Toyota Carina E - when will it stop?!

Mr Benevolent

pajo1981 wrote: »

That would be a sad sad day for motoring...

Not true. All sorts of shit cars are regarded as classics now.

pajo1981

Confab wrote: »

Not true. All sorts of shit cars are regarded as classics now.

never mind me, i'm just being a bollix

waxon-waxoff

Somebody mentioned a Carina E in NZ earlier. The roads over there are full of used Jap imports, a bit like here in the early 90's. Tourists can rent old Carinas and Almeras cheaply and the natives all drive Subaru wrx and Galant VR4's.

Any car can keep going for years if it has a careful owner who looks after it. In France you still see Renault 5's and Peugeot 405's on the road, but traditionally Irish people didnt take maintenance as seriously so you dont see them here any more. The big difference between a Carina and a Laguna is that the Toyota is a much more durable product. They are better made and even one that has been abused will last much longer than the average French or Italian car.

I Was VB

Yep boys and girls i'm the resident Carina perv, honestly i've lost count of how many i've owned in my 5 short years of motoring, i'd estimate somwhere in the 20ish figures.

Currently i own a 1996 Carina 1.6 Auto, my daily driver and has done 174320 miles (which is actually quite low for a taxi) i absoltely adore the car if you gave me a 2009 old model Avensis i'd say no, apart from regular maintenance i've had to replace the powersteering rack, powersteering pump, and the perticulator for the throttle body and give it a good clean out two front door window regulators and the passager door lock (which i was told was faulty when i bought the car, didnt replace it untill the door couldnt open from the inside or outside!!) Keeping in mind the car gets a harder life being a taxi and especally at the age that it is things are bound to go wrong and doing a average of 700 miles a week too.

Customers love it as its very roomy and a bit pokey too, honestly i dont see myself ever not driving another car, i've driven 2006 Skoda Octys, Nissan Primeras, VW Passats, BMW X5's, Honda Accords both the 2.4 Vtec and the 2.2 CDTDi Various Merc's and Lexi', but they never came close to my Carina!! I also own a 2003 Avensis with 325K miles on it, and a 1994 Toyota Corona (a jap import of a Carina) with 380Klms. Parked up ive a 1994 Toyota Corolla 1.3XLi saloon with 105K, also a 1993 JDM Toyota Carina with 210Klms

Here's pic of my baby!!

`
Thats also taking place in ATWR a 1200 KLM dash around the coast of Ireland this Saturday in aid of Barretstown, if you'd like to sponser any of the ATWR staff for a great cause you can do so here: http://www.mycharity.ie/event/allthewayround2010/

And the ATWR fourm: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1330

flanzer

I Was VB wrote: »

Yep boys and girls i'm the resident Carina perv

Don't mean to hurt your feelings but what are you gonna get next year when it's to go, under the 9 year rule? Avensis?

I Was VB

I Was VB wrote: »

Yep boys and girls i'm the resident Carina perv, ................
Here's pic of my baby!!

Fair play, fine bus, out of curiousity why do some taxi dudes position the sign like that just in front of the rear windscreen ? Two lads around Cork City do it, one has a modern A6 and the other a Passat that I reckon was blue or green originally and is now bright yellow, whoever sprayed it should be shot, very bad job.

manatoo wrote: »

Question - I read in the manual that the tranny fluid is supposed to be changed every 60,000 miles. Didn't know how to do it so....just didn't do it. Could that be a potential problem? I often think that since I inevitably crash the gears every so often there must be little pieces of metal inside the casing that could potentially do damage. Is this something I need to think about? It works 100% though, silky smooth gear changes

If there is no whine when coasting in gear than it's probably 100%, would be no harm to give her fresh gear oil though.

-Corkie-

flanzer wrote: »

Don't mean to hurt your feelings but what are you gonna get next year when it's to go, under the 9 year rule? Avensis?

He has a 03 avensis in storage..;)

Ricardo G

I have a a 92 1.6 Carina E with 269k miles, best car i've ever owned, just went through the test 3 months ago for another 2 years. Regular oil change and ahe stays going for ever !!:)

biko

This thread needs a song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi0VPE6PDP8

bmw535d

was anyone else expecting 600000 miles plus?
thread fails to deliver.

manatoo

Ricardo G wrote: »

I have a a 92 1.6 Carina E with 269k miles, best car i've ever owned, just went through the test 3 months ago for another 2 years. Regular oil change and ahe stays going for ever !!:)

Jesus that ridiculous. What have you had done? How long have you owned it?

keithclancy

RoverJames wrote: »

Fair play, fine bus, out of curiousity why do some taxi dudes position the sign like that just in front of the rear windscreen ?

Taxi Drivers version of a rear spoiler ... ?

manatoo

What u drivin Keith

manatoo

I Was VB wrote: »

Yep boys and girls i'm the resident Carina perv, honestly i've lost count of how many i've owned in my 5 short years of motoring, i'd estimate somwhere in the 20ish figures.

don't even know where to begin on this one. 20 in 5 years??!?! Why the duck would you have 20 of them in 5 years??!

who the fug

Seem to remember in the early eighties Cork City Taxi drivers were getting 300,000 /400,000 miles out of the 2.5 Litre Fiat 131 diesels.

2 Litre model was a heap of junk

manatoo

Fiat. now theres a car i wouldnt hope for big miles from...

Tigger

manatoo wrote: »

Yea a friend of mine has that same diesel vectra. His is up round 260,000 too BUT he has put 2 steering racks, 2 exhausts in and countless electrical problems over the years.
Have you had any of these issues?

Engine just goes on and on though.

never had any electricil issues or rack failurees but the wheel bearings go ever 60k

manatoo

So all you've ever done was the wheel bearings? how many? wat did that cost?

manatoo

manatoo wrote: »

Fiat. now theres a car i wouldnt hope for big miles from...

Modern Fiat diesel is used in loads of cars, fine things they are too.

manatoo

what rover u got roverjames

manatoo

manatoo wrote: »

what rover u got roverjames

At the moment I have a 1997 216 Coupe but I'm driving about in a 1993 520i touring at the moment, quite keen to get back in the Rover but the Bimmer is proving tough to get rid of.

Pic of the Rover, very few of the Coupe were ever about here in Ireland

manatoo

yeah i know that coupe. there was a real high power version of it i think? my cousin has that one. yeah u cud be in trouble with the bmw. theyre not a great car, not popular second hand. heavy on juice, not fit for hi miles and unreliable at best.

The 2.0 turbo was an option, close to 200bhp standard, many folks have them at close to 300 with forged internals etc. I though the e34 520i was very reliable, only issues are chocolate coolant system and that's not a huge issue if spotted and rectified. Mine has 160 000 miles on it and is as fresh as a daisy, I reckon they are a better bus than the W124 Merc to be honest.

manatoo

what u mean chocoloate coolant?? sludge? gaskets on the way out amigo....

Viscous couplings etc in the system are know to break, BMW seem to have used plastics that get very brittle with age for critical parts of the coolant system. Chocolate as in useless for the job, like a chocolate tea pot

manatoo

oh right! so u've had overheating issues?

kermitpwee

BrianD3 wrote: »

Just the 1.6 petrol in mine. Many of the horror stories are related to the diesels or the 2.0 petrol (which was never sold here)

There's no smoke without fire but with my family having had mostly Renaults for over 20 years I would say much of what is said about their unreliability is exaggerated. Similarly, the "bulletproofness" of cars like the Carina is often exaggerated. I see in ths thread a poster has said that they don't rust like "normal cars". Wishful thinking in my opinion, all cars start to rust eventually, they just take a lot longer than they used to.The newest Carina are now around 12 years old which is prime rust territory

Anyhow good luck with your Carina and hope you get many more trouble free miles from it. In a few years time it may start to be regarded as a semi classic

I know what your saying about the rust. Have a look under a Carina E the next time you get a chance and check the sills for rust. You wont find any. Toyota had such a bad name for rust that the Carina E was very well rust proofed from new. I have only seen rust on them if the body has been damaged. Have a look at a mk3 golf or vento and you will find rust! And there is no wishful thinking on my part, I have been under more Carina E's then you have had hot dinners! a Carina E is not bulletproof but its a great car to run if your on a tight budget.

manatoo

kermitpwee wrote: »

I know what your saying about the rust. Have a look under a Carina E the next time you get a chance and check the sills for rust. You wont find any. Toyota had such a bad name for rust that the Carina E was very well rust proofed from new. I have only seen rust on them if the body has been damaged. Have a look at a mk3 golf or vento and you will find rust! And there is no wishful thinking on my part, I have been under more Carina E's then you have had hot dinners! a Carina E is not bulletproof but its a great car to run if your on a tight budget.

True for my '95 until March last year when some lowlife in a stolen car ploughed into the driver's side rear arch while it was parked. I got a door and got a job done on it but I know it will prob start rusting where the steel is slightly crimped. Something slightly wrong with the wheel alignment too but i just have to live with it i guess. sickens me after all the years taking care of it

kermitpwee

manatoo wrote: »

kermitpwee wrote: »

BrianD3 wrote: »

The main thing to watch for with that car now will be rust. You could have insidious rust eating away inside a box section or sill and only discover it when you get flaking paint or bubbles on the outside. Also watch for rust under window and sunroof seals and for water leaks into the boot and interior.

QUOTE]




Jeez ur worrying me now. It's been so insanely reliable over the years that I never thought twice about bringing it to france when I was booking the ferry back in May. Hope she survives it. Gruelling 3000 miles in 30+ degree heat.

Are you a mechanic? Since you seem to know what youre talking about, there has been 1 thing. It's happened about 3 times in the five years I've had it, the most recent about 3 weeks ago. Basically I start the car, it fires as normal but then idles really roughly. After grevving to about 2000 and holding it there it smoothes out after bout 7/8 seconds and runs perfectly then. It doesnt seem to be due to hot/cold starts or anything. No idea what it is/could be. Just hope if it's the injector thing u mentioned above that it wont ruin my holiday!

No need to worry mate, it will get you home and back. It takes a long time for the electrical unit on the injector to break down. Even if it does you will limp home on 3 cylinders so don't panic! Does the accelerator ever feel hard or stuck when you start the car from cold?

manatoo

indeed it does! on a really cold morning i just have to give it one quick tap before starting to free it up and it's fine for the day then. Its done that since I got it and its never been a problem. Thats the butterfly valve sticking yeah?