Tracing Tercel Tests

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ARCHINSTL
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Tracing Tercel Tests

Post by ARCHINSTL »

I just sent 13 pages of Road & Track and Car and Driver road tests from when the Wagon was new to Mickey_D. Hopefully he will be able to load them into the site (sorry about the lack of technical knowledge).

It seems that I remember that Consumer Reports did a test, but since I am not a "member," that info is not available to me; can anyone get a copy of this? I also think that Motor Trend did a test as well, but I dunno - any help here?

It is also possible that a 4WD-type magazine did a test, but that is a guess on my part; I just presume that one did, as I'm certain that one was done on the Subaru equivalent back in the day.
Hey - maybe even a skiing mag did a test; I recall that the Subaru Wagon was quite the darling of that crowd of the era, so maybe there was a story on the Tercel.

Tom M.
Last edited by ARCHINSTL on Sun Oct 29, 2006 1:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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waynehoc
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Post by waynehoc »

ARCHINSTL and Mickey_D, thanks a million! Great articles; really enjoyed reading them!

Wayne
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Mattel
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My tercel:: 1988 Corolla 4wd Wagon (AKA Corolla All-trac) 5speed, AC, Power Sunroof, Windows, Mirrors, Steering, Locking, Diff Lock, 14" Corolla SX Alloys with Silica Hankook Tyres, 4afe, King Springs, Upgraded Headlights, Full Synth oils, 210,000kms
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Post by Mattel »

"It's tempting to say that Toyota has a potential cult car on it's corporate hands with the Tercel 4wd wagon."

I'll second that.

Thanks guys, great reading where as the Australian reviews were more facts and figures and comparison, this review is a little more in depth.
Previous: 83 Tercel SR5 4wd, 84 Tercel SR5 4wd
88 Corolla 4wd Wagon 5speed, All power options, Fact Sunroof, Diff Lock, 14" SX Alloys, Hankook Tyres, 4afe, King Springs, Upgraded Headlights, Full Synth oils, Tow Bar, 210,000kms
83toybeater
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Post by 83toybeater »

awsome
i love it thank you
tercel4wdrules
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Post by tercel4wdrules »

I have seen the Consumer Reports review. Actually, I have a copy of the 1983 test of the 4WD wagon I could scan... I also have access to them through the Los Angeles Central Library. Perhaps I can make copies of the other years as well.

Too bad the Toyota brochures are oversized, but is it possible to take a picture of them and do it that way?

Mickey_D: If I scan the review could you host it?
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Post by Mickey_D »

tercel4wdrules wrote:Mickey_D: If I scan the review could you host it?
Not a problem. Scan 'em in, e-mail 'em to darrin(dot)moore(at)gmail(dot)com and I'll upload them.
1986 Tercel Wagon 4X4 SR5 (sold to splatterdog).

A bullet may have your name on it, but shrapnel is addressed, "To whom it may concern"!!
tercel4wdrules
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The Consumer Guide Scans

Post by tercel4wdrules »

Thanks go to Mickey_D for hosting these images.

These two pages are what I got from a 1983 Consumer Guide book. It features their review, which I consider great. I would've appreciated if they would of put a 0-60 time and a 60-0 stopping distance. Whenever I can, I'll go back to the library and get the rest of it (e.g. pricing, etc, which are on other pages).

Here are the links:

http://www.boomspeed.com/bofh1968/terce ... nsumer.JPG
http://www.boomspeed.com/bofh1968/terce ... sumer1.JPG
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ARCHINSTL
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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

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Some more reports (not exactly Road Tests, but nice and long impressions, nevertheless): http://www.epinions.com/auto_Make-1984_ ... y_~reviews
Pretty interesting...
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
terceldude
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Re: Tracing Tercel Tests

Post by terceldude »

I just sent 13 pages of Road & Track and Car and Driver road tests from when the Wagon was new to Mickey_D. Hopefully he will be able to load them into the site (sorry about the lack of technical knowledge).

It seems that I remember that Consumer Reports did a test, but since I am not a "member," that info is not available to me; can anyone get a copy of this? I also think that Motor Trend did a test as well, but I dunno - any help here?

It is also possible that a 4WD-type magazine did a test, but that is a guess on my part; I just presume that one did, as I'm certain that one was done on the Subaru equivalent back in the day.
Hey - maybe even a skiing mag did a test; I recall that the Subaru Wagon was quite the darling of that crowd of the era, so maybe there was a story on the Tercel.

Tom M.


As far as I know:

Petersen's 4 Wheel & Off-Road test in the May 1983 issue, mention of it in the April '83 issue.
Four Wheeler test in the February 1983 issue, maybe also in the January 1983 issue possible
mention of the February '83 test. Also, possibly the December 1984 issue had
a test.
Off-Road test in the February 1983 issue
Pickup, Van & 4wd magazine test in the November 1983 issue

Non-4WD type mags that did a test:
AutoWeek magazine in the October 25th, 1982 issue
Autocar magazine (UK publication) in the APRIL 16th, 1983 issue
Motor Trend in the July 1986, October 1982, etc. issues.
Car & Driver also in the July 1985 issue, etc.

www.usedmagazines.com sells a lot of car, adult, rare magazines, etc. from the 1970's-present.


I would also paste this into the URL box of your computer and search in within itself, etc.:

http://search.stores.ebay.com/Tercel_Ma ... bsQQsofpZ4

As far as the skiing magazines, my long deceased dad saved a lot of old articles from 1983 and 1984 issues of Skiing or some skiing magazine and some show the old Subie 4wd wagon. But he did not save any that may picture or test the Tercel 4wd. Therefore, I'd suggest searching on eBay or Craigslist or some source and asking the seller if the magazine issue he's selling contains either mention of the 4WD Tercel or a test of it or any other mention of it.


Even though I don't respond to any threads directly much anymore due to past experiences, I hope this info helps all of you out there.

Also, the CONSUMER GUIDE Used Car Guide 1979-1989 gives awesome specs on our car with a famous photograph of a couple with downhill skis on top of the car driving an '83 SR5 wagon to the slope or back from it. Same thing for the 1980-1990 one, 1981-1991 one, 1982-1992 one and so on and so forth. You can find these on Amazon.com. :lol: :lol: :roll: :o :shock:
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jetswim
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Re: Tracing Tercel Tests

Post by jetswim »

Yeah I just found the original R&T issue at the dump LOL!
Current rides: 1987 SR5 4WD wagon, 1989 xtra cab pickup 22RE 5spd 4X4
terceldude
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Re: Tracing Tercel Tests

Post by terceldude »

AutoWeek also did a test in their March 17th, 1986 issue. For all you Australian members, the magazine entitled 4x4 Australia did a test in the No.9, 1983 issue:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :IT&ih=015

Both Autoweeks:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :IT&ih=007

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :IT&ih=025

An interesting French magazine to buy and scan:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :IT&ih=017
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Mattel
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Re: Tracing Tercel Tests

Post by Mattel »

I'm on to that Aussie mag already. They had me with the cover shot!
Previous: 83 Tercel SR5 4wd, 84 Tercel SR5 4wd
88 Corolla 4wd Wagon 5speed, All power options, Fact Sunroof, Diff Lock, 14" SX Alloys, Hankook Tyres, 4afe, King Springs, Upgraded Headlights, Full Synth oils, Tow Bar, 210,000kms
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Re: Tracing Tercel Tests

Post by terceldude »

I tried to attach a scan of the last page of the Feb 1983 Four Wheeler test, but I get a stupid message saying, "The image you have tried to upload is invalid." Also, the bloody computer I was using was acting up on the disk I inserted to upload the scan.... Sorry guys... I guess I'll have to try again at some point......
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dcn
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My tercel:: 1987 4WD SR5 Wagon
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Re: Tracing Tercel Tests

Post by dcn »

Bwah ha ha ha!! "Aerodynamic Design"..

Actually that's kinda neat to read they considered aerodynamics, looking at the design, but if it's somehow true, I'm glad to hear it. And that was the early model w/o the sleek flush headlights my '87 has too.
Metallic Blue '87 4WD SR5
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