Is it worth $100

General discussion about our beloved Tercel 4WD cars
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Offroader228
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Is it worth $100

Post by Offroader228 »

Alright, new forum member here, I have the chance to purchase an '83 tercel 4WD for $100. Problems listed below.
*Drivers mirror missing
*drivers outside door handle does not work
*does not start. The guy said it used to run great but got progressively harder to start, then he roll started it and then it finally stopped starting so he parked it. It had a rat nest under the hood and just the plug wires were damaged. Inside the air cleaner, it looks showroom new, including looking down into the carb. All the plastic parts are very brittle though. Seems like a fuel pump could be the starting issue. Is it worth the price?
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rer233
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My tercel:: Multiple

Re: Is it worth $100

Post by rer233 »

Yes. If it's a SR5 the inclonometer alone is worth half the asking price. Where are you (and the car) located anyway?
if it aint there, there's a good chance it won't break!
83 SR5 Silver/Blue (Snowmobile/work beater)-totaled but drivable
85 SR5 Blue
88 SR5 White (the 'good' one)-not anymore-totaled
87 fwd silver wagon a/t
87 4wd dx Cream (a/t- not anymore- now m/t)
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ARCHINSTL
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Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: Is it worth $100

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Welcome!
I can only echo what rer233 wrote - but I think he is a "leetle" low on the eBay price for the inclinometer.
Did the seller say that the starter still worked, but that it "just did not start?" Presuming the battery is dead, try to jump-start it and listen for weird noises while cranking. Did he mention any engine or trans "noises" the last time it ran?
These are really simple cars on which to wrench.
How is the body and underside concerning rust?
How many miles?
The '83-4 models make the best "highway drivers" (lower RPMs and just a tad quieter) than the '83-8 versions because of a lower gear ratio.
The missing items can be replaced, regardless of the body style. Be aware the DS o/s mirror has two versions; one folding and one non-folding. AFAIK, both interchange on the door.
I do not think you could go wrong for $100, if that is his final price. Even if it will not eventually "work," you can easily make back the price by stripping various and selling them here (if so inclined).
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
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Gottolovem
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My tercel:: 1985 SR5 with snow plow,1987 auto 1984 parts car,1987 FX-16 GTS
Location: Reno

Re: Is it worth $100

Post by Gottolovem »

Transmission alone if good is a 400 dollar item!

GO BUY IT :oldgeek:
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BaileySims
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My tercel:: 1983 Tercel SR5 4WD
Location: Texas
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Re: Is it worth $100

Post by BaileySims »

I wouldn't of thought twice or even asked the wife about it. Haha. If it is the starter solenoid that went out, I have an extra one you can have for free.
WAGON MAFIA.
Blood, sweat and beers.
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Is it worth $100

Post by Petros »

great price, go get it. seems like the previous owner is a real genious, gets harder to start so roll starts, than when it wont start he goes and gets another car.

which means there might be a lot of other issues that need to be fixed, and you can not test drive it to find out until you sort out the engine issue.

it does not matter however, the transmission alone is worth more that the price of the car. likely you will find other issues to repair, but most repairs are fairly easy and inexpensive to do yourself.

Do what ever you can to get the car back on the road, too many ignorant owners will just sell it to a wrecking yard and have a fixable car crushed for scrap.

Go uby and save this Tercel4wd. well worth it.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
Offroader228
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Re: Is it worth $100

Post by Offroader228 »

Alright I am getting this car. What should I do about all the brittle plastic parts?
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
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Re: Is it worth $100

Post by Petros »

some can be saved, some must be replaced. lots of list members of stock piles of parts in our shops and shed, and willing to share.

personally I have on my wish list a complete inteior redo with leather seats, nicers door panels, etc. About the only thing I want to keep is the headliner. the plastic chic look is out.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
Offroader228
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Re: Is it worth $100

Post by Offroader228 »

I went back to it today to inspect it more closely and we hooked jumpers up to it and the starter clicked once and the fan bogged down as if the starter was pulling all the voltage. Is it likely its locked up? or maybe I wasn't getting enough current to it
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Is it worth $100

Post by Petros »

either bad contact through the electical cables, or starter is shorted and drawing too much power. either case, fix is simple. first check all the electical contacts, remove and clean both ends, including batter terminal (there is a round wire brush tool for this, or use any small wire brush). Also check both ends of the ground strap from battery to body, and from engine to body.

If still no good than likely the starter. Take it out and most auto parts stores will bench test it for free. if you can purchase a new one, not a remanufactured one (most of those are junk out of the box). or a used factory one from a wrecking yard is a good bet, they are reliable.

if the starter is the problem, than just push start it, roll it with ignition on, put it in second gear and let off the clutch. remember to pump the gas pedal several times (carburated engines need this to start).

Be prepared to find other problems to fix, that is always the risk when you can not test drive a car. I just expect it. At the price you got though even if it needs a new engine you are still ahead. it should not need that unless he ran it without oil, and it seized up so it will not crank.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
Offroader228
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Re: Is it worth $100

Post by Offroader228 »

I pulled the stick and it has oil, its really black but it has oil, and no coolant in the oil. Also the radiator was bone dry. Absolutely nothing in it.
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Is it worth $100

Post by Petros »

Might need a head gasket. You do not always get coolant in the oil when the head gasket goes bad, but you do lose coolant. Pull the front two spark plugs and with a strong light try to inspect the piston top. If they are clean, not coated in carbon deposits, likely the head gasket is bad. Might explain the reason it was hard to start and than would not run. You might be able to drive it home by filling it radiator and refilling it every few miles. If completely failed it will not run at all. If the head gasket is bad, go read up on replacing the head gasket in the repair guide section of the forum.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
Offroader228
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Re: Is it worth $100

Post by Offroader228 »

UPDATE: I went and looked it over again and it has 311k miles on it. If I got it fixed up and running is it worth driving?
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Is it worth $100

Post by Petros »

yes, yes, yes! if the body is decent, not a rust bucket than there is nothing that is not worth fixing on this car. It is worth many times more than the price. I have almost 400k miles on my daily driver, and I have had many I fixed up and resold with over 300k miles on them. there are a few forum members that have even more miles on theirs than I do. On a car like this the condition of the car is more important than the miles.

BTW, I re-read this thread and I have another idea, when I had a car with a bad coil, it would still run, but would get progressively harder to start, particularly when it is damp or rainy out. ONce it started and warmed up the coil seemed to provide enough spark to make it run normally, it was only on a cold, damp start that it was sputtering and dying out until it warmed up. so it might be a bad coil that causes it not to start.

And not likely the fuel pump would cause that kind of behavior, usually if they fail, they just give up and the car will not run or start at all. But the fuel pumps are remarkably reliable and last many many miles. Even so, new ones are cheap. But do not replace it unless you know it is bad (simple test: pull off the outlet hose and run it into a can and crank the engine, should skirt fuel into the can).

But you need to be able to get the starter to turn. I would tow i home and than work my way though everything until I got it to start, and than test, adjust everything until it ran good.

what are you waiting for? go get the darn think and bring it home. before the ower decides to send it to a wrecking yard.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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helipilot77
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My tercel:: 1984 SR5 wagon
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: Is it worth $100

Post by helipilot77 »

I love how excited you get over saving a Tercel Petros! It’s great to see. I agree. From the sound of it, this one is certainly with whatever effort it takes to get it back on the road.
. / TOYOTA
./_| |/|/ |]
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