Questions / Used 1991 Celica

[Hurk]

I'm going to be taking a look and possibly purchasing a 1991 Celica with about 300000 KM on it. It's pretty cheap, and the body has no rust.

It has been sitting for about 9 months, unused, so the battery will probably need to be replaced, as well as an oil change. What else should I be looking at to see if it needs replaced / cleaned etc.

Thanks.

[cipher]

I'm going to be taking a look and possibly purchasing a 1991 Celica with about 300000 KM on it. It's pretty cheap, and the body has no rust.

It has been sitting for about 9 months, unused, so the battery will probably need to be replaced, as well as an oil change. What else should I be looking at to see if it needs replaced / cleaned etc.

Thanks.


Do you know if the gas tank was full of gas when it was stored? If it was, did they use gasoline stabilizer? Is it an automatic or a manual transmission?

[Starcraftjunkie]

at 300k, you'll want to ask when the last time the timing belt, water pump, seals, fuel filter, spark plugs, wires, distributor cap/rotor were last replaced.

Basically when was the last tuneup. If you have to replace all that, it'll probably be somewhere around $500-800, depending on the labour rate.

[Hurk]

Do you know if the gas tank was full of gas when it was stored? If it was, did they use gasoline stabilizer? Is it an automatic or a manual transmission?

It's Automatic, and I'll ask about the gas to see if it were full or empty. What does it mean if it were full, or empty and no gasoline stabilizer was used?

at 300k, you'll want to ask when the last time the timing belt, water pump, seals, fuel filter, spark plugs, wires, distributor cap/rotor were last replaced.

Basically when was the last tuneup. If you have to replace all that, it'll probably be somewhere around $500-800, depending on the labour rate.

Yes, I'll need to do a tune up to it, but I will ask about that as well (when it was done). I'm hoping to spend less than $1000 on fixing it up, and getting it running in decent condition, as it's a nice looking car.

Thanks for the help guys.

[kcorscadden]

It's Automatic, and I'll ask about the gas to see if it were full or empty. What does it mean if it were full, or empty and no gasoline stabilizer was used?

Since it has been sitting for the last 9 months, based on my math it was last driven in January. If I am right, than January is considered a winter month, so it's usually cold out. It is recommended that in winter months to not let your gas tank drop below half as the less gas in the tank, the higher risk of freezing all the tubs/pipes from the tank to the engine since it is all air in the tank and no liquid. Thus depending on how much gas was in/is in the tank will determine the risk of freezing and possible damage.

I am not too sure about the gasoline stablizer, but I believe it is used to keep a steady flow in all the tubs/pipes leading to the engine and not having certain areas have more gas then others.

[Narci]

Just as a saftey measure, replace all the fluids in the car including rad fluid, power steering, brake fluid and tranny fluid and the other obvious fluids like engine.

Also make sure the AC and heater controls work.

When you do the engine oil change, you might want to remove the oil pan and clean it out of any sludge and debris that accumulated over the 9 months it has sit idle.

I think I also read somewhere you should put a drop or soemthing of engine oil in each cylinder before you start it. Also check the plugs.

Google the topic, i'm sure there's more yo uhave to do but it does sound like a semi fun project that you can do yourself and learn more about your new/used car.

[Pete_Coach]

A 15 year old car with 300,000 km's on it that has not been driven in 9 months...no rust, yea right.
Personally I would not even consider this because to get it into safe driving condition will cost you two to three times the worth of the car and it only gets more costly from there.
The advice from others is valid and needs to be done but really, why would you. Even if the car was free, it would be more money than it is worth to get it working.

[Hurk]

The car is $1000, the stereo in it cost them ~$2000. Sony XPlode from front to back, 2 x 12" imported subs with inclosure, 1000 watt amp... I don't know much about audio, but I know it's about right. It's MP3 deck, that was purchased in the last year.

The body is mint, but I am worried about it's running condition. I'll have to check it out.

[mescalito]

1000 is OK, i'd say 500 without the stereo

i personally have owned a toyota with 400 000km and it was still mint, i loved that car

so i would say go for it

[Kelmil]

From my experience with celica's of that age I would check out the floor boards to see if they are rusted out, cracked, or cheaply fixed.

[ElvaSoShexai]

wouldn't the calipers maybe seize as well after sitting so long?

check out it's carfax first..

i don't believe it has no rust either... especially since it seems like it has been drivin in winter... most likely it's just been covered up... when u look @ it.. look for signs of being repainted (maybe they just covered up a huge rust spot). cheap paintjobs usually are easy to spot (bubbling, peeling, overspray etc)

when u ask when was things last done, ask for proof (receipts, or records @ whereever he takes his car)

is this a private sale? go to the guy's house and see if there are any leaks from where the car sits...

check for smoke from exhaust on cold startup...

check condition of interior and engine bay... usually a poorly taken care of interior and engine bay means the owner didn't care much

since it's such high mileage... shocks/struts/springs might be gone... lotsa boots/bearings/gaskets might need replacing...

is it a ST, GT or Alltrac? check if the engine and transmission is ok... run it hard... see if the transmission slips... see if the engine seems like it's running like crap... (unless it's an st..)...

check out a couple 5th gen specific forums to check for common problems and stuff

if the car looks good when u first look... take it to a garage to inspect thoroughly

[Hurk]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm checking it out before Friday, so I'll come back with more information.

[saugaboy]

91 celica, most toyotas are good for 300 plus Km but its not like a carolla or camry, i would say most sports cars that are that old will prob have more repair issues. You should decide what you want the car for, if your looking for a commuter car or winter car then buy a different car, but if you want a sporty car then you have to accept the risk of buying a 16 yr old sports car, even though it has a good steroe system.

good luck anyhow

[15-20_God]

The car is $1000, the stereo in it cost them ~$2000. Sony XPlode from front to back, 2 x 12" imported subs with inclosure, 1000 watt amp... I don't know much about audio, but I know it's about right. It's MP3 deck, that was purchased in the last year.

The body is mint, but I am worried about it's running condition. I'll have to check it out.

so what you're really buying is a stereo system on wheels.

even for $1,000 i still think you're overpaying for this vehicle. It may even cost you more than twice that to get this thing on the road. Will it even pass emissions?

I can almost guarantee you that a 15 year old car driven 300k's in canada will have rust. its just a matter if its been repaired or repainted. It will not have a 'mint' body unless its a collector car thats been stored winters.

Don't be blinded by the price tag. Get a mechanic to give it the once over, you don't want to buy someone elses problem. what was the reason for this thing to be stored for 9 months?

[saugaboy]

Don't be blinded by the price tag. Get a mechanic to give it the once over, you don't want to buy someone elses problem. what was the reason for this thing to be stored for 9 months?

Agreed even if the inspection cost $50, its well worth it then having to find out that you need another $2000 to even drive it. Some mechanics will do the inspection for free cuz if the repairs are small you are more likely to give them your business.