Camry SE V6

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Tell me about the Camry SE V6... I am particularly interested in the 3.5 Toyota engine. I've heard the thing has great power and can keep up with much more expensive machines!

How about driving dynamics?

Going to look at and drive one tomorrow and wanted to get some opinions before I head to the dealer. Thanks in advnace!
 
Dont know about the current ones, but my MIL has an 01. Threw its AT at 88k miles or so in severe Caribbean service (hills and curves beyond what you would see here). For reference, their 02 accord 4 cyl lost its AT at 28k.

It definitely climbs and pulls well. But at least of that vintage, its ride is so soft and its turning radii so poor that if we have to drive the inlaws' cars, we VASTLY prefer the accord. It is better in every way down there. Makes the tight turns better, tighter suspension does better on the roads, etc.

Ill be interested to know what you find out about driving dynamics on a test drive. Please test a regular and an SE back to back. Not sure if the SE is just cosmetics.

I think personally Id prefer an Accord Sport with MT, even if it meant 4 cyl. These big 4 cyl engines these days do pretty decent. The camry is too much of a couch to me.

But looking forward to your findings on the latest one!!
 
I would say if you want a V6 to not look furher than an Altima. The VQ engine is awesome.. I would take one over the Toyota all day long if I wanted the V6 power.. That being said I don't think there is anything wrong with the Toyota 3.5, I just don't like the car it's in.
 
I have not heard bad about that motor in Camry, but the motor in the RAV4 sometimes had water pump problems, and it was not a cheap fix. Maybe it is easier to work on that mill in the Camry?

Have not had complaints about our non-SE. But it is a boring car to drive. I don't see how adding power will bring it alive. Not unless if the chassis is tightened significantly, and then it'd still be a large car.
 
Originally Posted By: SLCraig
I would say if you want a V6 to not look furher than an Altima. The VQ engine is awesome.. I would take one over the Toyota all day long if I wanted the V6 power.. That being said I don't think there is anything wrong with the Toyota 3.5, I just don't like the car it's in.

I'll do you one better and say you'd get the best power from the J35 V6 in the Honda Accord and do so with a refinement that the VQ doesn't have all while returning better MPG.

Now for some magazine test racing all c/o Car and Driver:
Accord:
0-60: 5.6s
1/4: 14.1s @ 101
Camry:
0-60: 5.8s
1/4: 14.3s @ 101
Altima:
0-60: 6.1s
1/4: 14.6s @ 100
 
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What model year Camry? It matters. I have driven a 2013 Camry with the 3.5L V-6 and was duly impressed with the poise the car had. And this was an XLE model, not the sportier SE. It drove completely different from the 2011 Camry I used to have. I'd say take one for a drive. It's a nice engine in a nice car.
 
I've sure it's a great car, and speedy in a straight line. However, the Camry has never been known to be "engaging".
 
My friend had the top o' the line model as a loaner when her Tundra was in on a rust recall. She called it her "mini vacation" because it was some much nicer than her 2002 Tundra V8.

V6 as unbelievably powerful. She took a full throttle blast up the on ramp and it was actually exhilerating.

At 32K, they aren't exactly giving them away.
 
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Alright peeps..so the V6 in the Camry is amazing. Screeching tires out of the parking lots bc the salesman said so. He is a Corvette enthusiast and was very surprised at the power this family sedan had.

I purchased a fully loaded, pre-owned (one owner) 2012 SE V6 model with 25k miles on it. Still smelled new, and according to carfax those miles were put on quickly.

So far the car is great. I just cant get over the power from a family sedan. Great car that should last me a long time!
 
Congratulations! Just remember not to volunteer that you broke your kiddy's piggy bank to put down payment on this or your APR is low low of 39.9% etc :) Seriously, don't volunteer or disclose financial aspect of the deal so that you will not be given unsolicited advice.

Which other cars did you drive in this price bracket?
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Congratulations! Just remember not to volunteer that you broke your kiddy's piggy bank to put down payment on this or your APR is low low of 39.9% etc :) Seriously, don't volunteer or disclose financial aspect of the deal so that you will not be given unsolicited advice.

Which other cars did you drive in this price bracket?


lol, believe me, I will spare myself!
I drove the Altima..which my wife has a 2011 and it drives very nice, but I didnt want two of the same cars. And I've heard of much transmission troubles with the new gen Altimas.
The Accord is nice, but to get a V6 you had to get a EX-L and it was above my price range.

Overall, my wife and I are very happy with the purchase. Although, she didnt understand why I wanted a V6, but inside every man is a race at a redlight...and now I am prepared! haha
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
gofast; 5.6 0-60 sounds insanely fast for the Accord! Is it V6 manual?


Sure is fast!!
 
Congrats on the new Camry hope it serves your needs well. If you bought it for excitement than you bought the wrong segment but if you bought it for proven reliability in a family sedan and more than enough power for when you want some spice here and there than it was the right choice.

Here's what Car and Driver had to say: LINK.

Keep us updated on how you like it compared to the Altima.
 
Originally Posted By: GenSan
Congrats on the new Camry hope it serves your needs well. If you bought it for excitement than you bought the wrong segment but if you bought it for proven reliability in a family sedan and more than enough power for when you want some spice here and there than it was the right choice.

Here's what Car and Driver had to say: LINK.

Keep us updated on how you like it compared to the Altima.


Im not necessarily a camry fan... Id personaly buy an accord MT if shopping this segment (experiences mentioned above). But Im happy for the OP. I do think that some of the discussion is funny. C&D said this:

Quote:
Our test car was an SE model, nominally sportier than the rest of the lineup, but the suspension tuning is still skewed strongly toward the comfort side of the chart. There’s considerable body roll in hard cornering, obstinate understeer progresses to absolute, and as is common nowadays, a new electric-assist power-steering system substitutes weight for tactile information. This string of criticisms would add up to “fuhgedaboudit” if the Camry had sports-sedan pretensions. But it doesn’t, and its dynamic virtues are on target for its family-sedan mission.


OK, but I have to wonder if one compared it to a "muscle" car from 1960-1990, just how much better/worse it would be. I imagine the camry would still outperform in both acceleration and handling, and of course MPGs and safety! Perhaps its not an E-class AMG, but its pretty darned capable, especially compared to some vehicles we consider powerful and fast from back in the day.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Vikas
gofast; 5.6 0-60 sounds insanely fast for the Accord! Is it V6 manual?

Sure is fast!!

It's faster than my E430 with a 4.3L V8, I think my E430 can do 6.4-6.5 seconds.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
gofast; 5.6 0-60 sounds insanely fast for the Accord! Is it V6 manual?

No, it was their 6 speed auto (conventional, not CVT as I'm sure the J35 would tear up the CVT in no time).

According to Car and Driver the V6 6MT coupe will do 0-60 in the same 5.6s however will do the 1/4 a tenth quicker (14.0) and 2mph faster (103).

From the test:
"...the modest updates to the V-6 combined with the tidier package of the new Accord result in one of the quickest front-wheel-drive four-doors we’ve ever tested."

"Those figures put it solidly ahead of all its competitors and into sports-sedan territory; the Accord ties our long-term, six-speed-manual BMW 328i to 60 and trumps that car in the quarter by 0.2 second and 1 mph."
 
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Nice choice! My dad has a white 2012 Camry LE with a rear lip spoiler on the back. 33k miles and almost 2 yrs old. No issues.

His first Camry was a taupe 1992 V6 SE sedan automatic. That version was rare back then esp with an automatic. Sunroof, alloys, wing etc. He didn't like it at first because of the stiff suspension. Esp, coming from a 1986 Buick Riviera. Ever since then he's had Camrys mostly because of the positive dealer experience.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2


OK, but I have to wonder if one compared it to a "muscle" car from 1960-1990, just how much better/worse it would be. I imagine the camry would still outperform in both acceleration and handling, and of course MPGs and safety! Perhaps its not an E-class AMG, but its pretty darned capable, especially compared to some vehicles we consider powerful and fast from back in the day.


laugh.gif


I have a lot of fun picking on the "Maytag Camry" but the truth of the matter is that it is a decent car.
No, it doesn't turn like a 1st gen Mazda6 or even the softened and enlarged 2nd gen 6, but it is pretty capable in emergency lane changes. It handles better than....well, pretty much every fwd car from the '80s

All of the V6 (or H6 in the case of the Subaru Legacy) will shame a lot of stock V8 "muscle". The Legacy has the highest 0-60 time and it is still quicker than a '96 Chevrolet Impala SS. (I love the LT-1 Impala, but bone stock all the 6 cylinder midsizes will walk away from it)

I don't think anyone makes a bad midsize anymore. Even the 4 cylinders are pretty good. Compare a 2.5 Malibu to a 1990 Lumina 2.5....well, don't because the Malibu will do everything better and can hit 60 in under 8 seconds
 
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