1991 Toyota Celica GT from North America - Comments

Nothing has gone wrong since ownership. It does however suffer from some faults common to older Celicas. 1: Replaced one broken trunk hinge. This is a common problem with the coupes. 2: The door windows rattle when partially open. 3: The car had/has multiple oil leaks. One was a bad power steering hose. Leak #2 was coming from the distributor. Another common problem of the 5SFE. Toyota would like for you to buy another distributor, but one can rebuild the distributor as I did for under $10.00. Info on this rebuild can be found on the web. My distributor still leaks, but not NEAR as bad. 3: My last leak appears to be coming from the transmission where the left half shaft goes in the tranny. I have yet to tackle this leak. 4: Replaced the alternator around the 100k mark. $168.00 plus tax. 5: The air condtioner still doesn't work.

This review is a follow up to my original review now that I have my car almost 2 years. The convertible top has given me no problems although the windows must be kept up when raining otherwise water will fall on your leg. I enjoy my Celica a lot and plan to keep it for quite a while longer. I find replacement parts (e.g. front/rear brakes $12.99 a set) to be quite cheap. The 5SFE engine delivers adequate peformance, but definitely no powerhouse. My gas mileage is 29 to 30 mpg around town if I baby it. With gas at $2.12 a gallon in Hampton, Va., I baby it a lot.

I have 1991 Toyota Celica GTS and I have the same problem with the Oil leak coming from the Distributor. What do you mean when you said you had the Distributor rebuilt. because I have replaced the O-ring from the distributor shaft and still leaking oil and I am really tempted to disassemble the whole distributor open it up and check to see if there's another seal gasket that I need to replace. Did you had to open that distributor to fixed that oil leak?

Your input would really much appreaciated. Please email back to henrynjo@hotmail.com

thank you in advance.

Henry.

My 1991 Celica GT is still going strong with 145,000 miles on it. I hope to keep it till 200,000, and then maybe 250,000.

My distributor leaked as well, which will fill the distributor cap with burnt oil and make me lose spark. But I replaced the O ring on the distributor shaft and hosed out the cap once a year with carb cleaner to make sure I wouldn't get stranded and everything was OK. However, it has been three years now and the cap is still clean. At some point it must have fixed itself.

My alternator lasted till about 130,000.

I have replaced one axle as the CV joint went bad. Did it myself for 60 bucks.

The parking brake cable rusted out and broke. I fixed that.

The exhaust rusted a hole at a welded hanger bar just before the catalytic converter. I just welded a new piece of pipe in there last weekend. So other than that, I have had no trouble with the car.

The things I mentioned that I have fixed can be expected of a car that is 17 years old. This car is wonderful and has saved me so much money. It got me through college and grad school, and is now my daily commuter.

The body is in great shape too. There appears to be a welded joint in the body in the rear bottom corner of the driver's side door that is rusting down to the bottom lip then runs the length of the car. I have been tempted to cut the section out and weld a new piece in, but I have never done body work before, and am not sure if I can get the metal bent just right.

There is still a very slow oil leak coming from somewhere. I can't find it. I think either the other CV joint is slowly leaking its grease and spinning it all over the underside of the car, or a oil leak somewhere is dripping on the axle with flings it everywhere. I bought oil dye and of course, the dyed oil was spread everywhere so I couldn't tell where it was coming from. But hey, a half quart of oil per oil change is a lot cheaper than a car payment, interest on that car loan, and higher insurance. Love this car!

I'd kill for $2.12 right now. Dang, have gas prices really changed that much in 3 years???

I have a 91 celica gt, and like you guys I have had no trouble out of it, at 212,000 it still runs good although I have found a oil leak coming from the lower seal around the timing belt, but other than that its been great, handles great and has decent power, but still nothing like a 3sgte.

After seeing so many comments, I figure I'd give a quick follow up on my Celica convertible now that I've had it 5 years and 145,000km, with no problems.

Original water pump, clutch. 2nd set of tires (215 60 14). Previous set lasted 44k.

I replaced the rear struts at 126k, front struts are hanging in there.

My top is showing some age though, not so much the top itself but the rear plastic window. I've got it fixed to last me through the winter and then I plan to replace the window come Spring. The price of owning a convertible.

My axle still leaks; and so does the distributor (a little).

I find it amazing that except for one that I can think of, every '90-'93 Celica, mine included, that I see still has its original muffler.

Not 145,000 kilometers. Let's make it 142,915 miles to be exact. 25-29 mpg 'round town. 35+ highway.