25th Jun 2020, 02:14

OP here. It's been a while since my last update. It's also been a while since I sold this car.

I bought a new Corolla in 2015, when I sold this car. The only unresolved problem was the vapor canister vent solenoid was throwing a CEL, which I didn't feel like replacing.

So I put a used transmission in it at 150k miles... and drove the (blank) out of this car until 240k miles! FYI... It was actually a Borg Warner gearbox, the transmission shop told me, not a Toyota gearbox noted above.

What else happened to the car between 150k and 240k miles? Not much! I had to throw another set of front brake pads on it around 160k miles and changed the OE rear shoes at 230k miles. The interior driver's door release handle broke & had to be replaced. I put camber bolts at all 4 corners around 180k miles (Corolla's have no factory camber adjustment) to keep treadwear even. Replaced the timing chain tensioner around 220k miles due to oil leak. That's about it!

BTY, I called this car my little money maker! Since most every mile from about 95k was business mileage (at about 50 cents per mile) I netted around $60k just driving this car!

When I sold it; It was still getting about 40 MPG on the highway, the engine and transmission had no leaks, A/C was blowing cold with no servicing (ever), OE water pump was still working, never had to change a motor mount (talk to someone with a Ford Focus or Mazda 3 about motor mounts!), the OE serpentine belt tensioner and rollers were still working trouble free, the power steering was trouble-free, all control arm bushings & ball joints were good, etc.

Bottom line: This was just one well made, simple, and reliable car.