1982 Toyota Starlet DX review from Australia and New Zealand
"Economical, reliable, lasts a lifetime"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Nothing has gone wrong with the car, relaced stuff like spark plugs, alternator belts and light bulbs every now and then.
Rubber in front of wind-screen and the back hatch has started deteriorating and water is leaking inside the car when it rains, but this is easy to fix. Some slight rust on the bottom of doors, also easy to fix.
General comments?
Got the car as a daily ride and it just keeps on going no matter what. Its also a rear wheel drive which makes it fun to drive than todays cars. The 1.3 4k engine has lots of power, but it could do with a little improvement.
Recently I changed the engine with a 1.5L 5k engine I got off a Toyota LiteAce van and she goes as fast if not faster than todays fuel injected cars. Handles corners quite decently because of the short wheelbase. And with her new engine, Id give her a 9/10 in performance.
Very reliable and economical. Its more fun to ride her now than my other front drive cars.
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All 1982 Toyota Starlet reviews
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1982 |
| First year of ownership | 1996 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.3L Manual |
| Performance marks | 5/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 5/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 180000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 270000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Toyota Corolla |
| Date of Entry | 26th May, 2006 |