Toyota Corolla, good and bad?

[jongies3]

My Ford Contour's transmission died so I'm in the market for another fuel sipper, but one that's actually reliable. I've narrowed it down to a mid 00's Corolla. Manual transmission is highly desired, as the past two economy cars I've had both died from automatic trans failures, plus it's way more fun to drive a small compact car with a stick anyway and you can maximize the power out of the little engines easier.

So I need to know the pros and cons of the car, what engine is best and what all to look for on a potential buy. I guess also since this is BITOG, oil recommendations are welcome too! Also if you're a current owner, what type of gas mileage can I expect? How well do the cars handle on winter roads? I have a 60 mile daily commute and my 14mpg Tacoma isn't exactly practical for that. Is the car comfortable for a taller guy? I'm right at 6'. Any other tips or suggestions are welcome!

 

[SatinSilver]

Grampi on here has an 04 Corolla automatic with north of 350k miles on it. That gen came out in 03-08. I'd try to find one from 06-08. It has a very reliable 4 speed auto made by Aisin. I have an 05 Matrix with 147k and would buy another one. Same car as the Pontiac Vibe. Both cars have a choppy ride compared to the Corolla for some reason but I like it just fine. Plus glad to have the extra utility it offers. Manuals are a little more hard to find compared to the autos.

You can check out more about the car here:

www.carcomplaints.com

Another car to consider would be the 07-10 or so Toyota Yaris Sedan. The "S" comes with wider tires and a firmer suspension but not too harsh. More fun to drive and comes with the 1.5 liter engine. Where the Corolla has the 1.8 liter engine. The Matrix has grown on me more and more the longer I have owned it.

 

[53' Stude]

Originally Posted by SatinSilver
Grampi on here has an 04 Corolla automatic with north of 350k miles on it. That gen came out in 03-08. I'd try to find one from 06-08. It has a very reliable 4 speed auto made by Aisin. I have an 05 Matrix with 147k and would buy another one. Same car as the Pontiac Vibe. Both cars have a choppy ride compared to the Corolla for some reason but I like it just fine. Plus glad to have the extra utility it offers. Manuals are a little more hard to find compared to the autos.

You can check out more about the car here:

www.carcomplaints.com

Another car to consider would be the 07-10 or so Toyota Yaris Sedan. The "S" comes with wider tires and a firmer suspension but not too harsh. More fun to drive and comes with the 1.5 liter engine. Where the Corolla has the 1.8 liter engine. The Matrix has grown on me more and more the longer I have owned it.


The Corolla S also sits lower to the ground at least it looks that way


Good advice from satinsilver

 

[wag123]

The Corolla has been the most reliable and durable car in it's size class for many many years. Not that they can't have problems, all cars can have problems, but you are far less likely to have serious problems with a Corolla than with any other comparably sized car.
When you are looking at used Corollas, one thing that you should watch out for is lack of maintenance. Some people think that because Corollas are so reliable that they don't need to be maintained. ANY car can/will have problems when their maintenance is neglected or they are abused.
Don't worry about the automatic transmissions in Corollas, they are VERY reliable and durable, so much so that if the transmission does fail, it doesn't make sense to have it rebuilt, just buy a used one from a salvage yard for a couple hundred and have it installed. Finding a nice Corolla with a manual transmission is going to be very difficult. Condition and maintenance are far more important considerations.
For gas mileage you can expect to get low 30s in town and high 30s on the highway (but low to mid 40s have been reported).
They are not considered "fun to drive" cars, but they are excellent low cost-of-ownership transportation appliances.

 

[SatinSilver]

There's also the Corolla XRS that only comes with a manual and a more powerful Yamaha developed engine. Still a 1.8 liter engine but more power. There's also a Matrix XRS that has the same engine. Kind of hard to find. Here are some videos on it:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=corolla+xrs

 

[bullwinkle]

We have both in the family-I have an '05 xB manual, my mom has an '06 Matrix XR auto, my aunt has an '07 Matrix XR auto, and my brother has an '07 Corolla S manual (was hard to find a manual one). One thing about the 1.8 in the Matrix/Vibe/Corolla, they seem to have a little higher NVH compared to my xB, but since the Matrix/Vibe & Corollas are geared higher, they get better highway MPGs. I was actually able to get over 40 MPG with my '03 Vibe 5 speed, with optional higher final drive ratio, on summer fuel in cool weather (little/no A/C), so excellent MPGs are possible.

 

[SatinSilver]

'05 Matrix XR auto here in silver.

Thank you 53' Stude.

 

[pbm]

I have a 2008 Corolla which has been very reliable....Believe it or not the A/T is more reliable that the M/T...I agree to stick with the 2006 to 2008.

 

[miden851]

yup the 2003-2008 model; that's the one you wanna get;

those with the S-badge on it, I think they just visually sit lower to the ground due to the side door skirts installed

GL

 

[Pelican]

Originally Posted by jongies3
My Ford Contour's transmission died so I'm in the market for another fuel sipper, but one that's actually reliable. I've narrowed it down to a mid 00's Corolla. Manual transmission is highly desired, as the past two economy cars I've had both died from automatic trans failures, plus it's way more fun to drive a small compact car with a stick anyway and you can maximize the power out of the little engines easier.
So I need to know the pros and cons of the car, what engine is best and what all to look for on a potential buy. I guess also since this is BITOG, oil recommendations are welcome too! Also if you're a current owner, what type of gas mileage can I expect? How well do the cars handle on winter roads? I have a 60 mile daily commute and my 14mpg Tacoma isn't exactly practical for that. Is the car comfortable for a taller guy? I'm right at 6'. Any other tips or suggestions are welcome!


When buying an 19 year old car, reliability is moot. It all depends on how well it was treated before. Likely there would have been at least 3 or 4 owners before you. You'll have to take it a mechanic you trust and have inspected, if worth it, as the inspection may cost you almost as much as the car

 

[eljefino]

The manual transmissions on that generation (03+) are a weak point!

Co-worker had a vibe and I fit in it quite well, 5'11" and 34" inseam, with room to wiggle.

I had an 02 Camry with the 2.4 4cyl, 5 speed and it got 33 MPG in the summer. It's nice to commute in something with road hugging weight. Car was real easy to work on. Carry a spare coil pack as they blow like light bulbs on most toyotas.

You could also look at scions, many had stick shifts and most had either the 1.5 or 2.4, skipping the lamer 1.8 (5 speed) combo.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

The Corolla is a great car that keeps the Toyota Reliability tradition alive

As others have said,m you should also consider the Matrix and Vibe since they also share the Corolla's virtues and have more space inside

 

[atikovi]

Originally Posted by jongies3
I have a 60 mile daily commute and my 14mpg Tacoma isn't exactly practical for that. Is the car comfortable for a taller guy? I'm right at 6'.


If you're open to 2 door hatchbacks, my Honda Insight CVT would only use one gallon of gas a day for you.

 

[wag123]

Originally Posted by eljefino
You could also look at scions, many had stick shifts and most had either the 1.5 or 2.4, skipping the lamer 1.8 (5 speed) combo.

The problem that I have seen with used Scions is WHO the former owners were. Many/most of them were owned by young people in their late teens and early to mid 20s who neglected and/or abused them. Many young people don't know the value of taking care of their cars (my kids included), especially the ones who didn't have to pay for the cars themselves. Consequently, it is VERY hard to find a good used Scion.
The same can be said of some Corollas (as well as Honda Civics), which is why I mentioned the importance of establishing it's condition and how well it was maintained. The difference is that there are a larger percentage of them available that were owned by mature individuals who took care of them.

 

[philipp10]

Originally Posted by eljefino
The manual transmissions on that generation (03+) are a weak point!

Co-worker had a vibe and I fit in it quite well, 5'11" and 34" inseam, with room to wiggle.

I had an 02 Camry with the 2.4 4cyl, 5 speed and it got 33 MPG in the summer. It's nice to commute in something with road hugging weight. Car was real easy to work on. Carry a spare coil pack as they blow like light bulbs on most toyotas.

You could also look at scions, many had stick shifts and most had either the 1.5 or 2.4, skipping the lamer 1.8 (5 speed) combo.

"a spare coil pack"? Really....owned many Toyota's of that era....never replaced one.

 

[wag123]

Originally Posted by philipp10
Originally Posted by eljefino
The manual transmissions on that generation (03+) are a weak point!

Co-worker had a vibe and I fit in it quite well, 5'11" and 34" inseam, with room to wiggle.

I had an 02 Camry with the 2.4 4cyl, 5 speed and it got 33 MPG in the summer. It's nice to commute in something with road hugging weight. Car was real easy to work on. Carry a spare coil pack as they blow like light bulbs on most toyotas.

You could also look at scions, many had stick shifts and most had either the 1.5 or 2.4, skipping the lamer 1.8 (5 speed) combo.

"a spare coil pack"? Really....owned many Toyota's of that era....never replaced one.

I have never replaced a coil pack either.

 

[incognito_2u]

As you can see from my sig, I currently have three Corollas.
That being said, don't even worry about the Automatic transmission in these cars......the word bulletproof comes to mind.
As much as I like the fun factor in the 1998 and the 1999, the 2006 is definitely more refined.
I would suggest a 2006 through 2008.
Confirm the Intake manifold gasket and the timing chain tensioner O ring has been replaced and your good to go.

 

[Trav]

Good well built cars. No idea about the newer ones with CVT and I don't need to find out regardless of who made it.

 

[HowAboutThis]

I bought a brand new '17 (now with 32k miles) and the bad is SUPER boring and slow. Good is about 40mpgs with 60 mile roundtrip commute. CVT had a bulletin to get checked out and reprogrammed, mine was fine as are most. I paid $15,800 out the door, not subtracting my trade (which would vary based on your trade value). I was happy with that for a new car. I hope to keep it for 250k+. I also looked at Hyundai Elantra but it was same price without all the extras the Corolla had standard. I'd buy another, assuming it stays mostly trouble free. Even though my Civic Si I traded was WAY more fun to drive.

 

[javacontour]

I'm the same height, but with a 29" inseam. So seated I look eye to eye with people 3-5" taller than me

I fit in a 2004 Vibe that had a moonroof with no drama.

I also fit fine in my daughter's 2003 Corolla, but it has no moonroof, so can't tell you about those.

So headroom isn't a problem in those cars.

Can't speak to leg room, as I have short legs.

Originally Posted by eljefino
The manual transmissions on that generation (03+) are a weak point!

Co-worker had a vibe and I fit in it quite well, 5'11" and 34" inseam, with room to wiggle.

I had an 02 Camry with the 2.4 4cyl, 5 speed and it got 33 MPG in the summer. It's nice to commute in something with road hugging weight. Car was real easy to work on. Carry a spare coil pack as they blow like light bulbs on most toyotas.

You could also look at scions, many had stick shifts and most had either the 1.5 or 2.4, skipping the lamer 1.8 (5 speed) combo.