Disappointed in 2010 Corolla

[jeffmazz]

This thread is not meant to knock the Corolla. The following is simply an opinion and observations.
I traded a 2007 Honda Civic with 120,000 miles in for my current 2010 Corolla. I now have 50,000 miles on the vehicle and I must say I'm very disappointed in the Corolla. I just had the TSB for the timing gear/chain tensioner taken care of which seems to have taken care of the knocking noise on startup. I didn't bother to have the steering issue addressed because I got used to the drift issue and it doesn't bother me anymore. I now have an issue with the auto transmission. Every now and then when it downshifts it slams into gear and rattles the entire car. I'll be taking it back to the dealer for this issue. I'm also having an intermittent problem with the radio. When I press any button on the radio it shuts off. You can't change stations or do anything else. When you press any button again it will turn back on again. Weirdest thing I've ever seen. Back to the dealer for that as well.

Some observations comparing the Corolla to the Civic:
Audio system in the LE Corolla is terrible. Reception is bad and audio sound quality is not as good as the Civic.
Civic at 120,000 miles was tighter and more rattle free than the Corolla at 50,000 miles.
Never a problem with the Civic in 120,000 miles.
Corolla needs alignment now at 50,000 miles (wiped out the l/f tire). Civic got first alignment at 100,000 miles but didn't need it as it was still within spec's.
Civic w/5 speed auto delivered 40 - 41 MPG for me. Corolla w/4 speed auto delivers 38 - 39 MPG. Not a big deal but there is a difference.
I prefer the dash in the Civic to the Corolla. The push button HVAC controls are much more user friendly than the dial controls in the Corolla. The Civic also shows the odometer and trip odometer at the same time. The Corolla requires you to toggle.

Again, I'm not saying the Corolla is not a good car. My experience hasn't been good with this vehicle.

[nitronate33]

toyotas are not what they used to be. i thought this was something that people knew. i would say that since the early 2000's the overall quality has continued to drop.

my wife's 2005 toyota has a very solid engine that will certainly run a long time, but there are a lot of other annoying problems that have popped up once the car topped 100K. it's a toyota, 100K should be nothing. so far, it's been the cv axles, leaky oil pan and now something is up with the power steering.

the thing is, people who love toyotas tend to ignore all the problems and are completely in denial about toyota quality. even my wife rationalizes all the problems, saying "well how long is a power steering pump supposed to last?" anything to keep that impression in their head going.

i drive a subaru and a ford, i don't buy into all the b.s. hype about cars. it's all about individual models and model years, it's not about the make. the best kia is better than the worst toyota and that goes for every make.

[joeylgarcia]

Originally Posted by nitronate33

the best kia is better than the worst toyota and that goes for every make.

so true. but i personally love the 10th gen corolla. minus the recalls, some very minor issues which have been observed by co-corolla owners. besides it is the corolla that i can afford. i may want a bentley but i cannot afford it. i can also afford a kia so easily but i do not want to be seen driving a kia. LOL

[PhatRoyale]

Originally Posted by jeffmazz

This thread is not meant to knock the Corolla. The following is simply an opinion and observations.
I traded a 2007 Honda Civic with 120,000 miles in for my current 2010 Corolla. I now have 50,000 miles on the vehicle and I must say I'm very disappointed in the Corolla. I just had the TSB for the timing gear/chain tensioner taken care of which seems to have taken care of the knocking noise on startup. I didn't bother to have the steering issue addressed because I got used to the drift issue and it doesn't bother me anymore. I now have an issue with the auto transmission. Every now and then when it downshifts it slams into gear and rattles the entire car. I'll be taking it back to the dealer for this issue. I'm also having an intermittent problem with the radio. When I press any button on the radio it shuts off. You can't change stations or do anything else. When you press any button again it will turn back on again. Weirdest thing I've ever seen. Back to the dealer for that as well.

Some observations comparing the Corolla to the Civic:
Audio system in the LE Corolla is terrible. Reception is bad and audio sound quality is not as good as the Civic.
Civic at 120,000 miles was tighter and more rattle free than the Corolla at 50,000 miles.
Never a problem with the Civic in 120,000 miles.
Corolla needs alignment now at 50,000 miles (wiped out the l/f tire). Civic got first alignment at 100,000 miles but didn't need it as it was still within spec's.
Civic w/5 speed auto delivered 40 - 41 MPG for me. Corolla w/4 speed auto delivers 38 - 39 MPG. Not a big deal but there is a difference.
I prefer the dash in the Civic to the Corolla. The push button HVAC controls are much more user friendly than the dial controls in the Corolla. The Civic also shows the odometer and trip odometer at the same time. The Corolla requires you to toggle.

Again, I'm not saying the Corolla is not a good car. My experience hasn't been good with this vehicle.

Welcome to the new Toyota. Your experience along with countless others similar to yours are reasons why I don't drive a new Toyota.

Originally Posted by nitronate33

toyotas are not what they used to be. i thought this was something that people knew. i would say that since the early 2000's the overall quality has continued to drop.

my wife's 2005 toyota has a very solid engine that will certainly run a long time, but there are a lot of other annoying problems that have popped up once the car topped 100K. it's a toyota, 100K should be nothing. so far, it's been the cv axles, leaky oil pan and now something is up with the power steering.

the thing is, people who love toyotas tend to ignore all the problems and are completely in denial about toyota quality. even my wife rationalizes all the problems, saying "well how long is a power steering pump supposed to last?" anything to keep that impression in their head going.

i drive a subaru and a ford, i don't buy into all the b.s. hype about cars. it's all about individual models and model years, it's not about the make. the best kia is better than the worst toyota and that goes for every make.

I'm guessing you're really meaning to say that the worst Kia is better than the best Toyota right?

[gold94corolla]

yeah, you are having an average experience because you changed cars. A lot of people who have a 10th gen now either haven't driven a good/nice car, it is their first car, or their previous car was much older. The Corolla was never built to be a fun car or even enjoyed, but to get you from point A to B.

[SARdog6]

Jeff, I have the same transmission issue with my 2010 S, intermittent harsh downshifting, going to have it looked into when I get my next oil change, I'll keep you posted. Let me know what your dealer has to say as well.
Other than the minor issues with the 10th gen. Corolla, I love it, used to have a 2002 LE, this is a big improvement over that model, and even more so when compared to my dad's old '87 Corolla hatchback. (Before anyone asks, no, it wasn't the AE-86 :p )

[cabur]

Originally Posted by gold94corolla

yeah, you are having an average experience because you changed cars. A lot of people who have a 10th gen now either haven't driven a good/nice car, it is their first car, or their previous car was much older. The Corolla was never built to be a fun car or even enjoyed, but to get you from point A to B.

Agree 100%.
Corolla suits my requirements. I did not expect too much when I got it and still is pleasantly surprised at how refine it is.

[SuperchargedMR2]

Originally Posted by jeffmazz

This thread is not meant to knock the Corolla. The following is simply an opinion and observations.
I traded a 2007 Honda Civic with 120,000 miles in for my current 2010 Corolla. I now have 50,000 miles on the vehicle and I must say I'm very disappointed in the Corolla. I just had the TSB for the timing gear/chain tensioner taken care of which seems to have taken care of the knocking noise on startup. I didn't bother to have the steering issue addressed because I got used to the drift issue and it doesn't bother me anymore. I now have an issue with the auto transmission. Every now and then when it downshifts it slams into gear and rattles the entire car. I'll be taking it back to the dealer for this issue. I'm also having an intermittent problem with the radio. When I press any button on the radio it shuts off. You can't change stations or do anything else. When you press any button again it will turn back on again. Weirdest thing I've ever seen. Back to the dealer for that as well.

Some observations comparing the Corolla to the Civic:
Audio system in the LE Corolla is terrible. Reception is bad and audio sound quality is not as good as the Civic.
Civic at 120,000 miles was tighter and more rattle free than the Corolla at 50,000 miles.
Never a problem with the Civic in 120,000 miles.
Corolla needs alignment now at 50,000 miles (wiped out the l/f tire). Civic got first alignment at 100,000 miles but didn't need it as it was still within spec's.
Civic w/5 speed auto delivered 40 - 41 MPG for me. Corolla w/4 speed auto delivers 38 - 39 MPG. Not a big deal but there is a difference.
I prefer the dash in the Civic to the Corolla. The push button HVAC controls are much more user friendly than the dial controls in the Corolla. The Civic also shows the odometer and trip odometer at the same time. The Corolla requires you to toggle.

Again, I'm not saying the Corolla is not a good car. My experience hasn't been good with this vehicle.

My experience has been very different. On these forums you seem to see a greater % of people that talk about things that go wrong vs. right. My 09 Corolla S has been a great car. My audio system was the JBL & worked flawlessly & sounded great. The alignment issue could also be due to a pothole or other road issue & not the car since any car could need an alignment. The mpg results you are getting are still excellent since the EPA hwy is 35 mpg & combined is 30 mpg. I like the dial controls, very simple & easy to see & use.

Originally Posted by joeylgarcia

so true. but i personally love the 10th gen corolla. minus the recalls, some very minor issues which have been observed by co-corolla owners. besides it is the corolla that i can afford. i may want a bentley but i cannot afford it. i can also afford a kia so easily but i do not want to be seen driving a kia. LOL

I love my 10th Gen too. I've only had the one recall done for the shim for the gas pedal. I've never had any drifting issue or anything else. I could afford to buy a lot of more expensive cars but I enjoy my Corolla.

Originally Posted by PhatRoyale

Welcome to the new Toyota. Your experience along with countless others similar to yours are reasons why I don't drive a new Toyota.

I've bough 3 new Toyotas in the last 4 years. A 07 Matrix XR, 09 Corolla S & 10 Prius III. All 3 have been great cars & were exactly what we expected them to be, trouble free reliable cars that delivered just like all my other Toyotas have done over the past 30 years.

Originally Posted by gold94corolla

yeah, you are having an average experience because you changed cars. A lot of people who have a 10th gen now either haven't driven a good/nice car, it is their first car, or their previous car was much older. The Corolla was never built to be a fun car or even enjoyed, but to get you from point A to B.

many Corolla owners have owned a Corolla in the past & enjoyed it. FAct of the matter is that 95+% buy a car to only get from A to B. The Corolla rides nice but has a decent chassis that with a few upgrades can be made to handle really well & made much more fun to drive.

[msncorolla422]

Well sorry that your are not satisfied with the corolla. I personally have the exact opposite experience. My friends with their civics likes my corolla much more because they hate the dash on the new civics not the old ones but they arent a fan of the double deck ones. I've had no problems while they have a lot of small little things. They had problems with the drivetrain and some small things but honestly most cars you never know what they are going to do. Like my chevy has never gone problem free its entire life and it's like 12 years old. While my relatives have never had a problem. No car is going to be perfect and they never will be. It just so happens that this corolla needs a little bit more attention. Like my 80's and 90's honda's we had...nothing but problems. but that was a long time ago so I cant really say. Honda and everyone has improved in many ways. Oh and ask some other membeers here who are already on 150k+ miles and just had to do standard maintenance.

[gold94corolla]

^^^ well yeah, a lot of it has to do with preference. The way the dash looks, the feel, the ride, etc, is all preference to some degree. The trick is to find the right car for you. Otherwise, everyone would drive the same car!

Originally Posted by SuperchargedMR2

many Corolla owners have owned a Corolla in the past & enjoyed it. FAct of the matter is that 95+% buy a car to only get from A to B. The Corolla rides nice but has a decent chassis that with a few upgrades can be made to handle really well & made much more fun to drive.

Yeah, this is true 100%.... I loved my Corolla and it is such a good solid platform to build a fun car with some tweaks and money. But if you are looking for a fun car, you should look elsewhere unless you plan on dumping money into the Corolla. This is why I decided to get the IS300 instead of another Corolla.

[blk09rollale]

definitely a point A to B car. my experience though has been pretty rock solid. i wish the steering was better but overall my '09 is like a tank.

[scottfarm]

Go buy a new Camaro. You'll be glad to have the corolla after that. I bought a 2011 $30K Camaro that was in the shop every week for two months. Heater core went bad and they had to take the windsheild out to replace it. Took 3 weeks to get the winsheild. Serious drivetrain vibration that they said was normal. Car leaked when it rained. Air conditioner went out. Severe loud popping in front suspension that they could not fix. I traded it for the corolla and oh what a feeling not going to the shop every week. I have a 2000 tundra with 235K miles and a 2008 avalon. Have been a toyota man for 35 years. I really liked the looks of the camaro and said, what the hell, I'll try GM, What a mistake. Getting rid of that car was the best feeling I ever had.

[gold94corolla]

haha, well we aren't talking GM trash. Of course the Corolla is better than that

Now, go buy a Lexus IS and that will be a different story...

[nevermind65]

My experience has been 50/50. The car gets great mileage, handles pretty good, has a decent (not great) amount of power, and seems to be a relatively decent built car. Unfortunately, I've had a brake issue that the dealer was to incompetent to fix, and driving on the turnpike is an experience best not suited for the Corolla. Get behind a semi truck and you have to hang on the wheel with both hands or on a windy day. Mine had somewhat of a drifting issue, but they supposedly aligned it and it did make it a lot better. Again, not fix it, but a lot better.

I bought a Toyota because I've had many in the past. They all ran seemingly forever without a problem. With this Corolla, I've realized it is not any different than any other car maker these days. The next time I buy, I will look around. I may buy another, but I won't blindly go to a Toyota next time.

[TACO_KID]

read-on brother Engine Block C R A C K E D !!

Toyota quality just went in the crapper last few years. i test drove mazda, honda, hyundai and almost went with civic but i bought the corolla because i knew someone at a dealer. i should have went with civic.