1986 Toyota Tercel SR5 review from North America
"A cool little 4WD Toyota beast that can hold its own!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Water pump.
Break hoses and right/front caliper.
CV joints are going.
Exhaust (manifold back) needed to be replaced.
Carburetor needed rebuild.
Shocks going out.
Gas tank leak.
Driver's door sticks.
General comments?
Bought this car for $600 US, I expected many of the repairs before I bought it.
The previous owner, no doubt his winter beater, seriously abused it.
I abused it because I couldn't resist testing out the 4WD every chance I got; this is probably the reason for the CV's and shocks.
Its been a good car, although it has had more problems than other 80's Toyota's I've had, it is the first Toyota I've had with enough head room for me (6'3")
Toyota has, as usual, been able to make this car relatively quick for having such a tiny engine (62hp.) It handles pretty good, except the extended rear end and the addition of the rear axle makes it more sluggish around corners than other Tercel's, but it still gets up to 95MPH without a problem.
The engine, being longitudinally mounted, is very easy to work on, and all the parts are super cheap.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1987 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.5L SOHC I4 Manual |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 10/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 130000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 139000 miles |
| Previous car | Toyota Corolla |
| Date of Entry | 17th November, 2004 |