1993 Toyota Camry SE | Retro Review
Вставка
- Опубліковано 27 чер 2024
- A peppy 6 cylinder with a 6 speed sounds like a great start, but was the SE a tad too bland and pricey to compete against Accord and Maxima? How many Toyota fans would buy one new today if they could?
Show 1238 | Original Taping 6-9-1993
Follow us on social media:
Facebook ( / motorweektv )
Twitter ( / motorweek )
Instagram ( / motorweek ) - Авто та транспорт
Want to help keep our weekly Retro Reviews alive? DONATE NOW: mptevents.regfox.com/motorweek
I am using this
Almost 30 years later, these are STILL on the road.
Yep
I’ve even seen some late 80s models running a round.
And not rare a sight either....
Toyota's reliability is superb. My grandpa had a '72 Corolla, brand new, until his death in 1992. 28 years later, my uncle still drives the same vehicle and it doesn't break much (apart from the fact that he rarely took the car out after 2010 due to his own troubles). But 48 years to the vehicle and is still running strong so that's something to ponder upon. P.S It was imported straight from Japan.
And plenty of em
This Reminds me of one of my favorite articles from The Onion. “Toyota Recalls 1993 Camry Due To Fact That Owners Really Should Have Bought Something New By Now”
The day that article stops being funny is when you don't see any more 3rd and 4th Gen Camry's
Lol
Lol too funny! My family had one of these. I loved that car
Mom had a 95 Avalon (slightly stretched out V6 Camry) until a couple years ago. 330,000 miles. Only sold it because a rust patch above the windshield cracked the glass and made it impossible to replace. She absolutely loved that car and the engine and transmission still ran perfectly when it was sold. The bodies on these cars give out before the rest of it does (assuming it was maintained halfway decent anyway).
@@jblyon2 Not shocked. My father had a 1968 Beetle for years. Same principle as the Camry. As long as you did the maintenance, both cars would go forever. But, yeah, the Bug started to rust out and my father sold it. That moment made me so sad.
These 1990's Camry are still running today.
They're basically indestructible!
And call me crazy, but how great is the styling - proportional headlights and grill. Unobtrusive styling. Just an all-round balanced vehicle.
All camrys from all generations are still running today haha I got 246,000 on my Lexus es330
Even Hoovie called it the indestructible car!
@@KS-xo3oh Nice try fake account
These are arguably the best Toyota’s ever made. Maybe even the most reliable well built car ever.
Not counting the Toyota Hilux
You know... the pickup Top Gear tried to destroy?
Old boxy Volvos and diesel Mercedes are more reliable.
FutureParadise 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂🤣🤣🤣👏
@@DripDripDrip69 not more reliable sorry.. just as reliable maybe. build quality on this gen Camry is amazing
@@DJ454 Find a Toyota motor that's more reliable than Volvo B18/B20 and Mercedes OM61x.
The "Almost a Lexus" Toyota.
Honestly I think of this Camry more than newer ones
My dad got a new one... the new 4 cylinder (naturally aspirated ) has more power AND torque than this gens v6. He absolutely loves it
yeah true but I'm not saying the new ones are bad. Why would anyone have such strong opinions of such basic transport anyhow? These things are so dead nuts reliable that when I think "camry" or "corolla" I think of these old ones since I see the old ass ones nearly every day
I remember walking home during a thunderstorm in elementary school when I saw my first new ‘92 “wide body” Camry. I was like wow, that’s nice. Yea, I did have a Ferrari poster on my wall.
@@Detah_ The V6 manual model tested is advanced for the time. The engine and transmission combo makes it competitive with most cars sold now. You can install a double din Apple CarPlay unit with back up camera and you’re good to go in one of these. The engine is silky smooth and the sound with deleted resonators is actually almost musical. I’ve done this.
Rear bumper 4 feet in the air. "... some nose dive" 😆
😂 I think the entire nose of the car, up to the lower windshield seal was ground off at the same time, too!
I’m glad someone said it🤣
That car almost flipped over LOL It wasn't just some nose dive LOL
DAMN! Show's you how times have changed
Look at that clean Toyota design back then.
" There is SOME nose dive " as the whole ass end is higher then snoop dogg 🤣
This Camry, along with the Accord of the early 90's were the best Camry Accord respectively.
We had this car in the '90s. LOL! Very reliable and pretty quick too for those days. In the past 30+ years, there's never not a Camry in our family. 🤣 There's a saying, "Every Asian family has a Camry or Accord." And it's true. LOL! 😂
4th gen Camry was even better.
@@zyxzyx3030 No, it wasn't. Nor does the CE V6 5MT count.
@@jmin8400 I've had multiples of both gens, the 4th gens are better in every way.. Not sure why that's so surprising.
I had a 95 with 750,000 miles I would pay the asking price for it today if I could get it new in 2020
miy 96 only has 352,000 and its a LE v6 sheeesh they can really get that high ???
94 reporting in. Just rolled over 100,000 a few weeks ago.
@@augustbikebanditturner3907 Mom sold a 95 Avalon at 330,000 (same engine) and it still ran and shifted like new. If you don't live in the rust belt and properly maintain the thing I wouldn't be surprised if it hit 750k. She had to sell it because of New England rust.
get out there and drive it!!!, thats way to low
@@Tbird761
For real I wish you could still buy these cars manufactured just as they were in 1993. Maybe swap out the CD Player for Bluetooth and that's it.
0:09 This car is still around in all shopping malls and parking lots!
It makes me so sad that they will NEVER make a car of this quality anymore simply because it's literally too good
The good news is they're still readily available to buy used and will still keep going.
@@danmccarthy4700 yeah but at this point they are pretty old it's the gaskets that are all falling apart. The cars themselves are still amazing. I would buy one and restore it with all new seals and gaskets. This way you get a car that will last for another 30 years
@@casey3916 If you are mechanically-inclined, the Camry is a very easy car to work on. Parts are fairly cheap but looking for interior parts may be tricky.
I mean I don’t doubt that these were some of the best they’ve ever made, but this notion that modern Toyota’s aren’t made the same isn’t really true imo, everyone I know with a modern Toyota/Lexus has not had any major issues.
@@danmccarthy4700 as well made as they are a 30 year old car can be a bit of a handful. While this camry can easily last 30-40 years, most have been neglected and just aren't worth fixing.
I worked in a collision repair facility that did repairs for the largest Toyota dealership in the state. We repaired many of these. I still see Camry’s of this vintage frequently.
"some nosedive?" im pretty sure i could see the front engine subframe .
Mine got eliminated when i installed tokico shocks, h&r lowering springs and a whiteline rear sway bar. Miss mine, so fun to drive
Toyota has recalled the 1993 Camry due to the fact the owners should have something new by now
lol
@@electrikoptik lol ehhh #2 is debatable,,My aunt made a pretty nice buck working for world bank and she drove her 97 Camry all the way until 2008 My grandma still drives her 2003 corolla, And she had that previous 97-02 generation which she REALLY intended to keep forever and she worked for the banks too and did well, Some people are very conservative
Toyota makes the best transportation appliances. Like an old trusty fridge, it isn't flashy or even stylish, but every time you open the door, your food is nice and cold - year after year. And even if you later buy a flashy wifi stainless french-door fridge, it will keep working out in the garage for many years, and serve as the backup when the wifi fridge breaks.
I had a 96 but the 4 cylinder I sold it in 2013 to buy me a new 2014 Mazda 3 , what a car comfy and very very reliable I missed my so much
@@electrikoptik A lot of people keep old cars, especially as a second car. When their trade or sale value drops to a level that they don't make a big dent in a new car, they keep the old one around. That's exactly what I did for many, many years with a 90s Pickup and a brand new Pickup, then an additional new sedan.
The Camry of Camry’s.
No other Camry will be as iconic as this Gen
True. Mine is the 91 model with 2.2 manual. Driven only 365000km. Just got back from Lappland. Average consumption 7.4/100km. No issues what so ever.
4yh gen chimes in.
@@zyxzyx3030 No one cares about the 4th generation, even if it shares the same platform.
@@kari9856 There is no 1991 model year example of this generation. Toyota in all markets globally, built it for the 1992 model year only, even if a few early cars were first registered from October through December 1991.
@@jmin8400 Yes, got one registered 1991. Still running well.
Wow. This car would've been almost 40k in today's money. Such a nice looking car. Unlike other cars after almost 30 years, there's nothing about this generation of Camry that gives off any sort of retro or oldschool asthetic. It just looks like a contemporary car.
John “I want a volt meter and oil pressure gauge” Davis is at it again
Old school people wanted to know what going on because back in the day there was a real threat of walking to a phone for help. A change in volts or oil PSI were valuable information back then. It's still good information, just very unlikely to happen.
@@billschlafly4107 for sure, I totally understand why they’re important- it’s just funny that that’s ALWAYS the first gripe he has 😂
I wish we had the transmission dip stick unfortunately my 2015 doesn’t have it.
The shop I worked at back in the late 2000s had an SE manual as the "parts getter" vehicle. The boss eventually got rid of it and I kinda regret not taking it off his hands.
Amazing car still.
We have a 1996 Camry with 339,000 miles still runs an drives great!
Located at a community college parking lot near you.
At least it will get the driver there and back from the community college. Good luck getting the same kind of reliability from a Chrysler or Dodge.
@@wordman3624 You’re right 👍🏻👍🏻
One of the best cars ever built
I love how the taillights look on these older Camry’s!
I had this model V6 manual with ultra rare full clear taillights! I miss that car, don’t know why I got rid of it.
@@rairadrai that sounds sick I’d def get a v6 stick quick lul cars
Damn, a Camry with a manual???!! 0-60 in 7.2 was very competitive for the time and this would be the ultimate factory sleeper today.
Wish I'd bought that car new; it would've been the only car I needed till I died, and I was only 26 in 1993 :)
The greatest car in the history of the world
My ‘96 Camry elite edition with 240K miles still runs and shifts like a clock.
90s Toyota Camry? "Squeals in Scotty Killmer"
I miss this generation Camry and it’s a lot that’s still on the road this day
Had a 95 se v6. Same color.... I miss that car
I also owned a 95 le that I fixed. Up a bit rims stereo stuff like that i traded it for a 12 se v6 which I love but I still miss this car...
I understood why you miss it. Only a few will truly understand.
I had a 92 V6 SE with a manual in “wine berry pearl”.
Check out an accord 2.0t with manual. They’re amazing!
Probably Toyota's pinnacle of design and quality for the entire Camry line.
I have a manager at work that’s still drives one of these camrys. He has the v6 model
I had no idea that the Camry V6 was available with a manual transmission.
IT DOESNT MATTER....
They were extremely rare and never showed up again.
2007-2009 had manual but i think it was only the 4cyl
Had a 98 v6 5 speed. Did amazing burnouts and reverse donuts.
Mind blown
I lived in the U.S. 1994-2004. These were absolutely everywhere.
Maintenance and repair costs for a similar BMW of this era must be ten times the cost of a Camry.
Yep. They had just come out with VANOS.. BMWs variable cam timing system.
@@Bartonovich52 BMW is wise by inventing new technologies???..that will break down as they do, to keep the company thriving in the future...I'll pass😁
All that prestige every few months when you pull into the repair $hop.
Just awesome
Even VWs can't match Toyota's reliability. Short of buying one inside warranty, I see no good reason to buy a modern German car. Perhaps an old Mercedes diesel, but those are now worn or expensive.
Toyota definitely wasn't cheap on parts, though...I seem to remember that things like bumpers cost around 20% of the total sticker price (in Aussie.)
Our 94 Camry LE almost made it through all of our children learning to drive. The engine was done 4,000 miles short of 400,000. My son sold his 90 Camry 13 years ago with 374,000 miles on it. I still see that car driving around town. Built to last.
After the nuclear apocalypse all that is left is cockroaches and 90s Toyotas.
Along with Keith Richards.
@@edalder2000 and Betty White
And crown Vics or any panther car
One thing I remember about the 92-96 era Camry is how smooth they drove when they had low mileage.
We had 200k miles on our 93 and when my brother was scheduled to take his driver's license road test, the instructor got in the passenger front seat and told my brother to start the vehicle and my brother said it's running and he looked at the cluster with 200k miles and said "no way" in disbelief hahaha. That's how smooth these cars are.
It's because they were mini Lexus's.. The 92'-96 era Camry was engineered to pull double duty as a Lexus model also... Of course.
Low mileage for these is 200k miles.
My parents had this generation of Camry, loved it which is probably why they are still on the road today.
One of the most reliable cars ever made.
My absolute favorite generation of the Camry.
Its been nearly 30 years since this review and i have never seen one in this configuration. I had no idea you could get a V6 and a manual. They must be super rare.
It's indeed rare. You can find a manual V6 up to the 2011 models.
@@TheHuskyGT V6 and manual was only through 2001. You could still get manual I4 Camry through 2011
Mine was the 2200 i4 and auto. I had 1994 2 door version of it and I loved it until I blew the transmission apart but it lasted until 355k miles
There is a Lexus es300 v6 5sp 1993 also, look at video on "Hoovies Garage" channel.
My uncle had a late 80s wagon with V6 and manual transmission. I was a kid at the time, and didn't know how rare they would become!
4:03...I haven’t seen one of those cans in 25 years. 90s nostalgia!
Another treat from motor week
You must not get out much. I see a few on the way to work daily.
@@bugnutz43847683 He's referring to the vintage pepsi soda can
Pretty sly with the product placement
We have one
The ‘90s had the best cars, especially Japan
My mom had a 1993 Camry SE she bought brand new we put 364k on and gave It to my grandma she got it up to 405k before the trans gave out all we did was oil changes and tires, I think a CV axle went bad and some belts but damn that car was a work horse
This is the car that started the whole “A Camry V6 is faster than this” in so many other MW retro reviews of classic sports cars. That trend continues today because they still sell a V6 Camry in 2021 and it’s much faster than this one.
This was the best Camry Toyota made until the current generation. It had very tasteful styling, was reliable, comfortable, and Toyota built this to a standard, rather than a price.
We had 200k miles on our 93 and when my brother was scheduled to take his driver's license road test, the instructor got in the passenger front seat and told my brother to start the vehicle and my brother said it's running and he looked at the cluster with 200k miles and said "no way" in disbelief hahaha. That's how smooth these cars are.
That generation of Camry still looks good. Very classy and classic style.
I love the front end plow when braking
And that rear end lift! You could drive another car underneath it.
A perfect car. They are still on the road.
This Camry absolutely humiliated the Chevrolet Lumina.
Literally everything humiliated the Chevrolet Lumina.
My Grandma owns a 92 Lumina and I like it, but id still take the Camry.
Wth is a Lumina 💀
@@srt4788 You must be young.
@@srt4788 It was crappy midsized sedan made by Chevrolet in the 90s.
I had a red 1993 Camry SE v6 5 speed. It was a really nice car.
I grew up in the back seat of this car
I'm genuinely impressed with the 7.2 second 0-60 that's pretty good for that type of car I kinda want one
My aunt had a 1992 or early 1993 XLE. Loaded with every option. Thought I was riding in a luxury car as a kid.
Never thought I'd get so excited about a Camry
This was one of my original childhood cars that I remembered. My parents used to have an xle model of this car in silver with the v6 and automatic transmission bought from the owner.
Just finished watching the Olds Achieva SC video. THESE cars here, are still on the road. Built WAY better.
Still see them, and will for probably 20 years into the future
These things are still on the road where I live. Unbelievable reliability.
I still see these all over the place. Hell, I have 2 coworkers with this generation Camry.
Toyota, the company that started it all with the venerable sport value trims that are still requisite for the mid-sized sedan segment, even today.
I miss my 94 LE Camry: It had 210K. I traded it in for a '19 SE Camry.
Wow a 1993 V6 Camry 0-60 in 7 seconds is very impressive back in the 90s 😮
The 90s cars had really quirky interior designs - which did feel was shared by a lot of cars of that era but now that I see them, its a whole new level of nostalgia. I had a 1997 Daihatsu Mira as my first car, and looking at this Camry's interior it feels a LOT reminiscent to the first car, except mine was much, much smaller relatively.
Wish they still had manuals
they did until likke 2007-09. that was the last gen camry to offer manual
@@JDMHaze 2011 was the last year.
A Dam Shame! Humanity The invention of the iPhone ruined everything. Everyone is so lazy now
@@mitch9521 Yeah that's why I said generation Because I know it was that 07 to 2011 body style, I just couldn't confirm at what year it stopped but most of the manuals I've seen have been the first two years
They do in South Africa. We don't really have a market for autos here, though and we don't really get many of the US options either.
I still see these on the road today but the wagon and the 2 door versions are rare to see.
7.2 seconds to 60 was fast for 1993. Impressive.
1993? Sheesh, thts still good today...
dknt forget the 60-0. in 110 feet, that was on supercars heels
Not really
@@buckeyesfan4700 The mustang barely did better at the time if at all. and again this was still faster than the bmw which was likely double the price
Agreed they were ahead of it’s time
I bought a 94' Camry with 71K miles last year. I specifically went for that year and model because I wanted the most reliable and easy/cheapest car to work on I could find.
It's been incredible so far and it's proved to be easy to work on. Thought about selling it for something cooler, but now I'm just going to re-paint and keep it forever.
Those numbers on that V6 7.2 seconds in a 175 hhp 185 torque pull ...Bring that engine back 💯
Been driving a 99 V6 XLE for the last 5 years. Great car's.
In 2012 this was my first car. It was the V6, green in color with a pinstripe on each side, and came from a junk yard for 700 dollars. I miss that car.
"Bmw performance at a bargain price".
Aint that the damn truth. Very rarely see bmws the same year still rolling around😂
I've seen a few, but the owners are hilariously silly, sinking the equivalent of the entire car's value into repairs every few years, err "Maintence" as the Eurofans call it. LOL!
As a previous bmw “fanboy” i had a 1999 m3 in 2006-2012 that was pretty rock solid. However, new bmws are not very good reliability wise.
A few years ago I bought a 1999 Camry with a 5 speed manual. That thing just ran forever with minimal maintenance. It was even on the original clutch with 247,000 miles! Try that in a bmw!
Oil changes and front brakes were the only two things I did in 2 years.! I always recommend these cars to people look for reliable cars. Bought mine for $1500 and sold for $1500 2 years later 👍🏻
@@NickHazletonMusic Bmw is an endless money pit, a rolling pile of junk. Ask Scotty, he knows.
@@kari9856 man Uncle Killmer knows everything
Still a solid buy today. Really good car.
This was my first car! Bought in 1995. I kept it until 2020 with 363028 miles. Ended up donating it. During its lifetime I only had to repair a leaky power steering, battery, cv joints, and struts. It was very reliable but the gas mileage was poor.
I see 98-2000 camrys still running strong I have a 4 cylinder camry 98 model
They’re great vehicles and easy to work on. I have a 97 LE with over 260k miles and still runs like a clock! It’s my daily commuter and still get an average of 28-30 MPG even with the AC running.
@@elgatogordo9523 I got one too le model 358,592 miles
97-2001 , best gen IMHO.
it’s crazy how different 90s cars were from 80s cars in both styling and technology whereas practically nothing about contemporary cars has changed in the past 10 years
My grandma still drive a 1996 Camry to this day with over 215k miles, even though she got a 2018 Lexus RX and still refused to drive them lol
Perhaps the most reliable family car ever made.
The most reliable gasoline cars ever produced along with the 90s LS400s.
That's that one of the best cars of mid-90s
I so miss my 93 XLE V6. It was one of a kind. And out on the road it would run with the best of the newer cars.
These dudes dont know nothing about riding around like that. Only a few will truly, truly understand. 👍
@@teddyjohnson1290 yessirrr 👊🏽
"Drive through the parking lot of any shopping mall and you're bound to see a lot of cars like this one." John got that one right - those things were everywhere.
I had this model! The best car i have ever owned!
My first car!! Bought used 5yrs old with 46k miles kept it for 12 yrs!
Its funny that he said these are overpriced, but knowing how durable they are now I think he would say otherwise.
When I wanted to try one, the dealer let me sit in it, but wouldn’t allow me to actually drive it. Ended up buying a Maxima SE which suited me better at that age. Today I’d probably prefer this car.
I still see these come through my shop ALL the time. Damn good cars
Now I'm waiting for 1995 Avalon retro review.
Call me crazy, but I'm a 17 year old that loves the 90s camry designs. All the lines flow together and it looks so soft and so nostalgic.
So funny that we still see them common today. Built to last
This was the "oh what a feeling" heel-click era.
Most reliable car
Corolla might still hold that title
They won't die!
These sadly never sold as well in the UK due to our medieval road network. It's easy to see why they're so popular in North America. I'd love one.
Without question, one of THE BEST built vehicles EVER MADE. 🏆 Toyota simply didn’t know the meaning of “planned obsolescence” back then.
Best car ever made, hands down!!!!