Toyota Corolla

truckdude1 · May 2001

Hi , we are thinking of purchasing a Toyota Corolla LE for the two of us. We are typically hard on our cars, we service them alot, but tend to accelerate hard and use alot of local driving? We are 5'3 and 6ft.Do you think this would suit us? We want a reliable car with excellent mileage due to our Fifth Avenue Chrysler costing us too much to run? If any one has info on this would you tell us as much as you can? Thank you much.Also would you consider us to purchase a newer camry with 30k to 40 k or a new corolla? Please respond A.S.A.P.

truckdude1 · May 2001

HI WE ARE CONSIDERING A COROLLA?wE TEND TO ACCLERATE HARD AND DRIVE LOCALLY ALOT,BUT WE DO ALWAYS SERVICE ON TIME. IS THE COROLLA HARDY ENOUGH TO BE DRIVEN ROUGH? AND IS IT RELIABLE OR ROOMY?WE WOULD PLEASE LIKE TO KNOW ALL WE CAN ABOUT IT, WE ARE 5'3 TALL AND 6FT, WE HEAR ALOT OF GOOD NEWS ON THEM , BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ALOT MORE? DO YOU TRUST TO BUY A USED LE? OR NOT? OR A USED CARMY LIKE 99 OR 00 WITH 30K?PLEASE SEND ME ALL THE INFO YOU CAN WITH A RESPONSE . THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

britton2 · May 2001

I just bought a new Corolla LE - and I can't say enough about it - so far it's been great - however, I don't drive it "hard" i.e., accelerating, etc - it has 125 HP - is that enough power for you? This is a wonderful small car - but it is small - there's plenty of room in the front - but the backseat area is cramped if you plan on carrying passengers back there - this is really the only negative aspect of the car I can think of - the powertrain warranty is very good (60,000 miles) and Toyota has a reputation for building reliable cars as you probably know - I think if you maintain like you're supposed to it would be a good choice - this is my second Corolla - Hondas are good too

xyzipp2 · May 2001

truckdude: I own a 2001 LE. I am 6' 2" and my wife is 5'2". I am pleased with the space that I have, although if I were any taller it would be tight. My wife has no issues either...usually one of us fits and the other doesn't, especially in smaller cars. If acceleration is important to you, I would recommend going with the manual. I have the manual and I do drive it hard. I drove the automatic and was not overly impressed. The manual has a nice zip to it and shifts smoothly and cleanly. One thing to note. The back seats are ridiculous. I knew this when I bought it, but it is still quite annoying. Fortunately both of our kids are in car seats, so it isn't that important. However, when I am in the front, it is impossible for an adult or even a child of any size to sit behind me. Also, with the manual I am currently averaging about 37-38 mpg with around 70 percent being on the highway. Once, I did nothing but city driving on a tank of gas and I averaged 35 mpg. Its been a great car and would recommend it to anyone.

truckdude1 · May 2001

Hi,We are still looking at the LE corolla with AUTOMATIC, and alloy wheels and spoiler.We do drive hard/acclerate hard , but we would keep right on top of mainting it.Is the power enough for only two people and rarely three?We want something with good miles? We would like to know all about this car soon, do you think the LE corolla is similar to camry or same?I realize this is small, but we cannot afford much more and our Chrysler Fifth Avenue is only getting us 9 miles per gallon and its a 86' with 159,963 miles,but still runs ok.Please get back soon,Thanks.

britton2 · May 2001

I have the LE - it is a wonderful small car - it is like a small Camry - mine has power windows, locks, mirrors, cruise control - it rides smooth as silk - it is not a race car - it only has 125HP - I have the 4-speed auto - I think it has plenty of pep - in my opinion, it would be fine for 2 people - but not for large families due to the limited space in the backseat - I'd recommend it highly too

canc · May 2001

Well this post won't be a big surprise compared to what others have been saying about the Corolla in recent posts, but I have a Corolla LE as well and I'm loving it. I now have 1100 kms. and like Britton said, it does ride smooth as silk. I'm not a rough driver, so I'm not too sure if the 125 hp. is enough for you, considering you'd be going from what I think would be a V-8 engine to a 4-cylinder. The Corolla does surprisingly have a lot of pep for a small engine like that, but it has a lot of torque and it downshifts really well whenever you want to have that extra power in passing situations. The Camry does have a larger engine, but I wouldn't think it would be tremendously better than the Corolla, since the Camry still has the normal Toyota 4-cylinder engine, whereas the Corolla has the new VVT-i engine, offering better fuel economy and more performance.

Yes, the back seats don't have a lot of legroom, but I'm a single guy so I don't really care about this.

Hope this helps you!

truckdude1 · May 2001

hi, we know that the LE sounds good, but we would like to know how well it can handle? is the motor quick enough, as not being a turtle? i know its only a 4cyl,but once you are up to speed is the motor quite ? we have never really riden in one, but family members have older corolla's. we would like to know all we can and to see if its worth its money. what color paint would you reccoment.d o you assume that red or dark blue will shine for at least 7-10 years if waxed , and covered soemtimes?please get back soon.thank you

britton2 · May 2001

In my opinion - the motor is certainly quick enough (125HP) - the acceleration is plenty for me - definitely not a turtle - I used to drive a '86 Honda Civic which only had 76 HP - but once I got up to 40 MPH or so I had no problem passing other cars if I needed to - I get the impression you are wanting something with alot of power/pep/HP - is that right? Not sure the Corolla will have enough for you - for me it's just fine - the new Corollas come in a choice of about 8 colors - mystic teal (which is what I have, more of a dark blue) black, red, green, indigo blue, silver, white, black and beige - I'm sure if you keep it washed and waxed it should last 7 -10 years, gee, I hope so because it'll be at least that long before I get my next new car!

terceltom1 · May 2001

I have an "01" LE. Mine is Black Sand Pearl with the gold package. I have every possible option except ABS brakes and side airbags. Moonroof, alloy wheels and spoiler make the car more sporty looking. I also have a "86" Tercel that I drive daily and that car shines like the day I bought it. They all have "clear coat" on the paint so if you apply "Nu-finish" yearly like I do I'm sure it will gloss for 15 years if necessary. The car is great and I would buy it again in a heartbeat. The handling could be better but the car is very quite.

truckdude1 · May 2001

We see HERTz car sales has the Corolla LE for sale at only 12K $ with around 30 or 35 thousand miles.would any one consider it? or since many rental people treat the cars like trash, do you think the motor on a corolla would already be thrashed?We like to know any ones advice on the LE can it handle driving at a constant speed of 80 with the A/c on? and also is it a good car for alot of local and city driving? we only tend to put 18 thousand miles per year, so would this car last for at least ten years?Can you tell us how well your motor acclerates and also if you drive it hard?..Thanks again.

terceltom1 · May 2001

Can any of you new "01" Corolla owners tell me if you have a seatbelt unfastened bell or tone or is it just that light that keeps flashing? I don't have any kind of audio warning and I thought that it should, I do have the flashing light though.

britton2 · May 2001

I just have the flashing seatbelt light - no tone or noise which I like - tercel, have you gotten your first oil change yet on your Corolla? If so, how many miles did you have on your car at the time? My husband says to get the first oil change at 1,000 miles - Toyota salesman said to wait until 3,000, he said there would be no metal shavings in oil - thanks

koolrose · May 2001

I have a 99 Corolla with just under 8000 miles. For the most part, I am pleased with the car, but there are a few things that annoy me. About a month after buying the car, I took it for service because I thought the steering wheel was a little shaky at speeds above 60mph. The service department balanced the tires, but the problem did not go away. Should I have them try again? Most of my driving is below 60mph, but it really annoys me when I am crusing on the highway. The other problem is the brakes. Within the past few weeks, I have noticed vibration in the pedal, especially when slowing down from highway speeds. Should I have them check the brakes, as well? This car has only 8000 miles on it, and it has not been driven hard at all. Overall, I have been pleased with the car (especially the nice ride and the great gas mileage). I really want to like this car, but these little things really annoy me. Thanks.

vlady · May 2001

Tires, tires and tires... had the same problem. I went to the dealer too many times to balance tires. One day they ended up with rotating my tires 4 times. Only after that a vibration has gone. I got Freestones and can't wait to get rid of them. Any advice on the tires? Brand, size, price, etc.

When you slowing down from highway speed does the steering wheel shake or car pulls to the side? If not I wouldn't be worried about.

deadbeatle · May 2001

I have a 96 Corolla (78,000 miles) and it the engine "knocks and pings" on regular fuel, but it seems to be greatly reduced with premium fuel. I took it to the dealer and they said the timing was not adjustable. What can I do to get the car to be able to run smoothly on regular unleaded?

canc · May 2001

It sounds strange to me to hear about an ECONOMY car requiring premium fuel. The Corolla's engine is designed to run at 87 octane gas or higher, which is regular unleaded fuel. Maybe you should have your engine checked out by a mechanic, especially with high gas prices these days. You don't want to put premium fuel in it unless you have to!

vlady · May 2001

Adjust the timing(I would do it first), get a tune up and try a different gas stations. Corolla doesn't need a premium fuel, it's a wasting of money. In my experience I didn't notice any changes in performance, besides an extra 2 mpg.

deadbeatle · May 2001

actually, I already took it to the dealer and they told me timing was non-adjustable, and I had a tune-up several thousand miles ago.

terceltom1 · May 2001

Thanks for the info on the seatbelt warning. I just recently had my oil changed at the dealer. I waited til I had 3K miles on it. This will be the only time the dealer will change my oil because it was a complimentary free oil change with the car purchase. I have always changed my own oil at 3K miles in all my cars.

terceltom1 · May 2001

It sounds very much that your tires are definetly out of balance. That would explain both problems you are experiencing. If the balancing does not work at least get those tires to the rears where you will not feel the unbalancing nearly as much.

britton2 · May 2001

one more question regarding my first oil change - if after 3 months I do not have 3,000 miles on my car (which I don't anticipate having) should I get the oil change? I thought they always say "3 months or 3,00 miles, whichever comes first" thanks

terceltom1 · May 2001

Most people and myself use only the mileage for determining when to get your oil changed. Bye the way if you look at the manual I think they recommend even longer intervals between oil changes. So your fine if you go 3K between oil changes. This interval is actually very frequent but I really believe changing oil every 3K is good for the motor. Use 5w-30 weight oil, it is best for your car unless you live in a extremely warm climate. Toyota recommends this but some dealers(even Toyota dealers) might try to use 10w-30 weight if you don't specify.

vlady · May 2001

What does it mean "... timing was non-adjustable.."? Did they fix it?

newcar31 · May 2001

I believe the new Corollas have a Coil on Plug ignition system which does away with the old cap and rotor assembly that is found on some cars, thus, the timing is not adjustable.

vlady · May 2001

You're right about that, but we were talking about 96 Corolla. Or I'm mistaking?

medard · May 2001

Some meat products were left in the trunk of my corolla for 1 week before I remember them. The trunk still smells badly even after thorought cleaning. Any help out there? Thanks in advance.

britton2 · May 2001

I have read good things about Meguiar's odor eliminator - www.meguiars.com - you might want to give it a try

nick29 · May 2001

But was it meat???I digress...try febreeze

tomcat630 · May 2001

Do my eyes deceive me or did I just read posts about Toyota owners with problems?!

I always knew they weren't 100% perfect like some of the flamers say!

xyzipp2 · May 2001

Here is the best that I found to get a rotten meat smell out of the trunk. First, go to the market and buy 2 gallons of milk. Second, open them up and let them sit in the hot sun for about two weeks. Then, proceed to empty them into trunk and Wa-la! The rotten meat smell is gone. I guarantee fail proof results and it is very inexpensive.

In all seriousness, I tried to remove a smell from a trunk. I used some of the "odor removal" products. They helped but never got rid of it entirely. What finally worked for me was to borrow a carpet cleaner with a handheld attachment. When you put the soap in the water, put half detergent and half Odor-X. Worked like a charm for me. (Still harder than dumping rotten milk in there)

jrct9454 · May 2001

Firstly, about wheel-tire vibrations: these days, with good electronic balancers available everywhere, your first suspicion with steady-state wheel vibrations at higher speeds should be tire problems such as [most commonly] tires out of round, or with internal defects. With any modern suspension, the total tire/wheel package has to be within 1-1.5 mm of perfect roundness [the variance is called "vertical runout"] to be smooth at the steering wheel...some cars are even more sensitive, but this is a good average. Less common is "horizontal runout", where the tire/wheel package has noticeable "wobble", most often due to a bent wheel. Wheel quality is up these days, even with common stamped-steel, so this is rarely a problem.

Any car that is also displaying shake when braking points you in an additional direction - brake rotors that are warped. This generally shows up on braking only, but if it is bad enough, will also affect high speed smoothness. Again, defective tires, that is those with an internal belt defect, will also cause wobbly braking symptoms, so on a car with only 8000 miles, I would start with moving the front tires to the rear, and see if things change. If there is a sudden improvement, this suggests one of the old fronts has an internal problem, and to be safe, both should be replaced if you can't determine which is the culprit.

These kinds of tire defects can happen with any brand - best quality control comes from Michelin and Dunlop these days. Firestone is indeed one of the worst, but Goodyear may be the very worst. My mom-in-law's '98 Corolla [new generation car] has 16k miles on the Firestones, which I rotate for her religiously at 5k intervals, and it is smooth as glass and looking like they will last for at least 60k miles....so it is often the luck of the draw. Also remember to keep the tire pressures within a narrow range around 30-32 psi cold...this is a car that doesn't like them either too soft or too hard.

On premium fuel as a car ages: all of our older Toyotas developed a distinct appetite for premium as they got enough miles and enough carbon buildup within the cylinders/valves occurred. Sometimes the ping could be adjusted out, but often the path of least resistance was to just go up the octane scale until you find something that works. We have also had high-mileage cars that ran fine on regular right up to the time they were retired - again, it is the luck of the draw, and to some extent, the quality of the fuel that is used over the life of the car, often a factor over which you have little control.

On buying used rental cars: I would not, and most certainly not at the premium prices that Hertz tends to charge for their off-rental cars. These cars are driven by people who don't care about them, and maintained by people who car even less. If you plan to "flip" a car regularly, that is buy another one every couple of years, this is one way to save some new-car depreciation ; if you plan to keep it a long time,stay away from off-rental cars...too big a risk.

tco1 · May 2001

Hello All,
This board is amazing! I have been hunting for a used car and have narrowed my choice down to a few. My front runner is a 94/95 Toyota Corolla with an automatic tranny. My reading on this board indicates this might be a good choice for a reliable, moderate cost commuter car. If it is a good choice, anything I should be prepared for in terms of usual problems with this car? Thanks!!

eneth · May 2001

As long as it's been properly maintained, it's a great choice. You'll be better off with a DX or LE model, since the 1.8L engine is peppier and if it's an automatic, it'll be a 4-speed (the base Corolla came with a 1.6L engine and a 5-speed manual or 3-speed automatic). If you go to 96 or 97, you'll find the CE edition replaced the base model.

tco1 · May 2001

Appreciate the update. Still awaiting confirmation of the model - unfortunately think the one I have a line on is the STD. Pep is not as important as MPG and reliability. Any reliability concerns about the 1.6L engine vs the 1.8L?

raychuang00 · May 2001

Folks,

The current Toyota Corolla sold in the USA has been around since 1997. I believe that Toyota probably within a year of replacing it with an all-new model.

From what I've read, the new Corolla will have quite a bit different and radical styling (think of it as a Prius writ large), and will likely sport a 135-140 bhp engine. It's even possible that a larger version of the Prius' electric-gasoline hybrid drive system may be available, also.

Comments?

canc · May 2001

The current Corolla sold in Japan does have styling cues taken from the Prius. Wenyue, along with a few others in this forum, have said that the next Corolla would have a larger engine. I don't believe, however, that the Corolla would have a hybrid engine yet; many people are still skeptic about the reliability and the performance of their hybrid engine. Since the Corolla is Toyota's biggest seller, I don't think they'll gamble with it until the hybrids are more widely accepted.

The new North American Corolla should be a 2003 model to come out in late 2002.

P.S. I now have 1750 kms. on my Corolla... got a paint chip on the hood somewhere. Have any of you tried the new Toyota touch-up "paint pen"? If so, what did you think about it? Toyota Canada has come up with this product recently: one end of the pen has a precise nib that dispenses the paint, and the other end of the pen distributes the clear coat finish. I ordered one for my Indigo Ink Corolla *which is such a great car* but it's currently on back order.

britton2 · May 2001

Please provide more info on the Toyota Paint pen - I recently noticed a very tiny paint chip on my hood (mystic teal) - it's small, about the size of the end of a toothpick - but troublesome just the same - thanks

wenyue · May 2001

Next generation Corolla:

It's already on sale in Asia and Europe. Those places are 2 years as far as Corolla engineering cycle goes (Corolla was introduced in Japan 1966, in U.S 1968).

So you can see much of what's going to come by looking at the Japanese model. However, there will be minor differences in stylingl, options and emissions.

Corolla won't get a larger engine, but will get a stronger engine. It's a newer version of the current 1.8 liter 1ZZ-FE engine with VVt-i. It's upgraded to make 136 hp for Corolla currently selling in Japan. However, U.S has a stricter emission requirement, and consumers also consider low emission an important factor, so expect the engine to have somewhat less of an output for the U.S version. A safe bet will be 130 hp (up 5 hp), it's also the official engine power listed for the upcoming Toyota Matrix, which is based on the next corolla platform.

The car is considerably larger. It's over 5" longer, over 3.5" taller, and over 1" wider. The Japanese Corolla's trunk holds 14 cu ft of cargo, which we normally would see on a midsize car in the U.S.

The Japanese market has a 4WD version of the Corolla. Whether we will get it remains to be seen, but it's rather unlikely. Also, they have a 190 hp Toyota Corolla Fielder wagon. We probably won't get this either, since we are getting a 180 hp Toyota Matrix wagon/SUV hybrid.

The normal 2WD version has modified struts for suspension front and rear, with the 4WD version having a double wishbone suspension in the rear.

The interior has been spiced up, with more luxury looking material, and use of fake wood pannels. So we won't be just looking at plastic and fabric. Again, styling and design is subject to market changes, and we won't know just exactly how it looks.

Safety features, besides the usual, include side airbag, and whiplash reducing head rest, and of course the bigger over all size of the car will help.

You can check out some of the export models for other Asian countries as well. here is a link.

http://automobile.mweb.co.th/new/new_00676.html

I rather like the interior of the car, with the flowing dashboard (instead of the vertical drop) and all the fake wood trims. Of course, the extra added fog lights are a nice addition.

medard · May 2001

I tried the traditional touch up paint from Toyota a few months back and was a bit disappointed with the outcome.

First, the color doesn't match perfectly (different batch of paint, bleaching of the old paint by the sun?).
Second, the applied paint doesn't have the smooth appearance of the original paint.

In any case, good luck with your corolla and let us know how the "paint pen" works out.

vlady · May 2001

I would disagree with you. Touch-up paint works just perfect for me. I was able to paint a big deep scratch on my bumper. Nobody could see. I thing you already know that you have to choose the paint by the code located on the driver's side door frame.

canc · May 2001

Britton: This product has just recently come out here, so you might want to check with your Toyota dealer and see if they have it.

I believe that the touch-up paint pen is available for all 1999 Toyota models or newer, but I guess if your color is considered as classic it wouldn't matter. It basically looks like a regular pen or one of those highlighters that have nibs on both ends of the pen. Naturally, it's a bit larger than a highlighter to make room for the paint. There's also a built-in mixer to mix the paint well before applying it. It sells for about $10 in Canada (roughly 5 cents in the US... hehe!). I've tried the demo at the dealership and it's great: the usual brush included with the touch-up paint bottle isn't really precise, and you could wind up with a bigger mess if you're not careful. The paint pen, however, works the same way as a felt pen would, so there are fewer chances of you creating a mess or putting too much paint on the car. The clearcoat finish is already mixed in with the regular touch-up paint bottle, but it's separate for the pen. Anyway, I'll stop now before I sound like I'm selling the stuff or have shares in the company...

I hope this gives you more info Britton! The pen is still on back order, so the annoying paint chip is still on my hood.

Also, this might've been discussed before, but what car wax do you recommend? I'm using a car wax that has Teflon as one of its ingredients, but I was wondering if there were some better ones out there (since I'm wondering if Teflon actually does something to the car's finish, other than being able to cook eggs on the car). And finally, have any of you here heard that paste waxes (in the actual round tins) are better than liquid waxes (bottled)? I used the liquid version of my car wax because it's easier to buff off with my buffer.

britton2 · May 2001

thanks for the info on the paint pen - I have done the following to my car since I've had it which has been roughly 8 weeks - washed it about 5 times and waxed it (once) by hand with One Grand Blitz paste wax - this took almost all day but I think it paid off - now, after washing I spray it with a quick detailer product - I like Turtle Wax Express shine (inexpensive) but I also like Pinnacle Crystal Mist (expensive) - I plan on waxing my car again in about 2 months - I might try a liquid wax next time - maybe Meguiar's Gold Class for Clearcoats -

terceltom1 · May 2001

I have been using a product called " NU-FINISH" for my cars for years and I will continue to use it for my "01" Corolla. This is not a wax but some kind of poly product. It is available in a paste or a liquid. I like the liquid because it goes on very easy. Consumer reports has been rating this stuff #1 for a cars finish for several years now. It is called the once a year car polish and it really does bead up for almost a full year. I have been using this on my "86" Tercel since the day I bought it new and the paint still looks great considering this car was never garage kept. It is in a bright orange bottle.
Try it you'll like it.
Geeeeezzzzzz, talk about sounding like a salesman!!!

britton2 · May 2001

I've seen the NuFinish in a few stores - is this a polish - does it contain abrasives? Is is OK or necessary to use something with abrasives on a new car - just wondering - thanks

terceltom1 · May 2001

NU-FINISH is not an abrasive whatsoever. In fact it is as smooth as silk. It is called a polymer and it is a polish. But it really protects the finish well and it beads for a very long time.

txrose · May 2001

Hi, I have a 95 Corolla with 80,000 miles. Bought is used, have had it for two years
with no major problems. The radio is not factory, but was installed when we bought
it and has never caused problems before. Last week my son drove the car and told
me that the radio kept going off. I dismissed it because I had been driving the car
and had not had any problems. The next day we were 60 miles from home, the radio
went off, the air conditioned went off, everything stopped, and we managed to get off
of the interstate. Car would not start, had to be towed home. My mechanic could
find nothing wrong except for corrosion on the battery. He cleaned it and charged
and the car ran fine all week, going to and from work, approximately 12 miles one
way. However, today I was about 20 miles from home and the radio cut off, several
times. I got home okay, but needless to say I am afraid to venture far from home
any time soon. Has anyone else had a problem like this, I really would love some
feedback, I need to get this fixed. Thanks.

terceltom1 · May 2001

Try the "Corolla Trouble" forum!

canc · May 2001

Thanks for the info Tom... do you know if Nu Finish is good for clearcoat finishes as well? I've seen the bottle on the car care shelves in a few stores, but I didn't pay much attention to it until now. It's definitely something that I should look into. Is it expensive? The one I currently use (the Teflon one) is made by Simoniz.

Britton: I haven't waxed my car yet since they did it at the dealership. What color is your Corolla again?

britton2 · May 2001

my car is mystic teal - I waxed it because others strongly recommended waxing asap - so I did - it took the better part of a day - that's why I'm thinking about a liquid wax next time - I am also going to use 3m imperial hand glaze due to some very fine scratches/swirl marks that I have (only visible in sunlight) - I have discussed this topic until I'm blue in the face so I won't even go there - anyway, I think applying some kind of protection for your new car would be a good idea - clearcoat is still paint and it needs protection from the elements - good luck!

Toyota Corolla

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