Fizza

Hi guyz, Just a few questions. I have a 1997 manual Vienta touring(3VZ-FE). As a matter of curiosity I was just wondering whether the power output of this car is 136kw and 264Nm of torque or 139kw and 269Nm of torque. It's one those ones where different motor magazines and reviewers quote differently for some reason. Was wondering why this was the case. Has it anything to do with the type of fuel used (premium over standard undleaded). Also what is the 0-100 ands 1/4 mile time for a stock standard vienta manual. Finally what are the main differences between 3VZFE used in the Lexus ES300 as opposed to the Vienta of the same era. I know in the later model ES300's and V6 camry's using the 1MZFE engine it had much to do with the superior exhaust system the ES300 was using to free up 8 extra kilowatts boosting power from 141kw to 149kw. Thanks Regards Fizza

Hi All, My clutch is pretty much on the way out as confirmed by my mechanic. I have to give first gear a bit of gas for it to take off and uphill on first gear is a real struggle. A slight grinding shudder comes during engaging both first and second gear. Other gears seem to be fine. My car has done 185,000km. What is really strange is that the previous owner replaced the clutch kit at 162000km. The following is a breakdown of the cost from the receipt provided. The guy is a VACC accredited repairer: CLUTCH REPLACEMENT Remove accessories + Shafts Remove Gearbox Assembly + Clutch Assembly + Flywheel Refit Machines Flywheel Fit New Clutch Kit + Refit Gearbox + Accessories + Shafts Remove and Replace Clutch Master Cylinder and Slave Cylinder Build Clutch $620 Clutch Kit $ $430 Flywheel Machines $60 Clutch Master Cylinder $95 Clutch Slave Cylinder $75 Clutch Fluid $8 Gear Oil $25 $693 TOTAL COST FOR REPLACEMENT CLUTCH $620 + $693 = $1313. GST and extra $131 making the whole thing $1444!!! My mechanic quoted me around $1000 for a similar job. The question is do all the above have to replaced if the car has only done 23,000 since the rebuild. I heard these gearboxes are meant to be bulletproof. Either the previous owner has been totally ripped off or he has totally abused the thing and possibly done some towing as well. The guy was retired family man so clutch dumping would seem unlikely. Perhaps towing is not out of the question. Is the price of around $1000 reasonable for clutch rebuild or am I paying too much. I live in Melbourne. Can anyone recommend a good value for money contact that I can go to if I am being overcharged. Thanks Regards Fizza

Good cars such as a new Porsche Boxter S or a BMW M3 perhaps. For around $150,000 you could also pick up a late 90's F355 or a 2003 911 Carrera. There is only so much that one should spend on after market mods as it is very difficult to get that money back.

Hi everyone, I'm a newbie to the forum. After some searching I recently managed to pick up a 1997 Vienta Touring for just $3700 on the road. I bought it privately and from the onset I exercised a considerable amount of caution due to the low price. It was advertised for around $4300 but I somehow managed to bargain it down. For $3700 it included the following: RWC and full 12 months registration. It was a one owner with a fully documented service history serviced every 5000km. The car has done 180,000km. He had the major service done not so long ago and has put a brand new battery and four brand new tyres. Car has never been in an accident and has always been garaged. Hence all these enticing things combined were the very things that caused me to be a little suspicious at the beginning. However rather suprisingly it turned out not to be the case as the guy seemed quite genuine and very organised. The car also actually turned out to be in excellent condition both inside and out. When test driving the car I took it for a real spin and onto the freeway as well. The gearbox is tight and precise while the engine is velvety smooth right throughout the rev range. At cruising speed the cabin is hush with no perceptible sound from the engine. It seems to really come alive more in the midrange. For this particular model it comes with driver's side airbag, ABS, keyless entry, CD player, leather streering wheel, leather gearknob, leather handbrake, upgraded sports suspension and rear spoiler. This generation Camry's fit and finish is actually quite good. My brother has the generation 4 camry 2.2 and somehow the interior plastic fit and finish and trim doesn't seem to be quite as good as the generation 3. However this is only my subjective perception. My only cause for concern is that despite being reliable I hear that these 3VZ-FE engines do need careful attention with regards to its head gasket. Is blowing the headgasket something that is inevitable with these cars after 200,000km or as long as I service the car properly and keep a careful check of coolant levels etc it shouldn't really be a problem? So far this seems to be my only worry in which I would like to hear your opinions. Also all things being equal how is the fuel consumption compared to the auto 2.2 litre camry of the same generation and how much should I expect from a full tank. I have posted a pic for those who may be interested in seeing what the car looks like. I'll post more pics in the near future. Thanks and look forward to being a part of the forum. Fizza