Bought my son’s first car: 2008 Toyota Solara

[BHopkins]

I always liked the Solara. Toyota made a mistake when they discontinued it. Honda made the same mistake discontinuing the Accord Coupe.

Me too, particularly the convertible. But I doubt many would agree that it was a mistake to discontinue them. Sales was dismal. Like so many other cars with similar failures, they gave it sporty looks, but did nothing to tune up the Camry underpinnings. It was bound to be cancelled.

 

[RhondaHonda]

V6 Mustang Convertible is a girl’s car. At least with the Toyota he can pretend it was an older family member’s.

 

[AZjeff]

We had a 2002 Solara. Good car but the electronic throttle tip-in engaged like a switch.

 

[ChrisMU]

Based on my experience with a 2004 Lexus ES (similar engine?) when you do the cam belt and water pump do the cam covers gaskets and spark plug tube seals at the same time.

Yes, both cars have the 3.3 liter V6. I was planning to replace the valve cover gaskets and spark plug tube seals. I know theres at least some oil leakage. If you start it cold with the a/c on, it makes a lot of belt squeal, despite that belt being fairly new. Last recorded timing belt change was at 56K around 2018, so that’s coming up soon. Looks like spark plug changes are a pain on the rear three cylinders, so I might as well replace the gaskets, etc. I’m more on the fence about replacing the thermostat and water pump. I used to be in the school of “replace it while you’re in there,” but now I’m questioning that since a lot of aftermarket parts are garbage. I know the water pump was replaced with the timing belt, but now I’ll have to check my records to see if it was done with actual Toyota parts.

 

[50yr Street Mech]

Have an 03' Solara with the 4 cyl. Fantastic reliable car. Built like a tank. My floor jack strains lifting up that thing being it's so heavy. Gets better gas mileage than my 13' CRV, and rides 10X better. I read Toyota did away with them because nobody wanted a 2 door anymore, so they weren't selling. I will admit it is a PITA getting into / out of the rear bucket seats at my age. But, you're son is young, he and his friends will have no problems getting in/out of it.

 

[ChrisMU]

What's wrong with the trunk lid? Looks fine to me.

This angle shows the dent better (and more of the mess that is my yard/projects). The dent is near the driver’s side taillight.

 

[nascarnation]

Yes, both cars have the 3.3 liter V6. I was planning to replace the valve cover gaskets and spark plug tube seals. I know theres at least some oil leakage. If you start it cold with the a/c on, it makes a lot of belt squeal, despite that belt being fairly new. Last recorded timing belt change was at 56K around 2018, so that’s coming up soon. Looks like spark plug changes are a pain on the rear three cylinders, so I might as well replace the gaskets, etc. I’m more on the fence about replacing the thermostat and water pump. I used to be in the school of “replace it while you’re in there,” but now I’m questioning that since a lot of aftermarket parts are garbage. I know the water pump was replaced with the timing belt, but now I’ll have to check my records to see if it was done with actual Toyota parts.

If someone did the timing belt at 56,000 miles, obviously they did great maintenance.
I experienced a lot of belt squeal from the power steering. They don't use a jackscrew or spring loaded belt tensioner and it's difficult to get it tight enough.

 

[Huskyguy68]

We had a 2002 Solara. Good car but the electronic throttle tip-in engaged like a switch.

Curious if there is/was any soft ware tuning to fix that throttle tip in.
Or maybe some simple adjustment that the Youtube nerds figured out.

 

[Huskyguy68]

I think you were a wise daddy to buy your son the Solara.
Basically a 2 dr Camry convertible . Probably safe, reliable , fast .
I bet by age 17, your kid will have installed an aftermarket muffler and rims.
Some of the V6 mustangs were pretty good from what i read online.
Especially when Ford dropped the 4.0L and put in the 3.5 V6 ( i forgot the engine size). Up untill they ditched that, it put out 305 HP.

Got , i think, 0 to 60 in 6 or 6.5 seconds. I think the 2014/15 with the V6 in hardtop or convertible be a nice cruiser .
Not everybody needs a 435 hp Coyote engine and 13 mpgs.

Anyways, nice thoughtful daddy, i hope your son is grateful and i hope he drives with care.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

How old is your son? Any driving experience? If not maybe leave as is as he may bump some things or he may get bumped in school lots etc.

Check out StreetSurvival.org for hands on defensive driving classes. Search on me with that for links to pictures/videos.

Taught 4 boys to drive, all hit something in the first few months. Thank goodness none were major but dont sweat having a dent and scratch free car for a bit

 

[PandaBear]

Have an 03' Solara with the 4 cyl. Fantastic reliable car. Built like a tank. My floor jack strains lifting up that thing being it's so heavy. Gets better gas mileage than my 13' CRV, and rides 10X better. I read Toyota did away with them because nobody wanted a 2 door anymore, so they weren't selling. I will admit it is a PITA getting into / out of the rear bucket seats at my age. But, you're son is young, he and his friends will have no problems getting in/out of it.

Not that nobody wants a 2 door anymore. The problem is nobody want a cloud ride with 2 door and convertible. That is more of a boomer's fashion and the younger generation (below 70) would either want a sport car with 2 door, or a luxury car that is not convertible.

So we ended up having GR86, Miata, Mustang, Corvette, S2000, or Mercedes, BMW, Lexus convertible that aren't that fast. Solara is just not something cool to the below 70 crowd. They didn't disappear ya see, they change the brand and sheet metal into Scion tC instead.

 

[ecotourist]

We had a 2000 Solara SL V6, 5 MT. Very good riding car with a huge back seat. Completely trouble free during our service.

Gave it to our daughter who eventually sold it in favour of a Mazda minivan when she had kids (which also had a manual transmission).

 

[MCompact]

I’m a Street Survival Coach; I second sending your son to Street Survival- it will give him valuable experience in the car he will actually be driving. I also sent my son to the two day teen school at the BMW Performance Center in SC; his first car was a 1975 2002.

 

[heavy260]

He turns 15 in July. I know a lot of Gen Z kids don’t care about cars, but he’s definitely not one of those kids. I’m definitely not paying for professional bodywork for a teen’s car. I remember high school kid behavior… and no way he will get to take the ‘63 Cadillac to school. I’ll have to check out the defensive driving information. I’ll be doing research on driver’s ed soon.

This is why my daughter drives a 2009 Vibe. It’s been scratched and dinged at school. She hit a battery I had on the sill footer of the garage while pulling in and put a crack in the bumper cover and popped the holders. She cried hard on that one because it was her birthday and the day wasn’t going well. Fast forward to today and she says she’s glad to have the car she has because kids are crazy drivers.

 

[Elkins45]

Yes, both cars have the 3.3 liter V6. I was planning to replace the valve cover gaskets and spark plug tube seals. I know theres at least some oil leakage. If you start it cold with the a/c on, it makes a lot of belt squeal, despite that belt being fairly new. Last recorded timing belt change was at 56K around 2018, so that’s coming up soon. Looks like spark plug changes are a pain on the rear three cylinders, so I might as well replace the gaskets, etc. I’m more on the fence about replacing the thermostat and water pump. I used to be in the school of “replace it while you’re in there,” but now I’m questioning that since a lot of aftermarket parts are garbage. I know the water pump was replaced with the timing belt, but now I’ll have to check my records to see if it was done with actual Toyota parts.

I learned something new today. I thought by 2008 Toyota had completely phased out the 3.3 in favor of the 3.5 2GR-FE with a timing chain.

The main reason I passed on a bargain RX330 a couple of years ago was because it was overdue for a timing belt replacement. Paying to replace the belt would have erased the savings.

 

[Toy4x4]

Sorry! Couldn't resist!

 

[Huskyguy68]

This is why my daughter drives a 2009 Vibe. It’s been scratched and dinged at school. She hit a battery I had on the sill footer of the garage while pulling in and put a crack in the bumper cover and popped the holders. She cried hard on that one because it was her birthday and the day wasn’t going well. Fast forward to today and she says she’s glad to have the car she has because kids are crazy drivers.

The Vibes are great cars.
The twin of the Toyota Matrix.
We have a 2004 Matrix 1.8L auto in my family, i found it at a used car lot for my father back in 2014.
Eventually it went to my older brother.
I did the routine maintenance on it, super easy vehicle to do tuneups, very reliable, parts are relatively cheap to buy New or used.
Toyota should have never discontinued it in 2013.