Leighcm

VVTi has been in that motor since it came out in the Camry in 2002, I believe. Post some pics for us if you get it!!

Yeah, some basic upgrades would be okay...intake & exhaust type stuff. Worst case scenario, you'll get slightly better gas mileage. As for the vibration: before you start replacing things like motor mounts, make sure your basic services are up to date...tune-up, timing belt, etc. Enjoy the car...that's a classic, beautiful body style, and I'm sure it will last you for many years to come. Another option in addition to Circuit City: Best Buy. I've found that they're fairly equal in most aspects.

Every once in awhile I get to be right! (it's good to get confirmation! :P ) That 3.5 liter is another fabulous motor. I think it's pretty much the same thing I have in my GS350, just tweaked slightly for every model that it's in...IS350, GS350, ES350, Camry, etc.

Good luck! Hope it works for both of you!!

I don't think there's going to be significant difference for you because you're not going to be racing your car professionally! The 17" wheels will look great on your car...post before/after pics when you get them! A lighter wheel is nice, but may be more prone to damage.

Yes, the 2.4 liter is a really great engine. Lots of power, great mileage. I found it to be a little thrashy/loud, but it makes up for it with the mileage the V6 doesn't have. The new SE Camry is a gorgeous car....Toyota has done some beautiful design work on that vehicle.

I'm pretty sure it's a timing chain, not a belt. That 2.4 is a nice 4 cylinder...very powerful.

That's a possibility. Wheel bearings are pretty noisy. Did you try the tires yet?

Welcome! The Camry is really a great car. I'd say the 1992 and newer are definitely the best ones. The 1997-2002 models are very nice, very reliable, and have gotten a LOT cheaper lately because they're now 2 bodystyles old. The 2003-2006 bodystyle is very nice, but a bit bland. The 2003-2006 will occasionally have some of the newer technology like Navigation. The 4 cylinder motor in the 2003 and newer Camrys is very powerful, but a little noisy (still much quieter than your Grand Am, and more powerful than the Grand Am). The V6 motor is excellent, very smooth, quiet, and powerful. With proper maintenance, any Camry should easily last 200,000 or 300,000 miles with minimal repairs. Don't be afraid to buy one with higher mileage. Of course, have it checked out first to make sure it hasn't been abused. Problems: there's been some history of sludging on the V6 motors, but I've noticed that it's usually limited to those brainless drivers who neglect to change their oil on a regular basis (or ever). Toyota is also covering many of the motors under warranty if sludging occurs, assuming you can prove some basic maintenances. There's also some concerns about how hard the transmission shifts. I personally owned a 1998 Camry V6 that I purchased at 145k, drove 3 years (not gently or slowly, I might add), and sold at 175k for a little more than I paid for it because it was still in fantastic shape mechanically and in appearance. During that time, the only thing that went wrong was a power window switch with a short in it and a clogged fuel filter. One of the nice things about Toyotas is that even with high miles, they're worth a decent amount of money and they're very reliable. Toyota has a nice program for Certified Used Cars, and often has special finance rates for CPO cars at Toyota dealerships. A great place for research is Edmunds.com. Check out the research used cars pages, and look at the Town Hall section.

In my opinion, if you want better performance, you should stay with no more than a 17" wheels for that car. The 18" and larger wheels will have a shorter sidewall, which will reduce ride quality, and make the car more susceptible to wheel damage from rough roads. 17" wheels will fill up the wheelwell nicely, and will definitely improve the appearance. As long as you keep the same overall diameter, it doesn't affect the speedometer/odometer or turns.

Congratulations! The new Corollas are wonderful cars! In response to your question: according to DiscountTire.com, yes, you can fit an 18 x 7.5 wheel on your car. Some info on getting bigger wheels/tires for any car: Plus sizing is one of the easiest ways to achieve enhanced performance and improve the appearance of your vehicle. In the example below, a 15x7 wheel with a 205/65R-15 tire is considered the O.E. (original equipment) size. Converting to a plus 1 size would mean increasing the wheel diameter by 1" (16x7.5) and selecting an appropriate tire to fit (225/55R-16). Likewise, moving to a plus 2 fitment would result in a 17x8 wheel and a 245/45R-17 tire. It is important to note that although the wheel diameter is increasing, the overall diameter of the tire remains consistent. A couple of things happen with the tire to increase performance when we begin to move into plus sizes. First, the tire is wider (section width) and therefore gives us a larger footprint. Second, the sidewall becomes shorter (aspect ratio) and more rigid. The two added together give better lateral stability and increased steering response.

I've seen this one before...very cool!!

Sweet!

In response to some of your questions: 1.) Yes, I think so. 2.) Variable. (Okay, so it was just a couple of your questions. I've actually never had a problem with a fan, ever...)

It's a sweet car...I just don't have the space (2 car garage, 3 cars, 2 bikes...)...good luck with the sale!

Congrats on the fix! I'm glad it worked out for you. I think the reason they don't fix it automatically is because it doesn't affect every car. ...as for me: I find that my standard "pedal to the metal" method of acceleration eliminates any hesitation! :D

Battery warranties are beautiful things, aren't they?

I have a really good one that I bought at the Lexus dealership here. It's not a Lexus part, so I googled it for you. Here's a place you can buy one: http://www.autoanything.com/driving-access...0A1228A0A0.aspx The brand at that link is "Covercraft" Here's their site: http://www.covercraft.com/windshield_heat_shield.htm It's nice, because it's made specifically for my car (or yours), and fits into the windshield edges...it's reflective on the outside, and makes a HUGE difference in the Las Vegas heat. It's fairly thick, and has a felt lined interior so it stays cool enough to touch. It's not the smallest sunshade, but it folds like an accordian, so I end up with a piece about 6-8 inches wide and about 2 feet long that I toss in the back seat. I've had the same one for two years, and it's held up really well. I'm pretty impressed with it overall.

I don't know of any confirmation, but since most Toyota products built in the last 10 years or so have the retained power feature, I don't know why they'd suddenly get rid of it. I take it yours doesn't work?

Very cool...thanks! While we're on the cool car picture topic, have you seen this one: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Gener...rticleId=105484 Make sure you turn on the speakers!

Thanks for letting us know that you found a solution...that was a mystery.

Have you had the TSB done yet? If your dealer won't do it, try another dealer. You could also try calling Toyota corporate and opening a case with them: 800-331-4331.

I imagine with that motor, the nice low coefficient of drag (.28, I think...lower than my Supra!!), and with the addition of some decent speed rated tires, it should be able to hit close to 150. There's a thing called a "fuel cut defencer" that a lot of Supra guys use to bypass the speed limiter: http://www.hksusa.com/products/?id=683&rsku=5268 It's only for turbo-charged cars, but there might be something similar for naturally aspirated vehicles.

Yes...it probably will improve appearance. However, unless you replace almost your entire suspension, your handling and performance will actually deteriorate. Lowering springs alone will cause "bounciness", and you may have some issues with the tires rubbing the inside of the wheel well or the edge of the fender, especially over bumps or in turns.

1.) You don't have to get a towtruck with a platform for an automatic transmission vehicle. A normal tow truck will work with most automatic transmission vehicles; the exception being AWD/4WD vehicles. As long as the drive wheels are off the ground, you're good to go. 2.) You CAN tow an automatic transmission FWD/RWD for short distances at low speeds (under 35 mph or so) with all four wheels on the ground. I wouldn't recomend towing anything with a rope and a truck though...very dangerous. 3.) You're never going to want to tow ANYTHING with the transmission in "P". "N" works MUCH better for that sort of thing.