Faults:

The vinyl seats are not in great shape.

I have a oil leak coming from the valve covers or the oil pan gasket; not major, just like 3 drops of oil on the driveway.

Other than that, everything that has gone wrong is expected wear and tear on a car that has been driven.

General Comments:

She is a fast little car. It has nothing extra done to the motor, but I did change the air intake system, and that does help a lot, considering I live in Colorado, and driving in the mountains really does hurt any car.

The Tercel is not a real performance car, but it is possible to change 3 things, and have it be comparable or even out perform a Honda Civic with a larger engine.

It is a good car, and if you are looking for a car that is reliable and can be customized to be a competitive race car, this is the one for you. But you have to get the base model if you want any room to play with the motor.

Faults:

When I first bought it from a neighbor the valve cover gaskets leaked oil enough to require that I fix it right away.

I have had problems with the door handles. One would think that such a reliable auto would have better than very breakable plastic parts inside the door that are mechanically used to lock and open the door.

The paint on the original rims has become spoiled and come off in places, making the wheels look shoddy.

General Comments:

Don't get the 4 speed manual if you drive out of town on the highway often. It gets pretty wound up at 60 mph.

I love the reliability of the drive train and the economy. Mine still has a good gray paint job going for it.

Faults:

When I got the car, the oil pan/transmission gasket was leaking, and needed replaced. (77,000 miles).

The fluids needed flushed.

General Comments:

This car is nice to drive, especially for those with not a lot of driving experience.

It gets very good gas mileage, about 35 miles to the gallon.

It takes a while to get it up to a high speed when going down a freeway.

Faults:

Lots of repairs to the car were made over the years: new AC, muffler, exhaust pipe, gaskets, stereo system, brakes, etc. The interior is pretty crappy, but looks fine with seat covers.

General Comments:

The overall car is a hell of a bargain... Good gas mileage, withstands accidents well, keeps on going.

I had this car for 8 years and it was in 2 accidents, a tornado, and it keeps on going. It's had its share of problems, but overall, it's a very reliable car. It's a shame Toyota stopped making it because these cars don't die.

Faults:

Windshield Wiper Motor at 180,000 KM, and has to put in a new Radiator at 200,000.

General Comments:

This has been the most reliable car I have ever owned.

I keep waiting for it to die so I can get a new Toyota, but so far no luck!!!

Not very quick and tends to burn oil, but not bad considering the amount of mileage on it.

Seats can be somewhat uncomfortable on long trips, but they are functional just like the car.

I highly recommend getting one.