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Toyota Solara

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Comments

  • ral2167ral2167 Member Posts: 791
    maybe toyota thought the lens and battery bracket problems were due to an accident you had ... i assume if i have an accident of some kind, and a fender needs repair, that's not covered by warranty. did you indeed have an accident that caused the battery bracket to become deformed and the lens to fall into the light? if you did, you're trying to pull a fast one. pay the deductible to the insurance, and let the insurance cover the rest of the cost. and what's with the "serious" when you meant "series", and "peanalized"--- i have typos too, but i tend to try to proofread at least once to catch most of them. this isn't an accord coupe forum, after all-- we're solara owners-- show some dignity.
  • AnakinAnakin Member Posts: 410
    Most of us Accord Coupe owners learned to capitalize the first word in every sentence.

    ;^)
  • jraysjrays Member Posts: 20
    Paul,

    I think we can all sympathize with your plight. There are good salespeople and bad salespeople and the same can be said for customers.

    I have a 2000 SLE Solara and think it was one of the best buying decisions I've ever made. This car is classy, refined, sporty, comfortable, quick, quiet and reliable. Did I leave anything out? I've never owned such a "well-rounded" car with so much attention paid to every detail. It's a joy to drive (and be seen in). You owe it to yourself to test drive one. I think that will clinch the deal for you.

    There are other choices when it comes to buying your Solara. I bought my Solara through (the now defunct) CarOrder, but there are many others out there. One of the nicest guys selling Toyotas frequents this forum quite a bit: Cliffy1. If you want to talk with a straight-shooter with no run-around, he would be your best bet. Depending on where you live, you may want to travel to Cliffy's dealership and buy straight from him. You can still have your car serviced locally.

    Another person, who is in the Solara convertible forum a lot, is Dianne4Toyota. She sounds like another person who goes the extra mile to make her customers happy.

    You see, it's not just about the money to all salespeople. Don't give up on the Solara, if that's what you truly want.

    One more thing I would suggest: get as many options as you can afford. You may want to test drive the manual, 4 and 6 cylinders to see the difference. I got mine loaded and I enjoy all the options. Of course, that adds a bit to the price of the car, but hey, don't you deserve it?

    Raymond
  • kwylliekwyllie Member Posts: 13
    Touche Anakin! I love it.

    To cllmartin. Charging the repair on a credit card then stopping payment is a bad idea, unless you enjoy making trouble for yourself.
  • radracerradracer Member Posts: 96
    no dealer wants to sell you a car without any extras. and no dealer ever orders any car without any extras. to fit your price range, they offered you a corolla. but you liked the focus better, so they offered you a focus. what's wrong about that? you have to realize that salesmen try to sell cars. that's their job. believe it or not, the cars don't usually sell themselves. would you buy a $20,000 stereo system if a salesman said it wasn't any good? also, there are very few dealers that can factory order a car for you. why don't you try carsdirect.com or talk to the fleet manager?
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    Used cars have MUCH more profit in them than new cars - especially a stripped down model. Dealers make MOST of their long-term profit off the used car lot.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    I was quite ready to sympathize with your story after the first sentence. I am well aware that many (if not most) Toyota stores still employ the kinds of people who earned us our reputation. Cockyness and arrogance are rampant. As I continued to read you story, my sympathy dwindled. At any point did the salesman or manager explain why the car you were asking for is nearly impossible to find without a factory order? If they had, would you have listened? It seems to me that they did the only reasonable thing when faced with an unreasonable request: They tried to sell you something you would buy.

    If I am wrong and there is more to this story, I apologize. If they were guilty of nothing more than listening and responding to your demands, I can't really fault them.
  • paul116paul116 Member Posts: 15
    I turned my anger of the insulting dealership into persistence and found two nice dealerships!!
    I also took a long lunch today and finally got to test drive a Solara SE with automatic, moonroof, alloys, and pearl white paint. Both dealers told me that base Solara's without any extra options simply don't exist, and ordering one is out of the question. My goal then was to minimize the useless options. This turned out to be a very good car for me to test drive.

    At first, I was very impressed with the car on city streets and bumpy roads. Noise level (or lack of, should I say) was superb! Interior was extremely attractive and well laid out. Then I got onto the highway, and the 4-cylinder engine showed it's true colors. It was a slouch in that department. Basically, the 4-cylinder Solara is an economy car that pretends to be a close relative of the Lexus. I also have no need for such pretensions. I would imagine that the
    6-cylinder engine would be more ideally suited to the Solara, but I drive 35,000 miles per year, and fuel economy is a major factor. I can afford the extra gas, but why waste the money at the pump. Too bad that the Solara is not available in an engine size between the 2.3 and 3.0. One is too little, while the other is a bit too much for my needs (and budget for speeding tickets).

    Since the Solara does not meet my needs, I did not buy it. However, the moonroof should be considered mandatory for this car, as there are only two windows to open. I judged the power seat to be useless, but that's just my opinion. Alloy wheels should also be mandatory for appearance purposes.

    Being that I was on a roll (literally), I decided to test drive the other top two cars on my list, such that back-to-back comparisons could be made.
    After work, I test drove the 32 MPG Olds Alero GL1 with the 3.4 liter V-6. This engine has less horsepower than the Solara 3.0, but gets better highway mileage than the Solara 2.3. I checked all the figures for accuracy long before test driving, and these figures are indeed correct. The 3.4 Olds engine was actually designed more with fuel economy in mind than exceeding 200 horses. I was actually more impressed with this Alero than the Solara, and especially with it's $4000 cheaper price tag. Then the thoughts of warped rotors and water leaks came back to mind, and I didn't but that car either.

    Now thinking it was time to go home and weigh the pros and cons of each, I chose to drive the third car just for the heck of it. Well, I just drove home a brand new 2000 Nissan Sentra SE with no added options. It's 145 BHP engine has almost as much pep as the Alero's 170 BHP (due to weight differences), good gas mileage, and a great ride to boot. It was also $7,000 less than the Solara, with similar base equipment and reliability history. This was the exact color and equipment I had wanted on this car, and I considered myself lucky that this last 2000 model was still on the lot after we saw it 2-3 weeks ago. Most SE models only come equipped with the Power Package, which has a harsh suspension and an ugly black fabric for the seats. My persistence got me the base SE with automatic, which already has PW, PL, PM, cruise, 100-watt AM/FM CD, fog lights, leather wrapped steering, titanium gauges, alloys, and remote keyless entry. That's all I need anyway.

    In the end, I judged the Solara to be a great car, but the engine choices just don't not fit my needs. And yes, there are truly nice Toyota sales people and closers out there. One just needs to keep looking until they're found, and then give them the verbal credit that they deserve. I would not hesitate to send a Toyota buyer to either one of these dealers. As for the one who tried to sell me another Focus, I wouldn't send my worst enemy to them.
  • radracerradracer Member Posts: 96
    You should try a Mercury Cougar v6. I test drove one and it was really nice. It had decent power, good gas mileage, and good handling without being too stiff. They're also VERY inexpensive...I saw a used one with 23k miles for just $12k.
  • nori10nori10 Member Posts: 24
    Just came to my mind today, watching the car and drvier best 10 cars for 2001, that toyota was not even in one of the sixty candidates... and accord was once again the winner. Where did camry go?..
    Not only that,almost everyone in this forum loves their solara, but so little reviews and attention is put into solara from motor trend..C&A..R&T and any internet sites. Also shopping for carparts online, many times from the scroll down bars, there is no such a choice as Solara. ( I guess they just classify it as a Camry). Why do cars such as accord get soo much attention and not the Solara? when they are in the same market? Is it just not popular yet? how are the sales statistics? I was just wondering..
    Can anybody make me more proud of owning a SOLARA!!
    :)
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    nori10-

    Don't fall for all those car awards and top ten nonsense! It's all CRAP and POLITICS just like all those Hollywood awards. Go and read http://www.autoextremist.com and look through the archives- specifically the Motor Trend Car of the Year article and you'll see what I mean. I have the 1999 Car of the Year- 300M- it's the worst car I have EVER owned!

    Your Solara is 100 times better then my "Car of the Year"!

    fastdriver
  • radracerradracer Member Posts: 96
    Isn't that UGLY [non-permissible content removed] wimpy 4cyl PT Cruiser the car of the year? I always see old ladies driving it. I think it looks hideous...and the AZTEC as well. In fact, one dealer told me how he thought that AZTEC was so ugly and that he'd promise not to try to sell me one of those.
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    radracer-

    Right! Watch how many Chrysler ads- multi-page/ pull-outs- will now appear in Motor Trend. Of course, with their current slashing/cutbacks and new ad agency, maybe MT will be in for a surprise with no big buck ads to bolster MT's coffers!

    fastdriver
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    fastrdriver is right on - magazine awards are total crap and politics (Is this redundant?) - they usually go to the largest advertiser. It is the same in ANY industry. Just try to find a BAD review in any magagazine that takes advertising - Cars, hi-fi, computers - never happens!

    The Solara is a great car, mine was admired again today by an Accord driver that is now going shopping for a Solara. Enjoy!
  • nori10nori10 Member Posts: 24
    I guess its true.. its all about advertisment and politics here. toyota doesn't need to advertise as much to sell thier cars, since the driver's advertise it for them! Reliable and "good-value"...well depending on which dealer you buy from (me? a monopolostic 'buy or leave' kind of dealer). Its actually funny,,my last choice for the car I was getting was toyota, toyota gave me an image of family sedans..so generic and typical and bland styling. But I do not regret buying my solara, beautiful stlying and luxurious ride. But one think that shocked me was detail parts such as door handles or aircon vents are the same ones used on tercel and corollas..even for the lexus. I guess toyota is smart since they can use the same part for lower costs for all there cars, I just hope they change that "smartness" have more character in each car. A camry and a ES300...the differences are slight..a lexus mark..vvt-i..and leather. But my solara its unique! I never think I am driving a camry solara, but that I drive a solara. Toyota should keep up with cars like this!
  • vitahawkvitahawk Member Posts: 14
    Speedracer - thanks for the link. Helpful info. I will take the info to the dealer and see if they will beat the price. Bill
  • gpoltgpolt Member Posts: 113
    Happy that Paul is content with his Nissan, however, for those considering Solara but longing for more umph, next year's engines will receive considerable improvement with the addition of variable valve technology. Should the base Solara/Camry engine jump up in size and rececive the Highlander's 2.4 liter, it could be the economy sleeper "car of the year".
  • paul116paul116 Member Posts: 15
    I am intrigued about the rumored new 2.4 liter engine for the Solara, as I am one that gloats over performance specs. Before I test drove anything, I calculated peak BHP per ton of curb weight. This figure serves as a very good indicator when comparing prospective new cars to recent ones that I have owned. I had always loved the styling and interior of the Solara, but was disappointed when my figures indicated that the 4-cylinder Solara would not be much faster than my ex-Focus. For a long time, I ruled out the Solara because of this calculation, but finally told myself that maybe my figures were erroneous for just this one case.

    The respective BHP per ton figures are: Focus SE=83.46, Solara SE=86.54, Sentra SE=108.45, and Solara SE V-6=123.84. Since these are all calculated from peak horsepower, which no one ever really achieves in real world driving, this could explain some of the bias. As it turned out, the Solara was slower than the Focus on the interstate. Performance-wise, the Focus' weak area was merging onto interstates, but it had no problem in going from 70-90 in little enough time to get out of a "roadblock" created by daydreaming drivers. The base Solara would be stuck behind the daydreamers. Like I said previously, the base Solara is an "economy car that pretends to be a close relative of the Lexus."

    My new Sentra SE has more than enough power for my needs, with the Solara SE V-6 having another theoretical 14% power over my Sentra, which I really don't need.

    So, if one were to divide 108.45 by 86.54 and then multiply this figure by the BHP rating for the base Solara, the theoretical desired Solara horsepower rating to match the Sentra SE would be 170 to 175 BHP, or about a 2.6-2.8 liter with VVTI. So if the 2.4 liter engine were optimized in design with VVTI, it would indeed be a true "sleeper". If Toyota could do this, they could simply drop the 2.2 and 3.0 Solara engines, and offer this new engine as the only choice. Had this been available on my test drive, I may well have bought the Solara. As it stands now, the two Solara engines are at the extreme ends of the spectrum.

    By the way, I am REALLY glad that I did not buy the Alero, as I was shocked to hear that GM plans to phase out the Oldsmobile division. How could they? They should get rid of Buick instead.

    As for those of you who are thinking of buying a Sentra over the Solara, I must warn you that the two suspension systems are like night and day. The Solara's was a bit too soft for my tastes, but Lexus drivers would say that the Sentra SE rides like a pickup truck. Personally, I like to know when the road is bad, so that I can adjust my driving. The Solara will disguise bad roads so well, until you finally need another front end alignment. The Sentra will slap you in the face as soon as the road gets bad, which is the way I like my cars - very, very, tight. I doubt if there is another driver out there who would choose a Sentra SE over a base Solara, but it fits my needs very well.

    So, Toyota! How about a 2.5 liter VVTI with a true sport suspension on the next Solara? It sounds like my dream car, and I'm sure that a whole new group of buyers would be attracted.
  • radracerradracer Member Posts: 96
    there is no replacement for displacement! the Solara needs a 3.2 or 3.4L so it can have more low end torque. A 2.4 or 2.5 would be to wimpy. Even Ford's zetec 2.5L in the new Cougar puts out 196hp but only 168ft-lb torque. If economy is what you're after, then Toyota should drop in an inline 6 from the IS300 and bump up the IS300's power. This would give it good power and much better fuel efficiency.

    VVTi sounds great, but there's a huge flaw...there are two torque and power curves, one peak occuring at lower rpms, around 3000, and the other at peak rpm, but after 3000rpm, the power and torque drops until 4000rpm and rises again. This "rerouting" of power is great for every day driving, but really slows down 1/4 mile and 0-60 times. that's why the solara v6 can whoop the celica GTS and IS300.
  • gdanczykgdanczyk Member Posts: 26
    I'm just as happy as gpolt that paul116 is content with his Nissan, but please join the Nissan Sentra Discussion board. You went from a Ford Focus to a Nissan Sentra. These cars are a far cry from a Toyota Solara. I'm glad you got to test drive a Toyota, but let's leave it at that.
  • black00black00 Member Posts: 48
    ...last time I checked.
    It's great to have different opinions and compare the Solara to other cars of the SAME class.
    No point in comparing apples to oranges...
  • ral2167ral2167 Member Posts: 791
    if anyone can figure out a placemark system on this new look, please post-- i'm a tad confused.
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    al2167-

    LOL... I just finished adding all my old PLACEMARKS to my Netscape Communicator bookmarks. I have NO clue if this will function like the beloved Placemarks, but I guess I'll find out soon as new messages are posted. I was just going to go to the Talk to the Hosts section and ask the same question.

    BTW- does it seem to take a long time for a page to load? I have DSL and it seems really slow here.

    fastdriver
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    they might send you back to the old topics so be careful. Best to sit tight with those until things settle down in here. There is a sort of placemarks feature on Webcrossing but it isn't activated and I don't know yet if there are plans to do so.

    Yes, if you can find the Talk to the Host topic, that's a good place to get up to the minute answers!

    Host
  • elgritonelgriton Member Posts: 67
    I can't seem to place a bookmark whatsoever, and this new thing is fussy. It takes me so much time to get back into here everytime!!! The darn thing keeps telling me I'm not logged on, but it welcomes me with my username...what gives?!?!? Any suggestion for bypassing the entire process of choosing category, conference, etc.. to get back to this solara board? The saying goes, if it isn't broke...don't fix it!!!
  • ojcojc Member Posts: 31
    Someone earlier posted that they don't want to waste the $ at the pump, so they prefer the V4. If you drive 35,000 miles/year and get 28 mpg (which is what you can expect with the V4) and gas is $1.50 OR you get 25 mpg (like I get with the V6) the savings is only $18.75 per month. If that drives you to get the V4 vs the V6, better buy the Corolla. The biggest savings is really in the purchase price of the V6 vs V4, not the mpg that you gain.
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    "rpm9" has been posting on many boards saying how much better his Grand Am (Cough , Gag) is than YOUR car, just looking to start arguments. How stupid - probably a 12-year-old with nothing to do. He had posted here yesterday, but was deleted in the changeover.

    Please ignore this fool and do not waste your time by responding.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    RPM9 is actually an interesting case. I ran into him on the Camry board and discovered he is just trying to spur discussion. I wouldn't characterize him as a typical troll. He comes clean about his intentions if you give a reasoned defense of your vehicle. I told him I'm keeping an eye on him but he isn't the type to ruin a topic.
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    He was not so nice on the Mercedes and Maxima forums. I think he is just fooling around.
  • vz18wpvz18wp Member Posts: 20
    I've checked for posts the last two days and .....ZERO!
    What's up?
  • ral2167ral2167 Member Posts: 791
    All of this new and improved town hall still leaves me with a lame coinbox in my solara...

    The Subscriptions is a reasonable Placemark idea, I guess; about the only thing missing is a "flag" to indicate something new has been posted since you last read through messages...unless I'm missing something--- in other words, I have subscribed to all my favorite topics-- similar to placemarks-- but there is no indicator when new messages have been posted since I last read through a topic. am i nuts?
  • elgritonelgriton Member Posts: 67
    Is everyone practically on vacation or the demise of townhall has already begun?
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    Hey Guys and Gals - I hope that you all come back! I see action on the other forums now - they are getting the bugs squashed! I do have to log into each forum separately to post, however. "Autologin" is not recognized yet by many forums.

    Well, the dealer has just replaced my front strut towers - a warranty issue that may require a recall, according to the service writer. It is not a big problem, but the holes are just a little oversize, so there was a little "clunk" once in a while when going over bumps. Now, that is gone completely. Also - they had said that my struts were leaking a little, and had replaced those a few weeks ago.

    The car seems to ride even better and more solid now - it is really a pleasure. Also- they have ALMOST eliminated the left pull, it is just a slight drift now, and easy to ignore. Hooray! This time the dealer and service manager will get GOOD marks on the review!

    So - If you get a little "clunk" in the front end once in a while, talk to your dealer about replacing the strut towers.
  • decondecon Member Posts: 56
    I took my car to the dealership and they fixed the car door not closing properly problem.

    They stated the window regulator was loose.

    I wish Town Hall would switch back to the old style, this one doesn't work as well
  • nrl76nrl76 Member Posts: 30
    I sometimes hear that clunk that you are talking about. I took the car in to Sheridan Toyota in Santa Monica and they found nothing. It seems to happen more when it is cold. Is this correct, or was it happening all the time? If you have a TSB number could you post it. Next time I am there for an oil change I will ask them to check the Front strut towers.

    I also hope that everyone comes back to play.

    PS - Has anyone done the 30K mile

    Neil
    '99 SLE
    Red\Gray
    27400 miles
  • qibbleqibble Member Posts: 26
    Hello all,

    FYI - If anyone is interested in factory chrome wheels then give this link a try http://www.4chromewheels.com/ . It will run about $600 and you have to send your old set back to them. I have not seen the wheels in person nor have I dealt with these people so I can't back their product. But I am interested in them. If anyone has dealt with this company please post your experience?

    99 silver SE
  • hotanhotan Member Posts: 3
    hi. I just got a new 2001 DE V6 Manual transmission Solar. Silver with leather. I love it! a couple a questions for you guys.

    Number 1: I am not the best stick driver yet. I am good, but not great. So my engine is a bit loud now. So I think it could just be my driving ability or the cold weather or the fact that I am breaking in the engine.

    Number 2 : My passage door needs to be slammed shut in order to close properly.

    Number 3: My brake peel use to make a squeaky noise. but not any more. I was wondering if anyone else's did and if it may come back.

    Number 4: I have to really press on my clutch to start my car. I am talking really far down to the metal.

    Are these things normal. I can live with them, except for the passage door.

    Other than that, I love this car. I have been Eyeing it since it first came out in 1999. My next step is to tint the windows. I still have paper tags on it. I don't want real tags yet, because here in Maryland, I will need to have real tags on the front and back bumper. Now that I have paper tags, it is only on the back. I think all cars look better without the stupid tag on the front. But oh well. Love this car.
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    Hi Neil - Good to hear from you. According to my service rep at No. Hollywood Toyota, the problem with the towers is that the mounting holes are just a teeny bit to large, and the strut may move from time to time - giving the "clunk". It seemed to happen all the time, but now that you ask, I am not sure. It was only over certain types of bumps. It is not a functional problem. I will ask if there is a TSB next visit.

    Hotan - Welcome to the Solara forum! You have made a great choice. Maybe we can help with your questions -
    1. Loud Engine - Maybe you are letting it rev too high before you shift. Get an experienced stick driver to show you. While you are breaking it in, it is good to keep at 2500-3000 or less rpm's at all times.
    2. Passenger Door - Some have found that the window glass is a little too high, preventing the door from closing easily. See #386 above. It is easily adjusted by the dealer.
    3. Brake Pedal Squeaking - Do you mean the pedal, or the brakes themselves? Disc brakes can squeak from time to time if they get dirty, it is no big deal, and usually goes away.
    4. Clutch - Do you also have to press the clutch all the way to shift? Get the dealer to look at it - see if the cluch is adjusted properly. Meanwhile, start the car in Neutral.

    Enjoy!
  • cblake2cblake2 Member Posts: 53
    To: alt.autos.toyota; alt.autos.toyota.camry

    The quality (or lack there of) issue in the Toyota is significant. Toyota's hallmark has been long-term reliability. I believe this is NOT the case now. It may well be a myth perpetuated by Toyota. Owners are likely to have false hope based on this myth.

    Did you know that some owners are experiencing sludge in the engine and being denied warranty claims? Did you know that these same owners are paying $5,000-8,000 for new engines? Did you know that some 2000 Sienna owners are having torque converter replacements within the first few hundred miles of driving? Did you know that others have had total transmission failures after after a few thousand miles? Did you know that there are other problems common to this vehicle? Have you had:

    1) Persistent drifting/pulling to the left or the right
    2) Uneven wear of tires with need for early replacement
    3) Premature brake component wear, including rear brake drums
    4) Power steering problems, including inner tie rod or total rack and pinion replacement
    5) Vibrations, esp. at speeds above 50 MPH
    6) Premature transmission problems or failure
    7) Torque converter replacement, sometimes just after delivery
    8) Sliding door latch problems with sticking and difficulty opening
    9) Oil sludge in the engine related to a contaminated system

    IF you have experienced these problems, please write to the following agencies and file a report detailing your case. THEN, network with others by visiting sites where owners post experiences.

    U.S. Department of Transportation
    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
    Office of Defects Investigations
    NSA-10.01
    400 7th Street, NW
    Washington, D.C. 20590

    1-800-424-9393
    1-888-327-4236

    http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov

    Center for Auto Safety
    1825 Connecticut Ave., NW
    Suite 330
    Washington, D.C. 20009-5708

    http://www.autosafety.org

    The Complaint Station--click "T", then "Toyota"
    http://www.thecomplaintstation.com

    Car Trackers Discussion Forum
    http://www.cartrackers.com

    Phil Edmonston's Lemon-Aid Car Guides
    http://www.lemonaidcars.com

    Also, use the USENET groups:
    alt.autos.toyota
    alt.autos.toyota.camry

    Charlene Blake
    cblake@erols.com
  • nrl76nrl76 Member Posts: 30
    Question 1-9
    Answer 1-9 - NO

    Neil
    '99 Solara SLE
    Red\Gray
    27,400 miles
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    give it a rest please. You seem to be the only person on the TH who has any complaints like this. In no other topic has a person come forward to coroborate these assertions.
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    I don't know what to make about cblake's posting. It almost seems commercial in some way. Hey - no car is perfect - take a look at some of the other forums!!
  • scottlawscottlaw Member Posts: 2
    Had the "strut mounts" replaced on my '99 SLE, heard the clunking noise every time I went over a bump. The service rep said there is a TSB out on the problem and they did pick up the tab. Ride is back to normal. Can't complain about overall quality, especially since I was considering a 300M before choosing the Solara. One of my better decisions given the horror stories I've heard about Chrysler, though I still think Toyota's product is better than their service.
  • radracerradracer Member Posts: 96
    uh...try changing your oil 3000-7500 miles, depending on the severity of your weather.
  • alexhhoalexhho Member Posts: 5
    I'm an intern here in Boston, MA, and since the purchase of my Solara 6 months ago I have been averaging 15 miles per gallon. I live in the Allston-Brighton area of Boston and have to commute to the Brigham and Women's hospital everyday. I don't use the AC unit while driving, and I admit that I haven't had the opportunity to drive on the freeway yet. But averaging 15 miles per gallon on non-hilly roads is not what was advertised for the unique car. I don't drive aggressively and I adhere strictly to the local speed limits, so I don't know why my car is consuming so much gas? I would appreciate any advice on this matter. Thank you. Happy New Year to everyone!

    Alex
  • nori10nori10 Member Posts: 24
    about the strut mount replacement, was is under warranty? I have the same clunking noise when I go over bumps and I took it to my dealer and they told me it might have been my CD's in the center armrest.....Do I look that dumb?? Without a word I left the dealer. They are so uncooperative. Are there any disadvantages to my solara if I don' fix the strut mount if I can deal with the noise?
    Thanks!
  • pilot13pilot13 Member Posts: 283
    Please take your axe and grind it somewhere else! You have flogged this sludge problem of yours (And it seems exclusively yours!) to death.
    Sludge is directly related to the way the owner drives and maintains the vehicle, and is not, repeat, not the fault of the manufacturer.
    Do some research on oil changes and how driving habits affect engine life expectancy before plastering these obsessive/compulsive postings in every Toyota topic in the Town Hall!
  • JGT74JGT74 Member Posts: 28
    Hi all,

    I have an '01 Solara SE V6 with cloth seats. Car has been great, but the cloth seats are serious lint magnets. I have found that tape style pet hair removers will work, but at the store the other day I saw some anti-static spray for clothing and was wondering if anyone had ever tried this? I don't think it would hurt the seat material any because it is made for clothing and maybe it would help keep the lint from sticking so bad.

    Anyone else have any other suggestions for lint removal/prevention on the cloth seats? Thanks
  • JGT74JGT74 Member Posts: 28
    Hotan,

    On any new manual transmission car I am pretty sure you will have to push the clutch in fully for it to start. The clutch pedal has a safety switch that will not allow the starter to operate if the clutch is not fully depressed. I do not know for sure if putting the car in neutral will defeat this feature or not, but I think its a good habit to fully press in the clutch in any manual transmission car anytime you start it (ask the wall at my parents house that I tapped one morning when I wasn't in neutral, LOL).
  • radracerradracer Member Posts: 96
    also push it all the way down when you're shifting too. this will extend the life of your clutch
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