Toyota Auris - Old Corolla or Auris - such a dilemma!!!

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Tue 7 Sep 2021 16:15
Toyota Auris - Old Corolla or Auris - such a dilemma!!! - Aussiemarco
Hey all! I’m calling all first generation Auris owners out there, please!!! (Past and present)

My poor old Avensis is dying and it’s time to replace him. I’m looking into either a 2006 Corolla or a 2007+ Auris. My budget is less than £2,000 thanks to Covid decimating my finances.

According to reviews, both motoring writers and users, the Auris is a potentially problematic car ... oil guzzling, parts failing catastrophes. How true is this? I’ve owned 2 Corollas in the past and they were amazing. My elderly Mum’s 2001 estate Corolla built in Japan is like new. Never a problem in 20 years of runabout motoring. So I know of the Corolla’s awesome reputation for reliability. But what of the Auris/2007 Corolla? Is it really a lemon?

I’m asking because I don’t want to spend the money and then be lumbered with expensive repair bills within months of buying it. I’ve expanded my search to Auris because there’s more of them for sale so a wider choice. Maybe Corolla owners don’t want to part with their beloved cars but Auris owners can’t wait to get rid of them? Who to believe? Did Toyota finally build a lemon? Are they a chore to drive, with zero motoring enjoyment as user reviews say they are?

So stressful!!!!!!!! (Why did my Avensis have to get sick????)
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Tue 7 Sep 2021 16:28
Toyota Auris - Old Corolla or Auris - such a dilemma!!! - Falkirk Bairn

Buying a car on a £2000 budget is never easy.

It does not matter how reliable the average 14/15 year old car is. For you it has to be the one you are buying - condition, servicing and how well looked after you think the car has been treated.

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Tue 7 Sep 2021 16:45
Toyota Auris - Old Corolla or Auris - such a dilemma!!! - SLO76
When buying on such a tight budget don’t limit yourself to one or two cars, you need to cast the net wider. Buy on condition and history over make and model. A tidy one owner Vauxhall Astra with history is a far far better bet than a tatty neglected Auris or Corolla.


I’d include the following along with both the Corolla and Auris, which is a perfect robust car and assuming you need an equivalent sized car to the Auris and up to the Avensis. The only Auris models that cause any real grief are the 2.2 diesel and the MMT automated manual both of which should be avoided. Paint lacquer peel is a common issue so look for poor quality paint repairs.


Ford Focus 1.6 petrol
Mazda 3 1.6 petrol
Honda Civic 1.4/1.6/1.8 petrol
Honda Accord 2.0 petrol
Mazda 6 1.8/2.0 petrol
Toyota Avensis 1.8/2.0 petrol
Vauxhall Astra 1.6 petrol

Edited by SLO76 on 07/09/2021 at 17:19

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Tue 7 Sep 2021 19:05
Toyota Auris - Old Corolla or Auris - such a dilemma!!! - JonestHon

Nothing wrong with the mk1 Auris, we had one few years back.

The point is that not all models were created to the same quality.

What to avoid:

1.If you don't like diesels your 2k will work harder in petrol.

2. Avoid the MMT auto, problematic tranny.

Go for:

1. Petrol

2. Manual

3. Look for 1.6 vvti or vmatic but the 1.4 is also acceptable but obviously less brisk.

4.TR trim has most of the stuff you need.

Plenty of under 100k examples under £2k out there, as always buy on condition, full service is useful but these machines are robust even with patchy maintenance.

Here is a one owner example looking sorted to me :

www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010145009644?a...3

Edited by JonestHon on 07/09/2021 at 19:08

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Tue 7 Sep 2021 19:46
Toyota Auris - Old Corolla or Auris - such a dilemma!!! - Steveieb

I own a 2003 Corolla Verso which was built in Japan like your mums.

The badge in the top of the windscreen saying Made In Japan was the first thing I looked for.

My colleague who ran Corollas until the Auris came along showed his dislike by calling them the Orrible Auris because of the problems with the management unit he had.

Reminds me of those Japanese stack hi Fi systems of the eighties that were made by Technics in Japan. Pure engineering excellence which fetch good money today and rarely go wrong!

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Tue 7 Sep 2021 20:34
Toyota Auris - Old Corolla or Auris - such a dilemma!!! - SLO76
If all things were equal and I found a Corolla and Auris in identical condition with similar history and mileage I’d have the Corolla all day long. It was a better built car with fewer electronics to cause grief. The paint quality was superior to the Auris which seems to suffer badly in our damp climate from lacquer peel but like the Corolla they resist rot very well. I dislike the Auris to look at also, it looks like a modern take on the Austin Allegro. But I still wouldn’t walk past a tidy Auris to buy a less cared for Corolla.
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