One thing I will mention is that a few years ago while reading all of the user comments on Edmunds, there were an enormous number of complaints by Camry owners of sudden acceleration. It seemed to me more of a transmission issue from the description that owners gave in the comments. Something similar to a stuck gear in the automatic transmission with extremely high revving before it shifted into the next gear. It was so widespread that I pretty much eliminated looking at any late model Camry's. So all I can say is that I was aware of an issue just reading a few hundred user comments. There is no question that the recall has provided plenty of cover for the pundits to slam Toyota.
A few years back, Toyota came out with a 6 speed transmission for the Camry Hybrid, a real POS, complete failures which had to be replaced.
nope, but I have driven a lot with test drives (as I will need to buy roughly within the next year or two give or take), rental cars, and have spoken with several area small-time/private mechanics...plus have done my own research. (I finally moved out of my local auto body shop after they tried to rape me badly on a repair i.e. charging me 'separate' on what essentially is a single assembly unit. Went there a long time and paid knowing the service I was getting, but looking back they definitely grossly up-charged on a LOT of stuff). Heck even worked at a Hyundai dealership for a little bit at one point (not as a salesman). There are some facets where certain parts are all basically the same in many models across the line i.e. one supplier makes them. Other times, they are not. In other cases, getting some parts is still a pain and/or rather costly...add labor (hour or two) into the repair, and you can see why those bills get pretty high I will agree on the "high end" especially some of the European cars...some of them to try and fix or get stuff for is like pulling teeth/the parts themselves are crap to begin with. I also know that just from my research and knowledge gathering, that the amount of ignorance people have with their cars is amazing....and no wonder they, like me to an extent, get raped hand over fist at an auto repair shop.
Younger sister still has a 2000 from the parents pass-down. Drives like a charm and accelerates very well IMO. I tend to think things were just fine until a certain year hit where it began to go downhill for varying financial/cost/contractual reasons. Based on the recalls it could be in the 05/06 range...it could have been a bit sooner. Who knows. But it's like things are great, no problems, then all of a sudden it's "not what it used to be..."
I am a totyota fan. please don't misunderstand. I was just being funny (others would say snooty/arrogant/idiotic) about toyotas "accellerating." to be fair I gues not too many cars accelerate like my M5.