1991 Toyota Tercel DX review from North America
"Cheap, reliable vehicle that won't let you down"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
As almost all older, high-mileage Tercels, the valve seals were bad and caused the vehilce to burn about a quart of oil every 500 kilometers. Even thought this was my beater, I decided I would replace the valve seals because I've never done anything like that before and wanted to see if I could do it. The seals are about $5 each (car needs 12) and were actually not hard to replace at all.
I have replaced a couple parts as preventative maintenace, such as the water pump and all belts, but everything worked fine, even before the replacement.
General comments?
Even though this car is inexpensive, it is very good. Even though I'm only 20, I've had a lot of experience with Toyota's. My family has owned 9 Toyota's in total and still owns 6 at the time, 3 of which are mine.
A couple things I like about the Tercel:
- Excellent fuel mileage
- Roomy interior for its size
- Built quality (no rattles or loose plastic pieces, etc.)
- Reliability
- Manual transmission shifts very smoothly
- Clutch has a good feel to it. (Not to soft or too stiff)
Things I don't like:
- Car has no power and I dislike driving it on the highway. (you don't really notice the lack of power in the city though)
My verdict: If you're looking for a cheap reliable car, the Tercel is good, but a Corolla is a lot better.
Recommended reviews
| I think this is a great first car; easy to drive and take care of. |
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| Stay away from Tercel's of this era. If you see one, cover your nose and immediately call Greenpeace |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1991 |
| Year of manufacture | 1991 |
| First year of ownership | 2006 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.5L 12 Valve 4 cylinder. Manual |
| Performance marks | 5 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 234000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 240500 kilometres |
| Previous car | Toyota MR2 |
| Date of Entry | 11th February, 2007 |