Toyota Camry 2006 and earlier

nippononly

yes, but that is probably not MORE true for BMW than anyone else...used car buyers in general do NOT like to buy stripped cars! I remember when I used to sell them, that an absolute no-no here in California was to try to sell a car without A/C. To this day, I am surprised at how many cars I see for sale that do not have A/C...it has become almost standard across such a large part of the market.

jpryba: surprised that you blew a rod on a 22RE - most unusual. The other nice thing was that there were so many of that engine around (because it was used in all the 4-cyl trucks) that if you did have engine trouble, rebuilds or replacements were cheap and plentiful. I wish I had my old '83 back. The biggest problem mine had, that was common with this series, was that the IRS used on the GTS models tended to produce a bad case of "saggy butt" as they aged - expensive to replace the suspension bushings and control arms in the rear to fix this problem.

So many of those consumer mags, except for CR, will put in any old problem just to make them sound like they have stats on the vehicle. I have not ever heard of endemic transmission problems on any model of old Toyotas, either.

cliffy1

Hey guys... here is some breaking news. As of our December order, the Camry V6 will be coming with the 5 speed automatic transmission. As has been posted here by others, there will probably be a new engine as well, but I just got concrete confirmation of the transmission. We should start seeing these by the middle of January.

fredvh

Will this be available with the I4?
Is this the same transmission as in the Lexus ES300?
Do you think the new 5-speed transmission will be mated to the new engine or to the current engine?
Is this true of the Solara?

cliffy1

V6 only and I assume it will be the Lexus tranny. I also assume it will be with a new engine, but whether that is the 3.3 or a VVT-i 3.0 would be my big question.

drmp

Please give your experience on this option. I am interested on this feature since my wife is short and has to move close to the steering wheel. Is it helpful? Thanks.

Mark

kennynmd

on a dealer in the washington DC, Maryland area that offer great service and prices....I went to a dealer this weekend and asked the sakesperson about the rattle and squeek problems and he didn't know anytrhing about it. Was it that he didn't know or he was trying to play stupid in trying to get me to like the car even more?????

canc

Thanks to Cliffy, Rubicon, and jander for your posts concerning Toyota transmissions.

Since the Camry will have a new 5-sp. transmission, it leads me to believe that this move was nothing more than to compete with the new Accord.

8u6hfd

(and Passat and Jetta 1.8T/VR6)

toyotaken

we ordered a Camry with the adjustable pedals for an employee who has a wife who is very short. There is a toggle switch on the bottom part of the dash left of the steering wheel to move the pedal position. They move about 4 inches overall, from just in front of the firewall to quite a bit away. I actually think that this would be a great option for those who have very long legs as well. The position for the pedals that is farthest away is actually closer to the footwell than the cars without the adjustable pedals. With the pedals extended fully, they are MUCH closer than the norm. Both the brake and gas pedal move and they stay in the same position relative to eachother. My only gripe is that it is next to impossible to get one with this option, at least in this area. Other than that, I think that its well worth the pricetag.

lenscap

In this week's Automotive News (a dealer publication), there is an article about Toyota and horsepower.

Toyota will not go toe to toe with Honda and Nissan for hp bragging rights. According to the article, this suggests either 1.) Toyota is satisfied with its demographics or 2.) Spending too much on hp is risky.

Jim Press, COO of Toyota USA, said having the best total finished product makes better sense. He cites Nissan as having invested too much in the hp of the Altima and leaving an overall unrefined experience.

As for the all-new 3.3 V6, Press "doubts" the Camry will get it anytime soon. It will arrive in the new Sienna next spring. He said if anything the Solara would get the engine before the Camry.

steveb84

The 3.0 will become VVT-i adding approx 20hp. It will be mated with the 5 speed automatic. Production begins in January with early February arrival at dealerships.

Other mid-late January developments. The JBL stereo become standard on XLE, keyless and power seat standard on LE. Quite a few option codes are changing (again !!) and there could be some price adjustments (or so I've heard)

All in all, even more confusion for the educated buyer out there, since this will be the second change in this model year alone.

tomgreen1000

I am still trying to figure out what this noise is, in my 2003 Camry 4 cyl auto. If it is the ABS self test, would it be correct to assume that the test would only take place once (each time the car is started).

I was thinking that I could start the car, do sequence of events, hear the noise, put car in park but don't turn off engine, repeat sequence of events. If I don't hear the noise again, then assume that it is ABS self test. If I do hear noise again, then take car to dealer. Does this seem reasonable?

Thanks!

Tom

toyotaken

That would be very reasonable. From what I've experienced with the self test is that the car goes through a "self-diagnostic" test each time you start it. Now, I'm guessing here to some extent, so don't hold me to it. However, that's one of the reasons that ALL of the warning lights turn on when you first start the engine, just to make sure that the bulbs behind them are working. I would guess that some of these systems are being checked at that time as well. That is not saying that the self-diagnostics stop when you're on your way, however.

With the ABS test more specifically, it is more noticable if you have your foot on the brake pedal, but is still perceptible even if not. About 5 or 10 seconds after starting the engine, there is a sound associated with the selonoids activating just as when the ABS kicks in when slipping. If you're foot is on the pedal when this happens, you feel the pulsation identical to when the ABS engages as well. This is the ONLY time I've felt the ABS system engage outside of the wheels losing traction when stepping on the brakes.

Hope this helps

manamal

If you are willing to drive around the beltway to springfield, va, I strongly recommend Kay Jennings springfield toyota. Had a really easy experience and got a good price on my '02 Camry.
(It is also the dealer where Cliffy1 works...drop him an email)

drmp

toyotaken, thanks for the innfo. I always had the impression that only the gas pedal is adjustable as stated in carsdirect.com. I'm very happy to know that both pedals move just like the Merc Grand marquis. I called all the toyota in my area to try it but they don't have one in stock.

toyotaken

It's not a common option as most dealers are trying to keep the MSRP down to be competitive with one another if not with other manufacturers. However, if you go to your local dealer, they should be able to special order one for you. We had to do so for the employee here that got it. It took about 2 months to get the vehicle and alot of follow-up by the district rep. but it can be done. Hope you have luck.

cliffy1

Most salesmen will be ignorant of the issues you mentioned. Believe it or not, at the sales level, we hear almost nothing about stuff like that. Your only chance of finding a salesman who knows what you are referring to is to stumble across one that reads this board.

Our staff here in Springfield is a pretty well trained group, but I know of only one or two of them who would have a clue as to what you were talking about.

rubicon52

I have bought several Toyotas in the DC area. Have dealt with Springfield Toyota, Tyson Toyota, Miller Toyota (in Manassas), and Lustine Toyota (Woodbridge). The only one I would say to definitely stay away from is Lustine in Woodbridge. I have visited each of the other dealers in different years. Sometimes I had a better experience at Springfield, other times a better experience at Miller. Seems to depend on the salesman and how willing they are to deal at that momement. Have bought several cars from Miller. I would suggest trying Cliffy at Springfield and maybe Miller in Manassas.

tomgreen1000

Toyotaken - Are you saying that the ABS self test will occur after starting the car, even if I don't take the vehicle out of park?

If that is the case, then my noise is something different. My noise occurs after starting, but only once the vehicle has been driven forward a few feet.

Thanks a lot.

Tom

toyotaken

Honestly, I haven't really paid enough attention to know if it does so without moving the vehicle. I'll pay attention this afternoon when I move my car and I'll tell you. That is assuming that I don't feel the shivering from the +4 degrees F. that it is here.

alpha01

I must say that I am really surprised by all the options package switching that Toyota is doing with this Camry in its second year- will there be any negative effects on resale value? My inclination is that the std eqiup levels are not changing dramatically, so there shouldn't be- but is there a reason to be concerned?

That said- what is anyone's guess as to how Toyota will differentiate the updated 2003 Camry to the original 2003 in terms of press? Will the post January models be called the 2003.5 Camry? Or are they going to be absurd and call it a 2004?

I am pleased that the Camry V6 will finally gain VVT-i, making it that much more competitive with the Altima and Accord V6. Judging from the ES300 board, however, I sure hope that the 5sp transmission is a more refined version than the one that first appeared in that car. And is it still too much to ask for a 5sp MANUAL V6, at least in SE guise? Seems like a fun option, what with the new VVTi and all.

~alpha

kennynmd

a recent post stated that you work at the dealership in VA.?... Are you sales or in the tech dept.? Anyways, I'm looking for an 03 SE V6 in catalina blue with package GH (I think) ( sunroof, auto, power seats, alloys, JBL System, keyless entry.

kennynmd

do you know of many customers coming back with the problems of rattles and squeeks as heard by customers here?

billmahan

I read your reply and don't disagree with all of it. I still think buyers will question whether to purchase a fully loaded XLE for well above $25K and be happy with a decline in quality.

I have been on dealer lots where other people mentioned that the leather in their previous Camrys is far nicer than the leather in the 03 model. It's just an opinion and you might disagree. We looked at two BRAND NEW Camrys on a dealer lot and both had the interior driver's door trim pulled off to fix major rattles in cars that had just arrived from the factory! I was going to purchase one of them until the dealer admitted that weld spots were missing in both cars and would have to be sent to a shop to be fixed.

On another note: REPAIR COSTS. You cannot get around the fact that if you keep a Camry for over 75,000 miles that you may have to shell out some BIG bucks. An example from today:

My Toyota dealer today told me that our '94 V6 XLE needs a new power steering rack - whatever all that is. $1,215 for parts and labor for the rack. CV Boots $476 parts and labor. Oil Pan $400 parts and labor. All totaled over $2000 dollars to fix power steering in a car that is only nine years old. That doesn't count $900 they want for a new water pump. Rebuilt (only 90 days warranty) is $300.

This is a Toyota dealer and maybe I can get the power steering done a little cheaper elsewhere. But I've had a GMC van for 13 years and I haven't had the HUGE repair bills that the 94 Camry has cost since the warranty expired. And when the water pump in my GMC went out it cost me $125 to fix, not $300.

Lest you think I've upset with Toyota, I'm not totally. I have a '97 XLE and a 2003 Solara and I would consider Toyota again. But if people blindly purchase a Toyota because of PAST quality, they may be disappointed in the current quality. I will look at Honda and even some domestics to see where the true value lies.

$2000 to fix the power steering? Good Lord, even SAAB owners don't pay that much. Go to Edmunds Used Car Prices and see what a '94 XLE V6 is worth with 90,000 miles. It's hardly worth fixing. Actually, considering the power steering problem, Edmunds basically gives the car NO value.

My 207,000 mile GMC van has more trade-in value than that! And the power steering works great.

For everyone here that wants to overlook the decline in quality and fit and finish, I hope you will remember that is the same attitude that domestic dealers had for many years. "Toyota is cheap and we don't have to do anything." Well, years later, the tables have turned. They can turn again if people don't demand more. 30 years ago who would have thought that the Cadillac name would have so little value in 2002? Cadillac said that everything was just fine. Just like many Toyota owners say today. Well, it's not fine and we could help Toyota by getting our heads out of the sand. I'm not here to bash Toyota. I'd just like to see them be the cream of the crop that they used to be. And can be again.

But, Rubicon52, I do appreciate your thoughts and I hope things improve.

alpha01

How many miles are actually on your 94 Camry? You mention "repairs after 75K" but I don't see your Camry's milage stated anywhere in your post. I'm sorry that you had this experience, and understand the points you make (though I disagree about the leather quality).
~alpha

billmahan

I think I mentioned 90,000 when referring to the Edmumds Used Car Pricing. But, actually, the true mileage on the 94 XLE is about 95,000. But it was the 90,000 number that I used to see what trade-in value there might be. And, if you check the box that says poor condition (due to the power steering major repair needed), Edmunds says the car has NO TRADE-IN VALUE! That hurt!

I realize 10,000-12,000 driving miles per year doesn't seem like much, but that was the way we used that car and we have used the GMC conversion van for most longer trips.

I still don't understand why a power steering rack would cost over $2000 to repair, but maybe that is just the way it is. But when you consider the original $20,000 price of the car that does seem high to me. 10% of the original total for one part to fix? I know there is labor involved, but I don't think the average John Doe wants to write a check for $2000 for one part that should last longer than 95,000 miles.

By the way, I mentioned our 2003 Solara in the previous post. It is a 2000. Sorry for the typo. Other than the alignment issue mentioned by many and some rattles, it has been good to date. Of course, the warranty will be running out soon and we'll see what happens.

I guess I wouldn't even mind spending the $2k to fix the power steering, but I wonder what part could go next. And the worst part about the $2k is that, I believe, Toyota will only back the part for 90 days. That's scary thinking that I could have to do it all over again in March!

I do realize that ANY CAR can be the exception to the rule and maybe mine is the exception to the Toyota rule. I don't hold that against Toyota. Things happen...... and I would still consider a new Solara or Camry as a replacement for the 94. I just wished I would have traded the 94 for an 03 about two months ago!

Glad you like yours...........

fredvh

I am considering a purchase of the Solara. I wanted to ask you how the Solara compares to your XLE. Are the seats the same in both? Are they comparable or different?
How would you compare the 2003 Solara to the 2003 Camry?

cliffy1

I am in the finance department. I have been in sales and management since 1994 but have been in F&I since September of 2001. I have been posting here at Edmunds since November of 1999. Because I am no longer directly involved with daily sales, my information on what is available in the region is not as good as it used to be. Further, I am prohibited by Edmunds policy from soliciting for business here on the boards so I can't directly answer some of your questions here.

As to your other question about squeaks and rattles, I have heard of a few, but not a huge number. I do talk to the service writers fairly regularly and feel I have a pretty good idea of what we see on a recurring basis. The worst thing I have seen is the roof trim peeling off on the 2002s. That isn't a "rattle" but is certainly a trim issue. That problem seems to have been corrected as I have not seen one in several months.

nippononly

for a steering rack is not a ton comparatively speaking. However, it is not usually an item that needs replacement at 95K, or even 195K on most Toyotas. Sounds like bad luck on this one - I know several people with camrys from the 93-96 generation that have way more miles than this with the original rack. Tip: don't haul your steering around too much when the car is at a dead stop - that is what wears the rack.

It is high time that the camry's V-6 had the VVt-i - isn't it the last Toyota V-6 to get this? With 212 hp the car will be very competitive in acceleration, IMO. I realize that it will be behind in the "numbers game", but I applaud Toyota's decision not to get dragged into the horsepower wars going on in midsize sedans right now. I agree with them, that the car needs to be well-built and nice to be in, as much as it needs a gazillion hp.

The 5-spd transmission is also a just-in-time upgrade - they are becoming standard across a wide swath of the market.

I don't see that standard power seats are going to be a big hit on resale for owners of the older models, since every single one I see around here has the package with the power seat anyway.

Gosh, I REALLY HOPE Toyota does not call it the 2003.5!!!!

cliffy1

Actually, that is a fairly common issue for older Camrys. I don't know about the cost, but according to the techs here, steering racks are probably the most common major issue with them.

tomgreen1000

Well I still am not sure about the noise I hear. But I have decided that it is not a problem. Actually I am hearing two different noises.

One, when changing from Park to Reverse (without actually moving anywhere) there is a noise that is almost certainly a solenoid. I hear this even when the doors are already locked, but suspect it is part of the auto-lock mechanism.

Two, once the car is started and you drive forward a few feet, there is the noise I previously talked about. It may or may not be the ABS self test. It only happens once, upon the first forward movement after each start. So I guess it is "normal".

I don't know if I am super sensitive to noise or if I notice these because the car is so quite, but IMO they are quite noticeable. I am still driving a 1976 Ford pickup, so I am pretty good at filtering out and ignoring strange sounds, but I sure do notice these "normal" noises.

Thanks for all your help and hope you stay warm.

Tom

tomgreen1000

I was browsing thru the scheduled maintenance guide for our 2003 Camry and see that it calls for a coolant change every 30K miles, which is normal for plain old antifreeze. But then it recommends using Toyota Long Life Coolant. Is this a true "long life" coolant (up to 100K miles) or is the name a misnomer and this is just regular antifreeze?

Thanks.

Tom

rubicon52

Read through your post carefully. You really have several separate complaints. One is that you are upset that your Camry with 95K miles needs a new steering rack. Reading between the lines of your post, it sounds like this is your first major repair. A car with its first major repair at 95K miles doesn't sound too bad to me. Maybe a little below average for a Camry. Read through some of the other posts of repair problems with domestics and the German wundercars and you'll read some real horror stories - people pay 3 times what our Camrys cost and have multiple serious problems within a short span of time. Your other compaint is the cost of the repair. In paragraph 4 you state that the repair cost for the steering rack is $2000, but then that seems to include the cost to repair the oil pan and the CV boots, so the steering rack repair cost is really $1215. I also have a Camry almost the same age as yours (95 w/ 75k miles). My Camry needed no repairs whatsoever for the first 60k miles. Now it does have an occasional problem (broken power antenna, nonfunctioning power door lock switch). I accept these occasional problems as the price of owning an 8-year old car. My repair costs per month are still a fraction of what a new car payment would be. I think your problem is that you're going to the dealership for the repair. For out of warranty cars (like our Camrys) you're better off with a good independent garage.

Actually, if you read through the posts on these Toyota forums, the big current topic is that Toyota owners are upset that current Toyotas are not as well made as previous Toyotas. These people are upset that they can't buy a Toyota built like your Camry!

nippononly

HAS to dump those dumb power antennas! I see they are going more and more to antennas imprinted in the glass, although some CEs on the last gen still had stalk antennas. Every single used Toyota I have ever considered for purchase had a broken antenna if it was a power antenna. The design just sucks.

But it is a cheap repair when it happens.

Cliffy - I was aware that racks on 80s Toyotas had rack problems later in life (95K is early either way), but I thought the 90s cars had stronger designs...

lexus_addicted

Although the subject of my post isn't directly related to the Camry, I think what I am about to write is appropriately placed into this Toyota Camry thread since the topic of the decline of Toyota's build quality due to mass market strategy has surfaced in this thread.

If targeting the mass market and the cost-cutting measures are the causes of Toyota's gradual decline in build quality, then I am a little bit worried about the Lexus RX300 being built in North America, in one of Toyota's "mass market" plants. In Japan, Toyota reserved one plant exclusively for Lexus models (the one in Tahara, Japan). The RX300 is manufactured in the Kyushu plant along with the Highlander and the ES300. I hope Toyota isn't going to apply the same mass market approach to the Lexus RX300. Since the RX300 is so popular, it has moved away from its luxury and sort of exclusive class to a more mass market oriented vehicle.

Several posters noted that Toyota's production in North America has a looser quality control than its production in Japan. Do you think that Toyota will apply Japan's quality control scheme for the Lexus RX300 built in North America, hence one plant having two quality control schemes, one looser for Toyota and one stricter for Lexus?

suv4x4

what is the TSB? if the issue for problem is covered under TSB, does that mean that the dealer will fix it for free?

I bought a driver side mirror(OEM) from an online parts store, however the color is only the base color, need painting to match the rest of the car, anyone have any suggestions where I can go to get painting done?

Thanks

lexus_addicted

Just for your information, 95% of the Camrys sold in Canada are built in Japan, with the VIN starting with a "J". The reason being, the Kentucky Camry production line has just about enough capacity to satisfy the US market with little left for Canada, so Toyota decided that Canada's Camrys would be imported from Japan.

For those of you in the US hunting for a "J" marked Camry, you guys should be jealous of us Canucks !
Hehe

anonymousposts

I posted regarding this same thing over in the Maxima topic. Toyota has been building cars here since the late 80's. More than enough time for significant issues related to that to pop up and bring the Camry down. But it didn't. The Camry is one of the most reliable cars built today regardless of the year. Toyota's NA plants have also won a few awards as have their plants in Japan. I hear the same thing about Honda and they too have built cars in the US since the early 80's.

jrct9454

Internal Toyota and Honda quality audits, as well as external measurements from such as JD Power, confirm that there are no differences worth talking about between the cars produced in North American plants and the cars that come from Japan.

Believe whatever you want, of course. Problems in a new car can be caused by design, supplier choice, supplier screwups, or assembly difficulties. Over the years, the incidence of all of these are equally distributed between NA and Japanese built cars.

The Japanese in general, and Toyota / Honda in particular, are extremely intolerant of imperfections at the factory level, and tend to jump on problems pretty quickly. They aren't perfect, just better than just about everybody else...where the factory is located is irrelevant.

rubicon52

which compare the quality levels of the Japanese plants with North American plants? Jrct9454 mentions internal Toyota and Honda audits. Do these companies really disclose the results of their internal audits? JD Power is mentioned as another source of data. I know JD Power uses "problems per vehicle" as their measure. Does someone know the problems per vehicle for the various Toyota/Honda models built here and in Japan?

The only thing I've seen (and I admit I haven't made a study of this) are vague statements by some Japanese car companies that the quality levels achieved in North America are comparable to those achieved in Japan. My gut feel is that the extremely diplomatic Japanese want to avoid offending a host country by pointing out that North American quality levels don't quite match Japanese quality levels.

Historically, the Japanese have been able to achieve extremely low defect rates that were believed to be unachievable by western industry. This has especially been true for electronic components.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the drive train for American built Toyotas come from Japan or does Toyota have a North American engine plant? If so, this could possibly explain the fact that mechanically Toyotas seem as reliable as ever, but are prone to squeaks and rattles introduced during North American assembly of the interior, etc.

toyotaken

The pink coolant that is used on Toyotas and most other new cars today is a very different compound than the old "green stuff". Only one part of the reason that we use antifreeze is to increase boiling temps. and freezing temps. Actually the greater reason is that water in the radiator and cooling systems is VERY conductive to corosion. If you've ever put plain water into a car and then run it for as little as a couple of minutes then drained it, you will find ALOT of rust and other corrosion particulates in the coolant. The old "green stuff" was mixed with water, normaly at a 50/50 mix and did inhibit the corosion, but didn't eliminate it. The fluid they use now doesn't require or recomend that you use ANY water with it, so there is almost no corosion from the fluid in the coolant systems. Add to this that it has better cooling properties and boils and freezes at less than the old coolants, and that is why they use it. If you ever have radiator service and they DO use the "green stuff" I would be extremely upset and have them replace it with the correct and more effective coolants now.

Hope this helps.

tomgreen1000

So the Toyota pink antifreeze is a new and improved ethylene glycol antifreeze, that still requires changing every 2 to 3 years.

It is not an "extended life" OAT (organic acid technology) coolant that supposedly lasts for 100K miles.

The "long life" in the name of the Toyota product seems quite ambiguous. It is no longer life (albeit a much different chemical compound) than the plain old green stuff.

Tom

jrct9454

...are indeed produced in North American plants. Not all of them [production capacity is not high enough], but the vast majority are locally sourced. Toyota continues to scramble to add capacity to produce enough engines for all of the assembly line capacity they have [or will soon have] in the US and Canada.

Engines for NA production are made in Kentucky, Canada, and West Virginia, and include 4 cyls for all models, and V6s for Camry, Solara, Sienna, and the trucks. For a good idea of what's where, go to the Toyota website. They have a separate web page devoted to each of their North American facilities. Makes for interesting reading.

They are still dependent on Japan for a lot of drivetrains - it is the main reason NUMMI came to a screeching halt so quickly after the West Coast dock strike was called.

I think you underestimate the determination of these people when they set out to perform any task - for them, the goal of total quality is the same no matter where the car, part, or subassembly is built. As I said, I expect plenty of people to disagree. The day may come when imports from Japan will be rare exceptions indeed for Toyota and Honda in particular. Niche cars like the LS and RL will always be imports, but anything built in quantity is a candidate for production in the source market. There is even talk of making the next IS a local build. If the corporation had a choice, virtually all of the product sold here would be built here.

yanker

In one of the post above a reference is made to German cars and the quality problems and I have a suggestion for all interested people . Read "Getting the bugs out" by Kiley. It is a history of the disastrous Volkswagon Corp of America and the inept German management that virtually killed a good car. Toyota may be arrogant about some things but they are basically sound

ddfdrive

I am looking to purchase a new vehicle soon... I currently drive a 1986 5 speed Celica and LOVE IT!!! I am wanting another "fun to drive" car. Thought it would be the Camry SE 4 cylinder 5 speed - went for a test drive..... in 5th gear at 65 mph pushing the gas pedal to the floor did not result in ANY acceleration increase. Is this normal? Has anyone else driven one and did you have the same experience? Any responses would be appreciated.

anonymousposts

I vaguely remember a test drive of a 02 Camry LE automatic about a year ago but it felt responsive no matter the speed and that was with an auto. I am surprised that coming out of a 86 Celica you would find it sluggish. If I can remember right your Celica has a 2.0L with 120HP if it's not a GTS and even if it is a GTS it only has 130HP. The new Camry has 157HP, more torque, and almost 17 years of refinement to go along with it.

I think both Toyota and Honda realize that a big portion of their sales are due to their reputations for quality. How many people would've really bought Camry LE's and Accord LX's if they didn't offer that advantage over their competitors. VW would probably sell tons more cars if they could match those 2 where it counted.

billmahan

Rubicon52, you may be right about the the $1215 cost for the power steering rack. I will admit that I don't even know what the CV boots are (I know I should), but the dealership, in their written estimate, told me that was what needed to be done to fix the power steering. From what you are saying they were just telling me I needed to replace the CV boots IN ADDITION TO the power steering rack. If that's the case, maybe $1215 is not as bad as I thought. Just what are the CV boots?

Actually,the first major repair was the water pump at around 60,000 miles. They wanted $900 for a new one and $300 for a rebuilt. I gambled on the rebuilt.

Although not as expensive, the gas cylinders that hold up the hood on the '94 did cost $175 to replace. They went out at about 70,000 miles. When our '97 came with the old rod to hold up the hood, I considered that an improvement! You won't have to spend $175 when the cylinders go bad. Then our '00 Solara came with the cylinders. I assume the '03 Camrys have the gas cylinders too. I like the rod. It serves the same purpose and really can't go bad.

But $1215 for the power steering is somewhat more palatable than the $2000. I do assume that the CV boots must be replaced, nevertheless. I would appreciate it if someone could tell me what they are and what they do.

To FredVH: I may be wrong, but I think the leather in the Solara may be different than the Camry leather. I know our '00 Solara has split leather, which is different from the leather in our '97 Camry. We like our Solara leather, but I don't know if it is the same leather that is in the '03 Solara. It just feels a little different and we like it. In my opinion, the leather in the '03 Camry seems to be less luxurious than in our '97 Camry. Others have posted differently, so you would have to check that out for yourself. I'm not saying the '03 leather is bad, I just don't like it as well as what we have in the '97.

The seats in our Solara seem to befit the more sporty style of the car over the Camry in that they seem to hold you in tighter than in the Camry. In the Camry you seem to slide from side to side when taking sharp turns, while in the Solara you seem to be "locked in" a tad more. Not a lot, but enough to feel the difference.

I wouldn't advise you against the 2003 Solara, but since there will be a major body style change in 8 or 9 months, you might want to consider that fact. In that period of time, you may wind up with a car that will have the same style as a car built in '99. It will be new, but it will appear to be somewhat dated. If you can wait a few months, you can get a Solara with a totally new body style and a more powerful (I've heard) engine. Of course, the downside to that is you get to be the testing ground for the revamped body style and engine! Your choice. You can at least use that fact to your advantage when you make your purchase -- that you are buying a style that will soon be obsolete.

I should also note for all here that I rented a brand new Ford Taurus this week on business. Only 57 miles on it. Maybe the Camry isn't so bad after all! Sometimes you forget how nice your Toyota is when you haven't driven a different car for awhile. The 2003 Ford had nice leather, but other than that, I couldn't find one thing in the driving experience or even in the dash controls that I liked better than our '97 Camry or '00 Solara. So there you go. Maybe Rubicon has a point.........

nippononly

I have driven the 5-spd, and I think the real problem is that fifth gear is a long-legged gear - great for highway cruising and boosting gas mileage, but if you want to accelerate at highway speeds, it is best to shift to 4th (3rd if you're really motivated!). Don't forget it is a 3200+ pound car.

billmahan: some of those parts prices are way out there - I would shop around if my local dealer could not get me a new water pump for less than $900. The hood shock would have been about $30-40 at the local parts store, and paying $175 to your dealer....someone should have arrested that dealer for theft!

CV boots cover the CV joints, and keep the grease in that keeps the CV joints lubed. Once they are torn, you will want to replace them expeditiously...you can look at them yourself and do your own inspection if you like - they are just under the front of the car. Some models you have to replace the whole half-axle when they go, on some they can be replaced individually. How much were you quoted to have them replaced?

Most of the domestically produced Toyotas use North American sourced engines now...luckily, the transmissions all still come from Japan. When I think of the difference between NA Toyotas and Japanese ones, there is not a big gap in powertrain longevity...it is more the little things, like tolerances and gaps between matching panels, cheaper electrical components that go sooner than in the Japanese cars...that is all.

dudleyr

I have driven a 5-speed 4-cyl Camry, and found it to be very lively. I drive a 1990 Integra with 130 hp that is similar to your Celica, and the Camry is noticably faster. The problem is one of gearing. Our cars are geared short (I am at 2900 rpm at 60 mph) and the Camry is geared tall (2100 rpm at 60 mph). This means to get the revs up for the best acceleration on the highway a down shift may be necessary.

Having said that, I felt that the Camry still had plenty of pickup at 65 on the highway in fith gear. Another thing to remember is that the Camry is much smoother and quieter than our cars, so the perception of Acceleration is a little dulled.

For example a small convertable with a loud high revving engine that is very close to the ground will feel much faster than a Cadillac that is smooth, quiet, higher up and isolates you - even if they both have the same numbers to 60. The increase in sound (and the sensation of speed from being close to the ground) makes you think the car is accelerating faster than it is.

tomgreen1000

CV is for constant velocity. The boot covers up the CV joint, protecting it from dirt, grime, etc. You can find a brief description of the CV joint at this website.

http://www.raxles.com/fundamen.htm

Make sure they check the joints well. If they have already started to deteriorate (if the boots have been bad for a while, the joints can go quickly), you will want to replace them now. No reason to pay the labor to do the boots now and then the joints in two more years. If you do replace the joints, beware of used joints that have been ground (machined). You may or may not get decent parts. If you go with new joints, be prepared for the cost. If you do just boots, get full boots, not the split ones that wrap around joint and glue or clamp shut. The split boots just don't do a good job of keeping the joint clean.

Good luck.

Tom