barryc

I have a 2003 Camry and replaced the blades with after an market brand. Take a blade along to a Spares Shop and compare profiles. The camry profile is fairly specific and the exact profile is available at some stores, but not at Supercheap Autos as the brand that they push does not produce that profile. As with all aftermarket blades, they will be longer than necessary and need to be cut to suit.

Let's hope that the colour range is bright and agressive! Oh, and that they crank up a notch or two on the 4cyl rubber band. :D

Looks like Moderator is going to have to generate a new Forum called "Aurion".

Attached is a photo of the assymetrical C Drives on my car. Assymetrical means that no matter what corner you rotate the wheels to, the tread configuration remains the same. Unidirectional means that the left side tyre can only remain on the left side. To move to the right hand side will require the tyre to be refitted on the rim to achieve that. The tread is always an arrow head configuration on unidirectional tyres. Click on photo to enlarge.

You can put me down for Newcastle

The C Drives are indeed quiet, far quieter than the Michelins although maybe I am comparing the Michelins at the end of their life rather what they were like when they were new, so that is probably not a fair comparison. However, it is interesting though that I never ever did cartwheels over the Michelins at any time, but am prepared to write into this Forum extolling the virtues of these Yokohamas, so my first impressions of the Ys are outweighing any impressions that I may have had for the Ms. Sizing was no different to the Ms - 205 - 60 x 16 Price $179 per corner $50 fuel voucher thrown in.

No worries ;) How are they? I got the Yokohama C Drive assymetricals, for no other reason than the salesman recommended them. This morning it was raining here in Newcastle so I give them a touch up on a large roundabout nearby which always gave the Michelins a bit of hurry up from the day the car was new. Today it went round without the slighest sign of slippage. Most pleased!

Based on what you said Perthcamry I did indeed buy some Yokohamas. And as a bonus, Yokohama is currently giving away a $50 Caltex fuel card which each set of 4 tyres bought. Thanks for the advice.

I'm telling you the 4cyl doesn't feel slower than current model, and the handling has improved greatly. Also, forget what you've seen of the American Avalon. OK Otaku, please clarify - in your above statement, are you comparing the new 4cyl with the old 4cyl, or the 6cyl? You state a couple of times throughout this thread that the Australian Avalon will be different to the American version, but in what way? I think that if you know something then you should tell us. But having said all that, to me an Avalon is an Avalon and I will look good in one with my beige cardigan on, but it still will not have anything like the trade-in value that it should have and I subsequently will not accept such a loss in value for the sake of a Toyota 6cyl. A case in point is the Mitsubishi 380. Car of the year in 2005 by some reputable car magazines, and I have driven one and it is indeed a joy to drive. But at the end of the day we punters still see it as a Magna (despite the name change) and treat it accordingly. Mitsubishi are currently making more than they can sell and are already discounting on a regular basis to get them out on the roads. The first of the secondhand units are now appearing in the yards already at 75% of their original retail value, so it doesn't look good for the 2005 COTY. I see a similar parallel for the 2006 Avalon.

Don't forget, the main reason the Euro is lighter is because its a somewhat smaller car than the Camry. Also, the new Avalon replacement will be V6, so Toyota are hoping people will look in that direction. It always seemed odd having the V6 Camry and the Avalon sit side-by-side like they did, competing with each other, at least they won't have that issue anymore. The biggest error Toyota made was in ditching the Camry wagon ... while the Corolla wagon is excellent (I own one myself), dealers are hurting in that they don't have a larger wagon (esp. a V6 wagon) to sell. First off Buddha, let me concur with you that Toyota did themselves and the punters a diservice by dropping the station wagon. You state that it seems odd that the Camry and the Avalon sit side by side as they do, and again I agree. The Avalon has not sold and will not sell whilst it sits in no-mans land as it does not directly competing with anything or anyone. Sure I understand that it is now supposed to be the 6 cyl Toyota that is to compete against the falcadores, but it is not going to do it any better than the 6 cyl Camry is doing at the moment and I suggest that it never will. It was a mistake, and a very expensive one at that. There is a pride issue here for Toyota and they will be insisting in the Board Room that they have to get it right. In the meantime they now have an extra vehicle in their line-up that they have to ensure comes within their rigid quality control standards and will simply drag profits down. The current Camry is a big beast, my Azura weighs in over 1.5 tonnes and I need all the 6 cyl has to offer. I have driven a 4 cyl Sportivo and the performance is like chalk and cheese. So, as you infer, if I want to continue with the 6 cyl motor, then I have to go to the Avalon and then suffer the atrocious trade-in values these vehicles have after 3 years. A friend of mine is a car salesman at a local Toyota agency and he says that all reps hate it when someone comes in to trade in a secondhand Avalon, firstly because of the abuse they get to the paltry offer they put forward, and then because they then have to side shift it to a wholesaler because they simply won't sell readily and subsequently stuff up their floor plan. Now, if I have to go to a 2.4L 4 cyl then I will be certainly investingating the Honda Euro Luxury with Sat Nav added. It is almost $4,000 cheaper, 150mm shorter, only 35mm narrow, 54mm lower, and 65kg lighter. And despite all that, has 37mm more headroom in the front. All the other features are the same as those in the Camry Azura. I should not be seen as someone bagging Camrys. I think that they are wonderful cars and I had planned every 3 years to keep upgrading as I went along, but I now sense that it may be time for me to go in another direction. Note that I have never mentioned a Falcon or a Commodore as a satisfactory replacement.

There has been some speculation in this forum just when the 2006 Camry is coming out and what it will look like. Well, out local Toyota showroom reliably informs me that it will be on the floor in May and will be a slight bastardisation of the American model which may be slightly different to the Asian model that is popping up in this forum from time to time. It has also been confirmed that it will only be produced with the 2.4L 4 cylinder motor, will be slightly longer and a tad heavier. So, unless they are planning to tweak up the power a little, then it will be struggling to pull the skin off a rice pudding. Now, before each and everyone of you direct outrage at me because I have a criticism of your beloved Camry, let me point out to you that I originally owned a 1999 Camry Vienta (6 cyl) and am the proud possessor of a 2003 Camry Azura (6 cyl) so I am a dyed in the wool Toyota man. However, I do believe that the various descriptions relating to the product being Japanese whitegoods, and that owners of such vehicles are normally respendant in cardigans has some justification. With the current shape I actually believed that they were about to turn the corner as the front-on and side views of this model are excellent, but the rear profile needed a good face lift. BUT, with the throwing out of the 6 cyl motor and a compulsary 4 only prompts me the to ask my wife if we want cyclic defrost or frost free in the next purchase and also note that Myers are selling new season cardigans with raglan sleeves. Toyota, seriously, you make a good product, but if you are forcing me to expect that piddling 4 cylinder drive train to lug and even heavier Azura around, then I'm afraid that you may have lost me. I understand that you believe that the current fuel situation suggests that people will readily accept this car with an undersize donk, bur surely that should be the punter's choice whether they have a 4 or a 6, not a 4 thrust upon them because you think that you can read minds. Suddenly, if I have to have a 4 then I see the 2006 Honda Euro Luxury with Sat Nav (which went on the showroom floor this month) in a new light! It too has a 2.4L 4 cyl motor, is lighter and has better resale value. Just a little disappointed.

I suspect that there are few 6 cyl Azura owners out there, but then again I believe that the Sportivo were probably shod with the same tyres when new so perhaps you guys out there will have an opinion on this. The original tyres on the Azura were Michelin Vivacy 205/60R16. I got 34k out of these and they need to be replaced in the next few weeks. I could easily replace them with the Vivacys again at about $187 a corner, but don't have too much allegience to the French manufacturer and cannot really say with all conviction that they were world beaters. I am considering a 'Dunlop Monza 200' tyre and have been told by the tyre salesman that the wider and lower profile 215/55R16 will fit the 6.0JJ alloy rims OK. Any comment of this guys? Will they be OK? And does the slightly lower profile put the speedo out of whack? Any comments or other tyre recommendations would be appreciated.

:D Somehow I sense that we all have made a mistake here. An Camry Azura is in the order of $53k on road, give or take a few hundred dollars. I paid $36k for the 10 month old car which is a saving of $17k, so .......... 17000/53000 = 32% Wow! Even better! :P

Toyota has started a runout sale now for the so-called new 2006 model. So am I understanding that there is to be one more update of the current shape before we get the new model? Who would buy an updated current shape early in 2006 if the new shape does not appear to September? Seems to me that they will not sell too many Camrys in the first three quarters of 2006 if what you say is true.

Those of us who have bought new cars off the showroom floor (and for me that has been 5) are fully aware of the depreciation our cars suffer immediately we drive them away from the dealer. Up to now I have copped that sweet, but not anymore. My latest vehicle is a Camry Azura and I bought it when it was just 10 months old and with 13k on the clock. It did not have a mark on it, still had over 5 years warranty (the previous owner bought a 6 year extended warranty which was transferred to me) and after negotiation with this private owner I paid 22% below the new delivery price. Clearly the vehicle was his pride and joy but his life situation had changed which could happen to any of us. Sure, there is some haggling involved, and it has to be a cash transaction, and it may not be your preferred colour (although in my case it turned out to be my second preference) but at the end of the day I saved $17,000 over what I was prepared to pay if I bought it new. This is a saving not to be sneezed at! So, for you guys out there about to buy a Sportivo, think about a year old Azura first for less money. You get the leather, the sunroof, but most important of all, the satellite navigation, which I have fallen in love with. By the way, most of the larger Toyota distributors are given a Camry Azura each month or so to flog off as Headquarters demonstators. The savings on these can be in the order of $13,000 or so.