Toyota Camry 2006 and earlier

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  • sw12sw12 Member Posts: 2
    I wanted to buy a Carry V4 LE with leather seats and Sunroof with VP (value package 3). I wanted to know if the leather quality will be same as the one in XLE or XLE will be better.
    Also the dealer says that it will not be factory installed but dealer installed. He says the same thing about Sunroof, I am more worried about the quality of the options installed by dealer as against the factory installed ones.
    Any help and suggestions are more than welcome
    SW12
  • ral2167ral2167 Member Posts: 791
    i have seen 4 cylinders with moonroofs--- i do not know why a moonroof would have to be dealer installed...

    as far as leather, i imagine there are much fewer 4 cylinders with leather--- i wonder, why do you want leather? stick with cloth, find a 4 cylinder with factory moonroof, and maybe some other options like a jbl radio ... personally i do not understand the allure of leather.
  • heavenboundheavenbound Member Posts: 39
    I take my cars to Procare, which used to be BP Procare because they offer 24months/24,000 warranty on all there work.
    I'm not sure about the road hazard and stuff included. I think the X one has the same traction rating so if the price is about the same I would say that's a good deal.
    I'm in North Carolina so I don't see very much snow here either. Good Luck, Max
  • carguy5000carguy5000 Member Posts: 146
    Save your money and buy the Camry with the I-4 engine. That V4 engine is really rare and hard to get parts for once the warranty wears off.......
    As for the dealer installed roof and seatcovers...wait a little longer and get a an XLE with these options installed from the factory. You will be much happier in the long run with their operation and durability.
  • ral2167ral2167 Member Posts: 791
    not sure the difference between an I-4 engine and a v-4??? is the v4 in a camry CE and the i 4 in an LE? or vice versa? i never even heard of a V-4...... V-6, yes, V-8 yes.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    That was just a joke. There is no such thing as a V4. The V in V6 refers to the configuration of the cylinders. You have three cylinders on each side in the configuration of a V shape.

    An I4 is an Inline 4 cylinder. The only other kind of 4 cylinder is a flat 4 like on the Subaru and the old VW Bug where you have two cylinders lying flat and directly opposed to each other.

    Some of us chuckle to ourselves when we hear the term V4. Most of us keep that to ourselves to avoid insulting others.
  • carguy5000carguy5000 Member Posts: 146
    Lighten up Francis...there actually are millions of real V4's in production today..just not in automobiles. Most are found on motorcycles or on the back of a boat in the form of an outboard motor.
  • 89toycar89toycar Member Posts: 2
    Hello, I'm new to the forum. My 89 Camry V6 has 195/60R15 T-rated Michelin Weatherhandler Sport tires. They were purchased from Sears in '99 for about $75 each. They're great and I would buy them again. Treadwear rating is 400 yet they have pretty good grip. Wet grip is above average (even w/o ABS). They will squeal just before letting go gradually and overall give plenty of driver assurance. Judging by the tread design, I believe the MXV4 Plus (H-rated) is a very similar tire, which is sold by Tire Rack and comes as OE on the Accord and others.

    Hope this helps. Also, my dad has Michelin Symmetrys on his Aurora and they do very well for an all-season tire. The Symmetry's may be quieter. I really don't know which are better since the two cars are quite different.
    I can say this without a doubt: buying Michelins are worth the money.
  • carguy5000carguy5000 Member Posts: 146
    are great tires..but worth the money? Had a '92 V6 Camry that came from the factory w/Bridgestones, got 42k from them. Had to have MXV4's at $115 each. Got 40k from them doing the proper rotating etc. Great tire, wish it hung around longer!
    Folks, keep in mind, the treadwear rating is an independent number that has NO relivence between mfrs. It is an independent rating system that is not regulated by anyone..... This is NOT true for ABC ratings for temp and traction.
  • heavenboundheavenbound Member Posts: 39
    89toycar, Thanks for the input I still have awhile before I need to buy so I'll look for sales. How is your 89 Camry holding up? Are you going to drive it till it drops?

    carguy5000, Thanks for the info. traction is something I'm really paying attention to.
  • gpoltgpolt Member Posts: 113
    This is only conjecture, but I'm assuming it's possible that the new Camry will inherit the engines currently found in the Highlander. If that occurs, the 4 cylinder model should perform much better (increased displacement, hp and torque). Has anyone seen artists' sketches or have any info on the 2002 Camry? Is it already out in Japan?
  • george5george5 Member Posts: 23
    I have a 2000 Toyota Camry with 2,400 miles on it, and I have to say that the steering system on this car stinks! Does anyone else think this as well?

    My Camry is extremely tiring to drive on the freeway because of the continuess steering wheel adjustments required to make the car go in the correct direction. It is TOO sensitive to the road crown, moreso if the road is lower on the left(tilted down to the left), the car just drifts left quickly. When the road is tilted to the right, it behaves well and does not drift however. I did take it in for an alignment to the dealer at around 900 miles, and it has helped a little, but this is REDICULOUS. What a WASTE of money to have bought this car. I know the problem is with the car, and not me, because I have driven a friends 1999 Honda Accord a few times, and her car drives effortlessly. The steering on the Accord adjusts automatically on its own to compensate for the crown(tilt) in the road, enabling you to go straight with little effort.

    On my Camry, I have also noticed that the car drifts slightly to the left even on level roads.

    I have General Tires. Could this be the problem? I've checked the tire pressure and they are all the same, 32psi. Could it be my weight? I am 240lbs.

    I've noticed all the new Accords have Michelin MXV4 Plus on them, and my friends Accord has these tires as well, and it drives wonderfully. Has anyone put this on their Camry? If so how does the car drive? Can anyone think of any other problem? Please help! It is driving me nuts!

    Thank you in advance.
    George
  • carguy5000carguy5000 Member Posts: 146
    A couple of things: Does your 2000 have 14" or 15" wheels? I know that the CE model came with 14" and the upgrade was made on the LE sometime during the model year. The Accord has 15" wheels. This makes a very big difference.
    I had a 1996 Camry that I upgraded to a 15"x7" wheel. There was a distinct difference over the std. 14"x5.5" wheel.
    The Camry is what it is, and there is nothing wrong with the steering, you just need to understand what its limitations are and adjust accordingly.
    I have logged almost 200k miles on Camrys, they are great cars, however, when I noticed the shortfall in my '96, I did something about it.
  • heavenboundheavenbound Member Posts: 39
    If you plan on keeping the car, I would look at tire upgrades. I checked a couple of places on tire prices and the General tire's on my Camry 205/65/15's cost about $44.00 a piece. To me they are cheap tires.

    I'm going to upgrade to Michelins or Goodyears down the road. Good Luck!
  • carguy5000carguy5000 Member Posts: 146
    A different tire brand will not give you what you are looking for, only a change in wheel size will increase your response.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Start by setting the tire pressure at the rec. amount. I believe it's 26 on front. Check the tag on your door.

    Also, I had a bad tire once that made the car pull (drift) to one side. Try moving the tires around to see if one (or more) are bad. I'd start by switching the left front tire to the right front and see if it pulls an opposite direction. If not, move both fronts to the rear and see what happens. An out of round/bad tire can cause the car to pull and won't be found during an alignment.
  • soberssobers Member Posts: 496
    This is not related to ur problem but thought of writting down:
    I don't think keeping 26 psi will help. If reccomendation is 26-32, Don't use 32, somewhere moidway between 26-32 depending on how u load ur car. I use 30 on my accord.
    Post 315 will help u I guess. Other thing is do test drive other Camry at dealers or friend's to check whether u observe the same thing. I don't think car should pull. I have driven many rental Camrys & founf them OK on freeway upto speeds of 80+ miles.
  • carguy5000carguy5000 Member Posts: 146
    It is really comforting to know that I share the road with clowns driving rental Camrys at "freeway upto speeds of 80+ miles."
  • exit00exit00 Member Posts: 11
    The recommended tire pressure that is stated on the car is usually the lowest required pressure.
    Why? Because car makers want you to have the smoothest ride possible so you will like the ride of the car.

    But this comes at a big cost in the treadwear of the tires. Adding 3-4 lbs of more air to the recommended pressure will normally give the tires another 20k or so of wear. I'd rather have a little stiffer ride with the much longer lasting tires.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I agree with ya on the tire pressure, I usually run my camry 32 front, 30 rear. However, while trying to fix this problem they are further ahead to put the pressure at recommended psi. If they go back to the dealer, that's one less dumb thing they can blame it on. The higher pressure could also aggravate the problem, if it's a defective tire.
  • george5george5 Member Posts: 23
    The tires are 15" General HP400 A/S.
    George
  • liufeiliufei Member Posts: 201
    Beat Accord for the title again. 3 straight year in a row now?
    Sales figure is down 5% from 1999 though. Accord sales figures remains flat (quite impressive feat by Honda, considering many models experience sales drop).
  • ral2167ral2167 Member Posts: 791
    as a toyota owner, you'll probably hear from accord owners that camry outsells accord due to toyota selling to rental companies, while honda doesn't... probably a valid point, although i am not sure exactly how many camry's are sold to rental agencies....

    i don't think any more or less of a car based on its sales figures... if taurus outsold both accord and camry, i wouldn't rush out to buy one...

    personally, i've owned both hondas and toyotas, and both have their pros and cons over the other..depends on personal preferences...if i owned 2 toyotas in a row, and had no problems with either, i'd still probably lean to buying an accord, if only for the change of pace. cars can get boring after awhile.

    i did get my coinbox replaced in the solara, under warranty-- the dealer replaced both the coinbox and the lower trim panel.... if you live near a toll road, the accord might be the way to go..it has a dandy coin box, while the camry/solara has quite a lame one...

    the steering wheel mounted audio controls in the accord V6 ex don't thrill me, cause if i understand things right, if you're listening to 760 AM on the dial (WJR Detroit), and wish to to get to 700 AM (WLW Cincinnati), if you use the audio controls on the steering wheel, you have to go "forward" through the presets to "get back" to 700 AM.

    on the other hand, i don't think toyota has a keyless trunk release, while accord does... i could see some use in that.

    i'm probably off-topic anyway, so i'll quit.
  • smbfujarsmbfujar Member Posts: 7
    When I complained about noises from front end of my 97 Camry, my dealer fixed the left front strut at no cost. They ordered the part(s), got them in quickly, and got it done in a few days. They agreed to fix the right also, and ordered parts 8-9 days ago. Now, I'm told the dealer can't get the parts anywhere, that they're on nationwide backorder.

    If that's true, that says to me that this strut problem is big enough to warrant a recall. Is anybody else "on hold" with this situation? How long have you been waiting? I'm curious.

    I also can't get much heat to come out at foot level, even with the fan on highest level and dial cranked to max heat. Anybody know if this is a simple adjustment, or could the heater core in dash be clogged? I get plenty of heat when using the defroster (which activates A/C), so getting heat isn't the problem.

    Thanks for any feedback on either problem.
  • dburrusdburrus Member Posts: 2
    The dealer replaced both front struts and strut plates at 59k under warranty. Now at 109k the strut plates are shot and I am left holding the bag. Toyota wants 450.00 to do the repair. You cannot get these parts from anywhere other than a dealer. Yes, I agree, with this type of prevelatn problem a recall is in order. This will be the last Toyota I ever think about buying
  • autonutsautonuts Member Posts: 138
    I leased a 2000 Carry DE back in August. I wanted this car for a number of reasons including safety, reliability/dependability, looks (Yes, I don't think it looks BORING!), comfort and quietness. I've been very happy with all of the above except for the last one (quietness). I've noticed that the car has a problem with squeaks when going over ripples in the road. This annoys me since I've read in just about every consumer's magazine that one of the pro's for this car are no squeaks or rattles. I've tried searching for where the sounds might be coming from and it seems like they're just in the inside walls and door panels. All seems to be tight and well constructed but at the same time I believe this is where the sounds are coming from. Maybe I'm being to conscious about this but I except the ride to be more quiet than the domestics I've ridden in and this isn't the case. Does anyone else have this problem and if so, what can be done about it? I've tried staying away from the dealership because usually one inherits other problems when one takes a car in for something like this. Any suggestions, agreements or opinions are welcomed. - Thanks!!
  • autonutsautonuts Member Posts: 138
    The Carry is a DE not a DE.
  • autonutsautonuts Member Posts: 138
    Ok, I tried correcting the model number and it didn't work and the spelling for the car is incorrect. Oh well, I guess it's a glitch in the system.
  • heavenboundheavenbound Member Posts: 39
    I recently started leasing a 2000 Camry LE program car. The drivers seat squeaks. It's due to have touch paint and the seat fixed soon. I'll let you know how it turns out.
  • carbuff22carbuff22 Member Posts: 1
    A good friend with a '97 LE has recently been experiencing a noise in the front right end of her car. It seems to be more noticeable when it's very cold. (Ahhhh Wisconsin winters) The dealer did not suggest that it was the strut nor did they offer to fix/replace it. It was our opinion that it had something to do with the strut as well. You were lucky that your dealer seemed a bit more honest and helpful.
  • hettlingerhettlinger Member Posts: 1
    I own a 1998 Camry V6 XLE and am very disappointed on its performance in snow and slippery roads. I changed out the original set of tires after just 12,000 miles as I thought this was the problem. But with Dunlop High Performance All Weather there is no improvement. Dealers and Service Managers tell me they have never heard of such a thing.

    The car just doesn't handle the slip very well even with Traction Control.

    Could it be that the V6 has too much torque and the wheels break loose too easily? Any suggestions?
  • autonutsautonuts Member Posts: 138
    Thanks for the reply! Do you have any squeaks like I stated in my first post? Good luck on your trip into the dealership - I hope they fix it right the first time! Keep me posted. Thanks!!
  • heavenboundheavenbound Member Posts: 39
    The seat is the only problem I'm having with squeaks. The car can be sitting still and if I move around in my seat it does it. Good Luck!
  • soberssobers Member Posts: 496
    I drove Camry 80+ when speed limit was 75 !!
    Generally I drive 5-7 miles + over speed limit.

    Does it worry you ? Now face this:
    # of vechicles I passed doing 80: ZERO !!
    # of vechicles passed me: virtually all of them!!
    Why ? They were driving atleast 10 miles over the speed limit. I saw 2/3 cops alongside the freeway didn't mind 10 over the speed limit.

    Sometimes you have to speed just to stay safe in the traffic. (Chicago: psoted limit 55 on 6 lane freeway. People in leftmost lane: 85 !!)
  • julene1julene1 Member Posts: 1
    I bought a 2000 camry LE prior to 2001's hitting the market> It is the first Toyota for me, a dyed in the wool accord fan. I notice that when cold it sounds like I have straight pipes without much of a muffler. At different speeds I also get a rumbbling sound like I have glass pack mufflers, this happens between the engine pulling and coasting. Is this common with the toyota? Also when slowing down it seems there is no engine braking or at most very little. Only have 3095 miles
  • 89toycar89toycar Member Posts: 2
    heavenbound, I've only owned my Camry for a year. I have all the rec's since it was new and they show infrequent but costly maintenance. I intend to drive it for several years. The 115hp four was of very little appeal. I waited for a V6, and a manual at that (hard to find). At 140k, it's making a clunking noise over bumps and in between gears. I think I need new bushings or motor mounts. Anyone, is this expensive? Otherwise it runs fine.

    Sebring95, I'm curious to know about your 92 with 175k. I really wanted the 3.0 in the 92 but couldn't afford it at the time. How much of its life have you owned it? I hear about many 4cyls gettinginto high mileage easily, but few v6s.
    I hate to think what a valve job will cost on the 24valves. Have you done it? Have you had to replace the tranny?
    I was told the v6 auto trans has more electronics than the four's and is quite expensive to replace. Is gentle driving/meticulous maintainance a factor in your case? Lastly, was it made in Japan or US?
    Yes, silver is one of my favorite colors too. Hope your Jeep works out for you. I guess the 97 Cam is gone.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    Snow is a difficult thing to deal with. On dry pavement, wide tires are better. On snow, they are a liability. On dry pavement, 194 HP is a great asset. On snow it is a huge liability. Combine the two and you've got issues. This is why our Corollas do so well in snow but the Camry and Avalon (and other similar sized cars with similar tires) don't.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I've owned the 92 since new. They were very pricey at the time especially compared to other models. I think I paid around $20,000 for it. It pretty much had every option but leather.

    I'm not very easy on a vehicle, and that's one reason I've been such a Toyota fan. This car has been nearly flawless for the most part. I have all the records on it and the only repair I've made that was abnormal was the front drivers power window regulator and the power antenna motor.

    I'm not really a maintenance freak. I have changed the oil at 4K to 5K mile intervals. Flushed the coolant system every 30K miles. Timing belt was changed at 80K miles. I'm on my third set of plugs, second set of wires, third set of front pads, second set or rear pads, just changed the front rotors & tranny fluid was changed at 100K miles. Recently the factory CD player started giving my wife fits. Everything else functions as normal, pretty much like new. I figure the thing has to start breaking down, but it hasn't yet. The wife likes it better than the 97 model we have, and so far hasn't picked out a replacement. It's paid for itself 3 or 4 times really.
  • ral2167ral2167 Member Posts: 791
    you say the 92 had a CD problem..my question is-- did they have a CD in the 92?? i think back at 1992 cars, and i don't think a CD came with the car, just a cassette, even as an option...did you have a CD player installed sometime later? maybe i'm nuts, but to me, if a 1992 camry came with a CD, then I must not be remembering things right...
  • carguy5000carguy5000 Member Posts: 146
    Actually mine had a factory 8-track, just like the one that was in my '79 Trans-Am that I traded in........Actually the '92 had 3 offerings, the standard radio, an AM/FM Cassette, an upgraded version (better speakers) and a 3rd that included a CD player. The CD player was also a dealer installed accessory.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Came with the car, it has the am/fm cassette with the CD player under it. I don't remember what the charge was, I'd have to look at my sticker. I don't remember it being a dealer installed option, but it could have been.
  • heavenboundheavenbound Member Posts: 39
    If it's bushings or motor mounts it shouldn't be very expensive. Good Luck!
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Came with the car, it has the am/fm cassette with the CD player under it. I don't remember what the charge was, I'd have to look at my sticker. I don't remember it being a dealer installed option, but it could have been.
  • slesssless Member Posts: 10
    I'm ready to down size from a Toyota Sienna to either a Toyota Camry, Acura 3.2TL or Lexus ES300. My wants are simple: a car that is reliable, comfortable, quiet and has good resale value. These three seem to fit the bill. I'm leaning towards the Lexus, but would like further input. I really wish these vehicles had exciting, unique appearances, but they are all about the same.
  • rcoosrcoos Member Posts: 167
    Does anyone have any information on the 2002 Camry ... pictures, etc?

    rcoos
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    Being a "value" person myself, I'd pick the Camry out of the 3 you've listed. It'll cost less but can be optioned up to have most of the features of the other two.

    But why not consider the Honda Accord also, the direct competitor to the Camry?
  • peter24apeter24a Member Posts: 1
    Took 97 Camry to dealer since I was hearing and feeling a clunk when I turned the steering wheel to the extreem ends of its travel when manuevering in parking lots at low speed. The clunk could be felt more than heard and it could be felt both through the steeirng wheel and through the floorboard near the gas pedal. Dealer says steering rack is not falling off and that something within the rack is wrong. They want to replace it at a cost of around $1,200. They dont seem to have any experience with this type of problem and I am not confident that they are right that it has to be replaced. Anybody out there with a similar problem or any opinions about this?

    Thanks,

    Peter
  • jmac262000jmac262000 Member Posts: 1
    There is a bulletin out. I found it sitting in the body shop waiting for the answer to my noise. I just opened the nov 99 issue of Motor Age magazine.(pg 48)and there it was.the boyz couldn't believe it. Toyota will not fix it for free because a recall is only for safety purposes,not for annoying unimportant noises. So they posted a bulletin # su002-99. It's a design problem in the upper support.Costs about 450$ to repair.Now the bushing designed to eliminate noise does not work either. So can everyone complain to Toyota and get some help or what?
  • toyota4me2toyota4me2 Member Posts: 1
    Hi all, I just sold and 1992 Camry that had 152,000 miles on it. And today I purchased a 1996 Camry LE V6 with Gold Package, Tire Chains and Cargo Net for $13,250. The car
    only has 32,000 miles on it and has all the Toyota Service
    records. Did I get a good deal? I think it was a steal myself with the low miles. High blue books is around $15,500. I prefer the 92-96 body style which is why I did not opt for a newer camry.
  • wenyuewenyue Member Posts: 558
    Wait for the totally redesigned 2002 Camry or 2002 Lexus ES300. They should be here late this summer. If you don't need a car in a hurry, I think it's worth the wait.
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