2004 Camry is out

How many speeds does the automatic transmission have? Or have they stuffed a Fuller Roadranger 9 speed into it?

I was under the impression that they only change the model style every 5 years. The 2002 was new so it should look the same through 2006. Our 1996 Camry was out dated the next year by the 1997 through 2001 models.

They usually make some minor changes after the first two years. The 1999 model year saw a different taillight design than the 1997-98 models.

In some cases they will also make other changes, such as the engine, in response to competitive pressures.

The 04 V6 models get a 5spd automatic trans!

Actually, it was the 2000 and 2001 models that had the different "frosted" tail lights. Unfortunately, the interior of the 1997 - 2001 models were bland. Toyota does seem to change bodies every 5 years. 1992 - 1996, 1997 -

2001, and suspect 2002 - 2006.

Wha----? :)

SUPPOSEDLY... the new automatic is a 5 speed plus lockup. Yeah... what the heck is that all about? 2,000 rpm at 80 mph?

Is there something wrong with 2000 rpm at 80 mph? I wish my Solara had a gear that would do that. I have the manual transmission on the V6 and it turns over 3000 at 80 mph. What a waste of gas.

There is a point where over gearing a car starts taking MORE fuel to maintain speed because you have the throttle pushed down further to produce the torque needed to move the car at speed. Also, when a car is over geared, downshifting becomes more frequent. There are plenty of examples where a car will go as fast in 3rd as it will in overdrive because of all the torque -not- produced by gear multiplication. In an "overdrive" gear, you LOSE torque.

As far as your wishes go, human nature always wants what it doesn't possess. If your Solara chugged along at 1,600 @ 65 mph, you'd be whining about how the thing downshifted for every little grade or nudge on the throttle.

Scot Caraway wrote: : Is there something wrong with 2000 rpm at 80 mph? I wish my Solara had a : gear that would do that. I have the manual transmission on the V6 and it : turns over 3000 at 80 mph. What a waste of gas.

Yes.

The engine would have little torque at that RPM. One would have to continually downshift to keep one's speed even on the slightest grade or with the smallest acceleration.

This was a problem with a Ford Windstar that I had. The transmission rushed in to overdrive, causing strain on the engine and transmission. Causes a class problem with the transmission that typically fails at 40,000 miles or so.

b.

No I would not whine. Most manual transmission cars are geared wrong in my opionion from the factory. With an automatic transmission, go ahead and gear it as tall as it can handle. It will pop out when it needs to. With a manual transmission, the highest gear should provide enough torque to allow the car to maintain speed on flat to low grade hills. 5th in my Solara will allow me to accellerate up sizable hills. All that means is that I am wasting gas all the other times when I am on level road. If it were geared right, you should not need to push it to the floor to drive accross flat road. There is so little rolling resistance in the car, I bet it could handle a 20% increase from 5th to 6th and still be very drivable. There is nothing wrong with having to pull a car out of its high gear to either accelerate or climb a steep hill. If are driving thru a hilly area, just leave it in the second highest gear. Shifting up for a small flat area is not manadatory.

I drove my moms Honda Odyssey a month ago. It turned around 2200 at

70 mph. As we got toward the beach, it held its highest gear longer and it had plenty of torque to move that big vehicle at highway speed.

If gas gets more expensive, they will gear cars taller to save gas. They did it in the 80's, and it could happen again. Or maybe they will jsut give you more gears.

Scot

In news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com, Scot being of bellicose mind posted:

Scott... you would whine. I'll bet money on it because you do not speak from any experience. Short stroke engines have less mechanical leverage against the crankshaft to begin with. One can design a 3.0 liter engine with narrow bore and long stroke which would favor taller gearing BUT... at the expense of higher rpm horsepower BECAUSE maximum safe pison speed would be achieved at a lower rpm. The other school of thought is like Honda ... where short stroke with "short" gearing is their preference because this design allows higher rpm when the same piston speed is achieved.

If you really think you want a low geared engine with torque, try out a TDI diesel VW. You might be a good candidate. But just take note that max torque is around 4,500 rpm.

Regarding the Odyssy, you're observation was at sea level (mention of approaing The Beach). When a vehicle is above 5,000 feet, torque diminishes with a thinning atmosphere.

He could have meant Lake Tahoe.

Let us start with some facts:

1. My name is Scot. Not Scott. Pay attention!
2. I perfer to drive manual as I have been for 15 years. I drove from Charlotte, NC to NJ just to get a manual car. If it bothered me to shift that much, I doubt I would go thru the trouble of driving

1000 miles get get one.

1. Not all engineering is exact calculations. In fact, the transmission was not designed for the V6 motor. This transmission is from the last gen MR2. it is geared for a 4 cylinder.
2. I bet money you have not driven a V6 manual camry or else you would know how low geared 5th is.
3. Cars in the early 80 were geared tall to save gas. Maybe you are too young to remember the old Corrolas, or Subarus. No power in 5th at all.
4. regarding the sealevel thing, I remeber when cars were customer geared for their environement. Cars in Texas would have taller gears.

The bottom line is that Toyota did not give any real thought to the gearing. it was a predesigned transmission. If Toyota says that 2000 rpm is enough to make the car run 80 mph, I believe them. I RATHER DOUBT you have the qualifications to tell them they are wrong.

Scot 'with one T'

Good catch! But in this case I was the outer banks of NC. Scot

Hmmm, I never heard of this...I dont think a maker of any vehicle would bother to help a Texan save a nickels worth of gas at the manufacturers expense! I gotta see proof of this statement. I guess if you moved away from Texas to the mountains you had to get your car regeared?

We had an 83 caprice that had taller gears for areas like Texas. It is my understanding that mountainous areas would receive gearing that was a little shorter to allow the transmission to use 4th gear more.

Scot

Just doing my part.