1983 Toyota Cressida Inline 6

Summary:

POS

Faults:

Motor

General Comments:

I was recently married and more recently had bought half a duplex with a one car garage. So I was ready for a project. My sweet, innocent, long-suffering wife pulled me home in this car down I435 and I35 in KC. During construction. At night. With a very short tow rope. But we made it, and I started in working on it. The motor was shot, but I had the confidence of youth. My dad raved about the straight six motor, which is a big reason I bought this POS. I remember lying under the car in my tiny garage, heaving on the crank pulley bolt with all of my strength until it snapped off. I cried. So I dragged it to a machine shop and the dude rebuilt it. I am sure for more money than I could afford. I dragged it back to him once or twice when it still didn't go, and finally it ran, but always VERY slowly. Then the motor blew up again and I sold it for scrap. Was it character building? I don't know. Maybe. Did I need character building? I don't think so. I was busting my hump in about five different ways back then and holding it all together just fine. Perhaps it was a lesson in not following in my dad's footsteps and putting car tinkering ahead of everything. Because this was about the time I began to hate cars and still do to this day.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th June, 2026

18th Jun 2026, 19:36

What kind of review is this?

18th Jun 2026, 20:14

These engines were usually extremely robust. But even these "M" engines from Toyota requires oil changes and basic maintenance to work.

In reply to 18th Jun 2026, 19:36

19th Jun 2026, 06:22

Fair question. Wasn’t driven even a single mile based on the review, yet it has a comfort rating. I guess some people lounge in car seats rather than on a living room couch?

19th Jun 2026, 14:01

Toyota just renewed the trademark on the "Cressida" name (they do like those "C" names) so apparently they are planning on bringing it back just to cheese off the reviewer.

1983 Toyota Cressida 4 door Sedan 6 cylinder

Summary:

It's an old, unreliable, cashing wasting, headache

Faults:

Car stalls in idle since day 1.

Car recently back fires randomly and dies.

Car recently stalls and dies while in park or while driving.

Air conditioner/blower went out at 201,000 miles.

Problems are likely due to the car being over 27 years old.

As soon as I repair something, something else goes out.

Invested over $10,000 in car repairs in the past 2 years, paid $2,000 for the car in 2009, & best offer selling price is $300.00 cash.

General Comments:

I have had several problems with this car.

In the past 2 years I have had to replace :

the blower for the A/C, bought 2 new sets of tires, bought a new front axle, bought 2 new batteries, a new radiator, & replaced the motor for my power windows.

Despite all of these repairs, I am still having stalling problems due to fuel filter or EFI.

However, I believe this is due to the car being over 27 years old, and I bought the car as it was going out.

I would buy another Toyota, but a new model.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th May, 2011

9th May 2011, 09:05

Your catalytic could be plugged, just take it off and throw in a straight exhaust.

1983 Toyota Cressida

Summary:

If I was 18 back in 1983, and went to highschool in this car, I would be the most badass kid alive

Faults:

Leaks oil, big problem with these engines, A/C is bad, drive shaft clunks.

General Comments:

Bought the car at 276,000 miles. Low on oil, leaking oil. Coil was bad. Towed it home and got it running with a new coil I had from a previous Cressida. Fired right up after a new oil change. Drove the car 2400 miles across country, and have put another 20,000 on it, and it's still going. All of the electricals work in the car; power windows, locks. I am a mechanic, this is the best car I have ever owned (have owned 25+ cars). If you take care of your car, it will last you as long as this one. If you find an old Toyota with the 2.8 liter engine, take care of it and it will last you forever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCG0cOm9iVQ

It was 1 owner vehicle. Owned by an old Chinese man with 5 kids all grown up. He took the car in for weekly checkups up until 200,000 miles, and the head gasket has been replaced once at 115,000 miles.

I've personally beat the crap out of this car, being that I got it for $200 and it's rusty and dented up. It's my beater car. It hauls ass for 1983, but I have the rare 5-speed manual trans and a limited slip differential, it was a Minnesota car, and with snow tires I had no problem driving in 12+ inches of snow; could even make it uphill. Great car, I will never get rid of it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd April, 2011

24th Apr 2011, 12:27

This is not a common car. Every now and then, I may see one, but its usually from the early 90's. Toyotas were NEVER hugely popular in the 80s here in Michigan, but it seems this model was sold in quite a small number. Of course, our fairly liberal use of salt in Winter guaranteed a short life expectancy for any 80s car.

22nd Apr 2024, 11:45

I bought a 1983 Toyota Cressida in 2001 and paid $3750AU for it, it had 211000 km on it, and the engine had already been rebuilt which should have been a red flag right there. I drove it carefully for about 3 months and the engine started making horrible noises; it was then I found out that unlike almost all other Toyota models, the 1983 Cressida had a one-off engine, you couldn't use a motor from the 1982/ 1983 Cressida in it. I ended up having a mechanic rebuild the damn engine and then 3 months later, same thing, it was stuffed. The whole time I drove it I couldn't get better than 19 MPG no matter how much freewheeling I did and how easy on the pedals I was. In the end it went to the bloody wreckers; I got about $200,00 AU for it.

Previously I had owned a Toyota RT40 (the little shovel-nosed car) and it was reliable even though it was a 1969 model 1600cc with a 2-speed transmission. In 1991 I worked at a Japanese imported engine shop, they imported all sorts of Japanese motors, so when the Cressida engine went I contacted them and I was told you can't get the 1983 model engine, rare as hens teeth; that is why I had my engine rebuilt.

In 2017 we bought a Lexus LS430 for $16500; great car and super reliable!