1997 Toyota Carina emerald from Belgium - Comments

Nothing really.

I bought this car secondhand after my Peugeot 405GLD had done 235K km.

It's not the quickest (even for a turbo-diesel) or sexiest vehicle in town, but it has been a very reliable companion until now.

Very cheap to run also; I visit my mechanic (an ex Volvo and Alfa Romeo employee) 2x a year for a quick checkup and apart from changing oil, he has never had to do any work on the car.

Reasonable fuel economy (7 liter per 100 km), not as good as my previous Peugeot (5.7 liter / 100 km)

Downsides?

* door rubbers tend to loosen quickly

* occasional rattle in the dashboard

* occasional rattle in the suspension.

I feel this car will do at least 250-300K without major problems.

An update at 106.000 km : air-co didn't work, turned out to be a leaky air-co radiator, all in all a expensive repair, some 500 EUR (2 visits to garage, they couldn't find the problem the first time) ; rather disappointing since the air-co radiator had been replaced in september 2001 due to a minor crash; apart from this no problems.

Another update @ 125000 km : replaced starter (200 EUR) and belt (170 EUR), normal wear and tear.

Update @141.000 km : noise from the exhaust, probably hit the pavement leaving the driveway

update @142.000 km : damn, MBK scooter crashed into Carina, left back door needs to be replaced, rather difficult to find a replacement second hand door (according to garage)

Further update : rumbling noise coming from the right corner when turning sharply to the right... garage can't see anything... very strange, won't bother to fix.

Update @171.000 km : downshifting from 3rd to 2nd gear has become very difficult; according to garage synchro in the gearbox has to be replaced, a very expensive job (ca. 1500 euro), more than car is actually worth... so, it's time for it to go! Will be looking to another car, and probably not a Toyota since the available MPV models are too expensive (Corolla Verso). Although we've had little trouble with this Carina, it's still rather disappointing to be told that a Toyota gearbox has gone bad after only 170k.

Updated 24/12/2007 : bought a new car, Renault Grand Scenic. Origninally went for Citroen Xsara Picasso (the old model, very cheap), looked at the C4 Picasso and found the Renault to be of a sturdier built.

Please update us again, and let us know how much you miss your Carina and whether you have replaced the gearbox or suffered a major fault yet, as you will, with your new posher Renault.

My sisters 5 year old Megane is on its third gearbox. I sold my 20 year old Carina 11 to an employee, at 165000m, and it is still going like a clock, despite him driving it constantly like a stolen Porsche.

My "new", third, Carina E is a flyer, cost all of €550, and I would not swap it for any new motor out there. Every time I get a fit of madness and buy a more "respectable" car, to impress the neighbours, who probably feel I am a pauper, I regret it after a few weeks and go out and get a Carina again, and am happy.

My Mercedes is now sitting on our driveway, unloved, as even my wife prefers the Carina, and pinches it every chance she gets. Carinas are the best cars ever built, the slope was unfortunately downhill from the Carina 11 to the Carina e to the Avensis, and I have done enough work for Toyota themselves to know that to be true, even in their opinion. Still great though.