I must admit I am a big Toyota loyalist. I'm not looking for something that will die in 2-3 years or need major repairs.

I have read the one review that someone has put up and find it amazing. Now I freely admit there are cars out there that are lemons. My question about mythmanq's review is, why didn't this individual take this vehicle back? Also, the MPG is probably contingent that you don't try to drive the vehicle as a race car. "the engine is just not enough power, from 0-60 take too long in today's freeway" tells me that this person likes to gun the engine quite a bit, which would result in a lower gas mileage.

Not to mention this individual also wrote a review on a 2004 Corolla stating the same thing, no power. Again, power seems to be a big thing with this individual. If power is something you require, perhaps the Camry isn't for you. However if you want a car that is going to be driven in a sane manner and isn't going to be driven like a race car, perhaps this car is for you.

So what is to like about the camry? For starters the standard options for the price. ABS, dual air bags, CD player, etc. Price out a Nissan Altima, Honda Accord, Chrysler Sebring, or any other vehicle with the same options and Toyota will pretty much beat them. The only one that would give a good run would be the Accord, but my problem with them is sometimes it's hard to get a quote. For example I put in a request for an internet quote. I received 3 from different Toyota dealers. The 2 Honda dealers not only did not give me a price (even after telling them specifically the vehicle and options I wanted), but wanted me to go into their dealership. This may not be every Honda dealership, so don't read into it, but the fact that the Toyota dealers were willing to quote over e-mail made me feel better about their prices and willingness to stand behind their product. I did not get a price nor any contact from the Chrysler dealership, which pretty much states how bad the American dealers really are compared to foreign makers.

Another standard feature is the radio control on the steering wheel (LE version). It took me a little while to get used to, but I find it fairly nice and it keeps my eyes on the road. The stereo system in the vehicle appears to be good as well. With that said, someone did mention that the stereo system was subpar, even in the XLE version. I will not refute that as admittedly I'm not much into blaring my speakers and I'm not as acute on quality sounds. My advice if you are into stereos and the such, get the base stereo and change it aftermarket.

My vehicle has the sunroof on it. The best part about the sunroof is the fact that they put the wind deflector on with it. It reduces the wind noise considerably! One note, if you want the sunroof AND Side Impact airbags/curtain, then you might have to have the dealership factory order it for you. I live in Texas and they did a search on that combo and could not find it in 5 states (I'm assuming the gulf states).

Another standard option is the driver side power seat. Again LE version is what I'm talking about. I believe the base model (CE?) does not have power seat, but does have power lumbar support. The power seat is a nice option so that you get the right leg support to peddle vs. having to get the lever action and close as possible approach. Again with the tilt of the seat itself.

One thing to keep in mind when negotiating with the dealer is to research the particular tires they put on the vehicle. One dealer put a set of Bridgestone tires on it. Now Bridgestone I believe is doing a fairly good job in doing due diligence, but the particular brand of tire that this dealer put on was the worst model I could tell. Another appears to be putting on a brand I've never heard about before. So depending on the dealer, you may want to make sure that the tires that are being provided are of good quality.

So what about maintenance? Basically the most you have to do for the car for a long time is change the oil either every 5000 miles or every 6 months, whichever comes first. Compare that to the normal american manufacturer vehicles of 3000 miles or 3 months. You'll be saving more in the long run with the Toyota. The Honda Accord is better, if I remember correctly, in that it is 10,000 miles and they put a chain timing belt, so you shouldn't have to ever change it out, theoretically.

This is my 3rd Camry. The first was a 99 and the one before was a 2004. Long story short, someone rammed into my vehicle and totaled it. So I just got done comparing the Accord and a few other vehicles. I tried to give the other companies the benefit of the doubt, but I just couldn't say no to the price and quality of the Toyotas. The Nissan Altima was approximately $3000 more even with their bigger incentive as well as the Sebring. I didn't even talk to the Honda guy after visiting one dealer due to they only had one model that met my criteria and it was in a color I did not like.

In the end, if you want a race car, something with pick up speed, or a car that is just aesthetically great looking, perhaps this car is not for you. If you want something that is reliable, holds it's trade value up (amazingly my vehicle only depreciated 2k from a year ago), has lower average maintenance costs, and gets better gas mileage than it's American peers, then perhaps you should take a look at this vehicle and try it out.

*****I forgot to mention the warranty. The Camry had a standard 3 year/36000 mile warranty. Now compare that to a Hyundai or Kia, it's not that long. Even some other American car manufacturers have a better warranty. With that said, I had my first Camry for over 5 years with no problems with it other than needing to change the oil and tires. Keep in mind also that the extended warranty the dealer offers is not your only option! Talk to your bank on what warranty deals they have. A comparable warranty that my bank offered was approximately $200 less than the one offered by the dealership. The best part was if I didn't use it, I could apply to get the full amount back! So shop around on an extended warranty if you believe you will have the car around for a long time.
Amount Paid (US$): 20000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2005
Model and Options: LX, Sunroof, Side Impact Bag/Curtain, Tint, Cargo Net