So I always think that my 94 Corolla DX puts other Corollas to shame. My car doesn't have major rust problems (although some rust on the rear wheel wells that is barely noticeable), and I plan on sanding it down and taking care of the rust again, like I do every summer. The paint is stock and still shiny, the interior is near mint (although rattles sometimes), the engine sounds mostly quiet at idle and while driving.
I have a White 1994 DX, with 142,000 miles on it. I received it about 4 years ago from my grandma, with 90,000 on it.
I feel as though when I drive around and see other Corollas (mostly 7th & 8th gens) my car looks 10X better. I've taken immaculate care of it. I keep up with the maintenance... I've replaced the thermostat, distributor cap & rotor, plugs and wires (when needed), a motor mount or two, air filter religiously, oil every 4-5,000 miles.... basically all the things this car has ever needed (nothing major).
Other Corollas that are as old as mine, that I see are usually rust buckets, and/or dented horribly, running poorly. I feel like when I give my Corolla a nice wash (ext and interior) it looks almost as if it just left the dealer lot in 1994.
I'm not trying to toot my own horn, it's just a shame to see so many Corollas that were poorly taken care of. I guess a lot of people probably look at Corollas and don't care about them, because it's a little "econo-box", but I freaking love mine. I've never had a car that has needed such little maintenance, plus a car that has never left me stranded, or didn't start. And this is the EASIEST car I have ever worked on, mechanically.
I was thinking about selling my 94, and getting a 2000 or something, but I'm thinking no... I wanna keep this baby running for as long as I can.
I've also NEVER seen the check engine light, or the oil light come on. I understand that because my grandma drove it from when it was brand new until 2006, she took care of it, took it in for repairs, etc...but I'd like to think that I've maintained it pretty well.
Anyone else think that they have an older generation Corolla that looks as clean as the newer ones? Maybe I'll get some pics up...
Just sharing with you all. This Corolla is the best car I've owned, and when it goes (if it ever does) I plan on getting another. For a 16+ year old car, you can't beat it.
Also, just a quick question... one thing I am noticing about my Corolla is the suspension seems a little shotty. I did the bounce test, and it feels like the front driver side, and rear passenger side shocks/struts are going bad. I'd like to get all 4 struts replaced, which would probably be a little pricey. Would it be worth it put a new suspension on a car that is this old? It's probably only worth about $2800 at the most, but I just hate how it drives. If I hit a major bump or pothole, it hits it ROUGH, and makes a bunch of noises. The suspension is really the only thing that I can really tell that's going bad on this car, and I know this car will run well into the 200,000 miles and over... so should I get the suspension fixed?
