Pros and Cons of owning a Corolla

[Jayden]

Hello All,
I currently own a 1995 Mercedes C280 (2.8L, V6), however, I am interested in the 2009+ Corolla because my car is not very fuel efficient, and the maintenance costs are outrageous. It seems every 6 months or so, the CE light comes on, which means a $500+ transaction at my repair facility.

I have had a chance to drive the Corolla, and I personally like the S edition, with an automatic transmission.

I’d like to know your thoughts on the vehicle. What are the pros and cons? Would you suggest buying new or used?
I’d greatly appreciate any input.

[ekimnal]

well
i dont think anyone here is going to steer you away from a toyota, especially the corolla

Pro:
- great on gas
- low maintenance
- very reliable
- and a whole bunch others...just hitting the main ones above

Con:
- wont have as much power as you old car
- might need to get used to the new electronic power steering
- if you love the corolla as much as we do, you'll be spending as much money (if not, more) on modding the car as you were fixing your old one
$$$

[Dimaoala]

to the Forum

New or used is pretty much your preference, but I'm sure you can get a great deal on a used 2009 S like I did with my first one, we got it for 13K OTD. But of course it will vary from dealer, location, and the car itself.

The Pros would be great gas mileage, having extra space around the car (very roomy), very sporty looking since your going for the S model. No problems with it so it was very reliable. Never drove the automatic, so wouldn't know how it drives, but I loved my 5 Spd manual S, gave me a kick whenever I wanted it.

Cons can't really think about much.. one thing that bothered me the most was how high the suspension was for the Corolla.

I'm sure other's can give more when they reply

Overall the Corolla is a great car, my first one got totaled, and I got another one, but the Xrs this time

[FlawedLegacy]

Originally Posted by ekimnal

- if you love the corolla as much as we do, you'll be spending as much money (if not, more) on modding the car as you were fixing your old one
$$$

My wallet says this is a Con, my heart says this is a MUST

LOVE my Corolla! Bought this b/c in short, a 00 Corolla saved my life when some Dodge Super Duty truck towing two full sized vans decided to use me as his brakes when coming to a stop from 70ish mph on the highway in rush hour.

(will list what others have said so you know my complete thoughts)

Pro:
RELIABLE
"Cheap"
Maint is minimal
RELIABLE
MPG
Sporty "econo-car"
RELIABLE
Mods and this forum for support/ideas
Once modded, will stand out as not many of these are modded
RELIABLE

Con:
Mods may consume your budget
Mods may consume your time
Not "fast" (see "econo-car" pro)
Performance mods are fairly expensive
Some people have claimed the interior feels "cheap" (fine by me)
Some people have complained about the electronic steering (takes getting use to but fine for me)

that's about all I can think of for now. One thing I will say is to get the trim and options you want as most people tend to regret not getting Option X later on.

[a77ms25]

corolla is great car but not as Mercedes C280
first thing you will discover the sound isolation its not great as mercedes, the 2nd thing the suspension is different specially on patchy pavement and the car body is tender as in most new cars

but the benefit
1- new car ( maintenance free for long time) + long life car
2- reliable
4- quiet engine
5- better acceleration than mercedes 1995
6- good gas mileage

[Jayden]

I'm glad to hear such positive things about the Corolla. I am mostly concerned with fuel economy, more than mods. Though mods would certainly be awesome! How about the turning radius?

My boyfriend has a 2006 4Runner, which I frequently drive, and I love it! I'm amazed at how well the car handles, and how responsive Toyota's are. I feel like I am doing calf stretches when I press the gas on my car!

[cabur]

Originally Posted by a77ms25

corolla is great car but not as Mercedes C280
first thing you will discover the sound isolation its not great as mercedes, the 2nd thing the suspension is different specially on patchy pavement and the car body is tender as in most new cars

but the benefit
1- new car ( maintenance free for long time) + long life car
2- reliable
4- quiet engine
5- better acceleration than mercedes 1995
6- good gas mileage

Very true.

Originally Posted by Jayden

Hello All,
I currently own a 1995 Mercedes C280 (2.8L, V6), however, I am interested in the 2009+ Corolla because my car is not very fuel efficient, and the maintenance costs are outrageous. It seems every 6 months or so, the CE light comes on, which means a $500+ transaction at my repair facility.

I have had a chance to drive the Corolla, and I personally like the S edition, with an automatic transmission.

I’d like to know your thoughts on the vehicle. What are the pros and cons? Would you suggest buying new or used?
I’d greatly appreciate any input.

My last car was a BMW 535I. Traded it for the Corolla for the same reason as you as you are facing. High upkeep and high cost to run.
It's a different class of car but have no regrets and completely happy with Corolla.

[ilikebass7]

Turning radius is good! I think that the corolla is a great choice for what your looking to buy and at a good price range. Looks good, drives pretty well stock, great gas mileage and reliable. I bought it with no intention of mods and after being on here got addicted haha. Good luck though!

[got-rice]

There are plenty of choices in this segment. If you can wait, test drive the 2012 Ford Focus or Hyundai Elantra when they come out. If not, try the Honda Civic too, and see which car suits you the best. Right now, most dealers have 2010 Corollas left so you should be able to get a deal on one before 2011s get in. Definitely, the S is probably the best model to buy IMO.

[Jayden]

Got-rice, that is a good suggestion. I actually have sat inside the Civic and the Mazda3, and I don't particularly care for them. Specifically, what I call the 'shelves'. I like the speedo and radio options to be in their usual places.
I will definitely look into the Focus and the Elantra as well.

ilikebass, If I do decide to buy one, I will probably become hooked! Lol. I can only imagine... especially coming from my little Grandma car to a sportier car... $$!

[Biftek]

Welcome Jay

I won't lie about the Corolla...
IT'S THE BEST THING TO HAPPEN TO MY LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!
But in all seriousness it's good fuel economy and cheap maintenance. I used it for the census and it required a lot of driving and it did last me all 7 days which is a whole lot better than every 4 days on my '96 civic.
A few months back I drove to New Jersey then up to Canada and back and it was a smooth drive, smoother than LL Cool J. They were actually impressed at the border and asked me a thing or two about the car.

Most people get the S cuz of the sporty look and the interior on it looks way better than the LE which is the one I have. I thought about the XRS but decided to go with the LE and I can't really complain about the power, it's pretty quick & responsive and yes I'll be honest I did my fair share of speeding with a Porsche in New York (eventhough he made a fool out of me) but I kept up driving around the curves and trailers at 110mph. (Don't speed guys, leave it for controlled environments)

Another thing was the suspension but I got the TRD springs and had a friend install them and it definetely looks sexier and to me I didn't really find it all that expensive.

Give the car a chance, it could revolutionize your life & all the other ones who surround you.

Reliability:
(My mother has a 2000 Corolla & it's still running like she bought it yesterday)

[ilikebass7]

haha yeah mods do cost some mulah but worth it especially when your car is more fun and safer and also looks better.

[Jayden]

I'm getting more and more excited. 7 days is great! I only drive my car 4-5 days a week, and it guzzles the gas like no other. I put in $30 on Monday, and my car is almost empty again. It's unbelievable.

I'm working on taking care of some financial obligations right now (Changing insurance, paying for school) but once I get those taken care of, I should be good to go. I just don't want to push my financial luck.

[Biftek]

I had that same problem with my Civic it said 22 mph but it was hard to believe it being old and all and I did drive around a lot but now with the Corolla I can drive to Cuba & back on half a tank, you know?! xD

You should definetely take care of business before jumping into a new car. Best of luck!

[SuperchargedMR2]

to TN.

I've owned several Corollas over the years & each one has been a great car. I bought my 09 S 2 years ago with the thought of leaving it stock. Not long after driving it though I started to think about new wheels & away I went. I love my mods though as the car is so much fun to drive, but I also have a 5-speed manual, and it retains all of its stock benefits.