Going to probably buy a Solara tomorrow

[roachcreek]

I have been researching them, got my coins together and heading out to a dealer I found on Autotrader to trade in my 97 Explorer for a 2006 Solara SE V6 with 81000 miles on it. I have not checked the car fax yet but will tomorrow. All my Toyota's have been Tundra's, but my wife is wanting to learn to drive and wants a smaller simpler car.

Glad I found a Solara fourm, I will have a ton of questions.

Regards,

Roachcreek

[GzNutz]

Welcome to SG! You can't go wrong with a Lara.

[roachcreek]

Yeah I always liked the body style.

I have been forced to drive 4x4's most of the last 20 years due to my lifestyle, but my wife is learning to drive and I thought now is the time to buy that coupe.

I bought the car yesterday and drove it home. It has 81000 miles, so it looks like I will need to have the timing belt changed in the next few months and today I am getting a rock chip in the windshield fixed.

Our other car is a high mileage Eddie Bauer Ford Explorer AWD, which I traded a Audi Allroad for to keep me from going broke with the $1000. repair bill every 2 months, fun driving but pretty much vacinated me for German engineering thank you! The Exploder as I call it is just utterly reliable as I hope this Solara will be

I had the dealer run the Car Fax and it was clear of any accidents or major mechanical problems, we are the second owners, it had regular maintainence up until mile 57XXX and then it just dropped off the face of the earth until 81000 where I came in. Perhaps the prior owner used Jiffely lube like I do on my Explorer. After getting the windshiled fixed we will go to the Toyota dealer and see what need to be done as far as other maintainence.

[GzNutz]

Congrats on the purchase!

[dougdangger]

Welcome roach. I don't know if the V6 have timing belts or chains. The 4 bangers have chains.

It's a great car. My only gripe with it is the drifting to the left when driving straight on a highway. There was a TSB for it and I didn't know about it until my warranty expired. Since this problem affects a ton of Solara owners. I'm disappointed that Toyota didn't issue a recall. Anyways, it's a great car. Enjoy.

[GzNutz]

I've got around 84k and the only problems I've had have all been self inflicted.

[DSM_Lara]

As we say in Hawaii "E Komo Mai" to Solaraguy.

[roachcreek]

I went to a windshield chip repair place today and had them work on a chip. Then off to the dealer to see about the timing belt. I had read in the Maintainence manual that it is recommended that it be replaced at 90,000 miles. The dealership was very helpful, they advised I did in fact have a timing belt in the 06 V6 but the 07 and 08 did not have timing belts. I asked them how concrete the 90,000 mile limit was and was told that they had not seen any belts going at 110 to 125,000 miles. I also learned that at least on the 06 V6, the engine was redesigned so that it would not self destruct if the belt failed.

With the mileage I drive, I have about 13 to 15 months until I hit 95,000 miles which is when I will do the belt and the water pump.

BTW the dealership charges around $800.00 to replace the timing belt and water pump.

The Solara at it's new home in the country.

[GzNutz]

Looks great! I'm jealous of your factory lip kit.

[roachcreek]

I had no idea it was a kit, what an you tell me about it?