Rock chips, I guess....

[Bee44]

Hi

I have an 07 corolla ce. I just noticed today a few pinhole size rust marks on my doors???? I do know that the paint on these cars seems to be crap, but should my car, at 1 year, 8 months old be getting rust?????( pinhole sizes)

I haven't looked into my warranty yet, but I wonder if they would cover this.

I am on the brink of selling this car, due to hard seats,feeling all bumps, crapy paint and a cheap feeling interior, YET, maybe as far as compact cars goes in this price range, maybe it is one of the best ones??? I don't know??? I really don't want to sacrifise the "Toyota engine" because other things bug me about the car.

Second question that I need some advice on is:

Are honda civic's "really" the only comparable car in this price catagory?

Can anyone give me advice to weather or not they have test driven cars in the compact league,ie, nissan sentra, honda civic, elantra,ect,ect and let me know if they all have a bumpy, stiff or rather " unsmooth" ride or would my only option to find a car that drives smoother is to spend more money...

Thanks everyone! Bee

[JasonA]

First, the rust is from rock chips dinging the paint. Bare metal is uncovered, and when not touched up with touch up paint, it will begin to rust. Normal with any car. The warranty likely only covers rust-through (like a hole in a panel). Small rust dots like that are normal wear and tear if you don't ever touch up the rock chips. Buy a small bottle of touch up paint from your dealer and cover up all those rust dots.

I didn't test drive many small cars before I bought my '07 Corolla. I did drive a Civic. It was very loud and rode stiff. This is my first small car (had been driving Cadillacs), and to me, it rides pretty stiff and choppy. But from every single thing I've read, this is as about good as it gets for small cars (the Corolla) in terms of ride comfort. Some smaller cars have a good focus on ride quality (like the Nissan Sentra and Hyundai Elantra), but then you sacrifice something else. If you think the Corolla's interior is cheap, I doubt you'll be impressed with other cars; I'm actually awfully impressed with the interior quality of this car compared with others in the class. I was expecting much less. The 10th gen Corolla seems cheaper to me; this 9th gen car has a lot of soft-touch materials and fabrics.

If you really don't like the small car ride, you'll have to sacrifice something else to get a better ride. Usually, that's going to be "fuel economy", with another small car (like an Elantra) or a larger car like a Camry.

[impulseRED]

well my rolla is an 05' and ovre time ive noticed the seats softening up and aswell as the suspension, aslo if your using the stock tires that could be the reason as well, i upgraded to Goodyear Assurance Triple Treds and now my car feels like it drives on rails no more hydroplaning or slipping when its wet for me
And the funny thing is, for a great tire, they cost less than the stock good year intergritys

[JasonA]

Originally Posted by impulseRED

And the funny thing is, for a great tire, they cost less than the stock good year intergritys

I can't argue with you on the virtues of the TripleTred tires, but dude, where are you tire shopping? The Integrity is one of Goodyear's most inexpensive passenger all season tires...and the TripleTred about their most expensive. Just have a look at Tire Rack, in 195/65R15. The TripleTred is $97 and the Integrity is $77. The price difference is even greater at Sears...the TripleTred is $114 and the Integrity is $84.

Where are you shopping where the TripleTred is cheaper than the Integrity? I need to go there!

[Bee44]

Hi,

So from your opinion you think that it is normal for a 2007 corolla, dark blue (owned 1 year and 8 months) to get rust?

I was so bloody paranoid about rust and constantly was out touching up, but we had a colder than usual winter (Vancouver, BC, Canada) so I could not see or look or really do much at the time.

I was thinking that it must be a defect? People I told seemed shocked.

The rust specks are behind wheels up on door near side body molding.

What would you do?

Take the car to the dealer, where they will sand (my beautiful car) and let them repaint it? I can't leave it.

I was possibly thinking of trading it in for a 2010 corolla prior to this. I wonder if the rust spots will encourge them to chizzle my trade in price down?

You know when you take your car to the dealer and they keep a record of all work done? Well I would hate for that to be on record "that this car was fixed for rust" I am sure it will bring down the trade in value, or selling value at some point in its life.

Corolla paint sucks, I almost drive irradically on the highways to get away from dumptrucks and semitrucks.

Thanks for your imput re the hard drive, I really don't want to go out and try a lot of different cars, knowing that I will have to sacrifice a toyota engine just to get a softer ride!

Thanks, Can't wait for your response, I love my car, I'm really disappointed and I need some advice as what I should do.

Bee

[JasonA]

I replied in your other thread also, but if you had small rock chips that went over the winter un-touched, and you live in a salty climate or an area where they use salt on the road, of course those small rust spots will form. They'd form on any car under the same conditions. Just keep them touched-up and you'll be fine.

And I don't think you have to sacrifice a Toyota engine to get a softer ride, but you will have to sacrifice fuel economy. Last time I rode in a Camry, it was a '99 model, but it rode like cream and butter. I don't know how the new Camry's ride, but it's got to be softer than the Corolla. And you still get a Toyota engine. Just not quite the fuel economy you get with your little 1.8L engine.

[Rdkill]

I have a similar issue on my car, turns out it was some paint overspray of some sort, tiny little dots all over, rust colored and slightly raised. Dealer gave me some cleaner to rub them out.

We have an 04 camry btw and it rides MUCH tighter than my corolla...interior is softer/squishier though :-)