2007 Toyota Camry

prbqp

I hope to buy a new Camry, but I have a dilemma. What is the difference between a hybrid versus non-hybrid? I don't buy cars often, I usually end up owning for 6 to 10 years, so I need a good vehicle. Is gas mileage enough of an incentive to buy a hybrid?

acco20

are you sure you can not turn this option off? Usually there is a button/switch on the dash which allows you to decide if you want the option to be active or not. The best example I can think of for NEEDING this switch is in snow conditions . When a drive wheel, or both drive wheels are in a depression where a rocking motion would be needed. vsc/trac, in active mode, would prevent your getting out and moving on. Happened to me ,until I realized to push the dash button on my 1990 Lexus years ago. Can not understand including this option without the means to deactivate it.....Am I missing something???

kdhspyder

I sell them.

The straight answer is a resounding NO, do not buy any hybrid mainly to have a less expensive cost of ownership. You are potentially setting yourself up to be disappointed.

First be honest with yourself on what you need first and foremost:
Safety?
Initial Acquisition Price?
Power? 158 hp, 192 hp, 268 hp - Drive them all. What are you now driving? What are you used to in power?
Special features? Navigation, Bluetooth or basic 4 wheels and 4 doors.
Style? Interior? leather or cloth?

Would a 2-3 y.o. Certified Used Camry suit you better. This is just about all that I buy.

That being said the new hybrid Camry is right in the middle price-wise of all the Camry's so it's a personal choice depending on what features are most important to you.

njerald

'07 XLE 4 cyl., 60/40 city/highway, first full tank.

348 miles, 13.312 Gallons = 26.14 mpg.

Mileage indicator said 26.7, about 2% high.

About 6 mpg better than my LHS. with the same routes.

kdhspyder

As I mentioned in an earlier post there is a new variation to Trac this year beginning with this model Camry. It was presented to us in training but is was an offhanded comment so I wasn't able to get into it in complete detail.

In past Toyota's when Trac kicked in it stopped the spinning but it also kept the car from moving since the brakes were applied. In addition to the 'stopping in the middle of an intersection' problem there was the one where a person lived on a steep incline and to get up their driveway they almost had to gun it and coast all the way up.

As I understand it now the Trac grips/releases quickly in slow accelerations ( akin to the ABS pumping - maybe it's the same ) so that one could conceivably 'crawl' up an icy driveway where that wasnt possible in the past. This may be why there is no Trac Off button now.

Further info needed.

booyahcramer

Get the hybrid. Gas mileage is just one good reason to buy it. Prices on these will definitely keep rising once gasoline hits $4.00/gallon. Beat the rush.

cool_guy20

can anybody tell me what are the rates from Toyota financing for new camry 2007. i called a dealer in chicago area he told me that the lowest rate toyota is offering for new cars is 6.7% with excellent credit score which is higher than most banks are offering.

blackexv6

Please keep up posted. I am interested in knowing if you will come close to the 33 mpg all highway.

My father-in-law's '04 XLE 4cyl gets about 26 mpg with 60/40 city/highway. He is jealous of my 240HP V6 Accord that gets the same MPG as his-4 banger.

prbqp

Thanks for responding. I drive a 10.5 year old Corolla with 252K miles...so it is time for a new car...originally bought brand new. Before that, I hand my mother's hand-me-down 1984 Corolla....11.5 years with 301K mileage. Someone here at work just informed me that I should not get a hybrid, the batteries alone would cost thousands of dollars to replace every few years....wow, is that true?

mikegiller

Yea. I am not the sport sedan type because I would rather at this point in time be interested in a Camry.

We all know that sports car drivers cannot get an ordinary 4 door sedan. They all drive TVRs....

dewey, you aren't the sport sedan type either!!! I am so surprised!

All kidding aside, seeing the Camry in person, it quite a goodlooking car. Personally I think it is quite a gorgeous car.

bigd58

Ah, I think a little reality is in order here. Tell you what you do = figure out the math involved, as I have. If you are purchasing a hybrid for gas savings, the problem is the premium price you pay for the having the hybrid will offset the money in gas savings completely. The way I've figured it, it will take the typical owner 5-8 yrs to get the money back. Do your homework. Most hybrids cost about 5 grand more than their gas counterparts.

dewey

All kidding aside, seeing the Camry in person, it quite a goodlooking car. Personally I think it is quite a gorgeous car.

Likewise, I must admit it is a nice looking car.

kdhspyder

Someone here at work just informed me that I should not get a hybrid, the batteries alone would cost thousands of dollars to replace every few years....wow, is that true?

No it's absolutely false. Go to Toyota's website and look up FAQ on hybrids. There they say that the batteries should last '... the life of the vehicle'. Well you of all people know how long Toyota's last.

Also on the website of the Georgetown plant, Toyotageorgetown.com there is a wonderful discussion about the hybrid Camry and how it works. In Toyota's literature they say now that they have bench tested batteries up to 175,000 miles with no deterioration in them at all.

Your warranty on the batteries is 100,000 miles or 150,000 depending on where you live. Don't give it another thought.

Since you are used to smaller more basic vehicles and good fuel economy then the 4c LE might suit you perfectly, unless you want nicer features like leather, sunroof, 6 disc changer and Bluetooth capability. But you can get a very nice new '07 LE 4c in the low $20K range and still have all the airbags, power drivers seat, keyless entry and CD player that you never had in your Corolla.

kdhspyder

This isnt quite accurate.

Actually the XLE 4c Camry is $800 less than the Hybrid but you get 192 vs 158 hp and you get 37 mpg combined vs 27 mpg. So for $800 you are getting V6 power and about 30% better fuel economy. It's all in what you want in a vehicle.

In the Hybrid Highlander there is about a $5000 premium but in the Hybrid Camry Toyota has made it go away. Poof!

This is what is so intriguing about the TCH... tiny premium but better fuel economy and way more power.

mitchflorida

V6 SEs in Florida tend to be equipped minus vsc and traction control. There is much less demand for that feature in Florida as compared to a snow or icy region.

I have been checking inventory daily, and there is no question that Toyota is manufacturing a lot of V6 LE and XLE models (289 XLE V6 , 280 LE V6, but only 39 V6 SE in the entire Southeastern Region.

Get with it Toyota, and start producing more SE V6 and less of the LEs. At this rate , I will have to wait several months to find the SE V6!!

By the way, when will the new model Camry Solara be in the showrooms? Has anyone heard?

maygirlmass

You've got a good point about waiting to see what glitches arise with the newest release. I'll see if I can't hold out for a bit. (I bought my current car on December 30th and got a wonderful deal, of course!). Thanks for your input.

tinatina

You should do more research online to way the pros/cons of a Hybrid vehicle. Consumer Reports has an article saying that they are more expensive to own upfront. In addition, another recent article questioned whether they used more energy. Other negatives may be the unproven technology and the fuel economy posted on the stickers are way off mark even worse that a typical gasoline engine. At least the hybrids are available for popular mid size cars, such as the Camry. The Prius is way too small and ugly.

alpha01

Ugly is subjective. Small? The Prius has an interior nearly as large as that of the Camry's.

~alpha

210delray

I'd hold off for now, because as kdhspyder says, you can get the basic LE 4-cylinder for about $20K. You get a lot of car for the money and decent gas mileage as well. I know, I have an '04 and I'm very happy with it. (I also have an '05 XLE 4-cylinder - see my profile for explanation.)

So far, the hybrids from Toyota, Honda, and Ford have all proven reliable, but they do cost more upfront, they are more complex (no way around this), and their long-term (say 10-year) reliability is still an unknown.

AFAIK, no one has had to shell out $$$ for a new battery pack, which fortunately carry long warranties.

bigd58

I should have made it more clear I was speaking more on a generic level concerning hybrids in general. They, or some other technology (fuel cells or whatever) are definitely the wave of the future. But, IMHO today, as we speak, I personally think they're a rip-off because of the increased price. Unsuspecting consumers assume the car is worth 3-5 grand more than it's all gas counterpart, which I think is ridiculous. Five years from now, as more and more vehicles are built as hybrids (cells - whatever), it will probably be different and hopefully the disparity in price will be reduced or eliminated. Heck, I'd love to have one. How many potential new V6 Camry buyers might opt for the 255hp Accord hybrid if they didn't charge all those extra bucks for it?

tinatina

Small externally.

tinatina

I would probably buy them in 5 years once the technology gets better, prices come down, and there is a better track record. However, it would have to be a midsize car. Its funny how all this negative stuff is coming out on the Hybrids (in terms of costs, reliability, energy consumption, etc.). Will have to sort this out my reading more stuff on these issues.

njerald

You must be drinking, talking about accuracy!!

The MSRP for the Hybrid is $895 more than the 4 cyl. XLE. but Hybrid will cost you $4,000+ more than a XLE 4 cyl. and you give up a number of features.

Read the older posts to this and the Hybrid forum.

The Highlander is also much more than a $5,000 premium in the real world.

bobgwtw

Looki at the latest addition of consumer reports. They did a detailed analysis of hybrid vs conventional; Included insurance, maintenance, gas at as much as $4.00/gl, etc. Compared several cars and concluded that there is no way to economically justify a hybrid. cost differential for some models was over $10,000. the projected life of the car.

poorcruzer

Up here in Canada the only V6 Camry we can get with out the VSC and traction control is the LE version. I like the SE with the V6. There is a way with the Lexus VSC and traction control to turn it off ( NOT condoned by Toyota) somebody found a way. Has anyone found a way to disable the same electronic nannies on the V6 SE Camry?

kdhspyder

I would probably buy them in 5 years once the technology gets better, prices come down, and there is a better track record. However, it would have to be a midsize car. Its funny how all this negative stuff is coming out on the Hybrids (in terms of costs, reliability, energy consumption, etc.). Will have to sort this out my reading more stuff on these issues.

Well to address your concerns this specific vehicle in question has done just that.

A) There is little or 'premium' for the XLE hybrid vs the XLE ICE version. It's ~$800. But for that $800 you get V6 power and much better fuel economy ( ~ 30% improvement ).

Track record: this is the beginning of the 10th year of Toyota's system. Thus far the battery question has been put to rest. The electric motors are essentially maintenance free and seem to last the life of the vehicles with no effort.

C) Fuel Economy: The best source I've seen is GreenHybrid where all the statistics are laid out for anyone to analyze. I will go out on a very, very long but strong limb.

A year after the TCH comes out the mean value for the TCH on GH will be 36 mpg +/- 0.5 mpg. The HSD system is so consistent that a regular user can tell in advance what will be the annual combined value right now before the vehicle is driven mile #1.

D) Costs: Change the oil/filters and air filters on schedule. Rotate your tires and check your brakes. That's it for 100,000 miles. Oh, btw that's the same for any Camry.

Sources: the various forums here. PriusChat, GreenHybrid, GreenCarCongress, various Yahoo forums. Toyota's website. Toyotageorgetown.com ( the plant's website ).

njerald

That $800 difference is BS.

You won't be able to get a TCH for $200-300 over invoice.

and you get less features in the TCH vs. XLE.

jaxs1

There is no "XLE hybrid."

heavensoldier

I was wondering how does this car compare with cars like : Lincoln Zephyr, avalon, Acura TL, nissan maxima, honda, hyundai azera, lexus es330, 350, and all the other premieum cars. I just want a nice looking car with great features, maybe 2007. I was thinking about getting a lincoln zephyr. But saw the 2007 camry, and was wondering what made this car stand out from the other top name brands. Thanks and God Bless

njerald

Read the comparative sedan forums and each forum of vehicle you are interested in starting at the #1 post in each one.

mackabee

Well, for one it's been the best selling car in America for 8 of the last 9 years. That should tell you something.
Mackabee

kdhspyder

You must be drinking, talking about accuracy!!

The MSRP for the Hybrid is $895 more than the 4 cyl. XLE. but Hybrid will cost you $4,000+ more than a XLE 4 cyl. and you give up a number of features.

Read the older posts to this and the Hybrid forum.

The Highlander is also much more than a $5,000 premium in the real world.

Despite the normal insulting tone of your post Ill play your game and pump you up. Your contention is that due to your superior skills you've negotiated an XLE price that is $4000 lower than the MSRP price of the TCH. Is that a good summary? So if anyone negotiates a deal on a new TCH just as good as your XLE deal then your argument holds no water? Is that a good summary?

One would have to give up what exactly to get the V6 power and better fuel economy in the TCH?

Highlander V6 2WD invoice: $25900
( HE, AG, DJ, PE, RL, FE )

Highlander Hybrid invoice: $30200
(2WD same equipment)
Difference: $4300 That's how much over $5000?

Anyone anywhere can get either vehicle at $500 over invoice less rebate.

mary99

Consumer Reports has admitted they made errors in their analysis (double-counting depreciation) and that several of the hybrids DO pay for themselves within the time frame analyzed. See their web site. The whole original table was pulled and replaced. It was such a basic error, and it wasn't the only error in that table, I have trouble trusting their conclusions anymore, and I've been a CR reader for decades.

Can anyone tell me why Captain had to ACCELERATE when he veered left out of traffic to avoid rear-ending the car on the freeway? For the life of me I can't envision the need to speed up in that situation. :confuse:

kdhspyder

You might want to look through these forums some more. CR immediatley revised that article because they were notified that they had made several serious math errors. Check their website too. It was all over the news about a week later.

Big embarassment for CR in the big annual Auto edition.

bigd58

Depends on what's important to you. The most important thing for me is quality. If horsepower & styling were my only concerns, I'd probably go out and buy a Ford Mustang GT!
Recent data shows Toyota is tops in frequency of repairs, etc. even edging out reliable Honda. So I previously narrowed my choices to Accord or Camry. Once the quality issue was resolved, I searched for the best compromise between affordibility, techological advancements, and the "fun to drive" factor. The car I came up with is the 07 Camry V6 (choice of LE, SE, or XLE depends on what I'd want in driving characteristics). For the same money (I think), I could buy a Chevy Impala with 303hp, but, I'd be getting a Chevy. (Not trying to pick on Chevy, but it is what it is). A Lexus would be a wonderful (and better) alternative, as long as one could afford it. Same goes for a TL. The Avalon would be a superb choice if you wanted something slightly larger than the Camry and willing a pay a couple more grand for it. Personally, I'd steer clear of the Lincoln because of quality issues, but that is me. I'm not saying the Lincoln would give you a lot more headaches, I'm just saying the research says what it says.
If you don't mind the styling, and the size is OK, I think you're going to be hard pressed to beat the Camry for the best combination of quality, price, state of the art technology, and power (in the V6 models).

kdhspyder

I understand that. The TCH standard equipment is very very similar to the 4c XLE... you have to add VSC to the 4c XLE as it's standard on the TCH.

mary99

How do you know you won't be able to buy a TCH for $300 over invoice? A month ago people were positive the premium for the Camry hybrid would be $5000 like the Highlander. Now they're positive they'll sell at or over MSRP. I'm not so sure. I've already been told by a dealer here I can contract for one now at the same price as a V6 XLE.
:confuse:

ix1is1

This is off the '07 Camry topic but thought you'd guys might be interested at some pictures of the '07 G35 I found '07 G35

petomlin

I'm with you Mitch. I hope Toyota starts to produce more of the V6 SE. I still haven't seen one at a dealership in my area. (southern NJ) Those production numbers are ridiculous. Only 39 V6 SEs out of 609 vehicles produced? Does someone at Toyota see the problem with this picture?

petomlin

Wow! Truly a beautiful car. Rear leg room looks alittle cramped though. When will pricing be available?

ix1is1

Says something about being at the New York auto show this month. That's all I know.

gwhatagal

I AM SHOPPING FOR A 2007 CAMRY I SPOKE WITH A LOCAL DEALER IN REGARDS TO A 2007 CAMRY SE WITH SUNROOF, SPOILER AND HE DESCRIBED IT AS FULLY LOADED. I AVEN'T SEEN IT YET, SINCE IT'S STILL IN PRODUCTION AT THE PLANT PER THE SALESMAN. AFTER SOME HAGGLING WE GOT TO $ 27,300.
IT ALSO INCLUDES LEATHER SEATS. CAN ANYBODY TELL ME IF THIS IS A FAIR PRICE FOR A CAR WITH THESE OPTIONS. OR SHOULD I SHOP AROUND.

gwhatagal

the car is an 07 SE with an automatic V6. it has leather interior, sunroof, and all the standards that come with the car
i can't tell you much more about it since i haven't seen it myself. i read most of the features off a sheet he printed. you know the usual crap, floor mats, cd changer, remote start. any idea what invoice price might be on a car with these features.

blindmantoo

Several things to keep in mind...

The leather comes two ways - just seats & a few panels, and in a package that includes heated seats & mirrors.

The remote start is not typical as a standard option - be sure the dealer isn't charging for a factory piece and having it installed aftermarket (huge profit opportunity).

Do you have a trade in the mix? Two local dealers were $3,500 apart after considering my trade. The one who custom ordered my V6SE gave me blue book value on the trade and almost $3,000 off on the Camry.

By the way, I paid $28k for leather pkg, moonroof pkg, NAV, Traction control, XM, mats & spoiler.

tinatina

Thanks for posting this, but I'm not interested in buying a Hybrid, or the information you got. I dont care about hybrids, nor would I even look at them as an option at this point.

gwhatagal

i will check on the leather pkg. the car was offered to me at " 3% " over invoice, supposedly. the asking price right now is 27,300 , considering you also have navigation and xm, i guess i should shop around, this car does not have navigation or xm. what city did u buy your car at. i definitely need to look around? i already feel jipped

consumer46

Thoughtful. Good analysis --kdhspyder. Great case for the TCH.

tuffy

A 6 or 4 cylinder. Sounds pretty high for 6 cylinder and way out of sight for a 4. Shop around, you should get something several thousand less, especially if you can wait another couple weeks or can use a buying service like Costco!

bigd58

What are the thoughts on CarBargains vs. Costco and the like?

mary99

I hope a dealer chimes in, as I'm not in the industry. It's been my impression that the 'Costco', 'internet', 'credit union', 'fleet', etc. price is all one price, which is just a no- or low-haggle figure. I seriously doubt a Costco member has any advantage over anyone who gets internet quotes, or goes any of these other routes.