Do you own a Toyota Corolla? Need your guidance on a buying decision!

sendarvimail · 3rd January 2006, 04:43

Hi there,

Do you own a Toyota Corolla? I need your guidance on a purchase I'm planning.

What has your experierence with the Corolla been? (Please refer to experience in India only). What are the Pros and Cons?

For instance, my take on it is:
Pros: Great engine, decent mileage, functional
Cons: Lack of character, slightly overpriced

When you respond, please highlight a) the number of years you've owned it,b) the model number, c) the city you live in, and d) typical usage pattern.

I plan to make a purchasing decision in the next few weeks, and would appreciate your help!

-A

nitrous · 3rd January 2006, 04:59

I don't own a corolla,man. But, Can u wait till june for the civic to be launched?? It'll definitely make a sensible choice.

lamborghini · 3rd January 2006, 11:30

We own the first corolla 1.8 H2 to have been sold in Mumbai in 2003.
It has done 30,000km and the typical useage pattern currently is 50km/day.
It has had a few accidents also.
Here is my take on it -
Pros -
Space, looks, Fuel Efficiency, power, service, interiors
Cons -
Suspension. you might think our car's suspension isn't as good as it has been banged but the fact is, even my friends who own corollas are facing the same problem. Because of the increased ride height, handling is not the best and the ride has a distinct hard edge to it. Sometimes, in many other corollas done roughly 20-30Kkm, the suspension groans when people sit or exit.
The suspension however has been rectified a bit in the new corolla.

Overall we are quite happy with the car right now (it keeps on changing but its mainly happy).

pvgm · 3rd January 2006, 13:56

The Corolla is mechanically quite a good car. But the experience at the dealerships is quite bad -- esp. with the 2 dealers in Bangalore.

I've owned a 1.8E ("H2" model) for about 1.5 years, and have had a miserable time with Toyota's premium dealer in Bangalore. See my rather detailed rant in Mouthshut.com for details :http://www.mouthshut.com/review/Ravi...a-50844-1.html

Question to ask is whether you really want post-purchase headaches after investing so much into buying a car.

The scary part is that the dealer problem seems to be an all-India phenomena. Mouthshut has various postings of Corolla owners complaining about bad service experiences. Letters to the company (Toyota Kirloskar Motors) are either shrugged off, or ignored.

In that price range there are a lot of other options available. You might want to consider them, before making up your mind.

Best of Luck!

PVGM

GTO · 3rd January 2006, 14:06

Moved to the "What Car?" section. Please post your queries in the relevant section.

GTO

Insane Devil · 3rd January 2006, 17:18

I too test drove a Corolla a few days back before i decided to buy the Laura. the Test Drive Car was driven around 5,000 km, and i should say, i had no fun driving it around. interiors and alll are nice n of good quality, but are very basic for a car of that league. The interiors of Optra are far better.

The engine wasnt as smooth as i expected. there was a slight roughness in it. that could have been a problem in that car, but i drove a couple of friends Corollas too, and had faced similar feeling. overall, a car that will never stop middle of the journey, but nothing "special" of it.

My suggetion too is to wait for the CIVIC coz that has some class of its own.

sendarvimail · 4th January 2006, 11:32

Thanks everyone for your feedback!

I've owned a BMW, a Nissan, and a Plymouth in the past when I've lived in the States.

Overall, while I feel that I am paying a premium for the Corolla here, it is very understated, and its longer term reliability will pay off.

Thanks again.

Best wishes for the new year ahead.

-A

3rd January 2006, 04:43	#1
sendarvimail Newbie Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2 Thanked: 0 Times	Do you own a Toyota Corolla? Need your guidance on a buying decision! Hi there, Do you own a Toyota Corolla? I need your guidance on a purchase I'm planning. What has your experierence with the Corolla been? (Please refer to experience in India only). What are the Pros and Cons? For instance, my take on it is: Pros: Great engine, decent mileage, functional Cons: Lack of character, slightly overpriced When you respond, please highlight a) the number of years you've owned it,b) the model number, c) the city you live in, and d) typical usage pattern. I plan to make a purchasing decision in the next few weeks, and would appreciate your help! -A
	() Thanks

3rd January 2006, 04:59	#2
nitrous Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: UAE/Lon/Madras Posts: 6,965 Thanked: 325 Times View My Garage	I don't own a corolla,man. But, Can u wait till june for the civic to be launched?? It'll definitely make a sensible choice.
	() Thanks

3rd January 2006, 11:30	#3
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,112 Thanked: 5,760 Times View My Garage	We own the first corolla 1.8 H2 to have been sold in Mumbai in 2003. It has done 30,000km and the typical useage pattern currently is 50km/day. It has had a few accidents also. Here is my take on it - Pros - Space, looks, Fuel Efficiency, power, service, interiors Cons - Suspension. you might think our car's suspension isn't as good as it has been banged but the fact is, even my friends who own corollas are facing the same problem. Because of the increased ride height, handling is not the best and the ride has a distinct hard edge to it. Sometimes, in many other corollas done roughly 20-30Kkm, the suspension groans when people sit or exit. The suspension however has been rectified a bit in the new corolla. Overall we are quite happy with the car right now (it keeps on changing but its mainly happy).
	() Thanks

3rd January 2006, 13:56	#4
pvgm Newbie Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4 Thanked: 0 Times	The Corolla is mechanically quite a good car. But the experience at the dealerships is quite bad -- esp. with the 2 dealers in Bangalore. I've owned a 1.8E ("H2" model) for about 1.5 years, and have had a miserable time with Toyota's premium dealer in Bangalore. See my rather detailed rant in Mouthshut.com for details :http://www.mouthshut.com/review/Ravi...a-50844-1.html Question to ask is whether you really want post-purchase headaches after investing so much into buying a car. The scary part is that the dealer problem seems to be an all-India phenomena. Mouthshut has various postings of Corolla owners complaining about bad service experiences. Letters to the company (Toyota Kirloskar Motors) are either shrugged off, or ignored. In that price range there are a lot of other options available. You might want to consider them, before making up your mind. Best of Luck! PVGM
	() Thanks

3rd January 2006, 14:06	#5
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,501 Thanked: 300,311 Times View My Garage	Moved to the "What Car?" section. Please post your queries in the relevant section. GTO
	() Thanks

3rd January 2006, 17:18	#6
Insane Devil BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 987 Thanked: 173 Times View My Garage	I too test drove a Corolla a few days back before i decided to buy the Laura. the Test Drive Car was driven around 5,000 km, and i should say, i had no fun driving it around. interiors and alll are nice n of good quality, but are very basic for a car of that league. The interiors of Optra are far better. The engine wasnt as smooth as i expected. there was a slight roughness in it. that could have been a problem in that car, but i drove a couple of friends Corollas too, and had faced similar feeling. overall, a car that will never stop middle of the journey, but nothing "special" of it. My suggetion too is to wait for the CIVIC coz that has some class of its own.
	() Thanks

4th January 2006, 11:32	#7
sendarvimail Newbie Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2 Thanked: 0 Times	Thanks for the feedback! Thanks everyone for your feedback! I've owned a BMW, a Nissan, and a Plymouth in the past when I've lived in the States. Overall, while I feel that I am paying a premium for the Corolla here, it is very understated, and its longer term reliability will pay off. Thanks again. Best wishes for the new year ahead. -A
	() Thanks