Why I Love My 2007 Toyota Corolla

In November of 2006 I bought a brand new 2007 Toyota Corolla, I have to say first off that I love this car. Putting this review on will hopefully help someone else make an informed decision about new car purchase.

Buying a new car was not an easy task for me, my older vehicle was acting up and was nickel and diming me toooo death. I got to the point that I did not trust it to go to work and back every day so I had to go through this grueling process. Here are the steps that I took.

Read the Reviews
I visited the IIHS, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to review the safety features and crash ratings of this vehicle, I felt comfortable with what I read here, I live in Pennsylvania and we get some pretty tough winters here, bad roads lead to alot of accidents, so I needed this peace of mind.

Warranty
This is very important, Toyota gives a fair warranty on this vehicle, 3 years or 36,000 miles whatever comes first. Tires are warranted by Goodyear for the first 12 months or 20,000 miles.

Gas Mileage
We all know that with the price of gas this is a very important feature, I get 33 miles to a gallon, I absolutely love this car at the pump. It has an 11 gallon tank, I let it get down to about an eighth of a tank before I refill and I am getting on average 350 miles from each tank. I was driving a gas guzzling 96 Jeep Cherokee, I was filling up twice a week, what I save in gas is three quarters of my car payment. NO KIDDING!

Pricing
This was another point that I had to consider when I decided to buy new, it seemed that every used car I looked at with below 50,000 miles on it had every feature in the world was costing me more than a new vehicle that did not have the heated cup holders and the fancy extras that I probably would never use anyway. The corolla priced between $14,000 and $16, 000 with the features that I thought that I needed.

Financing
I had to get this vehicle financed, I don't have this kind of money just laying around the house. I shopped around and finally did choose a loan company to finance me, however the rate was pretty high. My credit is awful! What was I to do though, I needed the car and at this point had made the decision to buy it. I walked in to the dealership with my loan in hand, thinking that this would give me the opportunity to dicker a little on the price. I was amazed, something I never dreamed would happen, HAPPENED, Toyota ran the numbers and gave me a better rate through Toyota Finance Company.

Visit Different Dealerships
Just because it is the same make and model does not mean that the dealerships are all the same. These are privately owned dealerships that can offer their own incentives, so visit more than one, make a list and compare what they have to offer. Ask around, people will speak up when they have had unsatisfactory service. You can call or write Toyota Corporation anytime there is an issue between you and the dealership. I have already had issue with the dealer I choose. There is a liaison in place that works between you and the dealership if there is a problem.

My Other Savings When Buying This Car
We have another vehicle that is four wheel drive, so it was silly to have another. Although I love my pick up and still have it, getting rid of a full size Jeep that was also four wheel drive and going to this compact car is saving me now and will in the future. Here is the list I compiled when making my decision.

1. Tires will be cheaper, the smaller the tire, the cheaper it is, so for the price of two on my Jeep I can get four on the Toyota, I usually buy tires once a year, my job requires some travel and with our winters, You need a good tire to get around here.

2. Gas savings alone was cut in half, I can comfortably make my 300 mile trips on one tank if need be, knowing me, I will stop at the half way point to fill up though.

3. My inspections at the dealership is $8.95 a year versus $16, this is a dealership perk though, you may want to ask for this, no matter what vehicle you decide to purchase.

4. Warranty items are covered at the dealership, hopefully this won't be an issue, and the dealer gave me a card that allows me 10% off all factory repairs. I will use this as long as the vehicle is under warranty.

I did not come to this decision lightly, it was a real headache to me, I now have a five year commitment with Toyota for this vehicle. I shopped around, read the reviews, after deciding to go with the Toyota, my hardest decision was color. I chose the Phatom Gray and am very pleased with it too.

Shopping for a new car can be stressful, it just plain wore me out, it is a big decision and I don't rally for any brand in particular, this is simply my experience with this car. I have a little over 9000 miles on it now and it still drives like it is fresh off the lot. Hopefully this review will come in handy for those that are in the market to buy new. Goodluck with your decision and hopefully you will have a happy outcome.