Latest news with #Shadetreemotors
Motor 1
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
‘It's an Added-In Feature, I Swear:' What Is the ‘Toyota Camry Dent' and Why Is It Everywhere?
An automotive enthusiast claims he believes Toyota has purposely engineered the Camry to make its rear bumper cover prone to denting. Shadetreemotors ( @shadetreemotors ) has dubbed the damage the 'Camry dent.' While some who replied to his video believe the Camry's body mettle has deteriorated over time, others attributed the dent to other factors. The Camry Dent 'Let's get into the Camry dent,' Shadetreemotors says at the top of the video. Then he shows photos depicting a variety of Toyota Camry models with matching dents in their rear bumpers. The cars are different colors, model years, and trim levels. But they all have a basketball-sized dent on the lower left or right edge of the rear bumper. 'Once you've seen this reel, you're gonna see these [expletive] dents in these cars everywhere you go,' he says. 'As long as you have eyes—they are that common.' He claims that the damage isn't just a design flaw or a simple matter of component degradation over time, attributed to the brand's longevity. According to him, the bumpers are intentionally designed this way by the Japanese automaker in the spirit of planned obsolescence. 'Now, leave it to Toyota to engineer a way into their car to make it look ugly after a certain point,' he says. 'So that you can get tired of looking at it and buy another Toyota.' Shadetreemotors continues, 'They figure well, you know, if you've gotten one Camry. And you enjoy the way it runs and drives, but eventually the bumper caves in. You figure well [expletive] I'll buy another Camry.' 'And I think that's an added-in feature, I swear.' At this point in the video, he shows an image of a late '90s champagne-colored Toyota Camry. The vehicle has a dent on the rear driver's side bumper. A text overlay reads, 'Look for them and you'll see them everywhere. The Toyota Camry: a mysterious magnet for dents on the corners of the back bumpers.' The caption states that these are 'statistics based on 153 Camrys with the characteristic popped-in rear bumper corner.' Next, Shadetreemotors displays two pie charts. The first details the color of Camry vehicles featuring the rear bumper dent. The second showcases a variety of different Camry models labeled XV20, XV30, XV40, and XV50. He concludes, 'Typically this was done on the silver and beige cars. They have the dent and the '02-'06 cars were affected the most. But it seems to be all of them.' Other Theories Others have noticed the so-called Camry dent. There's even a Facebook page dedicated to the dent called Camry Corners . One outlet even questioned whether the oft-disfigured part revealed a flaw in Toyota's manufacturing process or if it just spoke to the longevity of Toyotas. Jalopnik argues that the Camry dent isn't caused by a design issue. The author notes that the Honda Accord, Volkswagen Passat, Nissan Maxima, Ford Fusion, and Kia Optima sport similar rear bumper cover designs. The site states, 'They're a quite conventional design, with a rigid steel beam forming the base structure, a middle layer of energy-absorbing dense styrofoam, and an outer polyurethane outer bumper skin. Almost all modern cars use a similar design.' The reason there are so many dented Camry bumpers may simply be a numbers game: The cars are on the road for so many years and miles that eventually many end up with a dented bumper. GoodCarBadCar writes that since its launch in 1982, the Camry has consistently been one of the top-selling vehicles in the world. Coupled with the long-time reputation for reliability of the Camry, this means there are likely still millions on the road today. Further, a dented bumper doesn't impede driving. So a Camry owner may simply choose not to fix it. Fixing the Camry Dent Toyota Ask says it costs anywhere from $160 to $1,100 to replace a Camry bumper. The cost depends on availability and whether or not the part is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) model. It'll cost more to get the real thing brand new from Toyota. You can opt to save money by getting one secondhand, from a junkyard, or from a third party. For Toyota Camry drivers who just can't live with that unsightly dent but don't want to spend a bunch of money, there's plenty of advice available online. YouTuber Get Fixed instructs you to first remove the grommets affixing the bumper cover to your car. There are several around the rear wheel wells and the back of the Camry. Once the grommets have been removed, Get Fixed instructs you to pop the trunk. Then remove the fasteners securing the trunk panel. This allows you to safely pry off the rear bumper cover. Following this, you should place the cover piece on a towel facing downward. Then, step on the dent to invert it. This helps, but may leave some much smaller dents behind, as Get Fixed demonstrates. For these, Get Fixed recommends using a heat gun to make the bumper more malleable. This allows you to smooth away any errant dents by hand. Just keep it about a foot away from the bumper so as not to melt it, the creator notes. How to Remove a Dent from A cars Bumper Commenters React Shadetreemotors' video inspired people to share theories and observations about the Camry dent. One speculated that the ubiquitous dent is due to Camry's popularity with old people. Another blamed its reliability, writing, 'The Camry isn't getting replaced as long as it's still starting and rolling, even if only on three wheels.' Yet another made the logical argument that it's just a matter of driver error. 'Lol Camrys don't just get a dent naturally,' they wrote. 'It's 100% of the time due to an impact.' At least some people believe the Camry dent is merely a myth. 'They learned from the first gen Camry, that car was made of stone,' said one. Motor1 has reached out to Shadetreemotors via Instagram direct message for further comment. We'll be sure to update this if he responds. More From Motor1 'This Is Why I Have an 04 Camry:' Man Takes Ford F-250 to San Antonio. Then He Sees What Happened to It in the Hotel Parking Lot 'That Honda Fit Sounds Like the One:' Used Car Salesman Picks His Top 6 Vehicles Under $4,000. But How Reliable Are They? 'Anybody Got The Same Issue?:' Man Buys 2025 Toyota Camry. Then He Takes a Closer Look at the Seats 2026 Toyota Camry Nightshade: Better Looks, Same Great Car Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Motor 1
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
‘Smalltima, Talltima, Recalltima:' Man Says All Nissans are ‘Altima-Based.' Then He Reveals Why
As summer approaches, this man says you need to beware of Nissan Altimas hitting the road. He may have a point. While sedans have dwindled in popularity, Altimas have remained at the top of Nissan's bestseller list and are generally popular due to their fuel efficiency, comfort, and price. Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Despite their popularity, it's unclear if the company will continue producing one of its best-selling products. It's rumored that Nissan will discontinue the Altima in 2026. Altima haters everywhere are rejoicing at the thought of having fewer of these vehicles on the road. But how did the Altima become so notorious? A Punchline With Four Wheels In a Facebook Reel , car lover Shadetreemotors jokingly accuses Nissan of lacking creativity in its designs. 'Watch out, everyone, it's springtime. That means the Altimas will become more aggressive and numerous,' Shadetreemotors jests while showing clips of broken down and damaged Altimas. Trending Now Man Fills Up His Truck. Then He Pulls Out a Trick for When the Handle Clicks and Stops Pumping Man Spots Chihuahua in a Ford With the Engine Off and Windows Rolled Up. What Should He Do? To help people stay safe out there, he compiled a list of all the Nissans you should look out for on the road. Fair warning, his list is highly unserious. 'Remember, Nissan doesn't make any car that isn't Altima based,' Shadetreemotors says in the reel. As images of various models of damaged Nissans flash by, Shadetreemotors describes them as the Smalltima, Talltima (pickup truck), Crawltima (bigger truck), HVACinstalltima (white cargo van), Beckywe'regoingtothemalltima (pink SUV), and Recalltima (Nissan with a deployed airbag). 'Stay safe out there,' he warns. One of the Most Dangerous Cars on the Road Shadetreemotors may have been joking, but he does have a point about Altimas being dangerous. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an independent nonprofit dedicated to making vehicles and roads safer, conducted a study of driver deaths that occurred from 2018 to 2021. It found that the Nissan Altima has among the worst death rates. The Altima comes in at number nine for driver death and 14 for other driver death. In contrast, the Nissan Pathfinder 2WD and Nissan Murano 2WD were among the safest for driver deaths. According to the study, the vehicles with the highest rate of driver deaths are: Mitsubishi Mirage G4 Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback Dodge Challenger 2WD Hyundai Accent Chevrolet Spark Kia Rio sedan Dodge Charger HEMI 2WD Chevrolet Camaro convertible Nissan Altima Kia Forte The study found the vehicles with the highest rates of other-driver deaths are: Ram 3500 Crew Cab long bed 4WD Dodge Charger HEMI 2WD Ford F-350 Crew Cab 4WD Ram 2500 Mega Cab 4WD Kia Optima Kia Rio sedan Ram 2500 Crew Cab short bed 4WD Ford F-250 Crew Cab 4WD Dodge Charger 2WD Ram 1500 Crew Cab short bed 2WD Why the Bad Rep? The consensus on Altima drivers being reckless is so clear that there's even a term for it: 'Big Altima Energy.' And despite having good safety ratings, from 2020-2022, The Autopian reports that Altimas had a crash claim rate 45% above average and more than double the average rate of personal injury and medical payment claims for midsize sedans. One Redditor shared why they think this may be the case. They think it has to do with the drivers, not the car. 'Nissans are heavily used in the rental market and resold cheaply—who buys cheap cars?' they wrote. 'Poor people and those with bad driving records who can't get financing. People working delivery jobs, or multiple jobs—both with an elevated risk for accidents. I mean—any other vehicle could slot right in if used the same way.' Commenters React People were highly amused by Shadetreemotors' take on Nissans. 'I saw this a year ago and always laugh to myself whenever I see an HVAC Installtima,' a top comment reads. 'My dads Altima is called the Assaultima. I named it,' one person shared. 'I'm a dealer, the one and only Altima I got had a bullet hole in it,' another wrote. 'Nissan Altimas always have the right of way…. Whoever is less afraid to get into an accident will always have the right of way,' a commenter said. Via direct message, Shadetreemotors told Motor1, " Nissan is a terrible car company and all their cars are based on one terrible car." "As a mechanic I can confidently say not one of their current cars is remotely reliable." More From Motor1 Nissan Might Sell Its Home to Survive: Report Man Spots Chihuahua in a Ford With the Engine Off and Windows Rolled Up. What Should He Do? 'Lawyer Up': Woman Drops Off Mercedes At Dealership For Oil Change. Then She's Told It's Totaled, Costs $27K To 'Fix 5 Wires' Woman Walks Up to a Brand-New Ford Lariat. Then She Learns it has a New 'Luxury' Feature Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
