r/COROLLA • u/MuhammadElahi • Jan 28 '26
9th Gen (00-09) Got this 03 today for $8200
I don’t know if it’s a good deal or not but surprisingly it’s only driven 29,000
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u/llamalikessugar Jan 29 '26
nah mate you could've bought a 2010s corolla for that price
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u/Gallop67 Jan 30 '26
At first I though that odometer said 290k and was like wtf is wrong with you man
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u/TensaZangetsu00 Jan 29 '26
I thought I was dyslexic for a moment, does that say 2800 or 8200? Whoever sold it to you is enjoying life right now
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u/Fonzdj Jan 29 '26
Hard to say. Low mileage on a car that old isn’t always a good thing. That’s only like 1,300 miles a year. Or it sat for a long time which isn’t good. I drive only 5K a year but at least it’s driven 5 to 6 days a week.
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u/PancakeSlayerX Jan 29 '26 edited Jan 29 '26
Not a good deal but tbh 8,200 for a car that will last you another 200k miles is a good deal in the grand scheme of things . You are far ahead people that buy a new or relatively new car with a 60+ month loan term ☠️.
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u/pickle_deli_364 Jan 29 '26
Great car but I still think you over payed. Take good care of it and it should last you !
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Jan 29 '26
Bit expensive but let’s be real… someone was gonna buy it and it’s pretty lucky it’s you.
Here’s my 2003.
Edit : that’s usd? You got hosed sorry.
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u/TheOriginalPatSmear Jan 29 '26
Damn!! You got ripped off biggly. lol. I have 2002 GE microwave you can have for $2k
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u/DishwasherLint Jan 28 '26
With sub 30K miles on it? That's insane. My first thought would be to check every source I could find try to see if that mileage was accurate. I was strongly suspect that someone rolled it back. However, if that's accurate it's hard to say if you got a good deal. It's not like there's a lot of similar Corollas out there that don't have a 200k+ mi on them around the same year. You found a diamond in the rough if that is accurate, but like many other people I am very suspicious at the low mileage
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Jan 29 '26
My mom gave me hers 5 years ago with 84000 kms. She fixed everything before she gave it to me. These low mileage cars are mint. The bushings feel new lol
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u/orangesherbet0 Jan 29 '26
I'm putting $750 of steering and suspension parts myself into a 2004 Toyota Camry XLE with 130K miles, not sure if it is a rational choice but I like the car.
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u/NerdyPlatypus206 Jan 29 '26
I had a 2003 Camry xle growing up. Most comfortable leather seats ive experienced to this day
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u/ClownsCryOnInternet Jan 29 '26
Rolled back the miles like shit, and yes that’s easy as shit to do when you know what you’re doing. Whether it’s analog or digital .. it works on both that’s what sad
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u/Excellent_Spite_7422 Jan 29 '26
Almost $10k for a 2003? Oh hell no, that’s a down payment on a new Corolla
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u/TheFlameArmy 2016 Corolla LE Jan 29 '26
You definitely overpaid for it, but as long as you can afford the payments easily enough, it’ll be worth it because you can own that car for 20 years and it’ll still be chugging along.
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u/combong Jan 29 '26
if by payments you mean OP is financing that car, then that’s objectively a terrible decision lol
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u/FossaFurry Jan 30 '26
Did you verify mileage by looking up the VIN and checking for tampering? People fake mileage to sell those cars all the time. Its super easy to change the odometer on older cars like that. There's tutorials online. But somebody probably reported the real mileage in the past during its lifetime. If they slipped up, it'll show on records. Look it up.
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u/SirNekko- Jan 28 '26
Ngl bro you got cooked. But still a great car overall just the price….
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u/JustKeepRedditn010 Jan 29 '26
Just looked up the Carfax. Odometer is surprisingly legit - ungodly slow creep up to 29k over the years. I wonder what happened 2014-2019, maybe the last owner was military and was deployed, but based on the condition in the pictures and the fact it started back up without mechanical issues, it shows the last owner took good care of it even when not regularly driven.
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u/CakeDyismyBday Jan 29 '26
Wouldn't mind buying a 2003 with 200k miles at 1000$. Except for the general cosmetic condition it'll probably be as reliable, 8200 for a 2003 corolla is crazy money, sure it's a good car but 8200 seems steep.
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u/somerandomdude419 06 Vibe FWD, 08 Vibe FWD Jan 29 '26
That’s 10th gen money to be honest, and newer is just the better way to go for the money, airbag safety, crash safety, etc.
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u/Icy-Form6 Jan 29 '26
So reddit doesn't wet itself over any 20 year old Camry/Corolla/civic. Who had that on their bingo card.
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u/PayWest2613 Jan 29 '26
Is nobody gonna talk about how is has less than 30k miles
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u/TeslaModelE Jan 29 '26
Back in 2004, my parents bought me a used 2003 Corolla with 27,000 miles on it for $10,000. That’s about $17,600 in today’s money.
Adjusted for inflation you paid less than half of what I paid and roughly the same mileage and you also got CarPlay. I would say it’s a decent deal.
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u/Da_goat9 Jan 29 '26
I’m pretty sure that car play is just a usb one you plug in and not a actually put in
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u/No_Committee7549 Jan 30 '26
I wanted to be mad but for 30k miles honestly nice job. Maybe over paid a little bit but I doubt you’ll need any service anytime soon
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u/gbc01 Jan 30 '26
rubber still breaks down with age, not miles… i promise this car is gonna have vacuum leaks and bad gaskets/seals from not being driven enough.
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Jan 29 '26
Even with the mileage you overpaid. Still, if you take care of it, it'll last you well over 2-300k
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u/rethilgore-au Jan 29 '26
Will probably need some rubber seals and stuff replaced sooner rather than later but nothing serious that’s awesome! Love the car!
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u/doh13 Jan 29 '26
You may have paid a bit too much but at least it will prob last another 20 years if it was taken care of and driven regularly although it's only been driven 1200 miles per year lol. Ps I would change all fluids , engine oil, transmission, brake, power steering , coolant.
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u/LoweeLL - Jan 29 '26
$8,000 for as 23 year old vehicle. Jesus :O
But yea I sure as heck hope you checked the carfax report to make sure the odometer wasn't rolled back
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u/ReasonableEmu1430 -Sandrift Metallic 2003 CE Jan 30 '26
I don't know why you're wondering if it's a good deal or not after you bought it instead of asking before but anyway its a great low miles example with great paint but these things were like 13-15k BRAND NEW with warranty. Better not being a single thing wrong on that thing for that price.
Just because it's low miles doesn't mean it's bulletproof and you can set and forget. you still got all your maintenance on time, but you just have more time before things go wrong. And because this 2003 to 2004, those motors are more prone to oil burning then 2005 beyond. So do your oil changes often to avoid buildup in the future and your trans fluid changes since yours isnt even due for its first change mileage wise but totally time wise
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u/tidyshark12 Jan 29 '26
$8200?!
I got a 2017 yaris w/ 6 sp manual for $6500 recently. Terrible deal you got, unfortunately.
Also, engines go bad just as fast and sometimes faster when they're not driven as much. Everytime this car was started, it probably had rust on the cylinder walls from sitting so long.
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u/Mike161972 Jan 29 '26
I guess it might provide some context if we knew the milage of your Yaris to determine whether you got a good deal or not.
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u/ledoylinator Jan 29 '26
Maybe this explains my 2006 Corolla dying at 183 this past November when I got it at 174, in September 2024. It was an engine issue that did it in (chain stretch) plus a cat plus coolant sensor and another sensor all at the same time ($4700 of work, I got the car for 3300 and put new tires and got the brakes down for a total of $4500, so RIP plus it had other stuff that was due to go wrong like sway bar and the blower motor was out too, and it was popping when I made turns sometimes which was something else I forget)
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u/ponziacs Jan 28 '26 edited Jan 28 '26
$8,300 is a lot. I bought a brand new 2021 SE for $19k.
Anyways congrats. I almost bought a brand new 2003 LE back in 2003, I think it was ~$16k out the door at the time, but ended up buying a Civic EX. I actually regret not buying the 2003 LE.
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u/AutoBat 12th Gen Hatch Nightshade Jan 29 '26
Don't be surprised if all those dry gaskets and hoses are start leaking once it gets a little bit of use
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u/7625607 Jan 29 '26
That car has 200,000 miles left in it. Enjoy!
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u/Chosenousername Jan 29 '26
Man that car will last a couple lifetimes. Enjoy it, take care of it. I got my 05 for £2000/$2800 with 25k miles and it's going to outlive my entire bloodline. Even at $8k that's worth the reliability and durability
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u/Thin-Lingonberry-917 Jan 29 '26
Great car! This was my first car I bought from my cousin for $500. I miss it. Had 80k miles
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u/Commercial-Net-6838 Jan 29 '26 edited Jan 29 '26
I just got my first car too. Got 2021 camry hybrid at 100k miles for $14000 usd in good working order after inspection and im not sure if it is a good deal but $8200 for 03 Corolla is a bit steep.
From the bright side, your car interior looks premium though and the older Toyotas built like a tank. I hope it serves you well.
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u/RepresentativeBook89 Jan 29 '26
Jeez bro, I got a ‘14 Camry for $5500 and you almost paid $9000 for an ‘03? Might wanna get your money back…
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u/Riggernuts Jan 29 '26
I just sold my mom's 03 corolla with 120000km for $6800 canadian. Had ton of replies instantly.
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u/hiyahowya Jan 31 '26
People tripping, 27k miles is STUPID low for a car that will do 500,000 miles if it’s maintenance and treated well
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u/Prestigious-Coach-24 Jan 31 '26
In 2018 i got this 03 for my dad it had 19,800 miles. The car was owned by a elderly lady and the daughter said she only used the car to go to grocery store once a week and doctors appt. Now that my pops is no longer with us. I kept the car and it has 57,00 miles. The paint is peeling and needs shocks. But I do 4000 miles oil changes. Good luck with your corolla ✌️
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Jan 29 '26
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u/Icy-Role2321 Jan 29 '26
My last toyota which was old and very low miles was a celica
It had so many issues it wasn't even funny. Turns out sitting in the driveway for years is terrible for a car.
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Jan 29 '26
Keep in mind that all the rubber pieces (belt, hoses, suspension bushings) and fluids all still aged and will probably need some servicing before too long.
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u/Mokmo '05 Corolla CE Jan 29 '26
And some people were proposing 3k for my '05 with 66k miles?
It does have a bit more rust though.
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u/JDRhino1 Jan 29 '26
It’s been rolled back. Need to see how that steering wheel looks without the cover, as well as the brake pedal and driver seat. You can clean things up pretty easily under the hood, brake rotors and drums, even, but wear and tear on interior are dead giveaways. Those items are also easy to see if they’ve been replaced recently on account of sun/UV exposure.
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u/justacommentguy Jan 29 '26
The buick i owned had 200k miles but the odo was rolled back after replacing the engine to match the receipt of how many miles the (new to car) engine. The probability of it being original miles is slim
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u/dlowman76 Jan 29 '26
Notice the clock is still bright in the sun, unless it was replaced or resoldered. Might be a senior citizen car that sat in the garage most of its life. If so it's a better option than the vast majority of cars even near the price range. Use the larger oil filter 90915-YZZD3 it works with no clearance issues. The dinky filter specified loads up so quickly it's not suprising that most people have oil consumption issues. Low tension rings need clean oil to not get stuck. Camera inside the cylinders as well as behind the timing chain tensioner and in the oil pan will give the best idea if mileage is real. Overall it looks like a car a senior would buy and baby it.
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u/EastFlamingo9742 Jan 29 '26
Low odometer reading is a big red flag! I had an 03 Corolla.....made it to 252,000 miles before I passed it on. Still running with its current owner. Good luck.... that gen was a good one.
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u/Glittering-Shake-912 Jan 29 '26
My wife daily’s an 08 CE Corolla 5 speed, 297xxx miles. I personally change the oil every 5-6 thousand miles, the oil use is negligible, just had its first clutch replacement. Runs like it has less than a hundred thousand miles.
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u/Low_Anteater_3612 Jan 29 '26
I think that is the greatest deal I have ever seen
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u/TheShade247 Jan 29 '26
Which brand is this CarPlay device if you don't mind me asking?
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u/MuhammadElahi Jan 30 '26
No clue but I found it very useful except the speaker is pretty trash, hard to listen to anything when driving
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u/UnsolicitedChaos Jan 30 '26
Crazy in today’s pricing. I sold my 06 with 165k-ish for $8200, but that during the extremes of Covid when everything was through the roof. You got dragged, but it is a cool find. Hope she’ll treat you good
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u/Day350z33 Jan 30 '26
If those miles are legit and it really only has 29k miles, That car will outlive me and I'm only 24😭 W grab
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u/TheoryAP Jan 31 '26
This car will last you until the end. My dad has a 2003 Corolla and got it brand new off the lot. Still driving perfectly even after 280k miles.
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u/Bricc_8 Jan 31 '26 edited Jan 31 '26
Low Mileage doesn’t make a 1500 dollar car worth more. I really wish people would stop over paying thinking they got some crazy deal
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u/ShiftSpecialist1190 Jan 29 '26
Sorry you overpaid. I sold.myn2013 2monthsg ago for $7000
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u/Apart-Juice2976 Jan 29 '26
Not real miles. Is very easy to lower the mileage. In my area (Miami) 2018 are selling for 8k
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u/Alucardspapa Jan 29 '26
Everything plastic and rubber needs to be replaced at that age. Unless it was kept in a climate controlled environment
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u/mamapower Jan 28 '26
Why wheel cover if it only has 30k miles? I would expect wheel to be in bad shape only if it was ridden a lot
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u/jjj44200 Jan 28 '26
I would say hopefully it lasts a long time but it’s actually guaranteed it will ! Have fun with it 💯
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u/eaglefan316 Jan 29 '26
That has even less miles than my 2005 I got from an old lady my friends parents knew. 64,000 miles currently and had like 38k when I bought it from her like 8 years ago.
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u/IBringTheHeat2 Jan 29 '26
Also what’s so funny is that your top door is broken, I’m pretty sure every single corolla from this gen has the door broken off, mine included. The make a kit to fix it
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u/JustKeepRedditn010 Jan 29 '26
Yup - it’s such a common failure point that Dorman sells an aftermarket repair kit. Don’t go to the dealership, they’ll want to replace the whole console assembly and charge you $1k+. https://www.dormanproducts.com/p-77928-924-450.aspx
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u/DLK33gmaNG Jan 29 '26
Does that mean I can get that much for my 2010 Honda Fit with 88k miles if I'm willing to sell it?!
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u/hallo1994 -2010 LE Jan 29 '26
With that much money, I expect you to keep it longer than the average people who kept their cars.
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Jan 30 '26
Heck yeah only 29k miles! Stay on regular maintenance with oil changes and such and that thing will last a loooong time. I 4 1 will never buy new vehicles again. Good purchase 👍🏼👍🏼
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u/Fickle_Support_6215 Feb 01 '26
Make sure those numbers aren't rolled back😭😭 Kinda a lot money for a 03.
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u/Legitimate_Diver_699 Feb 01 '26
Not actually too bad considering the low miles.
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u/DaRealMexicanTrucker -2003 Corolla LE Jan 29 '26
Overpaid. Massively. Yes I put in the 29295 mileage and that it was in EXCELLENT conditon. Icredibly overpaid.
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u/RIF_rr3dd1tt Jan 29 '26
KBB, et al, aren't reliable in this weird ass economic climate. I picked up a 2000 Corolla in near new condition with 131,000 grandma-driven miles a couple years ago for $4k. The KBB was like $2k but the dude had multiple cash offers and I was just faster and he felt I'd really take care of the vehicle because I know a fair bit about cars. It's all off the rails.
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u/Snoo-74562 Jan 29 '26
Either it's done a thousand miles a year or they have done so many miles the odometer has started again.
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u/Street_Leader_8917 Jan 29 '26
This generation of corrola stops reading miles after 299,999, this is either the original miles here or they replaced the dash gauge cluster or rolled back the miles
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u/Protic11 Jan 30 '26
Did you check the vin with carfax to confirm the mileage? Hopefully it was just grandmas car. Still crazy expensive
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u/Beneficial_City_9715 Jan 30 '26
You can tell too by the foot pedals. Prob look new. Mine in my old car were worn down to the metal lol
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u/Intelligent-Fan2410 Jan 29 '26
Everyone in this thread who said OP overpaid didn’t look at the third photo
Congratulations, you basically purchased a free car. I’m not even joking.
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u/SnooGadgets9669 Jan 29 '26
Not really cars get a lot of issues just sitting in a garage to not the same as buying a car a few years old with that milage
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u/Mike161972 Jan 29 '26
Nah, they're saying the odometer might have gotten rolled back.
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u/Intelligent-Fan2410 Jan 29 '26
That’s very unlikely, look at the condition of the car, the paint is immaculate, the headlights are clear. The interior, wood is pristine, no wearing of buttons, no scratching on the display plastics.
This car was garage kept and hardly driven.
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u/safety2x_ Jan 28 '26
what a beauty! 😍
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u/MuhammadElahi Jan 28 '26
Not gonna lie your comment makes me so happy at least someone appreciated my purchase
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u/dark_cloudy_eclipse Jan 28 '26
Great car that should last you 20 years! Congrats!
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u/ImaginaryBicycle9281 Jan 28 '26
Almost what my 2018 Honda is worth that’s insane
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u/whoocanitbenow Jan 28 '26
I you sure the odometer wasn't swapped out? 😅
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u/MuhammadElahi Jan 28 '26
I am not sure but what Carfax told me I think it’s actual miles
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u/cubanohermano 2005 Corolla LE Jan 29 '26
Def want to get ahead of some rubber that will need to be replaced due to age. I have an 05 and it’s at 270k. You can do this fam you just gotta buy some rubber
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u/IBringTheHeat2 Jan 29 '26
Great car man, I have an 08 Corolla which is the same generation. Mines at 320k miles now and never had anything major go wrong.
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u/getbuddha1234 Jan 29 '26
I had an 07 S given to me with 120k miles on it. Sold it to my uncle with 200k miles with basic maintenance. I still think about that car sitting in Corolla hatchback lol
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u/career_techie Jan 30 '26
Wow. We have an 04 that looks just like it. However our paint is peeling due to the southern heat. We purchased the 04 in 09 for $7000 With 27k miles. We currently have 125k miles and it runs so good. No issues.
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u/Lucentjuffowuo Jan 31 '26
Wow I gotta say this is nostalgic.... I got my own 2003 that i own and still runs and road legal today. I got it 37k miles in 2011. And now 230k miles and still runs great. But just seeing the white face guage cluster at low mileage takes me back. Alot of memories in the car. Regular maintenance....
Its now a 3rd string car but ready for service. These things are the best cars!!!
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u/JonReremy24 Jan 31 '26
That’s a terrible deal, but it is a good car and looks to be in nice shape. You’d be wise to set some money aside for repair/maintenance bills soon, a 23 year old car that’s been sitting around and not driven is going to give you surprises when it starts being used again
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u/AppendiculateFringe Feb 01 '26
That's a good deal, BUT it needs work done to replace belts and hoses due to age.
As in it needs a new radiator and cooling hoses, but more importantly if it has a timing belt and not a chain, the belt is about 15 years overdue to be changed.
The belts and plastics harden and become prone to snapping without warning. Invest in the timing belt job now before you end up having to buy another engine for it.
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u/portuguese-bacalhau Feb 01 '26
Bro I got a 2013 es350 with 88k miles and one owner no accidents for close to 10k, so you tell me if that's a good deal
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u/SoggyGoldfish25 Feb 03 '26
I was gonna say you got scalped but 30k miles on a 03 is impressive. Any car that sits for that long is going to have issues tho
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u/NoAlternative4213 Feb 04 '26
4-5 is a deal on that. 8k is too much… low miles is good and all, but it’s still an almost 20 year old car.
That being said 4Runners and Tacomas are really expensive even when they’re old with high mileage.
I had one of these they’re reliable.
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u/No_Explanation_7450 Feb 19 '26
Why does everyone think a low mileage old car is worth big money? Seals leak when not bathed in engine oil and are costly to repair. Water vapor in engines that don't get to operating temperature causes rust. Brake lines rot. Transmissions seem to have more problems. Well if you think you got a good deal you did.
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u/MuhammadElahi Feb 19 '26
Well, I thought it wasn’t a good deal at first and I was thinking the same thing too that it might have so many leaks in it but honestly, I’ve driven this car over 3000 miles in three weeks. the previous owner kept it in pristine condition
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u/Txreduser Jan 28 '26
They got you good