Alternative tires for Camry hybrid

Last few days, I was scouting for cheaper tires for my Camry hybrid. I have to be a bit thrifty considering that I'm still supporting my youngest son who is still studying in Korea. I managed to narrow down to some specific tires that I would buy. Amongst them include Hankook Kinergy Gt tyres that I managed to secure at RM 320 a piece. This tire is now an OEM tire for the latest version of CBU Camry in Japan. It's an all-season tire that is good for overall handling for a sporty sedan like Camry hybrid.

I also considered a more sporty and aggressive Indonesian made performance tire of the same brand namely Hankook S1 Noble 1 at RM 330 a piece. The review of the tyre has been good and positive. The tire is very quiet with quite good handling albeit a bit soft in terms of its side wall to cater for a more comfortable ride.

Another tire that I thought of buying was the Primacy 3 that is selling at RM 380 a piece in Kajang. The tire is excellent for quietness and for wet and dry handling and would have been my choice in this economic situation. This tire was very popular in the last few years and is still good for today's need but considered a little outdated.

But my favorite tire has always been PS 4 but money is the prime consideration and also I felt that it's an overkill for a car like Camry. But when I woke up this morning I noticed that my car already has four new shoes, Primacy 4... I thought it was magic or miracle that happened but it was my eldest son who changed my "botak" old PS 4 to the new Primacy 4. This tire is excellent for comfort and quietness. The compound is also very soft but it would last longer compared to PS 3 and 4 because of less rolling resistance. ( One aspect that potential buyers have to take note is that the steering will become lighter unlike the PS 4 which felt heavier and tires felt more planted. If cornering fast is your passion then the PS 4 is your choice. Primacy 4 is more of a touring tire designed for comfort. The confidence of fast corning can be assured if you used PS 4.)

So far I'm quite satisfied with the tires although I still missed the PS 4 handling. Once you have owned a Michelin is so difficult to downgrade to another cheaper alternative. A Mercedes owner would find it difficult to drive another brand. I rate 8/10 for Primacy 4 and 9.6/10 for PS 4).

Tq Dr Irfan, semuga anakku sentiasa di berkati Allah dan di murahkan rezeki.

Causes of hybrid failure Malaysia

Salam to all members...

For all those out there considering to buy a hybrid vehicle, fear no more because the hybrid battery is utterly reliable. In fact, Toyota is giving out an 8-year warranty to all its buyers of hybrid vehicles in Malaysia. However, the lifespan of the battery depends on a number of factors but primarily on the driving habits of the owners...In the real world, on average the hybrid battery will last between 5 to 12 years. But on occasions, the battery will fail prematurely as shown by our CHOCoM respondents in our very own survey. So ...what are the main causes of the failure of the hybrid battery? Why does the battery suddenly die a premature death?

The main factor is HEAT...heat is the greatest enemy of the hybrid battery...The extreme temperatures in Malaysia at 30-35 degrees Celcius on a normal day is just too unbearable for the Panasonic battery in the Camry hybrid to withstand. Those owners (total 16 owners but the number fluctuates) who reported problems with the hybrid batteries actually frequently drive in urban stop and go with air cond. on... This is the main cause of much of battery failure. The hybrid just battery could not withstand the heat generated from the stop and go style of driving.

CHOCoM members style of driving the car furiously at 13O km hour ( I suspect much higher) is also a major cause for premature hybrid battery failure in Malaysia. In the United States, the Camry is considered as a truly family sedan and driven leisurely for most of the time. They usually drive between 80 to 110 km an hour on the highway. That is why the traction battery there lasts for years. Due to its reliability and fuel efficiency, the Camry hybrid is also the choice of many taxi companies.

But in Malaysia, with the average age of Camry owners of between 25- 35 years of age, the Camry is driven differently usually aggressively. With its potent powerplant and instant torque, these young drivers tend to drive aggressively and furiously forgetting that its a family car with batteries in the boot. To them its a Panamera to be driven hard. They really put the pressure on the battery with long journeys and constant high speed. All these factors with high temperature and humidity it can turn even reliable material to fail prematurely.

In short, the main reason why there is a premature battery failure in Malaysia is because of the heat ...This is compounded by our high temperature and very high humidity. Having said that I can still conclude that instances of battery failure in Malaysia are not too high judging from the number of Toyota Camry hybrids sold in Malaysia. The number I think is less than 3 % of total cars sold in the country.

Symptoms of hybid failure

Salam Ramadhan members...

The last post I did was on the main cause of premature battery failure. At least from the preliminary data based on the simple survey, we managed to pinpoint one of the culprits of the battery failure in Malaysia- excessive heat. We do frequent start and stop driving with the air cond on full blast. We do extremely high-speed highway chase sometimes exceeding the normal speed limit for a long time on the highway and even sometime over the trunk road. We also park our car under the direct sun without any shades. All these behaviors to some extent contribute to the premature battery failure earlier than expected.

Some of the members were asking what are some of the symptoms or signs of battery failures but not many responses were forthcoming from the members. We -the concerned- owners need these signs to prepare us for any eventualities so that we won't be stuck in the deserted area with no help in sight.

From some of the members who have experienced battery failure, they were saying that in general there were no obvious symptoms that were there to warn them. There were just shocked and surprised to just see the " Check Hybrid System" display sign suddenly appeared on the meter clusters. It is just like sudden death. Suddenly, you have to face it. (We all are going to face it eventually but differs as to when our time will come).

But after reading some articles I managed to compile some warning signs that sometimes would warn us. The following are some of the signs or symptoms of battery failure

1. The car will run on combustion even under light acceleration. Normally, the combustion or the engine will automatically be turned on once we really push hard for speed or for hard acceleration but when there is a battery failure even the lightest acceleration requires support from the engine. This may indicate possible battery failure.

2. Fuel economy will drop off significantly. We normally get high 14 and for some of you 17 0r 18 km a liter if you are gentle with the accelerator. If suddenly your fuel economy is off the target, you can start to pinpoint to the traction battery.

3. Fully charged battery disappear mysteriously. One night when you come back home from Genting Highlands that battery indicator is fully charged to the brim, The next morning when you attempt to start the car you notice the battery level is half or left only with two bars. This might also be a symptom of battery failure.

4. The combustion engine occasionally would start to recharge the battery. If there is a battery failure the charging of the battery would come up more regularly or more often. This also could be one of the symptoms of battery failure is about to happen.

So, guys, these are some of the symptoms of what may be signs that your batteries are not in good health. If you experienced this you need to send your car for a full battery check to find out the health of the battery cells is in good condition. A mismatched of cell in terms of power could also accelerate the cause of battery failure.

Happy motoring everyone

Advantages having a hybrid

Dear CHOCoM members

I've been driving my Camry hybrid for almost 4.5 years and fully satisfied with the car. There're of course some aspects of the car that I don't like such as the lack of good speakers, outdated head-unit and spongy brakes.

Nonetheless, the car has been performing really outstanding and its utterly reliable. I occasionally use the car to do some jack-rabbit stunts to show off the hybrid engine prowess.

In terms of engine maintenance, I don't see much difference in the cost of maintaining a hybrid and non-hybrid versions. I think the hybrid may be slightly cheaper because of the use of a hybrid oil that's considerably cheaper compared to the fully synthetic non-hybrid oil.

Fuel consumption is also the car's forte. I seldom spend more than RM 200 a month on petrol. This is the most economical car I've owned. Despite some fast riding and some bursting of speeds at the traffic lights, the car still manages to give good fuel economy almost like a VIVA. Long live Camry hybrid...

My mind, however, now is playing a dirty game of trying to hoodwink me into buying another car like upcoming Hyundai Kona. It tries to give me a lapse in mental judgment to justify my actions. But what is the resale value of the Camry hybrid? I did a bit of research and I found that the lowest price of Camry hybrid is around RM 95K at Carlist for a 2015 model and the highest is RM 104 at Mudah. For 2016 the lowest RM 100 K and the highest is 117K.

What this means is that the resale value of the Camry hybrid is still good. Despite having a hybrid battery and the fact that salesmen and dealers try to play us out by creating uncertainty of the cost of the hybrid battery to have the trade in value low so as get a fat profit margin, the resale value of the hybrid is still excellent. No matter how they try to play us out, a good product will still be a good product. And the Camry hybrid is a good product.

Happy motoring and enjoy owning the Camry hybrid

CHOCoM; The good car for the good man. ..(and woman)

Should I buy a Camry Hybrid?

The answer is definitely yes. This car is a totally reliable car to own. So far I've not heard of any major problems regarding the engine or hybrid system. The mechanicals and drive-trains are just bulletproof with nothing to complain about. There are of course some issues with the premature battery failure of the traction battery but the number that is involved is still extremely small like at least less than 3 % of the total number of cars (at least based on the input that we get). Majority of the owners including me have no problems with the car in general and with the main battery. The best thing is the cost of the battery is now expected to be much cheaper since the pattern has been lifted and more companies in China and elsewhere are producing it. Currently, the cost of the main battery hovers around RM 6K. It will be much cheaper in the future.

What's so good about Camry hybrid?

It's so economical. I spend less than RM 200 for my petrol per month. The consumption is better than a Myvi or Iriz. If you are not a heavy footer and thinks and drives like an uncle you can easily get 19-20 km a liter, which is even better than an Axia in real-world driving. If you're a high mileage driver, this is a perfect car for you. You can save a lot of petrol money and instead spend it on your family for a good weekend "makan".

It's lightning fast at the traffic light because of the electric torque available. the power is instantaneous and you can just burst up the speed leaving the Civic 1.5 Turbo gasping for breath only to narrowly overtake at the end of the century sprint. You can even "Taupau" a Mercedes Benz 200. With a Passat, you can try your luck and can even " bungkus" the car depending on how good your driving skills are.

The car is so refined because the change from combustion to electric is seamless you don't even realize it. It changes all the time in the complex mode of driving types in silence manner. When driving the car below 40 Km it would automatically turn into the "stealth" mode. This is good especially for men in the midnight run returning home after a "Teh tarik" session with your buddies without your wife or your busybody neighbors aware of you coming home.

What's the drawback?

The car is not equipped with the Mirror-link function, an essential feature in the modern world. The car came with an outdated head unit that could only connect using archaic phones like Samsung 2. Anything modern than that will render the connection useless.

The speaker or sound system is pleasing to listen but those enjoying brutal songs will cry their hearts out. The power wattage is so low in consumption to even accommodate powerful speakers. Some owners don't even realize that there's only one speaker in the back of the car.

The paint job on the car is of low quality. Even Proton can have glossy finishings on their cars in which Toyota Malaysia could not even provide. Despite the extra RM 800 for the white color, the paint job leaves much to be desired.

Conclusion

If you can live with the shortcomings, this is will be one of the best cars you will ever own. There are no two ways about it. This hybrid car is one grade higher than your conventional car. The hybrid system in the car is probably the best most reliable unit in any car that money can buy.

Yours truly

Dr. Salleh

CHOCoM

P.S.This post is targeted towards members (non-owners) of CHOCoM who are considering buying or at least recommending the car to their friends and relatives.

Toyota Camry niggling problems

I've owned the hybrid almost 4 years already and the mileage on the car is almost 80,000 kilometres. All these years I've been enjoying the car. So far my car has performed almost flawlessly and I hope it will continue to do so. There are of course some niggling problems but they are quite bearable.

 One problem that is me is the spongy brakes. At the initial stage of owning the car, it wasn't that spongy but after a few years, the feeling of sponginess is getting worst. The braking system on the hybrid is rather peculiar and will not be able to match a braking system in a conventional car. So if one decides to buy a hybrid one must take into consideration the peculiarity of sponginess in the hybrid. Basically, there is nothing wrong with the braking but the feeling that comes with it. If you can accept a spongy brake then, by all means, get a hybrid.

Another irritation has got to do with the sound system. The system in the hybrid is the worst there is. The sound is rather flat and gives no pleasure. Toyota company has to do something about the sound system. We can't modify the system as it will render the warranty null and void. Feeling helpless to do something is the worst kind of feeling. Give options to the present owners to do something to the system. Provide additional sounds systems for us to buy or allow us to modify the system without being penalized.

Hope that my Toyota Hybrid will continue to perform admirably.

Michelin tyres for Camry hybrid

Hi boys and girls in CHOCoM...

Today, I did a rather long drive to JB on two new pair of sticky shoes on my TCH sending my youngest to UTM in Skudai. Never had the opportunity to test out the Michelin PS 4 until today...

As you remember, I've given a very good review of the tyres and I still believe they still tick the right boxes.

Nonetheless, I believe the tyres are not without its weaknesses especially when driving fast...Im talking about driving at 140 to 150km/hr. I noticed that the tyres were not as planted as the bridgestone ER 33 when doing a high speed run..They lacked directional stability like you are hitting a crosswind...and tend to "wander" a bit.

I dont know whether its just my feeling...I hope those who had the same experience probably you could share with the others.Now I'm missing my ER 33...

PS..I did not exceed more than 160 km/hr coz I was carrying my precious cargo...my family.

Camry Hybrid warranty and battery

Dear Members

1. Please take note that the warranty of the Toyota Camry Hybrid is only for 3 years. This is a bumper to bumper warranty for that duration only. The 8 year assurance as it's called is warranty for the main battery . This is an extended warranty provided by the insurance company-Tokio Marine. I believe for the assurance to be given , owners of TCH need to service their cars at Toyota service center. Servicing outside the service center will render the warranty null and void ( Please correct me if I'm wrong).

2. Also be aware that the small 12 volt battery (RM 1,000-1200) which is located at the trunk of TCH is not the ordinary battery that you can buy at any battery shop or service center. This is a special battery just for the TCH. The battery might look the same as in Prius but it's unique to the Camry . The battery actually lasts 1 or 2 years longer than the ordinary 12v battery.

Hi all respected members, Datos and Datins...

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It has been almost 2 years of having the pleasure of owning a Camry hybrid... Despite some minor weaknesses like the lack of mirrorlink and the dreadful speakers, I've been enjoying the car especially it's mid-range acceleration and the serenity of the ambiance when cruising and tip toeing electrically at my housing estate.

But the biggest drawback of CH that I need to highlight is the clicking and lifeless lack of braking feel in the hybrid. I wish Toyota could have made the braking system better and more sensitive like in the Civic... My rating of the car is 8/10...

Camry hybrid alignment

Hi guys and Salam Jumaat to all Muslims..

When I bought the new Michelin tyres, the owner of the shop told me that my original front tyres had an irregular wear..Thus at 50 K service I went to Toyota Bangi and reported the problem.I believe something is wrong with the alignment or the suspension.The service center however could not solve the problem but promised to repair it at another place authorized by Toyota. And they just did that...

I don't what they did but my steering now feels more tight and taut. It feels so good driving the car. I feel like I'm driving a German made car instead of a hybrid taxi. Now , I wish that the CH has more power and torque to complement the good handling.

I enclose the readings of the adjustments made.