2002 Toyota Corolla - Possible lemon
The vehicle was purchased used and had about 75,000 miles on it in 2010. We had it while living in three different states (driving it for two cross-country moves) until it broke down completely partway through the second of those moves a few miles after hitting 100,000 miles in 2017. It was mostly used for driving in town; we preferred to use our other vehicle for most traveling as the Corolla never felt particularly good on highway driving. It was a mostly adequate vehicle when used in town. It was not the most comfortable vehicle and had no special features, but it would get from point A to B for short distances with relatively good gas mileage and had a reasonable amount of trunk space. It was regularly used for grocery trips, which the trunk was adequate for. We very rarely used th... (more)
The vehicle was purchased used and had about 75,000 miles on it in 2010. We had it while living in three different states (driving it for two cross-country moves) until it broke down completely partway through the second of those moves a few miles after hitting 100,000 miles in 2017. It was mostly used for driving in town; we preferred to use our other vehicle for most traveling as the Corolla never felt particularly good on highway driving. It was a mostly adequate vehicle when used in town. It was not the most comfortable vehicle and had no special features, but it would get from point A to B for short distances with relatively good gas mileage and had a reasonable amount of trunk space. It was regularly used for grocery trips, which the trunk was adequate for. We very rarely used the back seat for passengers; it was mostly used for transporting my cello to practices/events and holding gear/materials being shuttled short distances. We were expecting to get a few more years out of the car for being an in-town errand vehicle and were surprised and disappointed that it failed completely and was only good to be sold as salvage on its second lengthy trip. Within the first year of purchasing the car, it had to have its engine replaced entirely, and the final breakdown would have necessitated another engine replacement, which was not worth the cost at that point. While it held up well for several years of short trips, it ultimately failed when it had just reached 100,000 miles. We expected to get much more from this vehicle.
We had winter tires put on the car, and while working an overnight shift, I would leave work before the roads had been cleared when it snowed. Despite attempts on empty snowy roads and parking lots to get it to spin, I could not force it to lose traction in icy/snowy conditions.
We had winter tires put on the car, and while working an overnight shift, I would leave work before the roads had been cleared when it snowed. Despite attempts on empty snowy roads and parking lots to get it to spin, I could not force it to lose traction in icy/snowy conditions.
The Corolla was easy to maintain (we conducted regular maintenance the entire time we owned it) and had fairly good gas mileage. For the most part, I could get 28 miles to the gallon for in-town driving and slightly higher for the limited highway trips it took. The trunk space was surprisingly large for a small car and was frequently used. Additionally, the back seat could be folded down to allow the trunk to open up for more room if needed. While tight, it could hold five people, which we did on a few occasions. There was center console storage between the front seats, and the gear shaft ... (more)
The Corolla was easy to maintain (we conducted regular maintenance the entire time we owned it) and had fairly good gas mileage. For the most part, I could get 28 miles to the gallon for in-town driving and slightly higher for the limited highway trips it took. The trunk space was surprisingly large for a small car and was frequently used. Additionally, the back seat could be folded down to allow the trunk to open up for more room if needed. While tight, it could hold five people, which we did on a few occasions. There was center console storage between the front seats, and the gear shaft was between the front seats rather than on the steering wheel, which I preferred. There was a lever for releasing the gas cap rather than a handle on the cover, which is slightly more secure for preventing siphoning. The back seat was often used as additional storage space rather than for passengers, so between that and the trunk you could fit a fair amount in the vehicle. I regularly transported my cello across the back seat, and it fit snugly so I could drive without worrying about it being knocked around. Also, we easily fit a cover over the back seat and transported an adult Great Pyrenees.
The car sat very low, so my 6'4" husband did not care to drive it or ride in it if at all possible. At 5'4" myself, it occasionally felt low getting in and out to me, too. The windows were not tinted at all, so it got very hot very quickly, and the A/C was not especially responsive in running cold soon after the car was started or in cooling down the car while driving on a hot day. It began shaking and rattling within a few months of purchase and required an entirely new engine. After replacing the engine, it held up well for a few more years, but it seemed to always have a tendency to go ... (more)
The car sat very low, so my 6'4" husband did not care to drive it or ride in it if at all possible. At 5'4" myself, it occasionally felt low getting in and out to me, too. The windows were not tinted at all, so it got very hot very quickly, and the A/C was not especially responsive in running cold soon after the car was started or in cooling down the car while driving on a hot day. It began shaking and rattling within a few months of purchase and required an entirely new engine. After replacing the engine, it held up well for a few more years, but it seemed to always have a tendency to go through oil quickly. We always did regular oil changes and checked for any leaks, but we had to make a habit of checking the oil frequently as it would just burn through it quickly. There was very little space to set things down in the front of the car besides the passenger seat, so if there was a passenger everything needed to be placed in the back seat. There were also no working cup holders in the front of the car, and the cup holders behind the center console were awkward and flimsy.
2002 Toyota Corolla - A reliable and great car
Of all the cars that I have had, this car is one of the oldest with the highest mileage, yet it is the most reliable car that I've ever had. It has never had any issues. All it needs is regular maintenance - regular oil changes, tune ups, new tires, and some techron every now and then to pour into the gas tank to help the car run a bit smoother, etc. No major parts have broken or needed repairing. It is a great car that gets you where you need to go safely and comfortably. It was made to last and there is something about Toyotas where you know you're going to get a quality car that is reliable, safe, comfortable, and enjoyable. I've just had tons of car problems with other cars like the VW Jetta, and it is such a headache and a hassle to deal with so I am thankful for the Corolla that ... (more)
Of all the cars that I have had, this car is one of the oldest with the highest mileage, yet it is the most reliable car that I've ever had. It has never had any issues. All it needs is regular maintenance - regular oil changes, tune ups, new tires, and some techron every now and then to pour into the gas tank to help the car run a bit smoother, etc. No major parts have broken or needed repairing. It is a great car that gets you where you need to go safely and comfortably. It was made to last and there is something about Toyotas where you know you're going to get a quality car that is reliable, safe, comfortable, and enjoyable. I've just had tons of car problems with other cars like the VW Jetta, and it is such a headache and a hassle to deal with so I am thankful for the Corolla that runs like new despite the 100,000+ mileage it has on the odometer.
One fun memory in this car was last year around Christmas time. There is a certain area in my city where the houses go all out with crazy, creative, and beautiful holiday decorations. Since my boyfriend is not from the area, my mom and I drove him around the area around Christmas to look at the lights. It was a relaxing drive, and it was a lot of fun just cruising and seeing all the fun festiv... (more)
One fun memory in this car was last year around Christmas time. There is a certain area in my city where the houses go all out with crazy, creative, and beautiful holiday decorations. Since my boyfriend is not from the area, my mom and I drove him around the area around Christmas to look at the lights. It was a relaxing drive, and it was a lot of fun just cruising and seeing all the fun festive decorations. It really was a pleasantly relaxing night that put us in the holiday spirit and definitely lifted our spirit. I think we are going to do the same thing again this year, and we can't wait. It was great to be able to drive around checking the lights out in the Corolla because it is great on gas mileage and we didn't have to worry about how expensive gas was, and we were able to do what we liked without concern.
So far it has not been necessary to do any repair work on the car because all the parts work properly and correctly. No check engine lights, no brake problems, no overheating, etc. All that I have needed to do is keep up on the oil changes, get a regular tune up, replace the necessary filters every now and then, new tires, and techron in the gas tank to help the car preform at a better quality with the gas. The car is super reliable which is a godsend considering the absolute nightmares that previous cars have given me with not only the inconvenience of the car not working properly and not... (more)
So far it has not been necessary to do any repair work on the car because all the parts work properly and correctly. No check engine lights, no brake problems, no overheating, etc. All that I have needed to do is keep up on the oil changes, get a regular tune up, replace the necessary filters every now and then, new tires, and techron in the gas tank to help the car preform at a better quality with the gas. The car is super reliable which is a godsend considering the absolute nightmares that previous cars have given me with not only the inconvenience of the car not working properly and not being able to get where I need to go, but with the time and money saved not having to worry about repairs. The car is great on mileage, with $20 nearly filling the tank and lasting all week. The car is equipped with heat and air so you never have to worry in the summer or winter about suffering from the extremes the weather throws your way. The car is a 2002, so the electrical stuff is a bit dated - no electrical window opening buttons as it's all manual. Yet I think it isn't an inconvenience and I definitely do not mind it.
I guess a negative about the car is the fact that the interior is tan and the seats are cloth and not leather. Leather seats are great because if there are any spills in the car they are easily cleaned and you don't have to worry about seat covers or stains. Since this car is all tan in the interior, I have to be extra careful not to spill or soil the seats because it will definitely stain. I have invested in some car seat covers to help cover that concern. I also got different car mats that are darker in color to put over the tan ones because I don't want dirty looking car mats. Since car... (more)
I guess a negative about the car is the fact that the interior is tan and the seats are cloth and not leather. Leather seats are great because if there are any spills in the car they are easily cleaned and you don't have to worry about seat covers or stains. Since this car is all tan in the interior, I have to be extra careful not to spill or soil the seats because it will definitely stain. I have invested in some car seat covers to help cover that concern. I also got different car mats that are darker in color to put over the tan ones because I don't want dirty looking car mats. Since car mats are where your feet go when sitting in the car, it is easy for them to get dirty and dingy. It is very noticeable on tan mats. Especially if it rains and you track through sand or dirt, your mats are going to be obliterated. Another negative is how the windows are manual and not electric although this is hardly an inconvenience and I do not mind it.
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