Hi, I've come across an unusual Toyota, Help?

[CWilliams92]

Hello everyone, I wasn't sure where to post this so I thought new members is as good as place as any.

Basically, a neighbour of mine has recently been told she has 7 days to empty her garage. In this garage is her fathers old car, its been in this garage I believe for 15 years plus.

The car is a 1982/83 Toyota Tercel. And that's about all I know, I am a mechanic and I buy and sell cars, often classic cars, but I've never seen or heard of one of these before! Its got be a bit stumped as she has asked me to sell it for her, and I genuinely have no idea at all what its worth.

I will attach a few pics and hopefully someone here will have some idea about it and maybe what its worth ?

She would like the car put back on the road, it seems in very good condition, but it doesn't run, and needs a bit of money spending on it. My worry is, spending the money getting it running, and losing money when its time to sell.

I look forward to hearing fron anyone who can help!

Thanks for reading

Regards

Chris

[FROSTYBALLS]

The Tercel was slightly smaller than the Corolla (sized between the Starlet and Corolla) and sold as a hatchback or 4 wheel drive estate. This is obviously the hatchback. Currently only about 24 still licensed in the UK, of which only 6 are the hatchback.

Ask for offers if advertising?

[mickburkesnr]

I had a quick look on the internest and came across this post from 2004. It's for a 4x4 version, but it went for about £3,000. I don't know how you'd value a car that's as rare as this.

I think personally your issue might not be the money spent on the car but how would you shift it? The car is rare, but is it desirable? You could go down the route of a first time retro car for the hipster teen who wants to be different, they might give you a few grand for it especially as it's a Toyota (so it's reliable) and car tax exempt. Insurance would be slightly cheaper to I'd imagine.

[TomdeGuerre]

That speedometer looks to me as if it's been clocked, the numbers should line up better if the reading is genuine.

Do you have any MOT or service history to indicate / corroborate the mileage? 

[NiallWallace]

On cars that old the numbers lining up can be pretty dire, can't see the gear teeth in the picture.
Have attached a picture of a VDO unit with fairly tight gearing; if my brothers minis were still around I'd be able to get a picture of one that's miles off!

MOT mileage readings on the MOT are also a relatively recent addition; apparently if clocking is spotted on the MOT it gets frozen and marked as non-genuine.

What year is the Tax disc on that? Not sure if it's a blemish in the screen or picture but the top bar looks reasonably dark which suggests mid-90s to me.

 

[alan333]

5 hours ago, mickburkesnr said:

they might give you a few grand for it especially as it's a Toyota (so it's reliable) and car tax exempt.

I thought the rolling age of road tax exempt classic cars was stopped a while ago, or it became 40 years or something.  Maybe I'm wrong tho.

[Heidfirst]

1976 is the current tax exemption date for historic cars.

[FROSTYBALLS]

24 minutes ago, NiallWallace said:

MOT mileage readings on the MOT are also a relatively recent addition; apparently if clocking is spotted on the MOT it gets frozen and marked as non-genuine.

What year is the Tax disc on that? Not sure if it's a blemish in the screen or picture but the top bar looks reasonably dark which suggests mid-90s to me

As far as I'm aware the odometer reading on the day the car was tested has been included on the MOT certificate for years. There was a change in 2012, where the mileage from the previous three MOT tests as well as the mileage for the current test, is shown on the certificate.

The OP said the car was stored for 15+ years, so a tax disc from the mid 90's may well fit.

[mickburkesnr]

47 minutes ago, alan333 said:

I thought the rolling age of road tax exempt classic cars was stopped a while ago, or it became 40 years or something.  Maybe I'm wrong tho.

 

39 minutes ago, Heidfirst said:

1976 is the current tax exemption date for historic cars.

Curses. I was looking forward to my Corolla clocking 25 years old and denying the government more of my money. But no, stiffed again in that respect. I think, however, classic car insurers will include cars over 15/20 years old for cover.

[CWilliams92]

Thanks for the responses everyone, the tax disc is 2003 so I guess 13 years in the garage.

We would be open to offers on it, but I hate when people post things for sale and just out 'offers' so I avoided putting it.

As for the mileage, it apparently has a huge pile of paperwork documenting every single thing that has ever been done to the car, so I guess its correct but I am yet to have a look through the paperwork.

 

I was thinking about putting it on eBay just bidding and seeing what it goes for, the thing I worry about there is that the cars so rare and undesirable I don't think anyone will bid on it haha

Cheers

Chris

 

[mickburkesnr]

4 minutes ago, CWilliams92 said:

I was thinking about putting it on eBay just bidding and seeing what it goes for, the thing I worry about there is that the cars so rare and undesirable I don't think anyone will bid on it haha

Think it depends on how quickly they want shot of the car. There are forums like this, and other "classic" car sites that deal with rare/unusual cars like this that might be a better bet rather than sticking it on eBay.

If it were me I would stick a price on it (at least a few £k's) and see what interest you get. You can always go down with prices, but it's hard to put the price up if the car gets sold for cheap!

[NiallWallace]

MOT mileage readings on the MOT are also a relatively recent addition; apparently if clocking is spotted on the MOT it gets frozen and marked as non-genuine.

What year is the Tax disc on that? Not sure if it's a blemish in the screen or picture but the top bar looks reasonably dark which suggests mid-90s to me

As far as I'm aware the odometer reading on the day the car was tested has been included on the MOT certificate for years. There was a change in 2012, where the mileage from the previous three MOT tests as well as the mileage for the current test, is shown on the certificate.

The OP said the car was stored for 15+ years, so a tax disc from the mid 90's may well fit.

That's what I was thinking of, it was scribbled on the old paper certificates.

Although since he appears to have a comprehensive history so that info should be there.

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