Toyota Corolla 2000 Problems

Unfortunately you’ve kept the Corolla too long, and have had to spend money to keep it going. Keep that in mind for the next one you buy.

You’re constrained by your $20,000 budget, but I would suggest you look at a Kia Rio, Mazda2, Mitsubishi Lancer, or Suzuki Swift. All should fall within your budget and all will give you a good run. If you were prepared to buy a used car that is one or two years old, you could consider a Toyota Corolla, or a Mazda3.

Any of those oils would be perfectly ok for your car. If you are doing really short trips and want the engine to warm up a little faster, and reduce wear during that period, you could use a 10W-40 oil, but I would use a 20W-50 oil as a good all-rounder.

Your mechanic is correct, but so are you. The mechanic's suggestion of a Corolla is a safe bet, one that won't come back to bite him in the long run, but the other cars you mention are also worth considering. All are solid, generally reliable cars, although I would be cautious about recommending the Astra to you. Stick to the well-known Japanese brands and she won't go too far wrong.

DEPOSITS do build up on injectors in time, making the engine run rough and causing loss of power. Some dealers recommend cleaning them as a precaution, but I would be reluctant unless the engine is running poorly. The cost you have been quoted is far too high. An injector-cleaning specialist would typically charge about $100.

I ASSUME you've tried different pumps. The rate of delivery can vary. Try easing the nozzle out a fraction from the filler neck, though it does seem your car has a problem, possibly with the venting of the tank.