Toyota Camry 2015 - Complimentary Upgrade to 2.5L

[RadX]

Low profile tires on 19" rims of course will transfer all kinds of vibration & noise into the cabin. Making it feel harsh on the damping. Most stock suspension dampers are firm but not harsh. Tire air pressure also plays a part. But ppl like big rims and low profile tires to get the "look". Enjoy the harsh ride loh.

 

 

good for hemarrhoids...

[t0y0ta]

I collected my new Camry 2.5 last week.  Found that the Camry was not comfortable to drive at all.  I could feel a bump whenever the car goes over a slightly uneven surface.  Sometimes, the car even jolts when the uneven surface is more pronounced.   It is not an exaggeration if I have to describe my ride as feeling a bump or a jolt on average every ten seconds or so on a road or highway, going at no more than 40 to 70km/h.  I drove on the KPE, PIE, CTE, AYE and the results are more or less the same, the bumps are always there.

 

I drove a old Camry (2002-2005 model) for 3 years, hence, I was able to make a comparison, and felt that a Camry that is worth its salt should not exhibit such performance. 

 

 

So after 2 days of driving after collecting my new Camry, I went to BM in Ubi for a checkup.  The service personnel checked the tire pressure and found it to be 42 psi.  The tires was re-pressurised to 33 psi.  I drove together with the service personnel as passenger for a test drive afterwards.  The bumps are still there.  I told him that my old Camry did not exhibit such bumpiness. He replied that the new Camry has a new suspension and thus a comparison between the Old Camry and New Camry cannot be made.

 

So I continued to drive for a few days.  However, the frequency of the bumpiness bugged me.  I decided to bring my car down to BM again, but this time to BM in Leng Kee for a 2nd opinion.  The service personnel asked me if my tires are pressurized correctly, which I replied yes.  He then brought the car for a test drive, while I became the passenger.   On the test drive journey, I pointed out to him the bumps as the car went was driven around the Leng Kee area.  He pointed that the Camry suspension had been changed to a stiffer one, since the 2012 model was introduced.  The 2002-2005 model (the one that I drove previously), and the 2006-2009 model were using the softer shock absorbers, and thus afforded a more comfortable ride.   Interestingly, he pointed out that the Lexus ES250 shared the same engine and suspension system as the Camry 2.5. 

 

I asked the service personnel if other Camry (2015 model) users like me had also complained about a bumpy ride, and he replied yes.  However, there was nothing BM could do about it, as this is the suspension system that Toyota has put in for the Camry 2.5. Changing to a new one will not resolve the problem.  However, he pointed out that this suspension system has its advantages, as it provides more stability for the car while doing fast cornering, which the suspension in the older Camry model does not provide. 

 

My opinion?  I would trade in this new suspension for the previous suspension anytime, for the sake of a smoother ride (of course, the new suspension and old suspension are not inter-changeable).  I bought the new Camry for two primary reasons: cabin quietness, and a smooth and comfortable ride.  The new Camry fulfilled the 1st reason with flying colours - it is definitely quieter than my old Camry.  However, it is nowhere as comfortable as my old Camry, and if I may add, it is just way too uncomfortable for my liking.  

 

I got a colleague who bought his 2015 Camry 2.0 a few months ago.  I asked whether he encountered the same problem like me.  He replied that he was satisfied with his new car and did not notice any bumps.  He too was a previous Camry user.  To get a fair opinion, I will seek a chance to sit in his car and feel for any difference, and also, for him to sit in my car, and get his feedback.

 

Will update you guys on this in a later post.  If there is indeed a difference after comparing my friend's car with my car, then I think there is something really wrong, and BM should do something to rectify this bumpiness problem.

 

I welcome all 2015 model Camry users to provide your feedback on your rides so far.  Perhaps I am the only one to suffer this problem.  I appreciate your feedback here in this thread. Thank you in advance.             

 

My family getting the 2.5 Camry to be delivered in Jan - so I can let you know then.

 

Myself I did test drive the 2.0 Camry back in April - was driving a 9yo Altis then and my feedback then was that Camry simply drove like a big Altis - was comfortable and very easy to drive. Did not really notice anything bumpier.

 

My current ride that replaced Altis is an SUV.... very bumpy but after a while get used to it lor.

 

My sis has the ES250 - her feedback is quite hard suspension and she had to release tyre air many times to get it to be more acceptable to her (she moved from 10yo scrapped japan camry), so I guess that correlates with your experience.

 

[Watwheels]

good for hemarrhoids...

 

These ppl are very fit. They won't feel nausea after driving in such harsh conditions. Their passengers can tahan it too. I think they also try to add sound insulation to reduce the noise but that would add weight to the car. I find the whole thing quite pointless.

 

 

Word of advise for drivers. If you find that the stock suspension damping is too harsh try lowering the air pressure in your tires. I know ppl will over-inflate their tires a little for lower FC. You can't have the best of both worlds.

Edited November 27, 2015 by Watwheels

[nazerath]

I think lowering the air pressure to compensate for the stiff shocks kind of defeats the purpose of getting that car.

[Watwheels]

Share something with you guys. For those who have TPMS you will notice the air pressure will go up around 20kPa in the tires while driving, even up to 30kPa on a hot day. The higher the tire pressure the stiffer the ride becomes. And now the rainy season is here it's not recommended to inflate the tires beyond what is recommended. The tires will have less contact surface area on the already wet road surface. You will find yourself braking on a further distance.

[Cheefarn]

Wait till you install coilovers in your new Camry and upgrade the wheels to 18-19"... then you come n tell me how's the ride quality LOL

 

But then your Camry 2.5 will be able to handle much better and cup corners with FD Civics and a most European cars.

 

Wobbly and soft suspension is a big no no in today's auto scene. Prob you will like those crappy 1970s American land yachts where you may find the door handles scrapping the tarmac everytime you do a quick sharp turn... with tires screaming for its dear life.

 

Hard suspensions will pay off big time when you are on the NSHW

[Variodical]

You could try changing to 2.0 rims and tyres (16", 215/60 R16) as the sidewalls are quite a bit thicker. Since the 2.0 has been reported to be less bumpy, the larger 17" rims and lower-profile tires on the 2.5 should make it less comfortable than the 2.0.

[Cheefarn]

You could try changing to 2.0 rims and tyres (16", 215/60 R16) as the sidewalls are quite a bit thicker. Since the 2.0 has been reported to be less bumpy, the larger 17" rims and lower-profile tires on the 2.5 should make it less comfortable than the 2.0.

Please do not do that. Its dangerous to sacrifice handling powess just to have a softer suspension. You need control, not the lack of it.

 

Seriously there's nothing much you can do to soften the suspension. Changing to aftermarket coilovers will surely harden the suspension considerably.

 

The bro who started the article should have test drive properly back then before signing on the dotted line.

 

Even if he replaced the brand new shocks with completely worn ones (his old ACV30 shocks actually fit the current Camry), the ride may not soften up significantly. He will still feel the so called bumps on the road except now he will have to endure a car that bobs up n down constantly whenever he drives. He will prob throw up at the end of the journey LOL.

 

He should have gone for the Teana 2.5 since Nissan suspensions are known to be super soft n wobbly. Or take a public bus that feature air suspensions LOL

[Hamburger]

i rather be bumping around than floating around.

 

handling is a higher priority to me.

[Lala81]

Seriously u should have bought the teana. It has the strongest boat feeling. Camry and Accord is about similar in terms of suspension feel but the Accord suspension is softer than my Altis previously.

Actually I've sat in the old Camry. In whatever way, the current Camry is a far better drive than it used to be.

 

You should have bought a Cadillac

Mz6 by far the firmest ride.

 

From softest to firmest, the cars I tested would be

Teana, s80, accord Camry previous Passat roughly same then mz6

[Forte3737]

i rather be bumping around than floating around.

 

handling is a higher priority to me.

How fast you drive? If average skills, then avg handling will do for you

[Cheefarn]

Seriously u should have bought the teana. It has the strongest boat feeling. Camry and Accord is about similar in terms of suspension feel but the Accord suspension is softer than my Altis previously.

Actually I've sat in the old Camry. In whatever way, the current Camry is a far better drive than it used to be.

 

You should have bought a Cadillac

Mz6 by far the firmest ride.

 

From softest to firmest, the cars I tested would be

Teana, s80, accord Camry previous Passat roughly same then mz6

Wei bro, don't belittle Cadillac or any GM cars hor... have u sat in a modern Caddy before?

 

Its not 1959 Cadillac El Dorado liao la...

 

Modern Caddies handles as great as if not better than any BMW and Mercedes Benz models you can find.

 

And with big power to boot.

 

Its Toyota who is still stuck in the old world mentality where ride comfort= wobbly chassis and impossible handling.

[Lala81]

Wei bro, don't belittle Cadillac or any GM cars hor... have u sat in a modern Caddy before?

 

Its not 1959 Cadillac El Dorado liao la...

 

Modern Caddies handles as great as if not better than any BMW and Mercedes Benz models you can find.

 

And with big power to boot.

 

Its Toyota who is still stuck in the old world mentality where ride comfort= wobbly chassis and impossible handling.

Err err that's what Cadillac are famous for. And it's exactly what people in America buy Cadillacs for. The large comfortable cruiser.

 

I quote this from their description of their Ciel concept car "The Ciel is a modern interpretation of the large, expressive luxury that is innate to Cadillac.'

 

What's a town car. It's a Lincoln.

 

Whats the single most famous car currently built by Cadillac. And probably the only car that non Americans would recognise as a Cadillac. It's the escalade.

No body in their right mind buys a Cadillac for handling or firm suspension. It's meant to be a f**king boat to be seen in.

[Cheefarn]

Err err that's what Cadillac are famous for. And it's exactly what people in America buy Cadillacs for. The large comfortable cruiser.

 

I quote this from their description of their Ciel concept car "The Ciel is a modern interpretation of the large, expressive luxury that is innate to Cadillac.'

 

What's a town car. It's a Lincoln.

 

Whats the single most famous car currently built by Cadillac. And probably the only car that non Americans would recognise as a Cadillac. It's the escalade.

No body in their right mind buys a Cadillac for handling or firm suspension. It's meant to be a f**king boat to be seen in.

 

The irony is, if you go see http://www.cadillac.com/  None of the cars offered are luxo barges ... none wobble and crash through bumps like the old ACV30 Camry

[Lala81]

The irony is, if you go see http://www.cadillac.com/ None of the cars offered are luxo barges ... none wobble and crash through bumps like the old ACV30 Camry

I only remember that Camry for having the exhaust pipe that keeps hitting the curb. Similar to the g8 Altis.

 

It's OK lor.

The test drives in singapore are too short. Unless u test driving one of the premium brands.

[tenyawph]

I managed to do this: drove my colleague's Camry 2.0 car and he drove my car.   Verdict:  His car was also bumpy.   From his point of view, he is not bothered by the bumps and feels that it is normal.

 

I guess one's perception of the road bumps is very subjective.  

[Bioinformatics]

I collected my new Camry 2.5 last week.  Found that the Camry was not comfortable to drive at all.  I could feel a bump whenever the car goes over a slightly uneven surface.  Sometimes, the car even jolts when the uneven surface is more pronounced.   It is not an exaggeration if I have to describe my ride as feeling a bump or a jolt on average every ten seconds or so on a road or highway, going at no more than 40 to 70km/h.  I drove on the KPE, PIE, CTE, AYE and the results are more or less the same, the bumps are always there.

 

I drove a old Camry (2002-2005 model) for 3 years, hence, I was able to make a comparison, and felt that a Camry that is worth its salt should not exhibit such performance. 

 

 

So after 2 days of driving after collecting my new Camry, I went to BM in Ubi for a checkup.  The service personnel checked the tire pressure and found it to be 42 psi.  The tires was re-pressurised to 33 psi.  I drove together with the service personnel as passenger for a test drive afterwards.  The bumps are still there.  I told him that my old Camry did not exhibit such bumpiness. He replied that the new Camry has a new suspension and thus a comparison between the Old Camry and New Camry cannot be made.

 

So I continued to drive for a few days.  However, the frequency of the bumpiness bugged me.  I decided to bring my car down to BM again, but this time to BM in Leng Kee for a 2nd opinion.  The service personnel asked me if my tires are pressurized correctly, which I replied yes.  He then brought the car for a test drive, while I became the passenger.   On the test drive journey, I pointed out to him the bumps as the car went was driven around the Leng Kee area.  He pointed that the Camry suspension had been changed to a stiffer one, since the 2012 model was introduced.  The 2002-2005 model (the one that I drove previously), and the 2006-2009 model were using the softer shock absorbers, and thus afforded a more comfortable ride.   Interestingly, he pointed out that the Lexus ES250 shared the same engine and suspension system as the Camry 2.5. 

 

I asked the service personnel if other Camry (2015 model) users like me had also complained about a bumpy ride, and he replied yes.  However, there was nothing BM could do about it, as this is the suspension system that Toyota has put in for the Camry 2.5. Changing to a new one will not resolve the problem.  However, he pointed out that this suspension system has its advantages, as it provides more stability for the car while doing fast cornering, which the suspension in the older Camry model does not provide. 

 

My opinion?  I would trade in this new suspension for the previous suspension anytime, for the sake of a smoother ride (of course, the new suspension and old suspension are not inter-changeable).  I bought the new Camry for two primary reasons: cabin quietness, and a smooth and comfortable ride.  The new Camry fulfilled the 1st reason with flying colours - it is definitely quieter than my old Camry.  However, it is nowhere as comfortable as my old Camry, and if I may add, it is just way too uncomfortable for my liking.  

 

I got a colleague who bought his 2015 Camry 2.0 a few months ago.  I asked whether he encountered the same problem like me.  He replied that he was satisfied with his new car and did not notice any bumps.  He too was a previous Camry user.  To get a fair opinion, I will seek a chance to sit in his car and feel for any difference, and also, for him to sit in my car, and get his feedback.

 

Will update you guys on this in a later post.  If there is indeed a difference after comparing my friend's car with my car, then I think there is something really wrong, and BM should do something to rectify this bumpiness problem.

 

I welcome all 2015 model Camry users to provide your feedback on your rides so far.  Perhaps I am the only one to suffer this problem.  I appreciate your feedback here in this thread. Thank you in advance.             

 

Oh no, sound bad.... I will be getting mine in 2 weeks time. Will update then.

[nazerath]

I only remember that Camry for having the exhaust pipe that keeps hitting the curb. Similar to the g8 Altis.

 

It's OK lor.

The test drives in singapore are too short. Unless u test driving one of the premium brands.

Agree too short, test the power and handling, it's easy to miss a lot of the others.

 

Maybe can look for 16 inch wheels, more bounce.

Edited November 27, 2015 by nazerath