1983 Toyota Tercel 5-door hatchback review from North America
"If you have one, don't let it go until they have to sweep it off the road!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Well...nothing, I guess.
The igniter went the second year I got it, but I was reimbursed by the dealer because of a recall.
The second timing belt broke at about 130,000, because I kind of forgot it supposed to be replace EVERY 60,000 miles.
It burns a quart of oil about every 900 miles, but I would not call that excessive.
And I am not retentive about maintenance; this beast thrives on abuse.
General comments?
This was my first Japanese car, and I became a believer.
I have since purchased a 1990 Subaru Legacy, and a (made-in-Kentucky) 1997 Camry, and now I am not so sure.
As I write, I am waiting for Toyota to tell me if they are going to pay for replacing a blown engine in the Camry (at 68,000 miles), apparently caused by oil jelling in the crankcase, a common problem with this model.
We are told that Detroit has learned a lot from the Japanese about quality over the last few decades. But that "information highway" is a two-way street. 8^ (
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| 1983 - Tercel SR5 4x4 wagon 1.5 gasoline The most reliable, useful, car ever made |
|
| I'd own it again if I could.. tough little car |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1983 |
| First year of ownership | 1987 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.5 litre 4 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 5 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 30000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 170000 miles |
| Previous car | Plymouth Volare |
| Date of Entry | 13th September, 2002 |