Thinking about buying a 6th or 5th gen as DD

[Robb235]

Hello guys... first post on the board. Pretty much as the title says, I'm thinking about buying a 6th gen, or possibly a 5th gen as a daily driver. I'm in college, which automaticaly means I'm always short on cash, so that's why I'm looking for something a little older. My current car is a '95 Monte Carlo that I bought when I was 16 and I absolutely hate it. Things are always needing to be replaced on it and doesn't do well on gas (I commute 30 miles each way to school).

Anyways, I was wondering if there was any advice from you guys about picking up one of these. Am I just asking to pickup a hotbed of mechanical problems if I buy one of these, or do these cars hold together forever? And what sort of gas mileage do you guys typicaly see?

[Robb235]

Kinda quiet in here today, isn't it?

[Rick89GTS]

It's always slow in here.
More traffic and wisdom over at www.celicatech.com

As with all older cars, don't go on reputation alone - even though Toyota has a good name, a lot depends on how well the car was maintained. Do all the usual checks or have a trustworthy mechanic go over the car with you. If well maintained, it's not unusual for Japanese engines to go 200,000 - 300,000 kms without major overhaul. Expect about 25 MPG city.

[Robb235]

Originally Posted by Rick89GTS

It's always slow in here.
More traffic and wisdom over at www.celicatech.com

As with all older cars, don't go on reputation alone - even though Toyota has a good name, a lot depends on how well the car was maintained. Do all the usual checks or have a trustworthy mechanic go over the car with you. If well maintained, it's not unusual for Japanese engines to go 200,000 - 300,000 kms without major overhaul. Expect about 25 MPG city.

I understand. By moving to a Celica from a Monte Carlo I'm hoping to achieve 2 things. First is reliability. My Monte Carlo is a '95 model and it's constantly in need of a weekend project. It seems like there's always some sensor that's going bad, and other random things that fall apart. It's money pit. I'm hoping Celicas are a little better in that department. The second things I would like is better gas mileage. The Monte Carlo gets around 23 mpg or so on the interstate (70 mph) and alot worse in the city. I'm not looking for a fast car; if I want to go fast, I've got my Yamaha R6, which, ironicly gets 40~45 mpg, in the city or on the highway, lol.

[Rick89GTS]

All the Toyotas I've had have been above average for reliability. I prefer the 4th Gens, of course