Help! Buying a 1987?

[westphi]

Hi Everyone, I found this forum and think it's great. I'm currently in grad school and need a reliable car (preferably with 4x4) for Colorado. I found a '87 sr5 with 168kmiles for ~$1300 and has wondering if this is a good "investment"? Are these cars still fixable in case something goes wrong, are parts hard to find? What are your thoughts? Thanks a bunch!

[Paul]

I think these cars are extremely reliable. If the '87 you're looking at is in very good condition and test drives well, I'd go for it. You'll be glad you did the first time you drive it in snow. Auto parts stores have the most common wearing parts, and the junkyard is a great resource, if you are so inclined. Good luck!

[tercel4wdrules]

Personally, I also think these are very reliable cars. My dad used to have an '83 SR5 4WD which he drove daily for seven years. Hardly ever had a problem. You do have to keep up with maintenance and repairs otherwise the car starts to go in disrepair rather quickly.

I haven't experienced this car in the snow but if you ask other members here they are great!

Rust can be a problem with this car, but I don't have to worry much about it because we get no snow down here in Southern California (Los Angeles).

It depends what part you're looking for but it shouldn't be hard to find most major parts.

I would do a compression check first on the engine before buying to assess the condition of the engine.

If all is well, mostly no rust, then I would say it's worth it for $1,300.

[westphi]

Thanks for your imput! But what about scheduled maintanence? Should I replace all the belts and hoses and do some kind of fluid replacement? What about thinks like the water pump, cv boots, air filter, etc? Do these have a timing belt? Is the transmission expensive? Thanks again, and sorry for the relative ignorance?!

[ARCHINSTL]

Welcome !
Belts, hoses, PCV valves, thermostats, fluids, and air,oil, and fuel filters are relatively cheap and easy to replace if you are handy and so inclined - and with a modest array of tools.
One item to definitely check is the notorious TVSV valve at the front left of the cam cover (do a Search for takza's article on it for a visual). If it is broken/cracked in the least, try to bargain down at least $107 - this is a relatively fragile piece which is dealer only and can be at the root of a plethora of problems. That said, the car can run pretty OK with it not working (I and others know), but it is pretty necessary for even somewhat smooth and flexible driving.

An excellent site for information is http://www.autozone.com, wherein you enter the vehicle, click Repair and information/photos are then displayed, which in many instances are better than the FSM. I would also suggest reading our Repair Questions section, which will give an idea of vexations which might be encountered.
These little cars are among the last made which can be worked on by an even modestly talented wrench with some degree of success - I know.....
Additionally, this is a group which is always eager to help with suggestions - truly.
Tom M.

[jetswim]

Welcome! I have an 87' with 287,000 kms and it's been real great all winter especially in the snow and on ice. Good Luck

[hberdan]

I have a 1987 that just passed a quarter million miles on the original engine and tranny...they are great little cars, but do require some maintenance; see if this guy has a record of when he changed the timing belt; if it has been more than 50,000 miles you might want to have that done, or do it yourself; check the alternator belt check;check the brakes for wear, go ahead and change the fuel filter and the air filter, and change the oil and filter right away. You never know how long it's been and that alone will help tremendously.
Preaching to the choir here, but I change my oil every 3000 miles; it is a religion; it will help save the engine. I use Valvoline Max Life 10W40.
I live in Boulder; if you need a good cheap Toyota mechanic I can give you some references, just send a private message.
One other thing--I have found, living in Colorado, that my Tercel runs best on mid-grade (87 octane) gas, it knocks on regular.

[JOE]

Lets just put it this way, if you buy a Tercel you can never use the excuse, "my car broke down" for being late for class. It will get you there rain or shine, 4 cylinders firing or not. $1300.00US isn't a bad price either. Where I live you'll be lucky to get one for $3300.00CDN.

[tercel4wdrules]

But what about scheduled maintanence? Is the transmission expensive?

If you download the FSM from the main site the maintenance schedule is there. If you don't want to download the whole thing I can e-mail you the two pages of info. Just PM me if you'd like.

As for the transmission, it depends. Some junkyards want $350-500 for them. Rising Sun Engines is one of the few places where you can get a Z52F or Z54F transmission. My local Japanese importer will sell me one for $350-375 I think (Z52F).

Good luck, feel free to ask any question!

[westphi]

Wow! You guys are awesome! I will definetly do some research into all that you have mentioned. As for "hberdan" who lives in Boulder, I would definetly be interested in the mechanics you know of. This is really encouraging, thanks again!

[dcn]

My '87 was 1700, bought it in 2001, and it kicks arse! The only disadvantage is not being able to use it as an exchuse, as JOE put it. I suggest you also buy a dog and use it eating things as a scapegoat.

"My dog ate my homework" sounds more believable than "the Tercel broke down".

I'm taking mine to a training course all week, about an hour each way. Can't wait to drive more than 20 mins for once.

[brianp]

Yeah, it might run rough, but it will always run, and get you there.

[Aldavr6]

Welcome!! I also have an '87 since last oct. for $500. It need it a few things to be on the road, but I took care of that and now I'm happy with it. I don't have to deal with snow here in Vegas, still I'm happy that I have this little wagon. You won't be dissapointed!