New Guy with Questions!

[Whatzizname]

Hey Hey guys, I am new here, and new to the car ownership scene, as of December 1 last year i became the owner of my first car, a seemingly stock (minus roof racks) Manual 2006 Toyota Corolla, however as i experience this car more, the more i think it isn't completely stock. okay so questions be coming!

1. So first things first, i get told this all the time so i am asking actual corolla owners, is 120,000km on the clock just out of a corollas break in period? because when i bought this car it had 119,873 on the clock and since then i have put around 3000 more kms on it

2. does anyone have a video or sound clip of the stock exhaust note of a my model corolla? I heard mine for the first time riding in the back of it the other day and it seems to have a much deeper note than when sitting in the front allows you to hear, yet it looks like it still has the stock muffler, it just doesn't sound like other corollas i have heard driving past or near me

3. is it normal to spin the front tires on flat ground? like it feels so much easier to spin the tires than other cars, so easy that i sometimes do it accidentally setting off from a stop

4. it it normal for the car to sometimes not go into reverse after starting it?, sometimes after the car has been parked for maybe 14-15 hours or more, the car will be hard to put into reverse, like it feels like it gets stuck on something, you can tell its not fully in because the gearbox doesn't make the *thunk* sound it always does when shifting in

5. so my clutch pedal squeaks when applied and the gear linkage i think squeaks when going into 1st, 5th and reverse, but no other gears, i dont mind the squeak, but how would i go at fixing it if i ever decide to stop it squeaking? i know my way around cars as much as a guy can get from YouTube, but have never really messed with anything physically so its essentially starting from square 1, and don't want to pull stuff out only to find a more convenient, less pulling apart way
 

6. how low does the idle normally get when the car is warm and at its best, because sometimes it feels a little rough

7. how how quickly does the car normally accelerate and how powerful does it normally feel? to me my car feels very zippy, like it has power in all 5 gears, and of the 20 something cars i have driven in the past, only 2 other cars have driven like this, a stock 04 Toyota echo and a turbo converted 05 Subaru liberty

that is all i thinks i have haha, i have lurked on this forum in the past when my dad owned a 06 Aurion AT-X and you seems like pretty cool guys, hope to hear from you soon!

Here is my corolla the day I got it, at the time it had some faded paint on the bonnet, cracked paint on the front bumper, scratched window tint on the rear left window and the whole front right is a bit out of alignment (pannels wise), since then Sydney drivers and other dickheads haven't been nice to it, got a few scrapes and spider web cracks from people reversing into the back end, nothing that a new bumper couldn't fix, both mirrors have been tapped while i was parked, left by a white car and right by a yellow car, tons of scratches, many vertical ones caused by the trees i have to park under at work, and some ******* tried to get in a fight with me when i went fishing with a few mates, i ignored him and walked off, returning to my car to find approx 10cm key scratches on quite a few areas of the car, but as much as people say "you live in sydney this is expected" and "its bound to happen because it's a nice car" it still annoys me that i can't cant keep it as pristine as the day i bought it, i have plans for this car, but apart from replacing the cyclist sticker when it falls off with MCM "chopped" fingers and putting those window shield things on, nothing is really priority apart from keeping it running as long as i can

[Hiro]

13 hours ago, Whatzizname said:

Hey Hey guys, I am new here, and new to the car ownership scene, as of December 1 last year i became the owner of my first car, a seemingly stock (minus roof racks) Manual 2006 Toyota Corolla, however as i experience this car more, the more i think it isn't completely stock. okay so questions be coming!

1. So first things first, i get told this all the time so i am asking actual corolla owners, is 120,000km on the clock just out of a corollas break in period? because when i bought this car it had 119,873 on the clock and since then i have put around 3000 more kms on it

2. does anyone have a video or sound clip of the stock exhaust note of a my model corolla? I heard mine for the first time riding in the back of it the other day and it seems to have a much deeper note than when sitting in the front allows you to hear, yet it looks like it still has the stock muffler, it just doesn't sound like other corollas i have heard driving past or near me

3. is it normal to spin the front tires on flat ground? like it feels so much easier to spin the tires than other cars, so easy that i sometimes do it accidentally setting off from a stop

4. it it normal for the car to sometimes not go into reverse after starting it?, sometimes after the car has been parked for maybe 14-15 hours or more, the car will be hard to put into reverse, like it feels like it gets stuck on something, you can tell its not fully in because the gearbox doesn't make the *thunk* sound it always does when shifting in

5. so my clutch pedal squeaks when applied and the gear linkage i think squeaks when going into 1st, 5th and reverse, but no other gears, i dont mind the squeak, but how would i go at fixing it if i ever decide to stop it squeaking? i know my way around cars as much as a guy can get from YouTube, but have never really messed with anything physically so its essentially starting from square 1, and don't want to pull stuff out only to find a more convenient, less pulling apart way
 

6. how low does the idle normally get when the car is warm and at its best, because sometimes it feels a little rough

7. how how quickly does the car normally accelerate and how powerful does it normally feel? to me my car feels very zippy, like it has power in all 5 gears, and of the 20 something cars i have driven in the past, only 2 other cars have driven like this, a stock 04 Toyota echo and a turbo converted 05 Subaru liberty

that is all i thinks i have haha, i have lurked on this forum in the past when my dad owned a 06 Aurion AT-X and you seems like pretty cool guys, hope to hear from you soon!
 

 

1) It depends on the life it has had.  Treated well and serviced regularly, yes 120k is nothing for a Corolla, but if it has been neglected or thrashed for 120k it may not have much life left before major components need fixing.

2) I've found hatchbacks always sound boomy especially when sitting in the back seat, the boot acts as a big reverb chamber for both the exhaust and tyre noise.

3) Check to see if the tyres are worn, old or they are pumped up to ridiculously high pressures.  Any FWD can spin the tyres if launched aggressively (especially with an open diff) but it shouldn't be all the time.

4) If you're having trouble getting in to reverse, shift in to first or second and then try going back in to reverse.  No synchromesh on reverse means that if the dog teeth aren't perfectly aligned they'll struggle to engage, so shifting in to another gear will index the shafts slightly and improve alignment 

[kramersteen]

Another way to get it to go in reverse easier is to just back off the clutch a fraction as you put it in reverse. Worked a treat on the sportivo.

[Whatzizname]

Thanks for your replies! 

1. Its had a pretty nice life, owned by 2 previous owners, a mother and then her daughter, both used public transport or rode bikes as much as they could, this was mainly driven for things public transport or bikes cant get to or practical for, so like shopping

2. this is the first hatchback i have ridden in the back of that i was actually paying attention, i should test to see if wagons do the same thing too

3. Tires i got new when i got the car, and have them pumped to whatever level was put in at the tire store, so maybe i am just being a little agressive off the line

4. tried both your reverse methods, and found the one that always works is going to first then reverse, the clutch adjust and then reverse, either i couldn't get the hang of it or it didn't work too much, i think i will stick with the 1st then reverse method

again thanks for your replies, you have helped me out with driving it daily! and I thank you for that!

[Strat]

We have exact same car, at least my daughter does and I work on it.

1. Yes depends on the life and the driver.  Bad driver could have damaged the clutch or caused it to wear prematurely.  Not checking & topping up oil regularly can run the engine low and damage it.  If its been used in country, driving highways that is way better.  Short trips and stop start traffic can be hard service for drive train ie motor, clutch, brakes.  Regular trips to beach areas with salt spray and not at least rinsing the car after can cause early rust.  Use a sun visor to protect dash and garage it whenever possible.  When its washed hose out under guards to remove mud.

2. Exhaust note will sound different when you sit in back compared to front and nothing like what you hear on the street.  Original mufflers usually last longer than after market replacements so leave it alone if nothings wrong with it.

3. Our car has 150k on it.  First thing I did to it was adjust the clutch pedal as it was engaging too close to the floor.  If the floor mat got under the pedal you couldn't change gears unless it was moving.  Its not normal to be spinning the wheels.  You are "dumping" the clutch given you are new to car ownership, common for newer drivers.  A little less throttle and a little more slip with the clutch will give you a smooth movement from stopped.  The clutch usage to get the car moving from stopped needs to be a little more careful than when its moving and your going thru gears, your probably using same technique for both.  Driving is all about being smooth and your car will appreciate it.  It just takes practice and time.  If you keep doing it you are likely to run into back of someone who moves then props, wear out your tyres early, break a driveshaft, burnout a clutch or break springs in the clutch.

4. Changing gears is usually easier when the engine/gearbox is at operating temperature as the lubricants are thinner.  This could also be affected by the clutch pedal adjustment or floor mats under the pedal.  If you put the car in gear with foot on brake and clutch hard to floor, then gently and slowly raise clutch a little while watching the tachometer, you will see the revs drop as it engages.  If this happens straight away then its too close to the floor like mine was.  You should be able to lift it 15mm or so before it starts to engage.  When clutch engages too close to floor gear changing is difficult particularly when the car is not moving.  Also again as you are new driver try to relax arm/hand grip on gearshift and guide it to where it needs to go rather than shoving it there.  It should just need pressure in the general direction with an open but cupped hand and not a death grip on the stick.  This allows the stick to find its own path to where it should be even if the shift linkages are a bit out (I would doubt linkages are out if its only got 100k on it).

5. Well I wouldn't worry about the squeek in the clutch unless you can identify exactly where the noise is coming from.  Like pedals, hydraulics or under the bonnet.  Clutches can be tricky to work with, adjusting pedal on that car is not easy (remember I've done it).  If the pedals squeeking don't bother spraying wd40 or anything around there as all you will do is get it on the pedal rubbers (bad) and it wont get into where its needed.  Might need a bit of grease in the pedal pivot requiring pedal removal but I suspect its the hydraulics making the noise.

6. Idle speed is usually factory set by an air valve/vacuum sensor and the computer.  If its not stalling don't worry about it.  They do usually idle better after oil change.  Also if your clutch pedal is too low and causing a slight engagement obviously the idle speed will drop.  Make sure its in neutral and warmed up with a/c and headlights on and if it can idle like that its fine.

7.   Yes the car is very zippy.  It has a high power to weight ratio mainly due to it being a small car.  Like I said try and drive smooth.  The way you describe doesn't sound like you are.  Smoother you drive the less accelerator you need, less brakes you need, less fuel used, less brake wear, less gear shifts, less maintenance and you will probably get where your going just as quick or close enough to it, in a much calmer and safer state.

Hey just curious do you have trouble working out which car is yours in a carpark?  Ours also silver and I guarantee everywhere we park there's at least 3 or 4 others within sight. 

Edited March 30, 2017 by Strat