My dad bought a 1984 Camry LE new back in the day. I was impressed with all the advanced features at the time and how quietly it drove. I bought a 1988 LE then a 2000 LE which were both good cars.
I don’t live in the past and very rarely lament its passing. But I do miss people taking time to articulate things carefully. Most people don’t have time for it actually these days. Everything is supposed to be yes/no/one word answers and maybe a sentence at the most. You won’t get anywhere much better past two sentences and that’s only with “patient” people. What next? we resort back to grunts, clicks, and whistles like cave men hunting bison?
Who would've thought this Camry would become the Japanese samurai sword that chopped the heads of Detroit..... a little car that literally put Detroit on the bankrupt list
Hard to believe GM was such a large conglomerate at this time considering it was run (mismanaged) by misfits who didn't see this writing on the wall - Instead of swallowing up Toyota they got into an ill-fated joint venture with them instead, General Motors took their production/design practices that they had a front row seat to learn from completely for granted, then ultimately became the laughing stock of the industry in many ways smh.
40 years later and still in production. A testament to reliable quality. Not many cars have this longevity. My mom bought her 1999 Camry brand new and still runs good with around 330,000 mi.
@@enhancementtank5876 The Toyota Camry brand and engine heritage has not changed. Standard 4 cyl and V6 still naturally aspirated. Only has added .5 liters from it's original engine placement so I'm wondering what your comment is leaning towards...
@@vj5225 just want to let you know that if they did produce that car it would sell more than the current 'cam ray. Most likely they wouldn't go to the dealership they would stand next to both of them they would see that CGI design car then they would look at the other one that was real seems like it was built in real life. I feel like people wouldn't rather spend their money on the o.g. Camry then a plastic one I feel like they think their money would go far and they be buying a real car. Kind of like how people don't like hybrids now compared to real cars.
The Camry came in 1984 to stay and stay it did. Bought me one 30 years later after this report and I still own it nearly 10 years later. It has only needed an alternator replaced. A medal to Toyota for this build.
Stepmother had an ‘86, first year for flush-mounted headlights. After a decade of begging, she finally acquiesced and got power windows. I instantly remembered the quirkily shaped gas gauge when watching this.
Interesting to see where the early models struggled a bit in some areas, but nonetheless provided people what they were truly after, which was QUALITY. The buying public was obviously tired of paying for junk, even if said junk initially performed a little better.
@@JDMHaze Yeah rust killed most of these tin can cars in short order - I remember seeing them here in southern Indiana at only a few years old with fist-sized rust holes in the body. I imagine many survived in California and other winter-less states though.
My dad still has an 86 model that he drives often, despite having a Prius for commuting to work. Its got some surface rust from the Indiana winters but its still going strong with over 300k miles. Slow as molasses with the 4 speed auto though lol
Same here. Had an '85 LE. It was a SLUG with just 2 people aboard. Traded it for an '87 Sable V6 Wagon. What a difference in acceleration, felt like a rocket ship in comparison!
I saw them lined up in the back lot of a dealership about six or seven diesel Camrys and they just could not sell them, no matter how far they mark them down.
84 was rearvwheel drive, bring it back to camry as a option. I hate fwd and live my camry but would prefer it in rwd. Enough of this fwd madness. Put engine in so on v6 plugs and exhaust are reachable without top end being removed. Put trans in the correct direction front to back not side to side. Fwd makes no sense unless you.live in snow area. And still not a solution awd is better. Bring back rwd makes basic repairs easier and cheaper.
FFS, John..................it's Cam-REE, not Cam-RAY!!!!!! If you have it, could you also upload that Compare-a-Car road test featuring the Cam-REE Liftback that John mentioned at 1:16?!!
Ronny Regan took care of that! We should also have given him credit for "Reganomics", where "wealthy" would trickle down to the masses. Sort of like when you piss in your pants and get a "warm feeling" !
