1985 Toyota Corolla DX 5-door Don't remember from North America

Summary:

BEST car I have ever owned

Faults:

I put front brakes and rotors on it, front struts, ignition module, 4 tires, slave cylinder, plugs and wires, and all new filters. Extremely reliable car.

General Comments:

I LOVED this car, have kicked myself in the rear since getting rid of it. I paid $400.00 for it when I bought it, drove it back and forth to work for several years and replaced only the listed items, then sold it for $400.00 because I no longer needed a third car. For the $400.00 I got out of it, I should have kept it. At one time I even had it completely loaded up with fire wood from front to back. Mile for mile, this was the best car I have ever owned, started right up on the coldest of mornings or hottest of afternoons. I would pay twice what I paid for mine for another one in a heartbeat.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 24th September, 2006

1985 Toyota Corolla GT-S 4 cylinder 1.8 GT-S from North America

Summary:

Dependable, fast, cheap on gas

Faults:

Muffler fell off, replaced now.

Carburetor is now going out.

Needs a paint job.

Door windows are messed up.

Heater hasn't worked since I got it.

Interior could use some work.

Wouldn't pass emissions because of Carburetor needing to be replaced.

General Comments:

Very fast little car.

Gets great gas mileage.

I put a stereo system in the car and it still will take off fast.

Other than the above problems the car has been great to me. She's started every morning and handles the icy and/or wet pavement like nothing else I've ever driven.

I'm thinking of selling her because of the cost to fix her. My girlfriend and I are expecting another child and I need the money to pay for doctor bills, not to fix the car. If anyone would like to look at her e-mail me at my girlfriend's e-mail at MomTo2Babies@hotmail.com

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 13th November, 2004

1985 Toyota Corolla CSX 1.6 Litre Caburator from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Best 1.6 liter car

Faults:

Overheating due to corroded radiator soon after buying it. Changed head gasket to rectify overheating. Not the car's fault, as it was cheap when I bought it. The previous owner did not inform me of the corroded radiator.

General Comments:

For a 1.6 caburator engine, it gives other cars of its class a run for their money.

On steep slopes, it produces enough torque to maintain at 80km/h.

Nothing has gone wrong so far, even after long distance cruising.

Definitely an ideal car for work and to commute. Brought car to work in the harsh conditions of the farm. Mud, stones, gravel, nothing seems to hamper its movement.

Like what others said.. it just keeps going and going.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 2nd November, 2004

1985 Toyota Corolla DX (wagon) 1.5 gasoline from Trinidad and Tobago

Summary:

This car is one tough little wagon

Faults:

I re-built the engine, serviced the wiper and starter motors, and changed a few suspension rubbers and clutch. Added to that, a paint job was needed, although there wasn't much rust to deal with.

General Comments:

This is one bullet proof ride. You can carry a lot of stuff and it won't complain.

The manual is a dream to drive.

I had a bit of work to do (which was done gradually over a year and a half), mainly because the previous owners neglected this tough little car. Some of the roads in T&T are terrible, others are punctuated with pot-holes. This car never broke or lost its alignment in a year.

It's the right car for a first car or for a miser who loves to neglect cars. This car does not beg for attention. You can be a late sleeper and it won't cause you to get to work late, because it will start every day on the first try.

I still regret selling my white Ke-70 Corolla wagon.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th August, 2004

5th Dec 2005, 15:41

Original reviewer here, I still regret seling that wagon. It is a testimony to th equality that Toyota produces. The Corolla was cheap and cheap to maintain. Presently, the current Corolla has grown to another class. The replacement to the compact class is the Yaris or Echo depend where in the world you live. This Yaris can never in my view recapture the quality and durability (and magic) that was evident in the rear drive Corollas of the 1980's.

31st Jan 2017, 23:53

Original reviewer here again after all these years... I still miss that little wagon. Tough and easy to live with... They certainly don't make them like that anymore. Toyota KE-70 Corolla reliability and economy!

3rd Feb 2017, 04:46

Thanks for sharing about your experience. It sounds like this car really made an impression on you; so much for the tired trope of Toyotas as sterile and soulless appliances.

5th Feb 2017, 13:17

I gather that you bought the Corolla to resell for a profit, considering all the work you did on it and then reselling it after only owning it for a year?

5th Feb 2017, 18:48

I have dumped big money in a few myself. It's typically disgust from unreliability or being late to work that prompts selling so soon.

26th Jan 2018, 02:21

Original Reviewer here again.

I did not sell the Corolla Wagon for a profit. My wife and I bought a Nissan Sentra Wagon (which was an automatic) about a year and a half later. The Nissan was easier for my wife to drive. I sold the Corolla with a heavy heart though, hence the regrets.