Drove a new Camry yesterday with 2551 miles on it - what a surprise!

[toesuf94]

A friend came over yesterday and threw me the keys to his new 2007 Camry XE Sport...Leather, Satelite radio, sunroof, alloys. What the hell, I hate them, but let me see what all the fuss is about! So I took it for a short drive. Here are my findings:

1: Quiet ride, firm suspension and controls. Leather on the steering wheel felt cheap and actually was scratchy on my hands. Hate the silver dash treatment - until you turn on the headlights...then the blue/green ambient lighting on the stereo and other control surfaces is really kinda cool.

2: What is all of the talk about Toyota switch feel all about? Am I missing something? The turnsignal stalk operated with a "Thwap - Tick - Tick Tick - Thwap!)...My Tahoe's controls are queiter and more soft touch. The window switches and sunroof operated smoothly, albiet, I did not get the "OOOH! DO IT AGAIN" feeling I get in say a BMW or my Tahoe.

3: The dashboard parts don't fit together all that well, and that is usually not a big issue on a black interior car - this dash had the fit and finish of an '88 Cutlass Cierra...which is to say, BAD!! Nothing really fit together well, lines intersect and then abrupty skew...and the parts next to the stereo down to the cupholders were way out of line with the rest of the dash. Ergonomics were good, as everything was where it should be. However, I did notice the big binnicle in front of the cupholders was unable to close when something was in it that had a power cord, so if you had your phone plugged into a charger, but wanted to hide it in said binnicle, you would have to unplug everything and then put it in the enclosure. Not all that convienient. And the heated seat switches were an afterthought...ahead of the shifter just in front of the binnicle door. Yeah, first place that I would look.

4: Rattles. There were three distinct rattles: The sunroof cables, The rear seat, and something up in the back of the headliner that I could not put my finger on. This is the Toyota quality I have been hearing about? I was stunned. My brother's old Camry that had over 100,000 miles on it was quieter than this new one. Quality moving forward??? I don't think so.

5: Acceleration was decent and the V6 was smooth and the transmission was as transparent as we have been told it is. It did work in all forward gears and Reverse...so at least that was better than expected. Did not check for sludge. Let him worry about that.

All in all, I would give it a "Blah" rating. Not all that impressed with the car. I still hate the way it looks, although the black one I drove was prettier than the Green Split Pea metallic ones I have seen on the road. Seating position was comfy, and there were not any blind spots are any real concerns...merely an appliance to get you to work and back. Nothing that made me say - Wow...except the rattles in such a new car.

Edited June 22, 2007 by toesuf94

[Drew Dowdell]

I love what you do for me.

[enzl]

New Camry is clearly not as well built as it's predecessors.

Of course, they're still gonna sell about 500k of 'em anyway, sadly.

Default choices are tough to beat in the marketplace.

[toesuf94]

I know why they still sell though: $199/ month is now being offered here. That is a lot of car for Kia money. It is pretty frontloaded, like $1900 down - but they will sell a bunch. Let the sludging begin!

[daves87rs]

I know why they still sell though: $199/ month is now being offered here. That is a lot of car for Kia money. It is pretty frontloaded, like $1900 down - but they will sell a bunch. Let the sludging begin!

I thought I saw an ad for 169 a month here..now that will send them running...

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

The appeal of the Camry is much the same as the appeal of Japan Inc. in general::::: *PR*

I recently took a trip to Charleston with my girlfriend. Because she isn't very good at driving a stick, we couldn't take my Focus and since I don't fit in her Cavilier too well we couldn't take it. So we ended up taking her brothers Civic. I spent the entire trip pissed off because 1) I was SO underwhelmed that I felt almost betrayed (I figured there MUST be SOMETHING that merits the media spasms over this car) and 2) It REALLY burns my ass up now that Detroit has been so unfairly criticized while this heap, and it's asian brethren are given a free ride.

Edited June 22, 2007 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[enzl]

The appeal of the Camry is much the same as the appeal of Japan Inc. in general::::: *PR*

I recently took a trip to Charleston with my girlfriend. Because she isn't very good at driving a stick, we couldn't take my Focus and since I don't fit in her Cavilier too well we couldn't take it. So we ended up taking her brothers Civic. I spent the entire trip pissed off because 1) I was SO underwhelmed that I felt almost betrayed (I figured the MUSt be SOMETHING[/b] that merits the media spasms over this car) and 2) It REALLY burns my ass up now that Detroit has been so unfairly criticized while this heap, and it's asian brethren are given a free ride.

C'mon...if the Civic is a heap, what does that say about the rest of the class?

Corolla's completely overrated, but the Civic? I don't think so. The Mazda 3 happens to be my pick in this class of vehicles, but GM isn't putting out a thing that even comes close....the Astra might have a shot, and that ain't here yet.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

C'mon...if the Civic is a heap, what does that say about the rest of the class?

Corolla's completely overrated, but the Civic? I don't think so. The Mazda 3 happens to be my pick in this class of vehicles, but GM isn't putting out a thing that even comes close....the Astra might have a shot, and that ain't here yet.

I should clarify that it is a previous generation Civic. BUT I'm also comparing it to our other cars of that era (My 2001 Focus and the GF's 1997 Cavi---which is a bit older, but considering that the same basic car was sold by Chevy when this Civic became available) My Focus is twice the car that the Civic is... Drives better, sounds better, feels better, however I would pick the Civic over the Cavi anyday, but not by much.

[aaaantoine]

A friend came over yesterday and threw me the keys to his new 2007 Camry XE Sport...Leather, Satelite radio, sunroof, alloys. What the hell, I hate them, but let me see what all the fuss is about! So I took it for a short drive. Here are my findings:

.

.

.

4: Rattles. There were three distinct rattles: The sunroof cables, The rear seat, and something up in the back of the headliner that I could not put my finger on. This is the Toyota quality I have been hearing about? I was stunned. My brother's old Camry that had over 100,000 miles on it was quieter than this new one. Quality moving forward??? I don't think so.

That's 2-1/2* more rattles than my 17,000+ mile Cobalt.

*Stuff in the glove box tends to rattle against either each other or the glove box walls.

[enzl]

I should clarify that it is a previous generation Civic. BUT I'm also comparing it to our other cars of that era (My 2001 Focus and the GF's 1997 Cavi---which is a bit older, but considering that the same basic car was sold by Chevy when this Civic became available) My Focus is twice the car that the Civic is... Drives better, sounds better, feels better, however I would pick the Civic over the Cavi anyday, but not by much.

Gotcha.

Previous gen Civic was a step back for Honda....dumbed down for 'American' tastes, supposedly.

The Focus, certainly in '01, was a great vehicle. European style with lots of choices and a great drivers car. Too bad Ford didn't bite the bullet and figure out a way to get the C1 here years ago, although the 3 and S40/V50 give a glimpse into what we're missing.

Ford just completely missed the boat on cars....Euro Fords of A,B &C sizes would attract consumers here. The new Mondeo/S-Max and Galaxy look like winners as well.

Sad, really. Opportunity missed completely.

[Flybrian]

Previous gen Civic was a step back for Honda....dumbed down for 'American' tastes, supposedly.

Exemplified by that lack of tuned Civics of that generation. Silly or not, it showed a lack of enthusiast interest in the car, something recaptured with the coupe of this generation.

I still think the last 'worthy' Camry was 2001. '02-06s were lousy and today's model isn't much better.

[enzl]

I still think the last 'worthy' Camry was 2001. '02-06s were lousy and today's model isn't much better.

Agreed. Actually, I really like the mid-90's Camry's that carry the LS400's roofline...those were really made before Toyota made an all-out commitment to volume...and it shows in every facet of those particular models....they were really much better than their competition in terms of quality.

[mustang84]

Exemplified by that lack of tuned Civics of that generation. Silly or not, it showed a lack of enthusiast interest in the car, something recaptured with the coupe of this generation.

I still think the last 'worthy' Camry was 2001. '02-06s were lousy and today's model isn't much better.

Same. '02 is apparently when Camry quality started going down. I've read lots of comments from people who owned '97, '98 Camrys and then bought an '03, '04 etc. and noticed that materials and fit weren't as good. Not to mention the horrid styling of the '02-'06...the '07 looks somewhat awkward, but the previous gen just looks awful (especially in LE trim). The ones in the late 90s were bland but still had decent lines.

[Hollingsworth]

I've driven two new Camrys, and I just don't see the interior problems or hear the squeaks and rattles. Either I don't have the eye for these things, or these two particular models escaped these problems at the factory. I don't think it's the first. You should hear me after a ride in my brother-in-law's '02 Impala.

If I were in the market for a new midsize sedan, and were limited at $25,000, a Camry LE would probably be #2 on the list. The styling may not be the most exciting, but it's the most comfortable sedan available at that price, IMO.

Edited June 23, 2007 by Hollingsworth

[CARBIZ]

I agree that the last two generation Camries have gone downhill. I, too, liked the late '90s styling the best, for whatever that means. I've driven the new Camry and never had any quibbles about noises. I don't find their trannies as smooth as GM's, though.

And PLEASE, don't compare a 5 year old Impala to a new Camry, it's just sad. My 5 year old 17" CRT screen isn't as nice as my new LCD laptop's

[Satty]

The Focus, certainly in '01, was a great vehicle. European style with lots of choices and a great drivers car. Too bad Ford didn't bite the bullet and figure out a way to get the C1 here years ago, although the 3 and S40/V50 give a glimpse into what we're missing.

Those early Focuses also burst into flames. Oh wait, that was probably just the media blowing things out of proportion.

[enzl]

Those early Focuses also burst into flames. Oh wait, that was probably just the media blowing things out of proportion.

Actually, I think the big problems with these puppies centered around their suspensions. Although the recalls were embarassing, I believe the episode made Ford chnage its intro practices that have resulted in glitch free recent intros and a fairly good upward swing of shrt/long term quality.

Foci (w/documented warranty/recall work) are very fun drivers for a cheap & generally cheerless class of cars....I've spent a few weeks in one ('02 rental grade sedan) and it was a decent ride. (I personally think the 5 dr and wagon are underrated because of Ford's initial issue.)

(I think it was the Trucks that were catching on fire due to cruise control switch issues, IIRC)

Edited June 23, 2007 by enzl

[Satty]

No, there were many documented Focus engine fires, probably started by the Detroit Free Press or New York Times.

[Hollingsworth]

And PLEASE, don't compare a 5 year old Impala to a new Camry, it's just sad. My 5 year old 17" CRT screen isn't as nice as my new LCD laptop's

I wasn't comparing the two. I was illustrating that I am capable of detecting road and engine noise, squeaks, and rattles. Besides, if I really wanted to compare, I would have compared the Impala against an '02 Avalon.

[gm4life]

Avalon and Impala aren't in the same pricing class. Compare LeSabre to Avalon fine. Not Impala to Avalon. I hated all generations of Camry's the last one I like was the 96ish model before the till 2001 generation you all liked.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

I had my own Toyota-related revelation today when I visited my cousin who owns a 2001 Toyota Tundra (and a 2006 Chevy Trailblazer, as well). As far as the interior of the Tundra goes, could someone point out to me just where exactly these "soft touch" materials are? The whole inside of the truck was hard plastic. His Trailblazer ... and, hell, my S10 has more "soft touch" stuff inside than it does. Same for the '05 300 Touring we came close to buying today (our G6 has got to go for different reasons).

I thought the inside of all Toyotas of that era were supposed to be as smooth as a baby's ass and as soft as nice, perfect pair of breasts. Much like F_O_G, I feel betrayed.

Edited June 24, 2007 by YellowJacket894

[Intrepidation]

Everyone says how good Toyota's interior plastics are, but why can't they make high quality plastic where it counts...like the door handles! The driver's door broke today...again!

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Actually, I think the big problems with these puppies centered around their suspensions. Although the recalls were embarassing, I believe the episode made Ford chnage its intro practices that have resulted in glitch free recent intros and a fairly good upward swing of shrt/long term quality.

Foci (w/documented warranty/recall work) are very fun drivers for a cheap & generally cheerless class of cars....I've spent a few weeks in one ('02 rental grade sedan) and it was a decent ride. (I personally think the 5 dr and wagon are underrated because of Ford's initial issue.)

(I think it was the Trucks that were catching on fire due to cruise control switch issues, IIRC)

I was a bit worried about buying an '01 since those are widely regarded as 'the bad years'

But I'm happy to report that this is my second '01 Focus and I have had nothing short of excellence in the quality department. The flip side of that is how well I maintain and drive the cars as I'm sure that makes a difference.

I certainly hope it doesn't burst into flames though LOL

P.S. I had an '05 Camry rental back in the day... It was a competent car, but certainly not the god-send that everyone says it is. And it was SOOOO boring! (For those of you that remember the pix, it was the one that I hung the sign in and taped the emblems over.)

Edited June 25, 2007 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[Intrepidation]

Agreed. Actually, I really like the mid-90's Camry's that carry the LS400's roofline...those were really made before Toyota made an all-out commitment to volume...and it shows in every facet of those particular models....they were really much better than their competition in terms of quality.

Same. '02 is apparently when Camry quality started going down. I've read lots of comments from people who owned '97, '98 Camrys and then bought an '03, '04 etc. and noticed that materials and fit weren't as good. Not to mention the horrid styling of the '02-'06...the '07 looks somewhat awkward, but the previous gen just looks awful (especially in LE trim). The ones in the late 90s were bland but still had decent lines.

Ah, that generation of Camry suffers from teh same problem that plagues mid 90's Corollas and Prizms...cheap door handles. I've seen several with the driver's door handle broken off.

I road in one of those once...the rear end made terrible noises over any sort of bump in the road, and the speed bump we creeped over was just awful. Granted, the car probably needed bushing or something...but the Shadow's never had it's bushings replaced and it doesn't make noise going over bumps.

I remember the interior too..decent materials but it had creeks and squeaks...and the plastic surrounding the gauge cluster flexed a lot.

Still the "best looking" of the Camries though.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Still the "best looking" of the Camries though.

I admit it. I lawled when I read that.

[gm4life]

I was a bit worried about buying an '01 since those are widely regarded as 'the bad years'

But I'm happy to report that this is my second '01 Focus and I have had nothing short of excellence in the quality department. The flip side of that is how well I maintain and drive the cars as I'm sure that makes a difference.

I certainly hope it doesn't burst into flames though LOL

P.S. I had an '05 Camry rental back in the day... It was a competent car, but certainly not the god-send that everyone says it is. And it was SOOOO boring! (For those of you that remember the pix, it was the one that I hung the sign in and taped the emblems over.)

Future could you post the pix of your black Camry rental car?

[ToniCipriani]

Did you mean XLE? XE is the base trim for Nissan...

[RichW5]

A good friend of mine just bought a new 07 Camry. What a nightmare!

When it was two weeks old, it refused to start in a parking lot of the company where we both donate our time building tricycles for handicapped children. He couldn't even get it to start with jumper cables and had to call a tow truck. The Toyota dealer replaced the battery and said that it was a common complaint with the battery installed at the factory.

The tow truck damaged his front bumper and it will have to be repaired also. Now he's discovered that his side trim rub strip is pealing off the car at the back end (another trip to the dealer). He's been in the shop with this Camry, more than he's been on the road.

Since my friend is 85, it will probably be his last new car. His 92 Oldsmobile was in better shape when he sold it than the Camry is, brand new. I'm sure he's sorry he listened to a pro-Toyota old fart in the shop. I won't say much to him as he's a true gentleman, who was mislead by a friend.