I just ordered (for delivery later this week) an 08 Camry Hybrid (non-nav, leather package, JBL stereo, no moonroof). The only hybrid I've ever driven any length of time was a rental Prius from Hertz that I drove about 600 miles in Florida. (I live in upstate NY, just a bit colder.)

I have some questions -- a couple of which are important as they might cause me to change what I'm buying depending on the answer!

1) I have a Garmin 680 that I love. I do not love the Toyota nav system, hence the non-nav purchase. I saw a couple of threads suggesting that some had issues with plug-in Nav systems. Should I be horribly worried? (I need a nav system of some sort.)

2) I am still a bit iffy on what I am losing other than navigation in having a non-nav version. I know I lose the fancy screen and some detail in info re regeneration of the battery, but what else do I lose? (Yes, I've read other posts on the issue, but they were confusing.)

3) It is *very* important for me to be able to use the Bluetooth handsfree with my phone. Has anyone paired/had issues with pairing a Motorola Q?

4) What real-world hints re cold weather driving are recommended in the Camry Hybrid? (I read the FAQ but it was cursory on this. Also confusing at one point. It says it's best to not warm the car up to increase mileage, but it also says this is impractical in cold climates. Is it impractical because of the car or impractical because of comfort-for-driver issues?)

5) Are there any dealer-customizable settings that are considered musts to have changed? (The touch-opens-all-doors-not-just-driver's can still be changed by the owner, right?)

Thanks for any input!

 

1) I have used Magellan handheld GPS inside my TCH , I had no problem with reception whatsoever, even if I had it sitting down inside cup holders in the center console. I don't think hybrid system has anything to do with GPS. Probably combination of poor antenna and windshield, but as I said I had no problem. Never used 680, can't say if there is anything specific about that particular GPS, it should work as usual.
2) I like my build in navigation system, just for the screen size alone. I think you get better radio, better display for phone book, much more comprehensive display of hybrid system and fuel economy, you can input scheduled maintenance work, nothing you can't live without, but it's nice. I can't say it's worth $1200 extra for you, if I was doing it all over again I would get it again, YDMV.
3) I have no experience with your phone, it works great with my LG8300.
4) It's impractical for driver comfort, (did you get heated seats?), warm up past first 30 seconds is waste, it would probably take longer also, since driving will force ICE into higher RPM
5) Yes, you can reprogram doors opening sequence yourself, can't think of any must have changes. There is a way to activate alarm system siren, using build in security system in case of break in, but you need dealer's programming tool and non official procedure, not sure if dealer would be aware and willing to do that. Otherwise I think the car is pretty good with factory settings.

 

Thanks for the reply. I did get heated seats (a must in this climate).

As far as the non-nav, I'd like to see if anyone out there without the nav can fill me in on the usability of the Bluetooth handsfree in the non-nav.

Also, would like to know what the usual extra price is for the nav in fair market. I've heard 1200-2000 variance. I might (if nothing else changes) decide before tomorrow to change, and if I did I'd offer the dealer cash for the additional upgrade.

Finally, I just tripped over a huge concern in someone's post elsewhere here, if I am reading it right. That post suggests I can't receive a call while driving, nor can I make a call other than to one of six speed dial numbers. Is that true?

 

When I was buying my TCH in June of 2006, navigation was $1200 extra option, however it was part of a bigger package. Not sure what the price of that option is now . The $2000 would be a price if you were buying the navigation separate from the car, like replacing it or adding it later. You have much better chance of negotiating good price when buying the car than later.
I would think the radio should be the same in all Camry models, I would go to the dealer and test it in other car even if it wasn't hybrid. Of course you can receive the calls while driving, that's the whole idea of BT. You can not dial out the numbers, except the speed dials , so you won't get distracted from driving, when searching the phone number. There are 3 solutions for that , if you have navigation system:
1) you can dial directly from phone
2) you can combine older version navigation firmware with new navigation data. Older firmware have secret key combination which unlocks all the functions locked out when driving. New firmware has this function disabled so you need to combine older firmware with the latest map data on one DVD disc.
3) You can install some simple device that fools the computer into thinking your car is moving very slow, enabling all locked out functions when needed.
I have no idea how all this works in non navigation equipped car.
You can find more details about unlocking the functions if you search the forum.

 

Thanks much! Sometimes posts are confusing depending on context and writer's skill, but I needed to be sure that Toyota's hyper-safety did not reach so far as to stop one from answering calls when driving. (After all, that's what one post seemed to see, and one clear part of what I read said that the incoming phone # would not display if one was driving, which seems awfully overprotective to me.) But as long as I can dial all numbers from the phone, I'm fine. There really are only five numbers I call from my phone's speed dial as it is.

 

If you press unlock once, it unlocks the driver side door. If you press unlock twice, it unlocks all the doors. If you want to have all the doors unlock from one key press, this is a dealer-customizable setting that they can do for you for free.

 

You can change that yourself by pressing proper key sequence on remote and opening the door, I did it and have instructions somewhere if needed. Also all doors will unlock at once if you open passenger door first, maybe all you need if you're real gentleman

 

Thanks again. The one press/two presses is the same as on my 2004 Sienna that I'm trading in, and I do two by rote so I don't forget when I have a passenger. The touching-the-car one is the one I want to change to open all doors, which you confirmed I can do myself.

 

Actually, I would like to know where you got those instructions from. I scoured the Dealer Repair Serivce Manual and only found the method to do it via computer. If I can change other customized parameters without having to go to the dealer, I would definitely like to have that list of commands. By default, if you touch the passenger side handle, all the doors unlock. If you touch the driver side handle, only the driver's door unlocks. I just spent the last 10 minutes trying to find a setting in the repair manual to see if you can change it so that if you touch the driver's door, it unlocks all doors. I can't seem to find it. Apparently I'm looking in the wrong place. Help anyone?

 

Page 40 of the 2007 owner's manual, online at http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/%7Enash/TC...s%20Manual.pdf,
has the instructions for the 2007, and I believe that a post somewhere here says it is the same for an 08.