[petrolhead_chn]

After letting off a good speculative deal of a safari, I just received a call from one of my colleague regarding a 2005 1.8r corolla for 180000/-

Details
51kbon odo
White color
3 owners
All Electricals working

I am not sure what else to check when I get there. Hope somebody could help.

[AWD]

Check the suspension, though it lasts ~80k kms. Still if the vehicle has been ridden over bad roads, the suspension may need replacement. Tyres also last ~40k kms, check for tread thickness.
A.C. compressor & Belt also needs to be checked out. Parts of this car are not in-expensive , since the car has changed quite a few hands, get it looked up by a mechanic. Brake pads, etc. are regular wear & tear parts so don't bother much about them.

[petrolhead_chn]

Thanks brother. Can you point me to an appropriate thread where I could look up spares cost appx. Also will the spares of current gen corollas be compatible with older ones. Just a question. But I am quite excited about the corolla.

[vigsom]

^^ It is hard to believe that the car has done only 51k in 10 years.

Older Corollas are built to last. Spares are easily available and don't cost too much (eg.oil filter,air filter,rear shock absorbers,spark plugs and brake pads are available).These are the parts that need attention.

Let me know if you want more assistance in assessing the car.

PS :I would recommend a type2(Aug2005 or later) Corolla H2 or H5 with the dark wood finish inside and the multispoke alloys/LED tail lamps outside. These come with abs,airbags and an ac filter.

[petrolhead_chn]

Update-

Knowing how expensive it could be to maintain a Toyota, I humbly or rather sympathetically requested the sales man to help me with the vehicle history. I was shocked to hear from sales man that the cannot be given to a customer as it had a confusion. He advised me to not go for it.

Though the odo showed 51k a service bill that was lying in the glove box showed 148000kms when the service was done. The 3rd owner must have tampered the readings. Stating this they did not give the car. They then said the car was given to a dealer for 140000/-

Though I missed it, I should sincerely thank the sales guy for his integrity and respect he demonstrated to my situation.

BTW this is the 2nd car that I have lost. Why did I sell my baleno

I am now enquiring on a 180000kms rebuilt accent crdi and a 2004 Chevy optra. Fingers crossed.

[vigsom]

^^ there are some good 2009 and later sx4s in the market - one in palavakkam and one in purusawalkam.Both are in the 3.5-4 range.

There is a decent Altis petrol blue also in the listings - but that is 4+

You can check the ads on some leading car ad websites.

[fordfreak]

Hi vigsom,

Loved your thread. We have a November - 2004 Corolla (H5) since new. Had planned on selling the car on 2 occasions, but couldn't get myself to do it. We have a 2010 Altis as well, but I somehow prefer the older Corolla more. It feels more solid.

The ODO currently stands at 99,300ish and the car has never thrown up any major problems. I got the suspension and brakes done up not too long ago, so it goes and stops exactly like it is supposed to. There are a few rattles, but I guess that would happen given the age of the car.

I have a strange issue with the car currently. There is a very strong smell of Petrol inside the cabin. I haven't noticed any drop in the fuel level nor change in fuel economy. Would you have any idea about something like this? I would be grateful if you could point me towards something I could maybe check out.

I am sending the car to the authorized dealer on Tuesday, so will see what they have to say as well.

Thanks!

[Turbanator]

Though the odo showed 51k a service bill that was lying in the glove box showed 148000kms when the service was done. The 3rd owner must have tampered the readings. Stating this they did not give the car. They then said the car was given to a dealer for 140000/-

don't know what prompted seller to change ODO , corolla's are built to last multiple lac Km , I have one 2004 model 2,75,000 Km and going strong - despite this was kind of total loss in Year 2007 when I met with a head on accident - spent around 4,5 -5 lac on repairs at that time and then once more a major accident and spent 2 lac Plus a Year later - these cars had no ABS but engine being so powerful it will attain speeds very fast .

But the car works flawlessly - hardly any repairs - you can go for any older ones 2003-2005 period - should be easy to maintain .

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by fordfreak

. There is a very strong smell of Petrol inside the cabin. I haven't noticed any drop in the fuel level nor change in fuel economy.
s!

Hi

This could be because of :

a: a leak in the vapour return line to the fuel tank
b. Excessively filled tank - and some weak point on the fuel filling port developing a minor leak
c.fuel leak in the engine bay-this can be checked with the ignition on/engine running and inspecting for leaks in the engine bay


Is the ac recirculation button on?please keep it on.

[fordfreak]

Originally Posted by vigsom

Hi

This could be because of :

a: a leak in the vapour return line to the fuel tank
b. Excessively filled tank - and some weak point on the fuel filling port developing a minor leak
c.fuel leak in the engine bay-this can be checked with the ignition on/engine running and inspecting for leaks in the engine bay


Is the ac recirculation button on?please keep it on.

Thanks for the help.

Turns out it is a leaking fuel line. Getting it changed at the authorized service center. Being charged around Rs.5,800 approximately (this includes a couple of minor unrelated parts which I wanted changed). However, the part will take atleast a week to arrive since they do not have it in stock anywhere in India apparently.

The car will be off the road since it would be dangerous to drive in this condition.
I always use the A/C on re-circulation mode.

[petrolhead_chn]

Hi everyone... Here I am with another corolla. Please share your views and suggest.

This is a beige color 2004 1.8E model that has 91000kms on the odo with ABS, Air bags, Auto fold mirrors, Climate control and all power windows. It has 3 owners on RC. Don't know why all corolla's that I look for has 3 owners😃

Now, I took a test drive and here are my observations-

1. I forgot to notice any engine vibrations
2. The AC was excellent
3. All power windows worked
4. The electronic mirror adjusting did not work upwards and downwards
5. I was able to hear engine noise or revving noise (something like that) while driving. The AC was ON.
6. I floored the pedal to floor and the car hit 80kmph. I said clutch needed replacement but the guy denied and said it was only a throttle adjustment. The RPM was around 1600-2000.
7. All Electricals worked except right fog lamp.
8. Tires were good. Should last another 20000kms with my kind of driving.
9. The second tray from bottom in the centre console did not open up.
10. The car was gliding while driving and not sure if it took the bumps properly.
11. The drive shaft either the left needs replacement as told by the guy.
12. After changing gear and when I release the clutch and accelerate, there is a very mild thud. Could be due to drive shaft or clutch.
13. Only one key with 2 remote are available.

The guy says I can check the vehicle history at lanson. He sounds confident.

I am finding it difficult to take a decision. Please help.

[petrolhead_chn]

Sorry... Forgot to add the price which is 2.15lacs and came down to 1.95lacs. Any pointers on negotiating?

[drsingh]

Originally Posted by petrolhead_chn

Sorry... Forgot to add the price which is 2.15lacs and came down to 1.95lacs. Any pointers on negotiating?

As mentioned elsewhere in the forum, look for corollas post August 2005,the ones with the spiky alloys. They had suspension issues sorted out and should be available in the same price range give our take a few.

Look for more posts/threads by vigsom for detailed information about that model.

[petrolhead_chn]

The corollas from 2006 and above all seem to have run for 150000kms and upwards.

Out of curiosity, can't we swap/plonk the suspension of a 2006 car on a 2004? Pardon my ignorance 😞

[sumeethaldankar]

Originally Posted by petrolhead_chn

Sorry... Forgot to add the price which is 2.15lacs and came down to 1.95lacs. Any pointers on negotiating?

How long do you plan to keep the car ? A sedan, be it Toyota or Honda will be more expensive to maintain than say a hatchback in general. If it's more for a long term basis that you need a car i would suggest going for a decent hatchback like the Swift etc. Yes Toyota does last a 2 lac kms or more but they would need timely maintenance. How much is the cost of the drive shaft which needs replacement ? Also if the clutch needs overhaul find out the cost. You don't need skeletons coming out of the closet after you buy the car. I am speaking from experience since i had bought a used Civic and it proved pretty expensive to maintain. Compared to a Swift i think the old Corolla may also not have saftey equipment like ABS & air bags.