whats wrong with a Kentucky built camry? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

02whiteLE · 05-16-2006, 12:45 PM

Are the Camrys that are built in Kentucky more prone to problems than the Japan built ones? I have had two 2002 Camrys, the LE I have now replaced the SE I bought and promptly totalled with three months of purchasing. The Se was built in Japan, and the LE is built in Kentucky. I've had no real problems with the Kentucky one, but I've heard several comments about the Kentucky Camrys having more problems, etc.
Are there any particulars I should keep an eye on, or is it all just a bunch of crap?

fat_bastard · 05-16-2006, 01:45 PM

I've got a 93 KY Camry that is just about perfect. Never had any kind of problems out of it.

Tarzan · 05-16-2006, 03:28 PM

I only difference is worker assembly quality. The japanese simply put stuff together better.

thapranksta · 05-16-2006, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fat_bastard

I've got a 93 KY Camry that is just about perfect. Never had any kind of problems out of it.

Were Camrys being built in Kentucky in 1993?

Tarzan · 05-16-2006, 03:32 PM

yes

yeuemhoai · 05-16-2006, 03:51 PM

My sistes's 95 Camry XLE V6 was built in KY but is still in excellent shape. I guess the problem is production unique.

RodMillenFan · 05-16-2006, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thapranksta

Were Camrys being built in Kentucky in 1993?

TMM Kentucky has been around since 1986! In other words, since the beginning of Gen 2. Last time I was at the visitor's center, they still had one of the very first Gen2's built there... a 10+ year old car and it was pristine.

Hard to believe, huh?

For what it's worth, I've seen examples of both American and Japanese built Camrys that are great and... well, not as great.

RodMillenFan · 05-16-2006, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 02whiteLE

Are the Camrys that are built in Kentucky more prone to problems than the Japan built ones? I have had two 2002 Camrys, the LE I have now replaced the SE I bought and promptly totalled with three months of purchasing. The Se was built in Japan, and the LE is built in Kentucky. I've had no real problems with the Kentucky one, but I've heard several comments about the Kentucky Camrys having more problems, etc.
Are there any particulars I should keep an eye on, or is it all just a bunch of crap?

One point to remember... "what people say" data has two problems: 1) it's skewed because you are always going to hear more problems than success stories, and 2) unless it's based on large amounts of data like J.D. Power stuff, it's too statistically insignificant to make a judgement. That is, "I have a Japanese-built Camry and it's run great... my neighbor has an American one and it fell apart" covers only two Camrys out of hundreds of thousands that have been made. Does it mean American Camrys are trash? Well, maybe... but that amount of evidence alone doesn't exactly provide a solid case for it.

But what do I know?

Fever · 05-16-2006, 05:23 PM

^ statistics, ucl, lcl, and 3 sigma from the sounds of it.

I've had a Japanese '88LE and the current KY '97XLE. Although apples and oranges because of age difference, the build quality seems about equal.

02AspenGreen · 05-16-2006, 05:57 PM

I guess they don't make them like they used to anymore.

bronzemaxell · 05-16-2006, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thapranksta

Were Camrys being built in Kentucky in 1993?

my 1993 kentucky camry has a few problems now, with 260,000 miles on the odometer,
the engine burns about 1 qt of engine oil every 3000 miles, i also have to top off coolant every 3 month, and my passenger front strut is wet, and a little bouncy. other than that, it is a lot far less problem than my 1994 japanese camry, in term of maintenance and repair.
i think it is just psychological about one is being better than the other.

Kain · 05-16-2006, 08:17 PM

the only differences in the tmmk camrys and the jap camrys are a tsb for a rattle in rear over bumps, a couple of the body seams are thicker and on the jap camry the steering column bushing is a replaceable part but on the tmmk u have to get the intermidiate shaft assymbly for the bushing and they do thump squeek and rattle. (Most customers complain of loose feeling in the steering wheel) There are probably other difference i haven't encountered yet but thats all i know for now.

Tom 2000 · 05-17-2006, 01:28 AM

They are about the same really.

I don't know about the new Camrys now, but on the older ones (gen2 and gen3) the Japanese made Camrys came with rebuildable struts (Kentucky made SEs also). When the struts wore out, I just needed to change the strut cartridges, instead of buying the whole strut. Saved me some money.