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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
February 2005
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How to buy a st162.
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Sun, 06 March 2005 10:02
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Hello people,
Alllrighty, I am in the selection stage of getting myself a SX st162 celica.
Now before I start I would like to say I have been doing a bit of reading (11 pages of the st162 thread). I am actually looking to buying my own first car, (no more parental loaners!)
Unfortunately I have little experience with how to actually go about buying a car and what to look for in one of these celicas..
What i do have though is a bit of experince with working on cars and lotsa engineering mates from my course who are good with playing around with toranas', 280zx', calais' n xr6's, ta22's to mention a few.
I pretty much want to get a car in decent mechanical condition and average interior/exterior condtion. I plan to add some decency to the looks car..(read sleekness, not ricing). I am not thinking of many major mechanical overhauls ie leaving the motor and gbox alone maybe a new exhaust/pod/cat system and a new wheel/susp/brakes package but thats all as I only plan to own the car for 2-4 years and then sell it without loosing too much read (more than 100% of its original buying price  )
So.. what should i make sure i do and dont do when buying a car.. and what should I look for in particular in this car.
Thanks,
Praz
ps. i'm in brisbane if anyone feels the uncontrollable urge to offer me their car for sale. i know this aint the wtd section but yeah i'm just waiting on work approval to part-time or for the cash to build up a bit more.. whichever comes first
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Registered:
November 2003
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Re: How to buy a st162.
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Sun, 06 March 2005 12:32
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if looking for celica st162,
-kms dont matter if engine is looked after (mine 320,000 and climbing with no rebuild till 400,000)
-whens engines cold look for smoke when stating up (valve stemps, not too expensive but)
-should not smoke when revved hard
-do some hard/fast/tight loops and listen for knocking (cvs if there is)
-if auto, check gears kick down/change up proberly (if not very repsonsive could be computer which is like 500 or auto slipping in 1st/2nd??), either not good
-if manual, slipping cluth is slipping will need replacing
-check for rust around the sills, doors, sunroof or leaks in the boot (check if tyre is well wet)
-do not buy it if looked thrashed, or dodgily modified
-check power steering for leaks
-check all elctrics work
-since it is an old car things will need doing randomly (eg like raditors etc), see what has been done already, cause since it is a 'sports' car these parts like double coil radiatrs more expensive than commos/falcons,
-test drive a few cars to see what they fee like and how responsive they should be,
thats all i can htink of in regard s to my st162 atm.
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Registered:
November 2003
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Re: How to buy a st162.
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Sun, 06 March 2005 12:35
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-2nd hand dealers examples with 100,000 in top nicks cna go for 7000ish
-you can find a nice private sale in good nick for 3000-5000 ish,
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Registered:
November 2003
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Re: How to buy a st162.
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Sun, 06 March 2005 12:38
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also buy a sx not st. sx has the better 3sge 103kw motor not the 3sfe 8?kw camry motor!!!!
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Location:
Sydney, Australia
Registered:
October 2004
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Re: How to buy a st162.
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Sun, 06 March 2005 22:16
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another thing is the gear syncros in manaul, very common fault that it sounds like your crunching the gears but its the syncros.
check the power windows and make sure they are both working from drivers side espically. start the car up and listen to how long it takes to start up, if it is an excessive amount of time, it will require a small mod(bout $50) because the starter motor doesnt get enough power and sometimes will not start.
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
September 2003
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Re: How to buy a st162.
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Sun, 06 March 2005 23:58
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basically its all been covered. happy hunting.
if you can try and find a 1988/9 model, as there a few little cosmeitc differences. syncros are definately something that you should be wary of, don't be afraid to give the car some revs when checking this, mainly 3rd and 2nd gear.
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
February 2005
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Re: How to buy a st162.
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Mon, 07 March 2005 05:59
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Thanks guys very helpful stuff
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
October 2004
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Re: How to buy a st162.
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Mon, 07 March 2005 08:27
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hey hey hope you catch a good one man these are good cars..!!
Now for my part and my experience 
Try the rear windscreen squater, they tend to not work... and when you eject the water, only the front comes on..
Look at the headlamps and make sure they do come up together and can go down together
Check for oil leak under the distributor cap... common leak area i think
make sure T-VIS works when you rev it over 4500rpm... you'll know that it works when all of a sudden you feel a small "Boost" 
Check for rust if its got a sun roof, its a biatch to deal with
When looking at one, go in the morning to check for things at daylight.... then go again at night to check that all electricals work... aparently my dash lights never came on when i bought it... i didnt check it cause it wasnt dark enough
make sure permanate High Beams work... mine didnt
Make sure the electriacl window on the passenger's side work... go up and down about 10 times to reveal the truth! mine work whern i tested it... but didnt work when i bought it
Check the Central Locking (if SX) make sure both doors lock,... Make sure you test the safety mechanisim too..... to do this, turn on the engine, then turn it off, but leave the key in the ignition.... then open door.... then click the central lock to 'lock' ... assuming that its good, the lock will spring back to the unlock position cause you have your key in ignition.
Check the rear dimister... they norammly tend to stuff up.... get yaself a hot pot of water (carry in coffee can thingy) stick it at the back near the window... steam should start to build... esp good at night.... then turn on your diminster... if they work, good stuff... but leave for 15min to check that the auto-off timer works
Check for rust check for rust check for rust!!!
Double check for rust..
Open the radiator cap, see if theres rust.... you'll know if there is cause the coolant will be pretty brown. To convince, get yaself a small magnet, take a small sample of coolant, then stick the magnet in the samole... the rust should stick to the magnet simple trick my dad tought me.
Open the engine oil cap, chekc for milky substances... if so, the suspect a gasket.
if its all good.... Power on the car.... acutally, get someone to power it up for you while you stand at the back watching for smoke... if theres white, good chance a gasket, if its blueish... its burning rich like mine...
At first if theres steam, its normal.... but after say 10min or so, or better after a run, if theres still a fair amount of vapour, then best bet is that you have a leakage of coolant into the engine, i THINK its another gasket problem...
If its all good, test drive the beast.... do all the usual CV test and that.... make sure you test out TVIS, cause that will get you hooked to the 162 ... check breaks check power mirrors... mate, just check all features of the car:
AirCon / Economy
Power mirrors
Power windows
Power sunroof (option)
Power Steering
Timed diminister
ok also check the sceond gear syncro if manual.... like mine, it crunches like no tmr when i rev it harder on first and try to get into second... (btw, anyione know how i can farking fix this? its annoying as hell!!)
If all is good, stop the car and make sure you see the thermal fan turn on when the temp is at half way (just under) then turn on aircon and make sure the OTHER fan comes on
if that is good,
Go back to the seller (providing not in toymods) Tell him that the car is good, but you found a bit of problems (say shit like the syncros gone or something) if asked for 5K, say i'll give you 4K, he will most prolly say no, then say meet me half way, 4.5K think about it mate, cash ready for you. Seller'll prolly say yes..
Then use the extra 500 you saved up for either a good set of exhaust (2.25 non turbo or 2.5 for turbo) or get 4-2-1 extractors
Welcome to the ST162 family
~Chopin
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Location:
Melbourne
Registered:
December 2003
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Re: How to buy a st162.
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Mon, 07 March 2005 08:50
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If you find a sweet modified one with a really nice bodykit,lowered with 17" Skyline style rims,exhaust, extractors etyc etc etc and the rare as black interior (black and not grey) dont do what choppin did - sell up to get a stocky.
Buy it and hang on!!!!
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Location:
Sydney, Australia
Registered:
October 2004
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Re: How to buy a st162.
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Mon, 07 March 2005 09:41
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nice and lengthy story choppin mate, where have you been recently, never see ya around.
and about the syncro choppin, ya can get ya syncros reconditioned, from what i heard its $50 a syncro
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
February 2005
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Re: How to buy a st162.
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Mon, 07 March 2005 09:49
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awsome reply hey i'm gonna have to start makin a list of all this stuff to check
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Location:
Sydney / NSW
Registered:
March 2004
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Re: How to buy a st162.
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Mon, 07 March 2005 10:57
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I think when buying any car is to judge the personality of the person you are buying from. that will tell you a lot about the car and how long they have had it. you will meet a lot of weird and wonderful people on your quest. but be patient the cheapest one isnt always the best, you will get what you pay for, and if the deal seems too good to be true then it probably is.
good luck
Karl
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