I'm New and Need Help on Something

[garden772]

Hi, I'm new to the forums and I was just wondering if I could get some help with something. I am yet to own a celica but I found a listing on craigslist for a 1990 Toyota Celica GT 5spd with 196k Miles for $1,000. I showed my father who owns "The Indestructible Car" the Toyota Hilux of the 80's and he understands how reliable Toyota is but, he is skeptical because of the age of that car. This will be my first car and I do know how to drive stick their aren't any issues with that. I am just wondering of the reliability of the engine that is uses which if it is stock would be the 5S-FE and of the Transmission as a first car I find it a perfect suitor I just need a few more facts to spew at my father that will push him to make the purchase for me. If you wish to look at the listing here it is http://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/2801973073.html

-Thank You for Anything

[zythr]

Originally Posted by garden772

Hi, I'm new to the forums and I was just wondering if I could get some help with something. I am yet to own a celica but I found a listing on craigslist for a 1990 Toyota Celica GT 5spd with 196k Miles for $1,000. I showed my father who owns "The Indestructible Car" the Toyota Hilux of the 80's and he understands how reliable Toyota is but, he is skeptical because of the age of that car. This will be my first car and I do know how to drive stick their aren't any issues with that. I am just wondering of the reliability of the engine that is uses which if it is stock would be the 5S-FE and of the Transmission as a first car I find it a perfect suitor I just need a few more facts to spew at my father that will push him to make the purchase for me. If you wish to look at the listing here it is http://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/2801973073.html

-Thank You for Anything

I think your father is right, PASS

[stepho]

Old cars need lots of maintenance - often at the side of the road.
I taught myself how to work on cars - often at the side of the road
So it depends on how much you like working on them.

- Stepho

[RobMilkshakes]

In general the 5SFE is a very reliable engine, and like every car it'll have some quirks, especially with the age. Be wary of the transmission, most around that age, the synchros for 2nd or 3rd gear tend to go, meaning on downshifts those gears will grind. It can be remidied with use of certain transmission fluids, but that is not an ultimate fix.

But, honestly, I would recommend that if time isn't much of an issue, to save up a bit more. Usually for every extra thousand dollars that you're willing to spend the quality of the car that you will buy will greatly increase. Be ready to do a lot of work on any car around $1000-2000. I spent entirely too much time and resources fixing the first two cars that I owned, when for a fraction of the price I could've actually bought a better car in the first place. Its been a hard lesson, to say the least. It's tempting to buy a car at that price, but often in the long run its not worth it, unless the vehicle has had a very good service history.

[garden772]

So I should atleast check it out right? if I deem that its been in good hands consider purchasing if not don't. To answer a question I saw, I do enjoy working on cars and always tend to want to work on cars alot. At that price though if I can get it for $600 and the tranny is blown I can just pick up a used one and slap it in for roughly a cheaper price than your A-Typical tranny job since my mechanic is a family friend and does almost everything as a "favor" or discounted. I wouldn't mind rebuilding the tranny with an Auto Zone rebuilt kit either that would be an interesting learning experience. Well I thank all of you guys for all of your input, to tell you the truth if my mom who is the one that will in the end pay, decides its good enough I have NO problems with buying it. If my mom even gives me a sign that she is even slightly interested like a 90% chance that i buy it lol. I plan on checking it out this weekend, but truly Thanks You Guys.

[DCM]

Here's some advice from someone who's owned nearly 50 vehicles...buying a car is the cheapest part.

Judging by the look of the car in the picture, the owner has dressed it up to "look" like a 4th gen Supra, and probably drive it like it was too. I'd sooner get a 4-cylinder Camry of the same vintage.

I agree with RobMilkshakes...save up another grand and shop for something better.

[RobMilkshakes]

about your transmission comment, autozone would not have a tranmission rebuild kit, besides, rebuilding transmissions, even with the simplicity of a manual transmission requires a a fair amount of experience and special tools.

[garden772]

Originally Posted by RobMilkshakes

about your transmission comment, autozone would not have a tranmission rebuild kit, besides, rebuilding transmissions, even with the simplicity of a manual transmission requires a a fair amount of experience and special tools.

Well they actually do. It is just a very special order product and was already explained to me that their distributor had them in stock. Ontop of that my father was a mechanic back in the 70s/80s and owned his own shop, the special tools part is a little tricky but my mechanic wouldn't be to hard to ease over to let me use some tools.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...444_5207_12350This is one of the 3 available autozone rebuild kit options, its expensive but because it includes the syncros, without them its almost $400 cheaper.Either way I'm doing all of this research and getting too attached lol, there still is a chance i don't get the car.

[DCM]

Good advice is free, it only costs you if you don't take it.

[garden772]

Originally Posted by DCM

Good advice is free, it only costs you if you don't take it.

Very True which is why i decided, I'm just going to check it out w/o cash in hand. I'm not going to let 1st Car Anxiety get the best of me and use my best judgement on the car.

How about this one now, http://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/2817834986.html.

[zythr]

Originally Posted by stepho

Old cars need lots of maintenance - often at the side of the road.
I taught myself how to work on cars - often at the side of the road
So it depends on how much you like working on them.

- Stepho

In other words, these "old" cars should be sent to the scrapyard?

Originally Posted by RobMilkshakes

In general the 5SFE is a very reliable engine, and like every car it'll have some quirks, especially with the age. Be wary of the transmission, most around that age, the synchros for 2nd or 3rd gear tend to go, meaning on downshifts those gears will grind. It can be remidied with use of certain transmission fluids, but that is not an ultimate fix.

But, honestly, I would recommend that if time isn't much of an issue, to save up a bit more. Usually for every extra thousand dollars that you're willing to spend the quality of the car that you will buy will greatly increase. Be ready to do a lot of work on any car around $1000-2000. I spent entirely too much time and resources fixing the first two cars that I owned, when for a fraction of the price I could've actually bought a better car in the first place. Its been a hard lesson, to say the least. It's tempting to buy a car at that price, but often in the long run its not worth it, unless the vehicle has had a very good service history.

In other words, if a car is too cheap say $1000-2000, forget it? If it is that low, then it probably should have been/be scrapped?

[DCM]

Depends on your perspective. I've bought a car for $400 and another car for $10,000, and had the $400 one outlast the more expensive one. If you're making a general statement that all cheap old cars should be scrapped, that automatically eliminates the exceptions.

[zythr]

Originally Posted by DCM

Depends on your perspective. I've bought a car for $400 and another car for $10,000, and had the $400 one outlast the more expensive one. If you're making a general statement that all cheap old cars should be scrapped, that automatically eliminates the exceptions.

In a way it is true, with the increased maintenance costs that an "older" car can bring, Though, many cars today are of the "disposable" type, so many won't be around in 10-20 years.

[dontsurf]

Originally Posted by stepho

Old cars need lots of maintenance - often at the side of the road.
I taught myself how to work on cars - often at the side of the road
So it depends on how much you like working on them.

- Stepho

I'm not sure it's the age, but the mileage and how the car's been treated. My 80,000 mile 1991 Celica's pretty dreamy, but cosmetically it's a pile of garbage. I know it's been driven well and it's mechanically sound, but the previous owner just treated it like shit, so it needs new interior.

But then again, it was cheap as, so I'm prepared to spend a little money on it for the sake of a decent car. How much time and effort do you want to put in, and how much money do you have aside to fix it up if it turns out to be a bag of nails?

Oh, I wouldn't buy it though. Not unless I was going to strip it down and make it good again. Looks like some kind of wideboy's been at it. Spoiler looks like shit and anyone who can't spot that they've stuck a piece of crap on their car probably doesn't have that much respect for the vehicle.

['88 All-Trac]

I bought an '88 Camry All-Trac for $1400. It has been the most trouble-free vehicle I've ever owned or worked with. My mother spent ~$15k on a '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited. Sure, it's a nice beastie to drive and that 360 is a blast... But it has still cost an easy three times as much to maintain.

Just because it's old doesn't mean it'll be a bad car. I bought my Camry with 240k on the factory engine and it's still running quite well. It smokes a bit and I've got mild lifter tap, but it's a very reliable car.

Besides... Why the hell are we telling him to get a good car as his first? We all know that isn't how it works. You buy a piece of crap and use it to learn to work on cars. You save your pennies and buy something nicer for a second car, because then you won't have to worry about screwing it up by using it as a "learning experience" instead of simply driving it like you should... Or is that no longer how buying a first car works?