Comments: 1-15, 16-17
Some rattling from the rear window for the first 500 miles.
The Camry handles like a sports car. However as a result the ride is a little stiffer than I expected. But, when you drive in NYC, handling is by far more important. The 4 cyl. engine is peppy, but still a little underpowered for the size of the car. It's big and very roomy. It looks to be about the same size as my boss' Grand Marquis. The brakes vibrate a little in hard stops. And it's lacking finish on some minor details. The paint underneath the doors seems a little rough. And the paint on the bumpers chip very easily. I drive on average about 20,000 miles a year and was looking for mechanical reliability. Sure I could have bought a nicer looking American car, but is it going to run at 100,000 miles. My previous cars (of which all three where American) all seemed to fall apart at 100,000 miles.
Yes, an American car will run well past 100,000 miles as I have 130,000 on my 87 Buick V-6 3.8L Why would I buy a Camry for $27,000 when I can get a FULLY loaded Ford Taurus, made for the last 20 years, for 19,995 with this employee pricing in effect? I would rather have a Chevy Impala LS 3.8 for 20,000 as well!
Toyota's are good, but the value NOW is in certain US brand vehicles...Taurus,500,Buick Lacrosse, Ford Crown Victoria, Chevy Impala, Buick Park Avenue and Lesabre and Chrsyler 300M!
To the writer of the first comment: Who in their right mind would, buy a Taurus over a Camry?
And Chrysler stopped making the 300M in 2004.
I agree with the second comment. Ford Taurus!!! I drive one and will never recommend it to anyone.
To the writer of the first comment. Chrysler is no longer an American car.
To the writer of the first comment:
Since when is a base Camry $27,000? Furthermore, foreign cars hold their value much better than any American car and that is because of the employee pricing which has completely obliterated any residual value left in any used American car. Foreign cars are the best longterm decision for both mechanical standpoints and financial.
Hmmm... A Taurus or a Camry... Lets see... A Taurus may get you 20,000 miles per transmission... and a Camry gets like 35 MPG on a trip... What does a Taurus get??? Like 27 MPG.
For comment #2: I am the current owner of a 2000 Chevy Impala LS with a 3.8 V6 and the former owner of a 1997 Ford Contour GL. My husband is a Chevy man, and I am a Ford woman. The contour made it to about 80,000 miles before the tranny went out, and the Impala? Well, let's just say I'm still a Ford girl. At 30,000 we lost the rack and pinion. Twice. Now, at 55,000 the tranny is shot. And these are just the big problems! 100,000 miles? Yeah! I wish!
The only American cars I have any trust for is Buick. One of those with a 3.8L engine is a nice vehicle. My two Buicks are still running strong. Yes I have had to replace some things, overall the cars are great for many miles. I will get 300K out of my 94 LeSabre Limited and my 2000 Park Ave with 72K miles will go for years to come.
Toyota is a well made brand. I just ordered the Corolla LE and I can't wait to drive this little thing. I am sure it too will run for over 200K miles.
The Camry is a sweet well made ride. I just bought a 2007 Camry LE. I am the poster above this post. Turns out the corolla LE I ordered was taking way too long to build. It's build date is the first week of May 07...I ordered it in Feb 07.
I used my frustration and anger toward the dealer and they gave a me a sweet deal on the 07 Camry. $2000.00 off the sticker and $450.00 off the 6yr/100K warranty.
These cars are bullet proof compared to any American car. Impala or a Tarus? Be real... my Camry cost me 20K and it is pretty well loaded too. Impala's or Taruses will simply break down or have many recalls.
You thought your camry's were so great, lasting to 200,000. But most of the people complaining here don't know how to do any maintainance on their cars and complain when it breaks down.
BTW, as you can see, toyota quality is going down, rattling windows, poor interior, and cheap plastic...
HMMMM, funny how Honda, Toyota and some Mazda owners seem to know more about maintenance than ANY American car owner.
After all, your theory is that cars are all perfect, it's the owners who are wrong.
Sorry, but JD Power, Consumer Reports, Intellichoice, Edmunds, reviews here, and endless other reports prove conclusively that there is this thing called quality which American cars lack.
As for your declining Toyota quality argument, much of that can be attributed to most of their american market cars being made in America. No Japanese car made in Japan I have owned has ever been unreliable.
Okay, if you can't see any truth in the statement that lots of older used cars are not maintained well by their owners and when something goes wrong, the owners makes a scene and builds stereotypes, then well, that's just stupid on your part in my opinion. Sorry if I sounded like I was making it out that all errors are owner's fault.
I would trust none of those magazines/commitees you just named. Advertising money is all it is.
Funny how its okay for the great company of toyota to make lesser quality vehicles, since we can just blame it on the american workforce and still say toyota is awesome. Funny how you guys work this out.
What's funny here is how you discredit and brush aside publications like J.D. Power and the Consumer Report guide for printing the truth, as well as all of the other publications. Might as well walk down the street and burn down the public library too, right, what good are books if you don't believe anything you read. If you came here just to argue, then at least have the courtesy to make sense and have a valid point.
Ignorance is bliss I guess.
Toyota has plenty of recalls as do most car companies, well all car companies. ball joints, steering, sludge, and now on the 2007 camry transmissions.
Plenty of american made cars last just as long. 100k 200k and many many more.
Jd power rates buick above toyota and even cr acknowledges buicks proven reliability--although that mag is garbage.
Aint nothing wrong with american.
By the way the taurus was a fantastic car when it debuted.
Its what inspired toyota to tweek their camry.
Hey! people I had owned 2 gm cars which was #1 1997 saturn sl2 and #2 1999 saturn sc2 and both were running fine until my 1997 sl2 hit 100,000 miles. my car started to die out and I had taken to the dealer and had my starter changed and others. then a couple of miles later it happend again. so I gave up on it and bought a 1999 saturn sc2 3dr it was fine at first, but about 80,000 miles my engine light came on. I took it in at the dealers and they said it had something to do with the computer and a couple of miles later light came on and my car started to stall and died out when I put it in reversed. now I own a 2005 camry le and so far so good. this car runs very smooth and very good on gas. I was even told that this car will last over 300,000 and I think it will just because it a t.o.y.o.t.a...