Gen 3 Top 10 "upgrade" recommendations

[stermi]

Help to a new Camry owner - need your suggestions for best bang-for-buck upgrades to sweeten an old car.

I inherited my Ma-inlaw's 1993 Camry V6 LE (AT) - powder blue with powder blue interior seats and headliner (ugh)...a true old-lady car, but only has 53K miles!

I'm looking to make this into a palatable ride for my high schooler (boy) who won't drive grand-ma's car. Would like recommendations for prioritized list of things to do. I don't want to spend a lot (less than 2K) to make this a sweeter experience. My thoughts:

1. new tires and rims
2. new springs/struts for lower look and tighter suspension; steering????
3. replace old blue cloth seats with either leather seat covers or....if I can find it...dark blue leather from a wreck.
4. new headlights as the old ones are yellow
5. a few paint touchups, such as painting mirrors black (blue is mostly flaked off), maybe same to the door handles
6. limited performance enhancements (e.g., maybe a performance chip??)

W/R/T suspension and steering...what would be a short-list of things to do, other than what I've listed above? What would tighten steering a bit, giving it more of a performance handling feel?

Lowering with new springs - what would that imply for new tires/wheels (i.e., what sizes might work?)

W/R/T performance enhancements...what would you recommend as priorities...again, I don't want to spend much on this, maybe just kick it up a notch. Do I go with a peformance chip to start? Intake mods?

Thoughts? Direction? I see a lot of details in specific DIY areas captured here, but I'm looking for the higher level - "do 'A' first, don't bother with 'B', spend your best $ with 'C' - kind of guidance.

Thanks!

[92MX83]

1. Tune-up/fluid change (very cheap if DIY)
2. Depo clear headlights ($150 or less on eBay)
3. Used 17" Lexus IS300 wheels/tires ($400 or less)
4. Refer to the Suspension Upgrades thread, plan on about $800-1000 installed, get the TRD rear sway bar.
5. Tint $200
6. Stereo head unit upgrade $200

Remember, he is a high-schooler, probably not (yet) an auto enthusiast. Little bit of style, better handling, better sounds. He does not need to go faster yet (the V6 will be plenty for him), and those performance chips are mostly snake-oil anyway. If he wants to go any further, he can get a part-time job and fund the more intensive mods himself.

Or hey, offer it to him bone-stock, and if he wants to mod it at all, he can get a part-time job. If he refuses to drive a stock low-mileage V6 Camry LE (which is far nicer than a lot of us ever had in high school), maybe you should consider selling it for $4,000 (considering its condition and very low mileage), and have him catch the bus? Just kidding. I'm just amazed at what kids nowadays will turn their noses up to lol.

[ONE_to_HATE]

^x2

Give it to him the way it is- and use it his driving force to get A's in school. This way he'll get respect and will appreciate what he has.

1-10 (10 least important)

1. Tune Up
2. Fix leaks
3. Brakes
4. Tires
5. A whole mess of cleaning supplies.

6-10. Let him earn it.

He may not be a person who like to mod cars and if YOU pay and do the work; and he just curb bashes; uses the parking blocks to stop him; eat food/ leave crumbs in the interior.. etc. - it'll just arrgivate you.

So do the necesities for the car to get him from A to B with comfort and safety. Your job is done. Anything else; ask him to bring home the grades and you'll bring home the goods. Its a fair trade- because its hard to work and go to school at such a young age.

Good Luck.

[ASG14]

I'd have to agree with most of the things said by 92MX83.

1: Suspension. Eibach springs (Personal Prefrence. Only a 1" lower, but I find lower then that and you tend to have issues with clearance), Tokico Struts, and OEM or KYB Strut Mounts. Figure with a shop doing the work, it will run you around $1k installed. And a must I would say is a TRD Rear Sway Bar (RSB for short). There is one member here on the forums that may still be selling them for $150 shipped.

2: Headlights. Depo Clear lights. $150 or so, and get from Ebay.

3: Rims/Tires, that is ALL a personal Prefrence, but I'd think that 92MX83's suggestion is a good all around one.

4: Normal Maintmence. ONLY IF IT HAS NEVER, OR NOT RECENTLY BEEN DONE. Please check the records if it is possible for you to do so. Transmission Flush ($90-$150) New Spark plugs and wires.

[stermi]

Hey,,,, great suggestions already...thanks. I appreciate the ideas on making the kid work for it. He is a good worker and has saved some, so if he wants this he'll have to throw in on it.....

Question about the suggestino for IS300 stock wheels...I found some ES300s but from a 2003 Lexus. I'm inquiring about size...but was wondering what the difference might be between ES and IS wheels...AND, whether the suggestion for IS300 aimed at specific years.... I suppose if the 2003ES300s are the same size as ? year IS300 and look nice, it might be equivalent?

Also, w.r.t headlights, I have access to some ES300 headlights from 92-96 vitnage. I'm checking on age, but are those swappable for the old Toyotas (and a decent upgrade?)...I've seen some of y'all have done some ES300 hybridization on front end but I don't really know what that means, and what might be a good route. Otherwise I'll look for the clears you mentioned.

I may take this car myself...make my kid buy a Subaru (he want to go to college in Montana)...how is this Camry in snow with FWD?

[92MX83]

Originally Posted by stermi

Question about the suggestino for IS300 stock wheels...I found some ES300s but from a 2003 Lexus. I'm inquiring about size...but was wondering what the difference might be between ES and IS wheels...AND, whether the suggestion for IS300 aimed at specific years.... I suppose if the 2003ES300s are the same size as ? year IS300 and look nice, it might be equivalent?

The ES300 is basically a really nice Camry, with some minor chassis and powertrain refinements and additional sound-deadening. The wheels/tires will bolt on perfectly, but the tires may have a higher profile than the stock Camry tires, so the car will ride a little higher, and there may be some rubbing issues if you decide to lower the car. As far as physical differences go, the wheels on the ES are 16x6.5, whereas the IS wheels are 17x7, and look better. As far as specific years of IS300, they're all the same, except I think the IS300 wagon version comes with slightly wider (7.5") wheels than the sedan. It is possible to get the base 16" IS300 wheels (I have them on my '96 V6 LE), but they don't look as nice as the 17s. Bottom line is, both the IS300 and ES300 wheels bolt on. The choice is up to you.

Also, w.r.t headlights, I have access to some ES300 headlights from 92-96 vitnage. I'm checking on age, but are those swappable for the old Toyotas (and a decent upgrade?)...I've seen some of y'all have done some ES300 hybridization on front end but I don't really know what that means, and what might be a good route. Otherwise I'll look for the clears you mentioned.

The ES300 headlights are not a direct swap. They will require extensive modification to fit the Camry, including modifying the Camry body (hood, fenders, etc.). Not a practical consideration in any way, shape or form, but it can be done. Better to go the Depo route, and if you really have a hankering for the projector headlight look, they can be retrofitted using the Depo housings, as other members have done.

I may take this car myself...make my kid buy a Subaru (he want to go to college in Montana)...how is this Camry in snow with FWD? I'll let the guys who drive in snow answer this one, since I don't get much snow where I live, and since I'm just a lurker anyway. But you sound like you're sort of a car person yourself. Maybe you'll think of doing the customization bit on the Camry yourself.

Quite honestly, there are a lot of guys on this forum who have done some amazing things to their cars. Try checking out the picture threads, and see if any of them strike your fancy. Good luck!

[ASG14]

As for snow, I have my car lowered 1" (Same car basically as yours), and have only gotten stuck once, due to my own stupidity. Car, espetially with snow tires, is top notch in the snow. I love it.

To help you out a little more:

Headlights: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DEPO-...spagenameZWDVW

Springs: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Eibac...spagenameZWD1V

Hope this helps ya out a little more.
IS300 Rims: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-OEM...spagenameZWDVW

[stermi]

I do a lot of DIY, but cars always frustrate me...something to do with knocking my knuckles on everything. But I have a friend,/neighbor with a full shop who builds custom hotrods and refurbs...big into mid 60s Novas....he could help me put the springs/struts, sway bar, etc. Thanks for the info on the lexus...I'll keep looking for the IS 17s...

[Rdizzle]

The mods that will make the car much more fun is a performance lowering, good light-ish wheels, sticky tires and a sway bar. With the 160hp stock on the v6, it'll be a great car to drive.

[94CamryMk3]

Fix the obvious and minor things to get it running as a daily driver. and yes let him appreciate what he has. And as he gets the grades... help him fix up the car... father/son time.

[stermi]

What would be considered "sticky" tires? ...some numbers/specs apprcieated. I've found some 215/45-17 IS300 wheels on ebay, was wondering if those fit the bill (not clear on 45s vs something else)....what tread would you put on them?

Thanks for the help!

[stermi]

Also, for seats...what are folks doing? I need to either replace or recover the old blue cloth seats that have cig burn holes in it from g-maw....and want to go with leather surfaces...are there swappable lexus ES300 (or other model) seats? I suppose finding compatible color is going to be the issue.

What about aftermarket covers? Are those worth a dmn or not...specific links would be helpful.

[bigbird]

the ES seats will swap but they are about the same as the leather seats avalible for the camry.

as for wheels, i wouldnt go stock. usually ull end up paying about the same for really heavy factory wheels as you wold buying somthing custom thats lighter weight. as for size, anywhere between 205-225(depending on wheel width) would be good with a 45-50 sidewall if ur goin 17s. andy by sticky he means tire catigory, somthing like summer/performance, or performance/all season would be good and offer better grip.