dsfs

Hey,

Thanks for all your help so far.

Another question (a silly one i admit). I read and saw a youtube video of how the Corolla S's white gauges appear at night (they illuminate white on black just like during the daytime.... looks pretty cool).

Since the 2003 and 2004 Corolla LE's use the same white gauges (as the '03-'07 Corolla S's), I was wondering if the LE's gauges (again '03 or '04 model) also illuminate white at night.

Thanks.

The LE gauges are the same as the S gauges, they light up the same way.

In 2005 Toyota changed the LE gauges to Optitron, which is what they have used in Lexus cars for years. However, the Toyota Optitron gauges for the Corolla and Camry were poorly executed. They are all white on a black background and at night they are unbearably bright unless they are dimmed way down. The look cool because it looks like the gauges are floating in space like they are reflected off a mirror, but if any sunlight hits them they disappear.

Toyota never changed this in the Corolla or Camry until the 2007 Camry update and 2009 Corolla Update respectively. They kept the gauges white but made them less bright and shaded them better so the sun didn't hit them. What they should have done was given the cars blue and teal Optitron gauges like my Solara has.

You really need to go out and look at cars, that is the only way you can determine what you like and what you don't. We can answer your questions till the cows come home, but only you will know if you are bothered by the Optitron gauges in a later model car or if you prefer to pay more for the 'S' just so you don't have to look at the fake plastic wood trim that the LE has on the doors and console.

Thanks again for the info.

I test drove an '07 Corolla (they only had a couple of 07's on the used lot i visited)..... it blew me away. Alot better than the '98-'02 corollas.... the 9th gen ('03-'07) corollas (at least from my test drive) are much more stable on the freeway when compared to the 8th gen. The 8th gen Corolla's just seemed to vunerable to cross winds.

I noticed the Optitron gauges on the '07.....they were nice but definately not as good as the ones on luxury japanese cars (obviously). i though the faux wood interior was nice.

before todays test drive i was deciding between an '03-'05 Accord, 9th gen Corolla, Mazda3 and Mazda6 but considering how cheaply a 9th gen corolla can be bought for and how well they drive, i'm definately going to get a 9th gen Corolla.

btw, i asked this question about the illumination of the LE gauges b/c i probably won't get to chance to test drive a Corolla at night.

thanks again.

Hi, I am really disappointed on my Corolla's gauges. At first I tought my gauges were optitron as per dealer's brochure. But when I saw the real optitron's, that's when I found out they're not.

I bought a top range 1.8 XLI 4AT 2009 model with an EXCLUSIVE marking at the back. I went back to the dealer and they told me that optitron's are only for 2010, that sucked and I don't believed them because I've seen a lot of 2009 with optitrons.

Now there's nothing I can do but to stay with this "uglytron" gauges.

I have 2003 corolla S with the white illuminated gauges and they are great and easy to read anytime. The 9th generation Corolla is a great car and I'm keeping it for my kids. I test drove 2010 Corolla and Matrix and I was not impressed. The red Martix gauges are hideous BTW. Now, my daily driver is 2010 Prius and i'm loving it.