1983 Toyota Tercel SR-5 4x4 Wagon review from North America
"The greatest vehicle ever built!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I've owned many of these Tercels, and here are the weak spots:
Manual transmission failure.
A tendency to overheat.
Rear wiper gets stuck in the 'up' position.
Window mechanicals seize or get "off track".
General comments?
These are (in my opinion) the greatest cars ever built. The 6-speed transmission is extremely cool, and useful off-road. I consistently get over 33 mpg, unheard of territory for a conventional SUV.
My car has over 300k miles, and still has years of service left. I did swap out the 3A engine in favor of the slightly larger 4A from a similar year Corolla.
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| 1983 - Tercel SR5 4x4 wagon 1.5 gasoline The most reliable, useful, car ever made |
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| I'd own it again if I could.. tough little car |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1983 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6L 4 cylinder (not stock) Manual |
| Performance marks | 4 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 240000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 305000 miles |
| Previous car | Toyota Tercel |
| Date of Entry | 7th June, 2001 |