Why did you buy a Toyota Camry Solara?

[ultramookie]

Just curious: Why did you buy your Toyota Camry Solara? What got you to plunk down those few thousand dollars on this car instead of a different one (like a Honda Accord or Nissan Maxima)?

[Kenn157]

How did I spend my summer vacation? Oops wrong subject!

Why did I buy that WONDERFUL Toyota SOLARA?

I've been seeing the Solara around and I liked it very much. But I had an 88 Camry LE since October of 87. It was running well, little rust now and then but I kept up with it... 150K miles on him and going strong. Until that faithful day in March 2002 when the teenage girl up the street hit my parked baby in front of my house on her way to school. The fender got damaged and the steering got screwed up. Well needless to say it was a total. Like $1800 damage and the car was worth like $2100.

Anyway I've had toyotas for a long time, I saw the Solara in the "used" Chevy dealer lot. Two days later it was mine Oooo Solara Oooo! 1999 w/10.7K It was like a new car and smelled new too.

Shortly after getting it I found Solara Guy.com All the mods I made on the Solara was due to all of you guys n gals.

Thanks so much!

[onefiend]

Well, when I was driving around my 98 Camry which was leased I use to see the Solara's on the street, and I noticed there wasnt as many Solara's on the road, there were more Accord Coupe's and Maxima's. So when I had to return the Camry to the dealer I was gonna finance either a Celica or a Solara...I test drove both but my 6'2" frame was uncomfortable in the Celica, I test drove the Solara and I felt great in it and the rest is history.

[nkx1]

Well, I was originally going to buy a '98 or '99 acura cl 3.0 because i liked the tail lights. but it only came in an automatic, and i read that they often had transmission problems. then i was going to buy a '99 or '00 mustang gt. but i heard about soooo many problems with those, even from the loyal mustang owners on www.stangnet.com and other related sites. so then i started looking at the solara. i thought it looked very stylish, especially in black, lowered, with chrome rims. and it also came in a 5 spd V6, unlike the cl. so i bought my '99 solara about a month ago from carson toyota w/ 26k. i'm pretty happy with it so far, even though its leatherless. i like the fact that i can beat most of the little ricers that challenge me on the street. if i had the $$ i would probably get the supercharger too.

[sLoSoLaRa2k2]

i was originally supposed to get an used ITR or even a supra if i was able to find one but then my parents and i went down to the dealers and they liked the solara so they just bought it for me itz not the car i wanted but i'm happy with it

[Fairlite]

I was getting my '92 Toyota Tercel serviced on morning and decided to walk around the show room while I wait and I came across a new car in the show room. What struck me was tha car was parked diagonally in the showroom and I had rear to front view and just fell in love with it, the rear lights just look great and the shoulder line going the who lenth of the car was striking, this was in '99. At that time I was going to buy a 4Runner limited because nothing else really struck me until this car 1 year later I was driving home with a 2000 SLE. And I am not sorry about it.

[Fairlite]

Opps, for some reason i tripple click sorry

[Blaze]

no prob its fixed now mod tools are cool

[pro956]

hmm, well, my imediate family's had tons of toyotas
old corolla
92 camry (was my car-- got it from my dad)
96 camry
99 sienna
00 camry

the 92 camry is at almost 248,000 miles
http://members.aol.com/pro956/my_miles.jpg

i think we're gonna give it to charity (i hit a deer) ON THE HIGHWAY!
toyotas are the best, my 92 camry runs so smooth well over 95mph

way back in 99 when the solara came out, it caught my eye...
nothing else-- within my price range, even about $10k above it looked as good as the solara as me. and when i test drove it- there was no going back. so, after saving up for a while i went out and got my 2002 se v6

toyotas rule! (wish the solara had a little more power though)

[Missay]

Why did I buy a solara you ask?? why??

b/c it looks pretty dang good..that's why..haha

Actually, I didn't want my first car to be some huge looking boat so saved up for 2 years..and walla...I bought myself a 99 SLE. I remember seeing a white solara when they first came out and thinking "wow...that's a nice looking car...I've never seen one of those...what kinda car is that?" I forgot about it and honestly don't remember how I suddenly decided that I wanted one (I've gone through so many phases of what type of car I wanted...right before I bought the solara I was going to buy a 99 acura 3.0cl) When I test drove it I just knew. Ironically enough, when I went to the dealer they had two solara SLEs...a 00 pure white one and a 99 black one. I liked the white one, but it was $20k...when they asked me if I wanted to test drive one I decided to go for the black one b/c it was 19k so I figured if something happened it wound't be as bad...hahaha. I didn't even have to put the car into drive, I just had "the feeling" when you know that's the one. I'm making my car sound like my boyfriend now and it's really really depressing me b/c I'm longing to get my car back from the shop, so I'm going to stop talking now before I cry.

I miss my car!!

[cecilysolara]

My family has this insane history of buying Toyotas. Infact, the only non-Toyota either of my parents have owned since I was born was a Mazda, and my dad won it from a radio station. Currently, my dad has a '92 Camry, and my mom's got a '99 Camry. Therefore, when it came time to get my first car (which was less than a month ago, haha), I pretty much knew I would be most comfortable with a Toyota because of their obvious reliability. (My dad's little car has over 220,000 miles on it, and it still runs so well). Well, I assumed I would get a Corolla simply because they are smaller and more affordable. My parents said they wouldn't mind buying me a new one, so I was set on that for a while, but then one Sunday, my parents and I ended up looking at a used Toyota dealership. I had never considered a Solara simply because you don't often see them and because Toyota doesn't really try marketing them to younger people (and seeing as I am 16...). Well, anyways, I got out of the car, and directly to my left were three Solaras. They were beautiful, absolutely stunning! I walked up to them determined not to get attached because I thought they would be too expensive. There were two white ones and then one slightly metallic medium blue one. I completely fell for the blue one. It's gorgeous. Also, it had about 32K on it, which isn't terrible. However, I made myself walk away because I had no idea what my parents wanted to pay for a car, and the Solara was $13,992. I looked at some older Corollas and Camrys all in the same too plain tan colors. I kept coming back to the Solara. I managed to courage to bring it up with my dad, and i found out what a new Corolla would cost. Immeadiately, I told him that since it was cheaper than one, I wanted it. Hey, it was a heck of a lot prettier, it had power windows and locks (not standard on new Corollas), and was roomier. And, hey, it was blue. What can I say? Anyways, later that same day, we came back! It was still there (I was praying, dude). My parents did the paperwork, and hey, it's now sitting outside. YAY!

[Missay]

wow...there are a lot of us youngens buying solaras. i don't care what they say about most buyers being middle aged men...I've noticed more and more younger people in solaras. I think it's probably b/c as the 3yr/36k bumper to bumper warranties expire all the spoiled people in the world are trading in their old solaras for new ones. you know what that means...people like me who can't afford a $31k car have to wait and buy it used. That's ok.

I'm impressed cecilysolara...your father bought you your car?? That's one nice father. I only wish my father paid for mine...I'm stuck w/ payments for 5years but that's ok, it's worth it. Besides, I can worry about serious college debt later (Boston is the worst place to pay for college!). It's kinda sad when I'm considering transferring to a state school or community college b/c then I'd have enough money to buy a brand new solara! I still kinda like the 99 model the best though...you can't improve something that's already perfect!

[Jaimster]

I still kinda like the 99 model the best though...you can't improve something that's already perfect!.

Yep, I agree! My '99 never gave me any problems.

[rnsmelody]

why i bought a solara was because.. my dad had a 88 toyota with like 193k on it and it is still up and running good. toyota is a very realiable! but before i was looking at a gsx or a celica gts.. but then my dad was like blah blah blah this car is like those cars are too small for you i want u to get a bigger car.. i always seen solara's around but they were kinda expensive but the gts cost more like 25g's for it.. so anways after months of looking for a car.. i search for a solara but i wanted the diamond pearl one.. but the frist dealer i went to had the car but tried to rip us off.. so we went to a another one.. they special order the car for us.. with like 500 deposit. but they said they will get the car in 2 days.. i waited a week for the car, but it never came in so i took my deposit back and the dealer has the nerves to say to me.. to dont come back if u cant find the car anywhere else.. so i called a different dealer in another city and they said they have the car and model and color i was looking for .. so i went down there.. and BAM the car wasnt there.. they lied to me to just get me to go there.. so they can work out a deal for me.. for a different car.. so by this time its been 2 weeks looking for a white solara,... and if i didnt find one by this week.. i would ended up with an accord..(school starts soon and i need a car ASAP). so finally after 3 weeks looking for a car i found it at a dealership, picked it up and took it home but it was worth the trouble looking for this car..

Also i live in a area where there is a lot of imports and modified cars.. i seen more accords, civics, integ.. etc than solaras around.. so i rather have somthing different.

[nkx1]

wow...there are a lot of us youngens buying solaras. i don't care what they say about most buyers being middle aged men...I've noticed more and more younger people in solaras. I think it's probably b/c as the 3yr/36k bumper to bumper warranties expire all the spoiled people in the world are trading in their old solaras for new ones. you know what that means...people like me who can't afford a $31k car have to wait and buy it used. That's ok.

I'm impressed cecilysolara...your father bought you your car?? That's one nice father. I only wish my father paid for mine...I'm stuck w/ payments for 5years but that's ok, it's worth it. Besides, I can worry about serious college debt later (Boston is the worst place to pay for college!). It's kinda sad when I'm considering transferring to a state school or community college b/c then I'd have enough money to buy a brand new solara! I still kinda like the 99 model the best though...you can't improve something that's already perfect!

don't the solara's come with a 5yr 60k mile power train warranty too? basically you get 2 extra years on the powertrain portion? that's what a toyota service rep told me anyway.