Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Thinking about a Camry

I've been running a Dakota as a do everything vehicle. I'm thinking about getting a car for driving to work and for road trips where I don't need to haul or pull anything. I was looking at a 2008 or newer Taurus, but it's probably more car than I need. I'm looking at the Camry. Most of the V6's seem to get new water pumps around 100k. The I4 puts out 158-179 hp depending on the year. I'm wondering how they do on the highway into a stiff headwind. Also wondering if my perception of the toyota V6 is flawed. Other pro's and cons of the 6 vs the 4?

I had a v4 with the 150ish motor in it, 2002. Put 100k on it and sold it @ 200k (bought at 100k). Just sold it last October. Sold for $4,100 with 201k on it, paid 12 even OTD in 2007.

The only major things that happened were the starter took a dump at 160k ($650). But it still started before the tow truck showed up.

Then the alternator went out at 185k. $150ish to fix it on my own. But it still started and ran 140 miles back to my apartment before dying completely.

In short, I can only speak to the v4 2002 model. But it was a great car. Only needed things like brakes and tires. Always started and got me where I was going, even the 2 times mentioned above. I'd buy one in an instant. The 2015 V6's have like 230hp I think.

We have 100K on our 2012 camry. Yeah, we drive a lot. It has the 4 cyl and has plenty of power. Can't imagine why I would want the fuel consumption of the 6. I have no complaints about the car at all.

That said we are going away from the car as we want something a little more comfortable on the highway for long trips. Will go to a Volvo XC60 or Acura RDX but still think highly of the camry.

As mentioned in another post, I've got a 2011 Camry with the base 4 cylinder. It just goes down the road. It's not underpowered.

The best thing I can say about my Camry is,..I don't really think that much about it. It just does what it's supposed to do.

Camry's have a long standing reputation for doing what they're supposed to do for a long, long time.

That's what I'd been hoping to hear. I don't mind losing a mpg or 2 for an extra 90 hp, especially if it's needed. But it seems like a lot of the ads I've been reading for the 6's have new water pumps around 100k, plus the plugs are a lot easier to do on an inline in a FWD.

The 4 cylinder in my Camry is surprising. It runs *very* well for a 2.5 liter 4. It'll roll right up to 100+ mph and gets 32 mpg highway doing it.

You don't have to wait for it to get up to speed. When you step down on it it's ready to go. I don't know how they make these 4's run as well as they do, but they're not like the 4 cylinder motors of yesterday.

We have an '09 with 4cyl, can't think of any reason why we would ever need a 6. This has plenty of get up and go.

I'd think there is more than 1-2 mpg difference 'tween the two but not interested enough to do the research. I'd gladly trade the extra mpg's for 90hp we'll never need.

My wife has an 09 also but with a V-6. It may use a bit more gas but the extra ponies are nice in the mountains out west. She has gotten as high as 32+ MPG on flatland low elevation trips while traveling back east of here. She has about 105,00 on it so far and it has proven bullet-proof. Nothing but normal maintenance thus far. As mentioned above all it does is run like it's supposed to.

I just had a rental Camry for 3 weeks while my vehicle was in the shop for major work.
I hated that thing !

Every time I opened the trunk, a big gob of snow from the trunk lid or from the top rear of the car would slide down into the trunk.

Without the dash camera, there is zero visibility over the rear seat to back into a driveway or anywhere else.

I felt like I was sitting down into a foxhole every time I got in or out of the car.

The door handle to close the drivers door was a major stretch that required leaning out of the vehicle to reach.

The only positives that come to mind is the backup camera, and that it would run like a scared rabbit.

I am so relieved to be back in my old style 2001 Cherokee that I wouldn't trade it even up for a new Camry.

Maybe you can tell I'm a retro-vehicle kind of guy. If I were you, I'd keep driving the Dakota.

Myron

Wait....Whaaa?? I think you have that backwards.

The Camry is probably the most capable, reliable commuter vehicle on the road today. I drove a Taurus for a year or so and it was a POS.

We're well into our third Camry. The other two had 350,000 miles combined. We got more than private party value for both as we upgraded.

The only issue I have had with my 3 Camrys over 400,000 miles was one passenger side airbag sensor on the newest car, covered under warranty.

Hell, the last car I called Toyota at 125,000 miles to schedule a tune up and replace coolant and plugs. "Nope" they told me - both are good 'til 150k. Keep on driving.

I've owned 2 Ford cars and wouldn't do that again.

I'm on my third Camry. The last one I traded off at 300K miles and the only non wear item replaced was a wheel bearing. They're fantastic cars, not exciting but if you want dead balls reliable & comfortable then they're it. There's no need for the V6, the 4 is plenty fast enough & gets better fuel mileage, plus it's indestructible. The V6 won't turn it into a sports car anyway.

2013 hybrid Camry, 48K miles, 40 mpg. Still on original tires even. Flawless vehicle.

I can add my mini fleet of Camrys....

The wife drives the 04, with a V 6 that gets about 30 MPG overall..it has 111K on it now.

Son is driving her previous Camry with a V 6 also...he and she got about 22 MPGs our of it.. I somehow manage to get about 28 on trips...25 around town... it is 182K on it now...

I've been driving the 94 with the Straight 4 banger in it...not a hot rod, but reliable as hell also..no major repairs on any of them.... this one has the original alternator and starter, etc...
A/C and heater on it are the best of the 3.... This one has 341.5 K on it right now. NOt as quick as it use to be, but maybe it needs a tune up...it gets about 30 to the gallon, neighbors with newer ones claim 35 MPG with theirs....

All three have been damned good cars.... I pretty much do all of my own maintenance and its not like they require much, are fairly easy to work on, and the parts are always pretty darn cheap.. and no, I don't 'take it to the dealer'....

We are on our second Camry. It is a 2007 XLE with the V6. The V6 puts out 268 HP if I remember right. We were going to get another 4 cyl but the 4 cyl only got 2 more MPG than the V6 so we went with the V6. We love the V6. We get 31 to 34 MPG on the highway depending on how fast we are driving. We get about 22 to 25 in the city. It has been a great car. The alternator died in it around 90K. Good luck.

Helped my folks find a hardly used XLE with the 4cyl. about a year ago. They're a little hard to find but you get the nice interior stuff with the great 4 cyl economy.

They're happy with it.

I bought a 09 LE with a V6. I could only find one within 500 miles. I didn't want any other frills but the extra HP.

The car has been great. It did get a new water pump at 60k but it was covered under warranty. The dealership said the new pump should not have any problems but they did have a bad batch from the supplier with the OEM. We will see?

I would get a new one but I cant get the same configuration so I plan on driving the wheels off mine.

I have owned a few camry's and many family members have owned them. I love Toyotas and Hondas. That said I would choose an Accord 4 cyl with Direct Injection over any Camry.

Bought a used 2007 SE w/V6 a few years ago. It had 130,000 miles on it, now it has 170,000 miles. Wife uses it as her primary car. No real issues with it for us. A coworker and a friend both have 2007 SE w/V6 and they both complained of them eating tires, I have not had that issue.

I do have an issue of a wife not realizing it has low profile tires and a lot less ground clearance than the F250 she also drives. All that plastic under the bumper really isn't needed. A non-caved in oil pan isn't needed, and a bent rim isn't all that bad. Believe it or not, I found a salvage yard that shipped me a rim for $50 that matched and was even straight.

Had a 1992 Camry with 4 cyl engine. Drove it for 12 years and about 150K miles. When my son
went to college I gave him the car. Figured he would call one day saying the engine was blown
and I would never see it again. Well ... when he got out of college the car was still running
and I sold it. GREAT car.

My wife has driven a Toyota for the last 24 years.
Last three were Camry's.
Switched brands this last car a month ago. Will see what happens.
Only had the V-6 in the Camry. That is all I wanted and I didn't even drive it. Too damn low for me to get in. Bumped my head each time. So if your a tall guy with a bad back, I wouldn't recommend that low sitting car.
I like to climb up.