1989 Toyota Celica ST 2000 review from North America

The biggest item I have had to replace is the muffler. The only other thing replaced in 13 years of daily driving would be tires and brake shoes/pads.

Possibly the single, finest, highest quality car ever made in automotive history. Up to 1999, Consumer Reports magazine listed this as one the top most reliable older used cars. This is an understatement. This car was made in Japan when the car industry there was at its peak of quality and perfection. The 2000cc, 16-valve motor has never been opened up for servicing in 145,000 hard, city miles of driving, yet it still purrs like a kitten. I can put a dime on the valve cover and it won't rattle off. No leaks, no vibrations, no knocking, no misfiring. The steering is tight like a new car and the suspension handles like it did new. The 4-speed overdrive transmission shifts as smooth as silk and has never been serviced; the transmission fluid inside is the original (I know because I owned it from day one and never changed it). The paint glows like it did 13 years ago. The gas mileage is still above 30 mpg. On the highway, this Celica runs like it had a V6 under the hood. This 1989 Celica is comparable in quality to a 1920's Rolls-Royce.