Wtb Celica Hatchback, Needing help finding one Options

[Dwreck27]

I'm new to the site and unfortunately do not have a 6 gen Celica. I've been looking for one for the last month and I'm not having much luck. The ones I find are rough, really high mileage, a convertible, or across country. I'm hoping maybe someone knows something I don't and could help me. I'm in middle Kentucky and I'm willing to travel to get something but I can only travel so far. I've trolled this site for years just increasing my desire for one of these cars. If anyone knows of one for sale somewhat near me and can help out I would greatly appreciate it. My only desire is that it's a hatchback, beyond that it doesn't matter the color, trim, or trans. And preferably under 200k miles. Any help would be great

[Box]

They're out there, start looking further south opposed to looking further north. Anything under 200K in good shape should be good, check for the usual used car stuff and that's really about it aside from synchronizer grinding when downshifting to third. If fuel economy is your top concern and you never intend on swapping then you can go for a ST, if you do want to swap to the BEAMS, 1MZ, or 3S-GTE get a GT to make life easier when it comes to swapping. Really the differences in the ST and GT are the motor and transmission and the brakes, the ST has drums in the rear whereas the GT has discs all the way around and they're a little bigger. If you can drive a manual hold out for a manual, it'll be a lot more fun that way.

[Dwreck27]

They're out there, start looking further south opposed to looking further north. Anything under 200K in good shape should be good, check for the usual used car stuff and that's really about it aside from synchronizer grinding when downshifting to third. If fuel economy is your top concern and you never intend on swapping then you can go for a ST, if you do want to swap to the BEAMS, 1MZ, or 3S-GTE get a GT to make life easier when it comes to swapping. Really the differences in the ST and GT are the motor and transmission and the brakes, the ST has drums in the rear whereas the GT has discs all the way around and they're a little bigger. If you can drive a manual hold out for a manual, it'll be a lot more fun that way.

I would prefer a manual for sure, it seems like most of the ones I see are gts. That sound like the way I would want to go. I'm not too concerned about mpg gas is pretty cheap around here(at least for now). I haven't dove too deep in the engine options and things. Waiting to have one in my possession before really getting into it. I would love to just find an all original one to where the mods and what not are all my vision. Thanks for the insight.

[Box]

Well one advantage to buying a Celica is most people that'd want a manual FWD car are into Hondas and the usual Celica buyer is someone wanting an automatic for a gas saver or they just happen to know how to drive a manual. Pretty much manual ones around me go unsold for ages and they're dirt cheap because of it, it also means more often than not the car is entirely stock. Right now there's a nice GT coupe for $2,500 and a decent one for $1,600. Was a liftback ST for $1,800 not long ago and there's a liftback now for $2,300 but they don't say if it's the ST or GT. There's a 5th gen GT liftback in good shape for $1,500 I've thought about getting. I owned a ST, but if I were to buy another it'd be a GT to have swap options available to me.

[Dwreck27]

Yeah. I had an 05 srt4 a few years ago and I would love to go back to a manual. I did find a nice one in KS with under 100k miles for 4200 but it's an auto. A little more than I would like to spend but it's clean. I am hoping to find one around 2500-3500 dollars. Do you have a link to the one you said was 2500?

[Jmk91]

I was in the same boat you are... I live in Ohio and Ohio is just as rusty as Kentucky... I ended up buying my first rust free super clean celica in Tennessee, my 2nd rust free (besides underneath it was kinda rusty) was in Illinois. Ohio and Kentucky never have any clean 15+ year old cars. I'd advise you go look south it's worth the few extra dollars in gas... Working with rust or rusty suspension isn't fun at all. My step dad has a super clean 1990 gts 103k miles or so it's red. Zero rust anywhere... Clear coat is pealing but other than that it's super clean. Idk if he'd sell it or not but I can ask but I know he won't go under 3k. Sounds like a lot but there isn't many good shape 5th gens around anymore let alone one with low miles and zero rust anywhere. He's 2nd owner his mother bought it new in 1990 she was an old lady so I don't even think the car has ever seen 80mph lol.

[njccmd2002]

several here for sale in memphis and nashville

[Dwreck27]

I'm starting to see more in the southern states TN AL and some in MO that are in pretty good shape. I've noticed a lot of them have rust issues on the rear quarter panel above the wheel and the kick panel. I know KY and northern states are notorious for eating cars. I'm willing to travel a few hours to find the right one I'm just afraid of making the trip and seeing things I'm not able to with the pictures. So hopefully the seller will be willing to give me a lot of details about the car. I used statewidelist.com and it's really helped me locating some of them.

Jmk91 I like the 5th gen but I love everything about the 6th. I've told myself for years I wanted one, my infatuation with them started with me playing Gran Turismo a long time ago and I finally got the wife on board with it so it's just a matter of finding the right one. Thank you. I'm going focus on the southern states now. If you know of any search engines to help me locate some of them that would help too

[Dwreck27]

several here for sale in memphis and nashville

Any particular sites to use? I'm using craigslist mostly because that's the only thing I'm having luck with searching abroad and not just locally

[Box]

A fellow member made a CraigsList search engine: http://clrds.com/

Though with all the updates to CraigsList I find it easier to use since you can select the transmission you want and being it's one of the required fields when listing a car that alone eliminates a lot of listings you wouldn't be interested in anyway. That and you can put in your ZIP code now and search within a radius versus going through each city one at a time. Also Norberto is right, I saw him post a very nice GT on another thread that was only $2,000 but it was red so I could live without it. The one I saw for $2,500 I just now opened it and it's not as nice as I thought based on preview pics, but it's or best offer: http://gadsden.craigslist.org/cto/5471238576.html Though if you really want the liftback hold out for a liftback, personaly I think they look a lot better and for a small car they can carry a lot of stuff.

[Twaggs]

I found
http://tulsa.craigslist.org/ctd/5473654600.html


does not look in to bad of shape

This post has been edited by Twaggs: Mar 4, 2016 - 2:43 PM

[block]

I was in the same boat but gave up. 6gc's were a dime a dozen on carsoup.com and cars.com years ago. I recently did a search and about 5 popped up on those sites. The ones that pop up on craigslist look like junk. There was a 99 GT 5spd in California I really liked but it sold a couple days later, right before I began to book my flight! Ugh! Wished the owner could've saved it for me. Also, prices seem to have gone up on good conditioned ones. 7th gens are cheaper now cheaper LOL!

Good luck friend!

[Jmk91]

It is funny that 7th gens are cheaper haha. But they don't last as long. I've seen 7th gens with more issues way more often than 6th. Also I think 6th gens have the best interior by far. Leather and not plastic or 1980s looking. Looks sleek and nice. I use www.statewidelist.com. I'm use it often trying to find me a Miata currently. Now I've gotten lucky with Toyotas off of craigslist and they accurately described them so once I got there the car wasn't a total pos. Now whenever I was looking for a Honda Crx I wasted 20+ hours going to Virginia twice. They claim no rust and I get bondo... "I never seen that before lol" is that they say. So try to ask more questions and get as many pictures as possible. I know the celica is 15 years old but I was personally willing to pay extra for a one 9/10 in condition.

[Dwreck27]

Yeah idk there's like 1.5million 7th gens on the Internet. Of course what I'm looking for is almost no where to be found. I've been using statewidelist.com and it's pretty helpful. Just checking everyday seeing what's new. My biggest concern is traveling 300 miles to find a rust bucket. I understand it won't be immaculate just hope the seller understands why I'm drilling them about their car.

[Jmk91]

Check for bondo and check underneath the car. Way I look at it... If it has rust or had rust repair its not for me lol. Nc and sc have solid cars. Same with Tennessee. My best celica came out of Decatur Tennessee.. Solid as solid could be. The underneath had honestly no rust at all. Not a single spot haha. Worth the 20 hour around trip.. I paid 3k I think had 167k miles but it was cleannnn. No leaks no drips anywhere. I actually sold the car to someone in Kentucky last year. It's black 95 Gt with Konig lightings. I don't have the guys contact info but Kentucky is small you might be able to find it and buy it. Has tinted windows, tinted tail lights, alarm system, radio ect ect I had 3600$ worth of upgrades with receipts I gave to the buyer. I mean I might be able to go to title office and get his name and address for you. I sold it for like 4K I think... Even if he drove it this year in the winter it still should be like new underneath.

[msk59]

I have a 1996 ST (7afe) with 5 speed manual transmission. I have done a lot of work on it. I am in Tulsa OK. If interested, I can send you pictures, video of engine running etc. The car has no rust at all that I can see. In my profile there are pictures of it before I did the following:

Engine rebuilt with new rings/ complete head rebuilt at 165K(Parts were all OEM)
Added 15 inch 2001 Celica wheels and tires
Added front rear and side splitters (purchased them from a member here)
Installed leather upholstery so leather seats
Timing belt and one axle replaced at 156K (2nd axle replaced at 172K (I think)
Installed eBay header and downpipe (still working on it)
Indiglow gauges with LED bulbs all around.
New OEM Radio from a later model but still have the original also
Insulated doors and trunk
Installed rear upper spoiler. It is a hatchback.
New Front brakes and rear drums and shoes
I have added a thermostatically controlled sandwich adapter before the filter and connected an aftermarket oil cooler. It opens at 180

Things I still need to do:
install cruise control (have all the parts just not enough time and is involved too)
Rear drum to disk conversion (have most parts)

Car runs and drives fine as it is my DD. 182K on the car now. Let me know. I do not need to sell it but if this car goes to a well deserve member I will be happy. I have other projects (LOL)

This post has been edited by msk59: Mar 4, 2016 - 4:13 PM