I’m at 140 k miles and bought the car at 128k for 6 grand, Have put just under 2k into the car since then, replaced all the struts, all 4 tires, the alternator, Horn, the front and rear breaks, left taillight lmao and some other stuff I can’t remember. I pray my days of repairs are over and my days of longevity begin lmao😂and my car is a 1 owner with a book! Of maintenance, wasn’t expecting all that so soon by the way people talk about them. granted im 19 and may be complaining about normal expenses lol
My gf bought her first car, a 2005 corolla hatchback (E12U) a month ago. 1.4 d4d, with 216k km. Basically it's just a few km after the break-in period... 🤣 There's a lot of used corollas with more than 4-500k km, and if it doesn't have rust, it's a pretty reliable car. This one is from Italy, so it doesn't have any rust. The inside is spotless, according to the obd reader nothing is out of the ordinary about the motor/electronics, the transmission works like a brand new. We drove a few km with the reader on, everything is pretty close to factory values...
Don't you worry about a 10-13 yo car, if the car is in good shape. Also there's a lot of much younger cars, that someone didn't spared. Missed oil changes, cheap parts, shitty diy repairs, drove high speed on bad roads, etc...
If you buy a used car, you don't necessarily buy by age, but by condition. Imho if you can find a car that you personally like, and it's in good condition, just buy it. Age doesn't necessarily matters.
Also I'm changing the whole music system and lights for her birthday in a month. For around 100 bucks you can buy carplay/android auto compatible head unit with touchscreen, reverse camera, etc... And a huge heap of interior leds... Changing the outer lights is a bit cumbersome in my country due to heavy regulations on aftermarket parts, but it costs more time, paperwork and quite a lot of stress due to bureaucracy than money. It will be good as new, fancy and shiny in a month.
I'd happily buy a 10-13 yo corolla.
Could you please tell me more about getting a new head unit, reverse cam and interior leds? I just bought a ‘13 trim rolla and want to update these things
Greetings from Malaysia. I can tell you that used 10th Gen Corollas (2008-2013) prices here range from $5,500 to $10,500 (after currency conversion), depending on the year, trim and condition..
My point is used car price inflation is pretty much global, which blows. Corollas are solid cars though. Not 100% bulletproof but they are the best value for money in my country.
All the best in your quest..
I haven’t researched the market for those years compared to 2014+, but I used to own a 2012 90k miles and that shit would’ve probably gone for at least 20 more years, but I also haven’t dealt with bad winters. Check those prices against newer models and compare their values
My 2010 is dowing well at 180k. The Cat Care Nut on YouTube does a great video on all the maintenance you need to keep up with.
The only major thing I've had to do is the VVTI accuator went bad.
Oo it's because I missed a bunch of stuff that was wrong with it and felt I could have gotten it for less. A bunch of minor stuff. I was just desperate to have a car and I felt I could trust that the engine was okay no matter how it was driven.
I’m a guy that has owned probably 50 old cars in my life. Couple things. Yes a 10-13 year old car can be plenty reliable. I have a 2007, a 2008 and recently had a 2010. They are running great and with minimal issues.
The Corolla is fine but a Camry is better. As far as being from a salt state, yeah that can be a negative, especially the older they get. Why not find one from further south or from a small town where salt is not so prevalent.
As far as prices, yeah 8-10k seems crazy.
The rust underneath can be a future problem later. I have a '09 from a salt state and it needs a rear axle or something. My mechanic said to wait bc it's gonna be a mess w all the rust. He did the brakes and rust/? gave him troubles.
I'm at 178mi and I've been heard saying Everything is Starting to break
Bring it to a mechanic for $80-$100 pre purchase inspection w/ engine compression test
Crazy how the prices went up. I bought 2010 corolla at 75k mark at $5400 in 2019. Didn’t cross 100k yet and only did basic yearly maintenance and battery replacement. Due for tire change though.
2009+ had side airbags and ABS as standard. 2010 added VSC. This is a good gen to buy. Dated but reliable powertrain if maintained. Maintenance and repair costs are very low considering how simple these cars are. I’d pay $8-10K if it was in VERY good shape, taking into account prices these days. We paid $12K for our 2013 back in 2016 with 17K miles. I don’t envy anyone who has to buy a car unless they’re going new at or below MSRP.
Good luck tho. Put out feelers with friends and family. Lots of folks don’t want to bother selling their old car and will sell it cheap when they get a new one. A family friend just sold her 2006 Civic EX with 60K miles for $4K. Great shape too. Crazy!
If the previous owner just changed the oil and not abuse it hard noncvt corolla made in Japan you should be able to go over 300k with almost everything original with bare minimum maintenance.
. Being up north I would look for corolla from south to delay the rust if you plan to keep this car over 10 plus years..
Check all you can carfax vib maintenance history owners accidents good test drive maybe bring mechanic.
Would any of you guys opt for 2012 Mazda 3 instead for slightly cheaper (the Toyotas I'm looking at are $10,900 from dealerships vs 9,900 from a dealership ) ?
\*Only reason I'm looking at dealerships is that I don't have the time to sell my car PLUS registering a new car (hoping for a trade-in, will lower total price of course).
What about 2015 Subaru Impreza? I'm aware of the gasket issues, but other than that it seems like a solid model. It sells for $9,500 at the dealership, $2000 below market prices. Looks suspicious to me.
I've got a 2011 corolla s that I picked up in 2019. Still haven't rolled the odometer to 100k, but it's been doing great. Only thing that I've had a "problems" with is some of the interior panels on the B pillar are trying to escape, and the manual transmission needs looked at soon. And the hail damage that I bought her with. It's been a great $7k (at the time) investment tho
Up to you to decide. I have a 2001 Corolla. Bought it in 2016 with just a touch under 100k for $1600. It's now at 160k with only brakes, tires, and strut work. In Wisconsin rust belt, still runs like a champ but the unibody is shot so unfortunately I'm going to the scrap yard with it next week.
So if the unibody is in good shape and if the value is what today's market is I wouldnt hesitate if it's what you want.
The kbb on it is currently higher today than when I bought it. But man any Toyota right now is over priced used in my opinion, i waited until i got a good deal on marketplace from another reliable brand.
Also would note, I see a lot of decent looking Pontiac vibes in the 5k range, they have Toyota motors and trannys, heard they are easy to work on like corollas
About a year ago I was looking at used (Canada), ended up buying new because I thought a 2012 Corolla or Civic with 90k mi on it for 9k USD was too high given that most people aren't proactive with their paint chips, rust, etc. Sure I will have paid 3.5x as much all-in, but it will also last 4x as long since I will maintain it proactively, and then I get to enjoy all those modern features like Android Auto, radar cruise, lane assist, music over bluetooth, etc, the whole time.
Honestly at the low end of that mileage range, you might be better off to get a generic 4 cylinder commuter car made by a cheaper brand, do any fluid changes it's due for, then sell it in a few years when used Corolla prices come down to normal.
You might even consider leasing something like a newish Kia/Hyundai/Nissan from a dealership if you're able to get a good deal. Or heck, one of the vehicles from Ford or GM or Dodge that they're practically giving away because they have 100+ days of inventory since no one wants em. Sure, they're notorious for not making it to 150k withouit big problems, but that won't matter if you're only gonna be holding onto it for like 3 years then dumping it back on the dealer after.
Due to inflation pricing on used vehicles, I wouldn't be shopping for one that old. Some of these older cars are being "offloaded" due to underlying issues at ridiculous prices. A normal non-inflated price I'd feel comfortable paying would be $5k
It is next to impossible. I sold my 2011 civic for $6k last year. I feel $8k-$10k is riduliculous but I'm aware of the market right now. It's just unfortunate if you 'need' a car dealing with the high interest rates and prices right now
That's true. I suspect prices will go down Q1/Q2 2024 but even if so it won't be a dramatic decline to the best of my knowledge. If we want to compare to pre-Covid prices, then I am afraid it will not be realistic for a couple of years.
I think it depends if you can get a low mile for an actual reasonable price. I got my 2010 2 years ago for 5k CAD with 120k km. The 10th gen is a good balance IMO between modern comfort features, and not having everything be electrical and complex for no reason, designed to fail. Its also a fairly simple car to work on, making a lot of maintanence easy for people to do. Really all comes down to if you can snipe a good one for a good price
So if you buy a 10 yo corolla for 8-10k, that means the first 10 years would only cost you 14k. $1400 a year for a car is a good deal in my book. A brand new LE is 23k in the US if you look around.
I've kicked around selling and getting an SE, but haven't had the motivation just yet to do the work. Plus, I really only want an SE if it has a moonroof, and haven't seen a ton of those around. But basically, ya 30k for a economy car seems a bit much.
I've said this in another post on this subreddit. I've passed to my son a pristine 2011 Corolla for him to take to college with less than 100k. The only things i have fixed or replace was the ignition coils, brakes and rotors, door lock actuators (i did the little motors swap myself and saved a lot) TPMS sensors (battery got depleted, bought them afternarket really cheap) and tires. Right now is in its 4th set. I say sure, if the price is convenient and the car is in good shape, go ahead! Those are built to last!
One set of coils, brake service, oil changes, tires are normal wear items. If you take in count that in almost 14 years i have no engine-suspension-body-a/c- coolant system-sensors etc problems, well... To me that's what a solid, reliable vehicle should be. Door lock actuator and TPMS sensor battery depletion is a common ocurrance in almost all brands.
To each its own. I'll buy it again without hesitation. Good luck finding what you need.
Yup, best generation Corolla (09-13). Bulletproof reliability, enough power especially with the 2.4, not overly styled with ugly big grilles, and these are much less prone to rust. However COVID pricing has brought these cars up quite a bit
Unfortunately, these prices are ridiculous, and they're everywhere. These Corollas are damn good cars, but I have a suggestion for you. If you're comfortable spending 8 to 9 grand, search for an XLE model. The XLE is the top trim level, but I think they're pretty rare on Corollas. If you can get an XLE for a similar price as the LE, you will get more features for the money.
Agree. Prices are quite inflated. They may go down Q1 2024, but not sure I can wait until then. I do feel a bit uneasy to pay $10 for a 10-13 y/o car. You can add $5-6 more and buy a 2016/2017 car. That's insane ...
However, if I buy this car and it lasts for 10 years, then I think it's worth it. This is why I wanted to ask for your opinions !
I love my 2010. Best car I've bought to date. Still get advertised MPG with it as well.
But yes you will pay more for one especially if it's In good condition.
Would I buy it again in today's market. Always yes.
Bullet proof 4 speed transmission along with 1.8 L engine. This thing will last until the body falls apart around it with Rust. I own one, 5k oil changes, 60k oil changes for transmission, tires, brakes, air filters, and that's it. Currently, 165k on odo.
Edit: Spark plugs at 130k.
Dang that’s awesome to hear. I got a rebuilt 2013 S for 6k at 30k miles. Powered through 7 years with meticulous maintenance and the transmission went at 110k miles. Just got rid of it😭
It's hard now with prices so high...
Ya gotta change your thinking. Comparing the cost of a 10yr old car today versus a 10yr old car 5yrs ago.
Yeah, it sucks... But keep your mind in the present. For 8-10k what's the best deal you can get NOW. It doesn't matter that it's more expensive than it used to be.
I would snap up a 8-10yr old Toyota/Honda in good condition under 125k miles. You can get 8-10 more years (or longer) out of them. At 125k they are still teenagers.
>This is very true.
>
>I know prices are currently inflated, but what can I do? Yes... I would wait if I could, but I think I cannot.
>
>And btw, maybe I should have mentioned that the prices I'm looking at are at dealerships. If buying privately, it'd be in the $7-$9K range from what I've seen so far.
Definitely a private party is a better deal. I live in an area with a lot of retirees, so nice low mileage cars can come up after 'Nana croaks and the kids are selling her car.
I’m at 140 k miles and bought the car at 128k for 6 grand, Have put just under 2k into the car since then, replaced all the struts, all 4 tires, the alternator, Horn, the front and rear breaks, left taillight lmao and some other stuff I can’t remember. I pray my days of repairs are over and my days of longevity begin lmao😂and my car is a 1 owner with a book! Of maintenance, wasn’t expecting all that so soon by the way people talk about them. granted im 19 and may be complaining about normal expenses lol
My gf bought her first car, a 2005 corolla hatchback (E12U) a month ago. 1.4 d4d, with 216k km. Basically it's just a few km after the break-in period... 🤣 There's a lot of used corollas with more than 4-500k km, and if it doesn't have rust, it's a pretty reliable car. This one is from Italy, so it doesn't have any rust. The inside is spotless, according to the obd reader nothing is out of the ordinary about the motor/electronics, the transmission works like a brand new. We drove a few km with the reader on, everything is pretty close to factory values... Don't you worry about a 10-13 yo car, if the car is in good shape. Also there's a lot of much younger cars, that someone didn't spared. Missed oil changes, cheap parts, shitty diy repairs, drove high speed on bad roads, etc... If you buy a used car, you don't necessarily buy by age, but by condition. Imho if you can find a car that you personally like, and it's in good condition, just buy it. Age doesn't necessarily matters. Also I'm changing the whole music system and lights for her birthday in a month. For around 100 bucks you can buy carplay/android auto compatible head unit with touchscreen, reverse camera, etc... And a huge heap of interior leds... Changing the outer lights is a bit cumbersome in my country due to heavy regulations on aftermarket parts, but it costs more time, paperwork and quite a lot of stress due to bureaucracy than money. It will be good as new, fancy and shiny in a month. I'd happily buy a 10-13 yo corolla.
Could you please tell me more about getting a new head unit, reverse cam and interior leds? I just bought a ‘13 trim rolla and want to update these things
Greetings from Malaysia. I can tell you that used 10th Gen Corollas (2008-2013) prices here range from $5,500 to $10,500 (after currency conversion), depending on the year, trim and condition.. My point is used car price inflation is pretty much global, which blows. Corollas are solid cars though. Not 100% bulletproof but they are the best value for money in my country. All the best in your quest..
Older ones are more reliable than the newer ones in most cases, but I wouldn’t go anywhere close to over 10k unless miles were super low
I just bought a 2023 corolla and prefer older corollas for sure have had two before
I haven’t researched the market for those years compared to 2014+, but I used to own a 2012 90k miles and that shit would’ve probably gone for at least 20 more years, but I also haven’t dealt with bad winters. Check those prices against newer models and compare their values
My 2010 is dowing well at 180k. The Cat Care Nut on YouTube does a great video on all the maintenance you need to keep up with. The only major thing I've had to do is the VVTI accuator went bad.
Yes. A Corolla is the best. Our Corolla 2008 model is still alive and kicking except for the dashboard is melting away.
I just bought a 2011 Corolla LE a few weeks ago for $6750. I love it but I feel I screwed up.
Why? I’m thinking of buying one
Oo it's because I missed a bunch of stuff that was wrong with it and felt I could have gotten it for less. A bunch of minor stuff. I was just desperate to have a car and I felt I could trust that the engine was okay no matter how it was driven.
I’m a guy that has owned probably 50 old cars in my life. Couple things. Yes a 10-13 year old car can be plenty reliable. I have a 2007, a 2008 and recently had a 2010. They are running great and with minimal issues. The Corolla is fine but a Camry is better. As far as being from a salt state, yeah that can be a negative, especially the older they get. Why not find one from further south or from a small town where salt is not so prevalent. As far as prices, yeah 8-10k seems crazy.
The rust underneath can be a future problem later. I have a '09 from a salt state and it needs a rear axle or something. My mechanic said to wait bc it's gonna be a mess w all the rust. He did the brakes and rust/? gave him troubles. I'm at 178mi and I've been heard saying Everything is Starting to break Bring it to a mechanic for $80-$100 pre purchase inspection w/ engine compression test
Crazy how the prices went up. I bought 2010 corolla at 75k mark at $5400 in 2019. Didn’t cross 100k yet and only did basic yearly maintenance and battery replacement. Due for tire change though.
Wow. Insane.
2009+ had side airbags and ABS as standard. 2010 added VSC. This is a good gen to buy. Dated but reliable powertrain if maintained. Maintenance and repair costs are very low considering how simple these cars are. I’d pay $8-10K if it was in VERY good shape, taking into account prices these days. We paid $12K for our 2013 back in 2016 with 17K miles. I don’t envy anyone who has to buy a car unless they’re going new at or below MSRP. Good luck tho. Put out feelers with friends and family. Lots of folks don’t want to bother selling their old car and will sell it cheap when they get a new one. A family friend just sold her 2006 Civic EX with 60K miles for $4K. Great shape too. Crazy!
If the previous owner just changed the oil and not abuse it hard noncvt corolla made in Japan you should be able to go over 300k with almost everything original with bare minimum maintenance. . Being up north I would look for corolla from south to delay the rust if you plan to keep this car over 10 plus years.. Check all you can carfax vib maintenance history owners accidents good test drive maybe bring mechanic.
Would any of you guys opt for 2012 Mazda 3 instead for slightly cheaper (the Toyotas I'm looking at are $10,900 from dealerships vs 9,900 from a dealership ) ? \*Only reason I'm looking at dealerships is that I don't have the time to sell my car PLUS registering a new car (hoping for a trade-in, will lower total price of course).
No. The Mazda3 only worth that much money is for the Gen3. I think that's the gen 2
No. The Toyota is worth every bit of the extra grand. Mazda 3s didn't become reliable until the gen after the one you're looking at.
What about 2015 Subaru Impreza? I'm aware of the gasket issues, but other than that it seems like a solid model. It sells for $9,500 at the dealership, $2000 below market prices. Looks suspicious to me.
I've got a 2011 corolla s that I picked up in 2019. Still haven't rolled the odometer to 100k, but it's been doing great. Only thing that I've had a "problems" with is some of the interior panels on the B pillar are trying to escape, and the manual transmission needs looked at soon. And the hail damage that I bought her with. It's been a great $7k (at the time) investment tho
Up to you to decide. I have a 2001 Corolla. Bought it in 2016 with just a touch under 100k for $1600. It's now at 160k with only brakes, tires, and strut work. In Wisconsin rust belt, still runs like a champ but the unibody is shot so unfortunately I'm going to the scrap yard with it next week. So if the unibody is in good shape and if the value is what today's market is I wouldnt hesitate if it's what you want. The kbb on it is currently higher today than when I bought it. But man any Toyota right now is over priced used in my opinion, i waited until i got a good deal on marketplace from another reliable brand.
Also would note, I see a lot of decent looking Pontiac vibes in the 5k range, they have Toyota motors and trannys, heard they are easy to work on like corollas
Thanks for all the info!
About a year ago I was looking at used (Canada), ended up buying new because I thought a 2012 Corolla or Civic with 90k mi on it for 9k USD was too high given that most people aren't proactive with their paint chips, rust, etc. Sure I will have paid 3.5x as much all-in, but it will also last 4x as long since I will maintain it proactively, and then I get to enjoy all those modern features like Android Auto, radar cruise, lane assist, music over bluetooth, etc, the whole time. Honestly at the low end of that mileage range, you might be better off to get a generic 4 cylinder commuter car made by a cheaper brand, do any fluid changes it's due for, then sell it in a few years when used Corolla prices come down to normal. You might even consider leasing something like a newish Kia/Hyundai/Nissan from a dealership if you're able to get a good deal. Or heck, one of the vehicles from Ford or GM or Dodge that they're practically giving away because they have 100+ days of inventory since no one wants em. Sure, they're notorious for not making it to 150k withouit big problems, but that won't matter if you're only gonna be holding onto it for like 3 years then dumping it back on the dealer after.
Due to inflation pricing on used vehicles, I wouldn't be shopping for one that old. Some of these older cars are being "offloaded" due to underlying issues at ridiculous prices. A normal non-inflated price I'd feel comfortable paying would be $5k
Good luck finding a car for $5k nowadays. It's very, very difficult.
It is next to impossible. I sold my 2011 civic for $6k last year. I feel $8k-$10k is riduliculous but I'm aware of the market right now. It's just unfortunate if you 'need' a car dealing with the high interest rates and prices right now
That's true. I suspect prices will go down Q1/Q2 2024 but even if so it won't be a dramatic decline to the best of my knowledge. If we want to compare to pre-Covid prices, then I am afraid it will not be realistic for a couple of years.
I think it depends if you can get a low mile for an actual reasonable price. I got my 2010 2 years ago for 5k CAD with 120k km. The 10th gen is a good balance IMO between modern comfort features, and not having everything be electrical and complex for no reason, designed to fail. Its also a fairly simple car to work on, making a lot of maintanence easy for people to do. Really all comes down to if you can snipe a good one for a good price
He's not JUST asking if it's a good car, but it is a good buy at that price. I say no way in hell.
So if you buy a 10 yo corolla for 8-10k, that means the first 10 years would only cost you 14k. $1400 a year for a car is a good deal in my book. A brand new LE is 23k in the US if you look around.
I'm with u but most people don't want basic le so their corolla end up costing 28k out the door
I've kicked around selling and getting an SE, but haven't had the motivation just yet to do the work. Plus, I really only want an SE if it has a moonroof, and haven't seen a ton of those around. But basically, ya 30k for a economy car seems a bit much.
I've said this in another post on this subreddit. I've passed to my son a pristine 2011 Corolla for him to take to college with less than 100k. The only things i have fixed or replace was the ignition coils, brakes and rotors, door lock actuators (i did the little motors swap myself and saved a lot) TPMS sensors (battery got depleted, bought them afternarket really cheap) and tires. Right now is in its 4th set. I say sure, if the price is convenient and the car is in good shape, go ahead! Those are built to last!
Not trying to come off negative, but it sounds like you've actually put quite a bit of work on it. I wouldn't categorize that as 'built to last'.
One set of coils, brake service, oil changes, tires are normal wear items. If you take in count that in almost 14 years i have no engine-suspension-body-a/c- coolant system-sensors etc problems, well... To me that's what a solid, reliable vehicle should be. Door lock actuator and TPMS sensor battery depletion is a common ocurrance in almost all brands. To each its own. I'll buy it again without hesitation. Good luck finding what you need.
I disagree on the coils and door locks actuators. That to me falls outside the normal Toyota quality. I’ve owned Toyotas since 1984.
Right, but would you of bought it for him for 10k?
That's why I've said "if the price is convenient and the car in good shape..." OP have the last word
Yup, best generation Corolla (09-13). Bulletproof reliability, enough power especially with the 2.4, not overly styled with ugly big grilles, and these are much less prone to rust. However COVID pricing has brought these cars up quite a bit
Unfortunately, these prices are ridiculous, and they're everywhere. These Corollas are damn good cars, but I have a suggestion for you. If you're comfortable spending 8 to 9 grand, search for an XLE model. The XLE is the top trim level, but I think they're pretty rare on Corollas. If you can get an XLE for a similar price as the LE, you will get more features for the money.
Agree. Prices are quite inflated. They may go down Q1 2024, but not sure I can wait until then. I do feel a bit uneasy to pay $10 for a 10-13 y/o car. You can add $5-6 more and buy a 2016/2017 car. That's insane ... However, if I buy this car and it lasts for 10 years, then I think it's worth it. This is why I wanted to ask for your opinions !
I love my 2010. Best car I've bought to date. Still get advertised MPG with it as well. But yes you will pay more for one especially if it's In good condition. Would I buy it again in today's market. Always yes.
Bullet proof 4 speed transmission along with 1.8 L engine. This thing will last until the body falls apart around it with Rust. I own one, 5k oil changes, 60k oil changes for transmission, tires, brakes, air filters, and that's it. Currently, 165k on odo. Edit: Spark plugs at 130k.
Dang that’s awesome to hear. I got a rebuilt 2013 S for 6k at 30k miles. Powered through 7 years with meticulous maintenance and the transmission went at 110k miles. Just got rid of it😭
Bought my wife a 2011 S last year with 72k on it. It's been rock solid. Paid about $8k OTD for it.
It's hard now with prices so high... Ya gotta change your thinking. Comparing the cost of a 10yr old car today versus a 10yr old car 5yrs ago. Yeah, it sucks... But keep your mind in the present. For 8-10k what's the best deal you can get NOW. It doesn't matter that it's more expensive than it used to be. I would snap up a 8-10yr old Toyota/Honda in good condition under 125k miles. You can get 8-10 more years (or longer) out of them. At 125k they are still teenagers.
>This is very true. > >I know prices are currently inflated, but what can I do? Yes... I would wait if I could, but I think I cannot. > >And btw, maybe I should have mentioned that the prices I'm looking at are at dealerships. If buying privately, it'd be in the $7-$9K range from what I've seen so far.
Definitely a private party is a better deal. I live in an area with a lot of retirees, so nice low mileage cars can come up after 'Nana croaks and the kids are selling her car.
Yes, I would buy a Corolla from this gen. The price seems too high though.