Old Man Bored to death by Appliance Camry.

++, I drive a 06 E-Class CDI (diesel) fun to drive and would out run any sedan from the line, Harman K is an add on to leather and other goodies + solid 36+ MPG as highway cruiser and 26 in city.
the harmon kardon in my E55 was atrocious and i’m not even picky on sound systems 🤢🤮
 
When I traveled for work that would require anywhere from 3-6 hours behind the wheel in any given trip the prior gen Camry was my go to. When the current gen came out I was excited since I had good experiences thus far with the older model, IMO the new one was a step backwards for Toyota.

I think the biggest thing for me on the new on was the powertrain (2.5) felt like it took a step backwards in refinement and the interior also took a step back in quality. IMO the prior gen is a better car.
Sorry, I did not read to the end of the thread.... but your comment re the previous generation being better in refinement and interior... sparks a response. One of several cars I have - is a '99 Camry... a plain-vanilla CE version with a 5 speed manual, crank windows, manual locks, no cruise, and no air. L4 engine, also, btw. In some respects its my favorite car. Deep pile to the rugs, really smooth 2.2 litre engine (balance shafts work well), hydraulic power steering, mechanical valve lash adjustment. Simple, stupid. One of the nicest blend of gear ratios... and one of the nicest shifting manual transmissions I have driven.

I know that that was then, and this is now... but in the late 90's (the range of '97 to '2001) Camry was, in my view, an underated, quality car. Sport-drive is what you make it. Though I most certainly don't have a hot-rod, there, I am not wanting - in that case, for driving entertainment - in my '99 Camry 5 speed.
 
I name my cars. My '16 Camry is white. It is aptly named Fridge. I've put 35 K miles since my wife bought it. So far, it has had oil changes and a battery. Furthest I've ridden in it is about 5 hrs. Passenger's seat is comfy. Driving it is not as fun as the Borman 6,my '88 BMW 528e. I bought it to carry my grandsons safely, not for rolling the twisties. It does everything better than the BMW, it is just so-vanilla. I need a road worthy old pickup for a toy:)
 
I've sadly realized that I need to keep my '99 around, it has more towing capacity than my '11 does! At least if you go by the manual that is (I'm extremely dubious about this). But they have been pretty good appliances. No idea about the newer ones though, they got tarted up and fancy and I'm not sure I'd buy another one.

Ours have been so-so on reliability. Wife's car has needed a set of brakes and a battery in our time. Mine's needed a slew of work. Technically it probably needed at least two tows, if I wasn't handy that is (alternator and shift cable). So it averages out to middling I guess.

Wife's Civic needed a tow when it lost an axle shaft and my VW needed two tows. We're busy raising kids and at the moment, prefer our vehicles to be like the refrigerator. Especially during this pandemic where we don't have anyplace to go.
The manual transmission cars usually have the tow rating slashed...probably because manufacturers don't want to be replacing a bunch of clutches under warranty. I recall an F-150 had a 5K rating with an automatic and 2K with a 5-speed.
 
The other thing is that a conventional automatic, effectively (because of the torque converter) has many more gears... than the comparable manual transmission. It is my contention, then, that it can keep the engine in a more productive range of rpm's, for more of the tow-duration, than can a manual with so few gears. Though it relates to much heavier loads and a lower range of rpm's - a highway transport truck has, what, at least 13 gears... sometimes 18 gears. A pickup truck with a 5 speed, as the manuals of the time were... only 5 gears.

You DO need to additionally cool the automatic, much more so than the manual, but it is easy to cool an automatic - effectively - with an aux. cooler.
 
I wouldn't say a TC adds "many" gears, more like only 1, a takeoff gear. Mostly because if an OEM programs it so as to use slippage, it's going to generate gobs of heat and that'll lead to problems of its own. Once you hit stall speed & exceed it, torque multiplication drops off dramatically (as does heat generation).

I'm a bit dubious about my car "safely" towing 2k vs my wife's car doing less. My car has like 10" discs and drums while her car has larger discs all around, then toss in 14" tires vs 16". Yeah the trailer ought to have brakes, I know, but I swear, my car squats more with loading than her car does. Her car does have a pretty deep takeoff ratio, not sure the clutch would be that abused. Just seems odd that my car is rated for more. [In the end I know the OEM's would rather me buy a truck.]

Lastly those OTR trucks have "many" gear ratios to deal with the limited rpm span of the engines. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think many of those engines like being pulled below 1k yet have an 1,800 rpm limit. Running at either extreme might not be best for the engine (nor driving). Many ratios so as to keep the engine around peak torque where it can pound out the power, hour after hour. [I've heard of lugging some down to 400 rpm and I'm sure Thermodynes had something like 1,200 rpm limit: I'm thinking just general case.]
 
I owned a Chevy Cruze Diesel as my last car,a Chevy Cobalt before that.Those were the 2 worst POS's i've ever owned.I now have a 2019 Camry appliance and so far not a lick of trouble,excellent.If I wanted exciting i guess a Mustang GT or Corvette.
 
I wouldn't say a TC adds "many" gears, more like only 1, a takeoff gear. Mostly because if an OEM programs it so as to use slippage, it's going to generate gobs of heat and that'll lead to problems of its own. Once you hit stall speed & exceed it, torque multiplication drops off dramatically (as does heat generation).

I'm a bit dubious about my car "safely" towing 2k vs my wife's car doing less. My car has like 10" discs and drums while her car has larger discs all around, then toss in 14" tires vs 16". Yeah the trailer ought to have brakes, I know, but I swear, my car squats more with loading than her car does. Her car does have a pretty deep takeoff ratio, not sure the clutch would be that abused. Just seems odd that my car is rated for more. [In the end I know the OEM's would rather me buy a truck.]

Lastly those OTR trucks have "many" gear ratios to deal with the limited rpm span of the engines. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think many of those engines like being pulled below 1k yet have an 1,800 rpm limit. Running at either extreme might not be best for the engine (nor driving). Many ratios so as to keep the engine around peak torque where it can pound out the power, hour after hour. [I've heard of lugging some down to 400 rpm and I'm sure Thermodynes had something like 1,200 rpm limit: I'm thinking just general case.]
Typical class 8 diesel gas about 6-800RPM useable. The DD13 I drive is governed at 1900.
 
Back
Top