1998 Toyota Corolla AE102R 1.8 petrol from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Very reliable and value in performance, best 1st car for ever!

Faults:

Nothing gone wrong and cost me more.

General Comments:

A bit uncomfortable driver's seat and limited eye shot, however it is still highly remarkable for its value in performance, very reliable engine, best 1st car ever!!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 12th October, 2008

1998 Toyota Corolla XL Limited 1.3 from United Arab Emirates

Summary:

Great car if modded

Faults:

The compressor was screwed when I got it.

Bad dash panels.

Engine fires/chokes especially in the morning; takes quite some time to warm up.

Legroom's very limited, front and back.

General Comments:

It's run almost twice around the globe...

And it's still running.

If maintained well, you'll reach the moon (distance).

Should have gotten a more powerful engine though; 1.8 etc etc.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 8th April, 2008

9th Apr 2008, 15:44

Nearly half a million KM and you score only 5/10? Toyota are the best.

9th Apr 2008, 16:11

The car has already reached the moon, which is 384000 km away.

1998 Toyota Corolla CE 1.8 from North America

Summary:

Doesn't rate all the hype

Faults:

Bearings in tensioner pulley went; it is a known problem to Toyota, they would only cover it as a warranty issue. A new pulley assembly costs between 3 to 4 hundred bucks (managed to get aftermarket pulley for 20).

Front wheel bearings failed; I'm lucky that I can do my own mechanicals.

General Comments:

This was a low mileage old lady car; bought it due to reviews saying Toyota is the best; that's crap.

The engine is long to crank, due to poor quality injector seals, and the engine has a lot of vibration, not smooth at all, good power, noisy, (I use full synthetic and change every 5000k).

Fortunately I'm not real tall, as my 6ft. brother can't fit comfortably. The armrests are useless, the rear fold down seats only go down to 45 degrees, which totally defeats the purpose and makes this car useless to me.

Any crosswinds and this thing is all over the road; had all new rims, tires, bearings installed and a four wheel alignment, didn't help a bit.

Doesn't like the snow too much either compared to any of my previous vehicles (with same tires).

Average of 40 miles/gallon hwy. handling is average.

I'm not overly impressed by this car and can't say I'd buy another Toyota; it'll be for sale when the snows gone.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 5th February, 2008

16th Jun 2008, 22:12

A 9 year old car with that kind of mileage on it, and judging from being owned by a little old lady, it's sat for ages and only done short trips.

For handling, look at the bushings as they're probably perished by now. A new set of sway bar bushes will do a world of good.

Vibration is a sign that the engine mounts have perished; once again normal for about a decade of use. If the vibration is when driving, look for drivetrain problems.

16th Dec 2008, 09:24

I would recommend an oil change every 3000m. Also, this car has been built for years, maybe you got not good one?

Also, as you know, people sometimes even do not know that they need to change oil... No oil change on time - seals are getting lose and some times... you know. A friend of mine was riding her car until it eventually stopped. "I did not know that oil must be changed" she said after ~1-2 years of riding it XD.

1998 Toyota Corolla CE 4 cylinder gasoline from North America

Summary:

Boring and Reliable Is Good

Faults:

I put a new starter in it May of 2006.

The dashboard illumination has partially blown to where part of the gauges don't light up. I've been driving it like this for a couple years now.

Freak hailstorm beat the hell out of it in 2004. I refused insurance settlement.

I had to replace a ball joint and a half-axle in April 2007.

The headliner started coming loose around 3 years ago, and is tearing in places.

Brake lights gave out about two years ago.

Foam around steering wheel wore out about 4 years ago.

Driver's side inside door handle broke off from years of being outside in the heat.

Hood is starting to rust.

Discovered a transmission leak in June 2007.

Seat belt light quit working years ago, which I like because it was driving me crazy!

General Comments:

This model Corolla is, for me, not too big, and not too small, which is why I chose it in the first place. As a daily driver, and as an ONLY driver, it does quite well, and on slick days benefits from a bag of dog food in the trunk for extra weight.

I'm a big woman, and drive with the seat fairly far back. I have tilt steering, but don't mess with it. I have no trouble merging into traffic. However, going down to Texas with their short ramps, merging requires some thought, but there's nothing wrong with thinking while driving. I always push the AC off for extra power.

Stock radio is mediocre, which means it'll do the job. It's got, I'm sure, one of the last cassette players ever made. I never took it to get an upgrade because really my commutes aren't that long, and I don't need extra bass to listen to NPR.

Trunk space is sufficient for a single gal with a couple of bags to take to the airport. The backseat folds down for extra room if needed. I managed to get a peacock chair in the back seat with some creativity!

This Corolla has been reliable beyond words. For some reason, people look down on reliability, but for someone like me without a man around or the benefit of public transportation, reliability is as necessary as clean air and water. People seem to have no idea what peace of mind can do for your bottom line. I've never had to take off work to see about this car, at least not until the car had well over 100,000 miles. Until then, I had scant reason to take the car to the dealer for repair work.

I need a reliable car in my life just like I need reliable people in my life. Excitement isn't everything. All I need is to be able to turn the key and go, and my Corolla has more than fulfilled that end of the bargain!

For someone looking for a reliable second hand car, I would say that you could do a whole lot worse than this car especially if you have a daughter in night school and you want something that will get her home safely. My insurance costs are low, gas had been low until it started going up, and honestly, my gas mileage might be higher if I weren't using the original plugs still!

Another thing to consider is that all Corollas from the 8th generation (1998-2002) on use a timing chain rather than a belt. You don't have to take this car in at 60,000 miles, or play Russian roulette by trying to guess when this thing is going to snap. I feel that's an expense you shouldn't have to pay for what should be a part of the engine you don't mess with (one doesn't change the crankshaft, after all, does one? So why consider timing "maintenance"?). My car has over 125,000 miles, and I've never messed with timing belts and never will.

I'd like to say, too, that after 9 years of ownership I'm still running the original headlights!

All in all, I can say that my '98 in Sanddrift Metallic is easily the best car I've ever had. It's a car that hadn't given me any reason to be afraid of it. I haven't been the greatest at maintenance, but it's been very forgiving of that. I'm seriously going to miss it when it's time to replace it, and now that it's older and things are starting to need replacing one by one, it's time to consider what my next car will be. I've heard horror stories about the 9th Generation Corollas, having been built in America and starting to have quality control issues. But until they give me real reason for concern, another secondhand Corolla will be at the top of the list.

Like a good husband or boyfriend, boring and reliable is good!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th August, 2007

5th Aug 2007, 23:53

I wrote this review, and for whatever reason, I don't know if it was my fault or not, this was put under 1997 Corolla, when I have a 1998 Corolla CE. Please fix this.

25th Nov 2009, 00:28

"Like a good husband or boyfriend, boring and reliable is good!"

I love this analogy! Corolla's fulfill their purpose as a cost-effective, reliable car, that's for sure!

24th Oct 2010, 08:41

I had a 1993 Toyota Corolla base model sedan that got crushed and totaled by a huge tree branch a couple of weeks ago. I had a GREAT two years with that car. Never had any major problems with that car.

I replaced the exhaust manifold and didn't even have to, so I spent $75.00 for no reason.

Replaced PCV valve (preventive maintenance), cost $3.00.

Replaced valve cover gasket and spark plug tube seals (preventive maintenance), cost $25.00.

Mods: Cold air intake, header.

Car had 169,933 miles on engine and transmission.

I do miss my Corolla. Currently driving my Grandfather's 1993 Ford Explorer. Do plan on getting a 1998-2002 Toyota Corolla.

15th Nov 2010, 00:21

I got my Corolla for my 18th birthday, but crashed it soon after getting my license. :(

Other than that happening it is an amazing car. My gas lasts forever and it fills up on only about $30. Unfortunately I crashed it a few weeks ago again, so hopefully it will be fixed soon, or I can hopefully get another.