Or, put another way_

Families who choose their car based on mags like Consumer Reports or Forbes or a Home and Garden auto article or just want something they think will be a dependable and comfortable (even slightly soft) riding vehicle, and consider a car as just an expensive tool or appliance, tend to buy cars such as the Camry or Avalon.

Folks who read mags like Car & Driver and Motor Trend, who notice cars as they make their way through life, study car styling and consider their car as a reflection of themselves, and who consider driving as far more than just getting from point 'A' to point 'B' are more likely to buy an Accord or a Maxima.

 

So my friend who owns a $250K Porsche is a poseur because he owns a Camry also? LMAO. I wouldn't touch the new Fusion....I think it's ugly.

 

I can't say I agree with that. My car is not a reflection of me. It represents a point in time snapshot of a depreciating asset that I thought I would be interested in owning.

I can appreciate a Sonota as much as a Ferrari. But that doesn't mean I want to drive either.

IMO, true car enthusiasts do not belittle other people on online forums based on what they say they drive. Each car has it's place in the world. It's the poseurs, who sometimes have more money than brains, that usually do the belittling.

 

Of course there are exceptions to every trend.

And there are other possible angles. Are you sure his wife didn't have some say-so on the Camry? My son-in-law has a very nice loaded BMW (and is a driver for a racing team on weekends), but drives my daughter's Camry to work each day because he doesn't want mileage or dings on his BMW.

 

There are also people, who for practical reasons drive certain cars. When I go into certain areas known for high auto theft rates, I drive my older family vehicles.

I can't really see how anybody can make a judgement over the internet.

 

Good comment. There is a fuzzy (but very meaningful) line between true car enthusiasts and folks who are simply into what they think are sharp-looking cars.

As one who has driven since the late 1940s, and who often found himself driving a vehicle nothing like the one in his dreams, I try to analyze cars and drivers without greatly criticizing either. Probably less than a fourth of the folks in the U.S. are driving the car they would like to own.

But I think we all know that, fairly or not, many folks tend to make at least some type of judgement of a person based on the car they are driving, just as they do on the clothes they are wearing and the manner in which they speak. People tend to be judgemental.

 

I have both 2003 maxima and a 2004 camry the max looks much better and more power but you can't complain about a car that's way better on gas.

 

Wow, I'd hate to see what folks would say when I say that we also have a Civic. Sometimes decisions are made based on money, mileage, gas prices, etc. Not every car a person owns or chooses has to be based on looks, performance, etc. My wife thinks the Civic actually looks and drives very nicely (and it does, can't deny it).

On the flip side of the equation everyone is arguing about, I test drove the 2012 Camry and 2012 Accord and quite a few others when we were looking for another car (Civic). Both my wife and I both agree that the new Camry was tons nicer driving and a bit more comfortable than the Accord which shocked me. I've had Accords in the past. I'm not going to fault either of those models tho, there's a billion on the roads today, some still running from the beginning of time. That has to say something about their reliability (which is another thing folks look for long term). I say don't judge or knock others on their car choices.

 

If you are talking the "SE V6" version of the 2012 Camry, the stats I have seen have the 7th gen Max just about dead even. Both are about 5.7-5.8 secs in 0-60. As I noted in my prior post, my test drive indicated as much...

Now one thing I will say is that the V6 Camry has some of the worst torque steer I have ever seen on a car. To the point that I felt it was borderline unsafe when really gunning it. The Maxima has done a great job of limited the torque steer, especially in the sport model. There is still some there, but it would be really hard to get rid of it completely given the 290HP front wheel drive set up.

The Maxima of course crushes the Camry when it comes to looks, driving enjoyment and amenities which is the reason I ended up getting one.

 

Well spoken words Compusmurf.

Our last two sedans were Toyota V6 Camry's. These Camry's had several positives over the 2010 Max we currently own.
The first and foremost was reliability.
The stock battery in the 95' Camry lasted almost NINE years!!
I recently had to replace my Max battery with only 14K?
I also had the max in for acceleration issues that resulted in warrantee valve body replacement?
The windshield wipers were crap from the day I bought the max. (and no this was not due to maintenance issues or anything else).

But with that said, I actually look forward to each time I drive my Maxima.
The excitement, the power, the looks don't even compare to the Toyota.
I never felt this with the Camry.
I do need to point out that kids are no longer the main priorty in our lives so that probably explains why we're in the Max now.
Getting from point "A" to point "B" in mundane fashion is no longer acceptable to us.

 

This is due to the fact that older cars have less things running while the car is off vs newer cars that have alot more stuff running even with the ignition off... Battery is the number one issue with any car maker now a days due to technology, I wish I saved that article I was reading...

 

I'm at 31k miles right now on my 2010 and I'm still on my original Nissan battery

 

My '09 was built in Sept 2008, and still has its original battery. I keep expecting it to die, but it seems as strong as the day it was built.

 

Wish I could say that. Mine was toast.

 

I think the new SE version looks pretty sweet!it has the same 3.5L engine...so pretty comparable...it was deff was in my choice box...but i love the curvature and body design of our cars!

 

It's a good point about battery life and electronics draining the battery even while off. I used to have my wife start the car and let it run for a few minutes back when i was overseas for weeks at a time.

 

get this.. mine died the day after i bought the car! haha...

 

That rear wheel looks like it came off of a Corolla.

 

I had a 2010 Accord V-6 and just traded it for a Maxima SV with the Sport package. The Maxima is superior in handling, seat comfort and low noise level. The Camry has electric steering vs. hydraulic steering that the Accord and Maxima. As such the Camry does not have good steering road feel, but for most people its OK.

 

The camary is nice, however its not in the same class(segment ) as the maxima. The direct competior is the altima, which the 2013 IMO blows the camary out of the water.

 

The Camry Altima and Accord, with the V6 engine options are an after thoughts byt the manufacture trying to fill the few customers who want a bigger engine, the cars handle like boats, the front floats up and around, and you can feel the rear end fighting to not come around, and when your tires are worn down the car will toss itself around and scare the crap out of you.

Nice cars but the engine was never really designed for the car, the Maxima has a much tighter overall suspension, and body designed for the engine under the hood.

My buddies V6 camry is a hot mess, its just so loose, the engine has punch but the body and suspension can't compensate.

 

there's also the new 2013 accord, looks pretty good. If the accord has good presence then it might be a winner!

 

Camry.... Lol POS not a car....