Newbie with 1st New Toyota

[alexgc]

Hi all,

Just bought a New demo Silver 2020 Camry SL Hybrid (690kms) a few days a go. So far a very nice and great to drive.
I’m keen to chat with others here about their 2018-2020 Camry’s. Especially minor mods, tips and problem solving.

My last 4 cars were VWs. (yeh I know I’m a slow learner) 
Needless to say I finally took the advice of my mechanic, my brother in law and het-hem my wife and got a Camry Hybrid SL. Very luxurious and doesn't feel too far off a Lexus. The VWs were nice to drive but everyone of them had some rattles in the cabin and they only rattled more over time. Other than that they cost a heap to keep on the road especially after warranty. 

So here I am, new to Toyota’s but not new to the cars. I’ve driven a fair few and been in many taxis and ubers. It was initially hard to convince myself to get a Camry because of the association with Taxi’s etc. But current shape has a great look and style. The hybrid has a sporty feel in Sport mode and when you want luxury you push Eco mode, simple. It drives way better than my 2013 Passat did.

The Minor Mods Start

I Like to customise my cars a little but still keep them close to the original look. That said I’d like to change the wheels at some point.
I’ll will be tinting and wrapping the roof gloss black this weekend. Next step will be cleaning the paint, waxing it then adding a Meguiars Ceramic coat over the top.

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated. 

The one thing that bothers me is the front parking sensors don’t cover the immediate front of the car and that’s disappointing. I’m going to find out if I can either add additional sensor to the front or add a separate addition sensor system.

Alx

[Tony Prodigy]

Hi Alex and welcome to the forum.

You made a wise choice to buy a Camry. It will be far superior to any VW you've owned for sure. I've had no experience with Hybrids but have owned many Toyotas over the years and have found them to be fine vehicles. The build quality is outstanding and the levels of refinement given to the Camry over recent years, Aurion included, has put them closer to the Lexus. 

Mods are good too, and wheels upgrade would a great place to start. If I purchased my Aurion new, that's what I would've done. Nice to preserve the original wheels as new for the later years or if you ever decide to sell the car you can put them back on and the car will present like new.

Definitely tint the windows too, something I've been procrastinating about for years lol..

When it comes to paint protection, you came to the right place. We have a detailing thread here so drop in some time and feel free to ask questions.

As the car is new and relatively swirl free, this would be the best time to tackle that aspect. There are so many products on the market for both entry level enthusiasts and pros alike and your choice of the Meguiars hybrid ceramic coating is a good one. The key is to get the paint squeaky clean before you apply it so it bonds better. Make sure you follow the instructions carefully and you can't go wrong.

Here's a link use can use for this. (just ignore the "black car" bit.)

https://blackcarshine.com/7-tips-for-using-meguiars-hybrid-ceramic-wax-on-a-black-car/

 

[campbeam]

Welcome to the Forum. Reckon that you have found out that the offered advice is spot on.

Never owned a VW and after DieselGate exposed their Corporate eitics deficiency, that is unlikely to change.

Mecedes Benz are taxis in Germany and they are sold here as a luxury brand.

Have to agree that the current shape has the looks and style. Certainly explains why it is in high demand with a backlog of orders for the Camry Hybrid model.

Toyotas are reliable but they do need to be serviced regularly to maintain that reliability. If you look at previous posts on this Forum, recommendation is to change oil at least every 6 months for long term ownership. Check your owner’s manual but I am sure that the engine has been specifically designed to use a 0W-16 oil.

Best upgrade in my opinion is a set of good quality brand name tyres to meet your driving needs.

[KAA]

Welcome to the forum Alex, a great choice with the Camry, they are taxi's for a reason, reliability and long life with a build quality that is second to none for the price, most refinements have come from Lexus and you can certainly tell. You will find some excellent reliable minds on here for any future Mod's you wish to do. For me it was leave it as stick as possible as I still to this day love the way our Presara was built here in Australia. All I have done is some light badge removal and a grill change and as Ash noted great quality tyre's and regular servicing. Wheel change as Tony stated would be a great start to get it to your personal taste. Keep us updated to your experience and future life with your new addition.

KAA

[alexgc]

Thanks all for the warm welcome.
Looking forward to reading more of the forum and getting some more good advice. Really happy with the purchase and hoping to hold onto this for good number of years.

Alx

[campbeam]

Hopefully you have already seen this YouTube video by Tha Car Nut. He says that he is a Toyota Master Technician and located in Chicago USA.. He gives some very good afvice and well worth your time to view most of his videos.

 

[bob007]

Welcome to the Forum,

This is my first Camry too, having had Corollas for many years.  It's now just over one year old and I'm very happy with it, drives like a dream.  Plenty of leg room and boot space, the 2.5L engine is great too.

Doesn't feel like I'm driving a bigger car but I must say it's very easy to park thanks to the Reversing Camera, the only time I realize it's bigger is when I wash it.

[alexgc]

Nice Bob

I’m really happy with mine as well. The one thing I was surprised about it there is no front sensor directly in front of the car. I got so used to that with my VW. 
On the plus side everything else is awesome. It drives smoothly. Plenty of space in the back for my kids. Boot is huge. Sport mode actually make a difference. The list goes on. The best part about it is whenever I mention it to people I know who are mechanics or non-euro car fans they always say ‘about time you woke up’ Oh what-a-feeling 🙂 .

AC