Wrecked My Car, Have Little Money, Need Suggestions...

  • Thread starter Kent
  • 96 comments
  • 4,413 views
Living in a country inundated with Japanese cars (and many at the crappy end of the spectrum), I can safely say that YES, Toyotas do have their problems.

But the average owner, if he follows the service schedules and rituals religiously, shouldn't find many problems from the old Corolla. (yes, the manual, please). I've seen 10 year old Corollas hopelessly in need of overhauls, and I've seen 15 year old ones doing fine. It all depends on the owner/previous owner and conditions... also a bit of luck, I guess. Statistically, though, you have a better chance of avoiding major repairs with one.
 
niky
hehe... devil's advocate... I support TwinTurboJay's Sentra SE nomination... you can put over 200k miles on that motor AND turbo it... but then, that's just for nutters like me... go on with the Toyota discussion. :lol:
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I nominate the Sentra SE too.
 
1986-1989 Honda Accord LXI. Stick preferred. They're old, a little slower than most would like but they've got a good torque range, and they are DEPENDABLE. They ALSO easily get 35mpg if maintained well. They dont break down for nothin. Yes, they burn a little oil here and there if you drive it hard, but if you dont, then you'll be fine.

I have an 88 honda accord, but mine isnt stock (completely). Besides, theres lots of low-cost custom performance modifications you can get to give it a little more go, if you'd like.. I know of a website for 3rd generation accords (like the ones im telling you about).

These cars are all over. You might notice this. It's not because "everybody loves them" or theyre "the performance choice", but its because they're DEPENDABLE. So they might rust a little in bad weather, but its easy to find a nice 3rd gen accord for cheap. Especially if it has a few spots of rust.

I got my 88 accord for $2100, with a perfect body condition and everything stock, well maintained to boot. Heck, if you wanna throw 900$ into the motor to make it faster, DO IT! Atleast that way its a bit more peppy to suit your wants. It handles like a dream too. Especially with aftermarket suspension in it.. But you dont need that for good handling.

Okay, i'll shut up now.
 
Yeah...in general, Toyotas are reliable, but when one decides to be a lemon, it does it with gusto! :lol:
 
Still on the search here and I just got an offer for a '95 Camry SE (2 Door).

Any words of advice on what this car's good and bad traits are?

It's a 4cyl with 180,000 miles.

Thanks for any wise words. 👍
 
Kent
Still on the search here and I just got an offer for a '95 Camry SE (2 Door).

Any words of advice on what this car's good and bad traits are?

It's a 4cyl with 180,000 miles.

Thanks for any wise words. 👍
Click to expand...

It'll be good on gas and the engine and drivetrain will last forever, but rust might be a problem (though it might be young enough to have escaped this common Japanese-car issue). Just to be safe, inspect the car to see if it has any.

It won't be the most exciting car to drive, but it'll get you from A to B. On the plus side, subjectively, that's the sharpest-looking generation of Camry, IMO. :)
 
Kent
Still on the search here and I just got an offer for a '95 Camry SE (2 Door).

Any words of advice on what this car's good and bad traits are?

It's a 4cyl with 180,000 miles.

Thanks for any wise words. 👍
Click to expand...

Kent
Remember... Longevity, reliability, MPG, functionality, those are my concerns.
Not great looks and a "fast" engine.
Click to expand...

Longevity, check... reliability, check... Mpg, check... functionality, check... I think everythings covered pretty well.
 
meh, i just say get a beater until you can save up for something you really like/love.
i used to have a EF civic (late 80s-early 90s) and that thing was awful, but it was not stock and it still had no cajones X- P it actually died and i got it towed across town. i straight traded it for something that i love, a 88 golf GTI 16valve, it might take premium but its still ok on gas and it is oh so much fun to take on a late night rip <8- D

can anyone say "three wheel motion"?
i don't have to, i just let the car do the talking :)

but anyway, it is a nice little car, i can fit my friends in there and im pretty comfortable, but its a bit loud and the gearing is pretty short so im at like 4,000 rpms at 70mph in 5th, peak torque is at 4250 so its pretty easy to pass people.
 
having read all the suggestions, I have a couple of my own to add, having owned 12 vehicles, now, in 11 years of driving.

best idea of the thread, Avoid GM...mostly cause of craptacular engines. had nothing but emissions and milage problems so far...

toyotas may be bullettproof, but not COMPLETELY
I had in my posession an 83 Camry LE...stuffed to the gills with everything but air, a 15k dollar car in 83!
some moron destroyed the engine. the head and cam gaskets were replaced with blue goo, and there were inch deep oil puddles on the plugs. someone tell me: how do you beat up a toyota??! it was so bad I couldn't get 25 MPG out of it

unfortunately, it seems to me that insurers basically consider anything out of the "4 door sedan" group a sports car...unless it's got a bed and/or 4wd.

i don't, personally thing there is such a thing as high MPG, low price and low insurance rates yet.
accord/camry and the likes of a V6 powered front drive four door sedan seem to generate the lowest insurance rates (a 4 banger in a midsize [US designation] is a mondo mistake.

if your really desperate, I have a fully loaded 91 taurus LX sitting here gathering dust...
 
There's tons of techs at out place who work on the old '92-'96, '97-'01 Camrys; they're quite durable, and the tech I work with say they are easy and cheap to maintain.

My wife and I also have a 2WD '00 Honda CR-V, I've seen the prices for the '97-'01 models in the $4000-$9000 range, and we've literally had not one problem with the car. They aren't all that desireable for theives, despite the fact it's built on the Civic platform. The driving position is a little wierd, but my wife likes it.

Gil
You can probably afford the Corolla I suggested many posts back (2002 model) and as I recall the 3-spd auto should be avoided.
Click to expand...
That auto tranny was fairly strong in my '93 Corolla, and although it didn't inspire spirited drivng, it never failed to allow me to downshift to 2nd at highway speeds. however, since the car hasd no tach, I always fretted an engine disaster when trying to pass a slower car with WOT at 65-70 mph. It never happened, amazingly.

It shed a few trim minor bits, but nothing I couldn't install yourself with a clip puller and/or a little help. By the way, those old 10th-generation 3-speed Corollas actually have differentials.

The only serious repairs I needed were an A/C compressor and clutch and a master brake cylinder; not bad during the interval from 117,000-136,000 miles.


Not an exciting car, not many features (well, mine was a stripped-down base model), but you can buy them for $2000 or less all day long. There's even a wagon version, if you need to haul extra stuff, and they come with sunroofs, if I'm not mistaken.

Wolfe2x7
Yeah...in general, Toyotas are reliable, but when one decides to be a lemon, it does it with gusto!
Click to expand...
Well, something's got to put a roof over my head and food on the table!

As for American cars, I don't have much of an opinion, since I've never owned anything but a Neon (it's built in Mexico, anyhow). But mine held together quite well over 7 years, except for the a/c (twice).
 
Well,
The 2 door camry is out of the question.
Why? :lol:
Went to check it out and as I left the scene I looked at the exhaust (naturally). Sure enough, the entire under-carriage and exhaust system was orange- Rust Orange. :yuck:

Don't forget where I live now! Hurricane Katrina hit my area hard and all the idiots from South of The Lake came straight to my town (on the northshore of the lake).

I'm almost dead-sure it was a flood car (privately owned and rusted like that says "flood car, no insurance" to me). :lol:

On a positive note:
My parents re-financed the house so my budget grew a bit.
Right now a truck is out of the question. :(
I drove an 05 tacoma (TRD) and it rode like crap. 👎
Same for an 02 Frontier (sorry if that offends truck owners but I can't deny how bad the ride was compared to my old camry).

To start: I'm not going to finance a used-car without a warranty (which is pretty much all used cars that aren't "certified" and "certified" might as well mean "over 20k." :indiff:

So I went to all the various dealers and the one car that actually caught my eye, my wallet, my spec-head side, and my rear-end was the ... Now get this... Chevy Cobalt. :eek:

What in the world? How could this be?
A brand new 06 cobalt with "7" miles, 2 doors, 140hp, under 3,000 lbs., and bucket seats? :scared:

But the ride was nicer than the Hondas and Toyotas in the price range ($13,000).
The whole package felt great (very suprising to me).

Now try not to flame me for saying all that but it's the truth, I was shocked by how nice the car actually performed on all the factors I've mentioned.

My only concern is long term reliability but that is negated to some extent by the great warranty offered. :confused:

Not sure exactly what I'm going to do but as of now, the Cobalt is looking pretty nice. :boggled:
(none of these pics are from the "SS" model)


 
Well, no duh on the trucks... a pickup is always going to be sore on the rear end compared to a car...

If you like the Cobalt, well... go for it! As long as you like it, who cares what car-snobs say? (I actually think it's pretty nice... surely much better than the Optra/Forenza we get here).
 
If you like the Cobalt, I say go for it. Opels have never been very reliable cars, but maybe this one is better.
 
Wolfe2x7
If you like the Cobalt, I say go for it. Opels have never been very reliable cars, but maybe this one is better.
Click to expand...

:lol:
That's craziness... Not because of what you say about Opel but for how you compare Chevy's Cobalt. :lol:
Being that most Americans only know of Opel through International racing and videos games, which popularize touring cars and street cars like the "Speedster."

Boy would I love it if the Cobalt was more like a speedster.
Heck, if that were the case I probably wouldn't be looking into the subject. I could never afford a Speedster on payments or insurance. :ouch:

I'm not sure I will buy a Cobalt but right now in the market I am aiming to buy from, the Cobalt seems to be a good choice.
I have my concerns and doubts about any cars this new and only a solid warranty will compensate for my worries.

However, the criticisms I see most are points I disagree with (style and size issues). A coupe shouldn't have leg room in the back and "looks" are up to the owner. :P

The competition is just too over priced (generally speaking).
Honda and Toyota aren't offering me anything at my price point with the same level of "new" car.
Test driving one tomorrow (if the weather holds out).
I'm really excited to get the drive in and then write up a real car review. :lol:
Like GT4 only for real. :dopey:

Well, 4 AM here and an early start tomorrow couldn't hurt, so... :ouch:
Good night all. :cheers:

I had a nice Friday night (especially for my first day at a new job as well). :bowdown:
 
Hey, good luck, have fun, and bring a digicam... we'll be waiting to hear how good/bad it was. :lol:
 
Kent
:lol:
That's craziness... Not because of what you say about Opel but for how you compare Chevy's Cobalt. :lol:
Being that most Americans only know of Opel through International racing and videos games, which popularize touring cars and street cars like the "Speedster."
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what you're saying, there, but you do know that the Cobalt is basically a Chevrolet-ized Opel Astra, right?

Kent
Boy would I love it if the Cobalt was more like a speedster.
Heck, if that were the case I probably wouldn't be looking into the subject. I could never afford a Speedster on payments or insurance. :ouch:
Click to expand...

Actually, the Cobalt uses the same engine as the Opel Speedster. :sly:

http://www.autozine.org/html/GM/Cobalt.html
 
Wow, I didn't know that "wolfe." 👍

That's an interesting point.
I should have expected the engines to be along those lines (as all companies seem to love making one engine for many cars).

Now, I'm not planning to post this just yet but I have bought a car and it's probably what most of you don't expect (but what some of you should expect). :mischievous:

:lol:

Once I get a nice little in-depth post together I will reply with my full story. :D

Just to state the not-so-obvious though... I didn't buy a Cobalt.
The Chevy Salesman tried to ignore my request for a 2 door coupe LT because he only had totally stock LS coupes and 1 LT sedan.
Then the guy tried to say I had commited to buying an LT sedan on thursday (the account of that visit may have been posted in this thread) (yup, right here ).

After that I was hit with the death-blow, bomb-shell info... The Coupe LT I was interested in (which wasn't in stock) would cost over 18K.
That would put me only 2 thousand off the cost of a base level SS. :eek:
Definately not what I wanted to hear when I came in looking for a 15k coupe. :ouch:

Anyway, back later on with my story about the car I actually ended up purchasing. :dopey:
 
My New Car
Toyota Corolla S
Year: 2006
Horsepower: 126 @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 122 Ft.LB. @ 4200 rpm
Weight w/ automatic transmission: 1188KG / 2615lbs.






Highlights:
Unique to "S" trim all-black interior
"Chrome" trim shift area, door handles and other accessories
White-face gauges
Leather wrapped steering wheel
Six speaker CD audio system
"Power everything"
Front and rear cup holders
Center console with two 12v outlets
Adjustable seats (adjustable height is new for this generation)
Functional Fog lights
Exterior body kit
Body color mirrors and door handles

6 year / 75,000 mile BUMPER TO BUMPER warranty

My plans:
Pay off the car. :lol:
Tint the windows and purchase new wheels.

My thoughts:
I'm very happy with the new Corolla (the Corolla S especially). :D
Everyday practicality with an understated performance look, enough torque to feel fast and a low enough weight to make it happen... 👍
The Corolla will not do Auto Cross anytime soon but roads will surely be navigated with enthusiasm. :mischievous:

On a final note:
I would like to thank all of you for participating, contributing, and following the events of this thread.
I have truly enjoyed keeping a journal of my search for a new car and hope to see more threads of this sort.

Thank you for your interest and time,
Sincerely,
-Kent
 
That Corolla fits all of your requirements, with a pinch of sportiness to boot! Nice choice, and congratulations on the purchase. :)

I definitely agree on the "needs new wheels" thing, though... ;)
 
AAWWW you didn't get a Ferrari :( jk! nice, it would be better, and better for your tires if you got allow wheels but those would do fine. Nice!
 
From what I remember of the car, the suspension is actually stiff enough to let you have a lot of fun in flick-flack driving... and that 1.8 auto has decent grunt even if it isn't that fast. Just pony up the money for some decent rubber and wheels (but the stocks look big enough anyway) and you won't need to do anything else to have fun at the track.

Good thing you got the black interior trim (and a three spoke steering wheel, that's the most important part... :sly: )... all of our 1.8s here come with that execrable fake wood.

Congrats!!!
 
I think your Corolla is one of the best cars out right now, Kent. 👍 I love the styling, price, size(just over 2,500lbs). It's supposed to get around 40 MPG on a highway. :eek: If I get one, it would be with a stick, but I WANT ONE!
 
The Corolla S pretty much has almost all the torque you can get from the 170-hp 2ZZ motor (found in the Corolla XRS), so as long as you aren't looking to hunt down driver's, it's not a bad car at all for the money.

6/75 warranty? Make sure it includes A/C components, that's about the only questionable items that warranties have, and with weather in your area like it is where I live, it's the only item of any long-term suspect quality on Toyotas (although several other people tell me that all car A/Cs just get a good workout in humid climates). As it's an elcetro-mechanical item, it usually falls between the grey areas of extended and factory warranties.

Not to scare you though! Mine lasted for 128,000 miles on my old Corolla until it needed replacement. Other than that, you couldn't ask for a cheaper car to maintain.
 
I&#180;m from Brazil and the Corolla is made here too, my father have a XEi 2003, engine 1.8 VVT-i, a excellent car, and is the same car, less the steering wheel and the wheels, the instruments in the dash are black and colour of the car is silver. We are very satisfied with the car, but my father is changed for a new Brazilian Chevrolet Vectra .
 

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