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Comments
My 95 has been flawless except for the front supension. Two axles and one piece to keep the tire from shaking have been problematic. The bad part of front wheel drive, but the GT-S never had these problems; however, it liked tires.
How do the kids fit in the back seat?
kids should be fine in the backseat, more than enough room back there for kids unless they are 6ft. tall.
Dinu
Where does the Corolla shine? Certainly I see it shining on New Jersey's severely acned roads, as the Corolla is generally viewed as having one of the finest rides at is price point. The PRO? One of hardest. The PRO also has ZERO power advantage, a similar if not higher sticker, similar but not better interior room, worse crash test scores, and significantly lower fuel economy.
When it came time for my buck, I didnt choose the Corolla, but I can see why many others would. Why do you have to constantly push your car?
~alpha
The Sandman :-)
Fast forward four years, the Civic is roomier (and arguably, more stylish) than before, the Corolla definitely is more powerful, stylish and roomy, and the CE in particular (alone in having a/c and stereo standard in a base model) represents good value. The Protege is more fun to drive still, but for most people buying cars at this price point, dollar value (price, fuel economy, resale) is much more important.
The problem with the Civic (DX) is that everything is optional. The base car starts at $13k, but has no radio ($400) or a/c ($1100 and dealer installed). By the time the car is livable, it's a thousand dollars more than a base Corolla. Now, where the Toyotas 'get you' is with the options, which are numerous and a bit pricey. If you're not careful, you can have a fully loaded Corolla pushing $20k.
For me, fun to drive is more important than 0-60 (trust me, I pass everyone on the streets and have gone 100mph in the PRO - actually 92mph yesterday on my way to work), a sloppy ride where you have to slow down on ramps b/c the 03+ Corolla leans a lot in corners (I've driven one many times) or resale (we're keeping it for many many years).
Reliability is the same as H/T IMO (so far in 33K miles in 19mths it has been outstanding).
Styling is superior.
And I use it as a commuter car too - put 195/60/R15 tires on it, and the car is not as firm as it was before - I also undertand not many people value a firm ride, in that they prefer to be isolated from the road.
That's why I push this car so much - it's a joke how people ignore it in the US, yet it shines in Canada...
Dinu
It's not a joke, it's very simple. Wrong product, wrong price, change either one of those and people will buy it.
Too bad - they don't know what they're missing...
Dinu
I guess I'm saying this would be my main 'stumbling block' against buying a new Protege versus some other compacts (Corolla, Civic, Elantra are my main other cars of interest right now).
If I'm paying $25.000CAD (taxes, interest incl.), I might as well get a reliable AND fun to drive car. That's just my philosohy though
Dinu
Dinu
Thanks everyone!
The Sandman :-)
here, ask me something abotu Corollas and I'll do my best to answer w/out mentionning the PRO.
Dinu
-alpha
Toyota Corolla
Honda Civic
Mazda Protege
Hyundai Elantra
Nissan Sentra
So far, I'm leaning toward the Corolla. Why? Better warranty and more power and standard equipment, at least on the base models, than Civic. I might consider a Protege or Sentra at the right price, though the Pro is getting a bit long in the tooth and both resale and dealer network are weak. Sentra is ugly and a bit cramped. The Elantra is a great value, but I'm not convinced their quality is up where it should be. Again, dollar for dollar, they're extremely tempting, especially with that warranty, though resale is bad. Focus? No, I've heard too many nightmares, though they have a dealer very near my house and I could probably pick one up cheaply. Cavaliers with a/c and stereo are everywhere for $10k, but I don't think I could live with myself. Am I missing any?
IMO if you like the Corolla, the driving position is comfortable for you, and you don't mind paying the price for Toyota quality, it's a great choice. You might also want to check out the Lancer and Aerio in your quest; IMO they are high-quality cars with roomy interiors, and the Aerio, like the Elantra, has a long warranty.
It has a spoiler and body cladings, but it's really a nice family sedan. My daughter likes the boy, or I mean girl racer look, but she's perfectly content with its only adequate acceleration and handling. Such things means nothing to her.
What she likes is it look and I admire the refined interior, especially the dash, and the amount of headroom the car has both front and back.
It's a very nice car.
Toyota better watch out, the most recent Consumer Reports, talks about Hyundia favorably, and suprise of surprises, their repair record is improving and their cars have at least an average record, some even better.
2 questions:
1) How do I remove the front, door mounted tweeters?
2) What sizes are the speakers in the front doors and those behind the rear seats?
Any suggestions for better replacements?
What a car for the money! With the rebate, I paid $15k for the car. I had no idea that an econobox could be so nice.
A couple of little things are: 1) does anyone else think the steering wheel is too small? 2) the car seems to want to follow ruts in the road (I guess this is common for small cars?)
We looked at the Civic, but the Corolla ended up being the better deal, and I think the better car in spite of the better resale of the Civic. We also looked at the Elantra, but as others have mentioned, I don't think the quality is quite there yet. Not to mention the unusual new car odor that they have, which could be indicative of lower grade plastics in the interior.
I feel like I'm driving a poor mans Lexus.
So, if you want a nice economical
By the way, are the Corollas sold in the U.S. built in Japan or California?
Also, do the 2003 need timing belt replacement? If so, when?
Dinu
You can tell manufacturing plant/country by the start of the Vehicle Identification Number. Unfortunately I can't recall the country codes but these have been discussed on threads discussing "sulphur smell". Sounds like you made a good deal on your Corolla. Good luck.
For country of origin: #1 is U.S., 2 is Canada and J is Japan. I'm curious if the car was built in Canada re differences in car prices between Canada and the U.S.
The VIN begins with a "1" so I guess the car was built in the U.S.
Hope you enjoy your new Corolla! From what I've heard, getting a 5-speed with leather is not easy to do.
I'm considering buying a new Corolla soon, and also noted the fact that it has a longer warranty, more horsepower (especially if you compare the Civ DX/LX to Corolla) and similarly equipped, costs less, than the Civic. The only other car I've strongly considered is the Elantra, based mostly on price. The Elantra is almost finished with its body cycle, though, which will make its resale even worse. Still, I'd consider one if I were keeping it for a long time, especially given the long warranty. Anyone tested both the Corolla and Elantra, and if so, care to comment?
Yugo.
A warranty is only as good as the longevity and good faith of the company that grants it.
Not saying Hyundai is going out of business, but it IS in South Korea.
This is NOT a political comment, but it IS something to think about.
Toyota and Honda, by contrast, have set up USA plants and are almost certainty going to be around long enough to warrant any car. Their service and warranty are legendary.
Sometimes, to save a few dimes and nickels, one takes sizeable risks, knowingly or otherwise. I would consider a good used car before I bought a car from Korea or Yugoslavia, unless I lived in those places.
You may say but early buyers of Japanese cars took similar risks. And they did. Some got some pretty sloppy cars, too! The Toyopet was underpowered and hardly reliable.
It's your money, just think about what you want and what risks you want to take.
The Corolla is a fine vehicle, So is the Civic. The Elantra I have not heard anywhere near as good things about. I KNOW the Corolla and Civic. In fairness, I do not know the Elantra as well.
I was told that the leather from Gulf States is better than the leather from factory, and it is perforated which makes it look even richer. The leather looks great and even has the door inserts like factory.
I was also told this was the only one in the region like it, and a dealer with United Auto Group (the 3rd largest retailer in the world) could not get one until April. We lucked out in that the car was white, which is exactly what we wanted.
Hyundai should probably change the sealant, and be done with it - no need to create wrong impressions unnecessarily.
The reason we eliminated the Hyundai was just a general feeling of below quality, but admittedly it could have been more psychological than fact. (If the car had Toyota badges, would I think that the smell was something unique to Toyota and that it is a good thing?)
We hope to keep the car a long time, and the Toyota is a safer choice.
Topics shut themselves down after a period of no activity. A host can always open them up again if anyone asks so always feel free to do so.
It's back on the active comparisons board now. :-)
This is not to say that Hyundais are bad cars. The last few rental Hyundais I've driven have been quite impressive. The most recent one I spent a week with was a current model Sonata with the auto-manual tranny, power sunroof, but with the 4-cyl engine. The car was definitely underpowered with the 4 banger, but the overall fit and finish, quality of the interior, and comfort of the car was quite impressive. Give that car a V-6 and it's a winner. I think if you could get that car for about $16k or so, I would seriously be tempted to go for it.
(1) Is it possible to get a base model with AT and side airbags only? What is the typical/most usual package people get with LE?
(2) Is there any rebate with Corolla currently? What time period? Any regional difference?
(3) Do people really get sulfur smell with 2003 Corolla? How typical is it?
(4) Is it true that 2003 Corolla's gas mileage gets significantlly worse than other similar cars?
Thank you very much for your information.