Toyota Celica vvtli 190

[dabofoppo]

Hi guys, a few weeks ago I posted in general gassing asking about these cars. I had spotted one for sale and was interested in them I went to view the car and was very impressed but I forgot key things like mileage service history etc focusing on if the car ran well and its general condition which was not too bad the bonnet paints crap the exhaust is blowing and the remote central locking doesnt work. The car was for sale for £1000 I offered £500 and the owner agreed! The cars on 160k and has no service history but the oils clean and the car runs well.
Its Storm Blue and I think its great.

20150730_001600 by William Kane, on Flickr

20150729_195401 by William Kane, on Flickr

20150729_195345 by William Kane, on Flickr

M.o.ts booked for Monday and its going in to have the exhaust welded tomorrow.

[samj2014]

I'd say that's alright for £500! I've always had a bit of a soft spot for those too, they look great once they're lowered a touch.

[Scuba_steve]

Bargain find for £500, even with the paint and exhaust thats still a good buy. 190 will be brisk also!

[dabofoppo]

Cheers guys full leather and an eletric sunroof etc best specced car iv ever had. Seems very quick compared with my previous leon cupra and clio 172 handles very well also sounds fantastic even with the blown exhaust. Will upload more pics once iv cleaned it up and taken some decent pics.

[Andy665]

Absolute bargain - I love my T Sport - its got under my skin which I was not expecting at all - very underrated cars - yes they are noisy and doors do not exactly shut with a thud but the payoff is light weight and decent performance / economy with a really good chassis

[em177]

Bargain of the day! I'm sure I recognise the car. I'm in the trade in the Edinburgh area, was it bought around here?

[dabofoppo]

i have no idea I know the previous owner bought it from a small dealer in Seamill. It seems to have spent most of its life going between Saltcoats, Peterborough and Manchester (mots alternate between these towns over the past 10 year.

Exhaust was welded today £20 at a local garage who are also doing the m.o.t they're confident it'll pass.

[justanother5tar]

Thats a great buy for £500!

Cant help but think how well these still look considering their age.

[Joey Ramone]

Machine polish, lowering springs, new alloys, spacers, jobs a good-un. Cracking cars!

[geraintthomas]

Absolute bargain! I've got one of these and they're amazing.

The only thing I'd say is as yours is the early pre-facelift 190, get the 'lift bolts' changed. Or flange bolts as some toyota garages may call them. They're the bolts that engages the 'lift' kick at 6,200rpm and they can have a tendency to snap on the early 190 models such as yours. It won't damage the engine if they do snap, you just won't get 190bhp at 6,200rpm.

If you like, I can get instructions on how to change them so you can give them to a mechanic. The bolts themselves are only £1.50 from Toyota

[dabofoppo]

Cheers the instructions would be great .
Failed the m.o.t today one tyres not legal other one has a cut that goes to the cords handbrake needs adjusted and a number plate bulbs out. Not bad for 14 years old and 160k.

And since im posting about it the colour is great! Needs a good polish and bonnet respray. Also the handling is a revelation even compared with the clio so much fun.

Edited by dabofoppo on Monday 3rd August 19:44

[petrolsniffer]

£500?? up for 1000?

I'd feel mega awkward/cheeky doing that seeing how offended most get with offers like those on here.

But whatever it paid off!

These are great lookers definately one of my fave coupes.

How is it to drive though? I have a corolla from the same era which made me start the topic 'most boring car you've owned' I'd hope non of its Boring dna would of crossed with one of these.

[dabofoppo]

I feel really awkward about asking for money off but the previous owner told me to give him my best offer i said £500 expecting him to laugh at me and he said it was a deal. In my opinion this is one of the most fun cars to drive iv ever had. Im constantly looking for an excuse to drive it . Id rate it above my old clio 172.

[Andy665]

dabofoppo said:

Im constantly looking for an excuse to drive it . Id rate it above my old clio 172.

I had a Clio 182 with Cup suspension before my Celica and I feel exactly the same - its like an old school hot hatch - you take i by the scruff of the neck and drive it hard and it comes alive - looking back at the road tests of the time and I don not think they do it justice - no its not refined, its noisy but its one heck of a lot of fun

[dabofoppo]

I just realised it was looking at your Celica that made me consider one . Celica just done its first bit of longish distance driving 50 miles to work and back no issues at all. One thing that is bothering me is the exhaust is standard but seems quite loud is this normal?

[thatguy11]

Snap great cars, you have a lot to look forward to. I'd agree with the above, get some lowering springs asap - transforms the way it looks!

[dabofoppo]

That blue colours great my cars apparently storm blue but it looks more like black. Lowering springs will be done before xmas hopefully. Small update got 2 decent part worn tyres for £50 new number plate bulb holders are on their way and im currently finding out how to tighten the handbrake to get the car through its m.o.t.

Also may be taking the car on track at the end of this month depending on work.

[M1C]

I know what you mean about Storm blue, it's a lovely colour. I used to work in a Toyota franchise when these were new, great cars. I was only 18 at the time and I felt I was the absolute dogs danglies cruising about in one of these.

[dabofoppo]

Car has been m.o.ted no advisories 160606 miles on the clock now iv done about 1000 miles since I picked it up. only complaint I have is that the gear gaitor has came loose possibly when the mechanic tightened the handbrake.
Total spent for m.o.t £110 including the test.
To do list:
New number plates
Bonnet respray/replace
lower
new exhaust
Standard wheels

I gave it a quick polish and wax the other day so heres a couple of pics.

IMG_1858 by William Kane, on Flickr

IMG_1857 by William Kane, on Flickr

IMG_1859 by William Kane, on Flickr

IMG_1849 by William Kane, on Flickr

Also spotted this the other night on the way home from work.
20150812_223255 by William Kane, on Flickr

[dabofoppo]

Thought id give this a small update currently on 173000 miles still going strong other than engine management light is on and a misfire in lift apparently down to the Lambda sensor previous exhaust blew apart so I got the cheapest exhaust I could fitted total cost £100 Also stuck a set of facelift rear lights onto it and a tsport badge purely because I prefer them the red sticker will be being removed next weekend. I have been considering selling it due to being at uni and the car not being the cheapest to run. Other than that all is well. Worked out that so far the car has cost me less than £800 not including insurance etc.
IMG_2854 by William Kane, on Flickr

IMG_2851 by William Kane, on Flickr

IMG_2861 by William Kane, on Flickr

Edited by dabofoppo on Friday 11th March 23:08