29th Apr 2015, 18:18
Then you revamp or discontinue a model. Sacrificing quality at the expense of cost savings is unacceptable. Major mechanicals and safety related ABS braking remains foremost. Eliminate luxury options and divert those needs to the high end Lexus models. No cruise, power windows, high end audio, lighting packages, alloy wheels, touring tire packages etc. It's not bread, it's the second highest purchase behind a home that's made. The other factor is slowing the production line to catch mistakes. There's far too many Toyota recalls. Or up the quality and draw back disenchanted former buyers willing to pay more for the improvement.
29th Apr 2015, 19:47
I recall reading an article a few years ago about the comparison of today's cars versus those made in the past. What stuck with me was the fact that pretty much all middle class, middle of the road family sedans - even the "stripped" models are actually nicer, have more features and standard equipment than the top-of-of-the-line luxury cars from 15 years ago or maybe even less. A V6 Camry is actually faster than just about any 70s muscle car. Back in the 80s and 90s you'd be hard pressed to find any family car that would go 0-60 in 6 seconds plus some change. So the fact that the prices may have gone up is not really a surprise. What you get today for the average price of a family car is the same you used to have to pay 3 times as much for not so long ago.
30th Apr 2015, 05:26
Haven't you done your homework before buying? Like driving, testing and reading reviews about this Camry. If not, it has been a big mistake! If yes, again, another big mistake by buying something maybe you wouldn't like. So who's to blame? Toyota or you??
30th Apr 2015, 09:58
I made the same mistake with Honda. It took a long while to catch on. We bought new ones every few years. They were really good for a long time starting in the 80s. In 2000 and later we saw major issues. Thinking it was a fluke or a couple bad ones, we still bought. So I imagine it could have easily apply to Toyota as well. Lot of people are too busy to read reviews. Or base it off their latest purchase. To me they are just average or worse. Takes a while to catch on, but in time you live and learn.
30th Apr 2015, 19:18
Ah yes.... the ole' "They were better in the 80s and 90s comment". Funny seeing as how my parents have owned a number of late 90s-2014 model Toyotas and none of them has had any issues... just the same as how they didn't in the 80s, and that explains why Toyota and their luxury brand Lexus is still at the tippy-top of the reliability charts...
1st May 2015, 03:26
A V6 Camry is actually faster than just about any '70s muscle car???
I'll believe it when I see it. A 1970 Olds 442 W-30 pushes out a stock HP of 370.
A 2015 Camry? 268 HP.
1st May 2015, 13:33
They were better in the '80s and '90s. I've worked on cars then and now. Experience counts.
1st May 2015, 13:48
If you go to consumeraffairs.com and Consumer Reports, many disagree over quality issues, massive recalls and recent reliability. Lexus isn't immune either. My parents drive to the store, senior center and church in theirs. The only time they have seen 50 mph has been my limited time behind the wheel. 7000 miles a year max. They could drive a lemon and have minimal issues. I still maintain mid 90s and earlier had less mechanical issues.
2nd May 2015, 01:52
The performance of the new Camry is average compared to late model sedans from G.M., Honda, Hyundai, etc.
Try comparing a V-6 Camry to a modern muscle car, any of which would run circles
around it.
2nd May 2015, 09:11
There's a lot of modern fuel injected models that are as fast now with 0-60 times. They may not handle or perform that well at speed. Simply changing the bias tires would push the older ones quicker off the line. Harder to hook up. We have 2 modern domestic cars in our family with over 185 mph capability. But the older ones are very special. If you feel bad about your 442 W-30, you can take solace in the 75k to 375k pricing levels at Barrett Jackson (latter).
I don't like comparing a non Toyota even when a Toyota owner brings these comparisons up. It's not an apple to apple comparison. This is a modern family conservative sedan, not a performance car. How well it holds up under hard throttle is another matter. You can buy a new V6 and do 0-60 in 6 seconds in all fairness with the modern fuel injection. You can also do it under 4 seconds with ours today. At that point we are just shifting into second gear! Good luck!
2nd May 2015, 22:00
Every car has issues. And if you have owned a number of them over 30 years with none... it should be noted in Guinness book of World Records. But I agree there were fewer in the 80s and 90s. For example I had a new hatchback that leaked water like a sieve in the cargo compartment. Not as bad as engine issues, but we were never home free like yourself.
5th May 2015, 20:01
A lot of new family sedans will indeed smoke a LOT of the 70s muscle cars. The 1970 Olds 442 mentioned was good for about 7.4 seconds 0-60. A new V6 Camry? Around 6.5. That's FAST... as in pushing it to BMW 5 series territory.
That said, it's not really a fair comparison. Many things have changed in 40 years. The suspension system put in a lot of those muscle cars were afterthoughts. Trust me - I know because I own a classic myself. Back then the idea was to stick a BIG engine under the hood and call it a day. The truth is that the suspension system is almost as important as the engine. That and there are huge advantages to having an EFI system versus a carb where you'd have tons of fuel dumped into the engine on a hard acceleration.
As far as the newer versus older, well I too work on cars and trucks, and the only thing that Toyota in particular has skimped on are the interiors - which are now pretty awful and "plasticy". The driver train and electrical systems are still very much top-notch. As seen by the majority of consumer surveys, the brand is still at or near the top reliability-wise. The gaps have closed quite a bit and now the domestic and Japanese brands are fairly close with most of the Euro brands lower on the list. I'd say that anyone who buys either a Toyota or GM product will have satisfactory ownership experiences. That's very different from the 80s and 90s when the gap between them was huge, and the reliability ratings were night and day.
29th Apr 2015, 17:45
it doesn't take a genius to know that everything in this world is going up in cost. From utilities to the cost of a loaf of bread. Car makers are under incredible pressure to make the best car they can and keep the costs under control. A car like a Camry has very little profit margin compared to their sister cars like their Lexus models. Does a car maker invest in the engine, the transmission, fit and finish, audio systems, or/and about 15 other important parts of a car. When you have limited resources and a smaller profit margin, you are in a balancing act and cannot fail. Even after you build the car, you have to look over each country's stack of regulations on safety, smog and equipment that has to be on the car to sell to the public. Many people say they don't build things like they use to... they might be right.