Aye sir, but you sure we can't convinced Toyota to at least crank the hp up to 180 for the next generation Corolla? 140 seems quite common now, unless the 140hp will be standard for all Corolla.....and the 180hp will be standard for Corolla-S!!!! (what am I thinking)
I cant get over the rear arrangement of the Celica either. The front is definitely sharp looking, but the rear mess it up.
For the next Corolla, redesign for 2003, I think a 140 hp engine shouldn't be too far fetched. Car's power almost always goes up every generation. But I think there is a finite limit as how high it can go (or it will bump off sports cars).
140 is more then enough for a mainstream compact car. Right now the only two car I can think of that has 140+ hp is Sentra SE and Elentra. The new 2001 Civic for example will have very modest power gain. Only 115 hp baseline engine, and the EX will only gain 3 hp to 130 hp. Hatch back is also gone. Civic fans will be very disappointed to learn this, and also the vaunted suspension/handling also got down graded.
With the current Corolla at 125 hp, I hope the 2003 redesign will make it 140+ hp.
About Celica, I agree. The front looks fantastic, but the rear looks like it ended too abruptly, feel like a section missing.
If you read the previous post, somebody was claiming that the GTS was .9 faster than the GT. I was pointing out that there should be a much bigger difference. It was not a typo but needed to be read in context.
you are talking about the Si right? Yeah, but is taking sales away from their own Acura Integra with it's own 170 hp engine.
I think Toyota could put out a Corolla Coupe version with that 180 hp engine (after all, that engine is based on Corolla engine). It's interesting to see the Corolla is one of the very few models that doesn't have a 2-door version. When was the last time the Corolla had a Coupe version?
Another thought is that maybe TRD could come out with a sports kit including 180 hp engine (or a Turbo kit that give 60 extra hp) and a sporty suspension.
cliffy1: misunderstanding in my part. It makes more sense now.
wenyue: I thought TRD already has something for the suspension (not the turbo). Wasn't it denniswade who upgrade his corolla using TRD parts? Last time Corolla comes out with a 2dr coupe was in the mid 80s (1986-87) if not mistaken. Guess Toyota afraid a 2dr Corolla will interfere with the Celica/Tercel/Echo sales ? Who knows whats the reasoning behind it.
Yes, they have a suspension package for the Corolla, but that's about it. I don't think they have a turbo.
Hmmm. beats me why Toyota hasn't had Corolla coupe for so long. I hope now that Toyota is getting to the new edge market (Echo, Celica, MR-spyder....), I hope they will introduce a worthy Corolla-S.
I heard TRD had a race version of the Echo even. Strange...
Dont even think there's much market for station wagon anymore. Heck, when is the last time I saw more than 1 station wagon in the same street.....? Thats too bad though, they offer more versatility for the car. And a race version of the ECHO??? What the heck make them do that for???
The RAV is not on the same platform as the Corolla. It is on its own platform. The new Highlander coming in February will be on the Camry, the Sequoia will be on the Tundra and the as yet unnamed SUV in 2003 will be on the Corolla platform. The Land Cruiser and RAV4 will continue.
Absolutely they will. I think the Cruiser will survive just based on Toyota's (and many consumer's) view of heritage. The RAV will have a harder time I think.
But I think Toyota is congested their own SUV line up way too much here. Toyota will have 5 suv (Rav4,Corolla-based,4Runner,Sequioa,LC), more than any other maker (not counting twins). Not to mention that their SUVs overlap each other like cliffy and Wenyue mentioned. I think this is a mistake, rather than keeping up so many SUV platform, they should improve what they already have, for instance, lower the price of TLC to make it competitive with Expedition/Yukon/Tahoe.
The Highlander is also coming this winter. It is based on the Camry platform and is similar to the RX300.
Not to keep off the Corolla topic for too much longer, but the Cruiser is worth every freaking penny and to cheapen it for competition reasons would destroy the allure.
Since Landcruiser by almost all automotive reviews to be the king of SUVs, I think it should stay. But the production should be toned down to make room for the Sequioa.
I think they should skip the Corolla based SUV. The RAV-4 has just been totally redesigned, and from what I just read on the newest issue of Automobile magazine, seems like they did a good job redesigning it. So keep it, it's more established and why waste the money they just spent redesigning it. Corolla SUV should be skipped in my opinion.
Toyota Highlander is a MUST HAVE! It's Toyota version of the Lexus RX300. People are wait in line for $35K RX300. So bring in the $25K Highlander will make Toyota a "buttload" of money, not to mention make the dealers happy.
4-runner is getting old. I think the SUV future is tilting in favor of "car like" SUV's such as the HighLander, so I think Toyota could/should phase the 4-runner out.
So what I propose is the following line up:
(1) RAV4 ($20-$25K, large compact, redesigned, coming end of the year) (2) HighLander ($25-$30K, midsize SUV, new, coming spring next year) (3) Sequoia ($30-$35K, full size SUV, new, coming when?) (4) Land Cruiser (>$35K, premium fullsize, the venerable flagship, available now)
Toyota could keep the 4-runner for those who actually takes it off-road. If Toyota choose to keep the 4-runner, I think its production should be tuned down to make room the Highlander.
The Corolla based SUV should be axed to prevent an obvious over lap with the new RAV4. Either axe it or Lexus has room for a compact SUV.
Hello to everyone... I have a little dilemma and would like to ask for your help. I am in the market for a new car and I finally went to the dealership today.. They quoted me a 2000 CE with Value Package for about $2000 more than an Impusle Red 2001 Corolla "S" with cassette player, rear defogger and value package # 1 which includes power door locks, windows,air conditioning. The monthly payments for the Camry are about $34.00 more than the Corolla. I drive a 1986 Celica and I am very impressed with the Toyota brand. I am still in college and do not have any adult responsibilities. Can any Corolla owners give me the pros and cons of owning this car?? I have to make a decision soon. Thank You.. Dee.....
I am in the market for a 2001 Toyota Corolla S model. when i put all the options i wanted into it, it came out to almost $20,000! Seems kinda pricey huh? My Family just recently purchased a 2000 toyota sienna XLE and its great. I am purchsing from the same dealer so i wanted to know around what price everyone is getting their "s" models for and if they found any problems with it. thanks!
What the heck are you looking for in a Corolla that would push it over $20000. I've never heard of such a thing. The highest I've seen a sticker price is about $19000 and that had ABS, moonroof, alloys, wood dash spoiler and a few other things.
Assuming that U can afford both. Go 4 the Camry CE. 2x check the standard features, I'm assuming that the CE has more stuff. More room 4 everything especially the Comfort factor if U haul around college friends alot. Unless U live in an area w/ limited parking on the streets, a Camry would be better. I have both a 2K Rolla & a late model Camry. If U want mpg, then go 4 the Rolla.
Wax brands such as McGuires and Simoniz w/ Caranuba Wax r pretty decent. Use lambskin buffers & chamois to clean Ur car. Hose down the car 1st, then work one section at a time, rehosing & washing off the dirt. Scratch marks occur while washing in addition to waxing.
19K seems excessively high. Go ahead and check www.carsdirect.com You can configure it to your liking and get a good price to work with.
Regarding Camry CE vs Corolla, if they are equipped comparably and the difference is not that significant, a Camry will probably be a better value. Yet, last time I checked, there's more like a $3-3.5k difference between them.
Regarding the SUV, the Highlander will be nice, but it directly competes with the 4Runner. I tend to lean toward transferring the 4Runner name to the Highlander platform and goes with the 4Runner. And regarding the LC, sorry cliffy, but I still cant see why it priced so high, heck, Toyota should just discontinued the LX470 and just sell the TLC in 2 trim, standard and lux
What?! That's in Canadian dollars right? Never heard of a Corolla that expensive. I think if it's in U.S dollars, someone is trying to rip somebody off.
Corolla and other economy cars doesn't fetch MSRP. A fully loaded Corolla with just about everything on it, should only be around $16K.
I need some clarification on the maintenance schedule for the spark plugs on my 2000 corolla. Nowhere in the maintenance schedule (other than an all inclusive statement at 120,000 miles that doesn't specifically say Corolla) does it state when to change spark plugs. It lists intervals for camry, avalon, echo, etc., but not corolla. Was this an oversight or does toyota really expect to go 120,000 on a set of plugs???? I am rolling 35,000 miles and it is getting about time to "pull the plug" (pun intended) according to previous experience with other cars.... any thoughts on the issue? Thanks!
Right U R about not specifically listing Rolla @ 60K miles but including it in the 120K maintenance schedule w/o specifically mentioning it. My recommendation would be @ 60K since other maintenance items are being done anyways. The 2K Rolla service manual on pg IG-2 states replacement @ 192K km or 120K mi (misprint in the book which states 12K mi).
Recommended NIPPONDENSO plug is SK16R11 or NGK IFR5A11 w/ a 1.0 -1.1 mm gap. Hope that helps U.
Ok gang..I went from Kia Rio...to Protege ES to the Ford Focus..to the Neon...to the Saturn to the Honda Civic and for the price, quality and integrity..I bought the 2001 Corolla LE with NO ABS brakes,automtatic trans, went with all discs brakes..and almost all the bells and whistles, no moon roof, etc. My cost $14,900. I'll keep you posted as to any repair or "bugs", in it.
I must disagree with Wenyue. You can't ignore the MSRP. You can ignore it in so much as you shouldn't pay it but it is a basis for comparison. That is what cars.com, edmunds, kbb and the others provide for you. Figure out the MSRP, the invoice and the realistic market value of the car in question.
The problem you may rin into however is finding a car with that much equipment. As dealers, we know we can't sit an economy car on our lot with a $20000 sticker. The car will have to be factory ordered and that can be difficult and time consuming.
I think it just depend on the car. A MR2 Spyder will command MRSP while on the other hand, someone will be foolish to pay MSRP for a Corolla.
On another note, looks like my Corolla spotless history will end soon. It began developing some sort of knocking sound (arrgh!). Will get the dealer to check on it sometimes this week.
thanks so much for the info... much appreciated.... I actually thought it was likely 60,000 based on the 120,000 recommendation.... but just for a second I thought toyota may be trying to outdo Ford with their 100,000 mile engine deal....... I need to pull mine out and have a look at them to see how they are holding up.... never have gotten 60,000 good miles out of a set of plugs..... they always seem to deteriorate somewhat before I ever get that high... we'll see.....thanks again....
Just some CANADIAN prices on the 2001 Corolla Sport vs the Corolla CE with C pkg.
I bought a Corolla CE with CE pkg (almost all the bells & whistles) plus keyless entry/alarm & block heater for 18,800 before PST & GST (includes doc, enviro tax, AC tax, etc). My lowest quote for the Corolla S with standard option pkg (AC, alloy wheels, P/Doors,etc) was $19,700 (with doc, enviro,etc) and that was without cruise, power windows, keyless & block heater. I was probably looking at another $2,000 more for all the same features as I got in the CE.
I would have loved a spoiler, fog lamps, etc, but wasn't worth the price diff. If fuel economy is an issue, the Corolla is the better bet. I have about 700km on my car now, and the 1st tank of gas yielded 39 mpg (which is about 32 mpg in American gallons). Not bad considering the car is still getting broken in. This car handles very well compared to my 87 Corolla (amazing what power steering will do). I can pretend this car is a Porsche as I cruise down those winding country roads (although I never test drove a Porsche - maybe I should try out my brother-in-laws - he just bought one). Just gotta watch out for the cop cars. Good luck on your purchase!
Also, about the car wax issue... I was told by about 3 people that carnuba wax twice a year should keep the car looking good. They just said to buy a good quality carnuba wax and do it by hand, as "tools" may scratch the finish.
My issues are with the apparent lack of quality found in particular parts of the vehicle. 1) The windshield was damaged by road debris only 1 month after purchase. I would consider this just bad luck except for the following reasons: *) This is my first damaged windshield in 12 years of driving and consistent high miledge. *) I have noticed an inordinate number of Corollas around town (Atlanta) with such damage. *) The windscreen was damaged AGAIN just recently (I had'nt replaced it after the initial damage.) *) I've experienced impacts on my windscreen before, and these seemed minor to cause such damage. Also, the tires are in need of replacement. IS 18000 miles of mainly highway comuting a reasonable lifetime for a set of tires? I read a review that complained of poor tire performance in turns and acceleration, and I whole-heartedly agree. The rubber my 2k came with can barely hold a dry road and provides a flat, gritty ride. I fear for my life in rain, and hope I won't be anywhere near snow before I visit my tire retailer. The cigarette lighter refused to set, and eventually jammed so that I broke the cowling to remove the lighter knob assembly. The heater control will not click into the face/feet position. I know cars are complex devices and there will be problems to iron out, but before I'm going to pay for the windshield and the tires, I would like to know if there is a general quality problem that might minimize my investment.
Corolla (model 2000 I believe) was recently ranked to have the "highest initial quality" (least numbers of defects per 100 cars) among compact cars.
jimoconnor, I don't know whether you got a lemon or just had bad luck with the rocks. But I haven't noticed any general quality problem reported here in the Edmund's forums. My 99 LE is doing fine except a few paint chips and a scratched bumper (backed into a pole in one night). No rattle or squeaks yet, not bad for after 2 years of driving lots of small roads.
I have recently bought a Corolla 2001 LE, drifted by Toyota's "reputation" and all the great talk about "high quality". I did have a Corolla 87 for sometime in the past and I think it was a great car. But to my surprise, the Corolla 2001 turns out to be a unique model, a car like no other, a truly junk car. It should be classified under old trucks rather than sedans. In fact old trucks are much more comfortable. Few days afters buying it, the plastic interior panels started to peel off and I was sitting in a virtual car skeleton. Soon after that, the keyless entry (this option alone costs $250) that was installed failed to unlock. I had to use the keys to open the doors and that started the alarm system of course, and you can imagine the embarrassment when you have parked at a supermarket or a friend's house. But these are minor problems compared with more exciting ones. The car is designed to run "good" at speeds no more than 30m/h. Much less on wet roads. Perhaps it is better not to drive it altogether during a rainy day to avoid running into an accident. At higher speeds, the car is unstable, drifts right and left, jumps up and down with the slightest bump, and roars like a motor boat. A very rough and noisy ride that beats the worst used car on the market. You really don't need the audio system, because it is usually overwhelmed by the intolerable loud noise. Speaking of the audio system, it reminds me of a mediocre pocket radio. Oh by the way, the cassette player is very selective and might not accept some of the cassettes that you insert, even if you keep pushing it many times. If you need to REW or FF, the cassette will start jittering like a drunk voice. You will be too busy negociating the automatic transmission to pay attention to these great sound luxuries anyway. You have to keep shifting the gear handle to and fro till the lucky moment when it engages. You also get a lot of fun when you are driving in a turn, even at a relatively low speed. Just make sure that the left side of the road is not steep or the edge of a valley cliff just in case the car happens to roll over. It really feels like a roller coaster. One also has to be careful driving on a hot day for the inside mirror will tremble and the rear view will be blurred. As for comfort, the car front and rear seats are mutually exclusive. You can have only 2 people sitting in the car at any point in time. Even a child's legs won't fit the rear legroom, if 2 tall people are sitting in front. As a driver, you rarely can move your body without bumping the center stack or the handles. Your feet are virtually locked in the legroom and you can only move your ankles and feet. You should also have some gym training to be able to slide in and out of the car smoothly. If you think I haven't sought solutions to all these problems, you will be mistaken. The car has 2K miles on it now (paid 15.5K brand new) and I took it to almost every dealer service in the area. They denied any of the above problems except for a "promise" of changing the interior plastic panels. This was truly one of the few things that I am going to to regret bitterly all my life. I welcome anyone interested in buying a Corolla 2001 to stop by and drive my car, but before that, please drive whatever you think is a junk car first, so that you appreciate what I am telling you. Also a sincere advice, never take your Toyota to a dealer service or else complain to a Toyota representative. They will treat you rudely and will never admit their shortcomings. They can even slam the phone in your face.
It's really embarassing. It was dark. I went to a BW3 sports bar to get some buffalo wing that night, but I wasn't too familiar with that location (it's in a near by town, not the one I lived in). And the streets are weird. It would be two way street, then all the sudden become a oneway street.
Anyway, it was dark, was driving down one of the those two way street. And before I know it, it became oneway. So when I saw head lights coming straight at me, I realized I was going the wrong way on a one way street. Slamed on the brakes, put the car in reverse, try to back into a drive way. Well, like I said, it was dark. I backed into the driveway, but it a pole (about 10-15 mph). DOH! But it wasn't too bad, considering the speed I was drive, H-shaped sign post only scratched some paint (three spots, shaped like a v) on the bumper (no damaged to bumper structure).
I was pretty impressed. Then I remember the IIHS tested the bumper of all the cars, and Corolla had one of the best bumper on the market. Never knew how important that is until the incident.
wenyue: Nah,seems like the knocking is around the cv-joint area. I will know for sure on Monday. And yeah, where u sleeping while backing to the pole?
aamd814: Well,seems like you can qualified for the Lemon Law. Make those dealer take that lemon back and give back your money! You dont have to put up with rude dealer/service representative.
I got slammed in the rear of my Corolla by a Dodge and only suffered a few scratches. Boy, you should have seen the damage to the front end of the Dodge: grill, front bumper, headlights, and hood...all got smashed or some sort of damage!
aamd814, my 2000LE with 2K does not have cosmetic or noise problems ( it is auto and only has 2.6K cruising RPM @ 78mph), but handling and suspension problems are exactly the same as you described. I already dropped a line here back in July about rough suspension and I was truing to find better description for handling. B.T.W, do not offend junk cars. I had before and still have GEO Prizm 90 (same Corolla)with 240K on it and its handling is very predictable and easily controlled. LE2000 drives good only straight and only on the very flat surface. If making a turn, not 90deg, but highway type, and eiher right or left wheel encounters even lightest irregularity or light change of the level, car drifts right or left. Sometimes it becomes pretty dangerous when you have truck in the adjasent lane. And I also cannot prove anything to dealers - it does not happen every minute and it's not easy to reproduce at will. As far as rough suspension, looks like it's a matter of rear shocks. They work fine at sharp bumps, but do not react to a slower ones. I came to the conclusion that it's about dry friction in the shocks. It can be that to prevent shock leakage for longer time Toyota prepressed shock shaft more than it is reasonable and here you are. This thing is not adjustable and so dealer can only change for the same garbage leaving smth untightened in the meantime. So as a temporary matter I put 100 lb of weights under the spare wheel. The suspension problem is immediately gone. Rear end of the car is now 1 inch lower and it's not very good, but I will try to remove weights after some time, after shock seals wear out a little bit,I just don't want to be that guinea pig myself. I still don't have an answer what's wrong with handling. Dealer told me it's alignment, did it and of course no change. I suspect it is about front stabilizer bar, either smth is wrong, or too good with it.
While I think I smell a troll (or trolls), let me comment about one common issue here. Has anybody thought to replace the factory equipment tires? It is a well known fact that most manufacturers use the cheapest tires available and they could be responsible for a great number of these recent "problem" that have been mentioned here. Ride, handling, wet traction, stability, noise and even drifting can often be cured by putting on a good set of tires that weren't selected on the basis of a low bid.
The last 2-door Corolla was built in 1991. The Paseo replaced it and thereby lowered its status on the Tercel linage. I have a 89 GTS from this last generation of the 2-door Corollas. The next generation which was 92-? looked a lot like a Mazda MX-6 but not for this country. I remember seeing a picture of it in the car magazine around the early 90's. It had a 170 hp 1.6 engine that I believe was the next generation 4A-GE which is in my GTS. The present Celica is really the 2-door Corolla. The new Celica has a Corolla chassis, engine family and price. The new Camry Solara took over the old Celica market.
You were able to describe the handling and suspension problems in more precise mechanical words. I think these defects are no joke. One can get killed easily while driving innocently, especially on a rainy day. I was really on the verge on an accident so many times now and don't know what to do. I did read your earlier e-mail about the suspension. The problems that I listed before are only some of the whole. I was heading to a gas station one day after I looked at the indicator and noticed the tank was almost empty. And guess what, the car stalled and then stopped about half a mile from the gas station. No indicator "light" turned on. I had a difficult time dealing with the situation, but finally got the car filled with gas and it started running once again. I took the car to the dealer to check the indicator light next day. The answer was that Corolla does not come with this equipment!!! What the heck, I mean adding an indicator light must be so expensive that Toyota has decided to delete this feature. Also, air flow from the vents are unequal. The vents on the sides are symbolic. very little flow through them, no matter how high is the flow setting. Therefore, on a hot day, u get the cool air virtually from the center vents only. You don't really need to worry about cooling the rear, for no one will ever be able to sit there anyway. Someone on this site wrote about the trick that Toyota made. They discontinued the original Corolla, and started producing a new brand of cars characterized by poor quality and cheap equipment, that cost them very little, and then sold them under the Corolla name with the same pricing levels. People will be fooled and go for Corolla thinking that they are the same ones that everybody was talking about. This is modern industrial forgery. I didn't mean to offend junk cars. I think junk cars have a good reputation now that Corolla has joined them.
and Toyota usually not found in the same sentence. Your corolla comes with a low fuel light. IT sounds more and more like a lemon, besides with the EFI system in nowadays car, wont it be hard to start a car again when its out of fuel? Again, I suggest you try to exercise lemon law in your state if you couldn't put up with it.
Comments
I cant get over the rear arrangement of the Celica either. The front is definitely sharp looking, but the rear mess it up.
140 is more then enough for a mainstream compact car. Right now the only two car I can think of that has 140+ hp is Sentra SE and Elentra. The new 2001 Civic for example will have very modest power gain. Only 115 hp baseline engine, and the EX will only gain 3 hp to 130 hp. Hatch back is also gone. Civic fans will be very disappointed to learn this, and also the vaunted suspension/handling also got down graded.
With the current Corolla at 125 hp, I hope the 2003 redesign will make it 140+ hp.
About Celica, I agree. The front looks fantastic, but the rear looks like it ended too abruptly, feel like a section missing.
the 180-hp engine would rock in the Corolla (prizm). If Honda can put 170 hp in a civic then its okay for toyota to put 180 in the corolla.
I'd be waiting with my GM card rebate dollars in hand to snatch one up.
I think Toyota could put out a Corolla Coupe version with that 180 hp engine (after all, that engine is based on Corolla engine). It's interesting to see the Corolla is one of the very few models that doesn't have a 2-door version. When was the last time the Corolla had a Coupe version?
Another thought is that maybe TRD could come out with a sports kit including 180 hp engine (or a Turbo kit that give 60 extra hp) and a sporty suspension.
misunderstanding in my part. It makes more sense now.
wenyue:
I thought TRD already has something for the suspension (not the turbo). Wasn't it denniswade who upgrade his corolla using TRD parts?
Last time Corolla comes out with a 2dr coupe was in the mid 80s (1986-87) if not mistaken. Guess Toyota afraid a 2dr Corolla will interfere with the Celica/Tercel/Echo sales ? Who knows whats the reasoning behind it.
Hmmm. beats me why Toyota hasn't had Corolla coupe for so long. I hope now that Toyota is getting to the new edge market (Echo, Celica, MR-spyder....), I hope they will introduce a worthy Corolla-S.
I heard TRD had a race version of the Echo even. Strange...
I woulda bought a wagon if it had been available.
I would love a 180hp Corolla/Prizm wagon to tool around in and have good cargo space.
Thats too bad though, they offer more versatility for the car.
And a race version of the ECHO??? What the heck make them do that for???
I think this is a mistake, rather than keeping up so many SUV platform, they should improve what they already have, for instance, lower the price of TLC to make it competitive with Expedition/Yukon/Tahoe.
Anyway, just my 2c
Not to keep off the Corolla topic for too much longer, but the Cruiser is worth every freaking penny and to cheapen it for competition reasons would destroy the allure.
I think they should skip the Corolla based SUV. The RAV-4 has just been totally redesigned, and from what I just read on the newest issue of Automobile magazine, seems like they did a good job redesigning it. So keep it, it's more established and why waste the money they just spent redesigning it. Corolla SUV should be skipped in my opinion.
Toyota Highlander is a MUST HAVE! It's Toyota version of the Lexus RX300. People are wait in line for $35K RX300. So bring in the $25K Highlander will make Toyota a "buttload" of money, not to mention make the dealers happy.
4-runner is getting old. I think the SUV future is tilting in favor of "car like" SUV's such as the HighLander, so I think Toyota could/should phase the 4-runner out.
So what I propose is the following line up:
(1) RAV4 ($20-$25K, large compact, redesigned, coming end of the year)
(2) HighLander ($25-$30K, midsize SUV, new, coming spring next year)
(3) Sequoia ($30-$35K, full size SUV, new, coming when?)
(4) Land Cruiser (>$35K, premium fullsize, the venerable flagship, available now)
Toyota could keep the 4-runner for those who actually takes it off-road. If Toyota choose to keep the 4-runner, I think its production should be tuned down to make room the Highlander.
The Corolla based SUV should be axed to prevent an obvious over lap with the new RAV4. Either axe it or Lexus has room for a compact SUV.
I have a little dilemma and would like to ask for
your help. I am in the market for a new car and I
finally went to the dealership today.. They quoted
me a 2000 CE with Value Package for about $2000
more than an Impusle Red 2001 Corolla "S" with cassette player, rear defogger and value package # 1 which includes power door locks, windows,air conditioning. The monthly payments for the Camry are about $34.00 more than the Corolla. I drive a 1986 Celica and I am very impressed with the Toyota brand. I am still in college and do not have any adult responsibilities. Can any Corolla owners give me the pros and cons of owning this car?? I have to make a decision soon. Thank You..
Dee.....
Thanks you.
Regarding Camry CE vs Corolla, if they are equipped comparably and the difference is not that significant, a Camry will probably be a better value. Yet, last time I checked, there's more like a $3-3.5k difference between them.
Regarding the SUV, the Highlander will be nice, but it directly competes with the 4Runner. I tend to lean toward transferring the 4Runner name to the Highlander platform and goes with the 4Runner.
And regarding the LC, sorry cliffy, but I still cant see why it priced so high, heck, Toyota should just discontinued the LX470 and just sell the TLC in 2 trim, standard and lux
Corolla and other economy cars doesn't fetch MSRP. A fully loaded Corolla with just about everything on it, should only be around $16K.
I need some clarification on the maintenance schedule for the spark plugs on my 2000 corolla. Nowhere in the maintenance schedule (other than an all inclusive statement at 120,000 miles that doesn't specifically say Corolla) does it state when to change spark plugs. It lists intervals for camry, avalon, echo, etc., but not corolla. Was this an oversight or does toyota really expect to go 120,000 on a set of plugs???? I am rolling 35,000 miles and it is getting about time to "pull the plug" (pun intended) according to previous experience with other cars.... any thoughts on the issue? Thanks!
Recommended NIPPONDENSO plug is SK16R11 or NGK IFR5A11 w/ a 1.0 -1.1 mm gap. Hope that helps U.
select all the options, and you will see that more reasonable market price. $20K is insane. Forget the MSRP, nobody uses that.
The problem you may rin into however is finding a car with that much equipment. As dealers, we know we can't sit an economy car on our lot with a $20000 sticker. The car will have to be factory ordered and that can be difficult and time consuming.
On another note, looks like my Corolla spotless history will end soon. It began developing some sort of knocking sound (arrgh!). Will get the dealer to check on it sometimes this week.
I need to pull mine out and have a look at them to see how they are holding up.... never have gotten 60,000 good miles out of a set of plugs..... they always seem to deteriorate somewhat before I ever get that high... we'll see.....thanks again....
I bought a Corolla CE with CE pkg (almost all the bells & whistles) plus keyless entry/alarm & block heater for 18,800 before PST & GST (includes doc, enviro tax, AC tax, etc). My lowest quote for the Corolla S with standard option pkg (AC, alloy wheels, P/Doors,etc) was $19,700 (with doc, enviro,etc) and that was without cruise, power windows, keyless & block heater. I was probably looking at another $2,000 more for all the same features as I got in the CE.
I would have loved a spoiler, fog lamps, etc, but wasn't worth the price diff. If fuel economy is an issue, the Corolla is the better bet. I have about 700km on my car now, and the 1st tank of gas yielded 39 mpg (which is about 32 mpg in American gallons). Not bad considering the car is still getting broken in. This car handles very well compared to my 87 Corolla (amazing what power steering will do). I can pretend this car is a Porsche as I cruise down those winding country roads (although I never test drove a Porsche - maybe I should try out my brother-in-laws - he just bought one). Just gotta watch out for the cop cars. Good luck on your purchase!
Also, about the car wax issue... I was told by about 3 people that carnuba wax twice a year should keep the car looking good. They just said to buy a good quality carnuba wax and do it by hand, as "tools" may scratch the finish.
found in particular parts of the vehicle.
1) The windshield was damaged by road debris only
1 month after purchase. I would consider this just
bad luck except for the following reasons:
*) This is my first damaged windshield in 12 years
of driving and consistent high miledge.
*) I have noticed an inordinate number of Corollas
around town (Atlanta) with such damage.
*) The windscreen was damaged AGAIN just recently
(I had'nt replaced it after the initial damage.)
*) I've experienced impacts on my windscreen
before, and these seemed minor to cause such
damage.
Also, the tires are in need of replacement. IS
18000 miles of mainly highway comuting a
reasonable
lifetime for a set of tires? I read a review that
complained of poor tire performance in turns and
acceleration, and I whole-heartedly agree. The
rubber my 2k came with can barely hold a dry road
and provides a flat, gritty ride. I fear for my
life in rain, and hope I won't be anywhere near
snow before I visit my tire retailer.
The cigarette lighter refused to set, and
eventually jammed so that I broke the cowling to
remove the lighter knob assembly.
The heater control will not click into the
face/feet position.
I know cars are complex devices and there will be
problems to iron out, but before I'm going to pay
for the windshield and the tires, I would like to
know if there is a general quality problem that
might minimize my investment.
jimoconnor, I don't know whether you got a lemon or just had bad luck with the rocks. But I haven't noticed any general quality problem reported here in the Edmund's forums. My 99 LE is doing fine except a few paint chips and a scratched bumper (backed into a pole in one night). No rattle or squeaks yet, not bad for after 2 years of driving lots of small roads.
But these are minor problems compared with more exciting ones. The car is designed to run "good" at speeds no more than 30m/h. Much less on wet roads. Perhaps it is better not to drive it altogether during a rainy day to avoid running into an accident. At higher speeds, the car is unstable, drifts right and left, jumps up and down with the slightest bump, and roars like a motor boat. A very rough and noisy ride that beats the worst used car on the market. You really don't need the audio system, because it is usually overwhelmed by the intolerable loud noise. Speaking of the audio system, it reminds me of a mediocre pocket radio. Oh by the way, the cassette player is very selective and might not accept some of the cassettes that you insert, even if you keep pushing it many times. If you need to REW or FF, the cassette will start jittering like a drunk voice.
You will be too busy negociating the automatic transmission to pay attention to these great sound luxuries anyway. You have to keep shifting the gear handle to and fro till the lucky moment when it engages. You also get a lot of fun when you are driving in a turn, even at a relatively low speed. Just make sure that the left side of the road is not steep or the edge of a valley cliff just in case the car happens to roll over. It really feels like a roller coaster. One also has to be careful driving on a hot day for the inside mirror will tremble and the rear view will be blurred.
As for comfort, the car front and rear seats are mutually exclusive. You can have only 2 people sitting in the car at any point in time. Even a child's legs won't fit the rear legroom, if 2 tall people are sitting in front. As a driver, you rarely can move your body without bumping the center stack or the handles. Your feet are virtually locked in the legroom and you can only move your ankles and feet. You should also have some gym training to be able to slide in and out of the car smoothly.
If you think I haven't sought solutions to all these problems, you will be mistaken. The car has 2K miles on it now (paid 15.5K brand new) and I took it to almost every dealer service in the area. They denied any of the above problems except for a "promise" of changing the interior plastic panels.
This was truly one of the few things that I am going to to regret bitterly all my life. I welcome anyone interested in buying a Corolla 2001 to stop by and drive my car, but before that, please drive whatever you think is a junk car first, so that you appreciate what I am telling you. Also a sincere advice, never take your Toyota to a dealer service or else complain to a Toyota representative. They will treat you rudely and will never admit their shortcomings. They can even slam the phone in your face.
Anyway, it was dark, was driving down one of the those two way street. And before I know it, it became oneway. So when I saw head lights coming straight at me, I realized I was going the wrong way on a one way street. Slamed on the brakes, put the car in reverse, try to back into a drive way. Well, like I said, it was dark. I backed into the driveway, but it a pole (about 10-15 mph). DOH! But it wasn't too bad, considering the speed I was drive, H-shaped sign post only scratched some paint (three spots, shaped like a v) on the bumper (no damaged to bumper structure).
I was pretty impressed. Then I remember the IIHS tested the bumper of all the cars, and Corolla had one of the best bumper on the market. Never knew how important that is until the incident.
Nah,seems like the knocking is around the cv-joint area. I will know for sure on Monday.
And yeah, where u sleeping while backing to the pole?
aamd814:
Well,seems like you can qualified for the Lemon Law. Make those dealer take that lemon back and give back your money! You dont have to put up with rude dealer/service representative.
not 90deg, but highway type, and eiher right or left wheel encounters even lightest irregularity or light change of the level, car drifts right or left. Sometimes it becomes pretty dangerous when you have truck in the adjasent lane. And I also cannot prove anything to dealers - it does not happen every minute and it's not easy to reproduce at will.
As far as rough suspension, looks like it's a matter of rear shocks. They work fine at sharp bumps, but do not react to a slower ones. I came to the conclusion that it's about dry friction in the shocks. It can be that to prevent shock leakage for longer time Toyota prepressed shock shaft more than it is reasonable and here you are. This thing is not adjustable and so dealer can only change for the same garbage leaving smth untightened in the meantime. So as a temporary matter I put 100 lb of weights under the spare wheel. The suspension problem is immediately gone.
Rear end of the car is now 1 inch lower and it's not very good, but I will try to remove weights after some time, after shock seals wear out a little bit,I just don't want to be that guinea pig myself.
I still don't have an answer what's wrong with handling. Dealer told me it's alignment, did it and of course no change. I suspect it is about front stabilizer bar, either smth is wrong, or too good with it.
If you want a 2-door Corolla, go buy a Celica!
I did read your earlier e-mail about the suspension. The problems that I listed before are only some of the whole. I was heading to a gas station one day after I looked at the indicator and noticed the tank was almost empty. And guess what, the car stalled and then stopped about half a mile from the gas station. No indicator "light" turned on. I had a difficult time dealing with the situation, but finally got the car filled with gas and it started running once again. I took the car to the dealer to check the indicator light next day. The answer was that Corolla does not come with this equipment!!!
What the heck, I mean adding an indicator light must be so expensive that Toyota has decided to delete this feature.
Also, air flow from the vents are unequal. The vents on the sides are symbolic. very little flow through them, no matter how high is the flow setting. Therefore, on a hot day, u get the cool air virtually from the center vents only. You don't really need to worry about cooling the rear, for no one will ever be able to sit there anyway.
Someone on this site wrote about the trick that Toyota made. They discontinued the original Corolla, and started producing a new brand of cars characterized by poor quality and cheap equipment, that cost them very little, and then sold them under the Corolla name with the same pricing levels. People will be fooled and go for Corolla thinking that they are the same ones that everybody was talking about. This is modern industrial forgery.
I didn't mean to offend junk cars. I think junk cars have a good reputation now that Corolla has joined them.
Again, I suggest you try to exercise lemon law in your state if you couldn't put up with it.