Faults:

Oil seals are all crapping out now.

Shocks now failing.

Central locking works when it wants to.

Water pump, thermostat, and alternator have all had to be replaced.

Air con crapped out.

Dash is warped.

Only two interior fan settings working.

Has had cracked engine mount (apparently a common problem)

Ignition relay installed to combat lack of power to the starter motor (apparently another common problem)

General Comments:

Great car if it hasn't been thrashed

Cool electric driver seat adjustments (flat back to bucket, and lumbar support)

Still a stylie lookin car.

Faults:

Water tank started leaking. Had to be replaced along with some pipes and the timing belt. (Timing belt has been replaced twice in the short amount of time I have had it)

Cooling problem needs new radiator. Overheats when driven for long periods of time.

Something going on with the tappets possibly? Car "ticks" when hot and when accelerating up hills.

Car now has trouble starting in the cooler weather in the mornings. Takes a while for the engine to pick up.

Paint wearing on front bonnet and spoiler (That could be because I live near the beach though)

General Comments:

Nice to drive though doesn't feel reliable. When I drive it I feel like something is going to go wrong even though I drive it very carefully.

If I had the money to fix all the problems I would, but it just seems like a lot of hassle for it's age.

I wouldn't recommend buying something like this if you don't have money to spare and you don't know much about mechanics. I have spent around $1,000 on getting things fixed in the 6 months I have owned it.

It's very cheap on fuel. I'll give it that. Very nice inside. Looks nice on the outside too.

Faults:

My air con burnt out.

Head cylinder had to be replaced.

Radiator replaced.

Fan switch replaced.

Oil leak from the head gasket.

Speedometer not working properly.

Temperature gauge stopped working.

General Comments:

This is a great car for a young driver.

A person gets a lot of power and a sporty car for little money.

It's a great car to drive and handles very well.

It's quite economical if you haven't got a heavy foot - mine used to burn around 10L.

I'd recommend it to anyone, but please be cautious, because there are plenty of trashed Celica's (like mine obviously was).

My car spent more time in the garage than on the road, because all of the things that went wrong with it were very costly.

It was a much loved and desired car, so all drivers I'm advising you to be careful before you chose a car and listen to your brain rather than your heart.

Faults:

I had broken front springs, but that was manufacturer's fault so I got new ones for free.

My water pump blew up, so I got a new one which wasn't very cheap, but its understandable for a 1986 model which had done about 240km at the time.

Air-conditioning compressor didn't work properly, so I got it fixed for few hundred dollars and it was really cold- really necessary in these tropical Australian climates...

General Comments:

Great car, I wish I never sold it. Really reliable and mechanically was A1. It had few problems here and there, but every car is expected to come across problems when its that old.

It was a really quick machine, even though it wasn't twin cam.

Very comortable seats, especially in the front due to the amount of leg and head room.

Faults:

I just bought this car, however I can list what problems the previous owner has told me about and those that are still current:

The CV boots were recently replaced, although some clicking at extreme steering lock. (Previous owner tells me - but I cannot hear it).

Electric aerial no longer functions.

Interior door armrest trim has sizable hole/s.

Some slight stretching to driver's seat material (expected!).

Original muffler was replaced about 3yrs ago due to rust, replacement muffler has small hole.

Small rattle/vibration at idle - but does not seem to be anything serious.

General Comments:

This car is the first that I have owned and so far I am extremely satisfied with it and a very proud owner.

I worked at an Alfa Romeo car dealership for over a year and during that time drove a lot of excellent cars. But I would have to say that this Celica would rate very highly in terms of performance and driving pleasure with some of the best - including the latest Alfas, my brother's Nissan Pulsar SSS and many others.

The steering and handling are fantastic! Not many other reviews comment on this, but I am most impressed. The suspension is perhaps a little soft for a racer, but on real roads the car sticks to its line very well. This is enhanced by a low center of gravity.

I think the engine I have is a 3S-FE engine - rated at 115hp. It is very capable and runs smoothly. No oil leaks or smoke.

My car is in an excellent example : One previous owner since new, always garaged, serviced, no rust and beautiful original paint. $2200 AUD.

I also tested and looked at the SX model with the twin Cam 3S-GE motor (130hp). This had a bit more power and the tachometer went 1000rpm higher (9000 over the ST's 8000). Although I would prefer this model it was difficult to find a good price for one that had not been driven hard. I don't think I will be at all disappointed with the ST's performance (unless I went head to head with an SX!). I would have liked it to be rear wheel drive, but oh well..

The styling is great, and still looks good in 2004. Has kept its design much better than most '80s cars. The body panel shape feel and look "solid". The frame-less window doors look nice and modern, but the doors give a light rattle upon slamming - but close securely.

This ST model has the lower end interior trim specifications and features. If you want plush interiors then seek the 1988 model - especially the special edition "white lightning" model. The seats (as with all 4th Generation Celicas I have tested) are very comfortable - with very adjustable and supportive bucket seats. The hatch is also very practical, with a large loading capacity with the back seats down.

In the future I plan to upgrade my car myself with features such as, Air Conditioning, power windows, new door interior panels, central locking etc., depending on the complexity and cost of each job. I also plan to fix the electric aerial. Because this car is in such good condition I consider it worth my time to treat it well.

I spent weeks scanning the classifieds and the Internet for my first car - looking at and testing many different models (inc. Camry, Nissan Pintara, Alfa 33, Subaru Liberty, Alfa Gtv('75 - '80s), Lada Niva..). And today, after purchasing my car and giving it a good drive I am confident that I made a great choice.

When buying a used car at this price the main importance has to be the reliability, and Toyota has the top reputation for this.

Only time will tell. I will add to this review after a month of driving.

Faults:

Seat belt on passenger side is very sticky - fails to retract at times.

A power steering hose leaked at about 200,000 kms. Hose was re-built cheaply by a hydraulic hose company.

The constant velocity joints started to wear at 170,000kms. Cheap to replace with re-manufactured units which have been great.

Exhaust header cracked at about 100,000 which was then replaced with a set of sporty headers.

Thermostat was replaced at 280,000kms.

The starter goes click and may refuse to start if the car is driven long on a hot day. I usually push-start the car or sometimes I can select through all the gears a few times and it will then start. I also use a much bigger battery (480 CCA) to get it starting better.

The car has always used about a litre of oil every 1500km. I change the oil religously every 5000kms.

Second gear is very notchy now - if you time the changes its nice and smooth.

General Comments:

This car has been great to me.

I have driven it a very long distance and it has rarely let me down.

The car is quite quick and I have cruised at high speed 170km/h for long runs (over 400kms) with no problems. Top speed can get to over 210km/h.

There is no rust and the paintwork and interior are in great condition - no sun damage to the plastics etc...

The build quality is great and I love working on this car.