Will my Corolla last for 15 more years?

[Benoit]

Hi everyone!
I'm owner of a 2004 Toyota Corolla CE with 5 speed manual transmission.
The car 86992 miles so far. Body his rust free.
I'm 27 years old and I did just buy my first house.
I know Corolla his a very reliable car but I'd like to avoid buying a new car for at least 10 more years and 15 if possible. House cost much more than appartment you know
My driving habits his about 70% highway 30% city, 280 miles a week. I'm living in Quebec, Canada so it's very cold on winter and very hot in summer. Here his the complete maintenance and repair so far on my car and I'd like to know if I should do or check something to keep the car running like new for much more year to come and at wich mileage I should do those check up.

-42 995 miles (Changing water pump + belt)+(Front brake pad and rotor)
-48 061 miles (Changing O2 Sensor Bank1)
-48 849 miles (Tranny problem, replacing Bearing input and output rear)
-55 302 miles (Replacing rear brake pad)+(complete suspension replacement. Tein Coil + Tokico gas Shock)
-61 789 miles (Radiator Flush and changing coolant with Amsoil Propylene Glycol, Tranny flush with Amsoil engine and tranny flush and then filled with Amsoil 75W-90 Long Life Synthetic Gear Lube, bleeding brake system and filled with Amsoil Dot3, flushed power steering fluid and filled with Amsoil power steering fluid)
-74 872 miles (Injection system cleaning at Toyota dealers)
-80 481 miles ( Both Front Wheel bearing changed and then the car get aligned)
-82 890 (New NGK Iridium spark plug)

So far this is the major repair I had on my car. Since the car his new oil change have been change every 5000 miles on dino at dealer and then at 40 000 miles every 10 000 miles with Amsoil 0W-30 SSO + Amsoil Ea oil filter.At every oil change I'm cleaning up Air filter and changing it if needed with Oem air filter (Denso). It also received each year body rust protection.

Thanks for taking the time to read and sorry for my poor english, I'm a French Canadian.

(As you may noticed, My mechanic use Amsoil product, this his the reason why my car his Amsoil everywhere, so please don't start a thread about Amsoil)

 

[Brons2]

The engine will probably last 15 more years, but will the rest of the car? Do they use salt on the roads up there? If the answer is "Yes" then I would say that your car will probably not last another 15 years.

 

[Falcon_LS]

No problems at all with Amsoil, they definitely have a line of quality products.

Generally speaking, any car will "last" if you keep throwing money at it. When it gets to that stage, it's really a matter of what's more economical - keep the car on the road, or replace it.

Looking at your list, I'm a bit confused about why you replaced the water pump, oxygen sensor, transmission bearings, suspension and wheel bearings so early.

 

[demarpaint]

15 years is a long time. I said that in 1987 when I bought my 88 E-150, its still running and looking great. Take care of it, hopefully no one crashes into it or it gets stolen, then you have a good shot at making it. Remember rot, fatigue, or a host of other things besides the engine quitting can take it out.

 

[rjundi]

Rust, salt will eat it alive.

Sure sounds like a lot of problems based on my experience with two Civic's and a Subaru WRX and Legacy.

 

[MarkM66]

It doesn't seem to be "very reliable" so far.

-42 995 miles (Changing water pump + belt)+(Front brake pad and rotor)
-48 061 miles (Changing O2 Sensor Bank1)
-48 849 miles (Tranny problem, replacing Bearing input and output rear)
-55 302 miles (Replacing rear brake pad)+(complete suspension replacement. Tein Coil + Tokico gas Shock)

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: Brons2
The engine will probably last 15 more years, but will the rest of the car? Do they use salt on the roads up there? If the answer is "Yes" then I would say that your car will probably not last another 15 years.


If you oil spray your car like I do it will last another 30 years.

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: MarkM66
It doesn't seem to be "very reliable" so far.

-42 995 miles (Changing water pump + belt)+(Front brake pad and rotor)
-48 061 miles (Changing O2 Sensor Bank1)
-48 849 miles (Tranny problem, replacing Bearing input and output rear)
-55 302 miles (Replacing rear brake pad)+(complete suspension replacement. Tein Coil + Tokico gas Shock)

All minor repairs...

 

[Bill in Utah]

Interesting that I have the same car (2005 Corolla) and so far in 237,000 miles I've done only;

Oil changes every 7-9k (a few times up to 13k) with filters
Air filter once a year
One set of spark plugs
One change of coolant (to Peak Global lifetime)
Two left headlights (right one still OEM)
Two windshields
One set of tires (do swap out each winter with snows though)
Two changes of the manual transmission fluid.

Every thing else is OEM from the factory incl the Accessory belt, battery, brakes and such.

I do have some rust coming through the rear wheel wells and suspension parts. Its minor but will be the thing that kills the vehicle. Engine and everything else is running like perfect.

Miles wise for you - no problem I'd bet. Other things who knows. I'm planning for 400,000 miles then we will see. But if I fall into another vehicle deal then I may sell this one.

Take care, Bill

 

[ahoier]

Exactly.....those are "preventative maintenance" under most circumstances

But yea......your biggest enemy is going to be SALT......keep a good under coating on it......or wash the undercarriage weekly....

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: Brons2
The engine will probably last 15 more years, but will the rest of the car? Do they use salt on the roads up there? If the answer is "Yes" then I would say that your car will probably not last another 15 years.


If you oil spray your car like I do it will last another 30 years.


+1000 especially in Quebec.

All your maintenance will be useless once the rust starts eating through the body.

 

[MarkM66]

Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: MarkM66
It doesn't seem to be "very reliable" so far.

-42 995 miles (Changing water pump + belt)+(Front brake pad and rotor)
-48 061 miles (Changing O2 Sensor Bank1)
-48 849 miles (Tranny problem, replacing Bearing input and output rear)
-55 302 miles (Replacing rear brake pad)+(complete suspension replacement. Tein Coil + Tokico gas Shock)

All minor repairs...


At those miles I'd expect ZERO repairs.

I have a 04 Vibe that just turned 172k miles, that has had zero part failures.

 

[xBa380]

I agree MarkM66... Not exactly reliable.

My 2008 xB just hit 70K and have yet to do any repair at all... Just preventative stuff. *knock on wood*

Thankfully I have not been plagued with the failing water pump issues yet... Very common on 2AZ-FE engines.

The only "serious" issue I had was my ABS/TRAC/VSC lights came on and I was told the whole harness had to be replaced. I went under there myself, pulled the plugs in the rear wheel sensors or whatever and cleaned them, added some dielectric grease and never had an issue or light since.

Salts are the worst enemy for any car up here. I am proud to say even here in Cleveland, my car shows minimal rust under the car for give years of winter abuse here. My brothers G8 GT which he never drove in the snow looks worse rust wise. Looks like the Toyota has superior materials underneath.

I wish salt would not kill my car... But I know that is what will do it in. All I can do until then is keep it running like a champ. My aftermarket springs are going to be the first replacement, since the coating has worn due to the salts and is starting to develop rusting. I plan to get another set and swap them out when it gets a bit worse. Brakes are next as well, probably next summer. First time since I bought the car.

 

[dparm]

I would budget some money to have rust fixed. At some point it will happen.

 

[Quest]

LOL! most of you folks forgot about the changes happened to automobile technologies over the past 2+decades or so, which lead to what they are now.

unlike automobiles of the days of yore: carb + PCV and then some basic electronics stuff (Radio, perhaps) rear defrost, headlights, etc. and that would called a "done" deal, modern OBD-II automobiles are so electronically complicated that there shall always be the associated problems/issues that comes along and hit both manufacturers and owners alike.

Case to the point: now automobiles typically have electronically-monitored/controlled ABS, EBD, yaw-detection, electronically sensed torque distribution control, EFI control, ABS sensor feedbacks, electronic climate control, etc. and the list goes on and on...

With such complexities, and compounded that the fact that automobiles are still designed by human beings, quality controls by mostly humans (statistics), and assembled by humans, parts and components are still somewhat human involved...with many thousands of screws (all torqued to specfications per original manufacturer's design specs), parts, etc.

Given such challenges, manufacturers still aiming for typically less than 0.1% defect rate or better. That's 1 failure per 1000 automobiles manufactured.

And they(manufacturers) still offer you typically a 3yr bumper-to-bumper warranty (and 5-yr powertrain warranty), to keep you customers satisfied?!?!

You all should sit back and marvel the modern technical and manufacturing achievments for being able to create/manufacture something with such high precision, consistency and long, if not reliable service life.


Q.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Quest
LOL! most of you folks forgot about the changes happened to automobile technologies over the past 2+decades or so, which lead to what they are now.

unlike automobiles of the days of yore: carb + PCV and then some basic electronics stuff (Radio, perhaps) rear defrost, headlights, etc. and that would called a "done" deal, modern OBD-II automobiles are so electronically complicated that there shall always be the associated problems/issues that comes along and hit both manufacturers and owners alike.

Case to the point: now automobiles typically have electronically-monitored/controlled ABS, EBD, yaw-detection, electronically sensed torque distribution control, EFI control, ABS sensor feedbacks, electronic climate control, etc. and the list goes on and on...

With such complexities, and compounded that the fact that automobiles are still designed by human beings, quality controls by mostly humans (statistics), and assembled by humans, parts and components are still somewhat human involved...with many thousands of screws (all torqued to specfications per original manufacturer's design specs), parts, etc.

Given such challenges, manufacturers still aiming for typically less than 0.1% defect rate or better. That's 1 failure per 1000 automobiles manufactured.

And they(manufacturers) still offer you typically a 3yr bumper-to-bumper warranty (and 5-yr powertrain warranty), to keep you customers satisfied?!?!

You all should sit back and marvel the modern technical and manufacturing achievments for being able to create/manufacture something with such high precision, consistency and long, if not reliable service life.


Q.

+10000

 

[addyguy]

If you've oil-coated this car from new, the body will most likely last a good long while.

If you HAVEN'T undercoated it, forget it. Even if you don't see rust, it is most likely starting to form in seams and hidden places you can't see, and it will eat the car alive.

You can probably get another 5-7 years out of this car reasonably.

 

[hattaresguy]

As long as you keep up on maintenance and fix stuff that breaks a car will go on just about forever. I know someone who drivers their 1984 300D like this, I bet he has close to 800k miles on it. If the motor blows and it has twice he replaces it, he just spent $4k fixing up the body etc. He maintains it like an aircraft and after all that time and mileage the car looks great and drives great.

OTOH if you live in an area where they salt the roads rust will kill it long before anything else does. Around here at the 15 year mark rust tends to start to kill a lot of vehicles.

 

[Benoit]

Body has been undercoated since new with a mix of oil and grease that do not drop. Each year it receive a shot of this product, Otoprotec, Here is the website but sorry it his in french but you may be able to understand with picture displayed on their website.
http://www.otoprotec.com/produits/antirouilles.php

 

[cptbarkey]

in 10 years, your costs will exceed the value of the vehicle. to answer your question with unlimited funds and patience it will last 15 years, but whether it SHOULD it an entirely different matter. If it was a southern vehicle the maintenance would definitely be lower.