How I ended up driving a scratched and dented '99 corolla wagon as a daily + Should I upgrade it's looks?
Help, I need a bigger car!
As some may know I used to drive slightly tuned Corolla hatchbacks with little to no flaw in the paintwork before I had kids (Like the ones in the picture below). They were made to look more sporty, without going all out in the rice department. It was a blast. These little cars were easy to park, drove fast enough if you pushed them and best of all … they turned heads, because people were not used to seeing a TTE-spec Corolla.
Then everything changed. The birth of my son (and later my daughter) made the hatchback an impractical car. The back seat was needed, OFTEN. The trunk needed to take A LOT of stuff and taking a corner like a crazy man was just not done with these little people in the back.
A new car was needed. One with 4 doors and a big boot. A wagon would be best. But what car was it going to be? My mind wandered to superfast wagons like the Legnum or the Caldina GTT, but those were RHD, and I needed something practical. Audi and Volvo made some awesome wagons, but I love Japs. In the end I bought a ‘99 Corolla wagon. The same Corolla I have been driving for years, that I know by heart, but with a Big Ass Booth! The fact that I have about 3.5 Corolla’s in parts in the shed helped to decide slightly.
Hmm, maybe that scratched and beaten up one?
So It would be the Corolla E11 wagon. Now to find one! This seemed a bit harder than expected. These couldn’t be bought new, obviously. Looking on the second-hand market I was drowning in hatchbacks and I found the occasional liftback. If I looked hard enough I even found some sedans. But the Wagon, boy, that was hard to find. The ones you do finds are Diesels, and I most definetly wanted a Gasoline powered one. Expanding my search, I found some in Italy, France and Germany. All of these cars had the bare minimum. Roll up windows, no airco, no nothing. (Most of these electric parts could be lifted from the hatchbacks, but not for the back-windows) An occasional ‘mint shell’ was to be found for a lot of money. After a lot of searching I found the car I own now. It had airco, it had electric windows all around, it had electric mirrors and it even had lightweight alumium wheels. It also had scratches, bumps and rust. I bought the car on the spot. The plan was to transplant all the goodies in a nice shell and be done with it. Things turned out differently
Now lets pass that hedge very carefully … without slowing down
Because good shells were hard to find I decided to drive it in the state it was, until I would find a nice shell. Now, after about a year and a half, I don’t know if I even want a new shell.
Trying to wrestle the kids in their seat while they kick the back panel. Who cares that little dent?
Trying to fit a closet that is obviously to large for the car and hit the back bumper. So what?
Driving a small unpaved road when someone shows up in the oposite direction, What do you mean stop or you’ll hit those overhanging branches?
The fact that this car is allready banged up makes it THE BEST CAR EVER! This thing just does it all.
transport up to 5 people, no problem.
take 2 kids with strollers, bags, toys and foldable beds, well of course, I’ll even throw in the dog just for fun.
Move furniture, or car parts, or firewood, or half of everything I own. Just put down the back seats.
Erect a camp-bed in it, so I can sleep at night and leave it there to drive during the day. Why not?
And when you want to have some fun, just leave the kids at home, put the foot on the gas and drive with a smile on your face. The 4AFE-engine is far from sporty, but the revs make you feel like you’re going way faster. The fact that it looks like a wreck makes all your worries disapear. You fly by hedges and branches and stuff, because who cares if there’s another scratch. No parking spot left, exept under that tree that drops pinecones? You mean, my reserved spot!
My wheels are equaly tattered, so I’m not sweating when parking next to high sidewalks.
the fun just doesn’t stop, just because I DON’T CARE!
And the car is so easy to work on. Somethings broken? Let me get a new part on … TODAY. It doesn’t really match? Let me cover that up with something rediculous, so it seems intentional.
What does the future hold?
To be honest. I don’t really know.
On the one hand I want to fix this awesome car to the glory it can be. I even have the parts in the shed. Some nice G6R sideskirts, a TTE bumper, a spoiler from a Sprinter Carib, Nice wheels, …
I even fixed the worst parts like the rust, the mirrors, I’ve put in a sportier grill and put new, stiffer springs under it. The car could be such an awesome wagon. I have found a German bloke who made one to my liking. It could be just like the one in the pics below.
On the other hand, when I fix everything and make it all nice, will it still be fun. I know that if I drive my G6R, which is suited for way more speed, I am carefull. I don’t go all out. I brake for everything that might scratch my precious paint. I have fun in a controlled, mediocre way.
I am really really REALLY unsure about what to do. The only thing I know is that it will get the 4AGE20V blacktop engine wich revs to 8300.
What do you guys think? Keep it the way it is, or build it like the green beast below?
Comments
50 stickers and you get 1000 hp
i think its good the way it is , just the mods you want , fixing the dents/scratches or whatever you want at it will be fantastic , im thinking of getting a hatchback corolla myself when i get a license
I can recomend them. Go for one before 2000. You might think those are old, bit they are build to last. My sis stil drives a 89 corolla with 300k+ km on the clock. The thing still drives like a charm
Buy it, DO NOT MODIFY IT! Save the money for an actual fun car. The money you will save driving a reliable and low cost car can also go to a better car down the road.
I allready have it. For a year and a half now. I also have the ‘upgrades’ on my shelf because I have an E11 hatchback G6R project car.
The big question is, do I put on all the fancy parts en respray it, so it is a nice meeting-worthy car, or do i I leave it banged up and continue not to worry.
A few upgrades will make tolerating the compromises a little easier: l had an Opel Zafira to cope with similar duties. Owned it seven years (trouble free) Moved it on once two of the kids were old enough to drive.
That does look good indeed
I mean, personally:
Nice wheels are a must to me, so I’d put those on, but other than that, I’d stick with your whole careless beater thing.
Maybe put some parts on (I don’t think that spoiler has any other good place to go), but always ask yourself: “Will I be worried about damaging this?”
Oh, and do document the 4AGE swap. I’m kinda trying to track down my father’s car he had during the first years of my life, and have a guess at what it is… ;)
A 4AGE-powered Corolla?
I guess the GTi?
This joyful images make the business. Go ahead successfully. Have a nice day.
Do not modify it! Keep it stock in showroom condition. Drive that old warrior proudly forever.
Well, it is FAR from showroom condition.
This was a good read! I say modify it, but then again I’m practically bankrupt pouring all my money into silly parts and mods while my friends are saving up for houses and stuff. Also I have a thing for these wagons modified. They’re so uniqe, weird even, and they’re awesomely cool when tastefully modded.
I think my e12 fills both roles you’re talking about, it has countless hours of mods and work done to it but at the same time 320k km has left a few scrathes and marks, and it’s a few shades of silver. It’s more used and abused than the average e12 but looks in way better shape because I keep it clean. Love that car to death but don’t care too much about it at the same time; Planned a skiing trip and had to weld a roofrack to the roof because we figured out a little too late that our skis wouldn’t fit in the car. Wouldn’t do that to a show car but it’s all about the good stories, and you definitely get those driving a slammed, modded beater through the mountains. Find that balance where the car is modded to your liking, but not so much that you’re scared of driving it on the daily. I think that makes for the beat relationship with your car.
Also, those wheels on the G6R and green wagon are sick and I have been looking for something just like it for a while. Are they stock TTE’s?
Did you just say you WELDED a roofrack? That’s scary and awesome at the same time!
I am trying to find that balance between careless and modded, but with a house, 2 kids and a wedding on the way, my wallet doesn’t like mod-parts.
Where did you find the g6 front grille? I need one too but buying it from the dealership is too expensive (brand new)