2007 Corolla hatchback

gooner99 · 18-10-2015 6:04pm #1

Been looking about for a van as a second car, but there are a lot of poor examples for sale. Now turning my attention to using my 04 golf as a second car/car van.I dont need a diesel, a petrol makes more sense. Not that many petrols about.well plenty, but many are nearly as complicated as modern diesels by all accounts.Now the Auris has the reliable 1.4 vvti but it's not a great car by all accounts.So thinking off a run out 5 door Corolla hatch, but not so many about.I know a few with them and they are reliable.Do you guys think I'd be better looking in the Uk for one as they are more likely to have a service history, or if I should be looking for an alternative make/make.

JohnBoy26 · 18-10-2015 6:30pm

gooner99 wrote: »

Been looking about for a van as a second car, but there are a lot of poor examples for sale. Now turning my attention to using my 04 golf as a second car/car van.I dont need a diesel, a petrol makes more sense. Not that many petrols about.well plenty, but many are nearly as complicated as modern diesels by all accounts.Now the Auris has the reliable 1.4 vvti but it's not a great car by all accounts.So thinking off a run out 5 door Corolla hatch, but not so many about.I know a few with them and they are reliable.Do you guys think I'd be better looking in the Uk for one as they are more likely to have a service history, or if I should be looking for an alternative make/make.

No need to go to the UK there is plenty of them here. Aim for a Luna spec model or at the very least a strata spec. They are a great car which are very well built. Imo no alternative make/model bar maybe the civic comes close to these in terms of quality or reliability.

The only real weak point is gearbox bearings. In some examples the bearings get noisy and need to be changed so on the test drive make sure there is no rough noise of the gearbox.

gooner99 · 18-10-2015 6:36pm

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

No need to go to the UK there is plenty of them here. Aim for a Luna spec model or at the very least a strata spec. They are a great car which are very well built. Imo no alternative make/model bar maybe the civic comes close to these in terms of quality or reliability.

The only real weak point is gearbox bearings. In some examples the bearings get noisy and need to be changed so on the test drive make sure there is no rough noise of the gearbox.

Thanks for the reply.

So no real need for a full service history?

I'm not seeing too many 07 models on donedeal and carzone l.maybe I need to be patient?

I don't think oil burning is an issue with the later 1.4 vvti engines?

JohnBoy26 · 18-10-2015 6:49pm

gooner99 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.

So no real need for a full service history?

I'm not seeing too many 07 models on donedeal and carzone l.maybe I need to be patient?

I don't think oil burning is an issue with the later 1.4 vvti engines?

A service history would be a plus but in this country it isn't a common site. Id get it checked out by a mechanic before purchase though and if it looks well minded and clean it will probably be fine.

Oil burning isn't an issue with these. Only the early vvti's suffered from it.

Tbh I'd aim for an 06. Very few 07 models out there, many of which seems to be saloons. Going back a year will give you much more choice.

gooner99 · 18-10-2015 7:00pm

Cheers.will look for an 06.07 will be a bonus.anything else to watch out for on them?

JohnBoy26 · 18-10-2015 7:11pm

gooner99 wrote: »

Cheers.will look for an 06.07 will be a bonus.anything else to watch out for on them?

Nothing else really. Just make sure it's a higher spec strata/luna model you get. The base Terra model is very basic and comes without the bodykit. Also make sure the body is good and straight.

colm_mcm · 18-10-2015 7:30pm

I'd hold out for a Luna or a UK t3 or t spirit if it were me,

gooner99 · 18-10-2015 8:16pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

I'd hold out for a Luna or a UK t3 or t spirit if it were me,

Yeah will look out for that. very few 07's on donedeal/carzone. Seem to be more on autotrader and some with service history. Just need to add up the exchange and vrt.

JohnBoy26 · 18-10-2015 8:19pm

gooner99 wrote: »

Yeah will look out for that. very few 07's on donedeal/carzone. Seem to be more on autotrader and some with service history. Just need to add up the exchange and vrt.

Getting one here will in all likelyhood work out cheaper and you have the problem of road salt with UK examples.

colm_mcm · 18-10-2015 8:19pm

The auris was out at the start of 07. The only old model corollas I remember selling in 07 were Terras.

gooner99 · 18-10-2015 9:02pm

Cheers.

Do we not also put salt on the road?

I think i read the old model Auris is not a great car.

JohnBoy26 · 18-10-2015 9:08pm

gooner99 wrote: »

Cheers.

Do we not also put salt on the road?

I think i read the old model Auris is not a great car.

We do but not as much. First model auris is not as good as the 02-07 corolla for fit and finish. Still reliable enough though apart from the power steering ecu failures on some early examples. The car also improved as time went on. The facelift with the 1.33 engine isn't a bad car in general.

gooner99 · 18-10-2015 9:14pm

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

We do but not as much. First model auris is not as good as the 02-07 corolla for fit and finish. Still reliable enough though apart from the power steering ecu failures on some early examples. The car also improved as time went on. The facelift with the 1.33 engine isn't a bad car in general.

Cheers.drove a mates 07 auris. Wasn't a fan of the drive and the gear shift seemed odd. I think my nephews 04 corolla seemed to be a better car/drive. Still I'd imagine the auris is reliable.

colm_mcm · 18-10-2015 9:25pm

they're not a great drive. the corolla is nimble and tight in comparison.
the only improvements he auris made were in interior space and safety. in practically every other area yhey are a backwards step.

gooner99 · 19-10-2015 7:33pm

Thanks for the replies so far. Just realised that maybe this thread should be in buying.If ths mods think it would be better there, please move.

Earlier in the thread a civic was mentioned.nice looking car alright. I've come across this low milleage one close by with leather interior. What are your views on them and were there different 1.4 engines in these.I did read somewhere I think that they changed at some stage, with the newer ones being better?

Might be a good alternative to the Corolla.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/view/10583958

colm_mcm · 19-10-2015 7:43pm

They changed to a 1.4 ivtec engine in 08 AFAIK. Juse a bit more powerful and with less emissions. The older 1.4 engine is a bit sluggish, the 1.8 is the one to get really.

gooner99 · 19-10-2015 7:49pm

Anyone have experience with the civic with the newer 1.4 engine. Good/bad?

Cee-Jay-Cee · 19-10-2015 8:03pm

Haven't driven the 08 on model but did drive an 07 1.4 civic and they're very slow, you'd need to book a holiday to pass out other cars on the road, 6th gear is pretty much useless unless your travelling on dead level roads or downhill. But saying all that they're a very comfortable car with a nice low driving position (as opposed to the high position in the Auris) and the cabin is very well laid out. They're super reliable with no known issues and very economical (I was averaging 46mpg on short sub 10km runs in it)

If you live in the city and most of your driving is urban then I'd recommend the civic over the Corolla or Auris. If you do a lot of motorway driving then the Corolla is a better car.

gooner99 · 05-11-2015 9:21pm

So I'd made a shortlist of Civic 1.8 petrol , Corolla 1.4 vvti petrol hatch and 2nd gen Prius, but haven't had time to go shopping yet.

This evening I've been looking over the servicing of the current car that I want to replace (04 1.4 petrol golf with 180k miles) which my wife mostly drives. I have found we've been doing 20k miles in it a year over the last two years. I'd imagine going by that I probably should be looking at the diesel or a prius?

2007 Corolla hatchback

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