Used 2006 Toyota Camry Solara Consumer Reviews
Used Camry Solara for sale
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"Still" the best car we've ever owned
Pat, 01/17/2016
updated 02/18/2019
2006 Toyota Camry Solara SE V6 2dr Convertible (3.3L 6cyl 5A)
76 of 76 people found this review helpful
Update #4 (2019). 161k miles to date. Car is a backup so driven very little but would drive this car from coast to coast right now without regret. Its showing its age though. The dash is starting to crack which I hear is common in these. HVAC still works perfect. Original shocks and struts. Power convertible top works perfect. Will keep this car till the wheels fall off which could be a long way in the future. Its a great car with little faults. Update #3 (2018). Car still running good. Drove 1600 miles round trip recently, not a glitch. Great mileage on the highway (70+ mph). As previously mentioned we purchased a newer RAV4 which is our daily car now so the Solara is semi-retired. As with the Solara the Toyota products are very reliable. Haven't needed to put any money in the car since the full service was done in update #2. Car has the original shocks/struts but still handles good. Have approx 157k miles now. Very satisfied. Update #2. Pretty much status quo. Car still runs perfect. Toyota quality is the best. I've owned Ford. Chevrolet. Chrysler. Nissan. Some good some bad. So impressed with Toyota we bought a RAV4. I would feel confident driving this car across country. Update: Now have 150k miles. Car has been so reliable that we decided to do the full service (timing belt, plugs & fluids) verses replacing the car. Found an independent shop specializing in Toyota that gave us a price and warranty the dealer couldn't come close to. This car still runs perfect. Air & heat work great and the convertible top functions as good as the day we bought it. We have driven this car everywhere and I expect it to last us several more years. Purchased the car used from a private seller back in 2007 with 41k miles. We now have 140k miles and have not had any major mechanical problems since purchase. 2-sets of brakes and tires since then. One power steering hose and one inner tie rod, that's about it. Haven't even changed the plugs yet but regular on the fluid changes. Engine still runs strong. HVAC controls work perfect (Air & Heat). Factory radio still sounds great. Power convertible top still works flawless (orig factory top still). Auto transmission still shifts smooth. Gets good gas mileage for a V6 especially on the highway. I expect this car to last us another 10 years. Pros: Good build quality, powerful V6, smooth auto transmission, tilt/telescopic wheel great for extremely tall or short people (which we are). Cons: Only con is when it's raining and you open a door, water will drip from the convertible top down on your leg. Not sure if this is just our car or a Solara convertible issue in general but it's a minor inconvenience.
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Now I have 3 Camrys
chris_s_2010, 10/29/2013
2006 Toyota Camry Solara SLE V6 2dr Convertible (3.3L 6cyl 5A)
37 of 38 people found this review helpful
Vehicle: 2006 V6 SLE coupe Purchased Aug 2013 with 166K km (103K miles). I already have a 2010 Camry Hybrid (and a 2000 Camry CE) so I bought this as a newer "second" car given that the 2000 is getting a bit old. I was looking for something a bit sportier but still reliable and this seemed to be the best choice. Quite comfortable, nice looking car, good power (with the V6), high-end features (in the SLE). For a 7 year old car, it still looks quite stylish. Has a good reliability record so it should last for many years. Body in good shape: doesn't show its age.
A Great Used Car
chris_s_2010, 03/13/2014
2006 Toyota Camry Solara SLE V6 2dr Coupe (3.3L 6cyl 5A)
22 of 22 people found this review helpful
This is a great choice as a used car. They aren't too expensive, they still look classy and they are very reliable. With the V6, the gas mileage is still decent. I bought this a a second car so I didn't want to spend too much. I bought it for $8500 with 166k km (103k miles) on it. Like (almost all) Camry's these cars last a long time and they have a strong reputation for reliability. It's been about 6 months since I bought it and I have no regrets. This car is comfortable to drive, pretty quiet and has power when you need it. Not a sports car but sportier than your average sedan!
Excellent Combo of Reliability and Enjoyment!
Rina, 05/30/2018
updated 12/06/2019
2006 Toyota Camry Solara SLE V6 2dr Convertible (3.3L 6cyl 5A)
39 of 42 people found this review helpful
Allow me to start by saying that I'm not a Toyota person. The idea of a Corolla doesn't appeal to me whatsoever- but my dad (as most dads would feel) thought a Corolla would be a perfect car for me as a newbie driver. I 'lucked out' when a family member sold us their car and ended up with a little Mazda 3 that turned out to be a lemon, then my second car- a 4000lb land yatcht- a 2008 V6 Convertible Sebring that I put a lot of love into and learned how to park backwards due to it's 19' length. 5 years later (without any crashes or tickets) I can say I've gained some perspective for wanting to purchase a reliable car. Still, the matter remained that I wanted a car I could have FUN in. I don't want a cage- I want an experience, something with a little luxury- after all, I have to drive it to work and school through traffic- might as well enjoy it. Well I have to say, for a limited budget this car certainly fits the bill :) so I ended up trading my old land yacht in for a 2006 Toyota Solara Convertible SLE. If I had to compare it to other cars in the way it drives, I would say it's a combination of my dad's little black convertible CLK 320 and a larger sedan. It's no rocket, so don't expect pep- but it's as smooth as butter when it drives and offers a modest amount of acceleration in traffic. The first time I test-smashed the gas pedal I actually heard the V6 roar! The interior isn't particularly stunning- after all it's a 2006 model. Still, it offers a nice array of creature comforts, heated front seats, loudly annoying back-up sensors, auto-climate control (that's ICE cold), auto-light shut off (in case you leave your headlights on), DRL, auto-adjusting rear-view mirrors, etc. But it lacks a proper stereo-system, and there really are no modern substitutes except for the auxillary port work-around that has to be installed with some technical know-how (thank you dad). The biggest flaw in this car (imo) is the terrible blind-spots it has. Unless you're used to driving a convertible where the back window is often small and round, then prepare to adjust your driving style accordingly. I got used to it after a couple of days and now use my side-mirrors to navigate (along with those corner blind-spot mirrors). For some reason the designers brilliantly decided to put a raised bench seat in the back of the car and the headrests (along with any guests' heads) will ensure that you have 0 visibility when checking your back. It can be terrifying if you're not an attentive driver and try to make a lane change without triple checking your side mirrors and making a quick head-turn. But aside from that I really have no qualms with how it drives. My dad (who had driven this car for a while before trading it with me) noticed it had a bit of hesitance when it accelerated. When you hit the gas pedal, it was 1..2..*accelerates* Well he did some research and after cleaning the mass air-flow sensor, and the throttle body we both agreed it accelerates incredibly well now. It's very responsive!! I have to be careful because I don't even notice how fast I'm going- it drives so smoothly and accelerates so quickly. It's a far-cry from the clunky-chunky toss around the Sebring is. I'm so pleased with this car :) it's at 125,000 and since the previous owner was a meticulous guy he had already replaced the timing belt, water pump, convertible top, and got the recall on the dash which is now a new leather dash. He's definitely a keeper, and I feel very confident and safe driving this car. The top is mechanic so there's NO noise and fuss when it goes down! How great is that?? Much better than the expensive hydraulic top the Sebring has (which popped like an old man getting out of bed). One other issue to point out that is a design flaw (that has since been taken care of) was that these models have been known to leak over time due to the skirt piping in the trunk breaking that serves as a gutter for water to run off the top when it rains. My dad spent $200 getting the top sewn up by a upholsterer. He took it to the shop with the back bench removed and the guy went in there and fixed it all up. So I would strongly suggest that before you buy one of these cars (especially if it's over 100,000) make sure it was very well taken care of! If the dash was replaced, and that the timing belt and water-pump were replaced it would spare you the extra headache down the line. Service it on time too. Prepare to possibly repair that top though as it's a design flaw of the Solara in whole. Expect to spend $500-$1000 fixing an average one up in general because of it's age, including adding to the sound system and making it modern-day functional. Also tinting is a MUST- the leather is prone to cracking and the leather on the door-panels is prone to warping. ————————— 12/6/19 Still going strong. There has been a leak in the top that has developed- I think where the right side of the top reaches and meets the right window.
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I love it!
Convertible Girl, 09/03/2009
2006 Toyota Camry Solara SE V6 2dr Convertible (3.3L 6cyl 5A)
20 of 21 people found this review helpful
It's the best looking convertible for the price and it drives very smooth like a more expensive car. Every Friday night I put the top down and sail home with a big smile on my face! It's so much fun to drive!
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