Picked up a new 2020 Camry

[Amkeer]

Just picked up a brand new 2020 Camry SE a couple of weeks back. This vehicle has the 2.5LTR motor with the 8 speed automatic transmission. It had 5 miles on it when we took delivery. I was negotiating with two high volume dealers for about 3 weeks. I had a plan and then I took the wife with me and that all got thrown out the window. She wouldn't let me leave without buying it at what she considered a reasonable price. They were at $30,600 we eventually settled at $23600. It also came with a Lifetime Powertrain Warranty. A couple of photos:

A few observations after 2 weeks ownership:

1. The car drives fantastic. It has the sport tuned suspension and the power out of the 2.5 is no slouch. I drove with the wife (let her drive ;-) ) and she gunned it I quickly reminded her its in the break in cycle.
2. The exhaust has a distinct throaty sound as if it has a performance exhaust.
3. The fit and finish is excellent on the interior and exterior of the vehicle. The seats are comfortable and the controls are nicely placed.
4. First full tank of fuel was used and that calculation returned 34 MPG on a mixed hwy and city.
5. Dipstick shows a very light grey color as the motor now has 600 miles on it. I will drain this oil out at 2000 miles and put in? It calls for 0w/16.
6. Needs tint! Leaning towards the 3M Color Stable as opposed to ceramic due to color.
7. I need to detail it after the tint is installed and we get out of Love Bug season. I am thinking either Adams Ceramic or Klasse SG.

The cons:

1. I don't like the chrome around the windows. Not sure if I will get the chrome wrapped or not.
2. It came with chrome lug nuts and I ordered black and those will be changed out.

 

[Mr Nice]

Congratulations. Love the color.

 

[Amkeer]

Thanks man! Supersonic red. The pictures don't do it justice. I was trying to get away from red but couldn't. My eye was on the white Nightshade but they are rare as well as this one. The wife didn't like the white she said it was to blah. Plus she like the moonroof.

 

[GMguy84]

I drove a rental 2019 Camry in Chicago last year and LOVED IT

The infotainment system is VERY nice !! And it handled very well in the snow !! I also did a road trip to Indianapolis and was very impressed !!


I NEVER thought in my life I would think that a Camry was a pretty cool car to drive


My brother had a 2013 SE 4cyl I drove from Oklahoma to San Francisco. And boy it was SLOW compared to other cars I have driven in my life


Dave

 

[silversport]

gorgeous color (and I'm not a red car guy)...I'm impressed that you got $7K off the sticker...nice job

Bill

 

[Amkeer]

Originally Posted by GMguy84
I drove a rental 2019 Camry in Chicago last year and LOVED IT the infotainment system is VERY nice !! And it handled very in the snow and also did a road trip to Indianapolis and was very impressed !!

I NEVER thought in my life I would think that a Camry was a pretty cool car to drive


My brother had a 2013 SE 4cyl I drove from Oklahoma to San Francisco. And boy it was SLOW compared to other cars I have driven in my life


Dave


Definitely fun to drive. The 2014 I have is no slouch and is also fun to drive. That will be going to a new owner soon as 4 vehicles is more than enough. I feel like a automotive shop here.

 

[buster]

Nice! Congrats. Great car and great deal.

 

[Amkeer]

Originally Posted by silversport
gorgeous color (and I'm not a red car guy)...I'm impressed that you got $7K off the sticker...nice job

Bill


I tried getting more than that off and probably could have but the wife was killing me. The problem was this one was in the showroom and if we didn't buy it it would have been gone within a day. I would have not heard the end of it. I went to the other dealer a day before and tried negotiating on two different Camry's without the wife, no go. I walked out. They didn't counter. This dealer is one I have been buying from for 35 years. I started to walk out on this deal and they saw that I was and changed the subject real quick.

 

[Amkeer]

Thanks Buster. New toys! Nothing like the smell of new car in the morning.

 

[pbm]

I also love that color (but I would probably get white so as not to have to worry about swirls and keeping it clean etc...white seems to hide dirt and swirls).

I much prefer Toyota's approach of using a normal sized, finely tuned engine over Honda's use of
a 1.5T as their base engine in the Accord....and I doubt the MPG difference will be very much.
If I were in the market for another car...that Camry would be very high on my list. Good Luck
with it. The only thing I don't like about the Camry is those silly black things on the rear bumpers...
Toyota should lose those, IMO...

 

[Kira]

Best of luck with it.
Quick question (save me Googling): Is it a real 8 speed or a CVT with 8 plateaus?

 

[CharBaby]

Congrats!
Does it have the RED leather interior too?

Kira, yes it is an Aisin 8 speed/torque converted shiftable tranny.

Oops sorry, I didn't let the OP answer.

 

[wemay]

Congratulations ðŸ‘
Really nice color.

 

[pbm]

Originally Posted by Char Baby
Congrats!
Does it have the RED leather interior too?

Kira, yes it is an Aisin 8 speed/torque converted shiftable tranny.

Oops sorry, I didn't let the OP answer.


Which is another plus, IMO (TC over a CVT)....although the fact that Toyota has pretty much
made it a 'dealer serviceable only' transmission by removing the dipstick etc...is a negative.

 

[eljefino]

Wife got a supersonic red Prius last summer. Was hard finding a toyota that wasn't grey! She also, ah, "influenced" the deal in the F&I office when I wanted to slow things down and read the loan contract.

Sales-dude pulled it up on his computer screen then quickly whipped the scroll wheel on the mouse then wanted me to electronically sign on this little point-of-sale gizmo like they have at Dollar Tree.

You are correct in that it's an interesting mix of black, red, and chrome. Perhaps the window accents are an attempted return to the 80s when the Japanese were really hitting it big. (Like this Cressida). Happy motoring!

Malwart has 0w16 in ST and M1 flavors. Your owners manual should allow 0w20 if you "can't find" the thin stuff.

 

[CT8]

Very nice !

 

[CharBaby]

[/quote: pbm] Which is another plus, IMO (TC over a CVT)....although the fact that Toyota has pretty much
made it a 'dealer serviceable only' transmission by removing the dipstick etc...is a negative.[/quote]

Youtube is your friend.

 

[gregk24]

When I was recently researching the current generation Camry I saw a lot of complaints about rough/hard shifting with the 8 speed auto. You have not found this to be the case?

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I would want "rough shifting" over the clutch burning flare of most trans.

Sure there are lots of software bugs that need fixing on the day they plug into the ALDL.


We need to build these now!

Software is only 80% debugged !

Load it as-is.

They can Fix it later at the P.O.S.

Turns are too fast for "refinement" these days in commodity vehicles

That why the Grand Marquis and Buick LeSabre wre so awesome in the last few year of production.

Refined to a "T"

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Originally Posted by Amkeer
Originally Posted by silversport
gorgeous color (and I'm not a red car guy)...I'm impressed that you got $7K off the sticker...nice job

Bill


I tried getting more than that off and probably could have but the wife was killing me. The problem was this one was in the showroom and if we didn't buy it it would have been gone within a day. I would have not heard the end of it. I went to the other dealer a day before and tried negotiating on two different Camry's without the wife, no go. I walked out. They didn't counter. This dealer is one I have been buying from for 35 years. I started to walk out on this deal and they saw that I was and changed the subject real quick.



Amkeer:

I too found that negotiating with the Wife is a plus. They KNOW you are ready to buy.

23K is about right for a optioned up 4 cylinder FWD commodity car out the door..

That 30K "sticker must of had some heavy ADMU?

Looks like Camry is becoming the right choice again in Sedans when everyone is buying SUV's and Trucks.

Me, I need another car in the Fall as my VW lease is up. I'm either going Classic 60's ( which will retain its value)
Or something "Sporty" in RWD.
_________________________________________

Good luck and have fun with the new car. I say 0W20 in that. Maybe with a 1/2 qt amendment of 0W40 M1 FS