1991 Toyota Corolla DX 4 cylinder

Summary:

These are the best (albeit not most responsive) and dependable cars I have EVER owned

Faults:

Nothing major ever went wrong.

Brake line leak @ 250000 but so what.

General Comments:

I have had the BEST of luck with the well-made Toyota Corolla. I had a 91 and then a '95. Both were excellent cars.

These cars can take so much abuse, it is unbelievable! My ’91 had THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES on it before I killed it. And I mean killed it. Knowing I would get nothing for a trade-in value, I decided to end its long life by jumping it off an 11 foot wall. Had I known that it would keep running afterward, I would not have done it, but after the first jump, I had no other choice, but to drive it into the ground.

I jumped off the wall 4 times before the engine broke free of its mounts and wedged itself under the passenger side floor panel. GREAT CAR!

My ’95 is still running with 237,000k and minor maintenance. I do not think I will ever make it meet the wall.

I would STRONGLY advise anyone who is not inclined to perform routine maintenance on their cars to definitely give the Corolla a look.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th November, 2005

11th Jul 2006, 22:12

I understand your love of the 1991 Toyota Corolla. I bought one in 1999 with 80k miles on it. I had to replace an alternator and exhaust system around 115k miles. I had it up to 120K miles when it was hit by a 1.5 ton full size pick up plow. The frame was bent, the driver rear quarter-panel was trashed and the hood was bent and would not close properly. I drove it for another 10k miles in this state. The car would not die. Finally I broke down before the Corolla did and bought a Toyota Celica. Toyota Corolla an amazing tank of a little car...

1991 Toyota Corolla DX 1.4L 4A-GE

Summary:

A great, reliable car for the minimalist

Faults:

The alternator died at 230,000 miles.

The timing belt snapped and had to be replaced ($450).

Used in Midwest, so one side of rear bumper has almost been eaten through by rust.

We've replaced almost every major part in engine, but nothing besides the timing belt has ever made the car break down.

General Comments:

The Corolla is a very cheap, bare bones alternative for those without a lot of money, but with an aftermarket Cd player and speakers, not uncomfortable at all to drive, especially with a manual transmission.

The acceleration is not the best in 1st and 2nd gear, but after those gears it can achieve highway speed fairly quickly.

Very reliable. There are rattles and squeaks, but my paranoia is never justified by its performance.

Lastly, as in any older car, the suspension rusts quite a bit. The last alignment took 3 hours because of the rust. Still handles well though with loose steering, just slow down for corners.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 29th July, 2005

1991 Toyota Corolla Standard 1.6

Summary:

This is a great humble commuter

Faults:

Absolutely nothing major. The front passenger door inside door handle fell out. The driver's door seal fell out. That is about it.

General Comments:

I have had three cars stolen before the Corolla: a Honda accord, an El Camino, and a BMW 318is. I have had this car for over a year and it still hasn't been stolen. I live in a bad neighborhood and they don't even look at this car. It is perfect if you don't want to receive a lot of attention. I have been driving this car for over a year and have put over 20K miles on it. The only things I have changed are the tires, brake pads, and the clutch. I really didn't have to change it; the only problem was that it kept popping out of fourth gear. This car is great on gas mileage. This is the lowest model and because of it not having simple luxuries, it is lighter which makes it great on gas. I bought this car from a Greek man moving back home. He really took great care of this car. This car is smoother than my BMW, Honda, and El Camino. It gets better gas mileage also. The only thing that it doesn't have that my other cars did is horsepower; it has trouble regaining rpm in higher gears. It is a perfect daily driver. The car has nothing wrong with it. The only modifications I have done are to put in a CD player with speakers. I am a surgeon and could easily buy a new Mercedes or some other luxury car, but I don't plan on it. I plan on being humble and keeping this car for the rest of my life.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 24th July, 2005

24th Jul 2005, 20:25

You "are" wealthy, because you actually realize that true wealth is not determined by the car you drive. Most people that drive flashy cars have payment books on them and are in debt up to their ears. They need the flashy cars because they are insecure about themselves. If the economy takes a turn for the worse, they will be the ones in the poor house, while their empire of liabilities crumbles like a house of cards. That will not happen to you, and other "humble" people like yourself, who understand what wealth actually is. Wealth is about security, not flash.