My opinion:

I've had my tC for a grand total of 3 weeks now. I'm starting to find that you get what you pay for. I have 3 cars and you can tell the difference in quality, even though all three are Toyota. No i haven't had any issues with the tC yet, but it's small things that are bugging me.

My 1994 Corolla has 180k miles on it. At the moment there are a few problems with it. Bad CV joint and there's a crack in the exhuast manifold and it burns oil. $175 in parts and it's back to new. It is the most comfortable car I own. It looks like crap on the outside, door dings, scratches, one rust spot, but it cruises just fine at 80mph. I'd bet money I could only change the oil and fill it with gas and it'll go up to 200k miles fine. Still get 35MPG easily. It's hard to scratch this car, doesn't dent EASILY, but a car door swung straight into anything will put a nice blemish there. The car has been hit at least 4 times between rear endings, and hit and runs, and the worst that's happened is scratched bumpers. No cracks.
I think this car was about $18k 11 years ago. It was probably the middle price tag on the Toyotas at the time.

Next is the 1997 Convertible Toyota Paseo. Although it had a $18k price tag. It was only that high because it's the convertible model. It's an economy car. High gas milage. Around 37MPG. Not designed for comfort (I can't sit in this car for long trips), not designed for speed (93 HP). It has a pretty body. That's about all the work they put into this car. The paint scratches FAR to easily. Not sure about how easily it dents. I've had this a month and it already had dents when I got it.

Now the 2005 tC. I might get ____ on for saying this, but it's just another Toyota economy car. Slightly higher. Granted it's not a Tercel/Paseo/Echo, but from what I've seen so far, they only put work into making it look pretty. It's not really that comfortable (at least not yet) There are about 1000 positions you can put the seat, I guess I just haven't found a good position yet. There's no good place for your legs, you can't lean it against the door because of the protrusion, you can't lean your other leg against the center consol becuase it's hard plastic with a semi sharp edge. I will say the power in the car is there.

The tC is a nice car for the price. I can't argue with that. I needed a 3rd car and I didn't want to put the money out for a Solara or a Camry. Maybe I should have. It is fun for short drives, cruising around, showing off. Unfortunately, I don't think this car will hit 200,000 miles. I guess time will tell on that. I've heard the paint is pretty bad, scratches easily. So I've been cleaning it ever other day, have waxed the front, and will do the whole car sometime. The door design is not made to take any hits. If another door so much as touches this car it's going to dent. I'm just waiting for my first one. At least I don't drive it anywhere with public parking. IMO the gas milage isn't great. For 160HP it's pretty good I guess. But going from two cars that hit 35-37mpg on a regular basis to a range between 27 and 32, it's iffy.

The last three days I've driven my Corolla to work (35miles one way) in 90 degree weather. It's just flat out cooler with the 4 windows down. I don't use AC, but the tC just doesn't have enough airflow even with the roof open and the windows down.

I think that's about it.

 

The creak noise from the sunroof came from the first production tCs that had looser bolts than later ones. A simple respect tightening is all thats needed. The Soft paint, well, ALL toyotas seem to have paint issues. Plastic... the plastic used in the tCs is high quality. I have had no issues and I haven't heard of anyone who has. The fabric is the same used in the later model celicas. Same front seats.

 

yeah, my TC is just as good of quality as my friends 02 celica, plus the doors shut way better and more solid. I think the drivers position is excellent. I think its one of the most comfortable cars Ive owned, Ive owned 2 Porsches a BMW, 2 RX7's, a 02 ZX3 Focus, A B13 SER, way better than any of those cars comfort wise.

 

The tC is one nice car for the money. Show me another car like the tC for the price and I will buy you a cup of coffee or a beer if you are over 21!!!

Mazda 3 and the Tiburon I guess are the major competitors and those two are nice but a couple grand more.

For the person to relate his Corolla MPG to the tC is rather ridiculous. The tC has the MPG of related cars with 160 hp.

The tC paint is no better or worse than the other cars I have had. Doors were not made to take a another door swinging into them but then if the tC had those type of doors the look would not have been as nice. So that one is good and bad depending on whether you have had a door swing into your tC.

By far the stereo is much better than ANY car priced like the tC.

Kevin

 

insaneintenti0n

Now the 2005 tC. I might get poopie on for saying this, but it's just another Toyota economy car. Slightly higher. Granted it's not a Tercel/Paseo/Echo, but from what I've seen so far, they only put work into making it look pretty. It's not really that comfortable (at least not yet) There are about 1000 positions you can put the seat, I guess I just haven't found a good position yet. There's no good place for your legs, you can't lean it against the door because of the protrusion, you can't lean your other leg against the center consol becuase it's hard plastic with a semi sharp edge. I will say the power in the car is there.



Heres your poopie....... lol
You just have to find the right seating position. I found mine and it took almost a month, but I found it and it's so comfortable now, I love it... I'm 6ft 1inch tall and the tC is much more comfortable then my 7 Gen Celica GT-S. Long drives the tC is very nice indeed, compared to the Celica. I've driven from Cali to Vegas non-stop twice with out any stops, well I guess one stop to water a dryed desert plant (a ____)...lol
The plastic in the Celica was crap especialy for the price of $26,000. Every car's plastic is cheap at some point. The tC should be so much more luxury compared to your other two cars, it probably hasn't hit you yet. It will hit you in due time my friend, just wait and see.
As far as the tC going 200.000 miles, yep it sure will. I know it will because of how I take care of my cars and also having a Camry with 223.000 miles that is driven from Anaheim to San Diego all the time, without a problem (same motor and powertrain as the tC).

You have to take car of your cars regardless of the manufacture to make it last a long time, but I can garantee you would have to do less major work on the tC, compared to other manufactured cars at this price. Yea, $16,500 sounds cheap, but by the time you leave the dealer it's a $21,000 or more purchase. The value of the tC drops roughly $5,000 dollars when driven off the lot, but other cars like GM depreciate $14,000. This is the reason I didn't buy a SRT-4, because the value of the vehicle drops $14,000 the second the tires touch the street. This just tells you that Toyota holds it's value, because of the quality craftsmanship they have. I love Toyota and I am thankful the tC was released to society.....

 

i love you man

 

Me Wuv U 2.....LOL

 

well, the tC is sooo good....

that my girlfriend left me cause she thinks i love my car more than her.

but really, this car is an amazing value as said many times before. if you enjoy driving, like i do, this is a fun, lightweight, quick car. i haven't had any problems with it. it's roomy on the inside. has great safety features, and holds the ground like it's on rails. i reccomend test driving one to get the full effect.

 

lol... great car and cheap price