Toyota Tercel Midsize | Compact

Toyota Tercel Midsize | Compact 

DESCRIPTION

The Tercel is offered as a two-door coupe with a 1.5-liter/93-horsepower and choice of manual or automatic transmissions. ABS is optional.

USER REVIEWS

Showing 111-120 of 123  
[Aug 13, 2001]
Lola Perez
Model Reviewed: toyota tercel

Strength:

cheap, reliable, efficient

Weakness:

slow as hell

Cheap, slow, reliable, easy to mantain, good acceleration

Similar Products Used:

buik century (the buik eat gas like crazy)

OVERALL
RATING
3
VALUE
RATING
3
[Aug 14, 2001]
Nick
Model Reviewed: Tercel DX

Strength:

Great on gas and has good gas mileage...only if you put in good gas (89 and up). The seats are comfortable and better than the 95 and above...more bucket like. I've only had to fix the valve seals, get a new water pump, and new spark plug cables because the previous owner did not take care of the car. Has good space for an engine swap...ie 4AGZE or Starlet turbo engine.

Weakness:

Auto tranny robs horse power!!! It accelerates slow so if you want to pass someone on the highway...forget it! Great for driving in the downtown area though. Can't carry more than the driver and a passenger cause it slows the car down to much.

I drive to work and to university everyday and the gas mileage on the tercel is great. I don't have to spend a fortune on gas. The car only runs well with 89 octane or higher and runs really really bad with 87 octane. The car is easy to maintain and does not require a whole lot of attention like American made cars. The body is still in good shape and has no rust. The interior is in mint condition and there are no cracks or rips in the console or seats.

Similar Products Used:

Compared to the echo, it completely blows it away. It handles better and corners better, looks a heck of a lot better. It will be faster if I did an engine swap with a paseo or something.

OVERALL
RATING
3
VALUE
RATING
4
[Aug 14, 2001]
Don Philbeck
Model Reviewed: Tercel

Strength:

Gas milage up to 45 mpg on highway and 30-32 city. Haven't really had to
spend alot on maintenance. Does not burn oil. I've been using synthetic oil.

Weakness:

This model has a throttle body that can cause carbon build up in alot of city driving.

I've owned this car since new. It is about turn 170,000 miles. It has
been a very dependable car for me and uses no oil. I've had to replace
the water pump just this week. Comfortable seats, driver seat just recently worn through from getting in and out all the time. Its the best money I spent for a car. Other than replacing the water pump I've had to have the carbon cleaned from the engine at 30,000 and 100,000 miles but have learned to keep injector cleaner in the tank about every 2 or 3 fill ups. Also had a minor rebuild on the engine at the time they cleaned the carbon from the pistons at 100,000. As far as the money goes for the maintenace it has been cheap compared to buying a new car.

Similar Products Used:

I had to drive a new ford escort and not as nice as my 12 year old tercel.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jul 19, 2001]
tmdsaz
Model Reviewed: 2-dr manual

Strength:

Lot's of potential when you can find the after market parts...Muffler, intake, header. Reliable transmission and great gas milage. I've driven up to Buffalo, NY from NJ on one tank of gas over 400 miles.

Weakness:

Gotta be the seats. No cup holders...electrical sys is flaky eats 15a fuses like nothing.

I love the car for it's potential and easy drivability. Hated rack n pinion steering at first but cant deal with anything else. It is noisy but it adds to the charm of this car. I'm not a racer but have out gunned many cars trying to pass me on the highways and at stoplights...mostly Honda's. I beat up my car driving into NYC, Long Island and back...The tranny is still holding up. It corners great and hugs the road... depending on u'r tires and speed of course. This a definate keeper til it dies:( Oh yeah I have 118000+ miles on the car no major repair except for new brakes and soon new struts...damn those potholes.

Similar Products Used:

I have driven most imports out there Acura, Honda, toyota, mazda and even Hyundai's...Toyota makes a solid product maybe not as flashy but definately more reliable

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jul 19, 2001]
*C*
Model Reviewed: Toyota Tercel DX

Strength:

Good gas mileage. Shifting of gears in automatic was crisp. Enough room if you're the only one in the car. Great for short people! The 1991 DX model looks better and newer than a 1993!

Weakness:

Oil guzzler! I always made sure I had a spare quart of oil in the trunk at all times! Tires made the car look funny. Factory speakers suck. Absolutely gutless, even on flat, paved roads. Don't even think about climbing a hill in a Tercel!
***Toyota's "tin can" model car.***

My mom bought the car in Sept. 1997 with 100,000 miles on it. No problems at all, we kept the car well maintained. Began to guzzle oil a couple of years after purchase. (Embarrassing) Blue smoke came out of the tailpipe at startup. I bought the car in April, 2001 and sold it in July, 2001. For a girl at the age of 17, I thought I would keep the car for 3-4 years and slowly work towards a different car... But after I had put new brakes, rotors, axles and cv boots on costing me a total of $500 bucks (I have connections), I said the heck with it. It was coming upon 149,000 miles and I it really wasn't the car for me, so I'm currently looking into a 94-95 Civic.
Basically, if you know someone who can keep the car maintained, then its a nice car. Always been dependable, never had any real problems.

Similar Products Used:

Driven lots of different cars, Tercel ranked as "fair", got you to where you need to go, but that is about all it has going for it.

OVERALL
RATING
2
VALUE
RATING
3
[Jul 23, 2001]
Luke G
Model Reviewed: Tercel

Strength:

Original design(it's 2-doors coupe),I can rely on it, good steering, fuel consumption,transmition.

Weakness:

Suspension is very loud while driving on bumpy surfaces, roast, electric.

I inherited my Tercel after my Dad'd bought Toyota Corolla. The Tercel was imported from Switzerland in 1990. It was used in high Alps, so now I have problems with clutch & suspention. Apart from that I have had no mechanical problems so far. It is the second car of that kind in Poland. When I stop at traffic lights most drivers gaze at the car. I'm proud of it. Many people ask for buing it but I always reject. I don't think I'll ever sell it.
It has 150000 miles but 6 months ago milage counter got stuck so the real milage is unknown.
Good car for student and most youths.

Similar Products Used:

no compared.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
4
[Jul 25, 2001]
Katherine Martinez

Strength:

Performed amazingly in a high speed accident on the interstate. Both air bags deployed. The front and back ends both slammed into a concrete barrier, while spinning around, and the dents did not reach the interior compartment of the car. The driver walked away with only minimal injury.

Weakness:

Driver's seat ripped after 2 years.

Had the car for over 5 years without needing any repairs at all. Excellent mileage. Handles great.

Similar Products Used:

No similar products known.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Aug 03, 2001]
DAN
Model Reviewed: TERCEL STD 2 DR

Strength:

NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS...GREAT ON GAS...HIGH RESALE VALUE...BODY DOES NOT RUST OUT LIKE OTHER CARS IN ROAD SALT...

Weakness:

SEAT RIPPED OUT IN 2 YEARS. BURNS A QUART OF OIL EVER 700+ MILES AFTER 120,000 MILES OF STOP AND GO CITY MILES.

THIS IS THE MOST RELIABLE...CHEAPEST TRANSPORTATION YOU COULD OWN. I BOUGHT THIS '93 NEW AND IT NOW HAS OVER 180,000 ON IT. MY WIFE AND ALL THREE OF MY DAUGHTERS LEARNED TO DRIVE STANDARD ON IT. IT HAS EVERY ORIGINAL PART STILL ON IT EXCEPT BULBS, BRAKES, BELTS, HOSES, EXHAUST. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED WELL AND HAS PAID FOR ITSELF AT LEAST TWICE. ITS GREAT IN THE UPSTATE NY SNOW AND ICE, AND NEVER RUSTS. I JUST BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE JUST LIKE IT FOR MY DAUGHTER. I FEEL THESE ARE A WORKING PERSONS CAR. THERE VERY DEPENDABLE AND AFORDABLE...THEY COME HIGHLY RECOMENDED BY ME!!!!

Similar Products Used:

I HAVE OWNED A NEW DODGE LANCER, FORDS AND CHEVY. THESE CARS NICKLED AND DIMED ME TO DEATH... THE TERCEL WILL BE YOUR ANSWER FOR DEPENDABLE CAR.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Aug 04, 2001]
Michael Giovo
Model Reviewed: Toyota Tercal

Strength:

reliable, easy to repair

Weakness:

uses alot of oil

After purchasing this used Tercel, I was so impressed with the gas mileage and performance, I sold my new mazda van. The Tercel Uses oil!!!!!.. I always keep a few quarts in the truck.. Also, like others, the drivers seat was ripped when I bought it. Self maintenance is extremely easy with this auto.. Very reliable. Has 108,000 miles on it now and I am sure it will be with me many many more years.

Similar Products Used:

None

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Aug 08, 2001]
Brandon

Strength:

great gas mileage
drives easily

Weakness:

the back seats have ripped at the seams from the sun.

I like the way it drives and the fact that it's small and i can maneuver it easily. It's great on gas I spend about $25 dollars a month and I haven't had any mechanical problems with it except to replace the water pump. It's a very reliable car.

Similar Products Used:

only car I've ever driven, except a 97 escort. And I'd prefer to drive my car than that.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
Showing 111-120 of 123  

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