Question about experiences with 2009 Corolla

[UncleDave]

Hi All,

I just picked up a 2009 Corolla base model a few days ago. It's a 5-speed manual with 108k miles on the odo. This car is way, way different than most cars I've been used to; it's much looser and floatier than anything I've had over the past 5 years. I don't think there's anything "wrong" with it, per se, and some looseness is probably expected after 108k, but I'm just wondering if there are things I need to worry about or look out for at this mileage.

This car was bought for my son to use as his primary mode of transportation, and he told me yesterday that he "doesn't feel safe" in it. He's used to driving my full-size 2019 Silverado 4x4, and going from that beast to this tiny little econobox is like culture shock. I think he's just not used to small cars. Compared to the truck, the 'Yota has loose-feeling steering, a floaty ride, the brakes require a lot of travel, lots of road noise, and the RPMs at 65MPH are around 3000 vs 1800 on the truck so it sounds like it's really winding up on the highway. I know, it's like comparing apples to watermelons, but the difference in refinement is huge.

So, back to the original question: What should I be watchful for on a 10th Gen Corolla with over 100k miles?

Thanks!
D

 

[stvotw]

I'm approaching 200k miles on mine. Nothing out of the ordinary to really watch out for.
As far as handling upgrading the rear sway bar makes a huge difference.
Road noise, well it isn't a luxury car but tires could be a contributing factor.
Brakes, being that old I would have the brake fluid flushed.
RPM, I have an automatic so don't know what they should be.

 

[UncleDave]

Thanks for sharing your experience. The kid is getting used to the car and is actually enjoying driving it now. I figured it would take a little time.

The car checks out well as far as overall condition. Just a few wear items. The shifter is sloppy, so I might be looking at a base & cable bushing kit. The clutch is smooth as butter when cold but tends to judder a bit on 1st gear starts after driving for more than a half hour or so. We could consider a clutch & flywheel replacement at some point in the future, but this car will be used 90% for short trips, and considering that the disc still has a fair amount of material left, I'll probably hold off unless it gets worse. That's probably the one issue that could be costly to fix.

If I understand correctly, these cars never did have firm feeling brakes to begin with, but I'll be having a brake job done soon and will have the fluid flushed at that time. The pads have plenty of material left and the rotors aren't warped, so they were probably replaced recently, but peace of mind is worth more than the cost of a brake job.

Overall this is a cool little car, and even though it's not a spirited performer. it's fun to drive with the manual. I hope it will serve him well through the rest of high school and into college.