Possible New Owner Question

[SpursMadDave]

Hi all, been looking at getting an 04 or 05 plate Celica...

I Found this -

Black 05 Celica 1.8 VVTLi T Sport 189BHP Black/Grey Leather Interior

31,000 on the clock, 1 Owner from new

Asking £8,995

Good deal? What to look for?

Anyone who already runs one, what can I expect average MPG?

Tax?

Insurance?

Will be my missus car, she will be trading up from a 1.1 Punto!!!!!!

I run a 2l Seat Leon TDI FR and looking forward to borrowing it occasionally as i miss driving a petrol, it might even be as fast as my Leon....

[Scarlett Arrow]

If the Car is for your wife I'd recommend a 140 over a T Sport. The 140 will be cheaper to Tax/Fuel/Insure and of course buy, as well as having longer gearing for more relaxed cruising. Look for an example with the Premium Pack which inc. Leather, Sunroof and Climate Control. There are also two Limited Editions ("Red" and "Blue") with unique alloys and Leather to consider.

A couple of niggles on all Gen 7's are corrosion on the alloys and inside faces of the Brake Discs. Also make sure there are two remote keys, replacements are expensive.

You should be able to find a low mileage 140 for around £7K.

We all know how fussy most ladies are with colours, the choices on the 140 are as follows:

Island Green

Astral Black

Lagoon Blue

Chilli Red

Crystal Silver

Of those five, Blue and Red are arguably the best two colours.

HTH

ChelseaMadKev :)

PS The T Sport you mentioned will be in Storm Blue, not Black.

[marty32]

i have the 140 in lagoon blue, the chilli red is also nice

tax 175 per year, insurance 360 a year

noticeable diffrence in fuel consumption i had the 190 corolla and got 29 to a gallon were as my 140 celica gets 35 combined comfortably

the tsport is band f so 220 a year to tax

got my 140 about 8 mths ago 7995 main dealer with 34000 miles

[SpursMadDave]

Thanks for the replies guys.... Still unsure of a 140 or a 190? Just don't want to get one and wish I had got the other....

Missus does very few miles, she has had current car 04 plate from new and barely done 25K so not too worried about MPG particularly....

Has to be black, no question!

She had years of no claims so insurance should be fairly cheap... i'm swinging towards the 190 just because it isn't a lot more to insure and run and it has so much more power!

Autotrader here I come!!!!!!!!!

[Scarlett Arrow]

I assume you know you have to "thrash the nuts off" a 190 to get that extra power, i.e. over 6200rpm!

Anyway, Black is a 140 only colour :)

[SpursMadDave]

Test driving a 190 in Storm Blue (almost black) on Monday so will keep you posted... its done 48,000 miles, 04 and should be able to get it for £7,500 hopefully.

Anything to look out for? Im guessing I will need to 'thrash' it a little to make sure there are no 'lift' problems. But any other usual problems to look out for?