Corolla 98-2001 GLI, AT Tranny, worth considering?

**supermak** · April 12th, 2012 03:33 PM

Hi everyone, im planning on buying a corolla gli lovelife for my first car. My question is, as a 98-2000 model is it worth buying a unit with AT Tranny rather than manual? Any pros and cons? I want to get an AT kasi so that my sister can use it as well. Thanks in advance for your inputs.

**renzo_d10** · April 12th, 2012 03:39 PM

worth considering? of course
practical? not so

old AT tranny = possibly more problems to arise
old AT tranny != crap

depends on the owner. AT can last long as long as the previous owner took care of it

**supermak** · April 12th, 2012 03:47 PM

given this, anong year model can we say na safe mag buy ng AT?

**renzo_d10** · April 12th, 2012 03:50 PM

less than a decade old probably

still depends on how the previous owner (ab)used it ;)

i know some people who really took care of their ATs, i know some too who dont

**supermak** · April 12th, 2012 04:03 PM

In most cases pano ba nasisira ung AT? and how can we say na it was abused, or how is it being used abusively?

**Retz** · April 12th, 2012 04:14 PM

^

pag naka park sa steep incline at hindi ginamitan ng handbrake, ma stress ung transmission.

**drey** · April 12th, 2012 04:40 PM

Test drive mo.

If you can detect slippage when switching to "D" and accelerating, the ignore the car. A good A/T shouldn't slip or delay itself.

Also check when was the A/T had its oil changed. That's a good mark if it was taken cared of properly.

Once you acquired the car, submit the transmission for a change oil again.

Matibay naman ang Toyota A/T's. It can even reach 300,000 kilometer. Pero yun lang, inspect the car properly. Bring a mechanic along who knows a lot about A/T transmission. It will save you thousands.

HTH

**ghosthunter** · April 12th, 2012 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by supermak

Hi everyone, im planning on buying a corolla gli lovelife for my first car. My question is, as a 98-2000 model is it worth buying a unit with AT Tranny rather than manual? Any pros and cons? I want to get an AT kasi so that my sister can use it as well. Thanks in advance for your inputs.

Generally I would suggest a maximum of 8 years old for A/T cars... but it's still a gamble because the A/T can have a shorter or longer life depending on how the car was used or abused. Example, I still drive the same model corolla you are inquiring but my A/T tranny died around the 80,000km mark because I am kinda abusive in how I drove it. I had a surplus tranny installed and these days I drive it in a more leisurely manner. Currently my odometer reads over 130,000km.

Best to look for a Corolla 1998-2001 A/T that was not modified in anyway. And also check if the owner has given the car regular maintenance work and tune-ups/oil changes. If he has the receipts for them, the better. Give the car a good test drive and listen and feel for anything weird from the tranny. If the tranny doesn't shift smoothly (jerky), look for another car.

**GTi** · April 12th, 2012 08:58 PM

I suggest you consider the Sentra instead. With the budget for an A/T Corolla, you can get a Sentra A/T that's a couple years or more younger than it. The Sentra's more refined and more comfortable too.

Pero the AE111 Corolla is really a very durable car. My neighbor has one. 1998 A/T GLi yun. It goes to Baguio regularly at napakalaspag na talaga. Makikita mong hindi talaga pinag-aalagaan. Hell, when the changed the hood, it didn't even matched the color of the car and was full of scratches! (gold yung car, silver yung surplus hood)

And that hood had the word "LOVELIFE" scratched on it. :hysterical: Pero hanggang ngayon buhay pa. Ilang beses na yan nalubog pero buhay na buhay parin. Once I had to help them move the car since bumabaha and walang marunong magdrive na nasa bahay nila. Engine was still smooth and I did not detect any slippage with the tranny at all.