My Camry - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

ryannel2003 · 03-10-2007, 10:57 PM

Whats up guys? Haven't been on in awhile, but anyway just wanted to start a new topic. My grandfather has a Sport Red Metallic 2006 Chevrolet Impala SS. It's a great car and everything but after driving it today I realized something, my 2000 Camry drives better than the Impala does. I don't know, but something about the Impala feels heavy and unsatisfying to drive. The Camry feels more "tossable" around the corners and feels more like a sports car almost than the Impala does. It's weird, cause I have always loved the Impala but on a day to day basis the Camry would be a better car to drive IMO. But yeah I thought I would bring this up... btw just hit 50,000 and got my brakes done... and they have never been done before. Is that not a long time for the brake pads to last? Anyway, talk to you all later.

abew330 · 03-11-2007, 01:07 AM

the 97+ impalas suck azz
they made it front wheel drive...

never drove one but im sure it sucks..

anybody else ever drove one with the same opinion as this guy??? ^^^^^

94CoupeV6 · 03-11-2007, 01:56 AM

Dude the SS has BALLZ! Only problem is you CANNOT have a 300+ hp FWD car! Just doesn't work like that.

But yes, I love my Camry too. She has been very good to me. Haven't had any problems unlike my previous car (SAAB 900) and is so damn comfortable. It's not the fastest car in the world, and I know for the same amount of money I've spend into the Camry I could have a b-series Honda hatch that runs 13's...but I would much rather have my leather seats and sunroof. The V6 is alright, but it's certainly not fast. What it is though, is very smooth and torquey.

I love her, but I also cannot wait to get a pocket rocket. At 200,000 miles (currently at 142,000 miles) I'm going to let her go and buy my next car, a MKIII Supra and/or MR2 turbo.

Camry's FTW!

***eyeball96*** · 03-11-2007, 05:47 AM

My family and I went to the Motor Trend Auto Show held here in Richmond yesterday, so we checked out alot cars that were there...I could make this a long post but won't, The Impala didn't feel good when you sat in it....somekind fucked up seat back, the wife noticed it imediately (not a car wife)!! Anyways I didn't see any "car" there I rather have than my 11 y/o Camry! I'm never parting with it (never say never) but I love this car PERIOD!! The main reason we went was for the wife, her lease on the 04 Accord is ending in August, so she'll be getting another vehicle then. Her favorites....Infinity M45, and a Black Honda Civic SI Coupe 6 speed! I have to admitt tho, that the Saturn Aura, was pretty nice for the money!! Only the future reliability concerned us. That car could really help GM, if it lasts as good as it looks!

bigbird · 03-11-2007, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 94CoupeV6

Dude the SS has BALLZ! Only problem is you CANNOT have a 300+ hp FWD car! Just doesn't work like that.

i agree 100%. nice car but since they got rid of the rwd its nothing more then a very unbalanced, heavy car. the 95-96 was the best year for the impalla(aside fron the 60's). i know there actually workin on a rwd platform for like 09 or 10 that thing actually kinda reminds me of the Acura RL.

BlueFusion6851 · 03-11-2007, 11:34 AM

The Saturn Aura is the best Saturn they've ever made. Especially the XR model, 3.6DOHC and a SIX speed automatic, not your typical GM. That is one car I would not mind owning.

***eyeball96*** · 03-11-2007, 11:50 AM

^^I'll give it a couple of years to see how it holds up over time, before I own one! The Colbalt looked like a nice well engineered GM product, but I understand they are very trouble prone!

ryannel2003 · 03-11-2007, 06:17 PM

I completely agree that the car feels umbalanced and even though it is extremely fast, the overall driving expierence left me wanting more. I mean I've driven similar cars to the Impala (Pontiac G6 and Buick LaCrosse) and they drive alot better than the does. However, I still think my Camry drives better than all three. At the dealership I work at they have a used '07 Camry and I might have to drive it to see the difference.

bigbird · 03-11-2007, 09:02 PM

im sorry to say but i think GM & Ford have at least a decade of R&D ahead of them if they want to beat out toyota's momentum in anything but trucks. Christler not so much considering there basicly all dimler benz engeneered anyways. plus GM and Ford are going after the wrong niche. the whole classic revival is over, they need to start developing new platforms like the 09 impalla but not rwd or fwd...awd, and much better quality. i mean...bringing back the camaro, what are they thinking. yeah its cool but it will perform the same way in sales it has always...poorly behind the mustang. they need to develop somthing completly out of the box instead of the american pony car like they did years ago with the Buick Grand National. of course all this is easy to say but very hard to accomplish with out out-sourcing to save money. its pretty much a lose lose situation right now for both auto makers.

but thats all IMO.

v-cam · 03-11-2007, 10:21 PM

^ not here in oz....

on the large passenger car front, GM (holden) and Ford own the market. Why? Just look at the stats:

Ford Falcon:

All RWD
4.0L Straight 6 - 260hp
4.0L Turbo Straight 6 - 360hp
5.4L V8 - 350hp or 390hp (depending on model)
6 speed auto or manual
Models: Flacon, Fairmont, Fairlane, LTD, XR6, XR6T, XR8, F6 Typhoon, GT, GT-P
***Google FPV (Ford Performance Vehicles) for our Aussie sport sedans.****

GM (Holden) Commodore

All RWD
3.6L V6 - 255hp
6.0L V8 - 410hp
5-6 speed auto or manuals.
Models: Omega, Berlina, Calais, SV6, SS, plus the HSV (Holden special vehicles) line-up.
***Google HSV if you want to see Australian passenger cars****

Toyota

All FWD
2.4L Camry
3.5L Aurion...

Little wonder why GM and Ford excel here.....

bigbird · 03-11-2007, 10:34 PM

why the hell wont the US auto makers release these vehicles here

. i guess the emissions are so strict here they just dont want to bother. thats it im goin aussie!

but be that as it may, getting beat at home is killing their sales and stocks. i personally would rather buy a ford or chevy but not one made from 1973 to today for the most part, there are some good ones among the crowd. for me, its to late, toyota has won a perminent fan. i doubt ill ever buy a US brand car, unless its a classic.

v-cam · 03-11-2007, 10:42 PM

Good for us that the cars above are all made here in Australia, not the US.....

Check out the Pontiac G8 that you guys will be getting.... its our rebadged Holden SS Commodore that we are building for you guys...

We are on Euro III emissions requirements, soon to be Euro IV. Im not sure how they compare to US emissions though...

ryannel2003 · 03-12-2007, 06:48 PM

Just washed and waxed my car yesterday... wanted to show you some pics. Enjoy!

bigbird · 03-12-2007, 07:46 PM

nice, im not a big fan of two tone but that looks really good.

ryannel2003 · 03-13-2007, 08:25 PM

Thanks! I got to drive an '07 Camry CE today and it's amazing how much better than it drives than mine. I also drove a '05 and it drove good too, but I don't like it's styling.