Comments: 1-15, 16-19
Nothing significant has gone wrong with my car, but there are some peeves described below that I'd like to share with others and get your input on.
General comments:
1. Oil. Although the owner's manual doesn't say it (and don't trust the Toyota owner's manual), I use synthetic oil only (Mobil 1) every four months or 2000 miles (whichever comes first), with a Bosch oil filter ($6.50 at Auto zone), and I change oil at an independent mechanic where I can watch him drain all the oil. Have no trust in Toyota mechanics.
2. Overdrive. Again, although the owner's manual doesn't say it, I switch off the overdrive when I drive (I drive mostly in or around New York City and there is a lot of traffic). It helps avoid transmission hesitation in the beginning.
3. Rattle/Shakes. I got them all right, but am paying no attention to them. I have not visited a Toyota dealer and have no desire visiting them. Had enough of experience with dealers when I owned my Taurus.
4. Braking. Breaks vibrate when pressed on uneven surfaces (braking is OK on even surfaces). Thanks to drivers on this website, I know now that this is a problem, but will have to live with it.
5. Skirt. I have 15 inch wheels so that the car is pitched low. The plastic skirt (or shield) underneath the car is attached to the body with only two screws. When parking, I managed to pull the front of the skirt (and one of the screws) off. An independent mechanic added a few screws and the skirt is in place.
6. Safety. Overall, Camry '02 is made entirely off plastic, and has no protection if anyone hits you (who knows if the airbags will deploy; Camry '02 has no side airbags). The car walls are very thin. When driving over hardened snow, the noise is quite loud. My 1988 Taurus seemed like a tank.
7. Theft Protection. A friend recommended a Multi-Lock transmission lock (pick the model with a key hole at 45 degrees) attached to the body of the car. Cost me $200 with installation (I definitely overpaid it), but it's worth the money. If you go for it, get the one made in Israel, not in Taiwan/ China. For the steering wheel and the air bag, I got a Multi-Lock cover for about $30 at Aid Auto stores and it's working all right.
Most of the peeves you mention are completely subjective and have nothing at all to do with the car.
Synthetic oil? Fine, if that's what floats your boat. How is it a peeve if the manual doesn't recommend it? If it was recommended, the manual would state this. Notice the circular logic here.
Turning off overdrive in the city? I can't begin to understand where you're coming from with this one. You have no practical reason at all to do this unless you're such a driving enthusiast that you demand immediate throttle response. If this were the case, you probably wouldn't be driving a Camry and you'd probably have something with a manual transmission. The only thing you're accomplishing here is reducing your fuel economy and raising your gearbox temperature (which may negatively impact transmission performance, in the long term).
Not safe? Most reputable automobile analysts would beg to differ:
http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Insurance/P63955.asp
http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/used/reviews/full/index.cfm/id/2511.
The Camry is ranked second among family sedans, only trailing the Volkswagen Passat.
Poor side skirts? Don't drive your car into the curb.
Anti-Theft equipment? Again, a personal preference. Hardly a peeve if the car doesn't come standard with this. This is something you ponder in the showroom, not after you've bought the car.
I won't comment on the brake issues since only the driver knows what that is all about. As for the rattles though, if such things preoccupy you, step up to a Lexus.
I don't like Camry's personally, but in a negative review there's a difference between faults with the car and faults with the owner (which the reviewer has failed to realize).
The first commenter got it right. The VW Passat is the #1 family car. For a lot of reasons. Paint quality, Body integrity, V6 performance, interior fittings, handling, ride, construction, etc. The Camry is a toy (and an ugly one at that) by comparison.
The Japanese are the best on the statistical bell curve, the Germans are the best on the road curves.
The PAINT quality on the Passat may be good, but the quality of everything else is suspect. You only need to take a look at how many dissatisfied Passat owners have posted to this site.
Sure, buy a Passat. Those waiting rooms at VW dealer service departments have free coffee for the hours you will spend sitting there!
Synthetic oil is better than conventional oil in every way. You turn off overdrive in the city to prevent the transmission from hunting between gears and prematurely wearing out the transmission.
I just knew if there was a negative Toyota review someone would jump all over it. And of course, the first commentor proved my point entirely. I must say "well done" to the individual who wrote the review. You bought a car, found some weaknesses and provided your input to the rest of us. Isn't that what this site is all about? Not crying and throwing a fit because someone trashed your overpriced asian import. Get a life, pal. And "Step up to a Lexus" basically means "spend an extra 10 grand for an "L" on your grille." Don't take it to heart, Tenderfoot. There are millions of vehicles out there and they all can't be perfect. Especially a Toyota.
The initial reviewer commented that she had issues with her Toyota Camry, an over-rated, over-priced vehicle that continues to sway those less knowledgeable.
There are many and numerous American-made cars that are better built and a far better value than a Japanese car.
The Camry is a lightweight, "thinly" built car,..that is NOT subjective. It does NOT have the road presence or safety of an American-made vehicle and never will.
Consider in the future a Ford 500, or perhaps a Buick Lesabre,...you will be satisfied and doing the right thing as an American.
You know what some say about a Lexus?
It's a Toyota in a prom dress!
Sure I'll consider a Ford or a Buick, just as soon as I get hit in the head by lightning and develop brain damage. No, a Camry does not have the road presence of an American car because it is not a big, gaudy, gas guzzling boat of car like a Buick. The rest of the world are driving mostly small, economical cars, and it is only American mentality that keeps the Buick's, Cadillac's, and Hummer's on the road over here, all of which cannot compare to Toyota's reliability. I don't doubt that the reviewer has these problems: nothing is perfect, Toyota isn't either, but they are better than any other make, except maybe Honda. I'm not an "import lover", I have owned a few so-called American made vehicles, some of which were surprisingly good, but still no match for any of my three Toyota's, which get better gas mileage, have fewer problems, last longer, run smoother, and after all that you still get a better resale value at the end. So, if doing the right thing as an American means wasting my hard-earned money on an inferior product; no thanks. I work hard, and buy the best- Toyota.
The only reason toyota gets better mileage is because they use those tiny 1.6s. American automakers need to discover the wonders of the DOHC engine.
To anyone who still believes American cars are better than foreign competition I suggest you read the April 17th article in BusinessWeek entitled "Getting out of Dodge".
Anyone with any talent is leaving American car companies in droves which means GM, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler have to hire even more mediocre talent and that will result in even worse cars.
Unless you want to buy your mechanic a vacation home, avoid American cars at all costs.
To the prom dress comment:
Yes, Lexus is now risking what VW is going through (why buy an Audi when a VW offers virtually the same experience for less money, and why buy a VW when Skoda/SEAT offers the same experience for even less money).
The new Camry and Avalon are essentially Lexuses if you look at the interiors, especially the Avalon.
But there are some models (LS, SC, IS) that are truly unique to the brand, and they are allegedly going to produce a $100K supercar soon.
So the guy who reads busniess week and reports his findings on other comments, says that some of the bigger american companies are failing. Does that mean anything to you at all? If you live in america then it means bad stuff is about to happen to the economy if those 3 companies fail. You say buy foreign, but I'm sure it great to see china get ahead of us and watch our dollar worth go down even more compared to everyone else's currency.
I REALLY wish people would actually read post before commenting on them.
The point of my post about BusinessWeek, which you obviously missed, is that NO ONE associated with American cars/SUVs has any interest in building a quality product because they have zero morale and are most likely going to be laid off.
Now, do you REALLY think that any vehicle built under those conditions is going to be of any type of quality?
And please explain to me how China has any impact on the US AUTO market? It does not as far as selling cars.
And isn't it funny that all the talent from the American companies is moving to the foreign auto companies. Which means that Detroit's loss is their gain, so there is a net INCREASE of jobs created when Detroit goes belly up, something Wal-Mart certainly can't claim.
Sorry your xenophobia clouds your understanding of the modern American car marketplace. But, then again, why would I expect any pro-american car poster to see reality.
So the 15:10 guy is essentially saying we must all buy cars as long as they have an American nameplate on them, regardless of quality?
Please. No American feels that way and Wal-Mart is the proof.
I love you guys, we talk about the strangest things here. And it makes my night to come home and see this stuff. Chuckle chuckle...