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.
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?
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.
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.
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" !
took John a decade to stop calling it a Cam-Ray.
I'm beginning to think that I'm pronouncing Camry wrong. 😂😂😂
@@lamarr912 he did it with the 88 camry. It took til the 92 model to say it right
I keep asking "WHY??"
I think like the galant he got the pronunciation from the manufacturer itself so I think Toyota said it like this even though no one else did
@Seba Tarth this lamb concurs.
Ford Tempo, forgotten.
Chevy Citation, former owners have nightmares to this day.
Toyota Camry, still going along.
Well.. Citation + Citation Il + Corsica = Malibu
Tempo + Contour = Fusion
@@ljmorris6496 yes, all renamed in hopes you'd forget the previous models 😂. Civic, Accord, Corolla nameplate still going strong
You do realize what you just wrote, don't you@@ljmorris6496
I love how in the early years, they totally butchered some names, like the Toyota Camray, as opposed to Camry
Amazing to think that the LS400 was introduced just five-ish years later.
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.
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.
Although not so much today, this car was so sharp back in the day…and everybody knew it was high quality when they saw it on the road.
I love these old videos. People in general, and John too, talked more calmly and thoroughly about what mattered. Less flash, more substance.
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?
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.
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.
That's cars not in production
@@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.
My first car was an 84 Camry. I was impressed by its off road capability as an 18 yr old lol
Don’t worry my 85 Camry still makes it to the dirt roads on the weekends :)
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.
I gasp when he says Oriental
Oh Jenn-ay, I got a new Cam-ray.
Probably still on the road somewhere with 400000 plus miles on it!
No doubt. Those 2.0L 2SEL-C engines ran forever. My friend had one.
@@googleusergp Fantastic real world fuel mileage too for the time
Indeed.
actually i think alot of these rusted out unfortunately,, maybe some southern areas probably have them
@@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.
Milder tendency for rear end swing...lol
This lamb would leave rectal nuggets on the seats if that happened to this lamb.
Such a nice Cam Ray.
That stereo looks sweet!!
@ajthenerd this lamb concurs.
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
Funny how by the late 80’s these where selling like hotcakes to the point that Toyota built its 1st North American factory specifically for the Camry
Camry has come a long way.
"Oriental challenge" 😐 lol
😆
The Cam Ray…
I have a modell DX, year 1984. The motor is 1,8S with carburetor. Manual 5-speed transmission. It is In very good shape, only 164 000km. In Finland.
I was wondering how long it would take him to say Oriental. Got my answer. A minute.
Of course, you're a white middle-aged woman probably from Milwaukee. You need controversy.
Ye old oriental cam-ray.
I think that the pedestrian shown at 7:03 will indeed not be test-driving the 1984 Toyota Camray
My aunt had a dark blue LE with a pop up sunroof.
Also, those knee socks tho.
Toyota made a good first effort with the 1st gen Camry, but the honda accord of this era was without a doubt the better car of the two.
2nd Gen Camry was when the dominance got started.
It would better if Motorweek review on '84 Toyota Camry TurboDiesel Sedan Manual. Glad still have mine and driving. Thanks.
Cam-ray. Eeyundaye.
This was my 1st car in high school
“Cam-Ray” 😂
"cAm-RaY"
That’s a nice Cam-Ray 😂
John Davis with his way of naming the car his way lol “Camray”
I had a 1985 hatchback. With 4 people aboard it could barely get out of its own way. Traded it after 2 years.
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!
MPT FTW!
Cam-a-ray!
I had a car like this
Nice car, shame the one they tested has an automatic instead of the 5 speed.
Have the automatic with the 2L gasoline engine. Can confirm its smooth but not fast at all
This lamb believes it’s because human Americans prefer automatics, and likely American Camry sales back then reflected this fact.
I love John but I cannot stand how he says Camry lol
so they put a tach on the auto model but not the manual lol I got a one of these cars manual 150k miles runs great but i just find that funny
A diesel was available on the 1984 Camry? I need conformation on that. If that's true, that would be interesting.
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.
@@rontreen3278 Interesting. I may have to see if any diesel Camry cars are still available anywhere.
With acceleration SLOWER than "molasses in January"! lol
*C A M R A Y*
The diesel engine option gave far better fuel economy....
I take it you would not like to talk about acceleration in this "contraption" . lol
That's a compact camry.
"Camry" only has one A.
Cam Ray.
The Taurus was way nicer! If Imma get a 1980’s car I want the bench seats up front!
Lol yet it's sales didn't affect the second Gen Camry at all
Will the Taurus wasn't even out at this time, in the Camry absolutely dominated the Taurus in retail sales, there's a Camry today there's no taurus.
92 horse power 😮
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?!!
I'm interested in that to be honest
Mid-Sized? It looks sub compact.
You're too dumb to realize this is 1984.
My mom owned a 1986 camry lost the main keys with clicker and it got stolen
Did you write that while you were smoking weed
@piggy310 no it actually happened. I owned that car
Wth is a CAM RAY
WTF is a Cam-RAY?????
We really should have imposed tariffs and quotas.....
It wouldn't help anyway
We did. That’s why they started building them here in newly constructed plants.
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" !
Toyota, the ULTIMATE SHAM Corporation! CRAP passed off as "quality" with BUCK$ to back the claim!
The best car 1984 1985, 1986 camry
Whom ever his vocal coach was, they needed to find them a vocal coach or go back to school. 🫤😐 or either this guy rode the slow bus.
For sure, he WASN'T the sharpest tool in the shed!