Tips for buying a celica Options

[zanast]

hey, im about to get my license and im thinking about buying a cheap celica, because it looks pretty good for a stock car, its a toyota (dont want smth ricey like civics) , good mpg, and it should be pretty easy to fix, not like a bmw, audi etc.

what do you guys think about this one? http://chicago.craigslist.org/nch/cto/2423145922.html this is just an example of what I would like to get and I would like to know your opinion. do you have any tips for buying a celica? its a gt so it has the 2.2l 5s-fe, is it a good motor? I dont have any experience about cars as you understood because im just going to get my license, but hey, better to ask than to buy a ****ty car right?

thanks alot in advance.

P.S. how are the 1.8's? they get better mpg but is it worth getting one of those instead of the 2.2's?

This post has been edited by zanast: Jun 6, 2011 - 1:20 AM

[Euphoria]

Celicas don't have alot of generic problems other than little things (automatical aerial breaking, interior door panels and centre console wear pretty bad so check them!) other than that just check general things like wheel bearings, axles (cv joints), engine mounts, clutch, shocks and suspension bushes and then make sure its had the water pump done along with seals as if it hasn't the water pump won't have much life left.

Take it for a drive and if the brakes judder its probably in need of new or machined rotors, do a few brake stops to see it stops in a straight line, go up a steep hill in a high gear to see if the clutch is still good and/or do a fast gear change, drive jolty in a low gear (simulate traffic driving) to see if it has clunks or any noises in the suspension and also do a few full lock turns.

And more importantly check all the fluids and if it doesn't have much history check the oil to see if its new and full, if its low and feels sludgy and non lubricating then STAY AWAY! haha

This post has been edited by Euphoria: Jun 7, 2011 - 12:39 AM