Impala VERSUS Camry

so you are a big toyota fan?

That would be the winner of 2006 "Understatement of the Year" Award !!!

[snip]

They're going on the offensive with an advertising blitz?

Maybe I'm a little crazy but wouldn't GM's best offense against the Camry involve a really good car at a really good price?

My Dad recently rented an Impala and I rode in it. I was unimpressed. However,, his driving scares the crap out of me, so I didn't spend as much time considering the car's qualities as I spent preparing myself for the afterlife.

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Or at the very least, a really good warranty. Like Hyundai did, with their 10-yr 100,000 mile (powertrain only?) warranty. Now their Sonata made it as a Consumer Reports Best Buy.

That would be me and my co-worker. Landed in Ontario Airport for work, he rented a car, and he tried to turn left on a red light while I'm screaming, "It's Red! It's Red!"

Given the GM management and bean counter mindset I think it highly unlikely that they will be capable of producing a rival to match, let alone exceed, the quality of the Camry. GM will make way too many compromises. GM could conceivably manage a temporary victory on a small scale but they will make the compromises, scale back and take the short view-again. The GM managers in place are going to save them (the same ones that got them into the current fix)? Hardly.

As a Honda owner, I recently looked at the Camry as an alternative and was impressed with what you get for the money. However, I was surprised that in GA you are stuck whenever you buy a Toyota you must buy a $600.00 plus paint sealant et al Toyogard package regardless. I understand that this is a courtesy of SE Toyota distributors that dealers here must buy their Toyotas through. Pricewise, comparing similar equipment the Toyota was a little more expensive than a comparable Honda. Another negative in our area is the Toyota dealership which has changed hands 4 times in the past 10 years whereas the Honda dealer has remained under the same owner. Regarding GM and the Impala -- I rather doubt GM management will pull this one out given their track record. Given that Toyota and Honda successfully build cars in the U.S. with US workers, there is no reason why GM can't succeed with the right product. The problem hinges, in my opinion, on the vision and culture of their management.

TOYOTAS SUCK

The Celica was ok.

The Honda has a much better suspension system than the Camry. An expensive asset you can't see or notice during a short test drive.

He's in good company. In Scarbourough about 10 years ago, we were in a line of traffic headed into Toronto, and the guy next to me was behind a van. As soon as the light turned green ,the guy hit the gas.

Unfortunately, the van didn't...

A soccer-mom friend of mine (hardly an enthusiast) noticed the sloppy handling first time out. She purchased an Accord the same day.

NEWS FLASH:

ALL GM VEHICLES ARE GARBAGE. IF YOU BUY THEM, ESPECIALLY NEW, THEN YOU'VE GOTTA BE A LITTLE MORE OUTTA TOUCH AND IGNORANT THEN YOUR AVERAGE HUMAN.

THE JAPANESSE CARE MORE ABOUT QUALITY AND WORK HARDER TO ACHEIVE IT AT EVERY LEVEL. AMERICAN CAR MANUFACTURORS KNOW THAT THE AMERICA PUBLIC'S STANDARDS ARE EXTREMELY LOW WHICH IS WHY THEY SELL CHEAP, POORLY MADE, UNRELIABLE, SHORT LIVED AUTOMOBILES.

SEE IN JAPAN IF TOYOTA OR HONDA ENGINEERS MADE A VEHICLE SIMILAR IN LOOKS AND MECHANICS TO THAT PEICE OF SHIT COLBALT (OR CAVALIER), THOSE ENGINEERS WOULD BE FIRED AND MOST LIKELY BEAT.

AS LONG AS AMERICANS BUY JUNK, GM WILL BUILD JUNK. PERIOD.

SNIP

Why compare a Camry and an Impala? Based on size alone, shouldn't the Malibu be a more comparable competitor?

That reminds me... how does Subaru compare with Toyota and Honda?

I have not driven the Camry, but have read that it is softer sloppier driver.

>

I think we were talking gross tonnage.

Yeah, I don't understand why GM's upcoming TV ad pits the Impala against the Camry. The natural contender is the Malibu, but the Malibu musta been knocked out in the second round.

The story says GM's worried that Impala buyers are defecting to Camry. One thing's for sure: they're scared of the Camry. The Camry is a powerful warrior with even more fire power than Scott_in_Florida - LOL

That's funny. A friend of mine has an Integra (and had a V-6 Accord), and told me the acceleration isn't as smooth or as quick as the Camry's. (He suspected the transmission design.) It was a shock to me, to hear that a V-6 Accord couldn't accelerate as smoothly/quickly.

Then again I never drove a Honda, so I can't speak from experience.

Anyone have any comments on Honda vs. Toyota trannies / acceleration?

I have owned both Honda's (2004 Accord 4cyl) and Toyota's (2000 Solara V6) and find them equally competent cars. I unfortunately recently spent a week in a 2006 Impala LS. Impressions of the Chev are mixed, the new 3.5L V6 is a very nice motor, smooth and lots of power. The 4 speed auto is so 1980's and absolutely needs to be updated like all the newer cars. Even a Ford Fusion has a 6 sp auto. The worst part of the Impala has to be that they (to save money and not lives) removed ABS on both the LS and LT versions. That's right, NO ABS. Quite a shock when stepping on the brakes on ice the first time. This has to be the dumbest thing for GM to do as they were pioneers at one point with most if not all there cars having ABS. The 2006 Impala is a vast improvement over its replacement, but it is obvious that GM did not have the money or interest to develop a car that compete with the Accord or the Camry. I was very happy to get rid of the Impala and slip into the comfort and safety of the Accord.