What's the oldest car you saw on the road today?

JohnBoy26

BonnieSituation wrote: »

I have a 97 4efe. I've never been more in awe of an engine. It blows my mind how much abuse it can handle for such a tiny little 4 pot.

Just a beaut of engineering.

Yeah they are excellent in that regard tbh

Dermo123

Very nice 1990 Sierra 1.8GLX in Gougane Barra today.

Means Of Escape

Some goldies out and about today

BonnieSituation

Means Of Escape wrote: »

Some goldies out and about today

That Corolla is some find.

Easily 15 years since I saw one.

noelf

Skerries today..

Means Of Escape

83 Merc sitting proudly among the moderns

Oops!

Won't be too many moderns lasting as long as that Merc....

tuxy

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Having owned both id have the vvti if given the choice. They are smoother and quieter, have a nicer interior and better seats and they look better too.

No doubt the 4e-fe is as robust as they come but the vvti with a small bit of care is also a very reliable unit.

How could the same shape corolla have better interior and look better?
There was a model of the same shape corllora (although I believe it had updated headlights) that had the first revision of the VVTI engine and had many problems.
That's why I said the 99 was the best year in that shape.
Future revisions of the VVTI solved all the problems.

Dermo123

Dermo123 wrote: »

Very nice 1990 Sierra 1.8GLX in Gougane Barra today.

Got pic now. See below

JohnBoy26

tuxy wrote: »

How could the same shape corolla have better interior and look better?
There was a model of the same shape corllora (although I believe it had updated headlights) that had the first revision of the VVTI engine and had many problems.
That's why I said the 99 was the best year in that shape.
Future revisions of the VVTI solved all the problems.

They updated the interior on the facelift. Instead of being beige/grey like on the 1999 bug eye, it was black on the facelift and the the seats were updated which were way more supportive, especially on a long journeys. The instrument cluster was also illuminated in a nicer shade of green and electric mirrors were added with the mirrors also being colour coded on the facelift.

On the outside the new front end looked a lot better and the whole car looked fresher, especially in silver.

To drive the vvti is nicer. It' quieter, more refined, more free revving and is a better performer overall compared to the 4e-fe which can sound a bit strained after 55mph and has a slight flat spot in third gear.(not an issue on the vvti)

Don't know of the many problems with the vvti?
I've had two long term, an early 00 and a 01. Both were just as reliable as the pre facelift e11s i've had.

The only thing that I done as preventative maintenance on both was to clean the sump and the oil pick up which had no build-up at all on either car.

Both didn't burn much oil either and none suffered from the manifold issue which is one of few issues I know of with the vvti.

Overall the facelift is just a nicer, more polished car. If you drive both back to back it's easy to see.

tuxy

I knew a number of people who had the vvti engine and it would drink large amounts of oil.
The issue was with the design of oil holes in the piston. You're the first case I have found where the issue didn't eventually arise but most people are very careless with maintenance so that could be why. Or it's even possible that Toyota fixed the problem under warranty for the original owner.
Toyota felt this was a flaw in the design as they changed the oil holes at some point with new revisions of the engine. I once bought a 4efe with the oil in an awful state, like treacle and it ran great after an oil change.
I do agree the VVTI is more refined with better power delivery.

JohnBoy26

tuxy wrote: »

I knew a number of people who had the vvti engine and it would drink large amounts of oil.
The issue was with the design of oil holes in the piston. You're the first case I have found where the issue didn't eventually arise but most people are very careless with maintenance so that could be why. Or it's even possible that Toyota fixed the problem under warranty for the original owner.
Toyota felt this was a flaw in the design as they changed the oil holes at some point with new revisions of the engine. I once bought a 4efe with the oil in an awful state, like treacle and it ran great after an oil change.
I do agree the VVTI is more refined with better power delivery.

Non of mine burned much oil, afaik any unit with excessive oil consumption was fixed by toyota. A litre every 1k miles is considered normal. I know one of mine was very well cared for and had a full service history from toyota, but the other one had no service history but still burned around the same amount which was around half a litre every 3k miles or so.

The 4e-fe will suffer from burning oil issues too and sludge build up if oil intervals are severely neglected. I know someone who never changed the oil on one of these and when it started to burn oil they kept topping it up with new oil instead of changing the oil.

This just mixed with the old oil which eventually turned to sludge and blocked the oil feed pipe which badly damaged the engine. This took years to achieve though tbh. Most other engines wouldn't last that long with the same level of neglect imo.

johndaman66

tuxy wrote: »

There was a model of the same shape corllora (although I believe it had updated headlights) that had the first revision of the VVTI engine and had many problems.

What else apart from using some oil were the many problems of the earlier VVTI engines? Besides, the fact that the earlier VVTI engines used some oil is severely blown out of proportion anyway. You will regularly find on these forums crap posted down through the years that the VVTI engines use as much oil as petrol blah blah blah - bullcrap.

There have being more than enough early VVTI engined Toyotas in my immediate and extended family down through the years.
Did they burn some oil? - yes.
Did any of them burn an insanely excessive amount? - no.

I used to only have to top up once between services. Maybe once ever did I have to top up twice between services and that was because I left the next service go for too long really. And I probably would have got away without topping up a second time before the next service on that occasion anyway. They were otherwise all very robust and refined engines that never gave any notable problems that I recall anyway.

Lots of modern petrol and diesel engines burn some oil and if you aren't checking and topping up your oil as necessary at least every couple thousand miles anyway, regardless of the car, you would be idiotic.

tc20

recent sightings in North Wicklow..
the W210 is an early one - I think the W124 was phased out in '95

Old diesel

Yup W124 phased out in 95/96.

I don't think anyone got a 95 RHD W210 - well not registered in 95 at any rate.

So 1996 the 1st year for us in rhd Ireland

The new model estate didn't arrive for a bit and ive seen 1996 W124 estates.

Edit the Internet suggests production of W210 started in June 1995.

Seems earlier then I remember the cars being publicised. However the Mk 1 Nissan Primera was already in production for the best part of FOUR months prior to all of us seeing a Primera for the first time in September 1990.

So long(ish) lead in periods aren't unknown.

Old diesel

johndaman66 wrote: »

tuxy wrote: »

There was a model of the same shape corllora (although I believe it had updated headlights) that had the first revision of the VVTI engine and had many problems.

What else apart from using some oil were the many problems of the earlier VVTI engines? Besides, the fact that the earlier VVTI engines used some oil is severely blown out of proportion anyway. You will regularly find on these forums crap posted down through the years that the VVTI engines use as much oil as petrol blah blah blah - bullcrap.

There have being more than enough early VVTI engined Toyotas in my immediate and extended family down through the years.
Did they burn some oil? - yes.
Did any of them burn an insanely excessive amount? - no.

I used to only have to top up once between services. Maybe once ever did I have to top up twice between services and that was because I left the next service go for too long really. And I probably would have got away without topping up a second time before the next service on that occasion anyway. They were otherwise all very robust and refined engines that never gave any notable problems that I recall anyway.

Lots of modern petrol and diesel engines burn some oil and if you aren't checking and topping up your oil as necessary at least every couple thousand miles anyway, regardless of the car, you would be idiotic.

SOME did use too much oil - it was a problem.

Those cars are either FIXED or not on the go anymore imo so I don't think it's an issue to put you off a VVTi anymore

SmartinMartin

Nerja in southern Spain. They really like their old 4WDs here.

frost bank close to me

exxon mobil fuel stations

SmartinMartin

A few more. The good weather is kind to older motors.

Means Of Escape

Goldie Renault taking the shade in Spain

Means Of Escape

Mint and rare Renault 21 Manager
Few other well kept classics in Spain

Duke O Smiley

E400 CDI, is that a thing?

Old diesel

Duke O Smiley wrote: »

E400 CDI, is that a thing?

From what I can see from a quick look online yes - I assume it's left hand drive only.

Millionaire only not

Say a beautiful 97 corolla outside Garda station in Kilrush yesterday felt sorry for them never released Garda pay was gone to that - lol
Still a fine car

Duke O Smiley

Millionaire only not wrote: »

Say a beautiful 97 corolla outside Garda station in Kilrush yesterday felt sorry for them never released Garda pay was gone to that - lol
Still a fine car

They used to be special branch cars

elperello

Millionaire only not wrote: »

Say a beautiful 97 corolla outside Garda station in Kilrush yesterday felt sorry for them never released Garda pay was gone to that - lol
Still a fine car

You don't need to be poor to drive a 97 Corolla.
I know a man who has more money than God who drives one and it's not even a very good one!

Means Of Escape

Two fine Mercedes w140s

Means Of Escape

Finally back home ,can't keep a good Toyota down

MrCostington

Amother E34 yesterday Fairview, Dublin

Means Of Escape

MrCostington wrote: »

Amother E34 yesterday Fairview, Dublin

Drivers spring gone or a flat ?
Looks like she is down on her bump stops

SmartinMartin

Looks like the front left is up on the path.