Shed of the Week: Toyota Camry 3.0 V6

Is the smooth V6 and condition enough to overcome the 50 shades of beige image?

In contrast to last week's non-existent Shed, this week's is probably one of the most existent there is.

And yet, you see, it isn't. Not in this country anyway.

Looks like it should be common; actually quite rare!

Go the States, as our Matt has just done, and you'll be tripping over Toyota Camrys left and right. They'll be swarming all over your deck chair, nibbling on your breakfast toast, and asking to connect with you on LinkedIn. This Camry 3.0 will be as rare a sight in the US as a Focus is here.

In Britain, however, Camrys are about as common as Hudsonian Whimbrels. Faced by the twin travails of unfavourable currency exchange rates and top-drawer competition from the established British and German marques, Toyota didn't think it was worth bringing many into the UK in 2001, when our Shed, the second version of the so-called 'wide-body' Camry, was sold new.

That rarity makes it a nice left-field barge alternative to the normal Euro fare, and something that might get you noticed, even if not necessarily in the right way. Most onlookers (not to mention PH posters) will doubtless sneer and tell you that the Americans refer to Camrys as 'vanilla sedans'. Only half-disparagingly, though. Despite, or perhaps because of, the fact that It's been on sale as an independent model since 1982, with 10 metronomically reliable iterations over those 34 years, US Camry sales over there show no sign of tailing off. They were up by five per cent in 2014, with nearly 430,000 sold in that year alone. 430,000. That's more than a sixth of the total number of cars sold in the UK in that same year.

OK, so it ain't brimming with sex appeal...

Our Shed is from the end of the seventh XV20 dynasty, a line in production for five years until 2001 when a major Camry revamp was carried out. Conspiratorially, that revamp was done at the same time as Mercedes was rolling its own metal a little thinner, with serious image-denting consequences. The XV30 Camry followed the same 'let's keep the costs down lads' philosophy, so if you were the owner of this XV20, you could try rebuffing the naysayers by telling them that your car was the last of the proper Camrys.

So what would you get for your £999? A roomy and well-built five-seat saloon with a 3.0-litre V6, a goodly selection of toys, a leather interior, glassy cabin, Toyota reliability, no apparent flaws and a full MoT.

With a belt-driven cam the V6 shlurmed out a relaxed 190hp or so. Remarkably, Toyota's TRD factory tuning arm offered a supercharger kit for it, boosting power to 247hp. You'd like to think there was a chassis-tightening kit to go with that. Handling will be on the sleepy side of uninspiring, with over-assisted steering, but the ride will feel pleasantly soft to a driver of a modern car, and the shell is strong enough for practical family use even today.

Sadly there are no cabin pics with the ad but Shed has found a shot on tintanet which he is fairly sure is of the 2001 model. If it is, then it's not bad. Plain and plasticky, obviously, but plasticity is as time-appropriate for this car as the shepherd's crook gearstick it also proudly sports. Remember too that our Shed has the moo rather than the heat-generating 'cloth' Japanese cars were saddled with back then.

..but for reliable waftability it has attractions

What can go wrong? You're 'avin a laugh aintcher? Some owners did report an ECU glitch that roughened up the changes of the four-speed auto and eventually broke the 'box, and there was also a head gasket issue that could produce rusty bores (the country and western sensation), but other than that and maybe a trace of oil weeping from the valve cover gaskets, your problems will be few.

If this isn't a carefully maintained old man's car then Shed is a happily married man. The alloys look like they would benefit from a dod of elbow grease but the paint seems unblemished and rust-free. All you need is a flat 'at and a pipe and you're off. Gently, of course. Wouldn't want to disturb the little lady alongside.

Top trivia time: 'Camry' is an Anglicised version of the Japanese word kanmuri, which means 'crown'. Toyota has a longstanding fascination with royal accoutrements. Corona means 'crown', Corolla means 'small crown', and the rebadged Camry for the domestic Japanese market was the Scepter (which goes with a crown). Hell, there was even a Toyota Tiara.

Here is the ad.

Blue, HPI GOLD REPORT, 3 OWNERS FROM NEW, SMOOTH DRIVE, EXCELLENT CONDITION FOR AGE, LEATHER INTERIOR, CRUISE CONTROL, SUNROOF, LONG MOT, 3 owners, Next MOT due 16/02/2017, 5 seats, CHAMPAGNE TASTE/BEER MONEY TOYOTA CAMRY 3.0 V6 SALOON, METALLIC PAINT, 3 OWNERS FROM NEW, GENUINE 123625 MILES WITH A VOSA MILEAGE VERIFICATION REPORT, REMOTE CENTRAL LOCKING, PAS WITH SRS SAFETY AIRBAGS, RADIO/CD, DIGITAL CLIMATE CONTROL WITH AIR CONDITIONING, FULL LEATHER INTERIOR WITH HEAD/ARM RESTRAINTS, ELECTRIC WINDOWS/ELECTRIC MIRRORS, AUTO GEARBOX, ON BOARD COMPUTER, COLOUR CODED EXTERIOR, ALLOY WHEELS WITH GOOD TYRES, FRONT FOGS, SUNROOF, MUD GUARDS, MOT FEBRUARY 2017, INDOOR VIEWING, HPI CLEAR, A CLEAN EXAMPLE OF THIS WELL MAINTAINED TOYOTA CAMRY V6 WITH A LONG MOT AND ONLY 3 OWNERS FROM NEW. REDBROOK MOTOR COMPANY, HUME ST, ROCHDALE, OL16 5RP, PROVIDING COMPETITIVELY PRICED USED VEHICLES MATCHED WITH A QUALITY AND PERSONAL SERVICE, ALL VEHICLES ARE MAIN DEALER PART EX CARS SOURCED PERSONALLY AND BOUGHT WITH THE UTMOST CARE AND ATTENTION. VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO VIEW THE RANGE OF CARS ON OFFER ON WWW.REDBROOKMOTORS.CO.UK OR CALL ON 07411 422330, HAND PICKED, MAIN DEALER PART EX CARS TO BUY FROM THE LEADING CAR SUPPLIER IN ROCHDALE, LANCASHIRE, £999
3.0 V6 4dr