I pulled the trigger! - 6-spd Manual 2020 Corolla SE Sedan

[bronsin]

One interesting thing about the new Corolla is the hood rod. It’s all contained in the hood. The socket you put the end of it in is in the fender!

[KALISPEL II]

Originally Posted by bronsin

One interesting thing about the new Corolla is the hood rod. It’s all contained in the hood. The socket you put the end of it in is in the fender!

I noticed that this morning when I was checking the oil levels for the first time. I was looking for the hood-prop rod for about 15-20 seconds in the engine bay before I realized it was all attached to the underside of the hood.

[kimona]

hmmm... I'd like to see it in white.

[KALISPEL II]

Originally Posted by kimona

hmmm... I'd like to see it in white.

I knew YOU would say white (we tend to have similar tastes for a lot of things I noticed). My first instinct was to go white also, since it is more low-key, conservative & gives the front end a lot less of the factory alien invaders look, & more of a traditional melded look. I decided to try the 'SE red' out of impulse to see how it would look. I like it, & it does look sporty, but it conveys an image that is a bit too 'Civic Si' flashy for my taste. I can see myself switching it to white by the end of this year.

[kimona]

Originally Posted by KALISPEL II

I like it, & it does look sporty, but it conveys an image that is a bit too 'Civic Si' flashy for my taste. I can see myself switching it to white by the end of this year.

You nailed it, mate!

[3rdSEman]

Hehehe problem solved Kalispel got a 6-speed... you would have felt miserable driving an auto before it is imposed on you by xyz conditions: traffic, loved one, old age or whatever. I like red... white would break apart the grille creating Civic-like fake air scoops

[stykerdk]

The major difference between hatchback and sedan is that the sedan has 2,5 inch longer wheelbase.
That makes a big difference in backseat legroom, and i would any day choose the sedan by that reason.
But we dont get the sedan here in denmark, we can choose between hatchback or Touring sports.
So it must be the Touring sports if i want the longer wheelbase.
Or I can import a Sedan from germany, but i depends on how much the high danish registration tax becomes.

[Hamster]

stykerdk - I watched a bunch of YouTube review videos on both the sedan and the hatchback, and a lot of the reviews pointed out the limited legroom for back seat passengers in the hatchback. This is unlikely to be an issue for me, because I have backseat passengers, like, never. In my ten years I've had my Yaris, I've never once had anyone sit in the back. I'm kinda moving towards the Corolla hatchback, because it's got a rear wiper blade. I live in Ohio where it snows a lot in the winter, and that rear wiper blade on my Yaris does so much for safety. I can instantly clear snow off the rear window, which of course allows for better visibility. I know, kind of an oddball reason to choose the hatchback. Both the hatchback and the sedan have their pluses and minuses. I've got several more months to decide between one or the other.

[KALISPEL II]

I feel taller than normal standing next to my new Corolla. The Yaris really did stand a lot taller in comparison (with a higher seating position as well), & I had to stretch my 6ft1in self to really clean/wax the top of that car properly. Standing next to the Corolla reminds me of my old Honda Prelude from a shorter vehicle height perspective. I guess it will take a little getting used to again.

[KALISPEL II]

https://www.bellroadtoyota.com/vehic...KTUD35FA029712

My 2015 Yaris SE for sale at dealership. Poor girl needs a good home.

[Hamster]

Any reason you couldn't keep her? That's pretty low milage. Was it lack of garage space, or did you need the trade-in money for down payment? I can't imagine ever getting rid of my Yaris!

[KALISPEL II]

Originally Posted by Hamster

Any reason you couldn't keep her? That's pretty low milage. Was it lack of garage space, or did you need the trade-in money for down payment? I can't imagine ever getting rid of my Yaris!

To be honest, I hadn't planned to buy the new Corolla that day, because I didn't expect them to come down to the max purchase price I was willing to pay, while asking for max excellent condition KBB trade value on the Yaris at the same time. But, the new car market sucks this year for sales, & they really wanted to move the manual Corolla SE that had been sitting there ignored for a bit over 4 months (they even had to put a brand new OEM battery in it ). They tried to play some sneaky numbers games at first (like all dealerships do, surprise, surprise), but I just stuck to my guns & told them I would have to wait another year if I couldn't hit the numbers I gave them. So, I ended up with a surprise new car that day. I could pay the car off now & be done with it, but I can make a lot more profit flipping stocks for short-term capital gains with that money & pay the small 2.9% APR interest on car loan while doing it, so I'm going that route.

I do kind of miss the Yaris though. She had a fun, lightweight driving quality to her that isn't captured in the same fashion by a heavier almost-mid-sized car. I really like both cars, but they are different in what they offer. I would have rather purchased a new 2020 TNGA Yaris hatch, but Toyota isn't selling it in the U.S./NA market in lieu of offering the rebadged Mazda2 hatch here instead, so I went with the next best thing (to me).

[justanotherdrunk]

Originally Posted by KALISPEL II

https://www.bellroadtoyota.com/vehic...KTUD35FA029712

My 2015 Yaris SE for sale at dealership. Poor girl needs a good home.

Looks like she was sold

[justanotherdrunk]

only $10k i should buy it!

carfax shows accident reported?

[KALISPEL II]

Originally Posted by justanotherdrunk

only $10k i should buy it!

carfax shows accident reported?

A year and a half or so ago, some stupid chick talking on her cellphone rear-ended my little Yaris at low speeds because she wasn't paying attention (she slammed on her brakes too late, making it a low-speed collision at least). The only damage was a scratched bumper cover & scuffs on the reverse-light housing attached to the lower rear bumper. Of course, the dumb c*** didn't have up-to-date insurance either, so I had to go through my insurance to get the bumper-cover & reverse-light housing replaced & pay the $500 deductible. My insurance could never collect from the deadbeat loser, so they gave up & wrote it off. Thus, I was out $500 for the repair. Fun times. On the bright side, that gen Yaris is so uncommon that only OEM replacement parts were available for it - so no aftermarket bumper cover, etc.

[KALISPEL II]

My license plate finally arrived the other day & I installed it this morning (in my usual super-secured, vibration-free OCD way), along with the slim matte-white license frame carried over from my Super White Yaris. I opted for just a regular ARIZONA plate this time around, instead of vanity plate (my Yaris had a 'VITZ RS' vanity plate). Interestingly enough the random plate ID seems to jive with me anyway, as CRL = Corolla, 83 = year I graduated high-school (yes, I'm old), & 65 = my birthdate year. Should be an easy plate to remember.

While I was at it, I removed the chrome 'COROLLA' badge from rear trunk to clean things up a bit. Chrome on white is impossible to read anyway, & just makes everything look more busy back there. Also the badge is so long compared to the trunk space there, that Toyota had to bend it around the curve of the trunk lid. It just didn't look good there at all (IMO). Anyway here are some pics of the rear-end (still unwashed since I purchased it. )

[kimona]

Originally Posted by KALISPEL II

I removed the chrome 'COROLLA' badge from rear trunk to clean things up a bit.

I'd have done the same. The rear end of the 2020 SE is actually quite handsome.

[ern-diz]

Funny coincidences on the plate!!

I'm curious what your OCD certified, vibration free install method is?