2004 Solara 2.4L vs V6

[47TH_Ronin]

I have to agree with the member commenting on the sound quality thing. I've been in a convertible with the JBL and I had my stock system in my SE SPORT. Personally.....the JBL came across underpowered. I have the same problem with my 08 Tundra with the premium JBL System. For it haveing a sub under the seat, and amp, and great speakers, not to mentiont he extra 999.00 added to the price of the truck.....i continously find myself over cranking the volume to get the bass and clearity i love. I found that to be the same issue in the JBL Solara. My stock solara se system....had 4 6x9, plus the 2" on the dash and I could crank that thing up and hear bass and treble at all volume selections. I have been told (by friend at toyota parts\service dept killeen toyota) that the JBL system is purposly done that way (under powered). I have been told by several car audio places that there is no way to get more power out of the sysem either...not without stripping it all down which would cost more money then ripping it all out and just putting in an aftermarket. So, thankfully, the tundra is my wife's and i have a 2000 dollar system in my solara, but my factory 6x9's are now mounted in my garage abd used in conjunction with my radio!!!!! By the way...first gear in the solara 4 banger does suck....it red lines to ungodly fast it is crazy...but other then that.....love it.

[wkbrdr91]

^ blasephmous. the JBL speakers is a premium sound package. they wouldn't offer it if the stock speakers were "MUCH" better. also the convertible is heavier than the v6 coupe. also 17 in the v6 mean you ain't drivin it right.

your comparison has some biases in it.

Well they are both driven the same way, its 95% city driving... so the v6 suffers in that category.

and i'm sorry that i cant give a number on how much better the stock is, but there is a noticeable difference on how much better the stock system is over the JBL... and i am definitely and audiophile, all my life we have always had the upgraded sound system, with the exception of the 4 cyl solara, but like i said, it could have something to do with the fact that the JBL one is the convertible and the rear speakers could be smaller than in the coupe.

if you don't believe me go out to a Toyota dealership and hear for yourself!!

[LatinUSMC]

you will be much happier with the v6 if you get the 4 soon down the road youll be wishing you got the 6

i have the four and i so regret it..8 years later, need more power.

[wkbrdr91]

you will be much happier with the v6 if you get the 4 soon down the road youll be wishing you got the 6

i have the four and i so regret it..8 years later, need more power.

If i remember correctly, the gen 1 solara 4 cylinders have less horsepower (could just be specific years), though i am not positive, just remember reading that the old ones have 130 horsepower stock, and the gen 2's have like 160 stock.

But on a gen 2 if you ever wanted even more power, you have much more choice on performance mods as the 4 cylinder solara shares the same engine as the Scion tC.

[LatinUSMC]

im in the process of selling my firebird now...gonna use the money for some add-ons to my lara. my bird gets me into too much trouble. i had my car keys taken away and ordered by my company commander to not drive for a week because two weeks ago me and some asshole in a new Evo tried to race me down 195 in Florence and DPS cought us.....I was clocked at over 155 mph, got arrested....the evo guy too lol but it was worse for me cause i was in front and going faster. woulda thought we murdered someone....had 3 dps cars, 2 suv's, and a Florence bike cop LMAO. my wife almost divorced me..being the reckless driving, extreme exhibition of speed, and speeding +80mph in a 70mph zone came to about 1500 bucks. and for all you people against street racing....it was on a country highway with fresh black top and no one was on the road....but the damn DPS cop. and being in the military sucks, because my commander had to come bail me out, so i got it from the civi side, plus the army side, but...I smashed that damn EVO!!!!!

BRAVO.... and you wonder why They dont let the ARMY to do 80% of the combat missions .. and but 80% of the security jobs. as opposed to the MARINES who are 20% of the military yet get 80 % of the SERIOUS Jobs.

[DriDed]

I own a 2004 Toyota Solara SE 2.4L with the auto, it is by no means fast, the gas milage is good for a car its size but thats about it.

I would choose a V6, more power, similar gas milage.

[wkbrdr91]

^ blasephmous. the JBL speakers is a premium sound package. they wouldn't offer it if the stock speakers were "MUCH" better. also the convertible is heavier than the v6 coupe. also 17 in the v6 mean you ain't drivin it right.

your comparison has some biases in it.

BTW, the V6 is rated at 18 city, so actually getting one mpg less than rated is not that bad. and my 4 cyl does see the highway a bit more... but when i drive it strictly city it gets 21-23... 26 is the overall average for this summer (hasnt seen much highway)

But im glad you know so much more about the car, and how to drive it than i do

[SoSleek]

I have the JBL sound in my SE Sport Coupe and it's sounds extremely nice! I got my car with 14k miles owned by an old man so the stereo obviously hasn't been used to its full capacity.

I don't know how you are measuring that these speakers are underpowered. If you are judging on the fact that you have to turn the volume up 3/4 to be as loud as another vehicle turned up to 1/2 then that is no comparison, but just a matter of how sensitive the volume adjustment is set.

The true way to tell would be to set each system to their peak volume just before you notice clipping. At this volume I can bet that the JBL will be providing a much broader range of sound as well and a higher dB.

The JBL speakers can handle much more power than the standard speakers which is why you must turn it up more to hear them. That's just obvious.

Back to the original topic though, get whatever meets your criteria. If you are looking for good gas mileage get the 4cyl. If you are wanting more power, get the v6. You know all the pro's and con's. Pick whichever is most suiting for the driving you do. For me, the V6 was a very obvious choice.

[47TH_Ronin]

..ummm well I guess you are right....the Marines do get the more "serious" jobs. They are the only ones stupid enough to do them. Personally...I am a 35L in the US ARMY and I have upfront seen these "serious" jobs the marines have done and have then had to see the ARMY / AirForce come back and do them right, so to each his own. 4 CYCLINDER POWER!!!!!

[47TH_Ronin]

bro, what are you talking about. Obviously Ive maxed out both the JBL and the stock. The JBL doesn't even go that loud or put out the bass the stock 6x9 in the se and se sport do. Hell, coming from the people at toyota...the JBL system is over rated and troublesome. The ONLY reason they put it into the solara series is because they couldn't make a top line SLE with the same radio and the SE and they happen to have a contract with JBL....thus the reson my Tundra has JBL. If it weren't for it being my wife's truck....I would have rather spent the 1000 bucks extra and would have gotten a hell of a lot better system from a car audio shop. The JBL gives you the option of a sub and amp....but lets you adjust it to what was it 5 for bass, 5 for treble?? The bass wasn't even enough for shake my rear view mirror lol?? but, this thread can go on in arguments forever.....each person has his or her own "facts" trials, and testimonies as far as what is better or worse. i say TO EACH HIS OWN and leave it at that.

[wkbrdr91]

I have the JBL sound in my SE Sport Coupe and it's sounds extremely nice! I got my car with 14k miles owned by an old man so the stereo obviously hasn't been used to its full capacity.

I don't know how you are measuring that these speakers are underpowered. If you are judging on the fact that you have to turn the volume up 3/4 to be as loud as another vehicle turned up to 1/2 then that is no comparison, but just a matter of how sensitive the volume adjustment is set.

The true way to tell would be to set each system to their peak volume just before you notice clipping. At this volume I can bet that the JBL will be providing a much broader range of sound as well and a higher dB.

The JBL speakers can handle much more power than the standard speakers which is why you must turn it up more to hear them. That's just obvious.

Back to the original topic though, get whatever meets your criteria. If you are looking for good gas mileage get the 4cyl. If you are wanting more power, get the v6. You know all the pro's and con's. Pick whichever is most suiting for the driving you do. For me, the V6 was a very obvious choice.

Dont get us wrong, nobody is saying the JBL isn't nice, the stock one just sounds better, I would know, i have one of each! BTW, i do have the BOSE sound system in my yukon, which is alot better than the JBL, and a little better than the stock solara sound systems. I would just hate to see extra money spent to get something that isnt as good (unless you REALLY want that tape player), when you can just put that $1,050 into aftermarket speakers and/or REALLY nice subwoofers.

[47TH_Ronin]

i agree with wrbrbr91. heck most people only opt for the more expensive stock radio because it is more prestige. to be completely honset...the best stock radio i have ever heard was in a 2002 Hyndia Accent LOL. now that was a stock radio!!

[yaddadaimsayin]

gov website says 18 city 27 hwy, 4-cyl is 20 city 29 hwy. a 2 mpg difference.

so you say v6 is 18 city, and your 4-cyl is AVERAGE 26. That again is an invalid comparison. v6 gets AVERAGE 24 so gas mileage is actually not 'suffering' as you put it. 2mpg difference is pretty good for 2-cylinder difference.

[jimmm]

If you get what works for you, then it doesn't
need any explanation, nor does it have to be
compared with what works for somebody else.
Jimmm ( I wish I could've had a V8 )

[wkbrdr91]

gov website says 18 city 27 hwy, 4-cyl is 20 city 29 hwy. a 2 mpg difference.

so you say v6 is 18 city, and your 4-cyl is AVERAGE 26. That again is an invalid comparison. v6 gets AVERAGE 24 so gas mileage is actually not 'suffering' as you put it. 2mpg difference is pretty good for 2-cylinder difference.

you are mixing up numbers, go read my posts again.

according to toyota, the 4 cyl gets 21 city.

18 city is what the v6 is rated at, i get 17 in city.

when i said average is 26 for the 4 cyl, i mean real world, not whatever toyota is claiming, i never said anything about 24 mpg in the v6.