Considering a Camry - some questions... - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

alberto24 · 07-28-2010, 06:46 AM

First post! My sister has a camry (I think it's an 08) - she seems to love it. It's an LE model with a few extras.

After 3 yrs living in NYC where I had no car, I now need a car in my new town. I've been considering a mazda 3 as I used the car regularly with my car sharing service and always liked it. I test drove a 2010 mazda 3 yesterday and boy it seemed slow.

I've read in a few places that you can get a Camry LE for a pretty good price - but I don't see a pricing thread after doing some searches here. Can anyone give me a basic idea of what I should expect to pay for a LE model?

Also - do you think the Camry will have more pep than the Mazda did? The Camry I am considering is a 4cyl.

Anything else I should know or think about before I head out for the test drive?

Thanks!

gdanaher · 07-28-2010, 07:01 AM

First, welcome. Second, put Hyundai Sonata on your list of cars to drive. Nicr ride, Excellent warranty, Low pricing.

Toyota has a different approach to selling cars. Regardless of location of manufacture, they are all sold to regional distributors and they in turn sell them to local dealers. You are in Texas, hence Gulf States Toyota in Houston is the distributor. They also set the sticker pricing. What you can buy it for depends upon the neighborhood you are in , the time of the month, and the popularity of the car. There is a sticker price and an invoice price, and you should be able to buy the car for the invoice price or a few hundred under that, and that puts the selling price about 12-15% off window sticker. Understand that this is just a good reference point to shoot at. Lots of accessories might get you 15% off. A stripped car might get you 11% off, but the pricing is in that ballpark.

As for how it compares to a Mazda 3, I can't say, but drive all these cars over a varied terrain of highways, city streets, and pot holes to see how they feel.

alberto24 · 07-28-2010, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdanaher

First, welcome. Second, put Hyundai Sonata on your list of cars to drive. Nicr ride, Excellent warranty, Low pricing.

Thank you for your comments. I am actually renting a 2011 hyundai sonata now - I've had it for just over 2 weeks and it seems very nice. To me it seems a pinch bigger than the Camry although my sister disagrees.

Do you really think the Hyundai is cheaper than the Camry? I thought they were the same in pricing.

And good point on the multiple terrains - yesterday I only drove on a back road and on the highway but we couldn't get up to super fast speed due to some light traffic.

gdanaher · 07-28-2010, 07:34 AM

One of my working associates bought a Sonata a few months ago. He got more car for less money than the Camry. Quite happy with it. Drove it to Atlanta and DC a couple of weeks ago. Read both warranties. Hyundai has a 100k mile warranty to the original owner which is a holdover from the early days when they had trouble giving them away, but Hyundai has come a long way in style, design, and quality.Toyota is bumper to bumper for 3 years or 36k miles and then a 5 year/60k mile power train warranty. Toyota feels more solid to me, but you need to check them all out and decide based on your own experience. He got the Sonata for about $16k. A comparable Camry would have been about $19k.

Are you in North or South Texas?

alberto24 · 07-28-2010, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdanaher

One of my working associates bought a Sonata a few months ago. He got more car for less money than the Camry. Quite happy with it. Drove it to Atlanta and DC a couple of weeks ago. Read both warranties. Hyundai has a 100k mile warranty to the original owner which is a holdover from the early days when they had trouble giving them away, but Hyundai has come a long way in style, design, and quality.Toyota is bumper to bumper for 3 years or 36k miles and then a 5 year/60k mile power train warranty. Toyota feels more solid to me, but you need to check them all out and decide based on your own experience. He got the Sonata for about $16k. A comparable Camry would have been about $19k.

Are you in North or South Texas?

I believe I am in Central Texas (Austin) - I can't believe the Sonata 2011 for 16k, I think I would do that in a minute! I need to go to a Hyundai dealer today to figure out which model I am driving now - it feels like a base model but some ECO light comes on when I am driving so I have no idea if it is a hybrid of some sort.

Thanks for your help

gdanaher · 07-28-2010, 08:12 AM

Hyundai doesn't make a hybrid. Check Toyota pricing at Champion Toyota. They are on 35 about a mile south of Ben White on the west side of the highway. Big dealer with stores in Austin, Houston and CC.

gdanaher · 07-28-2010, 08:21 AM

In looking at the Hyundai line, I may have misspoke about my friend's new car. Could be an Elantra instead of Sonata, but the local dealer here is advertising the Sonata V6 for 21588. Still a deal.

alberto24 · 07-28-2010, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdanaher

In looking at the Hyundai line, I may have misspoke about my friend's new car. Could be an Elantra instead of Sonata, but the local dealer here is advertising the Sonata V6 for 21588. Still a deal.

Thanks - the car I have I'm sure isn't the v6 and seems fine for power - it accels nicely from a red light.

I plan to hit all the dealers along i35 today and the champion toyota is the one i planned so good to hear you suggest it too

hariaum · 07-28-2010, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdanaher

Hyundai doesn't make a hybrid. Check Toyota pricing at Champion Toyota. They are on 35 about a mile south of Ben White on the west side of the highway. Big dealer with stores in Austin, Houston and CC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdanaher

In looking at the Hyundai line, I may have misspoke about my friend's new car. Could be an Elantra instead of Sonata, but the local dealer here is advertising the Sonata V6 for 21588. Still a deal.

The Sonata Hybrid is coming out next year and Hyundai is not making a V6 sonata, only a 2.0 turbo model that they are releasing at the same time as the Hybrid. Idk where you saw a 2011 V6, but it doesn't exist.

Anyway to the OP, if you can find a 2010 Camry, you will probably get a better deal than the Hyundai, since most dealers are doing major clearance on the 2010s (most dealers are giving about $5000 off invoice I believe).

Aceventura9586 · 07-28-2010, 09:56 AM

The ECO mode is just an informative light telling you that you are driving at optimum efficiency. If you look, when the light is on you're fuel mileage will probably be around 27. And personally I like the style of the previous model Sonata, the new one looks like a cough drop or suppository.

Forgot to mention that I've never liked the styling of Mazdas. They aren't really bad cars but to me also they seem kinda like tin boxes when driving.

98CamryLE · 07-28-2010, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alberto24

I've read in a few places that you can get a Camry LE for a pretty good price - but I don't see a pricing thread after doing some searches here. Can anyone give me a basic idea of what I should expect to pay for a LE model?

Welcome. Regarding the pricing, check out Fitzmall Toyota (fitzmall.com). Right now, they have Camry LE's starting at $18,388 for a 2011. You'd either have to fly and pick it up, or have them ship it for an extra fee. Or, you can use that price to play hardball with your local dealership. Browse around their site- you can get the price of almost any combination of options and colors.

You can also see the prices of any other of the makes/models that they sell, including Hyundai.