Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with this car.

General Comments:

This is a great economy car.

It's in it's 6th Canadian winter.

I haven't even had a light bulb burn out.

The original battery is still good and it starts at -35 without plugging in the block heater.

It runs great on the highway and cruises easily at between 120-130 kph.

On the highway I average about 7Litre/100 KM that's almost 50mpg.

Faults:

I recently replaced the front struts on my corolla. Around 80,000 to 100,000 miles, expect to put a little money into the suspension. A little advice for those who change out the struts, don't be cheap! Go ahead and replace the strut top mounts even if they look pretty good. Within a few weeks they will give out and you'll be pulling them out again, and that is not a simple task. Trust me, you will thank me for it later. Struts are around $55.00 each. Mounts are around $30.00 each. while you're at it make sure you have a full alignment done as well or it will all be for nothing.

At 82,000 miles, I am now looking to replace both CV joints. It happened to me on my 1993 corolla at a 110,000 miles, so it appears I am a little ahead of schedule on the 1999. This is to be expected eventually, all depending on how the car was driven in the past of course. If you are going to do the work yourself, don't waste your time looking for just the CV joint replacement parts, there are none. You'll have to buy the whole left or right front axle (depending on the side that needs replacing). The cv boot will be intact. It will cost $90.00 to $130.00 per side.

I am also repairing the passenger side door handle (both inside & out). Look out though, because it's a manufactures only and will cost a whopping $115.00 just for the door handle, labor not included.

General Comments:

It appears to me as an owner of a few corollas over the years, They are very good cars. I would highly recommend the Toyota corolla to anyone. They are known for their great gas mileage, both in town and on the open road. They do not cost much to maintain. I spend around $300.00 a year for a good set of tires and about $30.00 per oil change every 3,000 miles. I use Vavoline duroblend motor oil. It's never let me down! The corolla has an extremely strong built motor and durable transmission. Even though this cars weight is a whopping 3,500 pounds, it moves like a car half it's weight. This car boasts a 1.8L 125HP engine. Doesn't sound like much, but it's plenty. Even with the suspension work and minor cosmetic work I've done, I know for a fact if it were any other car, I'd be paying a lot more for much bigger problems. This car is a steal of a deal. For the money, you simply can't buy a better car.

Faults:

A solenoid caused the radiator fan to remain on for a prolonged period of time after the engine was turned off. This was repaired.

The door hinges started to squeak badly after 50,000 miles, but I had them lubed.

The glove box latch is broken, so I can't get into my glove box for my owner's manual. I have yet to get this fixed.

The metal trim surrounding the right rear window has started to shed it's flat black paint.

The emergency brake fell out of proper adjustment twice. I had this repaired as well.

General Comments:

This is my second Corolla, my previous one being a 1986 DX model.

Let me start off by saying that this car is quite comfortable. The velour seats are very stain resistant and the seats are firm enough to hug your body, but soft and supple enough to cushion you from bumps in the roadway. The climate control works well, and the A/C blows cold. If the vents were a bit larger, the ventilation in this car would be even better.

The performance of the 120 horsepower 1.8 liter engine is adequate, and gives decent fuel economy (22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway). The transmission in this car is the real icing on the cake. This has to be one of the best four speed automatics on the planet. The transmission runs through the gears so smoothly that you can barely feel it engage.

Even though the Corolla LE has front and rear stabilizer bars and the wider P185 tires, the handling is less than impressive. In emergency handling maneuvers (I have come across a couple deer on the roads around my house), the four spoke steering wheel design prevented me from turning the car quickly and it squirmed all over the road. For everyday driving, however, the handling is bearable and the suspension provides a supple ride.

Overall, my Corolla has been very reliable. I don't think that is any surprise, considering Toyota's reputation for reliability. The only serious problem has been the solenoid.

One thing I can say is that my 1986 Corolla was a lot more fun to drive. It was a lot smaller and seemed to be more nimble in the bends. My 1999 Corolla feels very heavy and bloated by comparison. Sure, it is more comfortable, but I just don't enjoy driving it as much as my '86. I think my next car will be a Mazda 3 because I want that fun to drive factor.

That said, the Corolla is a very good compact at a decent price. Just don't expect great performance.