[Gixxy.danger]

Prologue

I have always been the kid dreaming about buying his car/bike and have a collection of them. I am in the early phase of my adult life where the journey has just begun. However, the EV bandwagon is knocking on the door (Frankly, I do love EVs- no hate towards them). That said, I have a small window where I can buy-experience-cherish some of the childhood wishes before they vanish forever.

A quick history of cars in the family.

199x-1998 – Maruti Omni
1998-2002- Fiat Premiere Padmini (Bucket Seats with floor-mounted Gear Level) (Totaled)

2002-2014 – Fiat Palio 1.2 (Scrapped)


2010-2024- Fiat Linea 1.4 (Scrapped)


2021- Present – Skoda Rapid 1.0 TSI Auto (Sister’s Car)


2023- Present – Hyundai Aura 1.2 AMT (Parent’s Car)



We’ve been nothing but loyal to Fiat. They weren’t loyal to the Indian market.

I had moved to Hyderabad to join my first job in 2023 and my parents gave me the Linea for my commute as they had booked the Hyundai Aura for themselves (small, automatic, frugal and super convenient).

I finally had a car to myself. The cherry of my eye.
There is a backstory to the purchase of the Linea.
My parents had gotten a good deal on the outgoing Hyundai Accent “Executive” in 2010 and they were ready to pay in-full. The cheque was signed too. Me and my sister were not happy. We had our eyes set on the Linea. Linea was a large upgrade from the Palio. The Size – Longer than the 2010 BMW 3 series. Segment first features – Rear AC vent, ambient light etc. No wonder it was car of the year. Parents being parents - they cancelled the Accent booking, booked the Pearl Champagne Fiat Linea without a test drive and took delivery of it in February 2010. Served us great, however the car didn’t age well. Sometimes I do wonder maybe we got a lemon, or we just didn’t take care enough. However, we were able to do couple of cross-country runs (Mumbai to Sambalpur in 2020 and Sambalpur to Hyderabad in 2023).
The age creeped in August 2024 (High Speed shaking and AC went Kaput) and the search started (essentially took only 3 weeks to find the replacement). Bidding farewell to the Linea was quite emotional.

Driving off to the Scrapyard




Car Purchase

This was the most exciting part of a car ownership, the time you’re out in the market – aiming to acquire a car. As enthusiast we are always aware of the market (good/bad/ugly). It was the first time I was going to put little of automotive knowledge to make a purchase. We started with a budget of INR 450K (inclusive of repairs/insurance/replacement). Essentially to the make a car roadworthy in my sense.
If anyone has been to HYD, they may know HYD has a large used car market. There are numerous lots with a wide range of cars. (Budget friendly to high-end cars)
With our budget set, I started the visits. We were okay with a car older than 10 years keeping the tight budget in mind as well as the HYD weather conditions. I observed the cars in HYD age much better than cars in BOM.
I was able to shortlist few 2013-2014 Honda Citys. However, they were priced upwards of INR 450K and then we had to spend over that to make the car feel new.
As the search was on, I shifted my focus to D-segment sedans (Harder Depreciation over 10-year period plus smaller buyer pool). Please keep in mind I had kept the maintenance cost in check.
For a week, I was putting in a lot of efforts of sourcing a 2011-2013 Honda Accord. I had reached out to @ImportedLlama and @Buffetan. @ImportedLlama is the go-to person regarding anything Accord. He helped me scout for an ideal Accord. Explained me how it is to live with and how to source parts for any repairs.
However, the cost of maintenance and effort was a looming topic.
@Buffetan spoke to me about the his Accord and the ownership experience. However, he owns an Innova and raved about Toyota reliability. The nudge to search for a Toyota was given.

The saga of searching for a Toyota started. Innovas and Fortuners are priced at a premium. However, the sedans are not. I was able to identify a couple of Toyota Corolla E140 (2010- 2011) in quick succession. The two I had test driven were from Toyota U trust Dealer. Not in the greatest Shape.
Luckily enough a Blue Corolla was listed on CarTrade. I had shown interest. And voila – the owner reached out. We spoke and decided on meeting. The car didn’t look super well kept (Appearance). However, it drove well. Mechanically sound. Had 135K KM on the odometer. Healthy annual running leading to fairly frequent maintenance check ins with Toyotas. However, I did identify couple of issues on the drive and were later confirmed by the mechanics and Toyota Technicians as well. We will come to that later.
All Electronics working in perfect manner. However, there were mechanical thuds coming from the front end. Given the age, I assumed some of the wear tear part would be coming the end of its life.
Keeping that in mind, I did pre-purchase inspections through Go-Mechanic. Corolla fared well during the inspection and the only area of concern from their checklist was the Suspension. The mechanic from the workshop gave his go-ahead on the vehicles condition.



Done Deal!



With in a week of shifting my focusing on looking for a Toyota I had found the car. The car was handed over on 30th September. 2 weeks of total car
searching led to buying the workhorse of the world.
Key point in favour of the Corolla search
• Toyota Reliability
• Toyota provided the latest Corolla in India. Similar model were being sold (With similar engine configuration across USA and Middle East). E140 was being sold with 1.8 2ZR-FE motor pushing 140ish BHPs.
• Reliability and knowledge sources to troubleshoot issues.
• Member of the almost extinct D-segment sedan. An aspirational vehicle to many. (Lambi gaadi)

Delivery
I took the delivery of the vehicle from the RTO office where the agent helped us get the car registered in my name. The process was quick, and the RC details were updated on the TS RTO portal by evening. I did a customary Toyota Service to reset all fluid age and opted for a 150K KM diagnostic on the car. Toyota gave me large list of replacement amounting to almost INR 100,000. Here is where having a global car helps a lot. I scourged through the internet and learnt about how to diagnose any issue on a Toyota. There are a bunch of sources/videos available for the E140 Corolla. They teach you how to diagnose and repair it yourself. This helped in drilling down the critical problems and identifying the parts which are to be replaced. OEMs tend to suggest complete replacement of a component. If there is any issue with the suspension, they will suggest replacing all the components. Here is where I feel if one is looking out for older used model, it is very important to equip yourself to diagnose it yourself and validate it through the mechanical or the OEM technician. There is no dearth of Toyota knowledge repository. I’ll list down a few videos which were very helpful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUJx2GXYBEk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS3CcuFGGKk&t=52s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scFbb43fwqk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wqgpEpqkmc&t=282s

With the help of the videos, I was able to narrow down the parts which are required to be replaced to fix the suspension noise (Thuds on undulated roads) and light vibrations across small band engine speed (RPM). I placed on order for through Toyota which took around 4-5 weeks to be delivered:
1. Front Strut Mounts
2. Rear Engine mount rubber
3. Bump Stop

DIY Diagnoses


(These are yet to be installed)


With the new fluids and engine oil, the engine was smooth as silk. 135K on the odometer or 35 K on the odometer? No difference.
Post the Toyota Service there were couple of things which I got replaced:

Rear Brake Pads: Ordered the parts from Sparehubs Pune. Very professional and quick to dispatch the item. It was difficult to source Bosch Pads in HYD and had to get it shipped from Pune. I scanned through the Bosch catalogue and provided Sparehubs Pune the exact part number.






Tyres: The Corolla was running on a very old set of tires which were feeling harsh and noisy. I went around the block and found a dealer selling the so-called “China Tire”. The brand was called “Altura”. It is a sub-brand of CEAT
which essentially focuses on tyres for commercial vehicles (Trucks/Buses/Tractors). They were INR 4200 a piece, however without warranty. I decided to give it a go as Bridgestone/MRF/Mecheline costed significantly more. The experience was pleasant. The ride and road noise level were significantly better. I didn’t realise until the new tire that the ride was harsh due to the old tires. These are no performance tires however they fare well for my current usage. No issues for the past 4,500 KM. I may be able to comment on the tire wear post 10,000KM. Once the critical parts were replaced and the other parts were on order, I went onto make the car look and feel like new.






I took on the task to do the Exterior detailing myself. Videos and process I referred:

https://www.youtube.com/watch v=vUdSUDObwVc&t=598s

1. Car Wash



2. Clay Bar Scrub
3. Ultimate Compound
4. Ultimate Polish
5. Wax Polish

The tools I used to do the Detailing


It took me a good 5 hours to go through the process. I had to multiple breaks as I didn’t have the machine to buff the surfaces. Doing it by hand was satisfying however very tiresome. Wouldn’t recommend it. But if you get the
buffing machine, you might as well give it go. The results were satisfactory, and the Turtle Wax brought out the bright and deep shade of the blue. Machine buffing would’ve given better results.




Interior Deep Clean: For interior deep cleaning I was specifically looking for a place which did Steam cleaning. The car has cloth seats and had good amount of dirt on them. I had deep cleaning at a place called Detailiago Dose. The service wasn’t the greatest, I had to point few places which were left and the steam wash hadn’t completely dried. It took almost 3-4 days of keep the windows rolled down to dry it out entirely. That was bummer but the interior was very clean and felt it had been properly disinfected. With all the things done to make the car look, feel and drive better.




Here the things I like and don’t like about the Corolla:


Likes:
1. Smooth. Engine is smooth at all speed and good bottom end torque.
2. Cabin insulation. Moving from a C-segment sedan, Corolla definitely has better sound insulation.
3. Adequate Power. Pushing around 140 BHP, the power is well delivered and is an easy highway cruiser.
4. Ages super well. All electronics, (I mean ALL!) - are functionals. Even the weight sensor for front seats is working perfectly.
5. Contemporary sedan design. In my eyes it looks like a proper sedan. Not any of those slopping roof/hatches.
6. Fuel Efficiency. I have covered around 4600 KM and using the tank-to-tank method, it is consistently providing 11 KMPL with an 80/20 split between city/highway. Truly highlights the fact that the car was well-made and well taken care of.
7. Slick gear shifter. The gates are very well-defined, and the 6-Speed is a breeze to use. However, with the tall gearing and decent low-end torque, one can be lazy with the shifts.


Dislikes:
There are not many things to dislike about the car if you look from the lens of the everyday consumer (No wonder it is the
highest selling model in the world, ever). If one must change the lens, few things do pop up.
1. There is no thrust at the top-end of the rpm range
2. Steering feedback is lacking and leaves us with asking for more. Fiat Linea gave a sharper and fun (though,tiring) experience.
3. Dashboard is plain and functional. The jazz of a D-segment car is missing. (Maybe I am asking too much)
4. REV-HANG! It was something different and took me a while to get used to. It has been observed in Toyota models across the USA too. I’ll attach a link which explains it. In short, the RPMs don’t drop instantly as soon as you press the clutch to shift.http://www.revhang.altervista.org/#:...manufacturers.


Few pictures of the Linea and Corolla side-by-side.










As the list of dislikes is short, I am very happy with the decision to get the old queen. It has provided with the best opportunity to become better at understanding vehicles, diagnosing them and taking a more holistic and cognitive decision while making the purchase. Also, in my opinion this was a bang for the buck (Considering the used/new car market in 2024).

I will try to keep the thread updated with maintenance and some travelogue.

Till then, let's drive into sunset.

[DicKy]

Congrats on the Corolla !!!

This is one of my top choices for a sub 5 lakhs used car. Especially the facelifted E140, with the newer engine and 6 speed manual. The pre facelift E140 had kinda droopy face and the E150's interior plastics is inferior IMO.

Not just international reviews, we have our own Corolla expert @vigsom with his threads of restoring and maintaining Corollas of all three generations sold in India (officially)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...o-petrols.html (Toyota Corolla Altis Ownership Review | My rendezvous with a diesel and two petrols)

Originally Posted by Gixxy.danger

4. REV-HANG! It was something different and took me a while to get used to. It has been observed in Toyota models across the USA too. I’ll attach a link which explains it. In short, the RPMs don’t drop instantly as soon as you press the clutch to shift.

This model suffers from it? I had driven a car that had considerable rev hang (damn, forgot which model. Getting old..) and I hated every moment of shifting gears in it. Had read reviews of modern cars suffering from rev hang in everything from Toyotas to BMWs. An emissions thing and inevitable they say. On the other hand there are some ways to remove it like tuning or changing the flywheel or so.

Wish you best of memories with the Corolla, and do post future updates.

Psstt... more interior pics too.

[freakmuzik]

Congrats on getting this beautiful car and I really love the E140 in this colour. It's really nice to see you going all in to learn to diagnose the issues of the car by yourself - nothing beats the fun (and frugality) of it. And yes, the cost of spares can be a sudden shock (I had to change the Ignition coils right after my purchase) but thanks to keeping aside some fund for all such shocks before the purchase itself, I feel okay. But otherwise, the Altis is (still) a crazy good package for the money being spent.

It's been 3 years since I got my Corolla (2011 facelift in Automatic) and it's been one amazing phase of ownership so far. And as you mentioned, I was looking precisely for a D segment car as, in the automotive scene, I felt the D-segment is where one generally started finding the maturity in cars in all terms - fit and finish, refinement, quality and comfort. And how true was it! Though I might start looking to change my Altis sometime soon owing to re-registration and low-ground clearance being a bother at times, I am cherishing this ownership.

I wish you an incredibly happy and rewarding ownership with your Altis!

[VigKed]

Congratulations!! I own a 2006 MT and it still drives like a charm clocking close to 200,000 kms now. This generation of 2011-2013 Camry-esque model looks the best in my opinion..

Any reason you didn't go for the 2009-2011 Camry? They were CBU units back then,so a slightly higher upkeep. Much more spacious and powerful too...

[AJ56]

I too recently picked up a 2013 Camry 2.5, couldn’t be happier. Interior isn’t as high quality as my Accord but it’s not terrible either. Adequate power at 180hp and very smooth.

[ZenMaster]

The styling of the E140 corolla has aged really well unlike its successors with their odd angular shapes and weird headlamp and horrible interiors

Its has very few if no bells and whistles but is graceful and pleasing to the eye even after all these years.

[Utopian]

Congrats on the acquisition. This color complements the ageless design very well. If you can share, what was the procurement cost?

[mack.mehul]

The Corolla Altis is a no non sense and a very reliable car. Rarely anything goes wrong with it. The engine is simply superb, it has good grunt in the lower end and being a big engine (1.8 L) still manages a very decent FE. The ride is quite decent as well. I had the model before this (which was scrapped) and also the model after this one, so it is a fantastic buy. The spares are also available aplenty so no problem. Enjoy the 'Fill it & Shut it' experience.

[shardul_pathak]

Originally Posted by Gixxy.danger

4. REV-HANG! It was something different and took me a while to get used to. It has been observed in Toyota models across the USA too. I’ll attach a link which explains it. In short, the RPMs don’t drop instantly as soon as you press the clutch to shift.

This brings memories from the past of my owning a petrol Corolla! Just something we have to learn to live with! The diesel doesn't seem to have this issue though.

Originally Posted by AJ56

I too recently picked up a 2013 Camry 2.5, couldn’t be happier. Interior isn’t as high quality as my Accord but it’s not terrible either. Adequate power at 180hp and very smooth.

I had this car, the exact same shape, color and engine! It was one of the hardest decision to let her go!

you will never be able to find a flaw with the Camry, to convince you to sell it. It will only have to be a heart over head decision when the urge to upgrade kicks in.

[Gixxy.danger]

Originally Posted by DicKy

Congrats on the Corolla !!!

This is one of my top choices for a sub 5 lakhs used car. Especially the facelifted E140, with the newer engine and 6 speed manual. The pre facelift E140 had kinda droopy face and the E150's interior plastics is inferior IMO.

Not just international reviews, we have our own Corolla expert @vigsom with his threads of restoring and maintaining Corollas of all three generations sold in India (officially)

Psstt... more interior pics too.

I truly agree. I did see few of the pre-facelift E140 in Hyderabad, they do look chubby in comparison.
I had referred to @vigsom thread on his Corollas while I was on the lookout. Really helped me gain confidence for buying an old workhorse.

I don't have many pictures of interiors (I blame the Blue paint shade)

Here are the few I clicked.

Originally Posted by freakmuzik

Congrats on getting this beautiful car and I really love the E140 in this colour. It's really nice to see you going all in to learn to diagnose the issues of the car by yourself - nothing beats the fun (and frugality) of it.

It's been 3 years since I got my Corolla (2011 facelift in Automatic) and it's been one amazing phase of ownership so far. And as you mentioned, I was looking precisely for a D segment car as, in the automotive scene, I felt the D-segment is where one generally started finding the maturity in cars in all terms - fit and finish, refinement, quality and comfort. And how true was it!

Thank you! I was really fortunate to find a Corolla in this blue shade, that too in good condition.

Perks of buying an old car - maintenance is priority number one, pushing you to learn more about the vehicle. Nothing can replace that.

I do agree that the fit and finish of a D-segment cars are much better when upgrading from a C-segment or lower category of vehicles. The sound damping and ride quality is considerable better than a 2019 Honda City which one of my friend drives.

I think I remember @GTO once quoting that a pricier car may age better and may turnout to be cheaper in the long run. Stands true in this case.

Originally Posted by VigKed

Any reason you didn't go for the 2009-2011 Camry? They were CBU units back then,so a slightly higher upkeep. Much more spacious and powerful too...

There was dearth of inventory of Camrys in Hyderabad. It is a very SUV biased city. I observed Mumbai has the maximum number of executive sedans available for sale. However, Mumbai weather accelerates aging.
Also, I couldn't extend my budget to acquire a Camry and do some necessary repairs.

Originally Posted by AJ56

I too recently picked up a 2013 Camry 2.5, couldn’t be happier. Interior isn’t as high quality as my Accord but it’s not terrible either. Adequate power at 180hp and very smooth.

Love the black shade on the Camry. I have been tinkering with the thought of upgrading to a Camry down the lane. (Toyota has got me hooked)

Originally Posted by ZenMaster

The styling of the E140 corolla has aged really well unlike its successors with their odd angular shapes and weird headlamp and horrible interiors

Its has very few if no bells and whistles but is graceful and pleasing to the eye even after all these years.

I couldn't agree more. They struck the perfect balance with this facelift.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Congrats on the acquisition. This color complements the ageless design very well. If you can share, what was the procurement cost?

I closed the deal at INR 290,000. Insurance + repairs over and above it.

Originally Posted by mack.mehul

The Corolla Altis is a no non sense and a very reliable car. Rarely anything goes wrong with it. The engine is simply superb, it has good grunt in the lower end and being a big engine (1.8 L) still manages a very decent FE. The ride is quite decent as well. I had the model before this (which was scrapped) and also the model after this one, so it is a fantastic buy. The spares are also available aplenty so no problem. Enjoy the 'Fill it & Shut it' experience.

Yes, with a decent maintenance track record, a Corolla can last a lifetime (Without a drop in performance). I was very surprised to get 11+ KMPL from a 13 years old 1.8L petrol engine. Modern NA petrol engines also aren't able to keep up their FE like this.

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by shardul_pathak

I had this car, the exact same shape, color and engine! It was one of the hardest decision to let her go!

you will never be able to find a flaw with the Camry, to convince you to sell it. It will only have to be a heart over head decision when the urge to upgrade kicks in.

Not to worry, the 15 year ban will get me
Correct, these cars go for hundreds of thousands of kms, and they continue as beaters as you add more cars to your garage.

[skrao]

Possibly the best decision you have made with respect to an used car. I was debating replacing my 2009 Altis GLS, then decided to just renew the registration for 5 more years. Drives like it did in the first year, no nonsense car.

[MMV]

Congratulations, it’s a true global car and a perfect sedan with all required features. My per-owned silver E140 has also been a great car to drive, which I plan to keep beyond 15 years basis the QDR features. Also the car is maintained well with suspension replacement, AC repairs done as per guidance from Toyota. This aspect you have handled well and economically with online diagnosis, kudos. On the tyre part, Michelin Primacy would have been the best option, as tyre is something you should not take shortcuts, esp if you are looking to keep the car for posterity. I never felt a lack of steering feedback and drive remains a glide with Michelin.

[IshaanIan]

Congratulations on what looks like an excellent used car purchase

That shade is interesting and must feel like a breath of fresh air amongst the sea of otherwise maroon, gold and silver corollas out there. Also I am very envious of your fabric seats they are probably way more cushy than worn out and stiff from sun damage leather seats that you tend to find on cars of this vintage.

[Kinnan]

Originally Posted by Gixxy.danger

Prologue
I am very happy with the decision to get the old queen. It has provided with the best opportunity to become better at understanding vehicles, diagnosing them and taking a more holistic and cognitive decision while making the purchase.

I can totally relate! I bought my first car in 2021—a used 2010 Toyota Corolla Altis petrol. I paid ₹3.4 lakh for it, using the earnings from my first job. It had only 42,000 km on the odometer and was registered in Dadra and Nagar Haveli. I decided to upgrade the stock tyres to Continental CC 205/65/R15 for a smoother ride, which made a big difference. I enjoyed the car for two years, covering around 40,000 km, and sold it for ₹3.6 lakh, making a small profit too!