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Comments
Funny how Toyota makes the new Camry and in my opionion has the most uncomfortable driver seat I have ever sat in but makes a beautiful car that has all the latest options and also makes the Solara with has in my opionion the most comfortable seat I have ever sat in but the car does lack some of the latest options such as trip computer ect.....kind of makes you wonder why Toyota doesn't put the Solara seats in the Camry and the Camry options in the Salara then both would be fantastic cars but on the other hand Toyota must be doing something right because it seems like overall you like your Camry and I absolutely just love my new Solara.
Wishing you the best with your new Camry..
Anyway, I have some questions regarding the 02 LE or SE:
1) To the owners of the Camrys: are you satisfied with them? Why or why not? Have you encountered any problems? how is the feel of the car? on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being best, how would u rate it?
2) Is the 4 cylinder power enough for the camrys? or do i need to get a V6 for better performance?
3) What is the resale value (residual) of the Camry?
Thanks in advance.
Yesterday, after my posting, my new "specialist" got back to me with a verified 4/17/02 request date from a local dealer to Toyota and a time frame of late August for build and delivery. I am finally getting somewhere.
carsdirect promised "the best car buying experience you have ever had." And apparently this may be true if you are not requesting a special order. But in my case I signed a contract 3/19/02 for the car. Was told the "special build" request was submitted to Toyota's order processing center on 3/21/02 and that I should know if accepted in a week -- and then nothing confirming or denying for over 50 days. That's when I e-mailed their CEO.
Originally I liked carsdirect no hassle buying, fixed price and their being associated with Amazon.com. And the price $24,625 (SE V6, packages #3, #7 security, carpet set, wheel locks) was good. But my personal experience with a special order has been problematic.
The situation is somewhat resolved now, but I still wonder if I should consider changing the order to a 2003 since it has now become so late in the current model year? Anyone now any anticipated changes to the 2003 Camry?
And thanks for the good luck wishes I'm sure I'll still need them.
96 and a 97b Camry. On the 96 I have over 46000 and still have tread and only one problem in five years
My two very petty complaints about our 02 are that:
1) The headrests no longer articulate as they do in our 00.
2) The headlights are no longer auto on, as they are in the 00 LE. Now, you have to get the XLE to get that feature.
Overall, a great car. I feel badly for those who have niggling rattles and sulfur smells, but am very happy that our family has this car.|
Best of luck
~alpha
The XLE headlights are not "auto-on", however, they are "auto-off" and since I don't see much use for DRLs versus regular headlights, I've just decided to leave the headlights on all the time. I guess that makes them "auto-on"
I hadn't driven our new car after dark until last night. I really like the interior dashboard lights after dark!
Apart from the sulphur smell and the driver's seat discomfort, I do have a couple of other complaints that I haven't heard mentioned, but they're minor:
(1) The trunk is very hard to close -- it's not that it requires great force, but it must be closed dead-on center. The models I test drove didn't have this problem, but all the new ones (I tried three when I complained about mine and the dealer said it was normal) do seem to have this problem. So maybe it goes away in time.
(2) The car is so quiet that I sometimes think I've already started it when I haven't. Twice in the last two weeks I have shifted into gear and let out the brake without starting the car. Good thing I wasn't on a steep incline, but I couldn't figure out why the car wasn't going anywhere. When the brake pedal was really stiff too I figured it out.
Have narrowed down choice of new car to 02 Accord EX/V6 or 02 Camry SE/V6. Live in Houston and have found new Accord for $22,300 but have not gotten anything solid on Camry yet but expect it to be closer to $23k. Also would like to through the Passat GLS into the mix but higher $ and concerned about longevity.
My current Accord was my first endeavor with non Big 3 US made cars and quite frankly it has not been bullet proof so far as I had hoped. Have only driven 02 Camry once in Hertz rental but it was LE 4-cyl so couldn’t really compare. Liked the quieter ride and think the interior is slightly larger. A little concerned about the Camry being new and would think that the Accord would hold an edge on reliability as this platform has been around and is it its last year.
The Edmunds site says the Accord cost $0.41 per mile and the Camry $0.46 so this is a big plus for the mileage I am going to put on it. I have also driven the Accord for up to 7 hrs at a time and have not been uncomfortable.
Any input would be welcomed and if any of you have recently owned both models I would really like to hear from you.
Thanks,
Larry
I am having a couple of strange ticking noises, and no, they are not my turn signal. But they don't seem to last long.
I have driven both the V-6 and the 4 cyl extensively in the '02, and there is a difference, yes, but enough of one to justify the $2K+ difference in price. The 4 cyl is a very capable engine, and gets this car moving in short order. Right now, Toyota's V-6 is the lowest powered of all the mainstream sedans' V-6's, so maybe the V-6 will be worth putting up the extra $$ for next year or the year after.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
"Lily"
I'm sooooo not good at all this haggling!!! :-0
"Lily" purrrrrrrr....
Since you are looking at a 4 cylinder, there really will not be any changes to the 2003. The V6 *might* get an engine upgrade. So your big question should be, "is this car worth the money and is it the one I really want?" If the answer is yes, buy it and enjoy it. If not, wait and see what the next year brings.
It sounds like you are a long term type of owner. Because of this, the "deal" is more important than the model year. Having the chance to get a good price and a great interest rate now seems to be a good idea.
Glad you like your Camry.
as an aside... lilybean... consider getting the 16 in alloy wheel option on the XLE 4clyinder.. I really think the 16 inch wheel covers are a bit cheap on a car that stickers at nearly $23K. Its a matter of opinion/style preferences, I guess.
~alpha
Like 95gtp, I was looking at compacts and never really looked at the Camry and when I did, I ended up loving it! The LE is not too much more than a loaded compact; I ended up with the LE V6 because it is also an extra $2000 here (CDN!) and pays for the ABS and rear disc brakes alone, not to mention the V6 and alloys! So for all you undecideds...although it is a "boring" Camry, you will be continually impressed by its quality more and more everyday.
Thanks.
tusken... have you heard about the "engine sludge" issue? otherwise, the 97-98 Camry is a very good car, vanilla in flavor, but solid, safe, and reliable. If you can afford it, buy it from a dealer and get the "Toyota Certified Used" program... its a great safeguard against any possible vehicle issues, and adds peace of mind. you can learn more about the certification program and its warranty on the toyota website, www.toyota.com.
alpha
I'll probably buy from a private seller, to avoid sales taxes, etc. I can always have my "insider" inspect the car before I buy it and he can have repairs done very reasonably.
I will look into buying from a dealer, I just hate dealing with those places, after looking at many of the posts here, buying from a dealer does not insure customer satisfaction.
~alpha01
i don't own a 2002 camry but i also notice the low hanging exhaust pipe.
here is the answer i got from toyota customer relations:
From:
Response (Marc) 02/22/2002 02:56 PM
Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
"We appreciate your interest in Toyota and the new 2002 Camry. The shape and location of the exhaust pipe on the 2002 Camry has been placed in its location for several reasons that include aerodynamics, air flow management, and relationship to other connecting parts in the underbody. If you have specific concerns with the exhaust system, please consult with your local Toyota dealer.
National Customer Relations
...
not a very good answer i know...
Its odd to me that the exhaust pipe, of all things, is such an issue on this thread.
~alpha
Cliffy, please forgive me and correct me if I have spoken wrong or out of turn.
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
I plan to purchase the car this weekend. The car I want is a XLE 4cly with package #8.
How much more I expect to pay over the invoice
for the car?.
How long does it take to reach 0-60 mph?.
I'm also thinking about to get a V6 but I do not
know if it's worthed for the money spent.
Any input is appreciated.
Someone asked about advertising costs: Yeah, they tried to pull that one off on me too, but I would have none of that! First of all, it's bogus! It's just a tactic they use to throw you off guard. I really don't care what it costs THEM to do business. It's built into the car price, & I'm not going to pay for that twice. Another thing: 2 dealerships tried to sell me the paint & rust protection & the last place I went to said that they "would" sell it to me but it IS NOT RECOMMENDED by Toyota, and may in fact void the warranty. Well. any dealership that wants to save me $800 bucks is OK in my book!!! To me, that little bit of info was worth a lot of confidence in "who" I spent my money with. It appears that all dealers are not alike! The first one I went to wanted to give me a whopping $600 off the MSRP and skin me for the 3M hood protector at $300 and another $800 for the "protection" package. You be the judge.
Here are my 3 questions:
*Do you think I should get the Toyota extented warranty or one from "Warranty Direct" at half the price? They appear to be comparable. WD, may be the better deal, but I'm not sure. What is your experience with non-dealer warrantees?
*Does anyone have anything to say about the 3M hood protector?
*The million dollar question: Do you think I got a "good price" or did I stink at doing this deal?
Thanks for all your input.
"Lily"
"Lily"
A month and a half ago I bought a V6 LE 2002 Camry after much research and a lot of test driving. The result: I am glad I did.
First of all, I decided against the XLE because the only extras that I cared for (Sunroof, package #2 which includes keyless entry and JBL sound system, and Skid Control) I could get in the LE saving myself about $4000!!! However, the V6 is a MUST if you really want to enjoy the CAMRY experience. I know that the 4 cylinder has plenty of power, it is pretty quiet and smooth but it could NEVER compare to the **LEXUS LIKE** ride of the V6. I test drove (extensively) the Lexus ES 300, and found that the V6 Camry has nothing to envy to that car (IN THE QUALITY OF RIDE department).
If you want to compare the V6 and the 4 cylinder, go for a back to back test drive. Drive the V6 first, and jump into the 4 banger right away. You'll see the HUGE difference!! Try to accelerate quickly with both of this cars, both from 0 mph and during passing maneuvers. If you own a 4 Cylinder right now, you will recognize the familiar "4 cyl. rumble" as I call it. If you want to treat yourself go for the V6. The fuel economy is reasonable. I am an aggressive and fast driver, and with 50/50 city/highway combination I get about 24 mpg. A more fuel-economy conscious person could get much better yields.
One last thing. I have one complain about the car, the steering is too soft, which requires that you pay much more attention when driving at high speeds (80 mph and up). Otherwise the car is GREAT. I do not regret buying this car over the LEXUS ES 300. Not for a single moment, specially when I think of the $10,000 price difference!!!
V6 vs I4 discussion; I bought the 4-cylinder because I felt it more than adequate power-wise and I use my car for highway driving about 80% of the time so I wanted something really economical to operate. I consistently surpass 30+ miles per gallon highway driving and I can burn the cheaper 87 octane gasoline. The new VVT-i engine is a jewel - unbelievably smooth and quiet in the 70 -80 MPH range. The 162 ft-lbs of torque is more than adequate for my acceleration needs.
I really wouldnt spend the money to get an LE V6, though perhaps if I were looking at an SE or XLE, I might want the added performance of the 6 cyliner engine. The only real drawback btwn. the LE 4 and LE V6 is the rear drum brakes, but again, with ABS on ours, they are perfectly sufficient. This LE 4 (Stratosphere Mica) is our first buy in a long time, and we are very happy with the car, especially the deal we got. In a previous post, someone asked for a rating of the car on the 1 to 10 scale. I still give it the 9 I originally did. Ahh... I'm going to wax the car tomorrow. Strange, that such a mainstream vehicle perpetuates such affection from me. C'est la vie.
~alpha
The dealer can sell you a car at hundreds of dollars under his cost and still end up making a home run for his store thru the warranty,life insurance,doc fee's and interest rate kick back.
Until recently I have owned used car lots for over 20 years and what I just said above is a fact not my opionion.
As for the warranty it's just what makes you more comfortable....as for myself the main reason I buy a new car is for the peace of mind knowing that for the next 100,000 miles I will not have any out of pocket repair costs other then the required maintence and wear items and by saying no to all the high price dealer preventive maintenance (not required for the extended warranty)it just about pay's for the warranty itself....my prefernce is always the dealer warranty but again you have to do what makes you comfortable.
You had said in your post that you were hoping for a 6%interest rate for 5 years with a $250.00 dollar a month payment.....based on that information it only allows you to finance approx. $13,000 dollars so either you have a large down payment or a nice trade in or else for sure you are getting a deal of a life time.
I wanted to wish you the best and many happy and safe driving years with your new Camry.
Non-factory warranties never are as easy to make claims on, especially if you need a claim when you are not near the original dealer. They rarely cover as much equipment as the Platinum plan. You can find all the details of the Toyota warranty at www.toyota.com.
Here at my store, we used to sell "aftermarket" warranties because there is more profit in them. We ended up with so many customer problems and complaints that we decided it wasn't worth it. We switched to Toyota warranties and while they cost more, our customers are MUCH happier with the product.
Before I was absolutely to get the v4 at 100% but now after I read all your opinions it is only 50% and 50% to get either the v4 or v6.
Decision time will come after I test drive both v4 and v6.
Thanks again. I got to leave now and go shopping right after I finish typing this message and will come back here to tell you what I got. Bye.
~alpha