Buying A Carina

[ashley karyl]

Hello, this is my first posting here so I hope this is OK. Just over a week ago I was parked at a junction in my Renault Clio when I got hit from behind by a 4x4 Mercedes. The damage didn't look that bad at first but because the car was quite old it has been declared a write off by the insurers. The Clio was always a lot of fun to drive but it did bug me that it was in the garage every couple of months requiring some small repair and I had decided a while back that my next car would be Japanese and probably a Toyota.

I called a few dealers and eventually found one who mentioned a Carina 1.8CDX that a client of his wanted to sell privately and he was kind enough to put us in touch, so a meeting was aranged. The car is an N reg with 69,000 miles and two owners since new with full service history. The paintwork has a few minor scratches as you might expect in a car of this age but I was quite impressed with the way that the car just glided up the road and the owner seemed very willing to show me every aspect of the car with no visible faults that I could see.

The cam belt was changed at 60,000 miles and it all seems pretty good but I wanted to ask if there is anything particular that I should watch out for on a Carina? With Clios there was a long list of common problems such as risty rear wheel arches and my main reason for buying a Carina is because I want great reliability. Over the last year or so I have done very low mileage but that could change soon and I'd like to keep the car running as smoothly as possible. Everywhere I look the Carina seems to receive positive feedback, so are there any specfic issues to be concerned about?

Thanks in advance

Ashley

[~Rach~]

Hey, I'll post here as well as in General incase you dont read both

Things to look for on rinas are simple things like the electrics (drivers side window motor is a common problem), wheel bearings (so listen for knocking) and the damned lambda sensor (toyota will charge you £300 for the priviledge if you need it replaced).

As long as its had basic servicing done, it'll be fine :D

[Moggy]

best off looking under the oil filler cap for any white deposits, ive had a couple of sellers try and sell me a dud carina before, the looks on there faces when you find out simply by doing the above is priceless, not very good salesmanship <_<.

your seller on the other hand seems to have pride in his car if he's showing you all the features of it.

ive a carina myself 1.6 xsi on a k plate, the engine is so quiet on it you can sometimes forget its running, the powers there when you need it and they seem to keep the rust away reasonably well, mine being a k the only thing thats starting to go after all this time is the rear arches with very small rust speckles, think i'll catch it early tho and have it rubbed down and sprayed.

There great cars in my opinion

[Beardie]

Can't go wrong with them. Early jap one's are best but they're all capable of the going to the moon and back. Plenty around on the road and in the breakers (accidents of course)..

[ashley karyl]

One thing that I can't quite work out with the Carinas is the huge differences in prices for cars that appear relatively similar. I've seen them selling for anything from around £500 right up to more than £3000. Obviously model specs vary and general condition has to be considered but very often the differences in price being asked by different sellers are all over the place for no obvious reason.

[T600]

One thing that I can't quite work out with the Carinas is the huge differences in prices for cars that appear relatively similar. I've seen them selling for anything from around £500  right up to more than £3000. Obviously model specs vary and general condition has to be considered but very often the differences in price being asked by different sellers are all over the place for no obvious reason.

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I think you'll find that with all second hand cars.

Re the Carina, my dad has one and he's very happy with it. It's a few years older than the one you're looking at but still in good condition apart from one problem; The screen was replaced before he got it and it looks as if the replacement work has damaged the paint up the A pillars because it's rusting there quite badly now.

We have two 10/11 year old Toyotas and they've both been very reliable; from threads I've seen here it looks as if there are fewer problems with Toyotas of this age than there are with some of the latest VVTi models.

[Fat Slob]

One thing that I can't quite work out with the Carinas is the huge differences in prices for cars that appear relatively similar. I've seen them selling for anything from around £500  right up to more than £3000. Obviously model specs vary and general condition has to be considered but very often the differences in price being asked by different sellers are all over the place for no obvious reason.

←

I think you'll find that with all second hand cars.

Re the Carina, my dad has one and he's very happy with it. It's a few years older than the one you're looking at but still in good condition apart from one problem; The screen was replaced before he got it and it looks as if the replacement work has damaged the paint up the A pillars because it's rusting there quite badly now.

We have two 10/11 year old Toyotas and they've both been very reliable; from threads I've seen here it looks as if there are fewer problems with Toyotas of this age than there are with some of the latest VVTi models.

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My previous car was a 2.0Gli Carina E, I had it for 5 years and put 100,000 miles on it, finally parting with it when it had 135,000 miles. The engine was fabulous, gutsy and torquey plus returned 36mpg. Funnily enough my windscreen was replaced and started rusting around the A pillars too. Apart from the cambelt change, the only problems I had was a seized brake caliper, replacement handbrake cables, rear shocks and a slow water pump leak all between 100-130,000 miles.

I cant speak highly enough of the car, it never once let me down, when I PX'd mine it still had the original exhaust, clutch and HT leads with no sign of them giving up at all. If they still made the saloon I would have bought another without a seconds hesitation.

[ashley karyl]

I have now come to an agreement to pay £1200 for the car which seems like a fair price. That includes 9 months of road Tax and no MOT due until next June. So far everything about the car looks good and I am not anticipating any major problems following all the glowing endorsements I have read here. The Clio was fun to drive, but it had a number of small problems in just one year and that was no fun at all, so I decided I would be really careful this time around and go for something with a good reputation which appears to have been well treated. We are going to meet up in a few days to complete the deal when we both have time.

[ashley karyl]

Well today I picked up the Carina and I am really happy with everything so far. Its a real pleasure to drive and seems to have been well maintained.

The car is due for a service, so I'll book it in next week for a thorough check over and the last owner said its cambelt was changed ten thousand miles ago at 60,000 but going through the paper work this evening I couldn't see any receipts for that being done. I am wondering if a mechanic would be able to tell if it had been done recently or if I should just play it safe and get a new one put in there when the service is being done. The car is doing everything perfectly but I really want to keep it running smoothly so I don't think its worth running any risks.

It does feel good to be a Toyota owner!

[Beardie]

Did you trust the previous keeper, if so, take their word on the cambelt, any doubts, get it changed. An independant will charge you around £60 plus say £20 for the belt. The 1.8 will have 60,000 mile platinum spark plugs, so these do not need changing at 70,000. All you should require will be Oil, Oil filter and possibly the Air Filter. Try using a Semi synthetic oil for long term benefit. Welcome to the car in front.

[ashley karyl]

I have no particular reason to distrust the previous owner, but on the other hand, the lack of a paper work showing a replacement for a cam belt sort of stuck out because he said it had been done 10,000 miles ago and that is the sort of thing you would normally keep especially because he said the replacement was carried out by a Toyota specialist and was guaranteed. The car is so clean in every other respect that I'd be a little surprised frankly if he hadn't had it done.

This morning I visisted my local mechanic who said he'll be able to fit in the Carina for a service next Wednesday and he reckons he'll be able to verify whether or not the cam belt actually needs changing while he's doing that. I've asked him to apply a special wax treatment to the underside of the car as well since it will be parked on the road right through the winter. I was thinking of using Castrol GTX Magnatec 15W-40 as an oil which is synthetic and supposed to be pretty good but I'll ask the mechanic what he suggests. I am not expecting big problems but I'd like to get it properly serviced and checked over.

All the reviews I read say that the Carina has a very bland look but I have to ask compared to what? next to a Porsche sure, but sat next to most normal family cars it looks absolutely fine.

[harry69koi]

Glad you like your new toy :) i my self bought my first toyota yesterday and chose a carina 1.6 XLI she`s a k reg and like you she`s had a good previous owner :D

71000 on the clock and only £500 bargain cars if you ask me :)

[ashley karyl]

Toyota's are brilliant so welcome to the club. 71000 is nothing for a Carina and if you it treat it well there is no reason why you can't keep it for several years of trouble free motoring which has to make it the bargain of the decade for £500. Look around at all the reviews for Carina's online and you'll only see one disatisfied owner in every hundred. Just remember that this has always been the number one choice for taxi drivers and that should tell you something about the car

On my Carina I eventually found the paper work showing that the cam belt had been changed, so it went in for a full service and all they found that needed replacing was an interior light bulb and a top up for the screen wash. Look after your Carina and you should be a very happy owner. Some people may feel its bland etc but this is a seriously reliable quality built car at a bargain price. :D