Topic: Test Drive: 2013 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE

[Frontier1]

I'll jump in here since I know so well how this works, JRM you truly should supply a picture of each of those Camry's you owned, complete with a copy of the ownership documents, bill of sale, work orders etc etc.

I am not exagerating in the least.   I have all the documentation, but I wouldn't bothered submitting it for the sake of some doubting Thomas.  The safety recalls are documentd in many publications, as are the transmission and lurching accelleration problems.  Both cars were SE models and the loose and ill fitting body parts were related to the various body cladding and spoiler add ons.  I see the new SE model doesn't have all the sporty pretention add ons.  Probably had more than a few complaints.

I have no faith in Consumer reports whatsoever.  I bought the Camrys and a terribly unreliable Eagle 2000 GTX based on their glowing reviews.    Lemonaid tells a very different story on both makes.  Take a look when you have a chance.

I believe you.  But you have already been labeled "spammer".  Cat say I'm disappointed, it was fully expected.

A/S what the hell is wrong in buying a second one? hey? You think he was expecting that?  Make yourself valuable and go help Snowman with his "squeaky clean" Venza

[bombastic]

I had one of each of the two previous gen Camrys.  The '04 was the worst with transmission failure and complete replacement at 4,500 km, oil leaks that couldn't be fixed, water pump failure, loose body parts, eg, rear spolier never fit properly or tight, various rattles, poor paint quality and an instance of sudden accelleration when cruise control inadvertently engaged by itself in city traffic

Then after all that, and all the other vehicles in the market to pick from, you bought another. 

Pure BS.

 

Hmm, somehow I do believe this guy. I have my brother as example. He bought a 2011 Passat and had issues with the filling up the tank. So he got rid of the car. Guess what. His new car was another 2012 Passat. Some people just do illogical decisions.
Well they have their own logic, is just not "logical" for us.

[ArticSteve]

Hmm, somehow I do believe this guy

No surprise there. 

I figured it was just an isolated lemon so I got an '08 based on my positive experiences with '83, 88 and 99 models I also had.   Surprise!  More transmission problems, poor fuel consumption, loose body parts, more rattles, failed battery in 1st year, vibrating exhaust replaced twice, rough idle and three safety related recalls.

Here's the thing about BS posts;  DETAILS.  For 2008 the Camry SE came in two very different versions.  4 banger and V6.  Two completely different powertrains and content.  OP makes great effort to list all his specific and quite horrendous issues, but falls completely on his face because he forgets one tiny detail  ; that being there are 2 different 2008 SEs.  Any legitimate previous owner would think it relevant information when yapping about the transmission for example and the exhaust, which again are different.

Naturally, he'll be back claiming it was the V6 version.  Too LATE! 

[mixmanmash]

I had one of each of the two previous gen Camrys.  The '04 was the worst with transmission failure and complete replacement at 4,500 km, oil leaks that couldn't be fixed, water pump failure, loose body parts, eg, rear spolier never fit properly or tight, various rattles, poor paint quality and an instance of sudden accelleration when cruise control inadvertently engaged by itself in city traffic

Then after all that, and all the other vehicles in the market to pick from, you bought another. 

Pure BS.

 

Says the Toyota salesman... 

[Frontier1]

Well A/S I'm waiting for you to call Snowman a BS'er as well.....let's go chop chop..

[Snowman]

  These clowns can't handle the truth. Priceless.

[EV-Light]

Agreed on the Mazda6, but I would also have to consider the new Accord.

Do you have any data that makes you say the previous 2 gen Camry's reliability had suffered?  I'm curious to know what issues they had as people always remark that Toyota products are "reliable" and "bulletproof."

I'll pass on the Accord as I'm not keen on the styling inside or out. 

I had one of each of the two previous gen Camrys.  The '04 was the worst with transmission failure and complete replacement at 4,500 km, oil leaks that couldn't be fixed, water pump failure, loose body parts, eg, rear spolier never fit properly or tight, various rattles, poor paint quality and an instance of sudden accelleration when cruise control inadvertently engaged by itself in city traffic.   Most of these problems are described in "Lemonaid" publications.

I figured it was just an isolated lemon so I got an '08 based on my positive experiences with '83, 88 and 99 models I also had.   Surprise!  More transmission problems, poor fuel consumption, loose body parts, more rattles, failed battery in 1st year, vibrating exhaust replaced twice, rough idle and three safety related recalls.

I should have read Lemonaid before, not after I bought it.  Needless to say I got rid of it after 2.5 years and less than 40,000 kms.   Never again!!

And this is all coming from someone that owns a VW? LOL pure BS....

[Frontier1]

Agreed on the Mazda6, but I would also have to consider the new Accord.

Do you have any data that makes you say the previous 2 gen Camry's reliability had suffered?  I'm curious to know what issues they had as people always remark that Toyota products are "reliable" and "bulletproof."

I'll pass on the Accord as I'm not keen on the styling inside or out. 

I had one of each of the two previous gen Camrys.  The '04 was the worst with transmission failure and complete replacement at 4,500 km, oil leaks that couldn't be fixed, water pump failure, loose body parts, eg, rear spolier never fit properly or tight, various rattles, poor paint quality and an instance of sudden accelleration when cruise control inadvertently engaged by itself in city traffic.   Most of these problems are described in "Lemonaid" publications.

I figured it was just an isolated lemon so I got an '08 based on my positive experiences with '83, 88 and 99 models I also had.   Surprise!  More transmission problems, poor fuel consumption, loose body parts, more rattles, failed battery in 1st year, vibrating exhaust replaced twice, rough idle and three safety related recalls.

I should have read Lemonaid before, not after I bought it.  Needless to say I got rid of it after 2.5 years and less than 40,000 kms.   Never again!!

And this is all coming from someone that owns a VW? LOL pure BS....

Lot's of happy VW owners out there, my neighbour has 2 and swears by them, they go for ever.

[Ice]

If it's all anecdotal then two of my neighbors have Camry's... one is a 2002 and another was a 2006. Neither of them had any problems beside normal wear and tear. Both were over 200k. If you want to talk about problematic sedans then I can tell you stories about my parents old 1997 Chrysler Intrepid. I loved that car but it had issues

[Vanstar]

If it's all anecdotal then two of my neighbors have Camry's... one is a 2002 and another was a 2006. Neither of them had any problems beside normal wear and tear. Both were over 200k. If you want to talk about problematic sedans then I can tell you stories about my parents old 1997 Chrysler Intrepid. I loved that car but it had issues

These forums are always full of fanbois and slappies, who derive great satisfaction over loyalty to a specific brand and and take it as their mission to degenerate all others. This guy's Camry  stories are pure BS.

There will always be a significant group of (uneducated) people who eschew science. These people are in fact in control of our government at the moment. For those who like to think like educated people, there are metrics to measure a car's reliability. My experience is they are generally correct. The Camry comes out on top and has for years. It has excellent resale which is by far the best measurement of quality. I'd recommend one as a used car to anyone I know.

I would suggest taking road-trip and see how many Camry's are on the road in the USA. They are ubiquitous and have become America's sedan. Correction: they ARE America's sedan and have been for years.

Haters and haters and we have our country run by such people at the moment. They are not going away. I find ignoring them the best method.

[ArticSteve]

Well A/S I'm waiting for you to call Snowman a BS'er as well.....let's go chop chop..

Dash glove box are/can be a source of a annoying rattle/noise in the Camry/Venza platform.  Jam a shim at the top near the locking latch, or the latch itself.

I had the service department install a new power seat assembly (passenger side) in my wife's 2012 XLE Hybrid due to a mother of a rattle when empty. 

[X-Traction]

People keep saying this about hybrids.  Is the hybrid drivetrain more complex than a standard transmission with clutch, let alone an automatic?  I think I'd rather have a planetary gearset and a couple of electric motors any day rather than a typical automatic.  Are there any reports of CVT's and electric motors failing in hybrids?  How about the track record of normal automatics?

Bang on.  The article continues this misconception because for simplicity Toyota describes the "transmission" as a "CVT".  It's actually a PSD for Power Split Device, fixed ratio.  The CVTs that all you refer to are essentially snowmobile transmissions - 2 pulleys and a belt made for various materials.

I'm pretty sure the Escape Hybrid uses a planetary gearset rather than a PSD.

[ArticSteve]

"PSD" is a planetary gear set.

The Escape Hybrid PSD was made by Aisin Seiki, a Toyota Industries Company.  Ford's making their own now.  Details are few.

[X-Traction]

"PSD" is a planetary gear set.

The Escape Hybrid PSD was made by Aisin Seiki, a Toyota Industries Company.  Ford's making their own now.  Details are few.

Ah, I see what you're saying now.  Do some cars actually use a snowmobile-type CVT?  Do they have belt overheating and durability problems like snowmobiles?

[johngenx]

Yes, some cars use a "belt" style CVT, but they're usually metal chains (look like a timing chain kinda) not a fabric/rubber belt like the old snow machines...

[Frontier1]

One of the latest Jatco design, the CVT7, as in my Juke

[rrocket]

One of the latest Jatco design, the CVT7, as in my Juke

Yep..snowmobile style.

[X-Traction]

One of the latest Jatco design, the CVT7, as in my Juke

Does the owner manual advise packing snow on the housing to cool it off during slow driving?