New to Toyota - 2005 Corolla Sportivo!

[Squalled]

On 2/7/2025 at 12:25 PM, ZZT86 said:

What sort of Honda - Integra Type R ? I like them all but very fond of the S2K . . . 😍

Was a 98 Prelude VTi-R. 

Was a great first car, had a lot more room compared to say a DC2 or an EK/EM model Civic and I didn't have to worry about swapping motors around seeing as the H22 was quite torquey motor and K series swaps were quite rare back then. I only had it for not even 2 years but I still have such a soft spot for them when I see them here and there which is becoming a lot less frequent these days. I did have the chance to buy a then higher km DC2R in phoenix yellow with the yellow recaros and interior trim but I couldn't wait for the person to "return from overseas" and the car had a lot of interest and then been an inpatient 18 year old, I didn't want the same car as my mate which is something I mostly don't regret. In saying that, after driving my mates DC2R it's arguably one of the best FWD cars I've ever driven. It's sharp, raw and everything is in the right place for the best driving experience.

[ZZT86]

Ahh from back in the day when Honda made awesome cars, that Prelude is one of them, nice. The Integra TypeR was another & had the LSD in it from memory which made it an awesome FWD car. It was the Celica ZZT's only omission but it was also available from TRD so one could always swap it.

Lovely cars Honda.

[Squalled]

Been a fair while since my last update.

Not a whole heap has changed on the car since I'm now really just doing regular maintenace rather than making modifications.

Back in April, I noticed for some time my drivers side guard indicator had not been working. I went ahead and attempted to remove the indicator cover and the whole lense came off. I found the bulb had actually split and required replacement. I got handy with the blutack to get the lense back on until some new OEM replacements arrived and got some new bulbs. I have to say, I didn't notice the lack of orange on my indicators before changing the bulbs. It's a nice little change and found my current bulbs which I'd never changed before had all the orange film basically peeled off.

New indicator lense vs the 2 old units. Part number for anyone needing any, of course in great Toyota fashion the part is shared across multiple models and I just went and found the cheapest shop that had the same part number.

As I mentioned in previous posts, I'd had a clunk like noise for some time and I noticed it kept getting worse from the first time I noticed it. One weekend when I finally had some time available, I decided to jack up the car and have a look and what I found wasn't totally shocking. I found that the rear engine mount bracket that is attached to the gearbox, was not attached there anymore. 2 of the 3 bolts were missing and the only 1 left was sitting there dangling. With the help of my mates Alec and Richard, I was able to get some spare identical bolts of Richy and Alec was able to re-install them as it was a job I was able to explain what I needed to do but couldn't get my head around doing it. Alec ended up having to take out the engine mount, jack up the engine/gearbox to line if all up before putting it all back together.

After chatting with Alec about it, he mentioned what likely happened was someone hasn't done the bolts up tight enough which meant the bottom 2 fell out leaving the last single one on the top to take all the force before it let go. Once he mentioned this, I realised I started noticing the noise after I'd got my clutch changed before my wedding in 2023 and he agreed that it was definitely at that point it was likely one of the mechanics didn't bother checking the bolts to see if they were tight. A bit annoying but oh well we move on. All the bolts went back although, the single top bolt needed loctite as it's likely as Alec said, it was the last one held in and when it was forced out it's taken some thread out. I'm going to monitor this as for now the car is driving really well and feels great to drive again. If the bolt comes out again, I will have to get the gearbox out and get someone to re-tap the thread for that bolt.

Best photo I could get but here's a shot of where a bolt should be.

So for the last few days I've finally been enjoying driving my car once again. Once I found out what the issue was, I sat it in the garage and didn't start or drive it for almost a month. Thankfully it started first go.

In other news, I finally bit the bullet and bought a snapshade after getting sick and tired of the SCA cheapies that never fit and keep falling down. I got one during their sale earlier this year and after a mix up when I received the incorrect one (part numbers were very similar so an easily made mistake), I finally tested it out and the fit is great. The team were really easy to get onto and sorted the issue out in no time.

Stay tuned

[Tony Prodigy]

Hey mate, nice to hear from you again.

Love the new Genuine Parts indicators. Nothing quite like original parts if you can get them. You'll be amazed at how many parts are becoming obsolete these days, especially Aurion parts. Lucky for me though, I started collecting a small war chest of genuine parts way back when the getting was good. Prices have gone significantly north since that time. It seems, that the part I'm looking for is not available and if it is for sale, it's dearer than poison. There are just some items I would really like to avoid using aftermarket. Aftermarket parts these days are suffering from very poor quality control and we all know why that is right ?
I recently purchased a pair of front Original Toyota struts, among other items for my Aurion, when the time comes to replace them. I love the way the Aurion rides, so comfortable and smooth, I'd love to keep it that way. I've driven cars with aftermarket struts and they don't even compare to stock original. The ride feels a bit harsh and unrefined.
Call me crazy, but it's true. OEM spec is the best in my opinion. It's not a sports car or a modified car so there's no point really to go for anything but stock.

If you're modifying a car for higher performance, then I get it. Handling, braking, engine enhancements go hand in hand. With cars like my Aurion, they were never really intended to be a performance car and it does it's best work being a smooth, comfortable, reliable car with limousine like ride.  
Currently, my Aurion is at around 170K and still drives and rides like day one. I cannot be more happier. It's such a great car.

I have to say that it was a good catch on those missing  engine bolts. I would have to agree that it must have been when the shop did the clutch. It's an easy thing to overlook unfortunately in a busy shop when mechanics are under the pump to get the jobs done. I bet the guy intended to do it, and just plain forgot. Lucky you caught it in time though. It always pays to check over the work once you get the car home. You'd be surprised what you'll find. I've heard some stories from friends who always check under the hood after a service and the little things they noticed.

Anyway, good to hear from you.

Take care bud. 

[JoshyBoi]

On 6/16/2025 at 12:16 PM, Squalled said:

Been a fair while since my last update.

Not a whole heap has changed on the car since I'm now really just doing regular maintenace rather than making modifications.

Back in April, I noticed for some time my drivers side guard indicator had not been working. I went ahead and attempted to remove the indicator cover and the whole lense came off. I found the bulb had actually split and required replacement. I got handy with the blutack to get the lense back on until some new OEM replacements arrived and got some new bulbs. I have to say, I didn't notice the lack of orange on my indicators before changing the bulbs. It's a nice little change and found my current bulbs which I'd never changed before had all the orange film basically peeled off.

New indicator lense vs the 2 old units. Part number for anyone needing any, of course in great Toyota fashion the part is shared across multiple models and I just went and found the cheapest shop that had the same part number.

As I mentioned in previous posts, I'd had a clunk like noise for some time and I noticed it kept getting worse from the first time I noticed it. One weekend when I finally had some time available, I decided to jack up the car and have a look and what I found wasn't totally shocking. I found that the rear engine mount bracket that is attached to the gearbox, was not attached there anymore. 2 of the 3 bolts were missing and the only 1 left was sitting there dangling. With the help of my mates Alec and Richard, I was able to get some spare identical bolts of Richy and Alec was able to re-install them as it was a job I was able to explain what I needed to do but couldn't get my head around doing it. Alec ended up having to take out the engine mount, jack up the engine/gearbox to line if all up before putting it all back together.

After chatting with Alec about it, he mentioned what likely happened was someone hasn't done the bolts up tight enough which meant the bottom 2 fell out leaving the last single one on the top to take all the force before it let go. Once he mentioned this, I realised I started noticing the noise after I'd got my clutch changed before my wedding in 2023 and he agreed that it was definitely at that point it was likely one of the mechanics didn't bother checking the bolts to see if they were tight. A bit annoying but oh well we move on. All the bolts went back although, the single top bolt needed loctite as it's likely as Alec said, it was the last one held in and when it was forced out it's taken some thread out. I'm going to monitor this as for now the car is driving really well and feels great to drive again. If the bolt comes out again, I will have to get the gearbox out and get someone to re-tap the thread for that bolt.

Best photo I could get but here's a shot of where a bolt should be.

So for the last few days I've finally been enjoying driving my car once again. Once I found out what the issue was, I sat it in the garage and didn't start or drive it for almost a month. Thankfully it started first go.

In other news, I finally bit the bullet and bought a snapshade after getting sick and tired of the SCA cheapies that never fit and keep falling down. I got one during their sale earlier this year and after a mix up when I received the incorrect one (part numbers were very similar so an easily made mistake), I finally tested it out and the fit is great. The team were really easy to get onto and sorted the issue out in no time.

Stay tuned

Hi,

I'm new here and wanted some advice on some exhaust mods... I have a 2005 Toyota corolla sportivo and was looking to get a new exhaust system. I was looking at cat back exhausts but don't know where to go from there. What else will I need for a nice sounding exhaust system and where should I look at getting the parts? Is eBay okay or no? I've seen a few post you've done on here and you seem like an expert!

Thanks in advance