impulse craigslist buy!

"JasonStern911" (JasonStern911)
06/15/2014 at 19:16 • Filed to: None

So I just impulse bought a 1987 Toyota Corrola SR5 (AE86). Yes, the carbureted motor is weak, and it will need a little bit of work, but 118k original miles! And I picked it up for what getting the injectors on my 996 cleaned would cost me!

The paint and rims are nowhere near as nice as the pictures make it look, but the interior is immaculate. The dash is even crack free, which is fairly rare. And it runs, passes emissions, and doesn't seem to have any leaks. So... yay.

The previous owner has owned it since the late 90's. But she's old and got put in a home. So her daughter and son-in-law were gifted it. The guy had no idea of the drift culture, so I was able to use the fact it's a stick (SO HARD TO DRIVE!) and rear-wheel drive (SO UNSAFE IN WINTER) to help get a lower price. The irony of that! :D

And OMFG parts are so cheap on this car! While I would never trust my life to a $6 brake pad, it is still possible for me to buy $6 brake pads. Compare that to my last Porsche part purchase - one of the four headlight cleaner fluid nozzles - $40. Not the assembly - just the nozzle. And let's face it -this is a 28 year old car - things will break.

So, yeah... Must resist the urge to spend more than I paid for the car in suspension and brake upgrades. Well, at least until I get the known issues fixed. Mainly the coolant temperature sensor appears to be broken - that one really concerns me. But the coolant temperature didn't go from ambient to 250+ degrees in 5 seconds, the fan is mechanically driven - not electric, coolant was flowing through the motor, and there didn't appear to be any leaks, so I'll gamble on that. I mean, honestly, I have never come across an unmolested AE86 locally on craigslist.

So for now, I celebrate. I have 2 more hours before my girl comes home from work and I have to explain why I bought a car that she can't even drive due to it having a manual transmission - not that she would be seen driving a 28 year old Toyota Corolla. :D

DISCUSSION (11)

daender > JasonStern911
06/15/2014 at 19:20

I dare you rock it stock and show up to import car meets as-is. Awesome find and purchase!

Louros > JasonStern911
06/15/2014 at 19:21

nice find.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > JasonStern911
06/15/2014 at 19:31

It's just like the one from Bridesmaids

Kinja'd!!!

JasonStern911 > daender
06/15/2014 at 19:31

Once I trust it for local driving, I'll take it to the local Cars & Coffee and park it next to the BRZ/FR-S crowd. It will be interesting to see if they get the connection or not.

I have no intention on doing any major modifications to the car. It's fun to think about a carbureted 4AGE swap, but when I see that the carbs and manifold alone would cost more than I paid for the car, let alone all of the other parts - ignition, fuel delivery, etc. - it just makes no sense. That's good money and time that could be spent actually driving the car. Or playing with my other toys.

But, I mean, there are some wear items that should be replaced. And when I do that, I might upgrade slightly. And by that, I mean the struts are original and have little to no dampening. Putting some KYBs in would probably be worth the investment. And if I'm going to that trouble, putting progressive rate springs (Eibachs?) might improve the fun factor. I'd need to do more research.

The same is true with the sway bar bushings. If it isn't too much more to get beefier bars, then that makes more sense than just replacing the bushings. When I was young, I spent all my free money modifying me Starion. And outside of the full exhaust, new swaybars with fresh bushings was the best value I got out of any not free modification.`

SaabE39 > JasonStern911
06/15/2014 at 19:35

Wow it's too ironic you post this, I saw the same exact car, same color & rims drive past me on my way home from my fathers about an hour ago.

JasonStern911 > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
06/15/2014 at 19:35

Except, like a boss, mine has the HIGH DEF cassette player. :D

JasonStern911 > SaabE39
06/15/2014 at 19:38

Probably a different car. This one has been sitting since I bought it due to needing to get insurance put on it tomorrow morning. But I'm glad to hear that there are future donor parts cars out there. :D

daender > JasonStern911
06/15/2014 at 19:44

Yeah, I think it'd be a cool daily beater/budget fun car; no need to blow tons of money on power mods, expensive wheels, or stance'd suspension when some simple bushings, shocks, sway bar, and springs will go a LOT further with the spirit of the car.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > JasonStern911
06/15/2014 at 20:45

I am green with envy.

JasonStern911 > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut
06/15/2014 at 21:02

Thank you!

JasonStern911 > Louros
06/15/2014 at 21:02

Thank you!