Spirit Versus Colour Collection. 1.4 Versus 1.6

[batteryboy]

Hi Guys,

Please forgive my ignorance with the brand....

On the point of buying a Corolla for my daughter and although these questions will make a lot of users smile.. Please could someone help me with the following.

a) On a 2004 Corolla what are the benefites of the SPIRIT model ?

B) What are the benefits of a Corolla Colour Collection model ?

c) Is it really worth paying a bit extra for a 1.6 petrol over a 1.4 petrol. Forgetting the obvious ie the more powerful engine. How does the fuel consumption generally stack up between the 2 models .... Is reliability the same ?

Daft questions I know to someone who knows the answers.... I would however be so grateful if some kind member could enlighten me

Regards Roy in Stratford upon Avon (Batteryboy)

[superjim42]

hello mate.

first how old is your daughter and is it her first car?

if answer is yes then the 1.4 is the obvious choice. i have a 1.6 and it is nippy so a 1.4 is more suitable.

i dont know much about the differences though. another member will help on that :)

[batteryboy]

hello mate.

first how old is your daughter and is it her first car?

if answer is yes then the 1.4 is the obvious choice. i have a 1.6 and it is nippy so a 1.4 is more suitable.

i dont know much about the differences though. another member will help on that :)

Thanks Superjim

Unfortunately she's no kid anymore but the mother of my 2 grandchildren...As she nips down to Padstow fairly often to see relatives the 1.6 will be OK.... can you tell me Jim :- Any week spots with your 1.6 ? We've never had a Toyota before although I have a Lexus RX which is totally reliable.

The one we are seriously looking at is a 1.6 Spirit. withplenty of goodies like electric sunroof , climate control air con . etc etc..... Dont know whether these toys are standard on the 1.6 or is it just the Spirit?

Best wishes Roy

[superjim42]

oh right i see lol sorry mate :)

well i have found two links for you to check out. it lists what is included in the t-spirit option of the 1.6 i.e. what extras come with it and i have a link for the colour collection:

tspirit: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/ind...p;section=price just scroll to the bottom which states what extras come with each version of the corolla

colour collection: http://www.carpages.co.uk/toyota/toyota-corolla-29-06-05.asp

check those out

OK now with my 1.6 i own a 2005 model...and i cant find a single fault with it :D the car is great to drive, great handling, nippy, you can put your foot down and really hear the engine working. its reliable too, mpg is just fine....i put in £10 petrol and it would give me around 80miles until the reading is showing zero.

i have a t3 model which basically has all the toys included from all the models. the t-spirit is the model up which includes more extras which is listed in the t-spirit link i gave you. so i guess that is the one to go for.

hope that helped. good luck

[fatboyr]

1'll suggest a 1.6 rather than a 1.4, consider the weight of the car and the power output, a 1.6 is better on torque which can keep lower revs and less fuel consumption when crusing. p.s. i am driving an older version of 1.4 so i can tell the feeling. Japanese engines need high rev for their power and torque comparing to european cars with same engine size

[batteryboy]

1'll suggest a 1.6 rather than a 1.4, consider the weight of the car and the power output, a 1.6 is better on torque which can keep lower revs and less fuel consumption when crusing. p.s. i am driving an older version of 1.4 so i can tell the feeling. Japanese engines need high rev for their power and torque comparing to european cars with same engine size

Thanks again superjim in London and also fatboyr in the city of my birth Manchester (where abouts are you ?)

Guys, I am on the point of going over to the Nottingham area with my daughter to look at a mint 2004 1.6 VVT-iT Spirit with a serious view of buying it...... I then picked up the massive loads of postings of the VERY SERIOUS problems of High Oil Consumption on this model... Obviously these findings are correct but what the hell is going on with this engine.... I've run Volvos and Fords as Co. cars when I worked and we NEVER put oil in these cars between services.... Have Toyota got a major problem here. If so why hasn't this been highlighted at the highest level to PUSH Toyota into doing something

for us... ? Has anyone got anything good to say in this area.... I think the Corolla, Auris and Prius cars are quite something... but what the hell is going on here ?

Sorry to rant on guys ? As anyone got any info on T2 D4D diesel Corolla ? Does this model suffer the same design problems ? . Is WHAT CAR aware of this when they give the excellent ratings out for Toyota ? Any info on this of great interest..... Roy (Batteryboy)

[farhanali89]

the 1.6 t-spirit iv heard is a bullet proof motor, reliable engine with more kick than the 1.4.

also has the goodies aswell id have a test drive between the 1.4 and the 1.6 and then decide.

[Rolla_SR]

1'll suggest a 1.6 rather than a 1.4, consider the weight of the car and the power output, a 1.6 is better on torque which can keep lower revs and less fuel consumption when crusing. p.s. i am driving an older version of 1.4 so i can tell the feeling. Japanese engines need high rev for their power and torque comparing to european cars with same engine size

Thanks again superjim in London and also fatboyr in the city of my birth Manchester (where abouts are you ?)

Guys, I am on the point of going over to the Nottingham area with my daughter to look at a mint 2004 1.6 VVT-iT Spirit with a serious view of buying it...... I then picked up the massive loads of postings of the VERY SERIOUS problems of High Oil Consumption on this model... Obviously these findings are correct but what the hell is going on with this engine.... I've run Volvos and Fords as Co. cars when I worked and we NEVER put oil in these cars between services.... Have Toyota got a major problem here. If so why hasn't this been highlighted at the highest level to PUSH Toyota into doing something

for us... ? Has anyone got anything good to say in this area.... I think the Corolla, Auris and Prius cars are quite something... but what the hell is going on here ?

Sorry to rant on guys ? As anyone got any info on T2 D4D diesel Corolla ? Does this model suffer the same design problems ? . Is WHAT CAR aware of this when they give the excellent ratings out for Toyota ? Any info on this of great interest..... Roy (Batteryboy)

Haha now you've pumped into my area of the Rolla. I own a D4D SR (and don't people know it). The D4D motors are generally very reliable, since buying mine 4 months ago and covered 15k+ it seems to be doing very well. I had it serviced and the only things that required attention apart from the usual oil change etc was the pollen filter. Its a nice ride and very good on long journys. The SR and T-spirit D4D do also have climate control electric windows and some very nice extras.

I hope you find something suitable for your daughter.

Happy Rolla (Corolla in case you hadn't gathered) hunting.

Miles

[man-bing]

I've had my T-Spirit since new, that's now over 6yrs old, and covered a modest 62K

I can't speak for the rest of the range, but i think this is a solid reliable car with loads of features that are standard, which otherwise be an extra of other types of cars.

Yes, there is a bit of an oil issue, that i recent found out on my car some 6months ago, but i could put it down to my driving style. I'm currently on my 3rd set of tyres as well, which on my last MOT told my tread bit low, so my 4th set could be on it's way very soon. Brakes pads i seem to be getting through quite regularly, and the discs seem to wear quite well too.

Overall, the car been good to me, nothing major gone wrong with it.

[geoffb]

If it helps you in your decision at all I have a 55 plate 1.6 auto E12 T-Spirit. It's done around 25k miles and I've had it from new. Has been great car thus far and don't plan to part with it (I find the Auris an inferior car by some way build quality wise). Great build quality for a mass production motor (I think the T-Spirits were built in Japan). If you find a good condition E12 T-Spriit 1.6 I'd go for it. The extras are very nice (such as climate control, auto wipers and auto dimming driving mirror). I am planning for mine to see me through the recession

On the oil concern front mine, between services, has thus far not used a drop. I had a feeling anyway that the issue referred to here is with a number of 1.8 engines and that the 1.6 is unaffected by this though I can't swear to that. I can only speak as I find.

... and even my auto is quite nippy.

Let us know what you decide to do.

[batteryboy]

If it helps you in your decision at all I have a 55 plate 1.6 auto E12 T-Spirit. It's done around 25k miles and I've had it from new. Has been great car thus far and don't plan to part with it (I find the Auris an inferior car by some way build quality wise). Great build quality for a mass production motor (I think the T-Spirits were built in Japan). If you find a good condition E12 T-Spriit 1.6 I'd go for it. The extras are very nice (such as climate control, auto wipers and auto dimming driving mirror). I am planning for mine to see me through the recession

On the oil concern front mine, between services, has thus far not used a drop. I had a feeling anyway that the issue referred to here is with a number of 1.8 engines and that the 1.6 is unaffected by this though I can't swear to that. I can only speak as I find.

... and even my auto is quite nippy.

Let us know what you decide to do.

[batteryboy]

If it helps you in your decision at all I have a 55 plate 1.6 auto E12 T-Spirit. It's done around 25k miles and I've had it from new. Has been great car thus far and don't plan to part with it (I find the Auris an inferior car by some way build quality wise). Great build quality for a mass production motor (I think the T-Spirits were built in Japan). If you find a good condition E12 T-Spriit 1.6 I'd go for it. The extras are very nice (such as climate control, auto wipers and auto dimming driving mirror). I am planning for mine to see me through the recession

On the oil concern front mine, between services, has thus far not used a drop. I had a feeling anyway that the issue referred to here is with a number of 1.8 engines and that the 1.6 is unaffected by this though I can't swear to that. I can only speak as I find.

... and even my auto is quite nippy.

Let us know what you decide to do.

[batteryboy]

If it helps you in your decision at all I have a 55 plate 1.6 auto E12 T-Spirit. It's done around 25k miles and I've had it from new. Has been great car thus far and don't plan to part with it (I find the Auris an inferior car by some way build quality wise). Great build quality for a mass production motor (I think the T-Spirits were built in Japan). If you find a good condition E12 T-Spriit 1.6 I'd go for it. The extras are very nice (such as climate control, auto wipers and auto dimming driving mirror). I am planning for mine to see me through the recession

On the oil concern front mine, between services, has thus far not used a drop. I had a feeling anyway that the issue referred to here is with a number of 1.8 engines and that the 1.6 is unaffected by this though I can't swear to that. I can only speak as I find.

... and even my auto is quite nippy.

Let us know what you decide to do.

[batteryboy]

Thanks geof

Most interesting.. I think we will go ahead .. If the service and quality is anywhere near (and I am sure it is) that I get with my Lexus RX, We'll be more than happy..... I wonder if anyone has any info on the oil burning problem regarding the 1.4 engine or indeed the T2 D4D engine.... Different beasts I know.... Any comments greatl appreciated. Roy (Batteryboy)

[fatboyr]

1'll suggest a 1.6 rather than a 1.4, consider the weight of the car and the power output, a 1.6 is better on torque which can keep lower revs and less fuel consumption when crusing. p.s. i am driving an older version of 1.4 so i can tell the feeling. Japanese engines need high rev for their power and torque comparing to european cars with same engine size

Thanks again superjim in London and also fatboyr in the city of my birth Manchester (where abouts are you ?)

Guys, I am on the point of going over to the Nottingham area with my daughter to look at a mint 2004 1.6 VVT-iT Spirit with a serious view of buying it...... I then picked up the massive loads of postings of the VERY SERIOUS problems of High Oil Consumption on this model... Obviously these findings are correct but what the hell is going on with this engine.... I've run Volvos and Fords as Co. cars when I worked and we NEVER put oil in these cars between services.... Have Toyota got a major problem here. If so why hasn't this been highlighted at the highest level to PUSH Toyota into doing something

for us... ? Has anyone got anything good to say in this area.... I think the Corolla, Auris and Prius cars are quite something... but what the hell is going on here ?

Sorry to rant on guys ? As anyone got any info on T2 D4D diesel Corolla ? Does this model suffer the same design problems ? . Is WHAT CAR aware of this when they give the excellent ratings out for Toyota ? Any info on this of great interest..... Roy (Batteryboy)

oil consumption is the main issue from most users, i normally top up each month, i bought mine a year ago from a dealer when it was 70000miles with full toyota service history, since then i did my services atother garages, the oil consumption problem probably is due to the vvt-i system, since i own that i didnt really get into big problems with only a broken plastic at the Battery which lead to a poor connection and recently a broken oxygen sensor. everything is alright (p.s. i'm just student living in the city area)

[Norfolk n Chance]

Personally i would recommend the Corolla T Sport!! :D

[cabcurtains]

Toyota Corolla's are the benchmark for reliable mass produced cars, just go and get one bought. Its much more important to do the normal checks on the individual car i.e HPI/Full Service History/Check for Accident Damage etc than worry about little bit of oil usage on some examples.

As the highway code states oil should be checked weekly so unless the car is totally wrecked you wont find it has run out per check of the dipstick!

The 1.8 oil issue is much more common than the other Toyota engines.

Good Luck finding a good un