Has the car ever been wrecked ?? Could account for the wind noise. But
it sounds like your friends car has been neglected & needs to be taken to
a different dealer for a proper diag & tuneup
My ex has a 2001 4 cyl and it is hard to tell if it is running when
you are stopped at a traffic light

 

"M. M. Schmidt" <mmschmidt@keevee.com> wrote in message
news:Xns987EF367ADBF412szgwwe@66.150.105.47...
> During my vacation in Hawaii, my host lent me his 2000 Toyota Camry for a
> couple of weeks. I had heard many praises about the Camry but I was
> greatly disappointed of the spotty quality of the Camry. I am convinced
> that Toyota is more about quantity than quality these days. Here are just
> a few examples:
>
Not sure when Tojo quality was good, but our '91 Camry is fairly average in
most of those departments. Only thing is, it has lasted pretty well. Still
doesn't burn/lose oil for instance.

 

The 7 year old car has some wear and tear over the years. But the
general consensus is that since the 1997+ cost cutting the quality
hasn't been as good as earlier ones.

Hey, at least that engine didn't sludge up on you and seize, or the
intake manifold buzzes intermittently like the 2002+ 2.4L engines, or
the transmission skips gears like some 2007 Camrys. But at least Toyota
management acknowledges it and pledges to improve. We'll see.


M. M. Schmidt wrote:
> During my vacation in Hawaii, my host lent me his 2000 Toyota Camry for a
> couple of weeks. I had heard many praises about the Camry but I was
> greatly disappointed of the spotty quality of the Camry. I am convinced
> that Toyota is more about quantity than quality these days. Here are just
> a few examples:
>
> 1. Wind noise and road noise from "leaky" rear doors. According to my
> friend, this has always been the problem since day one of his new car.
> 2. The owner's manual contains some serious errors such as engine oil
> capacity: the manual said 1.6 quarts while the actual capacity is 4.7
> qts! I want to get my hands on the bastard who's responsible for the
> owner's manual editing.
> 3. Gas mileage is not as good as Toyota's propaganda machine wants you to
> think.
> 4. There are many lose spots in the assembly process,e.g.,headlights are
> not assembled correctly.
> 5. Transmission shifting is rough.
> 7. Engine idling rough (Toyota dealers said it's "normal")
>
> Beside the lack of quality once known of Toyota, the dealers often
> reflect the we-don't-care attitude of Toyota company. These people seem
> to redefine the meaning scumbags through their tremedous lack of business
> ethics and professionalism.
>
> I would never spend my own money on a Toyota. Someday Toyota is going to
> face the downfall like GM as it gets too big and too arrogant to care
> about quality.
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

 

I owned a Camry 2001 for about a year and got rid of it as soon as I
found a good deal on an Accord (Honda). I must agree with you that Toyota
quality is not what people are expecting these days. Toyota is pushing to
be the biggest global car manufacturers so they are more concerned with
quantity than quality. The irony here is Toyota seems to follow the same
foot path of GM, a miserable failure in quality control. And that is
what's brought GM to its knees today. The consumers can only tolerate so
much of lies in advertisements. The bottom line is the consumers will
eventually be in the driver seat.

GM and Ford on the other hand, have taken a different approach. They try
to "absorb" other not-doing-so-well car companies like SAAB (Swedish),
Subaru (Japanese), Jaguar (British), Holden (Australian), Volvo (Swedish)
and ruin their repuation with the same junk products they've fed the
consumers for years. This is an evil business strategy: buy the
competitors out then kill them - one by one. This eventualy leaves no
competition. And the consumers will have no choice but to buy junks from
GM or Ford, and now Toyota.

I would just buy a very good, realiable car and stock up parts for the
car and not buy another car for as long I can. Buying new car is money
thrown away. What makes it worse is many parts are now made in China,
where quality has no meaning.



"M. M. Schmidt" <mmschmidt@keevee.com> wrote in
> I would never spend my own money on a Toyota. Someday Toyota is going
> to face the downfall like GM as it gets too big and too arrogant to
> care about quality.
>


--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

 

"Rodeo" <rodeojoe@synchronix.com> wrote in message
news:Xns98806768B26EB1vwer12e@66.150.105.47...
...........................
They try to "absorb" other not-doing-so-well car companies like SAAB
(Swedish),
> Subaru (Japanese), Jaguar (British), Holden (Australian), Volvo (Swedish)
> and ruin their repuation with the same junk products they've fed the
> consumers for years. This is an evil business strategy: buy the
> competitors out then kill them - one by one. This eventualy leaves no
> competition. And the consumers will have no choice but to buy junks from
> GM or Ford, and now Toyota.
>
Holden have basically always been GM, they revived/reinvented a company
(about 1948?) which had failed years earlier I believe. Big marketing con -
"the Australian car". Jaguar had already gone off and maybe Volvo too, while
Ford & GM cars have improved a bit.

 

On Sun, 19 Nov 2006 20:57:49 GMT, "jg" <jg@nospam.com> graced this
newsgroup with:

>
>"Rodeo" <rodeojoe@synchronix.com> wrote in message
>news:Xns98806768B26EB1vwer12e@66.150.105.47...
>..........................
> They try to "absorb" other not-doing-so-well car companies like SAAB
>(Swedish),
>> Subaru (Japanese), Jaguar (British), Holden (Australian), Volvo (Swedish)
>> and ruin their repuation with the same junk products they've fed the
>> consumers for years. This is an evil business strategy: buy the
>> competitors out then kill them - one by one. This eventualy leaves no
>> competition. And the consumers will have no choice but to buy junks from
>> GM or Ford, and now Toyota.
>>
>Holden have basically always been GM, they revived/reinvented a company
>(about 1948?) which had failed years earlier I believe. Big marketing con -
>"the Australian car". Jaguar had already gone off and maybe Volvo too, while
>Ford & GM cars have improved a bit.
>


Ironically, post Ford takeover Jags have a significantly higher
reliability record than pre-Ford Jags.

 

.. M. Schmidt wrote:
> During my vacation in Hawaii, my host lent me his 2000 Toyota Camry for a
> couple of weeks. I had heard many praises about the Camry but I was
> greatly disappointed of the spotty quality of the Camry. I am convinced
> that Toyota is more about quantity than quality these days. Here are just
> a few examples:

one example, good or bad, is totally irrelevant, all cars made today
are light years ahead of cars i've driven in the 70's,

....snip complaints

all your compliants seem minor or subjective.... no alternator
failures, no starter failures, no stalling, no wheels failing off, no
brakes failing, no transmission slipping, no smoke pouring out of hood,
no overheating, no loud clunks over bumps, no steering binding on
turns, no shocks leaking, no oil leaking, no window handles failing
off, no doors jamming,no electrical problems, no alignment problems,no
ac problems, no heating problems

just, it runs a little "rough" and noisy and a typo in a manual, and
dealers are jerks, please, you are wwwwwaaaayyyyy to spoiled and whiny

 

<bungalow_steve@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1163977683.491067.53880@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
>. M. Schmidt wrote:
>> During my vacation in Hawaii, my host lent me his 2000 Toyota Camry for a
>> couple of weeks. I had heard many praises about the Camry but I was
>> greatly disappointed of the spotty quality of the Camry. I am convinced
>> that Toyota is more about quantity than quality these days. Here are just
>> a few examples:
>
> one example, good or bad, is totally irrelevant, all cars made today
> are light years ahead of cars i've driven in the 70's,
>
> ...snip complaints
>
> all your compliants seem minor or subjective.... no alternator
> failures, no starter failures, no stalling, no wheels failing off, no
> brakes failing, no transmission slipping, no smoke pouring out of hood,
> no overheating, no loud clunks over bumps, no steering binding on
> turns, no shocks leaking, no oil leaking, no window handles failing
> off, no doors jamming,no electrical problems, no alignment problems,no
> ac problems, no heating problems
>
> just, it runs a little "rough" and noisy and a typo in a manual, and
> dealers are jerks, please, you are wwwwwaaaayyyyy to spoiled and whiny
>
'70's cars weren't that good although I few I knew exhibited any of the
troubles in your list, at least in the first 10 years. 80's cars were better
and many are still running, but some personal comparisons with later
examples (not specifically Tojos) lead me to suspect the quality of some
(Volvos for instance) might have "peaked" 10-15 years ago.

 

M. M. Schmidt wrote:
> I am convinced
> that Toyota is more about quantity than quality these days.
==============
Obviously they're related.
Sales volume cannot be increased without building customer
satisfaction.
I used to wonder, however, how long Toyota would or could continue to
build cars that would last twenty years and 300,000 to 400,000 miles
when the competition was meeting a far lower mark.

 

"Daniel" <nospampls2002@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1164041928.264276.256890@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> M. M. Schmidt wrote:
>> I am convinced
>> that Toyota is more about quantity than quality these days.
> ==============
> Obviously they're related.
> Sales volume cannot be increased without building customer
> satisfaction.
> I used to wonder, however, how long Toyota would or could continue to
> build cars that would last twenty years and 300,000 to 400,000 miles
> when the competition was meeting a far lower mark.
>
I have only personally known 2 ford v8's and 1 Tojo Landcruiser to do
350,000+ miles, but 250,000 miles is not uncommon for most Jap makes
including all those rebadged as GM & Fords.

 

Sounds more like a user problem and not a design problem. Each and
every car needs care, if you expect it to perform well without care
then youre in the wrong direction. Why don't you ask your friend on how
he cares for his car.

They didn't name the Camry as America's best selling car for nothing

By the way, a side issue...
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/112_0611_sport_sedan_comparison/index.html

Comparison: 2006 Chevrolet Malibu SS vs. 2007 Mitsubishi Galant
Ralliart vs. 2006 Nissan Altima SE-R vs. 2007 Toyota Camry SE

1st Place
Toyota Camry SE
Best overall package on a superb new platform. Performance, quality,
safety, and comfort--what a concept.

2nd Place
Nissan Altima SE-R
If you put more emphasis on sport than sedan, this is your car. Can't
wait to test the new one.

3rd Place
Mitsubishi Galant Ralliart
A nicer car than its third-place finish indicates. Doesn't overwhelm,
but does everything well.

4th Place
Chevrolet Malibu SS
In this case, you don't get what you don't pay for. Costs less, but
gives less. We'd like to try one with GM's 3.6-liter DOHC V-6 and a
six-speed automatic, even if it costs $1000 more.

 

"EdV" <edramirventura@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1164063542.428266.27300@m7g2000cwm.googlegroups.com...
> Sounds more like a user problem and not a design problem. Each and
> every car needs care, if you expect it to perform well without care
> then youre in the wrong direction. Why don't you ask your friend on how
> he cares for his car.
>
The ones to go for are those which survive bad treatment, they will do best
when looked after.

> They didn't name the Camry as America's best selling car for nothing
>
Best selling and best car are often 2 different things. It will be 15 years
before we know if they were right.

 

The newer cars are made to cover 200 kMi in two years rather then to last 20 years. Yes, the older cars had some problems but they were MUCH easier to maintain and repair. If 80 Toyota Corona will still be in production I will buy it instead of many newer cars.

 

Doctor J wrote:
> If 80 Toyota Corona will still be in
> production I will buy it instead of many newer cars.
==================
See:
http://www.toyotaclub.org/
The bottom of the page shows the owner's mint 1967 Corona.

 

In 2005 Toyota recalled more cars than sold in th US, you dont last long
with recalls like that. Yes their quality is down, the new Corola is
delayed 1 yr so they will try to get it right. The last time I remember
a car company recalling more cars than sold was Ford in 1973 or so.

 

I absolutely agree
I owe two camrys 1998 and 2002.
I recently checked out the brand new 2007 toyota camry LE
I feel the 2002-2006 camry is better than the 2007 camry.
As Camry steps on the gas to be tne Number one car company in
the world-- QUALITY WILL SUFFER
they are simply rampng up production too aggressively!!
so be careful about the late model Toyotas
I expect quality to slip a little
good points
The camrys years 1996 to 2004 were great cars
had a better resale value in Ohio, that BMVs and Merceseds benz
I found that amazing!!
m Ransley wrote:
> In 2005 Toyota recalled more cars than sold in th US, you dont last long
> with recalls like that. Yes their quality is down, the new Corola is
> delayed 1 yr so they will try to get it right. The last time I remember
> a car company recalling more cars than sold was Ford in 1973 or so.

 

No it won't, infact it's very hard to get a Camry 07. The waiting
period is awful. Toyota had to stop orders due to surge in demand. I
got my 07 last May and after that people have to wait for months.
Production remains the same and people just have to wait. I know this
since people would walk up to me and ask me how long I waited to get
the car and comlaint of stock availability plus I have read it in car
magazines.

> I recently checked out the brand new 2007 toyota camry LE
> I feel the 2002-2006 camry is better than the 2007 camry.
> As Camry steps on the gas to be tne Number one car company in
> the world-- QUALITY WILL SUFFER
> they are simply rampng up production too aggressively!!

 

"EdV" <edramirventura@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1164216348.074375.306620@k70g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> No it won't, infact it's very hard to get a Camry 07. The waiting
> period is awful. Toyota had to stop orders due to surge in demand. I
> got my 07 last May and after that people have to wait for months.
> Production remains the same and people just have to wait. I know this
> since people would walk up to me and ask me how long I waited to get
> the car and comlaint of stock availability plus I have read it in car
> magazines.
>
It wouldn't really make sense in this day that cars should drop in quality
to increase production and sales. To make them wear out sooner maybe or make
them more profitable to build, but to increase volume only poor
design/production decisions would result in worse cars.