Why is the Camry so popular?
Bullitt Member
Joined: August 21, 2013
Posts: 325
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From: New England
Are you kidding me.. Have you seen the test and torture test the put the coyote engine through?? There is no way a Camry / corolla motor would hold up to running an engine WOT until the headers are cherry red then run ice water through the engine and keep cycling this test for weeks. Then the engine couldn't be out no more than 8% off on leak down. I can't believe it lasted the first test never mind doing that repetitively. It has oil squirrels/ 6 bolt mains. 300k should not be a problem at all.
Legacy TMS Member
Joined: September 6, 2011
Posts: 1,892
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From: Kansas City, MO
Are you kidding me.. Have you seen the test and torture test the put the coyote engine through?? There is no way a Camry / corolla motor would hold up to running an engine WOT until the headers are cherry red then run ice water through the engine and keep cycling this test for weeks. Then the engine couldn't be out no more than 8% off on leak down. I can't believe it lasted the first test never mind doing that repetitively. It has oil squirrels/ 6 bolt mains. 300k should not be a problem at all.
To answer the original question...because Camrys are reliable, comfortable, get good mileage, have great resale value, require minimal maintenance to last for 150K+ and have a 20 year reputation for quality that helped them overcome the few years of sub-par product they made. From everything I've read, Toyota is back on their game now when it comes to quality.
The vast majority of people look at cars no different than their vacuum cleaner or refrigerator - it's an appliance made to complete a specific task. For those people, the Camry is perfect.
Bullitt Member
Joined: August 21, 2013
Posts: 325
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From: New England
I would venture to guess most manufacturers put their engines through similar tests today. Not sure where you saw a video of those tests being done to a Coyote - the only one I've seen Ford put out lately was around the EcoBoost V6 in the F-150, which was subjected to all sorts of crazy stuff.
To answer the original question...because Camrys are reliable, comfortable, get good mileage, have great resale value, require minimal maintenance to last for 150K+ and have a 20 year reputation for quality that helped them overcome the few years of sub-par product they made. From everything I've read, Toyota is back on their game now when it comes to quality.
The vast majority of people look at cars no different than their vacuum cleaner or refrigerator - it's an appliance made to complete a specific task. For those people, the Camry is perfect.
Here is the link, I would be very interested in your thoughts after reading it.
http://www.mustang50magazine.com/tec...e/viewall.html
A Man Just Needs Some....
Joined: April 9, 2011
Posts: 17,125
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From: Louisiana
A Camry is what people that are waiting to die drive. When you've given up on any excitement ever again in your life. You buy a Camry. Then you die and one of your grandchildren inherit it and destroy the thing. This is how it works folks. All Camrys end up trashed by a 17yr old kid who listens to death metal and smokes pot. The end. 
Bullitt Member
Joined: August 21, 2013
Posts: 325
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From: New England
A Camry is what people that are waiting to die drive. When you've given up on any excitement ever again in your life. You buy a Camry. Then you die and one of your grandchildren inherit it and destroy the thing. This is how it works folks. All Camrys end up trashed by a 17yr old kid who listens to death metal and smokes pot. The end.
Legacy TMS Member
Joined: September 6, 2011
Posts: 1,892
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From: Kansas City, MO
I agree with you on the "majority of people" comment, also I currently own 3 toyota's, my GT's build quality is very good ( is it better than any of my Toyota's), time will tell. I just know being a engineer and after reading the article from an interview with the Coyote engineering team that engine should certainly have the ability to go 300k.. Here is the link, I would be very interested in your thoughts after reading it. http://www.mustang50magazine.com/tec...e/viewall.html
GT Member
Joined: October 2, 2013
Posts: 197
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From: Cleveland OH
My old man is the epitome of why people drive these things. He has been buying Camry's and Civic's since 1984. I am almost forty years old so I've watched this for years. My old man is the kinda person that will do zero maintenance on a car because it costs money….and I mean nothing but oil changes and only oil changes and just once every 20k. Tires and brakes only when the car is screaming! Fortunately for him it has worked out to his advantage…not sure how? So in the last thirty years he's had an 84, 96, 09 Camry and he has never sunk a dime of his own money…besides must haves into these things so he'll keep buying em.
He does the same thing with his Civic's but drives them to 250k. These are his must haves since he's a salesman and drives a ton. Same thing applies…zero maintenance but the must haves to keep it running.
This convo came to light when I was talking about getting the Mustang back in September and he was ready to get a new car and asked me what I was going to do with my 2012 Altima.
I sold him my Altima for less than he was going to buy a new Civic and for the first time in thirty years he has a little spark in his eye…All he needed was to break free of the Camry/Civic conundrum and drive something with a V6 and a spoiler, lol to change his mind! I know its not American but its a whole lot better than a Camry….just about anything is!!!
He does the same thing with his Civic's but drives them to 250k. These are his must haves since he's a salesman and drives a ton. Same thing applies…zero maintenance but the must haves to keep it running.
This convo came to light when I was talking about getting the Mustang back in September and he was ready to get a new car and asked me what I was going to do with my 2012 Altima.
I sold him my Altima for less than he was going to buy a new Civic and for the first time in thirty years he has a little spark in his eye…All he needed was to break free of the Camry/Civic conundrum and drive something with a V6 and a spoiler, lol to change his mind! I know its not American but its a whole lot better than a Camry….just about anything is!!!
Cobra Member
Joined: February 18, 2011
Posts: 1,023
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From: South Carolina
A Camry is what people that are waiting to die drive. When you've given up on any excitement ever again in your life. You buy a Camry. Then you die and one of your grandchildren inherit it and destroy the thing. This is how it works folks. All Camrys end up trashed by a 17yr old kid who listens to death metal and smokes pot. The end.
NTTAWWT
Joined: January 27, 2007
Posts: 14,456
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From: That town you drive through to get to Myrtle Beach
I think Al hit it on the head. People that don't give a crap about their car other than "it cranked up, lets push the pedal on the right and go" buy Camries. They have no style, I can't find them to be comfortable at all, they're made of cheap parts for the interior, and they get ridiculous to repair.
Post *****
Joined: October 9, 2007
Posts: 32,808
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I think Al hit it on the head. People that don't give a crap about their car other than "it cranked up, lets push the pedal on the right and go" buy Camries. They have no style, I can't find them to be comfortable at all, they're made of cheap parts for the interior, and they get ridiculous to repair.
Driving that car was like getting a lobotomy.
2013 RR Boss 302 #2342
Joined: March 6, 2012
Posts: 11,801
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From: Lancaster, PA
A Camry is what people that are waiting to die drive. When you've given up on any excitement ever again in your life. You buy a Camry. Then you die and one of your grandchildren inherit it and destroy the thing. This is how it works folks. All Camrys end up trashed by a 17yr old kid who listens to death metal and smokes pot. The end.
A Man Just Needs Some....
Joined: April 9, 2011
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From: Louisiana
Bullitt Member
Joined: August 21, 2013
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From: New England
ROTFLMFAO!!! My grandfather always told me "you can't polish a turd"..
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Joined: February 17, 2014
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OK so I'm a Ford guy, but I'm trying to be open. So I'm on a business trip and I need a rental car. So I reserved my car through Hertz hoping to get a Ford. Anyhow the only thing available in Manchester was a Chevy Cruze or a Camry. So I got the Camry.
It's a rental but I was shocked at how old this car feels. It has a thick plastic wheel, the interior doesn't feel any fancier than an 05 Mustang which was lambasted by the press.Who puts a cruise control lever under the bottom of the steering wheel? Then I got too drive it for an hour to the coast. It's buzzy, gutless and is constantly down shifting on every hill and overpass. The steering feels completely isolated from the Road and slow to respond. The car also had very poor on center feel and tended to wander. A terrible driving experience to say the least. Head to head, my Fusion is better in every category. I just don't understand why it is the best selling car. Doesn't make sense.
It's a rental but I was shocked at how old this car feels. It has a thick plastic wheel, the interior doesn't feel any fancier than an 05 Mustang which was lambasted by the press.Who puts a cruise control lever under the bottom of the steering wheel? Then I got too drive it for an hour to the coast. It's buzzy, gutless and is constantly down shifting on every hill and overpass. The steering feels completely isolated from the Road and slow to respond. The car also had very poor on center feel and tended to wander. A terrible driving experience to say the least. Head to head, my Fusion is better in every category. I just don't understand why it is the best selling car. Doesn't make sense.
Bullitt Member
Joined: August 21, 2013
Posts: 325
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From: New England
This is what a GT can really do!
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=y...ure%3Dyoutu.be
This guy ran low 10's on a stock engine stock trans.. There would be a 4 sec difference if he was up against that Camry, which is approx 40 car lengths.
Driver makes a huge difference!
