5th Jul 2010, 12:34
The structural components of any Japanese car are not flimsy. I'm not sure where or how this myth was started, but it's just that: a myth. I've never had any alignment issues with any of my Japanese cars, they were all flawless.
My '96 Honda Accord was rear-ended by a Buick Roadmaster (in case anybody doesn't know, that's a very large stationwagon made by Buick from 1991-1996). The Buick blew through a stop sign and plowed into the back of my Accord at over 35 MPH while I was stopped waiting to turn into my driveway (I live on a busy road). My Accord drove away from the accident with a cracked rear bumper. The Buick was completely totalled and had to be towed away. The insurance company later wrote it off as a total loss. I replaced the rear bumper and continued driving my Accord for another 5 years with zero issues, alignment or otherwise.
I have owned one car that had serious alignment issues. That car was a Dodge Neon, and the cause of the alignment problems you may ask? A sagging front sub-frame. The car had never been in any sort of accident, the frame had simply sagged under the weight of the car.
5th Jul 2010, 13:43
"It's just not true that the structural components of the Camry are flimsy"
Actually, it is true. Just take a look under any late model Camry, and you will find numerous cases of cost-cutting by using either smaller, less robust structural members or flimsy (or non-existent) exhaust supports and brackets. A classic example is the sagging exhaust systems on most late model Camrys due to lack of support brackets.
6th Jul 2010, 09:57
I've seen the sagging exhausts, but the last time I checked, the exhaust system doesn't provide any structural rigidity to the vehicle chassis. So just remind me, how does this help your argument?
7th Jul 2010, 02:33
And what about this sagging exhaust system claim? I've got a 2006 Camry with close to 90K miles on it and this thing doesn't really sag. Can't say this seem to be a Camry specific problem either. I see some cars with the exhaust system nearly touching the ground, but these are usually old bangers of any make.
7th Jul 2010, 09:04
I would just go to a good muffler shop, and have them add and fabricate additional brackets and hangars, if it's a concern that the factory cut corners to keep costs low. I am all about upgrades on my cars.
7th Jul 2010, 16:57
One of my friends tried to get a national chain muffler shop to add a hanger for the exhaust pipe. They refused because it is against corporate policy to add anything that is not Toyota designed and approved, for product liability reasons. All they would do was connect the pipe the same old way and not guarantee the pipe wouldn't fall back down again since they consider it a design flaw.
8th Jul 2010, 13:11
No, but this is just a very clear example of Toyota (and all Japanese makers) use of poorly designed and inadequate techniques and materials in building cars. It carries over to other short-cuts in engine, transmission and suspension deficiencies. Just note the recent mess Toyota is in with brakes, steering, accelerators and engines, and Honda's very flimsy and unreliable transmissions.
8th Jul 2010, 17:39
Okay, first, I have NEVER seen a sagging exhaust on any late model car. They are all made to last for a long time. I am also mystified by the flimsy quality of import cars. I guess all of the cars I had were overdesigned test examples of Honda, Toyota and Subaru, as they were more rock solid then any domestic I have owned.
9th Jul 2010, 08:54
If you really love a car, you can do endless aftermarket upgrades. I went to urethane bushings, composite tie rods and a fiberglass rear leaf, lifetime Magnaflow full stainless exhaust on my domestic, and I am sure many of the import tuners do the same.
If the factory just does the minimum, then upgrade and pull the wallet out. I love my cars, and all it takes is a commitment and money.
If it's plain jane boring A to B transportation however, it may seem hard to justify. I use to think my 3.2 VTEC Honda was not an economy car at all, taking the factory requirement of 93 octane only, expensive xenon bulbs, expensive wider tires, and wearing out the rear brakes faster than the fronts always perplexed me. It cost a lot to run and maintain anyway.
9th Jul 2010, 15:47
I'd buy a better car if I had to start replacing parts, that should be perfectly fine, in order to have a car that doesn't fall apart. I've had many foreign cars, and never once had to upgrade anything on any of them in order for them to operate as they should. Why anyone would consider spending even more money on already inflated cars is beyond me.
9th Jul 2010, 17:32
"Okay, first, I have NEVER seen a sagging exhaust on any late model car."
Try looking at the next 10 pre-2007 Camrys you see. I'll bet fully 50% have the exhaust hanging so low it is obvious. I have seen very few that DID NOT have the defective exhausts system hanging less than 3" off the road surface. Many are noticeably bent from hitting railroad tracks or other objects that stick up an inch or two.
10th Jul 2010, 11:26
After posting comment 17:32, my wife and I went out to eat at a restaurant a few miles from our home. On the way we saw two pre-2007 Camrys. Both had the exhaust systems nearly dragging on the road.
19th Jul 2010, 12:41
After reading the comments about the flimsy exhausts on the Camry, my wife and I made it a point to look at pre-2007 Camrys on the road and in parking lots. We have yet to see one that did not have a low, sadly sagging exhaust pipe. Also none of these cars were junky or old. Most were 2004-2006 models. This is obviously a case of cost-cutting at the expense of buyers.
21st Jul 2010, 20:14
The only sagging exhaust system I have seen on ANY late model car was on a brand new BUICK LUCERNE.
The Buick was driving right in front of me, and its exhaust was hanging down so badly it was barely an inch and a half from the pavement. This also caused the tailpipe to be twisted and turned so that it was facing towards the right side of the vehicle.
It made me wonder that if the exhaust hangers on my Toyota are so flimsy, why they haven't let go in 14 years and 180,000 miles of driving. Hmm...
5th Jul 2010, 02:12
It's just not true that the structural components of the Camry are flimsy. It's strange people can make unsubstantiated claims like that. And of course nobody can state any source of these claims. Strange that I've never experienced any of these flimsiness, even driving several Camrys well past 200 to 300,000 miles.
The only car I had problems getting the alignment straight was a 300,000 miles Camry I had years back. But the problems wasn't that the body or the suspension was 'flimsy' but the rubber bushings and the ball joints were gone. Once fixed, I could get a perfect alignment on this car.