Going To Buy A 2005 Rolla, Need Some Help - Toyota Corolla, Chevy Prizm (1998-2008)

I am going to buy a 2005 red rolla tomorrow. I have something to ask because I haven't owned a rolla before. When I tested this vehicle, I found inside the cabin, the noise is noticable, and not as quiet as I thought. When test driving in high rev, there are some noise from engine. This is a one owner private car. However, the noise makes me a little uncomfortable because I heard rolla is famous of its quietness.

Another question is how about 2005 rolla's reliability compared to 2003's and 2004's?

Thank you all.

Well come to the forum.

As for being quiet - not with the current generation of 1ZZ-FE engines - these noted to be noisy engines since they changed to an all aluminum engine design design with better efficiency, lighter in weight, smaller packaging, and most noticeably dropped the relatively quiet timing belt in favor of the long lifespan timing chain.

Things that they added between the 2003-2004 and the 2005 Corollas:

- now uses the CAN computer interface instead of ISO (need to have a CAN compliant scanner - most new ones are).

- emissions from ULEV to LEVII-ULEV status

- charcoal prefilters filters added

- ECTS-i introduced

- engine immobilizer

- Tire pressure warning system

- DBW throttle system

Reliability is about the same - if you following that old adage of never to buy the first generation of anything - the 2005 is kind of a awkward spot - as it has many fixes over the previous two models years, but also added a host of new features.

I'd have the car thoughly inspected by a dealership or a very good independant garage that specializes with imports, preferably Toyotas. As for the quietness - Corolla is no Lexus. There will be higher levels of NVH, but usually better than most other cars in its class.

Bikeman982

Sounds like you have already decided to buy it.

The noise cannot be too high, otherwise you wouldn't get it.

As far as reliability - any car can break at any time. Corollas overall have good reliability.

Good luck with your car, enjoy the Corolla and welcome to the forum!!

Thanks. I haven't decided yet. I will test drive another 05 corolla and do the comparison. Basically the noise is acceptable, just it is louder than my 06 CR-V, which has a reputation for being noisy.

Regarding noise in dashboard or inside any of the corollas, it is my first time to hear about it, even in Camry which possess bigger engines...noise still unnoticeable...!!!

I suggest, to take the car to any of Toyota service centers before completing the deal. Ask them to check the body of the car for any previous body-works, and they may check the front of the car, engine bearings and whatever needed.

Good Luck

I would pass if it is too noisy. Shop for another one. Our dash had a rattle. The stereo was replaced under warranty, and not everything is good.

Corolla's are built in a UAW plant because of a venture with GM. I believe that it hurts quality overall compared to a non UAW plant.

Max

Not all Corollas are built at the NUMMI plant in CA. My car came from Canada, and others from Japan. I don't believe those are UAW plants. My car, btw, is highly reliable.

Not all Corollas are built at the NUMMI plant in CA. My car came from Canada, and others from Japan. I don't believe those are UAW plants. My car, btw, is highly reliable.

World wide they are not all from CA, but I think all US spec ones are. Either way, Id' pass on a nasty dash rattle no matter where it was built, but that dash rattle is a major complaint on current Rolla's. Some seem to be worse then others.

Tonight I tested another 2005 corolla and found it is not as noisy, or you can say it is pretty quiet. But this one is manufactured almost a year earlier than the previous one. I will go to test previous one again to make sure the noise is not annoying, or maybe it is just a cold start problem. By the way, the corollas here are made in Cambridge, Ontario. I don't know how good or bad cars are built here compared to those built in U.S.

Bikeman982

You can keep test driving them until you find one that is acceptable to you.

Don't settle for a noisy one, you may regret it later.

Unless you absolutely need a new ride right now, keep shopping until you find one that you feel comfortable with.

If you are not 100% happy, walk away.

As to where they are built, a little over 50% of North American Corollas (& all Vibe's) come from NUMMI. Remainder (and Matrix) come from Canada.

I know that Cambrigde is not UAW.

I dont rem what the deal is over at NUMMI... havent been there in a while.

good luck

tdk

Max

That's right, tdk. Plenty of U.S. spec Corollas are built in Canada. I'm driving one, as are many people in the eastern U.S. At least one person on the board has a U.S. spec J-vin Corolla.

Dandon: A lot of us have had better luck (reliability, build quality) with our Cambridge Corollas than those who drive the NUMMI-built (California) ones.

Bikeman982

I have heard that it depends on the day of the week that the car was built on.

Each day has something about it - such as Monday being a bad day due to hangover from the weekend, etc.

I was wondering if you can tell which plant the car was manufactured in by the vin number? That's what I've heard. How can you know whether your car was manufactured at Nummi or in Canada?

1,424 posts

I was wondering if you can tell which plant the car was manufactured in by the vin number? That's what I've heard. How can you know whether your car was manufactured at Nummi or in Canada?

Your vin will start with J if the car was built in Japan

Vins that start with 1 or 4 are affixed to cars that are built in the USA

Vins that start with 2 are affixed to cars that are built in Canada

Vins that start with M are built in Mexico

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_VIN_codes

My only real complaint about our 05 is that the serpentine belt and or pulley fails often. We had ours fixed under warranty at around 5K miles and it is failing again at around 38K miles. I find this a unacceptable failure and a major flaw. Even in a American car, this system would last till at least 60K if not 80K or so without needing to be replaced.

Other then that, the car seems pretty solid. The Corolla is a simple car no matter what. I would buy it over many other starter cars by other manufactures even after owning one. It is NOT perfect, but it does get better fuel economy over it's American counter parts. My only advise is not to fall for some awesome Toyota built quality, cause it's not perfect. It's not bad, but we had three issues with our car and only two where really taken care off. Our driver seat still has some sort of slack/play in it and it makes noise if you shift body weight in it at all. It makes a soft popping noise. We were told that all Corolla's do that. I don't believe that, but whatever.

1,424 posts

Our driver seat still has some sort of slack/play in it and it makes noise if you shift body weight in it at all. It makes a soft popping noise. We were told that all Corolla's do that. I don't believe that, but whatever.

Welcome to the club, every 2005+ Corolla driver I know has that problem.

Mine is so bad that the first time I let someone else drive my car they came back and told me my seat wasn't attached to the floor.

Of course it is, and quite firmly at that, but the noise persists and there is no fix other than to replace the seat.

Even that is not a guarantee because I have known three people who had their seat replaced, one of them twice and they still pop when you get in the car.

Design flaw anyone?

Bikeman982

Seat problem must be due to adjustment feature.