Toyota Camary Rental

[Justin Bimmer]

So, I needed to rent a car last min. and almost EVERYBODY in Fresno was sold out. So Hertz had cars (and have earned my future business) but... I ended up with 3 TOYOTA keys that all led me to a graphite gray Camary. It has a 4 banger in it. I CANNOT find a comfortable seating position in it at all. The seat is retarded and the steering wheel when it is pulled all the way out and put in the highest position is still not high enough or far enough out. At night, the whole center stack (including the green plastic surroundings) lights up and is very distracting. I can't ever get the car to go into gear without looking at the stupid jagged shifter. The car has really bad blind spots and the mirrors are no good either. Also, the steering is too sensitive and has caused me to have to over correct a few times on the freeway. The A/C SUCKS!

But... It is pretty quiet on the inside and it does get decent gas mileage on the freeway. In the city, the hamster wheel has to spin pretty fast to get me to where I want to go.

Uggg... so I joined the Hertz 1st club or something which says I can reserve a certain type of car in the future. I am so jealous of the Impala, Malibu, Grand Prix, LaCrosse, and G6 drivers I see out there.

[vonVeezelsnider]

I feel your pain. I hope the lord above has reserved a special place in hell for the 2007+ Camry it's truly an abomination. It takes a really $h! car to be jealous of a Grand Prix.

[caddycruiser]

Hah...I love die-hard GM fan reactions to things like a Camry :AH-HA_wink:

All the while my GM-only father (well, until the Subie got him 2 days ago), still actually talks about the Camry as one mid-size car he'd buy. Why? He's big on comfort, quiet, and smooth, and he's continually impressed every time he rides in a co-workers new Camry. Likes the style of mom's '08 Malibu more, but prefers the mush and silence of the Camry plus it's bigger feel (not as low down, swoopy). This is a Roadmaster-Fleetwood guy. As I always remark, sure, but I'd be bored to death and have no desire to drive a sewing machine that feels like a rolling bag of water...to which, of course, he thinks is supreme.

Like I said, always interesting reactions to Toyo's and others by staunch GM people.

[CARBIZ]

I've rented, driven and abused many a Camry over the years, and it isn't a matter of whether it is a good or bad car, it just doesn't deserve its reputation, is all. One of the main reasons I left my previous dealership (after they took down their GM shingle and started hocking used cars, mostly Toyotas) was that I was sick of listening to people bitch about $20k for a used '07 Camry when I knew I could sell them a V6 G6 for $3k less and it was a better car. So I left.

I remember when I rented a 2003 Camry when I was in Vancouver back then. I asked my BF what he thought of the car. (Total disclaimer: he knows less than nothing about cars and could care less.) He shrugged and gave me an uncertain look - like it was some sort of trick question. Keeping in mind that my demo at the time was a '03 Malibu, I asked him if he liked the Camry more or less than 'our' car. Again, he shrugged and hesitantly allowed that he didn't care - both were the same. Then I raised the ante and demanded to know if he would pay $5,000 more for the Camry. His eyes widened and he thought I was joking. Nay, nay, nay, I declared: a V6 equipped Malibu was retailing for $19k at that time; whereas the Camry 4 cylinder was around $24k. Nice.

[Justin Bimmer]

Carbiz, thats what I was thinking too. It's just NOT BETTER than anything else. So it doesn't deserve the reputation that it has. Plus the cost of ownership issue.

[Paolino]

See, the Camry is almost exactly what I would look for in a car (in terms of quietness, comfort, size, etc.), but I drove my friend's parents' 2006 Camry LE, and was beyond disappointed. Yes, it's quiet. Yes, it's mushy. But something about it just felt off... very off... was it the vagueness of the steering? Was it the super soft brake pedal? Was it the fact that I couldn't find a comfortable driving position? Was it the gawd-awful styling? Yeah.

[Paolino]

What do people find appealing about this?

First of all, nothing in the car is illuminated this color, so it sticks out like a sore thumb.

Secondly, it's not evenly lit... that is a big no-no in modern cars... it's worse than my HVAC control area in my 94 Century.

Thirdly, the buttons on the bottom aren't illuminated, simply the text above them is... I like my buttons to be illuminated either by text or icons. Afterall, it is the button you aim to hit--not the text above it.

[regfootball]

the camry is mediocrity supreme but the hype behind it is insurmountable.

if they rebadged a camry with mitsubishi badges or even subaru badges it would be piling up on lots everywhere.

[Justin Bimmer]

the camry is mediocrity supreme but the hype behind it is insurmountable.

if they rebadged a camry with mitsubishi badges or even subaru badges it would be piling up on lots everywhere.

Or... what if it was the "Chevrolet Camry" I bet it would pile up on lots too.

[regfootball]

point being the car isnt responsible for the sales

[toesuf94]

The Camry sells because it is generally a bargain in it's class when the lease is thrown up on the T.V. Screen or on a newspaper ad. $189 a month/ zero or little down and you are in a new car with "toyota reliability". The damned things sell themselves. Do I think they are a nice car. Nope. They are GREAT basic refrigerator like transportation...not a driver's car, just transportation. Are they better than any product than any other manufacturer? Nope. Just the reputation is.

I have driven our company car Buick Lacross CX for the past couple of days...quiet, isolated, mushy ride (decent brakes though) great gas mileage, uncomfortable seats with velcro like cloth that untucks your shirt when you get in it, a great V6 that moves the car easily, green gages and buttons... it has the same formula as the Camry, so why is it going unloved by the masses?

[Intrepidation]

I still think the MCE for the Camry should be the Aurion. That fixes all of the styling quirks (on the outside) the Camry has.

As for inside. I sat in one once. I wasn't blown away by it. There were some cheap areas, but in tan it looks alright....better with the 3-spoke wheel. It's not a horrible car but it's not worthy of being the best seller. There are simply better cars out there (Accord, Malibu, Altima).

If you want to talk about retarded seats. The N-Body malibus have the worst backseats I have ever sat in. I know it's not apples to apples, but I just felt like sharing.

Edited July 10, 2008 by Dodgefan