Corollas2019-23ToyotasTech

Search Corolland!

A Tale Of Two Swaps

by buurin, May 10, 2007

To make a fully optioned manual gen 8, you would:  

  1. 1. To make a fully optioned manual gen 8, you would:

    • Convert a fully loaded but cheap one to manual
      0
    • Get a cheap manual one and retrofit these options
      0
    • Wait possibly forever for this exact car to show up
      0




Long story short, I want a fully loaded gen 8 (that is, power door locks, power windows, power mirrors, ABS, cruise control, tach and 185/65/14 tires) that is a manual for my lifelong companion. There is a fully loaded auto gen 8 within my family that I can readily lay claim to, that I'm also trying to put on sale.

But for getting a manual car, all manual gen 8s that I can find are cheap VE or CE that only have power door locks at most.

So to get at this goal, I have to swap parts in. DIY is no problem for me.

I don't know if a non-power car would have the wires required for the power options.

Now I can claim the car and do a manual swap, or keep trying to sell it and buy the first reasonably priced manual and up-option it as needed.

Which way is better?

ps. Fish: Thanks for your info!

Tough call - they do make Corolla LE with a 5-speed, but they were pretty rare. When I bought my Corolla - there was only two manual Corollas out of probably 100-125 automatic equipped ones on the lot.

Might be able to find a Corolla S to fit the bill. Many were well equipped - but do not have the fold-down rear seats (that was the only thing I didn't like about my Corolla S).

A manual swap is a possibility - especially with more and more 8th gen car parts becoming available. Generally will lose trade in value - but if you plan on driving the car into the groung - no worries with the swap.

Can't argue with the simplicity of just buying a car with the options you want - might be the easiest option of all - barring the initial searching for said car. I too am faced with a similar situation - and finally decided to opt for the swap. Already have the major components, have another car to fetch parts in case I goof and forgot something, and I know that my project car is mechanically sound engine-wise, electrically sound, and body-wise very clean (other than being hit by a truck and the EVAP system - but that is a whole another story). Plus - it would be fun, be able to show my 5-year old son what is involved. Only thing that is slowing me down is available free time.

Well if you're looking for ABS on an 8th gen, be prepared to wait a LONG time for it. If I recall correctly, only a few thousand of our Corollas came in ABS out of x millions that were produced. My Corolla is fully loaded with nearly every option (power windows, mirrors, locks, side airbags, rear folding seats, color-keyed side trim and door handles, tilt steering wheel, and cruise control). My car also supposedly has "deluxe" sound system, though I would still call it substandard. In spite of it all, my car still lacks ABS. It also lacks a moonroof.

Why not just leave it as automatic? Where I live, there's just too much traffic to have any fun with manual. Before my Corolla, I was driving a manual car. Like the Corolla, it had early shifting (1st to 2nd was around 15-20 mph). It just became too annoying in stop-and-go traffic, shifting back and forth between 1st and 2nd. Sometimes I would hold it in 1st up to about 25 mph, but it was needlessly wearing my engine down.

My 98 LE has all options, including side airbags, factory premium sound system incl CD player..but no ABS, which is ok by me. Most people who opt for all options will also want an automatic as well. Too much stop/go traffic everywhere these days.

Some people have suggested to me just leave it in 2nd gear if you get stuck in a stop-and-go situation rather than shifting everytime you manage to pull yourself above 15 mph only to studdenly come to a halt again and have to switch it back. This could be especially useful for those 5 mile backups on the highways, like on the after Mother's Day default_smile . I'm already preparing for it.



Topic List