New here with an 85 SR5

[Langsmer]

Hello everyone! I’m new to the Tercel world with a new to me 1985 SR5 with 140,000 original miles. I just purchased the car from its second owner who I knew from work. The car is in great shape aside from some faded clear coat. It was well maintained, but rarely driven as the folks who owned it bike everywhere and only used the car to get groceries. This being the case it needs a full tune up, etc, as they only put 160 miles on it in the last three years. I assume you all will hear more from me in the future as I have always driven air cooled VW’s and Volvo 122’s and this is a new creature for me. I’m about to post a question in the repair section in fact! Attached is a picture of my car a car photographer took a year or two back.

[Petros]

welcome to the forum.

nice looking Tercel4wd, sounds like you found a good one. So I guess you are now moving to a more "modern" car with the T4wd, compared to air cooled VWs and a 122S. I have owned several of both (and an air cooled 356B Porsche), not been keen on the VWs since, but I owed several 122s way back in High school and collage (1975-1980). I loved that car, drove many hundreds of thousands of miles in them. But in collage I switch to a Datsun 510, and have been a Japanese car enthusiast ever since. Every time I see an old 122s I get nostalgic and think it would be fun to get one and rebuild it...than think again. It is a rather obsolete design.

[ARCHINSTL]

Welcome!
It looks like you scored a car that will last for many decades.
Where are you located?
After years of owning Morris Minors, I bought a new '64 122S. One of the best cars I ever owned. I kept it until '67 when Minors were again imported - but I'll always have fond memories of that Volvo.
Oddly, its heater, while better than the Minors', was disappointing (And St. Louis ain't Nome!).

► Be sure to d/l the genuine FSM in the General Forum!
Link here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8103
Tom M.

[Langsmer]

It doesn’t surprise me that there is crossover from the Volvo/VW/Tercel world. Fans of weird old economy cars I guess! I had a 1968 122 that I bought for $100 a few years ago. It was the best, most reliable car I have ever had. And yes, the Tercel is the most modern car I’ve ever owned. It’s replacing my jalopy Datsun 620. There is something wrong with the heater in the Tercel so it barely squirts out a whif of warm air, which isn’t usually an issue here in temperate Portland Oregon. It has a new heater core in it, but I haven’t dug into the issue yet. When the previous owner replaced the core he didn’t go through the mechanicals of the system and lube the cables etc. so I likely have to tear the dash off to track down the issue and lubricate the cables as the controls are very stiff.

[Petros]

replacing the heater core is a big job. Usually you can soak the core in vinegar and power fulsh it to restore heat. if it has a new core than they may have not connected up the cables or water valve. you do not have to pull the dash apart, just remove the glove box, and the panel under the steering column (under the instrument cluster), only takes a few screws. from there you can get a good look at all of the cable routing and mounts. it helps to recline your seats and lay on your back with a big flash light to look up under the dash.

Funny about the 122S, I bought my first one for $100 in 1975 with a blown engine (it was ran without oil) from a neighbor. body and seats were near perfect, found a used engine and rebuilt it.

I have never understood why the air cooled VW was ever popular, they are not reliable at all. In so. California it was perhaps a kind of a counter culture odd ball car in the 60's and 70's. They were so many after market parts for it you could build a complete vw engine and not use one VW part in it, and have a better, more powerful and more reliable engine. Every poorly designed part (which was most of them) you can buy new and improved replacements.

[Langsmer]

I’ll pop the glove box off Monday and see what I can see. And yes, I agree about the VW thing. I still have a 1965 camper bus. I keep it because I find it charming and I don’t mind pulling the engine 5 times a year.

[Petros]

I still have a 1965 camper bus. I keep it because I find it charming and I don’t mind pulling the engine 5 times a year.

Sounds about right. ah, the good old days...