I drive a BMW 335I and recently took it in for service. The dealer I use is also a Toyota Dealer and so my loaner car was a 2006 Camry with 6000 or so miles. I don't remember the trim level but it had cloth seats and some options. My observations:

1. Noisy interior and "raspy" engine noise.

2. Hideous center stack and radio set-up.

3. Vague drive and handle.

4. Door close sounds cheap.

5. Weak performance.

6. Huge interior and trunk.

7. Is this what the "masses" want?

Granted I normally drive a BMW which is the benchmark of cars...at least to me, but I expected better than this. Having driven the Impala, this Camry is no better than the Impala in any way. Maybe the upper end Camrys are way better. Anyone's thoughts??

I have driven a top model Camry and was really shaking my head at the noises, the finish quality and the general lack of refinement in the car for what the guy paid for it (Near $32k!!!). The sunroof cables were rattling in the tracks and the rear split seat thunked under braking and start up ( at least I think that was what was making the clunk noise when I hit the brakes - it was not something loose in the trunk, but rather something that moved that was part of the rear seat. )

But the dash DOES look cool when lit up. I did like that. I just was expecting more due to all the 'excitement' the car garners in the marketplace. It did not live up to my expectations or the hype. It is not a bad car, and it does look good in Black.

When I was a kid my dad's friend saidf to me once:

"You know how to tell a good, sturdy vehicle appart from the junk?"

And her promptly slammed the door shut on his Mercedes.

Thin sheet metal and plastic-ladden chassis turn me off BIG time.

So I agreee esp. with your #4 observation.

2002-2006 were truly doldrum years for the Camry. Poorer quality, cheesy materials, uncomfortable seating position, comical styling...

The Camry is a fine automobile. There, I've said it. Does it deserve to be #1? Probably not. People today cannot think for themselves on any level, so they will simply do what they are TOLD.

As long as Toyota keeps sending their checks to CR and the other print media, the Masses will keep buying them in unreasonable numbers.

The '07s are much better (but just as boring). It's nearly impossible to hear the engine with the windows cracked open.

I have driven a top model Camry and was really shaking my head at the noises, the finish quality and the general lack of refinement in the car for what the guy paid for it (Near $32k!!!). The sunroof cables were rattling in the tracks and the rear split seat thunked under braking and start up ( at least I think that was what was making the clunk noise when I hit the brakes - it was not something loose in the trunk, but rather something that moved that was part of the rear seat. )

But the dash DOES look cool when lit up. I did like that. I just was expecting more due to all the 'excitement' the car garners in the marketplace. It did not live up to my expectations or the hype. It is not a bad car, and it does look good in Black.

i found it funny that back a couple years ago, a new lincoln LS could be had cheaper than a v6/lthr camry. yet, you would still get people who thought the camry was worth more.

i found it funny that back a couple years ago, a new lincoln LS could be had cheaper than a v6/lthr camry. yet, you would still get people who thought the camry was worth more.

it's what we're conditioned to believe.

When I was a kid my dad's friend saidf to me once:

"You know how to tell a good, sturdy vehicle appart from the junk?"

And her promptly slammed the door shut on his Mercedes.

Thin sheet metal and plastic-ladden chassis turn me off BIG time.

So I agreee esp. with your #4 observation.

If we're going by that, I can say that the Malibu feels pretty sturdy esp. in corners and it's got a good sound when you slam the door... All 4 vans are about equal... The Trans Sport may have been a bit more firm, but I don't remember the details.

I drive a BMW 335I and recently took it in for service. The dealer I use is also a Toyota Dealer and so my loaner car was a 2006 Camry with 6000 or so miles. I don't remember the trim level but it had cloth seats and some options. My observations:

1. Noisy interior and "raspy" engine noise.

2. Hideous center stack and radio set-up.

3. Vague drive and handle.

4. Door close sounds cheap.

5. Weak performance.

6. Huge interior and trunk.

7. Is this what the "masses" want?

Granted I normally drive a BMW which is the benchmark of cars...at least to me, but I expected better than this. Having driven the Impala, this Camry is no better than the Impala in any way. Maybe the upper end Camrys are way better. Anyone's thoughts??

Which dumbheaded BMW dealer does not give his customer a loaner BMW and gives him a POS Crapry instead?

Which dumbheaded BMW dealer does not give his customer a loaner BMW and gives him a POS Crapry instead?

Things may be different down there, but up here there are no such thing as 'loaners.' 'Loaners' are, in fact, rentals through a bona fide rental company that the dealer/GM pays for. For insurance and liability reasons, we do not give out 'loaners.' The customer signs the rental Agreement, is responsible for gas and damage, just like a regular rental, but the dealer pays the actual rental fee.

And, yes, sometimes the rental company brings over a Toyota or a Pontiac to our dealership, which really burns me up.

Can't blame you for being burned up, that is just piss poor marketing on their part.

Chris

Things may be different down there, but up here there are no such thing as 'loaners.' 'Loaners' are, in fact, rentals through a bona fide rental company that the dealer/GM pays for. For insurance and liability reasons, we do not give out 'loaners.' The customer signs the rental Agreement, is responsible for gas and damage, just like a regular rental, but the dealer pays the actual rental fee.

And, yes, sometimes the rental company brings over a Toyota or a Pontiac to our dealership, which really burns me up.

Last time I took my G6 into service, took longer than expected, the guys gave me a "rental" Malibu. The Malibu was the dealership-run "rental" company. Had to sign this rental agreement, but it was pretty much blank. Only copied my driver's license number and that was it.

Today I drove a used 2007 Camry 4-banger we have at wor, fresh trade in, 11K miles.

Pretty damn dull. Not to mention a chessy interior and gross styling.

"Lipstick on a pig"

I find the 07 Camry to be worse in several ways to the 02-06 gen. Especially the transmission issues that many are complaining about and the interior with all it's cut lines and variations on quality from one car to the next. Plus the pig like front end is a turn off along with the plain generic side style with no moldings and such. The 07 also seems to suffer suspension clunks, laser cruise control issues and poor gas mileage. I checked out a used 2007 with 8K miles at a Hyundai dealer. It was a lemon buyback 4 cylinder LE automatic with drab gray interior. It was a quiet riding car for the most part though no quieter than a Lacrosse I drove the day before but the tranny did indeed hesitate at the stangest times such as when you wanted a quick burst of power and I couldn't for the life of me get the trunk to close when I brought the car back after the test drive to check it out. The embarressed salesman brought the car around back to the service dept to look at so it must have been a sticking cable. The fact that this car is a top selling sedan is a totally baffling thing. Other than the ooh and ah hybred model, it really doesn't offer anything steller over it's competition.

Today I drove a used 2007 Camry 4-banger we have at wor, fresh trade in, 11K miles.

Pretty damn dull. Not to mention a chessy interior and gross styling.

"Lipstick on a pig"

You happen to know what it was traded for?