Over-rated JBL Green edge sound system on Camry Hybrid

Dear Toyota Camry Hybrid friends

So far I've really enjoyed the TCH as my main ride. It's wonderfully boring but satisfying. People buy the hybrid not just because it's economical but also reasonably fun to drive. Fuel wise , the car can go as miserly as  16.5 to 17 kilometers per litre or around 40 miles per gallon. You don't really have to be light on your foot , just press hard and burst out and the funny thing is that  it will still save fuel. In some conventional cars a slight press on the accelerator will result in heavy fuel consumption but not the TCH. It will be fuel saving no matter how hard  you drive. Thus, another reason people by the car is because of its performance. The performance of TCH is just fantastic considering that its a squarish and uninviting family car that is also a hybrid.

Did you know  the biggest problem that I recently discovered about the TCH? It's the worst sound system ever at least based on my so called not to high standard. The sound system in the hybrid is really a let down and really a total dismay for such an upmarket car in Malaysia. Remember in this country it costs around US 40,000  for the full specs.The 2008 Honda Civic that I owned had a better sound system  than this hybrid. Even the sound system in the 2015 Accord which I dont really enjoy sounds good. One of the reasons that  I realized is that there is only one big speaker in the boot of the car  . Please look at the photo that I've enclosed. There is no big white circle on the second speaker. Another thing that I just learned is that a 3-way speaker is considered as 3 speakers. I learned this from Toyota Malaysia. It seems that the consumers in the United States are very well treated than their counterparts in Malaysia. Here they charge you a lot but give you a little.The attached photo is taken from Toyota Malaysia official website,

Worst JBL green edge sound system on Camry Hybrid 2015 Malaysia

MUSIC TO YOUR EARS

10 Speaker System

Enjoy a beautiful, clear audio experience with the 5.1 channel surround system and 10 JBL Green Edge speakers.

Camry Hybrid price 2016 Malaysia

Hi everyone

Today is Monday  (28/12.2015) and Malaysians are still celebrating the Xmas holidays and some are finishing up their well deserved end of the year holidays. Some of the workshops are still closed taking advantage of the long holidays.

Toyota Camry 2016

Come next year year-2016 - the price of Toyota Camry Hybrid will be raised to nearly RM 200,000. I dont have the specific details but I've heard from some of the members in the group (Chocom) that the price will hover around RM 190,000. The reason given is that the the value of the Malaysian currency has gone down. Hence, the need to increase the price of the car by RM 10,000.

Pearl white Camry Hybrid 2016

 Furthermore the discount that is given to prospective customers has been withdrawn and new customers would have to fork out  the full  amount for the car. Toyota Malaysia does not like to give discounts for cars like Toyota Camry Hybrid because of the high demand of the hybrid cars in the country. I've received lot of inquiries from people that I do not know  via the club asking if they can still get the TCH based on the old price

Another possibility is that the price of the Camry will be around RM 220,00 - 230,000 if the government decided to do away with the tax break that hybrid cars are enjoying in 2015. They might do it in 2016 and if that happens there will be a drastic price increase of the vehicle to the same price as in Thailand. The drastic price increase will definitely stifle the growth of hybrid cars in the country. At the moment less that 5 % of the cars sold in Malaysia of hybrid in nature. But I doubt the government will withdraw the incentive  because of their unpopularity. 

Honda Accord vs Toyota Camry: Which one is better?

Which one do I buy -Honda Accord or Toyota Camry? I have to say that the Honda Accord is really a good car. There are too many good attributes that I can talk about the car. 

Toyota Camry

#First is the handling. With its 18 inch  tires, the handling of the car is much better. I feel driving the Accord in twisted roads is much easier  than in Toyota Camry although the latter is no slouch either, The steering wheel of the Accord is much sharper and easy to handle. It's more of a driver's car than the Camry. The Camry is nice for chauffeur driven.  Around the sharp corners of Putrajaya , capital of Malaysia, I would rather be driving the Accord  than in the Camry .

Honda Accord

# Second,  the Accord looks very much prettier than the Camry . The Accord looks like your polished girlfriend with nice sexy attire complete with beautiful and matching accessories. The body of the Accord is very well proportioned  with the right curves at the right places. The front end  of the Accord is so nicely protruding in the right directions and and so curvaceous and give the shade of a understated luxury. The Camry however looks very mature with a very flat back with no right curves and oozes nothing special. She could look like you wife of 30 years. You don't give a second look at  the Camry and it just blends well with cars of previous generations.You would not want any  association  with the looks of the Camry. It's so boring and sometimes irritating.

# Third -the sense of a sturdy body of the Accord. I feel that body the structure  of the Accord is more sturdy and durable. I don't get that  sense of solidity in the Camry, The Camry only gives a smooth ride but without the feeling of sturdiness that you would associate with Toyota in general and Camry specifically. You can hear the "thud" sound when you drive the Accord but the Camry just feel a bit flimsy. The doors in the Accord also are quite heavy and they shut with German or teutonic like sound unlike in the Camry, Only the rear doors sound a little solid in the Camry. The Accord has improved much in terms of solidity. I think the engineers at Toyota are shedding the weight of their cars like the Mazda and thus lacking in structural rigidity and solidity.

Despite all these my heart is still with the Camry because of the hybrid engine.

Toyota maintenance service Malaysia/ Are we being shortchanged?

Dear Friends and owners of Camry Hybrid

I just want to highlight the maintenance service of Toyota Camry hybrid in Malaysia. For one, the regular maintenance service in Malaysia is every 10,000 kilometers . As the owner , you have to send your car for the regular service every 10,000 kilometers.And you will need to spend around RM 250 to 350 (US 50 to US 70)  for the regular service which includes oil filter , drain plug gasket and the fully synthetic oil. The premium oil 5W-40  will cost the owner slightly more.  The sad thing is that in the US their regular service is very 10,000 miles or 16,000 km. They drive  more miles before servicing compared to the practice in  Malaysia.

The point is that are we being shortchanged by Toyota Malaysia? Why is the service interval for Toyota cars in Malaysia is just every 6,000 miles and not every 10,000 miles as practiced in the US? Is the synthetic oil in Malaysia is of less quality? Or do we let  Toyota Malaysia make so much easy money. I believe the service interval should be the same as in the US and in Malaysia.

What are some of the main weaknesses of Camry Hybrid 2015

Dear Friends

I love my Camry and I believe you too would recommend the car to your friends. The Camry Hybrid is actually boringly good and  it's difficult to highlight its weaknesses. One biggest problem that I have about writing the Camry Hybrid is to find issues or faults  to write about. There aren't many and they are no glaring issues. But I do  have some minor issues about this car.

Keyless entry for  Camry Hybrid

# the single keyless entry in the Camry hybrid

The keyless entry is a good system and very much better than the one found in the Accord. For one , you need not  have to press a button but just swipe your fingers or have a light touch  on the sensor on the handle and the car  will lock and unlock the doors. It's so simple and effective.But the main problem is that it's only available on the drivers' side or there's only one sensor. Sometimes ( I would say many times) you need to open the door on the front  passenger's side and this is the problem. You have to reach for the key fob to open the door. It's such a nuisance to do it when the car costs RM 170,000 (US 45,000) to buy it. The funny thing is that Honda Malaysia puts  the sensors on both doors even though their sensor is a bit lacking in sophistication. I rather have the Honda than the Camry when it comes to this.

# the black gloomy interior of the Hybrid

The gloomy interior of the car is something that I don't understand. Why does it have to be black. Cant we just have a two tone color for the interior to make it more luxurious. Why cant they have the same like that found in the Lexus. Black on black looks durable and not easily dirtied but gives a rather gloomy feeling especially if your car is black  or dark in color.

# the ugly sports rims

I think the the sports rims on the Camry Hybrid are rather ugly. I know there is a need to make the car distinctive but this is too much. Cant Toyota Malaysia choose something more sporty and luxurious? Given a choice I would rather have a better design than this.

So guys ...these are the main weaknesses of the Camry Hybrid 2015 other the dated design of the car.

Fully synthetic oil (5-40W) or (0-20W ) for my Camry Hybrid Malaysia

Dear members and friends of Camry Hybrid

Buying a Camry Hybrid in Malaysia is not very cheap (RM 165-170,000) like in other countries such as the United States or Australia. We in Malaysia spend much of our income buying and maintaining our rides. In fact , in terms of the percentage of money spent vis a vis our monthly income we are among the highest in the world. Our cars are like our investments (well not truly a good investment because of the depreciation) and we need to take care of them and make sure that they maintain their value. As such ,we tend to give the best.

Camry hybrid Malaysia

In terms of maintaining the hybrid,  do we opt for fully synthetic (5-20W or 0-40W) oil or synthetic formulation for our Camry Hybrid.(Please refer to the Malaysia's Toyota Camry maintenance schedule that is appended in the previous post)  Personally , I believe that since we spent so much on  cars, why can't we spend a little more for the oil too . I would recommend that owners use the fully synthetic oil rather than the blended ones. These are my reasons for choosing the fully synthetic oil.

1, I am a chronic idler . I tend to leave  my Camry idling for a long time while waiting in the car  while my wife goes on shopping  or my daughter is still stuck in the meeting. Using mineral based oil or synthetic blend will not do because  they are  not  very resilient compared to fully synthetic oil. The stability of the viscosity of the oil might not be stable in a high temperature condition compared to fully synthetic oil. 

2. The so called  standard of blend in Malaysia is quite hazy and not regulated. The oil manufacturer might put only 5 % of synthetic oil and the rest is mineral based. There is no official standard of mineral blend in Malaysia and thus the quality of the oil varies.

3. The hot weather or the temperature in Malaysia is quite high and as such, the viscosity of the oil is important. The higher the number 5-40W  is probably much better in a hotter climate. I believe most of the cars in the US use 0-20W because of the generally cold temperature in that country. In Malaysia, the temperature is consistently high and because of this I would recommend that we use the  more expensive oil ( R414) rather than the cheaper one (RM 310). Despite my suggestion, I must  say that both are quite good oils and would generally meet your typical driving requirements without any fuss.

Toyota Camry Hybrid 2015 service/ mantenance schedule

Dear  Members and and Fans of Toyota Camry Hybrid

I've appended Toyota Camry Hybrid's  maintenance or service schedule . From the schedule, we can see that the cost of servicing the Hybrid at 20,000 kilometers is around RM 253 or approximately 60 US dollars. It must be noted that the amount is for mineral based oil. I would definitely recommend members to use  fully synthetic oil. From my own experience using and maintaining many types of car  such as Proton, Volvo, Toyota, Honda , using premium oil would make the engine smoother and lasts longer without much problem. Your engine will still sound as good as new even after 200,000 kilometers.

If you need to save money for the 1st and 2nd services, you can opt for mineral based oil. However ,being me and being cautious about the engine even for the short intervals-1,000 km and 5,000 km- I opted for  the fully synthetic oil. My principle that I adhere to is  to introduce the synthetic oil the soonest possible while the engine is still new. 

Toyota Camry service-maintenance schedule 2015


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Camry Hybrid 2015 long term review Malaysia and third service visit at 20,000 kilometers

Dear owners and fans of Camry Hybrid 2015 Malaysia

After driving almost 20,000 kilometers and owning the car for more than half a year, I can say with full conviction that the car is really a good car to own and drive. I had reservations before buying the hybrid. I always had the notion of  issues regarding reliability and durability of the hybrid batteries plus some other maintenance issues like the cost of maintaining a hybrid.

 I was also worried about the resale value of the car but all these issues  just fizzle out after using it more than 20.000 kilometers . It's really a joy owning and driving the car. I seldom drive fast but with this Camry that  is not the norm anymore. With my son studying at UTM, Skudai, near Singapore a  trip to and fro from Bangi,near Kuala Lumpur is just awesome ,very  fast and but not furious. The average speed to Johor is around 140 to 150 km per hour and  it's not an issue at all. It's  so easy to drive the  Camry at that speed. Back from Skudai , I could still do some active activities ( I hope you know what I mean).

Camry hybrid 2015 Malaysia

Yes it's not a perfect car especially with regard to the very squarish design of the Camry which perfectly suits an uncle image in Malaysia. The design is so boring and uninspiring. Even the ordinary looking Sonata 2015 looks better than this Camry. I believe Toyota should get people like Peter Schreyer  to help design future Toyota models just as he did miracles to Kia . Toyota needs really good designers with new and fresh designs for the interior and exterior of the car.

Camry hybrid Malaysia

Another drawback of the car is the small boot .  I would drive my Camry to Skudai when the trip is just a short trip to visit  my son. But when it comes to fetching  him  for the trip back home at the end of the semester , I would have to opt for my 2015 Honda Accord. The boot of the Accord is just so huge. It can just practically swallow all the gear, equipment and those thick and heavy engineering  books that my son has to bring home. Driving a Camry to Skudai will never do the job. Despite the problem I still love the Camry. My Camry is just like a very polished and refined girlfriend but not cheap to maintain.

RON 95 or RON 97 for Toyota Camry Hybrid?

Dear Members and Fans of Toyota Camry Hybrid

RON 95 vs RON 97 Which fuel do I use for my Camry Hybrid?

RON stands for Research Octane Number. It's actually a rating to measure fuel knocking resistance.The higher the number of octane the more it can resist engine knocking and nothing else. It has nothing to do with power or saving of fuel.

So do I use RON 97 for my Camry Hybrid? YES you can if you want to burn your hard earned money especially with the introduction of GST.. The hybrid only requires a minimum of RON 91. It's a misconception  to say that using RON 97 will save fuel and give more power.

Let's have a teh tarik session together at a nice restaurant in Bangi the money you save.

Happy motoring...

How reliable are the batteries in the Camry Hybrid ?/ Lifespan of the batteries in the Hybrid

Dear Members and fans of Camry Hybrid

There is one question that is frequently asked by the potential buyer i.e What is the lifespan of the main battery in the Hybrid? well,  every electrical item has a lifespan, even our reliable fridge at home  has a lifespan. But in general, the lifespan of a battery in the  hybrid is around 10 years. However, it must be noted that Toyota guarantees the potential buyer 8 years of battery assurance provided that all terms and conditions are met.

What factors affect the longevity of the battery? There are many factors that play a role in the lifespan of the battery but mainly they are heat, humidity, lots of hills driving and flat grounds because we are not exerting stress on the battery. Another great contributing factor is idleness-meaning not driving the car too many. This is especially relevant to senior citizens who have the tendency to just leave their cars in  garages and drive their Proton Iriz or Myvis instead.

The batteries in the Toyota Camry Hybrid 2015

Dear Members and Fans  of Toyota Camry Hybrid

Main battery in Toyota Camry Hybrid

There are two types of batteries used in the Toyota Camry Hybrid. The main battery is the NiMH (Nickel Metal hydride) battery with approximately 245 volt  placed in the trunk mounted to cross member rear seat. The cost of the main battery is approximately RM 11,000 ( I was informed by the salesman from the company I bought the car ) but it is given assurance for 8 years by Toyota provided that the car is serviced at authorized Toyota Service Centers. Based on my readings, the main battery is extremely reliable and rarely caused any problem except for the possibility that the connectors connecting the battery cells or packs might get corroded. Another thing that we have to remember  is that the battery may still be powered for 10 minutes even after the car is shut-off.

The auxilliary battery in Toyota Camry Hybrid

The second battery in Toyota Camry Hybrid is  also known as the auxiliary battery (lead acid battery)  located at the right side of the boot. The price of the battery is around RM 1400 (Pl check with Toyota dealers). The purpose of the second battery is to power low voltage devices. I learned that the auxiliary battery can last between 2-3 years especially in warm weather like Malaysia.

Washing the Toyota Camry Hybrid Engine : Engine cleaning Toyota Camry Hybrid 2015

Dear owners and Fans of Toyota Camry Hybrid

The Toyota Camry Hybrid has a very complicated system to propel the car. In fact, it has two power sources the petrol engine and the electric motor. With such a complex engine,  the Camry hybrid has obviously more electrical systems such as the inverter, sensors,  computer parts, fuses, relay boxes , and electrical connections.

Camry Hybrid engine 2015

Can we wash the Camry hybrid engine using jet spray . I have not washed  the engine of my hybrid but I can tell you that I will not take the risk of spray washing the engine of my hybrid because such a powerful water pressure can actually cause water intrusion problem to the electrical systems and  there is a great possibility you will not be able to start the car.Toyota might not even cover this kind of liability.

Camry hybrid 2015 Inverter: Blazing orange electrical wires

If there is a necessity to clean the engine , I would use a degreaser (eg  WD 40)  and use a garden hose without the attached nozzle  . A garden hose without the attached nozzle is   less likely to  force entry water  into sealed electronic or electrical areas. Another option is to wipe the dirty area with a piece of  towel which I like to do.

Happy cleaning and enjoy your Hybrid.

US Toyota Camry Hybrid vs Malaysian Toyota Camry Hybrid

Dear Owners and Fans of Toyota Camry Hybrid

US Version

Malaysian Version

Malaysian version

There are actually two versions of the Toyota Camry being sold globally. One is the US version and the other is the so called Asian version. The US version has been given a fresher look with more chiseled and a sportier look  in 2015 . This was done because of the slack in sale in North America. Toyota Camry used to be the mid size best seller until overtaken by the handsome new Honda Accord.We in Malaysia however still get the uncle version but with slightly more aggressive front end look.

The Asian version is sold in countries like Malaysia,Vietnam, Japan, Thailand , Russia and Singapore. The US version is sold in North America . Australia is unique in which both versions are sold with the Asian version called the Classic with a V6 engine. Even in Thailand the revised version has been sold  and called the Sports version. I supposed the sportier one is not sold here because all those who buy Toyota Camry are either people who have retired or those above 50s. 

US version

The interior of the US version is more sportier where as the Malaysian version more of the classique. Given the choice I would opt the US version. But I do like the steering in the Malaysian version which I think exudes more luxury. There are no changes done to the hybrid engine. The power output remains the same-around 200 hp in total.

Engine traction when recharging the battery: What should we do?

Dear Members and Fans of Toyota Camry hybrid

When driving or on the move the gear changes of the Toyota Camry Hybrid is so smooth and seamless, However, when idling for a long time at the traffic light , the engine will automatically restart to recharge the battery that is low in power and there's is a slight traction of the engine which may startle some of the drivers. Please be prepared to change to D position of the CVT gear or put it in P position if you're at a safe place.

The not so pretty rims of Toyota Camry Hybrid

The rims of the TCH are really ugly but distinctive. Please do not change the rims because they are part of the warranty package (Please correct me if I'm wrong). 

The fuel consumption of Toyota Camry Hybrid 2015

Dear Owners and Fans of Toyota Camry hybrid

The Toyota Camry is really a big car. It's actually in a D segment car together with the Honda Accord , Nissan Teana, Ford Mondeo, Mazda 628 and Peugeot 608. The Camry  functions more like a boulevard cruiser and occasionally chauffeur driven in countries like India , Pakistan and Vietnam. But in Malaysia it's driven personally by the owner particularly in this revamped version which does not look executive at all unlike the pre-lifted version.

Toyota Camry Hybrid fuel consumption at 5.2 litre per 100 kilometers

Although it's a big car , the hybrid is actually a fuel miser. It's claim manufacture's  fuel consumption is 5.2 litre per 100 kilometers.I really thought this is just a number which was difficult to achieve but it's truly not impossible. In a test done on the Awal Muharram last Wednesday, I drove the Camry Hybrid  from the Dataran Putrajaya (near the Grand Putrajaya Mosque) to Seksyen 9 Bandar Baru Bangi where my house is , I managed to get just that. It a mixture of highway and town driving.  But I have to confess, I was not driving like a jack rabbit rather an almost normal kind of driving (very light footed). Heck this car is a fuel sipper. Fuel consumption wise it's better than the Myvi.

Camry Hybrid Owners Club Malaysia (CHOCoM) on Facebook

Dear Owners , Friends, Fans and Prospective owners of the Toyota Camry please take note.

Camry Hybrid Owners Club Malaysia (CHOCoM)

The Camry Hybrid owners Club of Malaysia Facebook edition has been officially created today. As such,we have another platform in which we can share our thoughts , opinions, knowledge, and experience on the hybrid. I do welcome your contributions or suggestions. This is not a money making venture but truly a platform to share our experiences.Let's us make this a success.

Issues related to Toyota Camry Hybrid Malaysia 2015

Dear Camry Hybrid Fans

Today is Friday 8/October 2015. Time is 2:45 and I'm back in the office after performing Friday prayers. The weather is nice and without the irritating haze that enveloped the sky after some heavy downpour in Bangi areas. Friday afternoon is actually the best time for me  to do some reading and keeping up with the blogs.

Audio system in Camry Hybrid

Yesterday, I received an enquiry from a fan of Camry Hybrid asking me whether the  DVD player in the Camry can be played using the audio system that comes standard with the car. Before I could answer the question , the person also consulted a Toyota personnel who maintained that indeed the car audio system, the JBL 10 speaker unit, can  play the DVD. I have not actually tried out a DVD player but I will do that tomorrow. I will keep you abreast with what ever new things that I learn.But , I can tell you that the audio system in the Toyota can't actually automatically download  songs on CD that you play using the disc [layer. This feature is wonderfully available if you buy the Accord 2015.

Toyoota Camry Hybrid inverter

 He also wanted to know whether if he replaced or modified the audio unit would it affect the warranty claim. My answer to him is that I myself would not change or modify the unit because Toyota might use it  to invalidate the warranty of the car. This is is a hybrid system and you would not want to actually fiddle with any of the electrical systems especially things like the Inverter which is really expensive. I will wait until the warranty expires in 3 years time.After that period, I would probably do a bit of modification to the audio system. As for now, as long as the car is still under warranty, I would not do any modification. Le's play safe rather than regret later.

8 year Toyota Camry battery warranty/Assurance

It must be pointed out the warranty of the car is 3 years or 100,00 kilometers. That is the bumper to bumper warranty. After the 3 years or  100,00 km, there will be no more warranty with the exception of the battery which is given 8 years of so called assurance. According to Toyota, the bigger batter which costs about RM 11,000 is still under warranty or assurance as the term used by the manufacturer in Malaysia.

Another would be buyer of the Camry also asked me whether the air cond. is  on or working  when the car is at idle. The answer is YES. Unlike some hybrids cars which blow only  hot air during idling , the air con in the Toyota Camry actually works. It is a full hybrid car and  it's just like any other ordinary cars. The air works even at idle and it uses the battery if it is has enough power to sustain  it. I think the electrical power in the car is so powerful that it can light up  a double story house easily. When the battery power is insufficient,the engine  would automatically  recharge the battery. You would not have to do anything except when its utterly critical a light push to parking position will render the charging system to begin powering the air cond. So far I have not faced the problem even under a very long idling.(BUT IT MUST BE WARNED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RECHARGE THE ENGINE IF TH ENGINE IS IN NEUTRAL OR N) The best thing is to hold the brake and put the car  in D position.