5th & 6th Generation (2002-2006 & 2007-2011)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 2002-2006 & 2007-2011
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
Calling All SE Owners: Why'dya Get It? A Quick Look Back at an Old Topic...
I know this was a rather popular thread some time back, and with a good deal of input; I believe, if I am not mistaken, the original poster had mentioned something about whether or not SE owners would have gone with a different vehicle had the SE not been available -- I'd like to study that query a little further because I was contemplating that just the other day...
For me, personally, I KNEW right off the bat that I wanted the SE V6 simply for the looks of the ground effects/skirt kit package (which is the primary reason I purchase certain vehicles -- the skirts make the vehicle, and if the factory doesn't offer a package, I would look aftermarket for sure...my last vehicle, a 1999 Accord EX V6 Coupe, had the Honda installed under body spoiler kit package and looked pretty sick...) and there were really no other sedans in this price class that offered a nice sports package like the Camry did...
As a matter of fact, I LOVED the previous generation Camry SE, too, and I personally think the body kit on that version looks much more aggressive than on my '08 SE; but, aside from that, indeed, I probably wouldn't have gotten the Camry had there NOT been an SE model with a ground effects kit...sure, the vehicle looks a lot like the Lexus GS, but the skirts really make the difference.
Keeping that in mind, I am beginning to think I should have kept shopping before getting my '08 SE V6 because I was looking for something BIG in terms of a sedan -- not Grand Marquis or Crown Vic big, but big -- and my first choice was a Chrysler 300 or Dodge Charger...my better half simply wouldn't let me get the Charger; she hates it and said it doesn't fit our "image" while the Chrysler we really couldn't afford unless we settled for a V6 model, which really don't look as good or perform as good as the V8s...THOSE are big sedans -- and now, with the arrival of Pontiac's GTO replacement, the G8, the large and wide sedan is being emphasized while the imports from Honda, Toyota and Nissan and perhaps even Mazda are keeping their sedans TRULY mid sized by the exact definition of the term.
Let's put things in perspective: the current generation Camry is 189 inches in length; the new Accord is like five inches longer than that, while the Altima and Maxima are both bigger, still....the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger are TREMENDOUSLY bigger than the Camry in sheer dimensions, and these cars show their girth...when they come down the roads, they make PRESENCE...don't you Camry owners feel like we've been kind of left out in the dark in terms of presence on the road? Next to these massive muscle sedans, our vehicles don't really look like much...even with the added image the SE provides...
I'm beginning to regret my decision of the SE because my goal was to specifically get a very large, imposing, wide-in-the-lane sedan this time around, after coming from three coupes in a row, and I feel like I should have done my homework a bit more...almost every car in the Camry's class is larger, unless I'm mistaken (except for the Mazda 6) and it was a characteristic I was specifically shopping for. Short of getting a truck, I wanted a large sedan....I ended up with a true mid sizer that looks just a little bigger than Toyota's own Corolla, I think...
Now, don't get me wrong -- the huge aforementioned models like Mercury's Grand Marquis, Ford's Crown Victoria, Lincoln's Town Car -- they're huge, for sure, but they simply don't fit anyone's lifestyle if the buyer is under 50 years old. Let's be truthful. So, while that's the SIZE of vehicle I was after, I simply wouldn't buy any of those because of my age bracket, which is in the 30s. That then leaves budget. I couldn't afford something in the Acura TL/Lexus ES/BMW 3 series/Benz C Class family -- and some of those sedans have no length or width to them really either for the money -- so I was forced into the Accord/Camry/Altima/Jetta/etc etc etc class. In this class, I fell in love with the Camry SE because of the looks alone -- that body kit got me each and every time -- so that ended up being my final decision, and we got a good deal on a semi-loaded V6 with leather and no navigation, but chromed TRD 18s and other stuff....yet, I cannot help but think, every time I see a Chrysler Concorde (I know, discontinued) or a 300 or Dodge Charger that these sedans are just so BIG and make a presence on the road, and that I should have gone that way...
So, what about you other Camry owners....are you satisfied with your Camry's size, and more specifically, with its overall length? And what about those of you with the SE model....would you have chosen the Camry if the SE wasn't available?
have you looked at the avalon or a lexus gs? those would suit your needs better because they are full sized sedans. and if you want to go for a sporty look, a bunch of companies such as wald, aimgain, make some nice body and lip kits for the GS.
have you looked at the avalon or a lexus gs? those would suit your needs better because they are full sized sedans. and if you want to go for a sporty look, a bunch of companies such as wald, aimgain, make some nice body and lip kits for the GS.
Thank You Trojan,
Well, now that I have the Camry and it's BRAND NEW (only about four weeks old now; it's an 08) I'm not going to sell it and get another vehicle any time soon; I was just thinking that I had made the wrong decision.
The Lexus GS is bigger than this generation Camry by only one inch, so that wouldn't make the difference for my needs, and it's way out of my price range anyway. I did look at the Avalon, but may factors here too intervened: the Avalon was out of our budget, too, once loaded up (I'm not getting a car without leather seats) and the car is simply not for someone, I feel, in my age bracket...it really wasn't youthful enough, I didn't think. Plus, there were no sports packages available from Toyota direct for the Avalon...yes, I could have gone aftermarket, but I preferred to keep it with factory installed parts.
In retrospect, I probably should have gone with a car as large as an Avalon or 300 and added an aftermarket body kit.
I chose the Camry SE back in March '06 when I first saw it. I had to wait a month for my insurance company to settle my claim on my totalled truck. I liked the previous Gen 5 SE and was downright shocked when I saw the Gen 6. I thought it was a beauty then and still do. Because of it's sporty look I like it better than any Lexus,Infinity and or Acura and their relatives.
__________________
2007 Camry SE Titanium Metallic V6: Muth signal mirrors, 18" TSW Mondello wheels, Crimestopper alarm/remote starter.
I know this was a rather popular thread some time back, and with a good deal of input; I believe, if I am not mistaken, the original poster had mentioned something about whether or not SE owners would have gone with a different vehicle had the SE not been available -- I'd like to study that query a little further because I was contemplating that just the other day...
For me, personally, I KNEW right off the bat that I wanted the SE V6 simply for the looks of the ground effects/skirt kit package (which is the primary reason I purchase certain vehicles -- the skirts make the vehicle, and if the factory doesn't offer a package, I would look aftermarket for sure...my last vehicle, a 1999 Accord EX V6 Coupe, had the Honda installed under body spoiler kit package and looked pretty sick...) and there were really no other sedans in this price class that offered a nice sports package like the Camry did...
As a matter of fact, I LOVED the previous generation Camry SE, too, and I personally think the body kit on that version looks much more aggressive than on my '08 SE; but, aside from that, indeed, I probably wouldn't have gotten the Camry had there NOT been an SE model with a ground effects kit...sure, the vehicle looks a lot like the Lexus GS, but the skirts really make the difference.
Keeping that in mind, I am beginning to think I should have kept shopping before getting my '08 SE V6 because I was looking for something BIG in terms of a sedan -- not Grand Marquis or Crown Vic big, but big -- and my first choice was a Chrysler 300 or Dodge Charger...my better half simply wouldn't let me get the Charger; she hates it and said it doesn't fit our "image" while the Chrysler we really couldn't afford unless we settled for a V6 model, which really don't look as good or perform as good as the V8s...THOSE are big sedans -- and now, with the arrival of Pontiac's GTO replacement, the G8, the large and wide sedan is being emphasized while the imports from Honda, Toyota and Nissan and perhaps even Mazda are keeping their sedans TRULY mid sized by the exact definition of the term.
Let's put things in perspective: the current generation Camry is 189 inches in length; the new Accord is like five inches longer than that, while the Altima and Maxima are both bigger, still....the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger are TREMENDOUSLY bigger than the Camry in sheer dimensions, and these cars show their girth...when they come down the roads, they make PRESENCE...don't you Camry owners feel like we've been kind of left out in the dark in terms of presence on the road? Next to these massive muscle sedans, our vehicles don't really look like much...even with the added image the SE provides...
I'm beginning to regret my decision of the SE because my goal was to specifically get a very large, imposing, wide-in-the-lane sedan this time around, after coming from three coupes in a row, and I feel like I should have done my homework a bit more...almost every car in the Camry's class is larger, unless I'm mistaken (except for the Mazda 6) and it was a characteristic I was specifically shopping for. Short of getting a truck, I wanted a large sedan....I ended up with a true mid sizer that looks just a little bigger than Toyota's own Corolla, I think...
Now, don't get me wrong -- the huge aforementioned models like Mercury's Grand Marquis, Ford's Crown Victoria, Lincoln's Town Car -- they're huge, for sure, but they simply don't fit anyone's lifestyle if the buyer is under 50 years old. Let's be truthful. So, while that's the SIZE of vehicle I was after, I simply wouldn't buy any of those because of my age bracket, which is in the 30s. That then leaves budget. I couldn't afford something in the Acura TL/Lexus ES/BMW 3 series/Benz C Class family -- and some of those sedans have no length or width to them really either for the money -- so I was forced into the Accord/Camry/Altima/Jetta/etc etc etc class. In this class, I fell in love with the Camry SE because of the looks alone -- that body kit got me each and every time -- so that ended up being my final decision, and we got a good deal on a semi-loaded V6 with leather and no navigation, but chromed TRD 18s and other stuff....yet, I cannot help but think, every time I see a Chrysler Concorde (I know, discontinued) or a 300 or Dodge Charger that these sedans are just so BIG and make a presence on the road, and that I should have gone that way...
So, what about you other Camry owners....are you satisfied with your Camry's size, and more specifically, with its overall length? And what about those of you with the SE model....would you have chosen the Camry if the SE wasn't available?
Wow... can you summarize this for me... too lazy to read... i chose mine cuz it had looks and power to boot
I chose the Camry SE back in March '06 when I first saw it. I had to wait a month for my insurance company to settle my claim on my totalled truck. I liked the previous Gen 5 SE and was downright shocked when I saw the Gen 6. I thought it was a beauty then and still do. Because of it's sporty look I like it better than any Lexus,Infinity and or Acura and their relatives.
Thanks for your thoughts Streaker!
Indeed, I too totalled a car before getting this Camry -- it was a 99 Accord Coupe but a drunk driver hit us head on and destroyed it. I too, like you, liked the fifth generation SE because of those thick, low skirts, but I think the sixth generation doesn't look as aggressive.
Indeed, I too totalled a car before getting this Camry -- it was a 99 Accord Coupe but a drunk driver hit us head on and destroyed it. I too, like you, liked the fifth generation SE because of those thick, low skirts, but I think the sixth generation doesn't look as aggressive.
Are you happy with its overall size?
Size is fine I have no complaints, neither do my passengers.
__________________
2007 Camry SE Titanium Metallic V6: Muth signal mirrors, 18" TSW Mondello wheels, Crimestopper alarm/remote starter.
Size is fine I have no complaints, neither do my passengers.
Interesting. Interior room hasn't been a problem for me either yet, but I was concerned when my girlfriend's father was in the front seat one day and that front passenger seat was all the way back as far as it could go and it looked like he wasn't sitting all that "stretched" and comfortable...
My main concern is with the length and width of the vehicle...do you think your SE is "long enough" when you're in traffic around trucks, SUVs and large sedans?
The SE's rear seats are comfortable for your child? I haven't had any rear passengers yet...
Is the Legacy GT as long as the Camry?
The rear seats are more comfortable for most passengers due to almost flat floor. The legacy has less interior leg and hip room but that all changes some time late next year when the Legacy grows bigger inside.
The rear seats are more comfortable for most passengers due to almost flat floor. The legacy has less interior leg and hip room but that all changes some time late next year when the Legacy grows bigger inside.
I had similar thoughts as the OP about size...but not only street appearance but passenger room/cabin size. I have three kids, who need to have room in the back and I am tall. Compare all cars within +/-15k and you will find the 300 is the biggest, but only by 2 inches leg room in the back. Shoulder/hip room is basically the same as Camry. All other cars (GS, STS, A6, S80, E-series, 5-series...) are all smaller. You need the V8 on the 300 to keep up with the V6 in the Camry because it is ~600lbs heavier with standard equipment (I had a 300C for a few weeks). Trunk is huge in 300, STS, and A6 - smaller for anything else. STS is just too expensive new and 300 is to cheap interior design. So, I ended up with the XLE and put some skirts on. All about value.
....but now, if I would have known.... I would have waited and shell out 10k more than my (XLE + mods) and got the new Jaguar!! That thing is hot - and I expected it to be much more expensive!
PS: I also have an A6L for work, my family drives MB E320, Volvo S80, and I regularly get to have cars like STS for extended use due to my work...where I sit most of the time in the back :-)
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