Pre-Purchase Checklist 2005 CE

[early_november]

New forum member. New to Toyota too. I'm looking at purchasing a high mileage 2005 Corolla CE with manual transmission with 132,000 miles. Aside from the easy stuff you'd look at on every car prior to purchase, what are some common problems with this model year?

I see the intake manifold gasket often needs replacing. I read about an output shaft problem, is this getting to be a big concern? Autobeef shows oil sludge to be a concern also.

Thanks in advance. I can do the spark plugs, filters, change to MT-90 etc and most repairs just not tran/engine replacements.

[MD1032]

I recent bought a 2005 "S". I tried 6 other corollas before finally finding one I liked...do not be afraid to be picky. Try multiple cars of this model before buying.

Make sure the ECM has been replaced, that is the #1 priority. There was a recall, so the dealership will offer to take it to a Toyota dealership to have it done for you before you buy the car.

For me, the main thing that varied from car to car was the clutch and transmission. Four of them had horribly stiff transmissions with really worn out synchros, and three of them felt just fine. I hated the C60 transmission featured on the XRS model. Most of them have very stiff (but slippery) clutches, which seems to be normal for these cars.

I haven't had any intake gasket problems myself. The car has driven clean as a whistle from day one. I checked the oil after 4,000 miles and surprisingly, it had very little color and looked almost brand new. As typical with Japanese cars, it doesn't burn any detectable oil.

Don't buy a car that doesn't feel quite "right" when you get into it, or makes you go "ahhhhh, much better" when you get back into your old car. It took me a long time to find the right one, but it was worth the struggle.

[zythr]

Originally Posted by MD1032

I recent bought a 2005 "S". I tried 6 other corollas before finally finding one I liked...do not be afraid to be picky. Try multiple cars of this model before buying.

Make sure the ECM has been replaced, that is the #1 priority. There was a recall, so the dealership will offer to take it to a Toyota dealership to have it done for you before you buy the car.

For me, the main thing that varied from car to car was the clutch and transmission. Four of them had horribly stiff transmissions with really worn out synchros, and three of them felt just fine. I hated the C60 transmission featured on the XRS model. Most of them have very stiff (but slippery) clutches, which seems to be normal for these cars.

I haven't had any intake gasket problems myself. The car has driven clean as a whistle from day one. I checked the oil after 4,000 miles and surprisingly, it had very little color and looked almost brand new. As typical with Japanese cars, it doesn't burn any detectable oil.

Don't buy a car that doesn't feel quite "right" when you get into it, or makes you go "ahhhhh, much better" when you get back into your old car. It took me a long time to find the right one, but it was worth the struggle.

Is this a subtle suggestion that the OP would be better off buying a new Corolla?

[zythr]

Originally Posted by early_november

New forum member. New to Toyota too. I'm looking at purchasing a high mileage 2005 Corolla CE with manual transmission with 132,000 miles. Aside from the easy stuff you'd look at on every car prior to purchase, what are some common problems with this model year?

I see the intake manifold gasket often needs replacing. I read about an output shaft problem, is this getting to be a big concern? Autobeef shows oil sludge to be a concern also.

Thanks in advance. I can do the spark plugs, filters, change to MT-90 etc and most repairs just not tran/engine replacements.

...If you just must buy this car, also make sure that the Valve Clearance has been checked and if needed adjusted.

[MD1032]

Originally Posted by zythr

Is this a subtle suggestion that the OP would be better off buying a new Corolla?

??? Not at all! In November, I bought a high mileage 2005 Corolla after a couple months of shopping for high mileage 9th gen corollas. I have not even been in one of the new Corollas and could not comment on how they compare to the 9th generation. What I do know is that I feel that my persistence while shopping paid off.

Originally Posted by zythr

...If you just must buy this car, also make sure that the Valve Clearance has been checked and if needed adjusted.

I have never heard that this was very important, and I never checked for it before. What difference would it make? We have never had the valve clearances adjusted on our Hondas in the past and the guys at our local shops and dealerships basically told us that it wasn't worth the hassle...but this is my first time owning a variable cam/timing vehicle, so I don't know.

[early_november]

Originally Posted by MD1032

Don't buy a car that doesn't feel quite "right" when you get into it, or makes you go "ahhhhh, much better" when you get back into your old car. It took me a long time to find the right one, but it was worth the struggle.

Couldn't have described my feelings betterafter getting back into my normal car. The Corolla was just garbage on the inside. Clutch peddle had what felt like 2 inches of give. Thank you and everyone else for the responses. I'm going to keep searching until I find the right one.

[Bob Shiftright]

Lower mileage is generally better than higher mileage. The Corolla is an amazingly sane car, and the buyer age demographic is higher than Toyota would like anyone to think. You might consider looking around in areas where there are a lot of retirement communities to find a low mileage example.

I'm normally a manual transmission guy, but I've read about issues with the Corolla's (and Matrix) 5-speed. I don't know if you'd end up saving much with a manual transmission CE versus an AT equipped LE that is probably more common. It might ultimately cost a lot more if you need to replace the transmission.

[MD1032]

Keep in mind that Toyota builds their own automatic transmissions, and they are higher quality than those of some other brands that outsource it. If you buy an auto, you should expect it to last a very long time.

Originally Posted by early_november

Couldn't have described my feelings betterafter getting back into my normal car. The Corolla was just garbage on the inside. Clutch peddle had what felt like 2 inches of give. Thank you and everyone else for the responses. I'm going to keep searching until I find the right one.

To a some extent, you cannot do anything about this. The Corolla is a cheap, plastic-ey commuter car, and the majority of the engineering goes into the drivetrain...but personally, I appreciate the fact that the Corolla is far quieter on the road, handles better, is more comfortable, and shifts more smoothly than its competition. The differences aren't huge compared to other Japanese brands but if you try to compare this car to, say, a 2005 GM or Ford Focus, you will think much more highly of Toyota's efforts.

[hardtopte72]

Originally Posted by MD1032

Keep in mind that Toyota builds their own automatic transmissions, and they are higher quality than those of some other brands that outsource it. If you buy an auto, you should expect it to last a very long time.




To a some extent, you cannot do anything about this. The Corolla is a cheap, plastic-ey commuter car, and the majority of the engineering goes into the drivetrain...but personally, I appreciate the fact that the Corolla is far quieter on the road, handles better, is more comfortable, and shifts more smoothly than its competition. The differences aren't huge compared to other Japanese brands but if you try to compare this car to, say, a 2005 GM or Ford Focus, you will think much more highly of Toyota's efforts.

So very true.

And to add remember don't take everything on a forum as fact. I worked at a dealer for 3 years and never saw one Corolla or Matrix or Celica in with a blown transmission. I read all the stuff here and asked a friend who works at another dealer. He never saw one either. Just use good transmission oil like redline or amsoil and you will be good. I Only ever saw one sludge 1ZZFE and it was get this 25k no oil change before it finally spun the bearing. As for the clutch pedal being high they all are from the factory. They have to be adjusted and bled. Not to mention you got in a CE which doesn't have the nicer LE seats. Mine has 102k on it CE 5 Speed. It drives like brand new. original brakes all around. Doesn't burn a drop of oil.

[early_november]

I should have been more clear, I was not referring to the plastic-y interior but rather the appalling amount of dirt/grime/crayon/marker/ and filth everywhere. I loved how the engine compartment looked, tons of room to do any repairs and super simple. But the condition of the vehicle was beyond repair.

[MD1032]

Originally Posted by early_november

I should have been more clear, I was not referring to the plastic-y interior but rather the appalling amount of dirt/grime/crayon/marker/ and filth everywhere. I loved how the engine compartment looked, tons of room to do any repairs and super simple. But the condition of the vehicle was beyond repair.

Part of buying a used car for me was coming to grips with the fact that the majority of used cars out there are junk. The good ones get bought fast, and good cars by their nature are unlikely to make it to the market in the first place unless the owner is itching to get something new.

Oddly enough the #1 dealbreaker for me was cigarette smoke. About half the cars I drove had been smoked in. It's always a disappointment to drive 30 miles to see a car and have it be ruined within the first 10 seconds you see it, but such is life. Be careful, too...a lot of these shady used car dealers stink up their cars with air fresheners to mask it. I was fooled on one of them but my dad came with me that day and was able to detect the smoke and found evidence of ash that they failed to clean up.