RE: PH Carpool: Toyota Sera

RE: PH Carpool: Toyota Sera

Author
Discussion

norwichphoto

959 posts

224 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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Three or four years ago when there was still plenty of money sloshing around, the Seras were ignored a bit as they were considered by many to be a bit too old to be worth bothering with, but hadn't quite established classic status.

A number of perfectly good examples were destroyed in the cash for cars rebates that were going on.

And a number of cars were neglected by their owners - old car, low value etc - not worth really bothering with.

Fast forward a couple of years and people have remembered that its fairly cheap motoring - it uses the old road tax scheme and falls in the under 1500cc bracket, MPG is OK and servicing is straightforward, and those that had one lurking in the garage is starting to use it again.

Any potential buyer should look at several as a good number have been neglected, but there are a few that have been looked after. The white turbo on Ebay is a nice car, the owner has had it 10 years. He's just become a father and needs something a little more baby friendly, but the petrol head in him means he's gone for an RX-8.

Another car has sold recently for over £ 3k - the last owner went through the car and improved and tidied up many things and it looked great in the photos.

Selling can be tricky, as its a limited audience, but there is always the right car for the right buyer, but its getting the two to meet that can be hard. Good ones sell fairly easily if advertised sensible. Putting it on Ebay and making sure you use big fonts and colours isn't going to help!

I got my first Sera in 1998. I kept it for several years before selling it and replacing it with another. That car was kept standard for a year before I turbocharged it and converted from auto to manual. Kept for another few years before selling again - thats now in Poland. Currently Seraless.


Edited by norwichphoto on Tuesday 24th April 16:36

Toffer

1,527 posts

261 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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...one occasionally parks at Tesco in Haverhill. The panel fit is atrocious...perhaps a poor example?

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

255 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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Some folks really don't hold back when they don't like a car at all, do they? "If you don't have anything nice to say..."

Carfolio

1,124 posts

181 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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TheHeretic said:
Some folks really don't hold back when they don't like a car at all, do they? "If you don't have anything nice to say..."
Yeah, it's not like he's trying to flog it to you or arguing that it's better than XYZ. I for one love the looks, and it's quite probably pretty reliable and cheap to run. What's the problem?

LouD86

3,279 posts

153 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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I remember one of these sitting in a local scrap yard, without engine and running gear for about 2 years, then it disappeared. Always liked it, but at the young age of 17, didnt really know much about vehicles, and wouldnt have known where to started. Really like them now though

carl_green

18 posts

208 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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@toffer, that car in haverhill is mine, infact it is the same one that is fetured today, i know what you mean about the lines, and to be honest the car needs some work doing to it as it is nearly 20 years old now

Edited by carl_green on Tuesday 24th April 16:57

norwichphoto

959 posts

224 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
quotequote all
If the panel gap related to the front bumper, these are plastic mouldings which are clipped to a thin metal rail which is bolted to the frame of the car. A minor parking bump will cause the metal rail to twist which can resort in poor fitment at the front. Front wings are bolt on affairs and can be adjusted out, and the bonnet has some scope for adjustment.

The Sera club realised ages ago that apart from possibly rarity, the Sera isn't going to win any sort of Top Trumps games of stats, so there is no point pretending that it will. Instead enjoy the cars for what they are, make some friends around the world with similarly minded people and to generally enjoy life!

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

190 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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redgriff500 said:
Sorry but I'd suggest that if the best feature of your car is how the doors open...

It's a bad car.
So what is so wrong with the rest of the car?

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

190 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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garypotter said:
Horrible little thing!

Yes I know each to thier own but def not for me!!
So how does that make it horrible? Some of you guys are true retards.

KDIcarmad

703 posts

151 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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I love the doors and want one!

It looks like a space ship that accident became a car. Cool too.

M@1975

591 posts

227 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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Always liked these, heard some horror stories about replacing cracked windscreens though. Apparently it's damn near impossible to get a replacement!

thewheelman

2,194 posts

173 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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300bhp/ton said:
garypotter said:
Horrible little thing!

Yes I know each to thier own but def not for me!!
So how does that make it horrible? Some of you guys are true retards.
How does one guy giving his opinion make him a retard? Rather judgemental.

crocodile tears

755 posts

146 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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eabockers.com????

I'm confused - can someone explain...


trando

722 posts

171 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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These doors look ridiculous on anything other than SLSs and McLarens etc. On this they just look stupid. Horrible piece of jap junk.

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

255 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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trando said:
These doors look ridiculous on anything other than SLSs and McLarens etc. On this they just look stupid. Horrible piece of jap junk.
Another erudite addition to the thread.

trando

722 posts

171 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
quotequote all
Sorry, is there a rule that I have to like it?

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

255 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
quotequote all
trando said:
Sorry, is there a rule that I have to like it?
Absolutely not, but for some reason being polite is something I think is important.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

190 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
quotequote all
thewheelman said:
How does one guy giving his opinion make him a retard? Rather judgemental.
Because its a cave man ethos...

Umm me no like must be horrible

Me like = greatest ever

Surely there's a middle ground where you can personally not like it, but still accept it isn't horrible, just not to your tastes.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

190 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
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[redacted]

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

255 months

Tuesday 24th April 2012
quotequote all
300bhp/ton said:
Not really. Personally I much prefer the coupe looks over something hatchback like a Saxo or Fiesta. The doors are really cool too - reason enough to own it. But it doesn't mean the rest of the car isn't on par with alternatives.
Agree. I'd take the Cera over the Fiesta, Corsa, etc. Why not have something a little different, and quirky, over a normal run of the mill Eco-box?