AutoPortal continues its series of materials on choosing and buying used cars. You can browse the catalog of used cars on our pages by going to the Used Cars section.
History
The 4th generation Toyota Camry (factory index V30) was first presented on September 11, 2001, at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
For the picky European buyer, the appearance of a new Japanese business-class sedan (E) was nothing out of the ordinary: by European standards, the car had neither a noble appearance, nor excellent driving qualities, nor the prestige and pompous respectability mandatory for this class. As a result, sales lasted only 2 years (until 2003).
But on the other side of the ocean - in the USA - everything was exactly the opposite. Camry has always been held in high esteem by Americans, as evidenced by the record sales of various generations of the car over many years. The "thirty" only strengthened Toyota's position in the market.
Toyota was also actively promoted in developing markets - in the CIS countries. In Ukraine, the car was immediately appreciated, recalling its predecessor, which had proven itself well over years of hard use in various government structures. The 30th did not escape this fate, and its future owners should be prepared for this (there is a chance of getting a "pool car").
On our market, there can be two types of Camry - "Europeans" and "Americans".
The majority are cars bought new at dealerships, which is a significant advantage: with an official service book, it is easy to trace the car's history.
In second place are "Americans" that were brought in both new (by "gray" dealers) and used. Here, certain difficulties may arise, mainly related to service: it is unknown how the car was maintained at a "gray" service station.
There are legends about cars brought from the States: Americans often treat their cars carelessly and do not understand why they should spend several hundred dollars every 10,000 km on maintenance using expensive synthetic oil and filters. Be careful when buying the American version, having "bitten" at the lower price.
In 2005, the car underwent a facelift. Toyota replaced the radiator grille, front and rear lights, and made a new design for the front bumper.
Overall, the demand for the previous generation Camry is very high - good options sell quickly. Perhaps because of this, Camry prices are very reluctant to decrease.
Well, how to choose the coveted option - read on.
Description
- Body type: sedan, coupe, convertible
- Doors/seats: 4/5 and 2/5 (coupe, convertible)
- Dimensions, Length/Width/Height, mm: 4815/1795/1500 and 4890/1815/1430 (coupe, convertible)
- Wheelbase, mm: 2720
- Curb/gross weight: 1390/1935 and 1450/n/a, 1610/n/a
- Trunk volume, l: 530 and 390, n/a
- Tank volume, l: 70
- Engines
- Petrol 4-cylinder: 2.0 L 16V (124 hp), 2.4 L 16V (152 hp)
- 6-cylinder: 3.0 L 24V (186 hp), 3.0 L 24V (213 hp), 3.3 L 24V (228 hp)
- Drive type: front
- Transmission: 5-speed manual or 4- and 5-speed automatic
- Brakes front/rear: ventilated disc/disc or drum
- Suspension front/rear: independent/ independent
The Toyota Camry V30 was assembled in almost all parts of the world (this car was produced in Japan, USA, Canada, Australia), and was sold worldwide.
The car was produced in a sedan body, 4.8 m long (for the European market).
There were four engines, all petrol - with volumes of 2.0, 2.4, 3.0, and 3.3 liters. They can be found with slightly different power outputs, depending on the target market.
There are two types of gearboxes - 5-speed manual and 4-, as well as 5-speed automatic.
All Camry versions were only front-wheel drive.
Several trim levels were available for the car, while the standard equipment for the Ukrainian market included:
- climate control,
- four electric windows,
- heated front seats and electrically adjustable mirrors,
- audio system with CD changer,
- alloy wheels,
- parking sensors,
- 4 airbags (in expensive 3.0-liter versions - 6),
- ABS, EBD (electronic brake-force distribution),
- Brake Assist (emergency braking assistance).
In 3.0-liter versions - also VSC (vehicle stability control) and TRC (traction control system).
The windshield wiper is equipped with a rain sensor that automatically turns on the "wipers", and the headlights are equipped with a light sensor that activates the headlights when there is insufficient light (for example, when passing through a tunnel), and then turns them off again.
For an additional cost, electric front seats (in expensive versions - with position memory), leather interior trim, and cruise control were offered.
"American" Toyota Camry differ very significantly from "European" ones. This applies to everything: exterior, interior, suspension settings.
Firstly, the ground clearance of "American" cars is lower than that of cars produced for Europe. Secondly, the suspension settings differ - on "Americans" the ride is softer. And, thirdly, "American" Camrys have frankly poor "light", a different radio frequency range, and an engine management system.
Nevertheless, according to dealership service specialists, there are no problems with servicing "Americans". Moreover, at the owner's request, the "brains" are reflashed, after which you can install a European instrument cluster, calibrated in km/h, and the radio will pick up European radio frequencies.
Body
Rust has not yet reached the body metal of even the oldest cars (2001). However, chrome on plastic parts is eaten away very quickly due to our winter reagents. In addition, from road salt and dirt, the electric folding mirrors (if not used) and the retractable electric antenna stop working over time. Cleaning helps only temporarily - in both cases, the problem is solved only by replacement.
Occasionally, fogging of the front optics and "fog lights" has been noted.
Also, over time, the plastic cover of the front headlights of "Americans" gets sandblasted, becomes dull, and the headlights start to shine worse. This is because the "Americans" have a plastic cover for the front optics, while the "Europeans" have glass. Many change the optics to European ones - more durable and with the correct light distribution for us.
Interior
The rear of the car is very spacious - three people can easily fit in the back. Only the door opening, narrowed at the bottom, and the high sill at the rear door make getting out difficult. The seats are large, wide, without pronounced lateral support.
As for the interior, the interior design, as well as the list of basic equipment, inspires respect. Except that on American versions (even with a 3.0 L engine), you can find cheaper velour and air conditioning, unlike Europeans with leather and climate control.
I would also like to note the excellent sound insulation.
Of the interior "stuffing", the following breakdowns can cause problems. From frequent use, the mechanisms of the electric windows become loose - usually the driver's one. The mechanism is replaced as an assembly.
If the air conditioning indicator is blinking, and the desired coolness is not in the cabin, then the fan activation relay has probably become capricious.
Among the characteristic drawbacks, it is worth noting the limited rear visibility, because the high "stern" blocks the rear extreme dimension, although the driver is helped by the parking sensors (front and rear), which are standardly equipped on many "thirties".
Thanks to the powerful amplifier, the steering wheel is light, which is pleasant when maneuvering in tight parking lots. But at high speeds, the steering is not very informative.
The trunk volume (520 L) is one of the largest among business-class cars. If necessary, it can be increased by folding the split rear seat backs.
Engines
Most often, we come across Toyota Camry V30s equipped with one of two petrol engines with a volume of 2.4 or 3.0 liters. These versions were officially supplied to Ukraine.
On "Americans", there can be either these engines or 2.0- and 3.3-liter units, but they are rare here. Also, under the hood of American versions, there are sometimes units borrowed from the platform-sharing Lexus ES - a more powerful 213-horsepower 3.0-liter engine and a 5-speed "automatic".
In addition, you can bring a car with a 3.3-liter engine (225 hp) from the USA.
Let's look at the most common European engines.
The first is a 4-cylinder 16-valve latest (for that time) development 2.4 L (152 hp) with the index 2AZ-FE. It uses the VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing-intelligent) system, which regulates the opening and closing phases of the intake valves. Thanks to it, the engine is very elastic and has good traction throughout the entire rev range. Consumption is around 12-14 liters. The gas distribution mechanism is driven by a chain, whose resource is more than 300,000 km of mileage.
The second is a 3.0-liter 24-valve V6 with a power of 186 hp Compared to the 2.4, it is distinguished by a characteristic pickup from the bottom, for which you will have to pay with fuel consumption - 14-16 L is the norm for this engine. A characteristic drawback, compared to the 4-cylinder version, is the presence of a timing belt instead of a chain. The procedure for replacing it should be carried out every 150,000 km. Plus, it is advisable to change the rollers as well.
No characteristic malfunctions with the "thirty" engines were identified during operation. Some engines have already covered more than 300,000 km and still do not require the intervention of mechanics. The main thing is not to forget to carry out the necessary maintenance.
It is recommended to flush the injectors every 40,000 km. If the engine runs unevenly with good spark plugs, then the throttle body should also be flushed.
Platinum spark plugs, when running on domestic gasoline, cannot boast of durability - they will have to be changed after 10-20 thousand km. Valve clearance adjustment may be required only after 200,000 km of mileage. Oxygen sensors (lambda probes) can also fail due to low-quality fuel.
On cars of the first years of production, the radiator may leak. To a greater extent, this problem is typical for American versions - the cooling system radiator on heavily used specimens does not withstand our frosts and humidity, combined with winter reagents. Therefore, it is recommended to renew the antifreeze every 40,000 km and regularly clean the radiator from dirt.
Transmission
The 3.0-liter versions were equipped with 4- and 5-speed automatic transmissions, and the 2.4-liter versions - with both an "automatic" and a 5-speed "manual".
By the way, on the automatic transmissions of V6 versions, the control "brains" can be ordinary or with an adaptive control program that can, by changing the shift points, adapt to different driving styles of the driver.
5-speed versions of the automatic transmission can be found on V6 versions for the American market.
Manual transmissions have proven to be quite reliable. Clutch replacement in a transmission with a manual gearbox is usually done after 120-140 thousand km.
On cars with mileage over 200,000, problems with the automatic transmission are already encountered. Incompetent operation (untimely oil changes, slipping, sharp starts) leads to failure of the automatic transmission output shaft bearing or to loss of tightness of the torque converter seal. But this is not a reason to refuse the "automatic".
In general, the main thing is not to forget to change the oil every 40,000 km (and in the automatic transmission, also the filter).
Suspension
Structurally, the suspension is similar to the predecessor Camry (20) - McPherson is used in the front, and a "multi-link" in the rear, although their parts are not interchangeable. The suspension of the model from the early 90s turned out to be so successful that it was decided to use it in the new generation as well.
Compared to its predecessor, the "thirty" became more imposing, as evidenced by the corresponding settings of the chassis and steering. So, the soft suspension provides very high comfort while driving. The flip side of this setting is roll. When cornering at speed or during a sharp maneuver, unpleasant rolls occur, and during hard braking, body dives.
The chassis is quite durable; most often (after 30-40 thousand km) you will only have to change the stabilizer bar bushings. The stabilizer struts "last" about 70,000 km on heavier versions with V6 engines, and about 100,000 km on 4-cylinder ones.
The remaining parts last even longer. So, the silent blocks of the front arms and ball joints can last about 200,000 km, the bushings of the rear trailing arms - 100-150 thousand km, and the transverse ones - even more.
The cost of maintenance is increased by the fact that the "rubber bands" are supplied together with the front arms, and the rear bearings - together with the hubs.
By 300,000 km, the lower crosspiece of the steering shaft may fail. Steering rods can last 100-150 thousand km.
Brakes
The model is equipped with disc brakes on all wheels, with the front ones being ventilated. ABS was installed as standard. Note that the model was equipped with both a lever drive for the parking brake and a pedal one.
The front pads last about 20,000 km, the rear ones - 40,000 km. The disadvantages include the short resource of the front brake discs, which need to be changed after 20-30 thousand km, as vibration begins during braking due to deformation. This happens when cold water gets on a hot disc after active braking.
Once every two years, it is necessary to change the brake fluid. When replacing the pads, it is recommended to clean and lubricate the calipers, as the mechanism can jam over time.
Spare parts prices
Spare parts prices remain high, despite the change of generations. There are no problems with availability and choice. The market offers both relatively cheap parts from China and expensive original Japanese parts.
There are no problems with used parts either: recently, many "thirties" have been brought to scrapyards in large cities. For example:
- used starter will cost $300,
- front headlight - $100,
- trunk lid - $300,
- fender - $300,
- climate control unit - $100.
Summary
The Toyota Camry V30 is a good and quite reliable car. It is structurally simple and unpretentious in operation, which is also an important plus for our compatriots. The problems that may arise during operation will not cause any particular difficulties in terms of elimination.
The "thirty" can be recommended to a person who values comfort, tranquility, and prefers to drive long distances. In this case, it is simply an ideal option. For those who prefer active driving, we advise looking at other brands and models.
The optimal option, in our opinion, is a post-facelift "European" with any of the available engines (2.4 or 3.0 L) paired with an automatic transmission.
The price range for cars is as follows: from $12000 for a 2.4-liter American from 2002 and up to $20000 for a 3.0-liter European from 2006.
You can choose a car for yourself and learn more about prices on our pages in the Used Cars section.
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