Great gas mileage on 3.5L V6

[thrawnis]

Hey everyone. I just wanted to tell everyone about the great gas mileage my 07 SE V6 just got me on the drive back from Vegas yesterday. When I filled up, I was surprised to learn that the car got 28.8 mpg even while driving fairly aggressively and maintaining an average 80-85mph. This includes idling for 20 minutes in a Taco Bell drive through and an additional 30 miles driving in-town and not on the freeways. I did not have to run the A/C at all and the outside temp ranged from 35-55 degrees. The total trip distance was about 300 miles. It was kind of strange that I only got 24.5mpg on the way there though.

My 2001 Honda Accord with a 4cyl (and 4-speed automatic tranny) got about 31mpg on the same drive a couple years ago, though I think I ran the A/C for at least half the trip that time.

I was pleasantly surprised by the mpg considering the heavier car and larger engine. Sorry if some of you think this was a waste to post, but just wanted this to be an FYI of sorts for others that might take trips in their Camrys.

[workerant]

I don't mean to be mean but I think your post should be in here.

[ledebuhr1]

Thrawnis,
What did you notice was the biggest differences between your old Accord an the Camry? Noise, Ride, Handling?

[thrawnis]

Originally Posted by TTM77

I don't mean to be mean but I think your post should be in here.

Whoops, sorry. I didn't realize there would be a "dedicated" gas mileage thread. I will keep this in mind for the future. Thanks for the link!

Originally Posted by ledebuhr1

Thrawnis,
What did you notice was the biggest differences between your old Accord an the Camry? Noise, Ride, Handling?

That's a pretty broad question but I will try to answer the questions as much as possible.

Noise: Camry is much quieter than Accord in every way. But I think the LE and XLE versions of the Camry will be even quieter than the SE due to the more general purpose tires versus quasi-performance tires.

Ride: The Camry's ride quality as far as comfort is certainly better. But again, I think the LE and XLE would be even smoother than the slightly firmed up suspension of the SE. If you are looking for comfort primarily, avoid the SE.

Handling: This is a little more difficult to answer. The Camry sits a little higher and has a bit more spongy suspension. If I am going around a turn and the road and properly paved and has no bumps, my Camry would slightly handle better than my Accord. But if there are any potholes or there is uneven pavement, the Camry does NOT feel as secure as my Accord did. Overall, the steering is not as communicative in the Camry as I would like and makes it a little more difficult to drive aggressively.

I know you didn't ask for this, but I will throw it in anyway... Even after all that I stated above, I would never purchase a new Toyota again due to all the problems I have had with my current car. Besides for repeated problems with two Toyota dealerships due to sheer incompetence, lack of help by Toyota corporate, and poor overall build quality, I will more than likely try to sell my Camry ASAP and get a new Mazda 6 or Honda Accord. They don't look as nice and aren't as good an overall value, but the reliability and fun factors are far better.

[ledebuhr1]

Thanks for your analysis.
I think you need to find a different dealer that fixes your problems on the first try.