(i posted this thread under corolla sub forum, but thought it might be in the wrong sub forum so i'll post it here too, since ya'll experts, hope to get help and learn from you )
Hey all
First of all am an amature.. when it comes to cars and engines and that stuff i don't know nothin.. wel a lil bit. So i need your help, am gonna see a 86 corolla gt-s hopfully soon, goin for a nice price. anyway i wanna know how could i know if it has no problems at all. the owner told me it runs great, but u have to test it on ur own. i'd prolly take it to a machanic to check it out, but time might not help, and i'd have to deal with him alone.. so could anyone give me advice on what to check, important stuff like tranny and oil burning and stuff and how to check each thing. Thanks in advance.
P.S when naming a part of a car to check, please try to indicate where its found, help a brotha here am just an amature. Thanks again.
I'll agree with Oldman on this one. This car is nearing 20 years old, so there's bound to be problems and maintenance issues with the car (unless the owner garaged it for a number of years).
If you're dead set on getting this car, I hope that you're willing to do a lot of work on the car, otherwise you'll be shelling out a lot of money to get it to stock form.
If you do get it, please don't join the bandwagon and believe power is everything . It's all about suspension with this car. Good luck
Oldman: i am 18, so i guess it suits me. BTW could you tell me a story? :p
hachi_slow: i know what you mean, but do you think that it'll need lots of work to be in really good condition, because really its just a winter car for me .
anyway i'll see how well maintained it is. And get it checked by a mechanic, lets hope everything works great .
Can't you get a dealer to undercoat it to prevent further rust if its already decent? I dont think RWD is a good idea for begginers, thats why I'm getting a CRX for my front car. FF is more controllable, if you get scared in a corner you can lift the throttle and apply some braking pressure without severe consequences. All you'll get is some understeer. In a RWD a throttle lift can break off the rear end and send you into a spin, braking doesnt help either shifting the weight off the drive wheels. It only gets worse in wet/icy conditions. Not to mentioned your no doubt being tempted to try drifing stunts. I dont want to kill myself in an RWD, I'd start with something decently quick and FF, I can't think of a Toyota eqiuvalent (I'm a Honda man ). Get good with that before you go RWD. That's just my opinion. I'll prolly get a RWD Nissan S14 or something similar after that. As great as they are AE86's are getting pretty old and unless people start to realize their potential as a classic worth completely restoring they are all going to rust out and go to waste. I dunno about import restoring happening yet, maybe in a decade or so and maybe in Japan. Good luck.
Not for beginners? WTF? we're talking about an 86 corolla right? What are they? like 9 second 0-60? Slow as hell! You couldn't get the wheels to spin if your life depended on it! This is the perfect beginner car! Buy the corolla! And learn how to get sideways into corners! You won't learn that in fwd. fwd is safe and boring. 4wd is worse though. 4wd is awesome on slippery roads though! Same with fwd. Yeah the corolla would be a bad winter car. I myself drive an 84 celica in the winter. Massive studded tires on the back though.
it makes a fun winter car....just have to get used to rwd thats all....a hell of alot safer then my mr2 would be in the snow/ice....but i do regret having to drive it in winter time...should have rust proofed the car if i knew its market value would continue to hold thats to that cartoon.....
There's nothing wrong with RWD cars in winter, or for beginners. What did everyone drive before some moron screwed up our sweet cars with front wheel drive. Rear wheel drive has been around forever and are no harder to control, just different. As far as a non-mechanically inclined person buying an 18 year old car, it may not be the best idea. If you can't do your own work, and or get a deal on parts, it may end up costing you more than a newer car.
__________________
'80 Tercel 2dr hatch 89,000km auto SOLD
'87 Corolla SR5 hatch 20valve Megasquirt Project
'87 Corolla GTS hatch P.O.S. parts car (R.I.P.)
Controllability has less to do with the drivetrain, and more to do with the suspension design. There are FR cars that understeer, and there are FF cars that oversteer (the Toyota Starlet, and Mitsubishi FTO come to mind).
Take the case of the AW11: When Toyota added the SC, they were afraid of people spinning all over the place. So they added understeer.
For beginers, an FR car can be fine if the suspension responds well to the driver's commands. Too many people that bitch about FR are those that drive vehicles like SUVs that have high centers of gravity.
The AE86 is low powered enough where you can't get into too much trouble. And yes....you CAN break the rear wheels loose.
BTW, *please* tell me you're not getting this car just because of Inital D?
Trust me on this - I've got one. The original buy in price may be cheap, but like a few have already said, the car is old and it's bound to need work. The engine should be in good shape, if the owner took good care of it, hell, I bought mine with 286,000 miles and drove it home just fine.
Make sure that on your test drive, you make sure all of the gears in the transmission engage properly. If you have trouble getting it into any gear, check the shifter for slop. The shift bushings on these cars are usually gone, and it might need a new clutch slave cylinder (bottom of tranny on pass side). The transmission is pretty durable, provided you don't exceed about 200hp, so you shouldn't have to worry about big problems on the inside.
The suspension bushings may need to be replaced; just check them for cracks, missing chunks, etc.
The biggest (and most expensive) problem with these cars is rust. Paint technology in the '80s sucked, so if the car has seen snow, rust is almost gauranteed. The most common problem areas are the bottom of the front quarter panels, the wheel wells, and the rear shock towers (check inside the trunk). Don't be surprised if you find holes in the frame too. The only safe way to repair that is to cut all the rust out and weld in new metal, which is really expensive unless you can do it yourself.
Getting parts for these cars is hard and expensive. My local Toyota dealer has already stopped carrying some replacement parts for this car (I found out the hard way).
Fortunately, they are cult classics in Japan and popularity here is increasing, so with the right investment of time and money, aftermarket parts are available.
These cars are great cars, but be prepared to give it a lot of TLC to get it into good shape.
Good luck,
Chris
__________________
2 Timothy 1:9-10
Rachel - '88 Corolla DX sedan
Allison - '86 Corolla GT-S coupe
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
ToyotaNation.com is an independent Toyota/Lexus enthusiast website. ToyotaNation.com is not sponsored by or in any way affiliated with Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. The Toyota, Lexus and Scion names and logos are trademarks owned by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.
)
. It's all about suspension with this car. Good luck
). Get good with that before you go RWD. That's just my opinion. I'll prolly get a RWD Nissan S14 or something similar after that. As great as they are AE86's are getting pretty old and unless people start to realize their potential as a classic worth completely restoring they are all going to rust out and go to waste. I dunno about import restoring happening yet, maybe in a decade or so and maybe in Japan. Good luck.
Linear Mode
