Toyota Camry 2006 and earlier

2002camry

Thanks a lot for answering my questions. I appreciate all the expertise and completeness of the responses. You guys do us a great service on this message board.

mackabee

Check with your dealer to see if there are any TSB's (technical service bulletins) on the "clunk" you are experiencing. Is the a/c switched on when you first start the car? When the a/c switch is pushed in and the car is started you will hear a "clunk" from the a/c compressor. The only other thing I can think of is the ABS sefl test that occurs at start up. The reason I asked about the build date is we had a transmission "shudder" in the first batch of V6's in 2002. This was corrected by a software "patch", even James Healey of USA TODAY wrote about it in his review of the 2002 Camry. You might find the story in their website archives.
: )
Mackabee

carrelman2

Happy New Year to all that use this website for great discussions about the Toyota Camry and especially to Cliffy1 for his superb input. There is one guy who knows his stuff. Toyota should offer him an executive position in their corporate offices somewhere. He would be a great asset to them

paul29

If your Camry has heated mirrors , they will be activated when you use the rear window defroster.

paul29

There are four modes for the door locks including not locking at all if desired . The owners manual tells you how to set the different modes .

astorey1

I am torn between the Camry LE and the Altima 2.5S. I was wondering what everyone thought of these two cars and if anyone else has decided between the two. Thanks!

andrelaplume

...was I mislead?

xbbuster

This transmission "clunk" is not from the AC or the brakes. It occurs after the car is started and backed out of the driveway and into the street. When it is shifted from reverse to drive with the brakes applied there is a very noticeable clunk and jerk. This is more noticeable when it is colder. This only happens after the car is completely cold like setting in the garage overnight. After a few blocks I can stop the car, put it in reverse and then into drive and it shifts smooth, no clunk no jerk. As far as the dealer and TSB's, they say they never heard of the problem, just telling me it's normal. Has anyone else experienced this cold weather "clunk" from a Toyota V6?

alpha01

the 2.4L 4cyl uses a timing chain.
the 3.0L V6, whether the current one or the upcoming (mid January) VVTi version, uses a timing belt.

xbbuster- in cold weather, when you first start the car, the RPMs are often higher than/ around 1000, a very fast idle speed. if your brakes are being used to hold the car (as they should be), when you shift from park to drive, you are going from no force on the brakes (in park, the car is not in gear) to applying a force on the brakes that is generated by, and equal to, the torque the engine produces at 1000 RPM. this could be the "jerk" you experience. HOWEVER, that doesnt explain the clunk. As you have stated many times before, the dealer told you this was normal, which may or may not be the case. As I have suggested many times before, why not have an independent shop take a look, and get their .02, because clearly this is very troublesome for you.

~alpha

austinman7

Your description of the clunk-and-jerk when shifting to drive is an exact description of my experience -- same conditions, same effect.

As I said in an earlier post, I haven't seen anything on this thread yet that is conclusive about this phenomenon, so I'm going to pitch the question to my service manager in a month or two when I go in for my first service. I'm only up to about 700 miles so far on my '03 XLE V6. I'll be glad to share any answers I may get at that time.

BTW -- My car was built during the week of Nov. 25-29. I bought it off my dealer's factory allotment schedule. This in reference to the fact that (so far) it's rattle-free. Maybe there have been changes in the build quality -- or maybe I haven't shaken it loose yet. Hope it's the former. I got it with only 12 miles on the odometer -- just the drive at the factory and the dealership prep, no test drives. Very sweet.

nissangirl

astorey1:

They are both great vehicles, but most all the people here will SLAM anything made by Nissan. Not everyone will be biased, but if I were you I would post the same topic at the Nissan Altima page also. However, you will get some at the Altima page that will SLAM Toyota. I would probably go with whatever makes YOU happy.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide.

toyotaken

Alot of the decision is going to come down to your styling and performance preference. The altima is a bit smaller, partly because it is designed to be a sportier car. Several magazines and from personal experience, the quality of the trim and materials is not quite as nice as in the Camry, but this often is personal taste. The Altima is a bit more performance orientated and a bit more spirited a driver. The Camry will give you a bit more room and quiet refinement. If you're looking for a quiet, composed, and tranquil ride, the Camry is a good choice. If you're looking for a bit more attitude and spirit, the Altima is probably a better choice. Quality overall is probably pretty much even for long-term longevity.

Styling I'm not going to get involved in as that is a totally personal choice.

Hope this helps and for nissangirl, I hope that this in some ways shows that even Toyota representatives can TRY to be objective. Have a great new year if I don't get to say so before.

Ken

pat

Astorey1 has posted the question in the most appropriate place -- he/she created a new discussion on our Comparisons board to pursue this conversation.

Click here to join in.

jrct9454

...these are different cars for different tastes. The Altima handles better, has more power, and quite frankly, rides much too firmly for the tastes of most Camry buyers [I don't own a Camry right now, but the Altima, especially the six cyl car, has a ride that is too rocky for my everyday use]. The Camry is quieter, more refined, and has a softer demeanor altogether.

I don't quibble with anyone's choice in this segment; if your chief complaint was that V6 availability is low in the Camry, for reasons already documented here, that is undoubtedly true. It's also true that anyone happy with an Altima would probably be less happy with a Camry. My personal choice at the moment is the new Accord, especially when you're shopping for a six, but everyone's taste in these matters is a matter of individual preference. Enjoy your car...

xbbuster

I understand that the RPMs would be higher when the engine is cold. But the transmission shifts smooth from park to reverse, it's when I shift from reverse to drive that the car jerks into gear. As far as taking it to a transmission shop, I'll wait first for Toyota to respond to my second letter. Funny, they only give me a reference number over the phone..... nothing in writing.

punjnm

I just bought a 2003 Camry LE - Can any one help me with the following:
1) They are offering extended warranty at $1000 for 7-years and 100K miles (bumper to bumper) - should I buy?
2) They are offering Lojak with alarm, interior and exterior coating, and underside treatment for rust proofing for $1467. Is it worth it ?

manamal

I bought the Camry for two reasons:

1) smooth ride is better for babies

2) I can't stand the clear rear lights of the
altima.

maxamillion1

Well,

It comes down to what you really want in a sedan.

The Altima is roomier than the Camry, faster (most of the time) than the Camry, and has more optional features that aren't offered on the Camry (I4 models), but its interior is cheap, its ride is not as good, and overall refinement is quite a bit below the Camry. The Altima is much more sporty than the Camry though.

Now the Camry has refinement, high resale value, room (not as roomy as the Altima though) and great ride quality. The Camry is oftened times more expensive than a comparable Altima, but at times that is not the case.

It's a toss up for you, but if it were me, I'd take either the Accord or Mazda6, but if I HAD to choose between the two, I'd go with the Camry, because of its refinement and resale value.

cliffy1

If the policy they are offering is the genuine Platinum plan and is a $0 deductible for 7/100, that price is VERY good. The question now is whether you want it. That price is lower than most Internet sources.

gkoff

I am looking to purchase an XLE V6. Can anyone tell me what if any changes might be made in '04? Any engine upgrades, transmission changes, etc?

Thanks

gkoff

Steve,

I saw your comment about the V6 becoming a VVT-i. I don't know much about that, but I am looking at an XLS with a V6. It this an improvment? More like the Avalon engine? What are the benefits? Any other changes coming, when?

zero260

The '04 Camry should look like the current one.

Here's a possibility of what the '05~'06 Camry might look like:

http://www.toyota.com.ph/model/camry/home.html

This page has a really small picture of the rear:

http://www.camry.com.my/index.cfm?fuseaction=Content.default

This model is available in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. These countries got the Corolla 1 year ahead of us; their Corolla didnt look as tall and bloated as the US Corolla, IMO. There is a big chance that the Camry in these pictures are the facelifted Camry.

canoe2

There are a lot of rumors that Toyota will introduce VVT-i V6 for Camry. This would increase the horse power from 192 to 210. I guess this change because of Honda Accord has 250 HP V6 engine and Toyota would like to attract consumers.
Anyone would know if the new engine be available in February or March 2003 ? Any increase in price ?

Thanks

coolguyky7

The only reason I could see Toyota not offering that version of the Camry here is because it seems to have much more luxury available than the American one, possibly cannabilizing Avalon sales even more. But with the redesign of the Avalon for 2005, it is very possible for the Camry to have those significant upgrades helping to outdo the Accord.

alpha01

Just a quick correction because I am obsessive- the Accord V6 is 240hp, not 250 (and its also not a "ULEV" engine, unlike Toyota's 3.0)
~alpha

andrelaplume

Be sure the warranty is a PLATINUM w/NO deductible. Cliffy is an excellent source for warranty questions...there were a flurry of them back in April/May if they are still out there...or drop Cliffy an email.

mrsacks1

and unfortunately the weather is horrible (sleet/rain) in NY area so I can't go out and play! Car has 6 miles on it and is sitting in the garage...
Anyway, having purchased the first 5 speed Corolla the east coast with tach/radials -the S5 model, my first car, I've always had soft spot for Toyotas, even though I've had Hondas, Mazdas, etc. Looked at the Passat, thought it was a good car, but had mixed feelings when I kept hearing about the reliability problems, even customers having problems on the way home from the dealer. Hey Happy New Year!

nippononly

surely there will not be a new camry before '06, right? The current one has only been here a little over a year...

It is a pity that Toyota could not have the new VVt-i V-6 available when the new generation of camry came out, rather than having cars with two different power ratings that are otherwise identical.

zero260

Hopefully, if this does happen, the new VVT-i doesn't turn out to be like the '92~'96 Camry/ES300 where it only gained 3hp after the revision.

nippononly

Toyota has already announced it will have 210 hp. It was part of their big "we will not be sucked into the horsepower wars" press announcement.

So the increase is 18 hp.

astorey1

Camry! I bought it yesterday in fact! I'm so happy and excited..this is my first new car(I'm 22 and got married in April). I had a '93 Plymouth Acclaim so this is a big step up for me.

I went with the Camry instead of the Altima for several reasons. I first test drove the Camry this past Sunday and loved it. I've had my eye on the Altima for a few months though so I had to test drive it. We went Tuesday and had a pretty bad experience with the dealership itself. The Camry is definitely nicer on the inside(the Altima's interior does look cheap and I just knew that I wouldn't think so), it's sooo much smoother and definitely a lot more quite than the Altima. The best thing was that we got the Camry with 3.9% instead of 5.24% at Nissan, Toyota had a $500 rebate(doubled it to $1000), didn't trade my car in(Nissan offered me $300 and decided we'd sell it on our own) and that we got the Camry for $200 more than the Altima!

One more thing...I got the Catalina Blue.

bklynguy

I heard that if you use premium fuel, you will get about 250HP on the V6 Accord, not sure if its true

pat

Congrats, astorey1! Hope you'll stick around and continue to participate.

And Happy New Year to everyone!!

alpha01

I echo the sentiment- congrats! bklynguy- perhaps thats the case, but usually, it would have been publicized in a mag like Car and Driver, Motor Trend, or Road and Track, which it has not been.
Crazy if that is true- Honda is truly the paragon of engineering innovation.

~alpha

rutger3

punjmn: unless you live in the middle of a large urban city with a high auto theft rate,and unless your insurance company is offering you a $500 discount,then do not waste your money on lojack. This benefits the dealer and lojack.
Undercoating is also a waste of money,unless you plan on taking it in the ocean. Just a cash cow for dealers. An alarm system or keyless entry may be worthwhile as long as the price is good.
As for the extended warranty, this is a matter of preference. It is essentially an insurance policy against any major problems after the warranty expires. In this case if the original warranty on the engine/tran is 60,000 miles, then the $1000 covers the next 40,000. IMO, the Camry should not need one. I have a 99 LE with 110,000 miles,so far not a problem and hope it stays that way.(of course if at 75,000 miles the engine goes then the money was well spent,but how many times has this happened with a Camry).

ttc136

anybody can advice whether the original tire in the XLE 4 cyl Camry is traction tire suitable for running in snow road? I notice that my tire has a mark "Traction A", but not sure what it is, appreciate if anyone can tell.

vcheng

include the Traction category, but you need at least an M+S rating to be all season. Do a google search on UTQG ratings and read some interesting facts (such as www.sullivantire.com/tires/utqg.html)

maxamillion1

With premium fuel, the Accord has 250hp, it gains ten more horses with premium.

anonymousposts

max: Wow. Pretty impressive. I know my car has a 3 HP gain if I use premium but 10 HP?

grandtotal

Have you got a reference for your assertion that the Accord gains 10BHP using premium fuel?

talon95

This assertion came directly from the lead designer and the lead V-6 engineer for the 2003 Accord. If you want some proof, the lead designer's assertion was referenced in the USA Today review of the Accord V-6.

grandtotal

This article in USA Today must be what you are referring to, scroll down until you reach powertrain. Obviously Honda are more concerned about economy of operation than the "horsepower war".

daveghh

Where can I go online to get discounted Toyota accessories?

Thanks....

cliffy1

I'm amused by your discussion of the value of Lojack. You addressed the issue of insurance discounts and cost. You also indicated that you feel it is a profit center for the dealership. You are correct about all of those things, although it isn't a huge profit maker for the dealer. You didn't mention the benefits of Lojack though. For some people, the benefit of not having to recover a damaged car after theft is worth the $695 (recent price hike from the $595 that they charged for many years). With LoJack, there is far less likelihood that your car will be used by drug dealers, will be stripped for parts, will be exported to the Middle East, will run over pedestrians or will be recovered with just shy of the amount of damage to be called a total loss. To those who have had cars stolen, the peace of mind alone may be worth $700. To others, it may not. If you are going to focus only on insurance discounts and dealer profit, you miss the point of just about every consumer product.

astorey1

www.toyotaparts4u.com
www.usatoyotaparts.com

astorey1

purchase the GAP coverage? I wasn't sure if I should or not but I went ahead and did it because it only added $4 a month to my payments - just in case I were to need it.

cliffy1

$4 for GAP? How'd you pull that one off? That translates into about $200 which is about dealer cost. Most dealers will not sell it for less than $400 and most are at $500. I personally think it is worth it *IF* you didn't put 10% to 15% down and finance for 5 or 6 years even at $500. I've seen WAY too many customers in serious trouble if the car is stolen or totalled before their car's replacement value exceeds the loan balance.

anonymousposts

I had GAP on a Mazda of mine and purchased it for $375. Cancelled it 8 months later when we traded the car and got $280 back. I would consider it for cars with a high interest rate/high depreciation rate but if you put down a good chunk of money or have a short finance term it's useless. Although I did buy it on my last car because Progressive offers it for a couple of dollars a month.

astorey1

heard of it and weren't sure if it was just another one of those dealer fees. The guy(who was the dealership's bus mgr) said he'd give it to us at a great price, figured it up and said it would $4 extra month so we said okay since it was such a little amount. We only put $1500 down and got 3.9%. Final cost on car was $19,150.00.

What about buying their extended warranty? We haven't decided if we should buy one from them or from someone else or if we should buy one at all. We were quoted the Platinum plan, 72,000 miles, $0 ded, $1198.00.

cliffy1

That's a little steep for a 75000 mile plan. Now, if you meant to say a 7 year or 100K plan, its a pretty good deal. It isn't unbeatable but still very good. The warranties are a personal decision. Some don't think they are worth it. I think they are if (I keep using that word) it is a genuine Toyota Platinum plan and the price is reasonable.

*disclaimer* I do sell these things for a living. I think it is important for you to know that when listening to my opinions about warranties and GAP. Just so you know, I have GAP on my personal vehicle but not the warranty. I am 95% sure I will not own the truck more than 3 years but if I did, I would get one. My best friend bought a 4Runner from me three weeks ago. He is also in the car business at another franchise and opted for the warranty himself.