "sending money overseas" would therefore exclude Chrysler... er, DAIMLERCHRYLSER) could produce a better Camry or Accord, I'd be driving it. But they dont, and Toyota, Honda, and Nissan offer quality AMERICAN BUILT products. End of story. How much do you REALLY know about the American economy? Are you a business professional? If you are, I would certainly be interested in learning the negative effects of having Japan's Big Three produce vehicles in America and therefore, employ, Americans.
~alpha

pat

This isn't a political forum, folks. There may be some appropriate discussions on the News and Views board to pursue this conversation, but here is not the place.

Thanks.

Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board

coolguyky7

And if you think you are some car buff...there is no such thing as a V4 in a Camry. It's a four cylinder.

drmp

There are no V4's in the market. The 4's are in-line 4 and not V. The last V4 produced was in the 60's, the Ford Taunus and was an engineering nightmare due to balance problems.

plumman

Fred, I have only 500 miles on my 2002 4 cylinder Camry LE. Refueled last night and got 27mph on the first tank. It could have been higher, but I kept turning the overdrive off as to not lug the engine. Engine seems to be reving better now.

Plumman

gregmartinez

4apexes,
I bought a 4cyl XLE that came with 16inch tires and 16 inch steel wheels and those fabulous plastic hubcaps. I upgraded to the wheels from the SE which wasn't what the dealer wanted to do.
Quite a battle actually.

I drive between Orlando, Fl and Miami often and while the roads are mostly flat here, there have been several quick lane changes and avoidance manuevers at 80 MPH and the handling was great with minimal body roll.

Everyone who rides in the car comments on how quiet and smooth the ride is.The digital climate control,JBL sound system, power passenger seat,rear A/C vents are just a few of the nice touches that the XLE comes with.

I'd be more concerned with the handling if I were getting the V-6. Hope this helps.

azstan

Last time I came across a V4 engine was 1969...a Saab. I bought one in Texas...drove it to Alaska...kept it 3 years then sold it. No more Saab automobiles for me...ever.

4apexs

Thanks! - The options package is hard to beat. What gas milage are you seeing and what is your oil change intervals - I'm thinking of letting the motor break in for 5-10K and then go to Mobil 1.

gregmartinez

4apexs,
I have changed the oil every 3500 miles while manual recommends every 5000, I'm just not comfortable with that. I now have 9100 miles on the car. Haven't gone the synthetic route yet..I don't know enough about the synthetic oil but I'm interested. Not sure if synth would void any warranty issues.

As for gas mileage.I get combined city and hwy approx 26-29. All city driving about 22 mpg & conservative highway about 29-30 mpg. I tend to drive a bit fast on the highway due to the length of the trips and in Florida the A/C is on 10 or 11 months out of the year.

yanker

Being literate about economics of cars and that includes Toyota should be a national goal Alpha 1 is correct. Roadking is wrong.

terra_31

You don't have to make a big deal and insult me and about the "V4" mistake. I am not a car guru, so I made the mistake. I am here to learn about cars.

To alpha01,
The car is bought in Texas. The dealer was even surprised to see a LE with ABS. I think the car was customer-orded, and he never picked it up. It already had 170 miles on it...
I have a question about first 500 miles. I know that the car should be driven carefully for the 500 miles, why is that? and what are the cautions to be taken for that 500 miles?

Thanks.

rutger3

Okay,IMO:
-the V in V4 stands for Very terrific 4 cylinder.
-any auto purchased in America benefits Americans,but how about if you buy an American car from a Non-American salesperson; or if you buy a Chevy from an American Dealer,sold by an American Salesperson,but servied by a Russian mechanic whose parents were Asian Americans who drive a Volvo but do their banking at Bank of America?
-Dick Cheney should reveal who he had meetings with and comply with the GAO request.And just what does Mr. Cheney drive?

fredvh

Have you had any problems with your Camry as of yet? Why did you pick the XLE over the LE and was it worth the price difference?
I test-drove an XLE that had the Michelin tires on it and found the ride a bit harsh. Do you have the Michelins? Did you test-drive both the LE and XLE?

8u6hfd

For the V6, the engine was designed around using high octane gasoline. It has a pretty high compression (about 10.3:1), which requires premium. That being said --

On each cylinder bank there is a knock sensor (essentially a microphone), when you put in lower grades of gasoline, because of the high compression and the gasoline's lower knock (the gas-air mixture ignites before some threshold around Top Dead Center, causing the pistons to jerk control, also referred to as pre-ignition) resistance, it will knock. As the sensors picks up the knocking sound, it will send a signal to the ECU, then the ECU sends a signal to the ignition coil to retard the timing a bit (make it fire a little later).

The end result would be be less power, and maybe a change in fuel economy.

wannacamry

I'm planning to buy a 2002 LE or XLE and keep it until it's no longer cost-effective. I can live with the modest power of the 4-cylinder engine, but some people believe a V6 would last longer than the 4-cylinder. Any thoughts?

ralpi

fredvh, I have driven both an automatic and 5 speed 4cyl/LE, and own a 4cyl/XLE. The XLE has slightly crisper handling, but just as smooth a ride as the LE, in my experience. I have the Bridgestone tires (not my first choice), the LE's I drove had the Goodyears/Continentals.
All 4 tires were 3-5 lbs. overinflated when I took the car home, possibly your test drive had overinflated tires also.
One difference noted is the brakes, they are much softer on the XLE/4cyl with 4 wheel discs. Take a little getting used to.
Also, a problem with engine idle, when you make a fairly hard stop, engine seems to idle somewhat rougher for a second before settling down. Maybe this is the gas, I have the original tank. Possibly this will improve with different grade of gas, and some more miles.

mjday1972

I thought this was a forum for the Toyota Camry, not for political discussions regarding the current administration.

I'm sure Vice President Cheney doesn't drive, he leaves that up to the Secret Service.

pat

Yes please, let's drop the political issues ... hmm, seems to me I said that yesterday!

:-)

Really, folks, this is not the place - some of the political issues raised here in the last day or so have a tendency to get way out of hand. We are a car forum - that kind of argument just doesn't belong here.

Thanks for moving on.

Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board

ftx42

Two problems so far on 2002 XLE V6:
1) rattle in dash when driving in windy conditions
2) weak rear window defogger
Plan on getting these corrected at first oil change. Anyone else encounter these problems?

sam_beaver

Isn't the rear window defogging done via implanted electric wires in the window itself? I don't see how those can be strengthened once the car leaves the factory. What should I know that I don't?

canadiancl

I too agree there's nothing you can do to improve defroster performance.

catalinablue

Cliffy,

Thank you for the information on ordering the XLE V6 with fabric interior. I will look around for a more consumer-friendly dealer.

Anybody have any suggestions for a dealer who is interested in accepting orders in NJ? Or just one with whom you've had a good experience?

gregmartinez

I bought the car on Sept 1st and not as many available as now. I was looking at an LE 4cyl and couldn't get the deal I wanted..went to another dealer across town and saw the XLE which had lots more features than the LE for about $1600.00 more than the first dealer was trying to sell me the LE for.
I upgraded to the SE wheels which came with the Bridgestone Turanzas. I think they are much better riding/handling tires than the original Michelins which I did drive on for a couple of weeks while waiting for the SE wheels to come in. Only problem I had was a squeeking noise coming from behind the steering wheel. Dealer fixed it.

2001ody

Thanks for making the note about the engine idle being rough after braking. My 2002 4 cyl does this as well. I took it to the dealer and described it like you said. I mentioned that it could be the idle speed, the brakes, or the engine mounts. They could not replicate it. They did however state that the engine idle is not something they can adjust, it is computer controlled. I am going to duplicate it for them at the next oil change within the month. At 6000 miles, this is my only complaint about the car. Getting 30 mpg on rural 32 mile commute which is far better than my old 92 taurus. Dave

alpha01

Our 02 Camry was purchased from Brunswick Toyota in North Brunswick, NJ. Recommended, though I'm not sure if they will order for you. Dayton Toyota also seems to be a fair dealership, though its further from our home so we went with Brunswick. Also shopped at Freehold Toyota (bunch of lying swindlers) as well as DiFeo in Jersey City (much the same).
Hope that helps.
Joe

pa31

I don't how close you are to the PA line, but I worked with Dick Milham Toyota in Easton. They beat the Cars Direct Price and Edmunds TMV by a decent amount and were great to work with.

2002 Sand XLE V6
Packages 7,8, heated seats, floor mats, and mudguards.

kirbstoy

I wonder why it is a company that can produce vehicles of such high and enduring quality such as the Camry and the Lexus line, can't figure out a way to hide the exhaust pipe? In the past couple of weeks I have followed several new Camry's and Lexus ES-300's and in each case about 4-5 feet of the exhaust pipe was hanging down 3-6 inches below the car. In the case of one of the brand new ES 300's, the driver went over a large parking-lot speed bump and the exhaust pipe was shoved up into the floor pan. Amazing what you don't get for $35K, huh?