How do you baby your Corolla?

I’ve seen people talk about babying their cars on this forum, and I’m curious what everyone does to take care of their ride. Let’s put together a list!

Here’s what I do:

  • Stick to regular maintenance
    • Follow the manual as much as possible
    • Check the oil often
    • Keep tire pressure at the right level
  • Keep it clean inside and out
    • Wash the car regularly, especially if there’s bird poop or other stuff on it
    • Don’t let garbage pile up or stuff every corner with random junk

What are the little things you do to look after your car? I’ll update this post in a few days to include everyone’s tips!

Besides what the original poster shared, I never eat or drink in my car. It’s a stick shift, so trying to drive and eat is a pain anyway.

Mine stays in the garage 90% of the time.

I keep up with all the regular maintenance and avoid doing mods that could mess up the car.

I mostly just drive mine to work. It’s a 2022 Corolla with only 15,422 miles on it so far, and I follow most of the tips listed here.

Sometimes I drive my Corolla pretty hard just to clear out carbon buildup (at least, that’s my excuse). Once, I ended up needing new rotors after warping them—totally worth it. Toyota really made this generation fun to drive!

That said, I take good care of it. Oil gets changed regularly, transmission fluid every 40k miles, and tires rotated every 5k miles. I wax it seasonally and wash it often. When I do push it, I make sure it’s warmed up and avoid hard starts with the CVT. Most of my spirited driving happens once I’m already cruising.

I keep a folded Swiffer duster in a Ziploc bag in the center console to quickly dust the dashboard and other surfaces.

I park far away in lots to avoid door dings. Most people who park up close are in a rush and don’t care about other cars.

When the engine’s cold, I keep the RPMs low. I also use a charcoal-activated cabin filter for better odor control.

After the first rains in spring, I take it for a car wash with an underbody spray to get rid of winter salt. Throughout the year, I usually hand wash it. Around that time, I also check for new rock chips and fix them to prevent rust.

I clean the wheels and tires monthly and add a little tire dressing. Once a year, I remove water spots, use an iron remover, and clay the car. I might Scotchgard the interior after vacuuming.

Every few months, I wax the exterior and use protectants on the interior surfaces. Last fall, I went all out: decontamination, polishing, and ceramic coating. The coating also went on the doorjambs, wheels, glass, and high-touch interior areas. Hopefully, it’ll reduce scratches and make cleaning easier. Bonus: I even used the leftover coating on my kitchen appliances and my parents’ Tundra.

I drive it like it’s a rental!

I wait for the RPMs to drop before driving when I start the car cold. Also, I park at the back of parking lots to avoid door dings.

Lilnim said:
I wait for the RPMs to drop before driving when I start the car cold. Also, I park at the back of parking lots to avoid door dings.

That RPM drop is so real. You can hear the engine saying, ‘Wait… wait… okay, now we’re good!’

I do a transmission fluid drain and fill every 60k miles and change the oil every 5k.

I’ve got a hybrid Corolla, so I’ve had to learn the differences in keeping it running smoothly. I’m also working on improving my driving habits to get better fuel economy. Once the weather gets nicer, I’m planning to do a full clean-up and some extra maintenance.