I agree completely. I love my ‘96 4Runner, it’s from the pinnacle of Toyota’s “fat” years. Incredibly well built, most of the materials are all vastly over-spec’d for the application. Fantastic quality paint, interior trim, etc, etc. Our 2012 Camry is a FAR cry from that, plenty of stone chips right past the e-coat…
4Runner96
4runner96
Yeah so the Lotus is using a Toyota engine, not the other way around lol
How about cost of repairs, the inconvenience of having to plan on weekend wrenching or drop off/pick up at the shop or aggravation of a perpetual christmas tree dash, etc? There’s something satisfying about these old Camries that’s missing from a lot of pricier and/or newer cars. Like a good quality vanilla ice cream.
“It could be argued, in my honest opinion, that the current Camry may rival that one in terms of Camry greatness”
Hardly. (IMO)
Owned a ‘00 Maxima and ‘96 ES300 back to back. I definitely preferred the VQ30 for layout and power delivery (and mpg, and running a timing chain). But what I wish I could do was transplant the VQ into the ES300 body, which was vastly more solid feeling and better screwed together (also notably heavier). My ES300's…
Wow bro you sound like a real automotive ENTHOOOSIAST
I DD a 2012 Camry SE now and also miss how much better built my old ‘96 ES300 beater was. The 2012 is quite simply a cheaper made car in every sense of the word.
“They have a freaking Lotus V6 in them!”
LOL I assume that’s tongue in cheek?
The author who wrote this piece, obviously. Awesome writeup, great photos. If you can’t appreciate just how well this era of Camry was engineered and screwed together, YOU my friend, are the one that doesn’t actually like cars.
Similar HP on paper, but the Maxima was about 300lb(ish?) lighter, and that VQ just seemed to want to spin up like a jet engine to its redline. I owned a ‘00 Maxima (with the variable intake manifold that bumped power to 220hp), and immediately afterwards swapped out to a ‘96 ES300 with the 1MZ. The Lexus felt like a…
It’s all relative. Is this basically a cost cut XV10? yes. Does the XV30 (K platform) 03-06 Camry feel like an even bigger leap in cost cutting? Yes. Does the XV40 feel like an even BIGGER leap in cost cutting from the XV30? Again, YES. And onwards. My wife’s 2012 (XV50 for those keeping count) is even cheaper…
I was gonna say, quick easy weekend job, with a satisfying improvement in stance and ride quality!
That’s awesome and I agree. Casual car guys and auto journalists love to point to 1990s interiors and say “look how drab and cheap, what a penalty box!” What a head-ass take. Even after the cost cutting from the XV10, these XV20s have fantastic cloth seats, nice soft touch vinyl and high quality plastic, the action…
Great writeup. XV20s are rock solid cars and my go-to recommendation for someone needing cheap wheels in the $3-5k range. Yes everyone talks about how they were cost cut compared to the triple-door sealed XV10s, but even so they are still VERY nicely put together with excellent materials, compared to the XV30 and…
No I’m saying when I get parts as a hobbyist on my own time I give part numbers (as a double check more than anything). Why wouldn’t you tell your parts guy “give me a power steering belt for a 2005 Civic?”
I’ve never worked in a shop myself but am surrounded by friends in the business.
That thing is a freaking steal. Someone’s gonna buy it for $1000 and then relist it for $3500 (that it will sell for).
Part from the parts guy? The part number. Customer? “We replaced the power steering belt” or in the case of a single belt setup “we replaced the serpentine belt”
Found the guy who buys the dealer Fuel injector upsells LOL
Fit’s L15 runs a timing chain.
Oh boo hoo. The guy wrote a shit article justifying pure laziness and ignorance on his part, and people called him out on it. This guy sucks, good riddance