YSSMAN's Celica Thread: 365+ Days of Toyota

[homeforsummer]

I've had my car for over six. I wonder if my next one will stay in my posession that long?...

 

[Joey D]

Oh and Brad, once Phil gets his car and drives it across the country the three of us have to do a photoshoot on Lake Michigan or something. I've known you guys for what? Four years or something and you live in the same state as me and Phil lives here most of the time. How lame are we that we've never actually met up and BS'ed about cars? Hell Keef should even drive from Ohio.

 

[Azuremen]

Phil will convince you buy an M3 if her gets one. All you have to do is ride in one

As for the Celica, the suspension is likely fine, but it will need shocks some day. It will be a bit stiffer if you lower it due to stiffer springs, but quality shocks can keep that in check. Bushings aren't that soft on the Toyota's so they don't wear as much. I love how much the labor on timing belts is though... since the belt is about $30 dollars from Shuck's last I checked.

But yeah, it isn't a bad little car. I still think you could order up a BEAMS 3S-GE and have 200 HP without a turbo. Would be amusing to say the least.

 

[Philly]

It really doesn't seem like it has been a full year. But then again, I'm sure this year flew by for a lot of us. It's good to see that you're still enjoying it as much as when you bought it!

But, considering that I continue to blather on about wanting to buy a Honda S2000 as a replacement, or perhaps a FIAT 500 or a Ford Fiesta depending on a swath of variables, clearly I'm just as out of my mind as I was in the Infinite Crisis thread. But of course... I've still got a long while to love this car, and so far, that is what I plan on continuing to do so for the next few years.

*AHEM* The choice is clear:

I would be upset if somebody I knew got the chance to buy one of those and didn't.

Oh and Brad, once Phil gets his car and drives it across the country the three of us have to do a photoshoot on Lake Michigan or something. I've known you guys for what? Four years or something and you live in the same state as me and Phil lives here most of the time. How lame are we that we've never actually met up and BS'ed about cars? Hell Keef should even drive from Ohio.

I'm down for something like that. Hella Upper Midwest GTP Get together.

Phil will convince you buy an M3 if her gets one. All you have to do is ride in one

I'm working on it. I just have to convince dad that the M3 will be a cheaper option than the WRX or MINI. But if I can play off dad's car bias and get something well out of my price range (say a Cooper S?) I'm doing it.

As for the Celica, the suspension is likely fine, but it will need shocks some day. It will be a bit stiffer if you lower it due to stiffer springs, but quality shocks can keep that in check. Bushings aren't that soft on the Toyota's so they don't wear as much. I love how much the labor on timing belts is though... since the belt is about $30 dollars from Shuck's last I checked.

Is that a part that's not changeable in the driveway? I wouldn't expect a Toyota that old would have been a part of the 'over-complicate things to make the dealers get more money' craze that the GTI is...

 

[eiriksmil]

Is that a part that's not changeable in the driveway? I wouldn't expect a Toyota that old would have been a part of the 'over-complicate things to make the dealers get more money' craze that the GTI is...

You don't change timing belts on your drive, you just don't.

 

[Keef]

No, you don't even consider doing it. What actually happens is you open the hood and go "So...it's under that plastic cover? Which is under the head...which holds the cams...which controls the timing, and that's under the valve cover, the engine mounts, the wiring. Yeah I'll let somebody else do that."

That's about how that goes.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Or you start taking the engine apart, get lost in the process and make an epic post on the internet.

 

[eiriksmil]

No, you don't even consider doing it. What actually happens is you open the hood and go "So...it's under that plastic cover? Which is under the head...which holds the cams...which controls the timing, and that's under the valve cover, the engine mounts, the wiring. Yeah I'll let somebody else do that."

That's about how that goes.

No, I mean even if you know really well how to do it, IF you **** it up you're looking at a nice bill.. It's the only thing I won't even bother doing myself, because when I've delivered a car at a garage and if it breaks, I've got warranty

 

[TheBook]

It really doesn't feel like a year, does it? Things like that just kinda end up in the back of your mind, then you regurgitate them up later and think "hey, wasn't it..."

I'm down for something like that. Hella Upper Midwest GTP Get together.

That would be a lot of fun. Except I'd get kicked out for not having a car epic enough. That, or I'm too much of a GTP n00b for you guys.

 

[Azuremen]

No, I mean even if you know really well how to do it, IF you **** it up you're looking at a nice bill.. It's the only thing I won't even bother doing myself, because when I've delivered a car at a garage and if it breaks, I've got warranty

The 5S-FE is a non interference head, last I checked. This isn't a Nissan or a VW or some nonsense

I've done timing belts before in an afternoon. On an Mk1 MR2.

 

[Joey D]

That would be a lot of fun. Except I'd get kicked out for not having a car epic enough. That, or I'm too much of a GTP n00b for you guys.

We probably won't do it until the fall when Phil's back here, get your rims on and join us.

 

[eiriksmil]

So how many of you have actually met each other irl?

 

[Joey D]

It's sad but I've never met anyone from the forums, I did see Brad's old Jetta when I was in Grand Rapids one time but never actually saw him. We are lame.

 

[JCE]

Congrats. Nice read. I too know the joys of owning an older car that is in good shape. (my minivan) I'm closing in on my 6 month anv. for the van.

Celica Coupe -

The Toyota Curren (another car on the T200 chassis)

Shows the difference more so.

You could probably bolt that front end to your Celica, Brad. Have some mad tyte JDM-ness over there, that no one would even know about.

I prefer the circle headlights on that generation. The others look too Nissan or Honda to me.

Nicest Celica: This one, of course.
Without cheating, though, I've always liked this one. Don't really know why.

QFT I saw a really nice white older Celica today and had to take pics. I'm a sucker for a good RWD Celica.

Every time I walk out to my car I keep thinking of this:

I would too bro.

 

[Jim Prower]

You don't change timing belts on your drive, you just don't.

I did. and it wasn't really THAT hard. Sure, I had to support the engine with a Model T jack overnight....but Toyota made it damn easy to get timing right on the 4A-C

 

[YSSMAN]

As for the Celica, the suspension is likely fine, but it will need shocks some day. It will be a bit stiffer if you lower it due to stiffer springs, but quality shocks can keep that in check. Bushings aren't that soft on the Toyota's so they don't wear as much. I love how much the labor on timing belts is though... since the belt is about $30 dollars from Shuck's last I checked.

I've seen on the internet that the shocks like to go out a little early on this generation of Celica, but I'll have to take my time shopping around when the time comes. The car isn't in bad shape, yet. But, when the origional parts start going, it'll be time for newer, better stuff.

RE: Labor Costs

Actually, besides the $800 blowout, my Toyota dealer seems to be pretty square on their pricing. They were telling me that my timing belt was due for a change on the Jetta before I got rid of it, that was going to be nearly $800. So, I'll take the $230. That's not too bad.




One thing that does suck though: I can't use my ramps to change the oil in my driveway. Otherwise, I was shocked to find out how easy it is to do by comparison to my previous VWs.

 

[Azuremen]

We probably won't do it until the fall when Phil's back here, get your rims on and join us.

Well, I'll likely be over on the West side of the state this summer. If he gets an M3, more reason for me to drag Victor and Mike along with their '99s. Then head over to BC for some racing.

Would be a solid good weekend.