Toyota Corolla (2001) 1.4 VVTI - Opinions?

Raskolnikov · 02-04-2012 02:40PM #1

Wife needs a new car, we've just looked at a 2001 Toyota Corolla 1.4 GS VVTi, same model as the one below.

It has done 96,000 verified miles, it has had one non-smoking owner, upholstery in good condition, no bad dings or evidence of rust. Engine isn't noisy, gear changes were a little notchy (but I have experienced that before in a Corolla) and suspension seems ok. It's got a few extras that you wouldn't normally get in this model (electric windows, air conditioning, electric mirrors, etc.).

Asking price is £1,000, but I am sure I can haggle down to £800-£850. Going to bring a friend around for a second opinion later, are there any other things I should be looking at with this kind of car?

Thanks!

Leonard Hofstadter · 02-04-2012 03:06PM

Those engines are famous for burning oil. And the gearbox bearings can go in them as well.

Oh and the radio rarely works in them at that stage of their lives.

Apart from that there's nothing to worry about, well not really anyway. A non oil burning one will be very reliable. UK spec cars have different supension components to the Irish spec models - the Paddy spec ones ride higher and have a rough road pack fitted, so suspension components are more likely to give trouble on a non Irish spec car. The car you have in the photos is a pre facelift - a better car than the post facelift if you ask me as they have different engines and a different radio (neither of which give trouble) - they are virtually indestructible.

A/c and electric windows are the norm for a GS spec Corolla - you should see how basic the Paddy spec ones are by comparison!

They are fine if you want basic reliable transport, but you can do so much better really - a Focus or an Astra is so much better in every way imaginable. A non 1.4 petrol Golf or Seat Leon or Skoda Octavia are also considerably better than the Corolla too. The only things going for the Corolla as far as I can tell are the very lively 1.4 VVTi and the reliablility of the pre facelited cars (the post facelifted ones are very good too once they're not burning oil), but the Focus, Civic and Mazda 323 are just as reliable as one of these as well.

bazz26 · 02-04-2012 08:49PM

That's the pre facelifted bug eyed model, it didn't have the VVTi engine, it had the older 1.3 EFi engine. Not as powerful as the VVTi engine but still nippy enough given the weight of the car and doesn't suffer from excessive oil use. Serviced regularly that engine will go forever.

Vicxas · 03-04-2012 05:59AM

The 1.4 is fairly Nippy. I test drove one before i settled on my one.

I will agree on the oil burning, but if you check it every 2 weeks you'll never run into problems.

The Tie rod ends are prone to go on the 00-02 Corollas (as ive learned the hard way)

Raskolnikov · 03-04-2012 08:53AM

bazz26 wrote: »

That's the pre facelifted bug eyed model, it didn't have the VVTi engine, it had the older 1.3 EFi engine. Not as powerful as the VVTi engine but still nippy enough given the weight of the car and doesn't suffer from excessive oil use. Serviced regularly that engine will go forever.

It's the UK model I am looking at and it definitely has the VVTi engine, not the Paddy Poverty-spec one :cool:

I think I will just leave this one, it's one thing for me to keep tabs on the oil, whether the wife will do it or not is another thing.

bazz26 · 03-04-2012 07:46PM

Raskolnikov wrote: »

It's the UK model I am looking at and it definitely has the VVTi engine, not the Paddy Poverty-spec one :cool:

I think I will just leave this one, it's one thing for me to keep tabs on the oil, whether the wife will do it or not is another thing.

Then the car in the photo above is not the car being sold. The 1.4 VVTi engine only appeared in the facelifted Corolla in 2000. The one in the photo is the older pre facelifted model with the bug eye front. My father had a 2000 reg 1.4 VVTi Corolla for 4 years and it never burned a drop of oil in that time.

CJhaughey · 03-04-2012 07:57PM

We have one for the last 5 years and its never burnt a drop in that time.
I don't think these had the rough road pack either, the rough road ARB is different with eyes and rubber donut type droplinks.
They are a very reliable car IMO, performance is OK for a 1.4.

2qk4u · 03-04-2012 08:22PM

I bought a 99 1.3 a couple of weeks ago and it does exactly as it says on the tin. You wont do any better for your money. My last Toyota has over 320k miles on it and its still flying..

fonecrusher1 · 03-04-2012 09:55PM

They're a fine car. Its never going to get your heart racing but its a corolla after all.

Ive had my own vvti corolla for nearly 2 years. Yes i do occasionally have to top her oil up a bit every few months but she's never failed me & yes i know this has been said countless times...its a nippy car when you get it going.:D

Strikes a good balance in my opinion. Decent in the city & comfortable on longer journeys. I regularly travel half the length of the country every 2 weeks & i have no complaints.

Compared to a similar car of the same time, focus, golf, almera, megane, 306 its a better car in my opinion. Only a civic of the same year offers the same/better performance, fuel economy, reliability combined.

And before the ford fans go nuts, yes i know the focus has proven its a tough nut of a car & dynamically its superior but the 1.4 ford engine from that era is appallingly slow.

Toyota Corolla (2001) 1.4 VVTI - Opinions?

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