the 2003 camry under 21000 out the door

Author's Rating:

Pros: the best bargain price, quiet , luxurious car

Cons: none so far

The Bottom Line: 
It is the best all around package. Roomy, comfy, reliable, super quiet ride, good resale value. Best selling car in 2002.

Author's Review
The best thing I liked was the price. I got the convenience A package which included power driver seat & JBL premium sound system with 8 speakers in 6 locations , ABS, side curtain air bags, Rear spoiler, security system, sliding moon roof for $20956 out the door, including taxes. Keyless entry and power driver seat is standard for 2003 models. the price included a $500 rebate from Toyota. The dealer also gave me 2 yrs free maintenance and free tires for life as long as all maintenance is done by the dealer. I went to the Toyota dealer after doing lot of price research, and wanted a camry with the SALSA RED exterior and the options listed above. There was not a red camry on the lot , but there was a blue camry( Stratosphere mica) with the options. I went with my wife and we pretended we didnt like the blue camry and she said she really wanted the red. We had to walk out because the dealer would not budge on the price. The next day the dealer called me and accepted my offer. I LOVE THE BLUE COLOR( Statosphere mica). Word of advice : you will get a better price if you try to contact the internet sales department of the dealer you wish to buy the car from. Get a price from the Internet sales rep and then go to the dealership and negotiate again. They have discount pricing for internet deals. Try to find an Accord or Altima for this price with the options listed , wont even come close.
My 4 cylinder LE has ample power, and the car accelerates quick(NOT A SPORTS CAR) due to VVTI engine with 157 hp. Recently I found out that for 2003 V6 model there is a 210 hp VVTI engine and the old V6 with 192hp is also offered. So if you are shopping for a V6 then make sure you get the VVTI engine. THe gas mileage is great. I average about 29 MPG city and highway driving. The car is really roomy. The rear middle seat is a little uncomfortable for me. I am 5ft,11 inches. All other seats are comfortable. Of course I am the driver so really doesn't matter. Will seat easily a family of five. You have to sit in the car to see how roomy it feels. To really feel the difference sit in a Volkswagon Passat, Saturn ion, Accord etc or any other mid size car and then sit in a camry. It has a feeling of openness. The trunk is seriously huge, have to see it to believe it, (16.4 cubit ft) for the technically minded. Lets just say you can carry 5 large bags in the trunk, hope you get a mental picture. I really love the way the car looks with the rear spoiler. I think the Altima is the best looking of the bunch , but the interior is cheap plastic feel. I love the way the camry looks. The car is taller compared to other cars, lots of headroom & legroom for tall passengers, drivers. I do not understand how people call camry styling bland, but give honda accord styling better points. Anyway I think the 2003 Accord looks REALLY UGLY, DIDNT EVEN WANT TO TEST DRIVE THE MODEL JUST BECAUSE OF THE LOOKS. Cant imagine it sitting in my driveway. (PERSONAL OPINION) .
One should definitely test drive a camry otherwise you will be asking yourself if the camry was a better choice. The Reliability is excellent, market value is excellent, looks are excellent, gas mileage is great, will take you from A to B without trouble, luxurious ride, roomy cabin. This is a really quiet car. After a hard days work really feels good to get into a nice quiet car, which doesn't demand attention. No doubt this is the best car in its class. Go TEST DRIVE and find out for yourself.
This was the best selling car for 2002. If you look the past five years you will see it has been best selling for four years except for 2001 where honda accord came first. Anyway people buy the car because of Toyota reliability and reputation.
The dealers don't bargain much with a camry because they sell like crazy. The best time to get a good deal, if you have done your research is during the end of the month or the end of the year. I got my 2003LE on DEC 30th 2002, so I got a really good deal, Well thats the way I feel.

UPDATE 04/17/03: I have 3500 miles on the car. It still runs great no rattles,or anything wrong yet. I love that the car headlights shutoff automatically if you forget to turn them off, (NO MORE DEAD BATTERIES). The power seat is excellent. Lots of room to store loose change, CDs and cassetes. The JBL audio system is excellent. The dash lighting is soothing to the eyes. No harsh bright colors. Highway gas mileage is 32. The drink holders are great in the front and the back. Still amazed at how big the trunk is. The car is exceptionally quiet. It is the quietest car in its class, near lexus levels. The Toyota owners manual recommends oil change at 7500 miles or 6 months in normal driving conditions. I am a litte weary about this, since i did oil changes every 3000 miles in my old car. Dealer recommends oil change at 5000/ 4months. Anyway I guess its upto the owner to decide. Definitely a great car.

ANOTHER UPDATE: 09/23/03 Ohh what a feeling!!!!. I am so glad I bought a camry. Well I have had this car for 10 mos. Not a single complaint. I love the power seat. Every now and then I like to adjust my seating positions, and the power seat does the job everytime. The car has a knob for lumbar support which is great. The engine is peppy as far as I am concerned, I can pass vehicles and change lanes on highways with ease. Interior is extremely quite at 80 mph, like a Lexus. I am in love with the exterior design with a spoiler , much much superior to an Accord sedan. Can you imagine a 15 yr old teenage boy saying
"Nice car,Color".Thats exactly what happened. I really dont think its an old people's car, and I am 27 yrs old. The paint quality is excellent. Oh, Gas mileage is wonderful. I can get about 370 to 400 miles for 13 to 14 gallons, in mixed driving with a/c on. The gas tank can hold upto 18.5 gallons , but i never let it go down below the 3/4 mark on the fuel gauge. I checked the oil condition after an interval of 3500 miles and the oil is not black,I am amazed. I do my oil changes at 5000 miles now. The owners manual suggests oil changes at 7500miles in normal driving conditions. The 2004 SE camry has a V6 with a 3.3liter vvti engine, which puts out 225 HP. It is the Lexus ES300 engine with a Toyota emblem on it. If in the market for a sporty 4 door camry be sure to test drive the SE V6. Have you seen the Camry Solara , it is beautiful. Well best of luck to the new car buyers.

UPDATE:09/29/04.... I have 22000 miles on this car. Took a trip from Tampa Fl, to INDIANA and back. 1000 miles each way. I was getting 450 to 500 miles per tank driving around 80 to 85mph with A/C on . Smooth ride all the way. The car absorbs bumps quite well. I could hear tire noise (HUM) more so on concrete paved roads , but the car interior is still really quiet at these speeds and you can enjoy the radio. I like the power adjustable seats because I can change positions while driving. The Lumbar support is actually helpful. So far no rattles or noises from anywhere. So far glad to have purchased this car.