1984 Toyota Corolla DX review from North America

Windshield wiper arm broke in pouring rain, sending the wiper blade flying off the car. Not easy to find a replacement that fit right at the junkyard, but it was cheap when I did.

Power steering started leaking and squealing, chronically, until I refilled it with Valvoline Dexron III with Seal Conditioner. (cheap fix)

CV axle was bad when I bought it, replaced it, and it works fine.

Oil, ATF, PS, and differential all leak (mostly slowly)

Engine pinging, mostly alleviated by running 90 octane (which also has the benefit of giving me extra power, enough to cruise at 85 to 90 without difficulty, and hit 100 if I have to/want to.)

AGILE AS A BICYCLE. It can make a U turn in two lanes. On asphalt, It can take turns at speeds no other vehicle I've driven could, and if it had less body roll, would probably be up there with a lot of sports cars. It can stop from 60 in a little over 100 feet.

LIGHTWEIGHT. I drove this thing onto snow machine trails, snow packed down enough to walk on, but which would get a lot of 4x4 trucks stuck. And I managed to turn around and drive out. It just didn't sink in.

It got over 40mpg on a 6 hour highway trip. (Drafting motorhomes and SUVs... it only did 35 mpg on the trip back with less traffic)

I am 6 foot 1, and this car fits me like a glove. 6 foot 2 inchers, stay away.

However, front wheel drive always has sucked, and always will suck on ice.

Also, KEEP THE TIRE PRESSURE BALANCED... in a car this light, every little asymmetry gets turned to vibration.