1983 Toyota Corona CSX 2 litre

Summary:

A very reliable and cheap car suitable for first time buyers

Faults:

It idled very roughly over time and a new compressor valve was required.

The back window demmister wire was pulled off the glass while cleaning.

Slight chipping of paint at areas of high usage.

Annoying rattle under steering wheel, however this may be due to the installation of an immobiliser.

General Comments:

Very comfortable and easy to drive.

Very modern interior considering its age.

Low kilometers and in good condition thanks to the previous owner.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 2nd October, 2002

1983 Toyota Corona cs-x 2.0 ltr

Summary:

The whole package in one car

Faults:

Left hand side rear spring and shock absorber sagged. But easily fixed.

I had a faulty water pipe running through the radiator to the motor and eventually blew off.

A slight over-heating problem occurred when first purchased, caused by the faulty pipe, as mentioned above.

A small hole in the radiator. But no big dramas.

General Comments:

It's a great reliable car, runs of like a smelly rag, very economical, built to last and its still going excellent.

It handles fairly good, but there's room for improvement, but what can you expect of a car of that age.

Interior, not a mark on it, very comfortable feels like your in a late model car, very roomy and spacious.

Paint-work still looks fantastic, still looks like a late model car, very reliable in any situation.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th July, 2002

1983 Toyota Corona SE 1.9 litre Holden engine

Summary:

Okay for a first time car, but drinks a lot!

Faults:

* Timing gear went twice since I got the car. Approx $150.

* Engine head gasket seal replaced, $8.

* Radiator leaked replaced for brand new - $240.

* Rear differential replaced at 227,750 (due worn bearings & pinion), replaced from a 152,000 towbar-less Corona, $125.

* Distributor needed an overhaul.

* Re-gassed the air conditioner, $65.

* Swapped over from a 4 speed manual to a 5 speed manual, $225.

* Rear suspension & shockers.

* Overhauled the brake system (re-lining).

* General stuff needed replacing ie. spark plugs, spark plugs leads, alternator belts, tyres, gearbox oil, engine oil, rear differential oil etc.

General Comments:

Got this Toyota Corona XT130 late model sedan from a old man as my "first car", it can be a good car if you had 5 speed manual, can do 50 litres for 500 - 600 k's on the highway. I know it drinks a lot compared to my mate's Holden Camira JE which can do 800 for 50 litres on the highway.. I mainly use that car for highway use.

I added a tachometer and middle side thing with radio tape storage where the handbrake is etc..

It can be gutless on hills, but okay for overtaking on long available lanes, reached 155 km/h on straight country roads in Victoria (but had to slow down due to a hill that came up, as you never knew if there was a Police car on other side of the hill). Will TRY one more time see if I can reach 175 or 180kmh.

Handling - for cornering is okay, if you had a stabiliser bar, it does well, but not the best cornering car I've been in, Slow down when you drive on wet road, don't accelerate the car hard if the road is wet as one of the rear wheels will spin.

The car can do 2800 RPM on the highway at 100kmh on the dot. -> Could have put on a VK Commodore's gearbox as it will drop the RPM on the car.

Replaced the differential last week as there was "whine" noise coming out of it...

Replaced the contact points yesterday as the car was kind of "stalling" while I was driving on the freeway, only cost me $9.

Gearbox needs overhaul as there is high pitch whining noise.

This car is a great car, that goes on and on and on.. used Opimax fuel (high octane) a few times.. but doesn't change for the power mass.

The next car I would like to try out will be an economical car ie. Holden JD or JE Camira.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 29th October, 2001

8th Jan 2002, 22:53

You would have to be truly insane to buy a Camira. They are the '80s version of the Datsun 120Y, only not reliable.

31st Jan 2012, 06:47

I am amazed that anyone is still persevering with that useless Aussie - made four cylinder motor. At least Ford Australia did not insult their customers in that way. The Japanese were producing some really good engines, which made the Holden effort look even worse.

Ford Australia seemed to stick to Cortinas for that same period. Aussie or local built Cortinas (in N.Z.) had a good name.

Ditch that pathetic Holden engine! There was simply no comparison between the 1.8 litre Toyota and the cheap, nasty 1.9 litre Holden motor. It must have bothered the Toyota company to see an otherwise good model being so badly let down. Mercifully, the Aussie engined Corona wasn't made for long. One would have been too many.

One would have hoped that the lethargic, gutless nature of the 1.9 litre meant it would reward the owners with longevity.. WRONG! It was unreliable, less powerful and prone to early upper cylinder wear. They would often be seen going by with blue exhaust smoke even at slow speeds. At least they were easy to overtake.

Shame really - that 1.9 would have hurt Holden in the long run.

The motor was designed by cutting two cylinders from a 2.850 litre 6 cylinder Holden motor, which people (including many tradesmen, cabbies and myself) would remember as a REALLY good motor.

I knew a family with the same 1.9 litre (with auto transmission), and they commented that it used almost as much fuel as the Holden Kingswood wagon they also had, which had a 3.3 litre motor.