Here's a nostalgic review of my first car which I bought new in 1984. Back then I needed a car that can handle New England's winters and also carry all my possessions, or all the junk I knew I would eventually accumulate

The car had A/C (optional), which worked well, and roof racks. The standard tire size was 175/75R13 mounted on white painted steel wheels. Alloy wheels were an option, but the standard steel wheels were nice enough though. The original Dunlops were eventually replaced with a set of Pirelli P77 all-seasons. The P77 was an all season version of Pirelli's (then) ground breaking P7 performance tire. The P77 worked very well in snow, wet weather and in the dry.

Handling was predictable. Safe, with a touch of understeer near the limit. The chassis could likely easily handle an additional 50 hp. Brakes were discs in front, and drums at the rear. This was adequate considering the underpowered 62hp engine. While the little engine was willing enough, acceleration was leisurely and took about 15 seconds or so to get to 60mph. Top speed being about 85 to 88mph (a little faster downhill with tailwind).


I went on a solo over-optimistically planned Spring Break drive to Utah to visit a childhood friend in '85. I remember coming upon a section of the freeway that stretched in a straight line as far as I can see, it went downhill, then uphill on the other end. I floored the car, and the tiny 1.5 liter 4-cylinder SOHC gave it all it can. Maximum speed downhill with a tailwind was perhaps 90mph (the speedometer only read up to 85mph, but as the engine speed continued to rise, I estimated an additional 5mph). But by the time I reached the top of the adjacent hill, I was down to about 40mph on 2nd gear. Yes, it was weak to say the least. But it was perfect for the winter, and I used to go driving around in the blizzard, as it was the only time that I can justify buying this car. By the time that the speed limit was raised to 65mph, it was too much for the little 1.5 liter. Every little uphill section required a downshift (I often wonder how people with the auto transmission coped..).

The Tercel was comfortable enough though, with good legroom front and back. During my long distance trip, I drove non-stop (except for fuel stops) from 7am till 8pm for 2 days and did not have any aches and pains (then again, I was younger..). Headroom was more than sufficient.

I must also state that while the 4-wheel drive system was very practical, it was a part time system that required the driver to switch it on and off via a small lever located next to the gear lever. Since it is not meant to be permanently on, it did not have a differential so that it was not to be used in dry pavement. On the plus side, the 4WD system allowed this vehicle to go where most cars couldn't. Plus this car had EL (Extra Low) gear in addition to the 5 forward speeds. This saved me from getting stuck on a number of ocassions.

Problems with my Tercel included the following:

1. A water leak in the rear section of the passenger side roof rack that caused a stain in the headliner. This was fixed under warranty by the dealer (Frank Yanco's Queen City Toyota {Went out of business in the 90s}.

2. A radiator that seemed to have corroded and caused a major coolant leak. I temporarily fixed this with an off-the-shelf radiator sealant, and informed the dealer of this. The dealer said it wasn't necessary to replace the radiator. But it leaked again a year later while I was away and my roommate was using it leading to problem 3.

3. Blown head gasket caused by overheating due to damaged radiator resulting in almost $1,000.00 in repair costs.

An item that I would recommend be replaced is the standard sealed beam halogen headlamps, which did not give out sufficient brightness and coverage. Replace this with a quartz halogen headlamp with replaceable halogen H4 bulbs. Difference is literally night and day, and are a lot safer for nighttime driving. The quartz halogens are available from Hella, Cibie and Bosch. Another gripe was the steering wheel, which had the spokes at the 7 and 5 o'clock positions, hardly the best position for the hands.

Overall, I was happy with this car. But would probably not buy it again if I went back to '84. It was supremely practical but it was way too underpowered.

I sold this car sometime in 1989.
Amount Paid (US$): 10,000.00
Condition: New
Model Year: 1984
Model and Options: SR5 Wagon ,5-speed manual, A/C