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Toyota Corolla

1303133353678

Comments

  • highcountyhighcounty Member Posts: 10
    Any ideas? I do not want to damage the cloth.
  • mbt1mbt1 Member Posts: 33
    Recent reports of sludge in both 4 and 6 cyclinders seem to involve engines that have VVT-I. Is there any chance that since the Corolla engine is also tuned to be VVT-I that it too will suffer the same fate in the long run?

    What is the invoice price for a manual CE Corolla? Edmunds has the msrp only.

    Thanks for your help.
  • 8u6hfd8u6hfd Member Posts: 1,391
    The Camry V6 is not VVT-i, nor is the Camry 4 cylinder.

    But, the ES300, Avalon, RX300, & Sienna do have VVT-i though (Sienna for 2001).

    One thing with VVT-i is making sure the oil is clean. Many VVT-i problems are sourced from the VVT-i oil strainer/valve.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    We drove our 2003 Corolla LE automatic home yesterday - US $15671 plus taxes/lic in Sacramento, CA for a car with the carpet mats and cruise control. Have only about 50 miles on it so far, but all appears to be well except the same glove box door problem that showed up in our LE rental. This was easily remedied with some shimming, but the problem appears to be a rare actual design failure - the screw that holds the latch mechanism is too long, so that even when fully tight it allows some play. This small glitch aside, the car so far is full of pleasant surprises...amazing amount of trunk for this size car, good room inside, lots of thoughtful touches, and a tight but compliant ride.

    On the topic of ride, beware: tire pressures are critical. Don't set them over 30 psi [the recommended pressure] or be prepared for a rocky feel. These size tires [ 195/65x15 ] were used for years by Mercedes to hold up 3600 lbs of car; in this application, they are only holding up 2600 lbs, and the fact is, at 30 psi, the tires [even the fronts] are so understressed that the car feels a lot better at 28 psi than 30. I know Toyota [and everyone else] is paranoid about underinflation since the Explorer business, but the fact is, MB was recommending pressures in the high 20s when this size tire was on the previous gen E-Class. Anyway, don't overinflate - it's useless and kills an otherwise fine ride.

    I'll repeat that this car reminds me of nothing less than our '94 C-Class, except it has more room in both the cabin and trunk. No comparison of safety features, of course, but the new Corolla seems like a real value. I'll report back as time and miles accumulate.
  • jeproxjeprox Member Posts: 466
    the new 2002 camry 4 cylinder have vvt-i. anything before 2002 model dont have vvt-i (v6 & 4cyl.) first few yrs of avalon dont have vvt-i, just the later ones have them
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...have nothing to do with the problems associated with oil gelling. Change the oil at six month intervals, and use synthetic if you're worried. And check the oil regularly - I wonder how many of these people with oil-related engine failures ever actually pulled out the dipstick to see what was circulating in the crankcase....the new-gen aluminum engine that was introduced in the Corolla in '98, and updated for this year, is extremely clean-burning and very easy on oil.

    In any case, the engines in the Corolla have never been implicated in any significant numbers in the oil-related problems that have received so much publicity....
  • mbnut1mbnut1 Member Posts: 403
    Congratulations on your new purchase. Comparing it to your C-Class is high praise indeed. I strikes me as wild that you can buy a high quality car like the Corrola that is bigger than the new C-class but at essentially half the cost. We will be looking forward to your future reports. I'm going to try another test drive in one again and see if I can be won over as well. I definitely like that look and feel of the car.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    I am not suggesting that anyone who can afford the over 30K price of a new C wouldn't be happy...there are obviously issues of refinement, safety and crashworthiness that come into play. What I am saying is that I think the new Corolla raises the bar in this class in a really significant way, that so far seems to have sneaked under the radar of most of the press and public. This is partly because the Matrix is getting all of the buzz and most of the marketing dollars, and partly because cars of this class get very little respect in this country.

    If you slapped a three-pointed star on the hood, everyone would be falling over themselves to test the car...as it is, only the repeat Toyota buyers and the occasional adventuresome enthusiast [like me, I guess] will ever find out what's going on here.

    I'd like to see them make ABS and side bags standard in the LE [and raise the price appropriately]; we wanted both, but cars being built this way, without a bunch of other, useless options, are impossible to find. In any case, I am impressed with what there is at the price on the table...
  • stragerstrager Member Posts: 308
    I completely agree about Toyota packing the Corolla(even the Matrix) with useless options like expensive alloy wheels and sunroofs, BUT not including side airbags and ABS. Safety should not be an option with a premium brand like Toyota, IMO. The "affordable" Matrix XR is $17.5K MRSP, but after Toyota is done with adding some useless options, the price jumps to about $19.2. No side airbags though.

    Incidentally, my only concern(as a Honda owner) about the new Corolla is the dreaded "numb" feeling on center for the steering. I haven't driven one though, what is your opinion about the steering feel?
  • slbond1slbond1 Member Posts: 2
    Took a test drive this afternoon on a 2003 LE. Noticed the rear drivers side window had a pretty significant wind noise near the outside door handle. Has anyone who recently test drove or purchase this vehicle had a similar observation?
    With the above exception, the car looks and rides great, now I'm just looking for a 5 speed.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    I find nothing objectionable about steering feel, and we spent last night on a winding country road to and from a dinner party with some friends who are well off the beaten path. However, there is nothing objective about this kind of observation, and I would hesitate to say the car is as sensitive as the Civic...but I'm not sure that's a bad thing. Again, I enjoyed driving the car on the back roads - it was certainly more fun than our Accord on the same route.

    Overall noise levels are improved over both the old car and in comparison to anything else in the class - certainly neither our rental nor our new car has any noise issues beyond the engine roar under hard acceleration that has been discussed before.

    To me, the car feels nimble and tossable - it's not a BMW, of course, but that's another discussion. High winds, and we had some yesterday, will move it around more than our Accord, but then it weighs 700 lbs less. I continue to be happy with our decision, but I emphasize again after last night's outing over some very nasty pavement that you do not want to inflate the tires over the recommended 30psi - I intend to experiment with something slightly lighter, like 28 psi. The relatively large tires they chose for this car pay dividends, but the ride deteriorates rapidly if there is too much air in there.

    Finally, the glovebox fix worked nicely and there are no new interior noise issues so far [this is a NUMMI car].... And boy, the new trunk is a revelation to anyone coming from the old car [or just about anything else in the class] - it is very nearly as big as the Accord's - another pleasant surprise.
  • mbnut1mbnut1 Member Posts: 403
    John,

    I also found the new Corolla to strike a good balance between ride and handling. On my test drive I drove over windy roads and found it to provide responsive and very secure handling at speeds beyond the posted limits. I didn't notice any harshness in the ride as well They must have had the tires inflated correctly on the test car. I think they got the chassis right on this one.
  • somedudesomedude Member Posts: 3
    After the hype the new Corolla received from the automotive press, I traded in my trusty 2001 Corolla LE and got the 2003 model. The only advantages the new model has over the old one that I can see are an improved interior and slightly more equipment for slightly less money. On the other hand, the car developed squeaks and rattles with 800 miles on the odo that my old Corolla didn't develop in 35,000 miles, possibly indicating less quality control. Also, when I bought the car I wasn't crazy about its looks, but I thought it would grow on me. It didn't! In fact, I like the old car's looks better (mine was dark blue + alloys). Fuel consumption also seems to be about 10% higher than my old car and engine/road noise entering the cabinet is much more noticeable, at any engine speed.

    All in all, a mild disappointment. So, if your previous generation Corolla is still giving you a good service, don't do my mistake and trade it in for the new one thinking you'd be getting a vastly superior car. It isn't! Actually, I wish I kept my 2001 Corolla...
  • johnclineiijohnclineii Member Posts: 2,287
    Wow! I'm sorry this happened to you, but thanks for sharing this with all of us! Nothing like a comparison by one who knows!

    Usually it is a good idea to wait a while after a new design is introduced, at least with the American brands. Harder to do than say, though. I know I am looking at both Vibe/Matrices and the 2003 Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis (which begins production today) to replace my current Impala LS. My momma is the one with the Corolla (in this case, Prizm) which I advised her to buy and which she loves!

    Cross shopping both a Vibe/Matrix and a CV/Grand Marquis? Yep. You may begin laughing now!
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    I looked up and down the size and price spectrum before making this decision. And I respect everyone's opinion, but mine is that the new car is a huge step forward over the previous gen Corolla. I have a lot of experience in that car, and I'll take the new one any day of the week.

    It's also true that early adapters always take risks, even with Toyota. Our car carries a serial number in the 21000 range from NUMMI, which is certainly on the early side. With some planned trips in the next 10 days, I'll have 1000 miles on our car before the end of next week. If anything changes, I'll be the first to say so.

    First fuel stop yielded 31.3 mpg with a green engine and a lot of load and speed variance to help breakin.
  • lfanlfan Member Posts: 61
    Yes- My '03 Corolla has also developed rattles after 1700 miles. The original ones associated with temperature changes on the dash are minor (noise level wise) and relatively intermittent. I can live with those. The new rattle, a very annoying one at that, is from the right rear headliner / top of rear windshield. I have the car into the dealer today for repair.

    No- I happened to take a '01 Corolla as my loaner car today. I have driven 60 miles and I agree with jrct9454. The '03 has superior or equal characteristics in most respects (NVH, ride, handling, power, comfort/convenience, romminess).

    As a early adapter, I can live with a few fixable niggling things and the inevitable recalls.
  • wrightgmwrightgm Member Posts: 9
    Rides like a dream so far (2 days). No squeeks, rattles, or wind noise to speak of. One thing I really like (not sure if older models had it or not) is the variable height for the driver's seat. This makes it very adaptable to different size drivers. Mine was built in Canada so I am not sure if there is a different quality control standard here or not but so far so good.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...in SF with my wife's mom, who has a pre-gen '98 Corolla LE equipped identically to our new '03. I have driven hers extensively in the past, and did so this time with a direct comparison in mind [ her car, 4 years old last month, has less than 14k miles on it, and is for all practical purposes brand new ]. In every respect but one, the new car is clearly equal to or usually better than the old one. The one exception is engine noise on acceleration, mentioned here multiple times. The new car is quieter on the freeway at cruise, and the ride quality of the new car is a noticeable improvement. I think the overall progress between the two cars is obvious and significant.

    Second fillup resulted in 32 mpg, with a lot of high-speed freeway running with AC on, and much variation in speeds to help breakin. It loves to cruise at 3000 rpm, which is just short of 80 mph...I have to work consciously to keep moving the speeds around during this first 1000 miles. So far, so good...
  • lfanlfan Member Posts: 61
    Hope this helps anyone with a similar problem on their '03.

    My dealer's service department was able to fix the squeaky rear windshield problem after two days. Up until an hour before my pickup on Tuesday, they could not diagnose and repaired the problem though they can hear the squeak. Then they had a brilliant idea to call Toyota "Tech-Line" to see if they can offer any solutions. The Tech-line immediately identified a solution for the squeak as it has been a known problem on some '03s. Apparently some sort of pins/clips at the top of the rear windshield were not removed, as required, at the factory during assembly. I am a happy camper again now that this snafu was fixed without tearing out the windshield or headliner.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    At 57k miles, my mechanic recommended this service. Had it done and the car seems to drive better, more pickup. He tried to explain what he did but my mind is like swiss cheese lately. Can anyone explain it to me again, s-l-o-w-l-y. And was this service really necessary or was I the one who was cleaned out?
    Thanks in advance from my Corolla family.
    Sandman
  • jcobyjcoby Member Posts: 140
    I am sorry if some of you are having teething pains with your 2003 Corollas, but you are certainly in the minority if you believe that the 2003 Corolla is not a vast improvement over the older model. I owned a 1998 LE model and recently rented a 2003 LE model (with 1200 miles on the odometer) and immediately noticed the firmer steering and more stable and comfortable ride (although the Corolla's ride was alreay rather comfortable for its size); the interior styling is particularly more elegant, the exterior more stylish (everyone that I have spoken to about the car likes the styling and I had 2 guys stop me at a gas station and ask me the make, model, and price of the car - [Sandrift Metallic with freshly polished alloy wheels]), and the car is quieter at all times except near full-throttle acceleration (where the older Corolla oddly has a noticeable advantage). You all must remember that the car has only been out for 2 months - even some Lexus models have had initial teething pains, but that does not mean that Toyota has reduced the quality of construction in the new generation. I am fully confident that in 6 more months to a year these various squeaks and rattles will be addressed; also, just because your car has squeaks and rattles does not mean that everyone else's does as well; my rental, which is driven over terrible Dallas roads, did not have even one squeak or rattle. The new Corolla is just so fantastic that instead of me opting for a 1-year old 2002 Camry LE this fall, I will be opting for a new, demo, or gently used loaded Corolla instead. This is especially surprising because I never truly considered buying the Corolla again (I was happy with my '98, but it didn't have VVT-i[needed more low-end grunt] and I really wanted a Camry anyway). When they introduced the new Corolla, I was totally surprised and "had" to tell everyone that I was now getting a Corolla instead of another Camry this fall!
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...every time we take our '03 out of the garage, I am even more pleased with our decision. Ours is "Lunar Mist", and also has already garnered compliments from others.

    We have a longer trip planned for next week; I'll report back after that. Besides the really great ride quality, I would have to say the biggest surprise is the trunk space - we are able to get everything I carried in the Accord, and still have the same available space. What little was lost in theory I got back by reusing a [ almost new ] car cover that I had that was custom made for our '94 MB C220. It fits like a glove, and when folded, makes a smaller package [different materials] than the cover for our Accord - the result is the same, or maybe slightly more, actual usable space in the trunk than in our Honda. I couldn't be happier.
  • britton2britton2 Member Posts: 305
    today in person - oh my gosh - what a stylish little car - I was leaving Wal-Mart and saw it up ahead - the lady who was driving it pulled in to a do-it-yourself car wash to vacuum - I asked her if I could look at her new car (it was indigo) and she was very nice and showed me the interior - I must say, I was very impressed, and hers was the base model which she told me she just loves - I still am very happy with my '01, but I have to say that Toyota has done an outstanding job in re-designing the Corolla - this car is sure to be a winner.
  • laksjlaksj Member Posts: 19
    I've owned the car for more than 2 months now. While I'm not particularly disappointed by the purchase, I'm not particularly thrilled either. To be honest, I think the new Corolla is over-hyped on boards like this one (who writes these "best car in the world" reviews? Toyota dealers?!). Still, I guess much of it depends on which car you had before buying the Corolla; If you're upgrading from a Hyundai or an old VW, you'll think the new Corolla is the best thing since sliced bread. However, if you're moving from a recent Civic/Protégé/Corolla, you wouldn't know what the fuss is all about!

    I'm not crazy about the way the car looks, but I bought this car primarily for fuel consumption and reliability. Time will tell if it was a sound purchase in this regard (the rattles that are creeping up with less that 2000 miles on the odo aren't very reassuring, though).

    My $0.02.
  • lfanlfan Member Posts: 61
    I have complained about rattles on my '03 Corolla in several posts also. The most offensive one was fixed at Toyota service this past week. The remaining problem is on my dash that occurs intermittently, particularly when there is a temperature difference between the dash and the ambient conditions, ex: when the car warms up during cold mornings. As the buzzing/rattle is rather muted and occurs only ~10% of the time, I will live with this as long as it doesn't get worst. I am guessing that the one piece hard plastic dash material has something to do with this.

    Another thought is that the car is simply quiet and smooth; as compared to other compacts I have recently driven, '01 Corolla, '00 Protege; '01 Civic. So any buzzing or rattles are more prominent.

    Finally, check your tire pressure and make sure it's no more than 30 psi.
  • britton2britton2 Member Posts: 305
    well, I just think the '03 looks very stylish and updated compared to my '01 - but looks are a subjective thing - I agree with lfan about checking your tire pressure - I checked mine the day after picking up my new '01 and found the pressure to be over 40 PSI when the correct pressure is 30 PSI...I have been very satisfied with my '01 so far - but the '03 is (IMO) a much more attractive car.
  • turban1turban1 Member Posts: 5
    I currently owned a 2000 Corolla. I test drove the new 2003 Corolla the other day. The one thing I really notice is that the new 2003 Corolla had a boring type drive, more like a older American made car. The 2000 Corolla drove more like a European car, more fun to drive. Does anybody else have the same feeling as I did? I may go and test drive a Honda Civic. Are there and opinions on the Civic vs. the new Corolla?
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    The 2000 felt European?! Are you kidding me? That's kind of absurd (And I'm not a Corolla basher... my dad has a 2002 pre-redesign, and likes it just fine). I haven't had the chance to drive any Bimmers lately, but when I do, if they feel like my dad's Corolla, I'm going to be VERY disappointed.
    ~alpha
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    Driven with some enthusiasm on a winding road with some bad surfaces, there is simply no comparison: the '03 will just get up and walk away from the '98-'02 car, and will feel more comfortable and stable in the process. The old one "more Euro"? I've owned 51 cars in the past 40 years, half of them "premium" Euro brands, and I can tell you without equivocation that the new one is a whole lot closer to the Euro small car standard than the previous generation car. In fact, I mentioned that to the salesman on my first drive in this car - we had just come back from another EU vacation, and the car evoked our best driving experience from our many, many EU car rentals over the past 35 years, including some really good ones in the past 18 months.

    To each their own...and I'm happy for anyone who is happy with their purchase or current car, as the case may be. But I think the comparison between the old and new car favors the new in every category that matters. If more refinement makes the car somehow more "American", I would suggest you haven't driven any good Euro sedans from this class recently. I have.

    And you bet a BMW 3er will feel better - but this isn't much of an accomplishment at the price a 3er commands. A better comparison is with the small Peugeots and VWs and Renaults in this class, and I can tell you from experience that the North American Corolla has nothing to apologize about in that kind of company...and never mind the kind of reliability most of them can only dream about.
  • lfanlfan Member Posts: 61
    I thought the Euro-like economy car standard bearer was/is the Protege, which even exceeds the "euro-ness" of the Jetta/Golf as far as handling/sportiness is concerned. Respectfully, the '98-02 Corolla does not engender Euro-like qualities in my experience.

    As for whether the '03 or 98-02 is more Euro-like, well it depends what qualities one values in a Euro-compact car. Like John, I would value the refinement, handling composure and stability as good Euro qualities to emulate. In those areas, the '03 has improved over the previous generation. (I had a hands on comparision this past week as I drove a '01 loaner for 200 miles+.) If one interprets Euro qualities as more road feel and noise I guess the '03 is more isolated/quieter than the 98-02's, so in that sense maybe it's less Euro. No sorry, traditional American car qualities does not come to mind with the '03 Corolla.
  • agreenbergagreenberg Member Posts: 15
    I am considering buying a 2003 Corolla, mainly because of Toyota's reputation for reliability. But this will be the first model year for the Corolla, so maybe I should wait until the kinks get worked out. Any opinions?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Equipment: All-Weather-Guard Package, cruise, mats
    Color: White/tan
    Pros: Smooth, quiet engine; firm but not harsh suspension; classy interior; short-throw stick; comfortable back seat; standard remote locking; it is the Lexus of small cars.
    Cons: Uncomfortable driving position; "bathtub" feel due to high dashboard; not as much leg room as other compacts; features like cruise and side air bags that are standard on some competitors are extra cost.

    Overall the new Corolla is greatly improved over its predecessor, with better-looking exterior (IMO), high-quality and roomier interior, more power, and tighter handling. The engine is very quiet for a small car, much quieter on acceleration than my '01 Elantra and a bit quieter when crusing. The shifter has nice short throws but is canted upward, which was an uncomfortable angle for me. The back seat does not have that much leg room, but does have more than the '02 Corolla and the seat is high and there is good foot room, so I was comfortable back there (I am 5' 10"). The interior materials are first-rate, and I think the tan interior with the wood-grain LE trim and white gauges is especially handsome. Overall I would put the Corolla at the top of the low-end compact car ladder ($15k or less), edging out the Focus and Elantra GLS/GT mostly because of its overall quality feel and better predicted reliability.

    BUT... I would not buy one. Try as I might, I could not find a comfortable driving position. The deadpedal is HUGE and sticks out so far that my left leg was up in the air when my right leg was comfortable. When I pushed the seat back some to fix that, the wheel was too far forward (needs a telescoping wheel) and the accelerator was too far away. The adjustable seat cushion has only one dial, not 2 as on some cars, and I wanted it to raise up just a tad more for more thigh support. The center armrest is hard plastic (if there is padding there I didn't feel it), not padded cloth as on some cars. And my elbow could not reach the armrest while my right hand was on the wheel. As I mentioned, the shifter was at an upward angle, which felt strange to me (and put more stress on my bum wrist than I'd like). Although the Corolla is in some respects a better car than my Elantra (smoother and quieter engine, better mpg and more upscale interior mainly), the seat and driving position of the Elantra fits me to a T (as does the Protege). And the armrests are padded and the dashboard is lower, giving a better view of the road. Just proves that you need to drive a car to find out if it is a good fit for you.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    Early adapters always take a greater risk than those who wait. Having said that, I've owned or been around at least 3 examples of Japanese cars in the past six years that were first-year purchases and had no significant problems:

    -'96 Acura RL [serial number 13xx]
    -'98 Honda Accord [serial number 7xxxx]
    -'98 Toyota Corolla [serial number 5xxxx]

    None of these cars presented any special problems that were "fixed" in later years. There being no guarantees in life, this means nothing except that you stand a better chance with Honda and Toyota than most to get an early example that lives a reasonably trouble-free life. By contrast, there are many domestic makes that never get it right, no matter how many model years into the run you look.

    Waiting always is virtuous if you don't need or want a car right now - the risks you take with Toyota or Honda are minimal, but they will never be zero.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    The points in the post above are well taken. We are very happy so far with our '03 Corolla, but its one weakness inside is the positioning of the dead pedal vs the rest of the pedals and seat positioning. Everyone should try this before committing to buy, especially if you have long legs in relation to your torso. I'm just short of 6', and like the highest driving position possible. With the seat set in its highest spot, I initially thought after driving our LE rental that I would have to reject the car because of the location of the dead pedal. It indeed made my left leg feel wildly wrong in comparison to the location of the right leg.

    On a whim, I installed the seat cushions that we have used in other cars to raise my driving position even higher than the seat adustments usually allow. [We take a standard add-on seat cushion sold everywhere, fold the "bottom" under the "back", anchor the whole package so that you sit on the "back" with a double-thickness under your butt.] This solved the problem nicely, and I have had no difficulty with extended driving stints. I do make an effort to move my left leg around, and not leave it on the dead pedal for extended periods. As noted above, it is positioned too far to the rear vs. what would feel natural.

    I agree that this problem will be more noticeable with a manual trans [ours is automatic], and could be a real show-stopper if your body shape can't adjust. Whether there is any room in the underlying floorpan design for them to do anything about this is unknown to me, but it is definitely something to check before you commit to buying this car.

    And I should mention that this trick with the seat cushion does a nice job of increasing thigh support, another chronic problem I have with most car seats because of my longer legs in relation to my torso. Mercedes seems to make the only seats our there that don't need any help from my bag of tricks...
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    where did you get your seat cushion? I have very bad lower back problems and usually sit on a pillow in every car but need something a little softer and higher. Your solution sou nds like it could work for me also. Thanks in advance for your help.
    Happy Passover and Happy Easter to all here in Edmunds!
  • tim_hooligantim_hooligan Member Posts: 143
    I think seating position is a problem common among small/economy cars. We have a 2000 Civic and I can never get comfy in it. I'm north of 6'1 and require leg room. However, when I put the seat all the way back, I can hardly reach the steering wheel. So, this may be a common issue no matter which econo car you drive. On top of that, I can't sit up straight to reach the wheel without tilting my head.

    About the only good way to solve this problem is a telescoping wheel, which does wonders. Why won't they put one into smaller cars??? Then again, I'm sure the Japanese Engineers have a hard time relating to us oversized Americans and our need for a little more room!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    It must be difficult to design a driver's seat that fits all body sizes and types. That's why the range of adjustability of the driver's seat is an important feature. On both my current vehicles, a '99 GCS (power seat) and '01 Elantra GLS (manual), there are plenty of adjustments possible and I have no problem finding a comfortable position. On other vehicles with less-adjustable seats, some fit well (my previous car, a '97 Sentra, and the Protege are two examples) but many have some deficiency for me, usually a seat cushion that is too low in front, not enough lumbar support, a "lumpy feeling" cushion, or uncomfortable distances to wheel and/or pedals. The Focus is a good example of this. I noticed right away that its seat did not feel right to me, even though it has a telescoping wheel. This problem was mentioned in one of the first auto mag reviews of the Focus (I think in C/D) and they recommended, "try before you buy." One of the biggest reasons I bought the Elantra was the exceptionally comfortable driver's seat and position, the best I've ever found in a small car. But what's right for me can be way off for others. Still, I don't know what Toyota had in mind when they designed the deadpedal on the '03 Corolla. It looks to me like it sticks out farther than it has to--but I don't know what lurks beneath it. I've never had that problem on a car before. Usually the deadpedal is too far forward, or non-existent.
  • mike1qazmike1qaz Member Posts: 93
    msn-carpoint has invoice prices listed. Why doesn't edmunds post it on their site???
  • tmal14tmal14 Member Posts: 4
    I've driven the 2003 corolla and from what I can tell it seemed to drive pretty well. I'm wondering if anyone can tell me what the 0-60 time is for the 2003, and if the 2003 has good acceleration on the highway, and if passing is easy. The reason I ask is because the dealership I went to was no where near a highway to drive on.
  • johnclineiijohnclineii Member Posts: 2,287
    Nowhere near a highway to drive on? How ever did you get there? :)

    john cline ii, just teasing ya!
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    Firstly, the seat cushion we have used on both front seats can be had nearly everywhere - Kragen, Wal-Mart, etc. But understand [and this is difficult to explain without diagramming] we are not using the thing as designed. I take what is supposed to be the 'bottom' and fold it UNDER what is supposed to be the 'back', and then sit on the whole backage, which means you are sitting on the 'back', as it were. This means you are boosted up about 3/4" or so [and you can always use more padding under the whole package - I've done that too]. But remember there are limits - too much boost will put you out of the lumbar support area built into the factory seat...as I said, this is hard to explain in this medium.

    Secondly, for the automatic, look for 0-60 times in the range of 9.7-10.0 seconds, depending on how much the tester wants to abuse the car. A manual should shave another half second off those times.

    Finally, I'm writing this from the computer of the friends we are visiting at the end of yesterday's long driving stint. I'm a believer...this is the best touring car in this class, period. Superb ride and general demeanor at speed on all kinds of surfaces, and loads of room for the junk we like to take on road trips.
  • tmal14tmal14 Member Posts: 4
    Does anyone know how many watts the radio has, and is the sound quality good? In addition, has anyone taken out the factory radio and put their own in. The size of the radio looks huge compared to earlier models, and even to other cars in it's class. It looks like one would have to take apart the whole front of the dash to get the radio out.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    Those times seems slow. When Car and Driver last tested the previous generation Corolla (in Prizm guise), the managed 8.3 seconds from the 5sp. Since the new car is slightly heavier, I'd say about 8.7 seconds for the stick, and about 9.4-9.6 for the auto, tops.
    I test drove an auto this weekend, it felt about as peppy as our 02 Camry, which has been clocked (By MT in the April 02 issue) at 9.2 to 60. Seat of pants assessment, I know, but still.
    ~alpha01
  • tmal14tmal14 Member Posts: 4
    Has anyone seen an LE either in person or on the web without leather. Does the wood grain look bad with just the cloth seats? All the LE's I have seen were with the leather option. I'm not sure if I will be able to afford the leather option, but I like the other feature of the LE over the CE or S.

    Thanks to those who responded to my earlier questions.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...with either upholstery choice. By contrast, out here in NoCal [Sacto area] I have yet to see a car with leather - all the cars we've seen are cloth. Ours happens to be the greyish 'stone' that goes well with the silver exterior. The wood-tone trim is neither especially necessary nor over the top, but I'm happy enough with the way the interior looks in general. The woodish trim doesn't stand out in any garish fashion, but again, these are matters of individual taste.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I drove an LE with tan cloth, and I thought the woodgrain looked great. But I really like tan interiors, and prefer cloth over leather. When you're looking at the wood grain (the dashboard), you're probably not looking at the cloth seats too.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    the retractor on my drivers side for the seat belt doesn't always retract right, I have to push in the belt back in manually. On a '96 Corolla, would this still be covered under warranty? The car has almost 58k on it. Thanks all.
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    Often times safety items like seatbelts have an unlimited or very long warrenty. Ask the dealer.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    and they said I'm out of luck after 5 years. Car is over 5 years since the put in service date. So much for Toyota and their caring about John Q. Public. I'm very disappointed!
  • lfanlfan Member Posts: 61
    Sandman46, I would suggest to talk to you local Toyota dealer's service manager and ask him to work out a deal for you. Something like a 50/50 split would be reasonable since the 5 years has been exceeded but not the 60K miles.

    Also ask if there is a "hidden warranty" on the seat belt problem.

    Good luck.
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