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SolaraGuy.com • View topic - How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?
Stock talk about the Generation 2 and 2.5 Toyota Solara which was released in 2004-2007

How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby ahoshi » Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:33 pm

92,400 miles, some squeaking on the thing that supports the seatbelt(can i put some lub on it?), and bubbles inside silver cover of the door handles
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Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby Black Bob » Wed Mar 23, 2011 8:17 am

Update: had both of my front struts replaced yesterday by a friend. Definitely a better ride now! I was correct on 3 things though:

1) The strut that I thought was shot was DEFINITELY shot. Once taken off I could take my pinky finger and contract the piston with barely any effort.

2) I was correct that the Sport springs was the only thing supporting the passenger-front part of the car even though the car didn't bounce over rough road. To be more specific, over rough roads the tire bounced like it was on meth but the overall body of the car did not.

3) If you have the clamps/press to compress the spring and an impact wrench the struts are as easy to replace as the PDF manual suggests.

I got my 4 wheel alignment and oil change scheduled for Saturday morning at a shop down the street from me house (which means no binge drinking Friday night), so I should be right as rain in no time. While my friend had it up on the rack we inspected the ball joints and they looked good (hope I ain't jinxing meself!). I also took a look at the rear struts and I'm probably gonna have those replaced this Spring or Summer just so I don't wind up scrambling around at the last minute if one just suddenly fails again. One weird thing I did notice is that my whole steering gear assembly was not even rusted or dirty--from the gear to the boots to the tie-rods, everything looked brand new for whatever reason.
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Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby crispone » Wed Mar 23, 2011 10:00 am

Black Bob... "right as rain"? Please expound on that concept... 8)








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Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby Black Bob » Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:28 pm

^^^Okay, you caught me, I used phrases again that I have no right to....I'm about right as rain as Fred Flinstone was when he was wondering how he knocked up Wilma even though they have separate twin beds and Pebbles has Barney's eyes.
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Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby yaddadaimsayin » Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:48 pm

Black Bob wrote: Pebbles has Barney's eyes.


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Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby DriDed » Wed Mar 23, 2011 6:25 pm

lately I have been seeing a lot of Gen 2s at UCF and in Windermere, why is that hmmmm..

At 56,400 miles, I observe absolutely no difference in the car compared to 56,300 miles.
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Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby GzNutz » Wed Mar 23, 2011 7:30 pm

Now at 76K, after removing the trd fstb and rsb I can't believe the flex in the lara's body. The glove box and mpg/temp/vent unit creak while pulling out of the alley. Other than that, I can't complain. She's a great daily driver and with another car coming into the lineup, I'll probably throw the headers and intake back on. The reliability of the lara is unparalleled so I can afford to garage a completely unreliable 35yr old cedes.
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Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby crispone » Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:12 pm

Black Bob wrote:^^^Okay, you caught me, I used phrases again that I have no right to....I'm about right as rain as Fred Flinstone was when he was wondering how he knocked up Wilma even though they have separate twin beds and Pebbles has Barney's eyes.



http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/right+as+rain


^^^ Hmmm... there it is! "RIGHT AS RAIN"!




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Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby Down2TheC » Sat Apr 23, 2011 10:12 pm

47k - Only nuisance issues are a creaky passenger side dash and the bumper on the window apparently fell off so the back side of the window will hyper extend if raised with the top down. But I never do that. Rather than cracking the door open, I've just made sure that passengers raise the window when the top is there to stop it in the proper place. And I can't hear the creak in the dash if the tops down and the tunes are pumped. So no complaints.
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Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby DriDed » Sun Apr 24, 2011 9:30 am

My car is at 57,800+ miles now, and it looks like the TRD sway bar needs lubing. Maybe I should replace the bushings, it starts to squeak every 6 months now versus every 2 years a while ago.
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+Injen Short ram intake
+Pioneer DEH 2200 UB headunit
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Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby stereopaul511 » Sun Apr 24, 2011 10:07 am

My brother took me for a spin in mine yesterday. No issues at all, (2006). No squeaks, rattles, fading inside or out and it's kept outdoors year round. It does only have 21676 miles on it though. I'll be glad when I'm released by my doc to drive again.
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Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby Deanodam » Tue May 03, 2011 6:14 pm

I have two Solara's. 06 with 94,000 miles and a 07 with 35000. I gave my 06 to my daughter and she is driving it now. The 06 is as tight today as she was when she was new. No problems with her at all. Just followed the maint. schedule. The 07 is perfect and I have had no problems at all. The only thing is that my 07 has the Camel colored cloth interior. They look great but I am looking for suggestions on keeping them covered. The lighter colored seats seem to catch and hold the dirt. Oh, and BTW.....check out Aerospace 303 products for protection of the interior of the car. I have used the stuff on my 2001 hot tub that has been outside since new. The cover and wood type shell look new. I use all of their products and just started using their cloth protecterant. I don;t know how well it will do but it gets high ratings. No - I don't have stock in the company but maybe I should. Good stuff.....
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Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby jimmm » Wed May 04, 2011 4:20 am

stereopaul511 wrote:My brother took me for a spin in mine yesterday. No issues at all, (2006). No squeaks, rattles, fading inside or out and it's kept outdoors year round. It does only have 21676 miles on it though. I'll be glad when I'm released by my doc to drive again.


Good to hear from you, stereopaul. I know the feeling of being chauffeured in your own car. I had to go through that over 3 years ago when my license was suspended for 16 months. It wasn't the Solara, thank God, but a Ford Taurus, but I used to keep it just as clean and then had to watch my sister and her 16 year old drive it. It was so sad.
:o God Bless you, son.
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Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby SoSleek » Wed May 04, 2011 8:03 am

I bought my 2004 with 12k on it. I now have 54k. This things never skipped a beat. It runs beautifully.

I have very a minimal clunk coming from the front because of my lowering springs. I believe I need new upper strut mounts.

Also my arm rest's on the doors have a couple small spots that look like the beginning to what you guys are explaining.

My headlights are the biggest annoyance out of anything. They are hazing, and I HAAAATE hazed headlights. I just plastX'd them and they look pretty nice again. I just don't think that should be an issue until at least 100k. But I see Toyota/Lexus in the parking lots all the time with hazed headlights. Must the a cheap plastic Toyota is using for their headlights.

I really am 99% happy with this car. All my friends don't get it. It doesn't get much love at shows. I just don't understand how people don't appreciate these cars more, like we do?
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Re: How is your Gen 2/2.5 holding up?

Postby yaddadaimsayin » Wed May 04, 2011 11:14 am

SoSleek wrote: All my friends don't get it. It doesn't get much love at shows. I just don't understand how people don't appreciate these cars more, like we do?


I concur. I also concur with the statement about hating hazed lights. :bad-words:
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