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Sedans Midsize Sedans 2.0
13340 messages, Last post on Dec 06, 2009 at 10:12 PM
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Replying to: venus537 (Oct 27, 2007 10:53 pm) Nissans interiors were never pitiful. GM owned that category. They were average. Now IMO the Altima has surpassed the Camry inside. When it comes to interior fit and finish it still comes down to VW, then Honda and then the rest Yes, and both have gotten worse with the current generation of the CR-V/Accord/Passat/Jetta. I got to say it cracks me up when I read that someone's 1988 Accord interior is better in some way then today's Accord. I've owned Accords from that period and their interiors were top notch for the day but by today's standards they're pretty dreadful. I can guarantee you that after a 4 hour trip your back is going to feel much better in a 2008 Accord then a 1998 Accord. You are missing the point in some respects here. I drive my in laws 1996 Camry on regular ocassion. I have test driven the 2007 Camry and sat in them for as long as I wanted at dealerships and car shows. I have been in the cloth seats and the top of the line XLE with leather. Clearly the 2007 version is much roomier inside and I would estimate to be more comfortable on long trips. The 2007 is much better lit inside with the gauge cluster and the overhead lights. The interior layout is pleasing to the eye with a modern swooped dash and flowing center stack/console and an open feel. The colors inside are pleasing as well. The 1996 by contrast is a dull looking saddle brown with no offsetting colors. The gauges are the old back lit design and there is one interior dome light that cannot be turned on from a dash switch. The center stack/console is a plain square. It looks dated now and to be frank wasn't very exciting in 1996 either. HOWEVER, the material quality and fit and finish are superior in the 1996. The 2007 Camry has hard plastic door handles. The '96 are thickly padded as is the upper door pads and armrests. The 2007 foregos padding and inserts cheap plastic wherever it can get away with it. The carpeting and trim pieces in the 96 have held up remarkably well for 207,000 miles and counting. There is also not a rattle or squeak in the console or glove box door. The 2007 carpet is thin and you can see the staples coming up. I'd love to see it hold up half as well as the '96. The plastic door handles have plastic centers that clip into place which was already falling out of some of the cars I sat in. The center console does not line up on any of the 2007's I saw. I have read reviews on edmunds about squeaks and rattles in cold weather on 3 month old Camry's We expect a 2007 Toyota Camry to have superior design, comfort and functionality than a 1996 Camry. What I did not expect and what the car buying public should not tolerate is the downgraded quality and fit and finish for a car that Toyota is asking us to pay in excess of 30k for a loaded XLE V6. Just look online at many 2007 Camry reviews. Sure, there are plenty of positive ones but there is an astonishingly high amount of people complaining for a Toyota and the cheap interior comes up an awful lot. I never thought I would say this but I like the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan better. I have to eat crow on that one too because in the spring of 2006 I ridiculed the the upcoming Fusion saying no way it could be as nice as the soon to be launched 2007 Camry.
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Replying to: pmerk28 (Oct 28, 2007 2:49 pm) My initial plan was to get a camry, after renting the new camry it made me look at German brands. But supposedly VW's are a hit or miss, if you get lucky you get a tank and it'll rarely break down and if you're unlucky you get a lemon and VWoA doesn't help you at all. I've never bought a honda before, always felt toyota was more reliable mechanically and i'm not pick about interiors as long as it doesn't feel cheap for its price. Thats why i don't complain about my corolla's fairly crappy interior. The world is running out of mainstream car companies. It seems like you have to spend a minimum of 30k for a good car today. what about buick... comes high in reliability ratings but i cant believe that because it's essentially a rebadged chevy. Anyone have any recommendations? The new corolla going to be any good?
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Replying to: pengwin (Oct 28, 2007 8:25 am) That sounds like the doors on the 07 Accords I checked out at the dealer a few months back. |
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Replying to: pengwin (Oct 28, 2007 3:50 pm) Try a Hyundai Sonata. You'll be pleansently surprised. Today's Hyundai is not what it was 15 or 20 years ago. Hyundai has been getting good reliability ratings for over 5 years.
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Replying to: pengwin (Oct 28, 2007 3:50 pm) Correct on VW. The world is running out of mainstream car companies. It seems like you have to spend a minimum of 30k for a good car today. what about buick... comes high in reliability ratings but i cant believe that because it's essentially a rebadged chevy. Anyone have any recommendations? The new corolla going to be any good? Buicks been reliable for a while now. They are made better than Chevy and Buick pays attention to noise levels. Buick only has three models now. The Lacross and Lucerene won't appeal much to anyone under 60 but sitting inside them they are a cut above Pontiac/Chevy. They feel and look solid. The enclave is going to be a smash, i believe, it's that nice. But now we are talking SUV and we are talking 40 grand for a loaded one. Take a look at the Ford Fusion. An awful lot of car for the money.
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Replying to: chrono (Oct 28, 2007 11:51 am) True, it was the base model. But a lot of the complaints C/D had with the XE would also apply to the XR. My switching cars proves to me what I like, and of course it's an opinion like everyone else's. But when a lot of people share the same opinion then there has to be some fact in the matter. What fact would that would be? That the Accord is now in a position of keeping up? You found one article that backs your opinion and now it's a fact. When it comes to a numbers game of who's opinion is the same as yours and who's opinion is the same as mine you'll come short. The only fact that's out there is that for you and others the Aura is the better car. There's no argument there. So we can now bring into this discussion luxury sports sedans? I hope an Audi is better then my Aura. Your paying 10-15K more for your car. More like $7-8K as I went easy on the options. The point wasn't that I thought the Audi was the superior car but how disappointing I found the Aura to be compared to my last Accord. |
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Replying to: pmerk28 (Oct 28, 2007 4:39 pm) As far as Buicks go, sure they're reliable but very mediocre in quality otherwise. I think the only reason Buick is rated higher than their GM counterparts in reliability is that the elderly are easier on them.
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Replying to: lightfootfl (Oct 28, 2007 10:33 am) I concur, I agree there are definitely different strokes for different folks. I have never been in an enclosed vehicle where I felt I had to raise my voice to converse with passengers or add an amplifier to the stereo to keep up, but at the same time, I do appreciate the sound of an engine, and its mechanical song.
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Replying to: pmerk28 (Oct 28, 2007 2:49 pm) Can't speak to the CR-V as I avoid SUVs like they're the plague. Of course they're useful when I need to haul something. Then it's time to talk to my brother. As far as the new Accord. I haven't had a chance to examine the Accord's interior throughly but my initial impressions are that it hasn't gotten worse. Passat. I agree with you there and I think VW is paying dearly for that as their customers have the same opinion as us. But it's still best in class though. Jetta. I was disappointed that it didn't improve over the last one but I don't think the car got worse either except for the trunk lining. When you get wood trim you still get real wood. When you get leather you still get high quality leather. I have to wonder if you have a negative reaction to design changes. That you have a comfort level for what you're used to. Case in point, harder plastic doesn't necessary mean it's of lower quality. It's more the texture and flimsiness of the plastic that determines its quality.
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Replying to: venus537 (Oct 28, 2007 5:55 pm) Yes, you are correct I instinctively paired it with the Passat. I have to wonder if you have a negative reaction to design changes. That you have a comfort level for what you're used to. Case in point, harder plastic doesn't necessary mean it's of lower quality. It's more the texture and flimsiness of the plastic that determines its quality Re-read my post 6803 on the Toyota Camry.
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