Of all the cars you owned how would rate the camry hy - Page 3 - GreenHybrid

Islander · #21 (**permalink**) 08-27-2007, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heavymetal

... I love my TCH for what it is; but it can't compare to a larger luxury sedan. ... In buying my ’07 TCH, I just put my ’97 Sedan Deville (De Elegance) to pasture. It had 197K miles on it and the biggest thing I had to do to it was fix a minor oil leak. I love being able to pass a truck on a two lane highway going 60 miles per hour and by the time I clear it and get back into the right lane, I’m in three digits.

I rate my DTS at a 9.0 and my TCH at a 7.0. I think Toyota could have done a lot of things better ergonomically like:

1) Memory package. My DTS remembers two different drivers last settings like radio/CD station, track and volume, cabin temperature, three mirror memory, seat heat and position.

2) Armrests - need I say more?

3) Back-up sensors. Just about everybody has them now.

4) A decent navigation system. The TCH is obsolete at best.

I know a lot of you are going to take offense at these minor critiques, but I still think the TCH is a great little car ... definitely the best hybrid on the road.

We too traded a '97 DeVille (but 50K miles) for our TCH ... and miss, yes indeed, miss the creature comforts - especially the 'memory' - of the DeVille. We added B/U sensors, and have no need of NAV system, living on a small island.

However delightful the DeVille, it was horrendous to service - "the worst car ever" our mechanic called it. Fuel System at 30K (fortunately - factory recall shortly thereafter); alternator at 33K ($1K); major A/C at 36K ($2K); oil leak at 48K that would cost $4K to remedy - and 15 mpg in our use. Loved the car - its comfort and conveniences; couldn't live with the rest.

TCH is no DeVille (or DTS, for that matter) but will run forever; require modest maintenance; provide economical mileage, and; is a generally comfortable, if not all that fully equipped car.

PLUS - the whole Stability/Safety package (VDIM).

I'd give the DeVille 9.0 for comfort/convenience; 4.0 for mechanical reliability/service
the TCH 7.5 for comfort/convenience; 9.5 for mechanical reliability/service

And gas mileage and CO2 emissions - no comparison.

Heavymetal · #22 (**permalink**) 08-29-2007, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Islander

We too traded a '97 DeVille (but 50K miles) for our TCH ... and miss, yes indeed, miss the creature comforts - especially the 'memory' - of the DeVille. We added B/U sensors, and have no need of NAV system, living on a small island.

However delightful the DeVille, it was horrendous to service - "the worst car ever" our mechanic called it. Fuel System at 30K (fortunately - factory recall shortly thereafter); alternator at 33K ($1K); major A/C at 36K ($2K); oil leak at 48K that would cost $4K to remedy - and 15 mpg in our use. Loved the car - its comfort and conveniences; couldn't live with the rest.

TCH is no DeVille (or DTS, for that matter) but will run forever; require modest maintenance; provide economical mileage, and; is a generally comfortable, if not all that fully equipped car.

PLUS - the whole Stability/Safety package (VDIM).

I'd give the DeVille 9.0 for comfort/convenience; 4.0 for mechanical reliability/service
the TCH 7.5 for comfort/convenience; 9.5 for mechanical reliability/service

And gas mileage and CO2 emissions - no comparison.

Wow! Sorry to hear about your misfortunes with your Caddy. I think I may have received a 'good one'. I've heard about the '97's leaking oil and needing to pull the engine to fix. I'm not sure if I can rate the reliabilty of the TCH as it is a new vehicle (year and Hybrid system), but Toyota has a good track record indeed. Let's "hoist one" to good things ahead.

Islander · #23 (**permalink**) 08-30-2007, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heavymetal

... I've heard about the '97's leaking oil and needing to pull the engine to fix.

I'm not sure if I can rate the reliabilty of the TCH as it is a new vehicle (year and Hybrid system), but Toyota has a good track record indeed ...

Yep - that was the leak ... ! ! Sayonara baby.

Wife insisted she wouldn't sell to anyone - only use for trade-in - because she couldn't tell anyone that it wasn't a pig to repair.

This our third Camry ... so expecting similar longevity - or better.
My '87 LE (4 cyl - 90K) is, mechanically, the best car I've owned - tho some body rust - likely due to salt air environment.
Survived timing belt failure at 65K when I didn't replace at 60K per manual.

SciFi Guy · #24 (**permalink**) 08-30-2007, 08:25 AM

It'd be hard to assign a numeric score, but in relative rankings it's in the top three. Reliability in all three were excellent. Ranking based on comfort, and perceived quality.

1st: 2000 Totota Solara XLE V6
2nd: 2007 Camry Hybrid
3rd: 1991 Acura Integra

The Camry loses points to the Solara for poor climate control, bad auto-dimming mirrors, and so-so leather seats. It also looks cheaply made by comparison. The Acura had rattles that the dealer could never track down, and had the worst A/C of the three.