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2004 Toyota Solara

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Comments

  • snakerbillsnakerbill Member Posts: 272
    I find that if one intends to pay cash, a BETTER deal can be had if one sticks to his guns and lets the dealer know that invoice is the absolute top dollar you will pay no matter what. Most dealers will not let you walk if they can make holdback. Also insist on a car with no dealer adds. I paid cash for my 2003 RSX base auto, and after two or three falls , I got the car for l8900 dollars. This is what the dealer called triple net. Just keep grinding on them and they will sell the car because it becomes just another mark on the wall, and the next sucker who pays sticker will make up the difference. They actually said that to me.
  • randyr52randyr52 Member Posts: 19
    I was told by my salesman that the XM Radio was "in the package" that I ordered. After checking around, I have also found out that it is dealer installed and costs between $600.00 to $800.00 to have your new car taken apart for the install. I think Toyota messed up badly on this one. The new Accord has EXV6 models with XM Radio built in with free service for 3 months. And is sounds GREAT!! No distortion. Just complete clarity of sound. I have been wanting this option. This will probably be the deal breaker for me. Looks like I may be driving a new Accord instead of the Solara.....Even if they give it to me FREE, I don't want my car dismantled to install the OPTION. Just my 2 cents. How do you guys feel about this?
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    buy an Accord. You don't want your brand new car dismantled just for satelitte radio?????? Plus, it should cost less on the Accord anyways. they give you the first three months too......
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    of service, that is.
  • funpilotfunpilot Member Posts: 66
    Does the V6 require premium fuel?
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    Accord EX V6: NO
    Solara V6: Not sure. You'd have to ask a Sienna owner about that. Most Toyota V6's take premium, however, this could be a case of 99-01 Odyssey, where premium is recommended for optimal economy but not required.
  • s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    Must mean optimal performance. If you are spending 20 cents more per gallon, you are not economizing even if were true that you got an extra MPG or 2.
  • cooldad24cooldad24 Member Posts: 163
    I check all Sienna, RX330 and ES330, none of them mention Premium fuel. I think modern engine has knock sensor to detect what type of gas you use. Premium or regular. TO me, the midplus is way gas company rip you off. Most the sensor will set to regular if you use mid grade (89 or 90). It's a waste of money. No a day, Premium is used for high pressure fuel injection engine for higher power output. It's common in turbo engine for max out the power in small displacement. As to MPG, unless you live in heavy traffic metro or hilly area, the MPG is too small to tell the difference. But at best, you might got 2 miles more which is not enough to justify teh price difference.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    For the Sienna, I guess that you can just throw in regular. Some Chrysler engines (3.5L in 300M, Pacifica) say they want mid-grade. That's the only engine that I know of that requires mid-grade. Do any gas companies even sell Mid-Grade anymore? No one needs it. You either use Regular on your Camry or Premium on your S-Class.
  • a_l_hubcapsa_l_hubcaps Member Posts: 518
    jchan2-

    I use middle grade (89 octane) in my Pontiac because it knocks on regular and I am too cheap to buy premium :-)

    -Andrew L
  • rcf8000rcf8000 Member Posts: 619
    My 2004 Sienna instruction manual says 87 octane is required, 91 octane is recommended for improved performance.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    congrats on the Sienna! Midgrade is rarely used.
  • rcf8000rcf8000 Member Posts: 619
    I buy gas exclusively at Costco, since they are nearby and always are cheaper than anyone else. They don't even offer mid grade. I use their premium in the Sienna, even though I know that I would probably be just as happy with regular. Just a hang-up that I have.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    If you want midgrade, may as well buy inexpensive premium from Costco.
  • cooldad24cooldad24 Member Posts: 163
    I am in the market to buy the 2004 Toyota Solara V6. I am interested in knowing the price you paid for your new solara with what type of option(s). This will greatly help others who also interested in. Plese also specify which area you live. It doesn't need to be exact. It can be like southern CA or northern Chicago. Thanks for your input.
  • webguysterwebguyster Member Posts: 434
    If Toyota has not improved their seats, I dont recommend a Solara. My passenger is rattling and my drivers is rocking...again! I am a hearty 6ft, 175lbs, 112% muscle, 17% fat, on an electronic BMI! These seats suck!
  • cooldad24cooldad24 Member Posts: 163
    Webguyster: Can you be more specific on the rattling problem? Is it only happen when making a big turn or even when driving straight? Did you send back to dealer and have them to probe and fix it? I just like to know it's design issue or assembly defect. Thanks.
  • webguysterwebguyster Member Posts: 434
    The passenger seat rattles when hitting small bumps. There is a TSB, but I have had it in 3 times, and the problem returns. The drivers side seat rack has been replaced already , and is starting to slip or rock when accelerating. The dealer sends it to a trimshop to fix. The TBS is for shrinking the cables on the passenger side. IMO it's s design problem, and the last time I brought it to the trim shop directly, the man there told me that Camry's do that. It is just annoying at this point.
  • cooldad24cooldad24 Member Posts: 163
    Webguyster: Thanks for your detailed description! May I know which type of seat you have? Leather or fabric(SE or SE Sport)?
  • cooldad24cooldad24 Member Posts: 163
    I can't find the '04 buit did find the one on '02-'03 Camry. They have modify the seat assembly sub since Feb, 2003. I wonder is anyone else has the issue? Webguyster: Have you talk to your dealer about the lemon law. They should buy it back or replace it and send back to Toyota for research. You can call Toyota customer service too to complain this porblem.
    Here is the link to that TSB if anyone is interested.
    http://152.122.48.12/prepos/files/Artemis/Public/TSBs/2003/SB-100- 01369-1498.pdf
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    Took Freehold Toyota in NJ nearly the entire business day to complete, and that is with an appointment ONCE the part had been ordered as per the TSB on our 2002 Camry.

    Be prepared.

    ~alpha
  • jrp6977jrp6977 Member Posts: 87
    The Accord EX V6 coupe does have XM radio standard, but it comes with this ugly pimple on the back of the roof, whether you want it or not. I guess Honda figured it hadn't made the Accord ugly enough so they gave it acne.
  • webguysterwebguyster Member Posts: 434
    The seat problems are on my 2000 SE V6. They are the standard Camry cloth seat, and I do not know if Toyota has a new design. I was almost in arbitration until Torrance, Toyota stepped in, years ago. The quality of my 2000 Solara in not 1/2 the quality of my 1981 Corolla!

    Aplha01....Your seat fix......"It won't last!".. Kathern Tramell, Basic Instinct"

    I cannot imagine a radical seat rack redesign.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    The problem wasnt a major issue anyway, and I'm not sure that it is even the same issue you were having in your 2000 Solara. The fix has worked for the past 5K miles, so its all good.

    ~alpha
  • cooldad24cooldad24 Member Posts: 163
    I got call from Car Direct for the options I want. The Rep told me there isn't a XLE V6 doesn't came with Spoiler if ordering Stability and Tracking control options. I never like the spoiler and think it break the curve of the line and doesn't help in control. I wonder if anyone has a XLE V6 with Stability and tracking but no Spoiler?
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    So. At least your seat doesn't rattle comin down the road.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    your dashboard doesn't have to be destroyed to install XM, they do it at the factory under warranty for you!!!!
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    taken apart.
  • webguysterwebguyster Member Posts: 434
    I give it 10,000 miles and you will be back to get it repaired. It was still issue enoguh for you to post it here.
  • s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    It is not installed at the factory. The dealer has to install it. It is not as if all they have to just slide out the factory radio and connect a few wires. They have to dismantle the dash and spend hours of labor because it doesn't look like the car was originally designed with the XM dealer-installation in mind. It is supposed to cost somewhere around $500 or more after the labor charges. It probably would have added less than $200 to the cost of the JBL system if it was integrated at the factory. Since they already require the JBL system if you order Nav, they might as well have added the XM at the same time. (The XM and Nav might even be able to share the same antenna if they had planned for it) Maybe the 2005 models will have XM integrated into the factory stereo on Navigation-equipped models at least. You won't have to spend the $10 subscription fee if you don't want, but it will be there if you change your mind later and at resale time.
    At the very least, for 2005, they should modify the factory radio so an XM upgrade will be a quick plug an play install that takes only a few minutes labor at the dealer.
    I like XM, but it isn't worth $500 plus the risk of interior damage and rattles caused by the dealer installation.
  • kgw707kgw707 Member Posts: 19
    Dont understand all the jibberish here on the xm radio (read my post #268), but it works and sounds great. I agree, and even brought it to their attention, that the wiring necessary should be 'prewired' at the factory, which would greatly reduce the cost and labor involved, but their argument was that 'maybe' 1 out of 30 buyers will opt for the XM radio.
  • s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    With that cost and installation hassle, of course!
  • snakerbillsnakerbill Member Posts: 272
    The XM radio install is just more typical Toyota crap. Do they polyglycoat it too?? If they do,I am sure that it costs another 100 bucks.
  • matthewhmatthewh Member Posts: 19
    I got the 04 SE V6 Sport there for $1,700 off msrp. No hassle at all.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    Want XM Radio on a car? Why spend $25,000 on a Solara that is not prewired when you can spend $14,995 on a Chevrolet cavalier that has XM installed at the factory.
  • 2k1trd2k1trd Member Posts: 301
    Hmmmmm tough choice....lol
  • matthewhmatthewh Member Posts: 19
    I would get the Cavalier for $14,995. I still have at least $10,000 left for a used Cavalier for back up when my new Cavalier is in the shop.
    Guys...This is America and I truely believe that you will get what you paid for.
    I used to have a 93 Camry with 165,000 miles(sold last week) until I got my 04 Solara . I could not find any excuses to get rid of it. Still running strong without any problems. So I finally sick of it because it still running so I went out and got a new one.
    Toyota has been known for build to last....
  • snakerbillsnakerbill Member Posts: 272
    That price is good if the car did not have a bunch of dealer adds on it which came to the same l700 dollars. The typical junk on cars here are about that price, and the adds are worth about 50 bucks. What was on the car you bought? I have tried to find a base SE V6 but every car I have seen has all of the port adds and stuff the dealer sticks on it, driving the price to 27000 or so, and considering that the base V6 SE is 21450 plus delivery of 550 the car is not a bargain at a 2000 price reduction. I could not believe my eyes when the dealers added enough junk to the port adds to raise the price 5000 bucks, but they did. I had decided to buy a 04 V6 Accord, but I gave that idea up when I looked at the G35 base coupe for 29000. I am thinking that that car is probably worth the extra money, but I have heard some bad things about the suspension wearing out the tires in just a few miles and Nissan not doing anything about it. Does anybody know anything about this? I am really trying to buy a new car, but I will not be ripped off, so I am looking carefully. As you can guess, Toyota really ticked me off.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    I'll pick up my Cavalier LS Sport with the XM radio installed at the factory along with the $3000 rebate. Also, I'll buy a nice Aveo to back up my Cavalier in case it needs some shop time. If the ports add so much crap, just order one.
  • snakerbillsnakerbill Member Posts: 272
    I tried ordering a Solara SE V6 with nothing extra added, and that was in August, and Toyota has yet to accept the order. The dealer said that I should not hold my breath as this car is unlikely to ever appear. So much for ordering one. If you can do something about this, please let me know.
  • jjgittesjjgittes Member Posts: 54
    All of the Solaras I've seen in SoCal are pretty decked out. I too was interested in a basic SE v-6, but I have not seen one. This may end up pushing us toward an Accord LX v-6 coupe for my wife's next car.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    as if Toyota decks out every Solara they make to make money. More options= more money.
  • webguysterwebguyster Member Posts: 434
    2 Cavaliers for the price of 1 Solara! Maybe 3 with rebates! I had a 1997, and as long as you get the larger engine, you get used to the cheap plastics. I would go with the 3 Chevy's instead of 1 Solara! Anyone should be able to get a Chevy Cavalier for $10 g's out the door with a lot of haggle, not $14g's like posted above. They look cheap and like a poor persons car, but I didn't have any problems with mine until 50,000 miles when the evaporater core went, covered by Chevy, and I don't believe I had to write the BBB like I did with Toyota Extra Care for my lamp assembly. Like a rock! You could get 3 different colors to suit your moods, red, white, and black, or even yellow!
  • kgw707kgw707 Member Posts: 19
    Hey all you Cavalier guys, its comes down to pointA to pointB transportation with cash in your pockets vs a little style and class driving. Depends on everyones finances and what each person 'WANTS', not NEEDS, and their own affordibility level. .....if you dont like the mustard, don't buy the hotdog......
  • matthewhmatthewh Member Posts: 19
    Snakebill. I got mine with sunroof, wheelock and floor/trunk carpet mats. Very basic. No extra junks.

    I apologize for starting a Chevy vs. Toyota war. It really up to your taste, budget, choice, and needs. If you like it...buy it and enjoy.

    So far I like my Solara and Toyota products (except the new Scion...dead ugly...again only my opinon). I took mine 04 Solara to Reno last weekend. It ran beautifully. The V6 is a must. The manual shift is so cool going up hill. It provides a lot of power.
  • s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    Anyone having problems? I noticed alot of complaints about the transmission in newer ES300s and RX330s. Does the new Solara have a different transmission?
  • cooldad24cooldad24 Member Posts: 163
    Come on guys, are you kidding? They are two different league! Number can't tell the whole thing and each has his/her priority. You can buy 2 cavaliers and sell one every three years, right after warranty expired, You problably still has 45% the value after 6 years due to demand. With a solara V6, you probably end up the same selling price vs 2 combined 6 years later. You got refinement and performance. My mom always said: "Don't look now, look future. Lead at the beginning doesn't mean win at the finish line." So number should not be the only factor to make decision.

    As to G35, it has completely personailty to Solara. It emphsis on performance than comfort. It does feel refine like Toyota/Lexus and the interior materials(lots of hard plastic) shows too, unlike all other luxary brands. That is the consequence of cost saving from Nissan. Long term reliability is unknow for their new generations since 2001, the major change of design strategy start. So far is good. The hard plastic usually casing noise when the car aged so I try to avoid it. For Diehard performace fan, I don't think Solara is your choice. If you like refinement and reliability in a sorty look under $30k, then Solara is a logical choice.
  • webguysterwebguyster Member Posts: 434
    I have read only about the ES 330 having tranny problems! Not the Solara.

    RE: #403 of 403 Cavalier vs. Solara ? by cooldad24

    It's all about the Benhamin's! Some people would rather reliable transportation, than what Toyota has put out since 1997, and their de-contenting. 3 Cavaliers vs. 1 Solara, is like the old Jaguar joke, buy 2 so you will have 1 in the garrrrrage while the other is being repaired.
  • s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    Owners have complained about problems with the RX330's tranny also. If they all have the same or very similar transmissions, the Solara V6 could be next.
    The Solara is so new that there are few owners reporting their experiences.
    At least the Lexus owners are not reporting tranny "failures." It's more like they are complaining about noises and undesired shifting problems that appeared after owning the car awhile.
    I'll wait and see what gets posted over the next few months.
  • webguysterwebguyster Member Posts: 434
    My 2000 tranny is the roughest shifting transmition I ever had in ANY car. I can only imagine what these people are complaining about.
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