Faults:

Apart from the usual maintenance (oil, brakes), the only expense has been for new engine mounts recently, as there was considerable vibration in cold weather until the car was warmed up.

The gear selector light went out a while ago, and apparently replacement involves taking almost the whole car to pieces, so I won't bother.

General Comments:

Still gets good mileage. On a trip from Vancouver Island to Reno last summer, the average was 35 MPG.

Not a powerhouse, but the engine does the job. It's a very smooth and pleasant car to drive. Some people say the seats are a bit hard, but I like them and the driving position is just right for me. I never feel tired after a long journey.

Like another owner here, I like my older Corolla so much I bought my daughter one (a 1994) for university. It's a bit more spartan (base model), but has all the same virtues as mine.

Once these eventually wear out, I'll probably get some more! The newer Corollas don't seem to be in the same class for build quality and reliability. I'm happy to be cheap and cheerful.

Faults:

Normal maintenance - timing belt, brake pads, tires, struts, battery, etc. All lasted at least as long as the manual stated.

Radiator - crack in the plastic top at 200,000 miles.

Power steering hose leaking, 190,000 miles.

Rack and pinion leaking, 190,000 miles.

Most of the interior bulbs had to be replaced over time; some were real pains to replace.

Passenger seat belt buckle just failed at 300,000 miles.

Motor mounts - when they go bad, the car will vibrate at idle, it will even make the door locks rattle.

Seat belt retractors - have always been weak, retract slowly or not at all. Probably my biggest complaint.

White paint is peeling off some areas like the edge of the trunk. This seems to be common for lots of white cars from the 90's. I see white Fords, Chevys and Hondas, all with the peeling problem. I don't know about other colors.

All 4 speakers turned to dust a few years back, replaced with cheap after market speakers. For a stock radio, that's all you need.

General Comments:

Interior still looks great after all this time.

I see a lot of people saying the seats are uncomfortable, but I'm 6ft tall and found them fine for cross country trips; I've done it several times. The interior is a bit tight, but not too bad.

Not a lot of power, but that's part of getting good MPG.

Interior noise level is pretty high at highway speeds. Get the 1.8L engine, not the 1.6, because the 1.8 has a little more power, and more importantly, the auto transmission is a 4 speed overdrive. The 1.6 has a 3 speed with no overdrive; which can be very tiring on a long trip, plus it hurts MPG on the highway.

I get 30-33 MPG, measured many times whenever I fill the tank. I don't baby it. Best ever was 38 MPG on a back-country road day trip of 300 miles with speed mostly under 65. That was just recently, too; the engine is still working like a new one!

This car was built back when the Japanese car makers were building their reliability reputation. Subaru, Toyota, and Honda were all truly superior up until about 1998. Since then, they have been living off that reputation, but the newer cars don't really justify it.