Faults:

The thermostat was replaced around 100k. I bought one at Pep Boys and replaced the bad one in five minutes.

I think I replaced the alternator or fuel pump around 150k; don't remember which, but those things go when the car gets up there.

Rear louver broke in the middle. I think that was due to a big bump.

The sunroof leaked but was tolerable.

Spent $400 on struts around 150k.

General Comments:

This car ran great! I gave it an "8" for performance because I was comparing it to a BMW 320i which I liked too.

I never had any major problems with my Celica in the (roughly) 200 thousand miles I drove it. I changed the oil and rotated the tires. But I loved to drive it on back roads. A rear seat passenger once exclaimed as we banked this sweet curve; "it feels like we're in a Porsche". The car hugs nicely, and the rack and pinion was accurate and stable.

Faults:

Right after buying it in 1991, it wouldn't run. Turns out, the carburetor had been sitting for 3 years and the carb was all gummed up. Sprayed in a little carb cleaner and the car hasn't stopped running since.

General Comments:

This is the only vehicle that I've owned where every time I've ever went to drive it, I was smiling ear to ear.

Fun car!

My `82 Celica is a responsive little car that handles extremely well. When turning, I can easily break the back wheels loose, drift the rear end around and with a little acceleration, pull out straight.

The driver seat messes with my mind -- it makes me feel like the car loves me back! Conforms to my body and hugs me tight.

I made the mistake of selling my Celica after college (I bought an image concious, luxury `92 Camary XLE with gold package - which is an excellent car, too), quickly, however, I realized how mistaken I was to sell the Celica. It took me almost 8 years to buy my Celica back.

My Celica was not in good condition when I bought it back, the guy trashed the interior and dinged up parts of the body -- fortunately not badly. Up until now, I've been cleaning it up little by little.

At the same time, over the past 5 years, I've been meaning to buy a new car. But I've test driven many of the new cars on the market and I don't get that "grin" and "feel" that I'm looking for. I can't think of any car/truck/SUV that I like better than my Celica. So, I've made arrangements for my Celica to be restored back to new condition over the next year and I plan to make it my daily driver when finished.

I'm dropping some serious money into it and my friends and family think I'm nuts but I'm at a point in my life that I don't care what anyone thinks about the car I'm driving; all that matters is that I enjoy my ride. I can drop $30,000 into a new, flashy car that leaves me feeling "ho hum" or $12,000 into a car I know I'll enjoy driving every time I'm in it.

That saying..."Life is about the journey not about the destination", in my case, I'm taking the trip as far as I can in my Celica!

Faults:

Occasionally a spark plug oils up, and has to be cleaned or replaced.

Power steering fluid leaks.

Sunroof leaks in heavy rain.

Upon purchase, replaced all the shockers/struts with new gas ones just as a precaution.

General Comments:

For a 25 year old vehicle, it still performs well.

No rust down low, but some bubbles forming in the tailgate and sunroof.

The engine is smoke free, and doesn't consume oil, but it hates hills. It's not the fastest away at the lights, but will cruise all day on the open road, and has been from Melbourne to Broken Hill and back. (Also Adelaide).

The smooth 5-speed gearbox shames many new Korean and Japanese cars made today.

Extremely reliable - seems to be a hallmark of all the old Toyotas.

In a nutshell, it's a fun car, and has a few years life in it yet.