3 or 4 speed Auto Tranny?

[BudmanTom]

I'm looking at the 2000-2002 Corolla and I see that they came with a 3spd and a 4spd tranny, I'm guessing that the difference is overdrive?

The 4spd gets substantially better gas mileage.

Is it generally considered better to get the car with the 4spd tranny or are they prone to more break downs?


Thanks for your help,

Tom

[gold94corolla]

No, no problems with a 4 speed over a 3 speed. Definitely opt for the 4 speed.

[01loadedLE]

Yes OD is the difference between the two. If you only do city driving then the 3spd is fine, but the rpm's are higher at 70mph on the highway with the 3spd, so if you do a lot of hw driving then get the 4spd.

[BudmanTom]

I know some had an issue with oil consumption, any easy ways to spot this issue? Any other problem areas to look out for in a Corolla of this era?

[01loadedLE]

Yes, check the oil level on the dipstick and if it's below full it could be a burner. Take off the filler cap and smell the air coming out of the engine for a burned scent. Also look for heavy varnish buildup down the hole in the top of the engine which is a sign of oil burn and use a flash light if needed. See if the owner will tell you what the top off rate is if there is oil burn. A little oil burn is not a deal breaker if you don't mind topping off a little once a couple weeks or so but you would not want one that burns a qt every 1,000 miles or less.

Check for oil leaks around the engine since the seals are known to leak on many of them with higher mileage. Small leaks are no big deal and can be fixed with a bottle of at205 resealer but you don't want large leaks unless you're the type that wouldn't mind taking it apart to put new seals in it.

The a/c's are prone to internal mold which smells up the interior and the bottle sprays that kill it are only temporary fixes at best and are not worth using because of their powerful scent. I smell the mold for a minute or so when the car starts with the a/c on but the smell goes away. If I turn the a/c off I will smell it until after I turn the a/c back on awhile around 3 minutes where I have to drive with the windows down until the smell goes away.

[lr34x4]

MY 2001 CE HAS 3 SPEED AND DOING 80MPH ON FREEWAY IS PRETTY LOUD.....BUT DURING CITY DRIVE...WHEN YOU SHIFT YOU CAR TO 2ND GEAR IT HAS SOME PRETTY GOOD TORQUE AND GOES UP TO 50MPH BEFORE YOU HAVE TO SHIFT TO 3RD..........COMPARE 3 SPD AND 4 SPD IT LIGHTER......

[PhatRoyale]

Originally Posted by lr34x4

MY 2001 CE HAS 3 SPEED AND DOING 80MPH ON FREEWAY IS PRETTY LOUD.....BUT DURING CITY DRIVE...WHEN YOU SHIFT YOU CAR TO 2ND GEAR IT HAS SOME PRETTY GOOD TORQUE AND GOES UP TO 50MPH BEFORE YOU HAVE TO SHIFT TO 3RD..........COMPARE 3 SPD AND 4 SPD IT LIGHTER......

[gold94corolla]

hahaha!

[01loadedLE]

She looks passive aggressively delighted that she made him so angry though. lol

Funny pic PR thanks for the giggles.