buying a tercel 4wd wagon

[potatohead]

hello tercel people,

I am from australia and i am looking to get a 1987/1988 tercel 4wd wagon. as i understand they are part time 4wd so once locked in there is a 50/50 power split to both driveshafts? do i need manual locking hubs or anything what do they come with? and they are FWD normally yes?

what should i look for when buying one any common problems to look out for or whatever? Ive heard the engine and tranny last up to the 500,000 km mark what kind of kms should i be looking for in a second hand one

Im looking to use it for surfing going down easy trails and on the beach. are they adequate stock to do this or will i need bigger tyres and lift or lsd's or anything?

any help or other info would be great

[Mattel]

Hi spud,

I'm in Melbourne and use my Terc for exactly the same thing as you although most of my secret spots now have proper roads to them unfortunately.
You are correct about the transmission. They do not have any locking hubs as although the car is FWD when in 2WD the rear drivetrain still turns with the rear wheels. All putting in 4wd does is lock the 2 transmissions together. Good points - it's a lighter set up than having to have a centre dif there fore saves a little fuel. Bad points - the transmissions can be damaged easy by putting them into 4WD on tarmac and hard surfaces. They also have an extra low granny gear when in 4wd. Compared to other cars the Tercel is more rugged and simpler to maintain than a similar age Subaru and better than a Corolla AWD (my other pick) of road due to more ground clearance and the granny gear. I have been able to get to all surf spots that my friends Forester can (letting down the tyres to 15psi helps for the sand). You can get bigger tyres and wheels and slightly raised springs if you need them later.

Depending on where you are and what you are after I would wait around for a nice SR5 (better seats/ tach/ luggage cover) with all the whistles and bells to come along - rust can be an issue (not as bad as the USA though) and is mostly on the tailgate and around rear window side windows. The gearbox is the main thing to look at. You want to find the smoothest one available and then flush/replace with a good synth oil. Engines are cheap to replace and readily available (used in the corolla) you can find Tercels on the web from $800 to $3,000. I payed $2,500 for mine that has fact elec sunroof/sump guard/AC/full service history etc. but you get a cheap beater DLX for a lot cheaper. some Tercels even have power steering.

Good luck, give us a yell if you find one and need some advice.

Matt

[davep1968]

Hi potatohead (and Mattel) I live in Adelaide (Barossa Valley actually, thanks to a recent job opportunity that came up with Yalumba. Safety Manager, 20 sites acros Oz and NZ to look after.) and love my Tercel. I am sure that people think I am mad driving the old girl but I dig it! Our nursery Manager, originally from Tassie has one too!
Where are you? There are 2 I know of for sale, One will be mine as a parts car this weekend...
I have an 86 SR5, 399,105 kms up and still going strong!
I will advise when I crack the 400,000. I reckon by Austarlia Day (26th of jan for any one O/S).

[davep1968]

I now have a parts car, does anyone need anything?

[Mattel]

Hey Dave, did you rock up to your new job interview in the Terc? well done on the new position - you will surely be missing the beach though! I need an aerial some time if you have one?

[davep1968]

Hi, yes I did roll up in the Tercel... Much to some people's amusement. The Barossa has a "new car" philosophy..5 dealerships in Tanunda, 2000 people, figure that out!

Ariel is busted on the donor car...I replaced mine with a rubber flexible number, works well, looks original, mounted at 90 degrees to the body and angled back same as the windshield. Maybe I'll ost a photo..

Thanks for the congrats...yes missing the coast, very nice here, good walks. My house is on a street that is part of the Heysen trail, v nice!

[Mattel]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not ashamed about what I drive - but at some places it helps to pretend you have a high cost lifestyle for when you are negotiating your wages. Some will assume that you are a practical, reliable thrifty person just from driving a Tercel.

It's funny though, I'm starting to get people come up to me and start to tell me at petrol pumps and car parks how they had one of these cars when they were new and what a good car they were etc. It freaked out my friends for a while... now many have downsized to the cult of Corolla AWD wagons.

P.S. how do you access the back of the Aerial?

[davep1968]

Hi, yeah I get what you mean, in this case I would not apply for a position for less than what I was earning already, the base line was set. The job came with a car but I traded that for the cash. An extra 18.5k..It was already known that I was a practical reliable person, that's why I got the job!

I have had quite a few people comment on the Tercel. It is tough.

as for the ariel, I found the cable, cut it and pulled the new one through. You can get to it, sort of, by opening the passenger door. prick of a job, good luck!

[Jarf]

Plastic liner in the wheel well comes out and gives nice access to the antenna base, better than destroying the fender.

[davep1968]

Not sure what you mean by destroying the fender, I certainly didn't touch mine. No need to pull that filthy liner either.

[cannondale]

Hi guys,
I am new to the tercel world but from what I have seen and read of them they seem to be great cars. I am looking at one in specific right now, it's a 1984 dlx (basic model i think) with just over 300,000 kms for 500 dollars it seems to be in quite good condition with a little rust. I am yet to drive it but have been hearing (like above) that the sr5's are quite nice. My question is do you think this one is the one or should I wait for an sr5 or even get this and then save my pennies to get an sr5 in the near future
Thanks

[sdoan]

Hi guys,
I am new to the tercel world but from what I have seen and read of them they seem to be great cars. I am looking at one in specific right now, it's a 1984 dlx (basic model i think) with just over 300,000 kms for 500 dollars it seems to be in quite good condition with a little rust. I am yet to drive it but have been hearing (like above) that the sr5's are quite nice. My question is do you think this one is the one or should I wait for an sr5 or even get this and then save my pennies to get an sr5 in the near future
Thanks

For road trips and hauling a mtn bike I like the DLX at least as well as the SR5 so condition is the important thing. Lack of rust and good body are the most important - everything else is more easily repaired.

My opinions - the broad SR5 trim looks heavy and there are holes in the bodywork to hold it on. The DLX trim is narrower and no holes in the body. The cloth SR5 seats attract dirt more effectively than vinyl. The shape of the SR5 seats make it less comfortable to hang your free arm on the passenger seat on long road trips (with seat covers the seats are about the same comfort). The tilt meter on the dash is fun to watch for about 10 minutes but gets in the way of everything else I want to put on the dash like sunglasses and cool rocks I pick up on road trips. OTOH the tachometer (rpms) is nice to have and I really like the picnic blanket pattern of the SR5 upholstery.