I am a new owner of a 2006 Toyota Corolla "S". 5 speed stick shift, completely loaded, 6 CD player, beautiful phantom gray pearl color with charcoal cloth interior, and a spoiler. It's no sports car, but it's definitely sporty compared to what I was driving before. I test drove it yesterday, and immediately knew it was the "ONE".
I love the car. It has 30,000 miles on it, and cost me a little over 10,000$. Do you think that's a reasonable price? According to KBB, I got a deal considering the price I paid is lower than the actual value which is over $13,000. It's in near mint condition. There isn't a SINGLE scratch, ding or dent, or a bit of rust. The body literally looks like it hasn't even seen the road.
Anyways, before this car, I had been driving a 1994 Toyota Corolla DX, white, automatic. Loved the car but since it was near 17 years old the suspension was going bad, it vibrated HORRIBLY in the winter months, and was starting to feel a little TOO worn in if you know what I mean. I loved it though, it had 148,000 miles when I got rid of it, the motor and tranny were mechanically sound, and I probably could of gotten another 100,000 miles on it. But since I am moving cross country in less than a year, I had to find something that would be more reliable for a 3,000 mile trip, not only that but something that could take me 3,000 miles comfortably. It just wasn't worth putting money into the 94 considering the car wasn't even worth any more than 2,000$.
Since I had previously owned a Corolla, and noticed that it was virtually maintenance free (besides oil changes, brakes and plugs), I had to get another one. Even though my new Corolla isn't brand new, it's pretty darn close considering the low miles. It even has the faint "new car" smell.
A couple questions, are the 9th generation Corollas just as reliable as the older gens? Is there anything I should be looking out for maintenance wise? Any things that could possibly go wrong, any known problems? I'm going to go ahead and replace the air filter, it's a little dirty... but otherwise the car is running mint and I'm so excited to have the manual transmission. Automatic bores the heck out of me.
Thanks in advance to anyone that has any information on the 9th generations. Glad to be here!
Last edited by 2006ToyoCorollaS; 12-28-2010 at 06:38 PM.
I am a new owner of a 2006 Toyota Corolla "S". 5 speed stick shift, completely loaded, 6 CD player, beautiful phantom gray pearl color with charcoal cloth interior, and a spoiler. It's no sports car, but it's definitely sporty compared to what I was driving before. I test drove it yesterday, and immediately knew it was the "ONE".
I love the car. It has 30,000 miles on it, and cost me a little over 10,000$. Do you think that's a reasonable price? According to KBB, I got a deal considering the price I paid is lower than the actual value which is over $13,000. It's in near mint condition. There isn't a SINGLE scratch, ding or dent, or a bit of rust. The body literally looks like it hasn't even seen the road.
Anyways, before this car, I had been driving a 1994 Toyota Corolla DX, white, automatic. Loved the car but since it was near 17 years old the suspension was going bad, it vibrated HORRIBLY in the winter months, and was starting to feel a little TOO worn in if you know what I mean. I loved it though, it had 148,000 miles when I got rid of it, the motor and tranny were mechanically sound, and I probably could of gotten another 100,000 miles on it. But since I am moving cross country in less than a year, I had to find something that would be more reliable for a 3,000 mile trip, not only that but something that could take me 3,000 miles comfortably. It just wasn't worth putting money into the 94 considering the car wasn't even worth any more than 2,000$.
Since I had previously owned a Corolla, and noticed that it was virtually maintenance free (besides oil changes, brakes and plugs), I had to get another one. Even though my new Corolla isn't brand new, it's pretty darn close considering the low miles. It even has the faint "new car" smell.
A couple questions, are the 9th generation Corollas just as reliable as the older gens? Is there anything I should be looking out for maintenance wise? Any things that could possibly go wrong, any known problems? I'm going to go ahead and replace the air filter, it's a little dirty... but otherwise the car is running mint and I'm so excited to have the manual transmission. Automatic bores the heck out of me.
Thanks in advance to anyone that has any information on the 9th generations. Glad to be here!
8th gens are more reliable, although they burn oil. Known problems are bad belt tensioners and crappy intake manifold gaskets, and the biggie is the recall of the ECUs. Do you happen to know if yours was just replaced? I suggest getting floor liners or all weather mats so the salt on your feet doesn't rust out the floor.
8th gens are more reliable, although they burn oil. Known problems are bad belt tensioners and crappy intake manifold gaskets, and the biggie is the recall of the ECUs. Do you happen to know if yours was just replaced? I suggest getting floor liners or all weather mats so the salt on your feet doesn't rust out the floor.
Thanks for the info. Not sure if the ECU was replaced. Although I'm hoping nothing goes wrong. So far so good, but obviously several thousand miles later something could happen. Crossing my fingers.
I do have all weather mats that I switched to my new Corolla from my old one. They are awesome and catch water quite well. Every couple days during the winter, I take them out to drain the water. These mats keep my floor nice and dry during the winter months. Not only do I have the all weather mats, but the stock carpet mats are underneath. I tell everyone that enters my car to kick there boots off. I'm obsessive about not getting water in my car... because I know overtime that can rust the floor out. This is 1 reason why I'm moving away from Ohio, I hate winter, and it KILLS cars.
Thanks again.
Last edited by 2006ToyoCorollaS; 12-28-2010 at 06:16 PM.
For that price, you could have gotten an XRS in similar condition.
Whether the car is reliable or not depends how well the previous owner(s) took care of it.
Well, I wasn't really being choosy. I had been searching for cars for a few weeks, and once I found this one, I had to get it.
It's pretty uncommon to find a fully loaded Corolla that has 30,000 miles, and that has a 5 speed for that price. It was too good to turn down. I could care less if it's an XRS or not, and from what I understand XRS are pretty uncommon, so it'd be like finding a needle in a haystack. Not only this, but performance isn't really my desire at this point. I'm looking for a reliable car that get's me to work and back. And good gas mileage is also my greatest concern. I'd imagine with the increased power in the XRS, the gas mileage wouldn't be as good as it is on a 5 speed S.
I appreciate the info though. There is no telling how well the previous owner took care of it. But I go by what I see... and what I see is a 2006 car that has a perfect body and a clean interior that wasn't smoked in, or abused in any way. I guess that's a good indication that the car was taken care of. I'm very happy with it. And I was able to get my monthly payment down to $195. Which isn't too bad. I wanted to stay under 200. The numbers were good, so I couldn't pass it up.
I take very good care of my cars, and also consider myself a lightweight mechanic, although I don't have all the tools in the world. I'm sure I'll have this car for another 10 years. Like my previous Corolla, I'm planning on driving it until the wheels fall off (although not literally)
By the way, I just looked up Corolla XRS' for sale around me. There was only 1 and it was about 3 hours away. It was a 2005 XRS 6 speed with 111,000 miles, and it was selling for 9,000$. I paid 10,000$ and have less than 1/3rd of the miles on that XRS. Sure I have less power, but the extra 40 hp isn't really what I'm looking for, although it would be fun to have a fast Corolla.
I think I made a good choice. But I guess it's too soon to speak... we'll see how it runs for the first few months.
Last edited by 2006ToyoCorollaS; 12-28-2010 at 10:49 PM.
Yeah maybe I'll do that. The car came with a 1 month warranty (I didn't purchase a warranty because I can't afford it). Is this covered since it's a recall?
Also, what kind of warranty do Toyotas come with? I wonder if I'm still under the factory warranty...
Yeah maybe I'll do that. The car came with a 1 month warranty (I didn't purchase a warranty because I can't afford it). Is this covered since it's a recall?
Also, what kind of warranty do Toyotas come with? I wonder if I'm still under the factory warranty...
Keep us posted The basic 3 year/36000 mile warranty has expired. There should still be 1 more year on the Drivetrain 5 year/60,000 miles and the rust coverage 5 year/unlimited
I am a new owner of a 2006 Toyota Corolla "S". 5 speed stick shift, completely loaded, 6 CD player, beautiful phantom gray pearl color with charcoal cloth interior, and a spoiler. It's no sports car, but it's definitely sporty compared to what I was driving before. I test drove it yesterday, and immediately knew it was the "ONE".
I love the car. It has 30,000 miles on it, and cost me a little over 10,000$. Do you think that's a reasonable price? According to KBB, I got a deal considering the price I paid is lower than the actual value which is over $13,000. It's in near mint condition. There isn't a SINGLE scratch, ding or dent, or a bit of rust. The body literally looks like it hasn't even seen the road.
Anyways, before this car, I had been driving a 1994 Toyota Corolla DX, white, automatic. Loved the car but since it was near 17 years old the suspension was going bad, it vibrated HORRIBLY in the winter months, and was starting to feel a little TOO worn in if you know what I mean. I loved it though, it had 148,000 miles when I got rid of it, the motor and tranny were mechanically sound, and I probably could of gotten another 100,000 miles on it. But since I am moving cross country in less than a year, I had to find something that would be more reliable for a 3,000 mile trip, not only that but something that could take me 3,000 miles comfortably. It just wasn't worth putting money into the 94 considering the car wasn't even worth any more than 2,000$.
Since I had previously owned a Corolla, and noticed that it was virtually maintenance free (besides oil changes, brakes and plugs), I had to get another one. Even though my new Corolla isn't brand new, it's pretty darn close considering the low miles. It even has the faint "new car" smell.
A couple questions, are the 9th generation Corollas just as reliable as the older gens? Is there anything I should be looking out for maintenance wise? Any things that could possibly go wrong, any known problems? I'm going to go ahead and replace the air filter, it's a little dirty... but otherwise the car is running mint and I'm so excited to have the manual transmission. Automatic bores the heck out of me.
Thanks in advance to anyone that has any information on the 9th generations. Glad to be here!
Looks like you got a good deal. I can understand about the 94 Corolla, (though there were some notable changes for later models in that generation) Good luck with the car and I hope it serves you well.
I tried doing research on the ECU problem and a lot of people with 9th Gens (more commonly 06 and 07s) were complaining about their ECU going at around 30,000-60,000 miles. And I fall right in that range.
I also read something about Toyotas having an 8 year emissions warranty, which would cover the ECU replacement, right?
So if I were to take it to a Toyota dealer and ask for a replacement ECU, would they do it free of charge? Wouldn't I have to have a malfunctioning ECU for them to fix it? They wont fix something that hasn't broken yet, correct?
I'm all worried now about the ECU failing while I'm driving and being stranded, lol.
Like I said, I love the car. It's smooth, seems to handle quite well for the kind of car it is, and it actually stays warm in the winter when you turn the heat off. My 94 would turn cold instantly in the winter when you'd turn the heat off. I imagine the car had several leaks from the rubber seals around the windows going bad.
Only thing I've noticed about this car, is sometimes when I go to start it, I have the clutch all the way down but when I turn the key, it won't start.. I have to let go of the clutch and press it again, then it'll start. Not really a big issue, just something I noticed this morning when I was going to work. It doesn't do it all the time... but it concerned me a bit. Other than that, the clutch seems to work fine, and the gears are smooth shifting and tight.
I'm actually impressed with the power on this car. Compared to my 1994, this definitely pulls harder when floored.. maybe because it's a manual as well. And to be honest, I don't care about how fast it is... but it's definitely an upgrade in performance.. is this because of the VVTi technology? And what does that mean exactly? Variable Valve Timing? Please if someone could, explain this a little bit.
I do think I got a good deal. I actually prefer the look of the 9th gens compared to the 10th. And I actually liked the look of the 7th gens more than any other gen. But I had to get rid of it.
Also, when do you guys shift (for optimal gas mileage)? I've been trying to shift at around 2500 rpm.
Thanks again to all of you.
Last edited by 2006ToyoCorollaS; 12-28-2010 at 08:27 PM.
As it is a recall, it doesnt matter the mileage you have on your car. The original owner would get the recall letter and Toyota just started doing the ECU recalls a couple of weeks ago, so it is best to call any Toyota dealer and give them your VIN.
As it is a recall, it doesnt matter the mileage you have on your car. The original owner would get the recall letter and Toyota just started doing the ECU recalls a couple of weeks ago, so it is best to call any Toyota dealer and give them your VIN.
Okay, but what I'm asking is if I call and give them my VIN, can I just come in and get it replaced? Does it have to break before it get's fixed, or will it be replaced free before it malfunctions...
I dont want to wait for it to break and then be stranded you know what I mean?
Thank you, again. Can't thank all of you guys enough. You've been informative and helpful.
I'll call tomorrow after work to set up an appointment for my next day off. Glad I joined this forum or else I probably wouldn't have even known about a recall on the ECU. Were there any other recalls?
Also one quick question... I didn't buy it from a Toyota dealership. Will a different dealership (Toyota) still perform the ECU change? Guessing yes, but I just wanted to make sure before I called.
EDIT: Nevermind, I missed the part where you said that I could call ANY Toyota dealership.
Last edited by PhatRoyale; 12-29-2010 at 07:40 AM.
Looks like you got a good deal. I can understand about the 94 Corolla, (though there were some notable changes for later models in that generation) Good luck with the car and I hope it serves you well.
I also think I got a pretty good deal. It's exactly what I wanted. A loaded Corolla with a 5 speed and low miles. I even got a sliding glass moon-roof. And I love moonroofs in the summer. My 94 had one too. One thing that I also love... the CRUISE CONTROL!! It's nice to have. My 94 was completely loaded but for some reason didn't have cruise. Needless to say, I had tired legs on long trips. Also having a CD player is great. My 94 had the tape deck. Although I wish my 06 had an auxiliary plug for my iPod.
I noticed you're from Cleveland. Me too, small world!
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The basic 3 year/36000 mile warranty has expired. There should still be 1 more year on the Drivetrain 5 year/60,000 miles and the rust coverage 5 year/unlimited
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