Prizm owner with questions - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Salami1947 · 02-06-2011, 10:14 AM

Hi,

I just purchased a 96 Geo Prizm. It has 145K and seems to run OK, but it does have some issues. Good news is I got it for only $850, so I'm not risking a lot.

Based on KBB discriptions, I would rate the car as "Fair" condition. Like I say, it runs and drives OK.

It's had some recent maintenance, new starter, brakes and a couple other items, but it hasen't been driven much the last few years, and then only for short city trips.

What would be recommended as far as routine maintenance for a car with this milage is concerned?

The other issue with the car is damage to the left rear door. It got smashed pretty good. There isn't any frame damage(I looked read good). I'm planning on replacing the door with one from a junk yard. I was wondering if a door from a Corolla will fit a Geo? Besides the door, the body is in good shape, little,if any, rust and no other damage, just needs a good cleaning.

I'm hoping I found a good driver that will last a while,but not knowing the brand that well always leave you wondering. My last car was a 92 Volvo that finally died last week. Hope this one turns out that good.

speedy25 · 02-06-2011, 08:32 PM

Your biggest enemy is rust related items. Brake lines and fuel lines rot after years in the snow and salt. Also the rest of your brake parts need to be disassembled and inspected. (I found a seized caliper on my car one day and I think I do maintenance often!)

If you have no idea when the timing belt was changed, install a fresh one. Age affects reliability as well as mileage.

-SP

Bitter · 02-06-2011, 09:10 PM

I have a 93 you can buy for parts. It runs and will drive. $263! It includes about $200 of spare parts thrown in for free.

JDMprizm · 02-08-2011, 09:50 AM

About your door...

I do not think they would fit. A few body parts of the corolla and prizm are not the same.

Front fenders for example... are not the same. trunk is not the same, hood is not the same, and im sure there is more.

Mainly the only thing i see similar is about teh same shape of the car, engine, and the interior is somewhat similar

BoyYota · 02-08-2011, 10:37 AM

I'm pretty sure the doors are the same because the door panels look the exact same. The inside and outside handles are the same. I guess you'd have to compare them side-by-side to really tell but I'm pretty sure everything between the font end and the rear end of the body is the same.

***zythr*** · 02-08-2011, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoyYota

I'm pretty sure the doors are the same because the door panels look the exact same. The inside and outside handles are the same. I guess you'd have to compare them side-by-side to really tell but I'm pretty sure everything between the font end and the rear end of the body is the same.

The doors are slightly different from the Corolla, Prizm was styled slightly different so it would not look like the Corolla

***Kiwi-Corolla*** · 02-08-2011, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoyYota

I'm pretty sure the doors are the same because the door panels look the exact same. The inside and outside handles are the same. I guess you'd have to compare them side-by-side to really tell but I'm pretty sure everything between the font end and the rear end of the body is the same.

I thought the same thing about the AE101 Toyota Sprinter (which is basically the JDM equivalent of the Geo Prizm) as the door panel looked identical to mine, as did the rest of the interior, so I decided to buy the interior strip that goes along the top of the door panel as mine had a slight tear in it. When I got home, I fitted it and noticed that there was about a 1" gap between the strip and the interior mirror cover. Curious, I took measurements of my door then measured the door of the Sprinter the next time I was at the junkyard. Sure enough, the Sprinter door was slightly shorter.

I also noticed that the metal part of the rear deck is about an inch longer than the Corolla, so the rear deck tray is longer. Apart from that, the rest of the interior was exactly the same. As for the outer panels/parts, the only interchangeable parts I could see would be the front bumper, rear bumper, mirrors and mud flaps.

Salami1947 · 02-09-2011, 08:05 AM

Finally picked the car up yesterday. After checking it out more, about the only thing I've found that needs immediate attention is a wheel vibration at around 50. The person I got the car from said it might need wheel bearings so I'll be checking that out today.

Other than that, it runs. I'm going to do the basics: timing belt(think it's kinda old), flush cooling system, trans service. Anything else I shoud be doing? It had a recent tune up and the brakes seem OK.

Thanks for the info about the door. Will come in handy at the "Pick N Pull