My 1st ever Toyota - A pre-worshipped Corolla H2

[crazyleediamond]

Greetings!!

I really don't know where to begin, but I'd like to start off by saying what an honor it is to be part of this forum and I'm really thankful to all at T-BHP for all the help it renders day in and day out to people like myself! Kudos!

The thought of a Toyota was planted in my head after reading a thread put up by dkaile on his ownership report of his 2004 Corolla here: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...55-000-km.html (Toyota Corolla 2004 - Long Term Ownership Report 55,000 KM)
A BIG to dkaile!

So anyway, after reading this and numerous other posts on how 3 (or was it 30) million people can't be wrong, when my mother mentioned she wanted to sell her OHC off, I sprung into action and started scouting the web for Corolla options. So let me give you a bit of a background on how and why I nearly pissed myself with excitement to hear of the sale of my mom's car.

2001 : I had just got my driver's license and the first ever car my parents bought and that I subsequently learned to drive on was a 1997 Maruti Zen. It was as basic a car as you could find, I mean, no power steering, no power windows, Casette and radio player, basic interiors etc, but at that time, I felt like a king!! I still remember my maiden voyage in it...I drove from my house in Kalina, Santacruz to pick up my then girlfriend from DN Nagar in Andheri and I was nervous yet excited as hell. That first drive went well, I didn't run over anyone, no one banged into me, reached her place in one piece and dropped her back without having to call for an ambulance. Back then, it was all I could have asked for!

As I got to know her more intimately (my Zen and NOT my girlfriend -- BTW we broke up in a year or so and it wasn't because of my driving skills) I was amazed at her capabilities. She was sure footed and sturdy, though I have to admit, I rarely pushed her limits, being the beginner driver that I was. Suffice to say, except for a few niggles here and there, she served us well and truly.

26th July 2005 : Living in a low lying area near the Air India colony cost many people their lives (God rest their souls) and us, our Zen. It was completely submerged in the ensuing flood water and thus rendered useless. Even after sending her for a complete spruce up, we just couldn't rid ourselves of the horrors of the day every time we drove her (and also the stench from the rain water) and we decided to let her go and with it, let go of the awful memories of that day.

So on to happier times, my folks then bought a 2003 Santro to replace the Zen. I got hold of it only on weekends to drive to my B-school classes at NM and back. Again, I could not have asked for more. She drove well and had stuff like power steering and power windows that my Zen sorely lacked. Couple that with the huge ORVMs and slightly higher stance, I was on song again. Now I didn't have to drag myself to class, but rather was looking forward to it. But she still was my mother's possession and I had only limited access, which led me to hatch a plan to take home a beauty of my own.

Oct, 2007 : Fed-up with the free massages travelling in the local trains and putting up with rickshaw drivers who acted as if they were doing me a favor ferrying me to work from the station, I decided enough was enough. I had been saving for a while and decided to buy my first machine. In went to a school pal who was knowledgeable in these matters and asked him for advice (I hadn't heard of T-BHP back then, to my dismay). He suggested that I take a trusted mechanic along to check out each car or else asked me to visit a Certified Dealership and pay a little more for peace of mind. I chose the latter. Again I didn't research much, but I was certain that I wanted a Maruti (being the aam-aadmi's preferred choice) so I walked in to the True Value store at Goregaon and checked out what was on display. After a little looking around and quizzing the sales guy, I finally zeroed in on a 2003 Baleno fitted with an LPG kit. I figured the 35kms daily drive to and from work would be easier on my wallet with this device that promised to cut my fuel bills by 20%-30%. Since LPG was a measly 25 or 30 bucks/kg, I agreed and after a little haggling, I was shaking his hand to close the deal. I wanted delivery close to my b'day in the 1st week of November and with all the paperwork done, I actually drove her away from the store a whole 3 days before my target date!

Now little did I know what I was in for. It seemed God had guided me to her knowing exactly what I was looking for. Most of my friends had staid expressions on their faces when I told them of my latest purchase, but once in the driver's seat, those very same expressions melted into huge smiles. The engine was an absolute blast, and even with the LPG kit, she didn't lose steam easily. The driving position was something I had to get used to, being much lower than my earlier Santro, but once i got comfy in those seats, nothing else would do! She handled like a dream and would eagerly devour any turn I threw her into without ever making me uncomfortable. My only grouse was that the LPG did take away from her straight out acceleration and the low ground clearance had me whispering a prayer and making constipated faces every time there was anyone other than me in the car while we went over a speed breaker. But hey...you cant have your cake and eat it too, right? So I swallowed this pill safe in the knowledge that at all other times, I was in good hands. I can completely agree with all the other Baleno owners who feel this was a seriously under-rated car for its plain looks, but took nothing away from the fun of the drive.

June 2011 : My Goldilocks (That was her name) had by then reached close to the 6 figure mark on the odo and I decided it was time for a change. This time though, I did something very unlike my normal self. I rushed through the sale of my old and purchase of my new car. Because of this, I sold Goldie for at least 30k - 40K less than she was worth and bought a 2007 SX4 Vxi for at least 25k - 30k more than it was worth. Again, I didn't have the expert advise this forum had to offer and jumped into what I can safely say is one decision I'll never forget. I say this not because the SX4 was faulty, in fact it was a superbly well worshiped car and had EVERYTHING in place, but I just didn't get the 'feeling' I was expecting. I told myself, being impulsive is good for once and you might not have gotten anything better if you waited, but it was just a way to pacify myself. Net-Net I was not completely satisfied with the SX4. True it was huge on space and faily high on comfort compared to Goldie, Hell, no more constipated faces when going over speed bumps was a relief (pun unintended) , but the pleasure of the drive was lost on me. Going over uneven roads had me rocking in my seat thanks to the oodles of body roll and negotiating a tight corner had me feeling like I'd be thrown out of the window if I pushed her any more. The engine was fairly smooth though and I can't complain there. But add to this the hard clutch, the vibration of the stick in 3rd gear, the huge turning radius which made city driving dreadful, the flimsy plastics all around me and I was cursing myself for not doing what I generally do before I do anything : Research!

June 2012 : Some time this year, I finally stumbled on T-BHP and it was like the sun shining through dark clouds for me. My SX4 (I couldn't bring myself to name her, I felt so disconnected with her) had to go and after some reading and heeding friends' advice, I decided on a Corolla. This time, I explored a few options and after a few weeks of meeting dealers and looking at cars online, I chose my 'Silver Surfer' last week. Pics as below:

Nothing could prepare me for the premium feel every time I driver her. The neatly laid out console, the seats with lumbar support, electronically retractable ORVMs, airbags, ABS, 60:40 foldable back seats etc are just a few of the reasons that make me smile like a toothpaste model. I haven't really spent enough time with her to be able to comment more, but I sure will in time. So far, I haven't felt the suspension issues that I've read so much about, or maybe I'm just being forgiving because of the bad shape of the roads in the monsoon. So far, I'm loving the drive and adoring this peppy 1.8L engine, even though it may be a tad noisier than my earlier ride. True, the gear shifts leave some thing to be desired especially between 2nd and 3rd and I'm not expecting the 11 kmpl I was used to with the SX4, but they are trade offs I'm more than willing to make and go to bed contented every night like the remaining 29,99,999 odd other Corolla owners!! Peace!

EDIT: I'm including my initial experiences of driving this beauty, keeping in line with the forum rules.

Thumbs up:
1. Peppier engine than my earlier SX4. It has good throttle response and I don't hear any complaining during sudden take over moves on the highway. If anything, she's eager to be pushed.
2. Plush ride, good suspension. You feel like you're driving a big car and yet don't feel weighed down by it. It can be nimble when you want it to be and leisurely when you feel like taking it easy - which are great options to have.
3. Good handling, I don't get that feeling of being thrown away when turning a sharp corner.
4. ACC is super and chills the car instantly - a great upgrade from the manual one in my SX4.
5. Little knick-knacks like auto up and down for the driver side window, electrically adjustable ORVMs, easily adjustable driver's seat to get into that perfect driving position, centre arm-rest, extremely handy small storage spaces in front, dead pedal etc.
6. Light steering wheel - a boon in city traffic

Thumbs down:
1. Unfortunately the steering wheel retains its lightness even at high speeds which doesn't inspire much confidence. Funnily, my SX4 steering, which is no great shakes either, weighed up better at speeds of 100+.
2. A lot of engine and road noise seems to filter through to the cabin, again something I felt the SX4 managed to fare better in. I'm planning tyre upgrades which should take care of this issue to some extent, but I'm not too hopeful about the engine noise though. Any suggestions are welcome.
3. Gear throws are longer compared to the SX4 . Somehow, even the shifts ain't as smooth and feel...well.... medieval to me, somehow reminding me of my Baleno. Common issue of getting stuck between 2nd and 3rd is seen here too.
4. Lack of bottle storage is sorely missed - on EVERY door!!
5. High boot causes reversing to use all the judgement one can muster, which can be stressful. Parking sensors seem to be a good enough option here. Also the boot needs to be thrown down with some enthusiasm as it won't shut otherwise.

More updates to follow shortly. Cheers!!

[sameerg001]

Congratulations on your latest acquisition. Looks well maintained from the pictures, even interiors are in pristine condition

I am pretty sure that this car will last for years, Toyota's legendary reliability you say.

BTW please mention details about the car :-

Like - Year of manufacture, How much on ODO when you got her and How much you paid for her ?

Wish you wonderful miles ahead, Drive safe

Cheers,
Sameer

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by crazyleediamond

I'm not expecting the 11 kmpl I was used to with the SX4

Congratulations !!!

You'll be pleasantly surprised at the FE that the Corolla returns ; am sure you'll forget your sx4 soon.

1. Please get that dislodged cover(the one above the ashtray) on the dash fixed ; use double gum tape on the inside black surface ; that would do to keep the cover in place and give the console a neat look.
2. get rid of the six CD changer and throw in a nice HU with USB support(keep the original HU intact to be fixed back when you sell the car)

Enjoy your drive !!

[zalaps]

Congratulations! It is indeed well maintained one. This car will give you many more trouble free years ahead for sure.

And yes perfect upgrade from SX4!

[Nitrous Power]

Originally Posted by crazyleediamond

Greetings!!
I'm not expecting the 11 kmpl I was used to with the SX4, but they are trade offs I'm more than willing to make and go to bed contented every night like the remaining 29,99,999 odd other Corolla owners!! Peace!

Congratulations on buying one of the most reliable car out there. You will not go wrong with it. We own two of these among the others, 1 in India (60K kms) and 1 in USA (2005 model but already driven 150K Miles) and trust me, both have been running without any unschedule maintenance.

Originally Posted by vigsom

You'll be pleasantly surprised at the FE that the Corolla returns ; am sure you'll forget your sx4 soon.

+1. Crazyleediamond, you will be surprised by the milage that you will get from This 1.8L engine. As I have mentioned on other threads, we get around 12-13 KPL in city with 100%AC on all time.

[crazyleediamond]

Originally Posted by sameerg001

Congratulations on your latest acquisition. Looks well maintained from the pictures, even interiors are in pristine condition

I am pretty sure that this car will last for years, Toyota's legendary reliability you say.

BTW please mention details about the car :-

Like - Year of manufacture, How much on ODO when you got her and How much you paid for her ?

Wish you wonderful miles ahead, Drive safe

Cheers,
Sameer

Thanks a lot, Sameer! She's a June 2005 model, had clocked 52K on the odo and the dealer had quoted 3.65L. Leveraging the 7 yrs since manufacture and the steep increase in petrol prices, we signed on the dotted line after agreeing on 3.25L with the dealer paying for the transfer of registration to my name.

Apart from this, I did a little bit of work on her which included:

- Lumar Sun Films (4 door glass areas + rear glass) : 2k
- Auto Lock system : 2.8K
- Leather wrapping on the gear knob + steering wheel : 1.2K
- All rubber wipers : Rs. 400
- Horn change to a louder Skoda-type dual horn : Rs. 400

Originally Posted by vigsom

Congratulations !!!

You'll be pleasantly surprised at the FE that the Corolla returns ; am sure you'll forget your sx4 soon.

1. Please get that dislodged cover(the one above the ashtray) on the dash fixed ; use double gum tape on the inside black surface ; that would do to keep the cover in place and give the console a neat look.
2. get rid of the six CD changer and throw in a nice HU with USB support(keep the original HU intact to be fixed back when you sell the car)

Enjoy your drive !!

Thanks a lot, Vigsom!

1. All the other Corollas I saw had a similar issue with the middle tray (just above the ash tray). This one was stuck shut and I didn't want to pry it open and then not be able to put it back in place. But thanks for the advice...I'll try double gum tape and see how it works. Also I need to get side cleaned which is residue from some previous sticky material the owner would have used to keep it in place.

2. Hell yeah, the stock HU has to go, but I'm waiting to collect some moolah first. That and new tyres are going to be the first real upgrades I'm planning to get.

Originally Posted by zalaps

Congratulations! It is indeed well maintained one. This car will give you many more trouble free years ahead for sure.

And yes perfect upgrade from SX4!

Thanks a lot, zalaps! Yep, she certainly makes me feel like a king

Originally Posted by Nitrous Power

Congratulations on buying one of the most reliable car out there. You will not go wrong with it. We own two of these among the others, 1 in India (60K kms) and 1 in USA (2005 model but already driven 150K Miles) and trust me, both have been running without any unschedule maintenance.



+1. Crazyleediamond, you will be surprised by the milage that you will get from This 1.8L engine. As I have mentioned on other threads, we get around 12-13 KPL in city with 100%AC on all time.

Thanks a lot, Nitrous Power! With everyone commenting on the FE, I'm feeling a whole lot better about my decision. If I can manage anything in double digits, I'll be over the moon!

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line (The "Assembly Line" Forum section) to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!