June 30th 2006.

As you may know from reading this blog, I am very concerned for the average car owner that technology for technologies' sake is
running rampant in the auto industry.

A sort of "my father's got a bigger one than your father" run amok in the engineering department.

Most of my concerns are centred on electronic overlays of almost useless accessories and up to now, the mechanical complexity
of various cars has been comparatively trouble free.

However, there has always been one area of mechanical design that perplexed me and that was the trend to six, seven and even
eight speed automatic transmissions.

Why do this? I ask myself.

I know what the Pavlovs dogs will answer:  smoother shifting, better fuel economy and improved performance.
Maybe, but not always and at what cost down the road?

It used to be that 70% of all cars on the road were bought second hand, sorry, "pre-owned".
That figure may have changed with the onslaught of insane purchase incentives that have been the norm of late.
(Why is it, do you think, that the auto companies losing the most money offer the richest and most generous cash backs and
zero percent financing ?).

Nevertheless, complexity costs money.

Up until now, I have always felt that Toyota was exempt from the old rule: "Never buy the first years production of any brand new model".

But complexity has caught up with even the King of Quality.

The new Avalon and the 2007 Camry have run into a tidal wave of complaints. Mostly centred around the six speed transmission.
Toyota says it's only the first few. Some owners dispute this and suspect that the move from a Japanese to an American engine
and transmission manufacturing factory may be the reason that this very serious bugaboo has arisen.

For my part, I believe that the installation of a completely unnecessary and much more complex six speed automatic transmission
has caught the engineers flat footed.

The problem arises from the fact that the new transmission has to fit on the back (or side, if you wish) of an engine that already exists,
so just like Chrysler before them, the six speed is stuffed into the casing of the five speed and many components have been thinned
down, or narrowed down, so that the exterior dimensions remain the same.

Chrysler never ever solved this problem. As fast they reinforced one component another would let go.
Rather like trying to block the holes in a leaky dam.

Toyota, on the other hand, is famous for taking fast remedial action and no doubt this will be done.

In the meantime, if you can wait, you should, for better news or buy the five speed four cylinder Camry, which is likely to be more
economical, if not just as fast.

Of -course, if you want to be completely immune to these problems, buy a (dare I say it?) standard shift gearbox with no " tiptronic"
overtones.

Credit due: at least Toyota didn't go for a CVT which is an even more undesirable transmission option.