89 Corolla

[DD_Dave 10+ year member]

I may go back to driving my CRX around town...I dunno

 

[Alpine CDA-9815 10+ year member]

Alright I'll get the car sometime next week.

First thing is first, AC does not work. It blows, but just hot air. I'll first check the refrigerant. After that I'll just buy a reman compressor off ebay, $100-140.

I know very little about carbed or 4 cyc motors. I guess it may need a new carb since the car "diesels" (?) when you turn it off. Same thing happened to my buds van, it ended up being the carb so that's why I think that it may be the same issue?

I plan on keeping this motor for awhile. So I'll just get a K&N filter for it (I like ones that I can just wash). I would also like to do some new springs and struts/shocks. Anyone know of any sites I can find these parts at?

Oh and of course a CHEAP A$$ system, and I mean cheap as can be lol.

 

[Atimm693 10+ year member]

My mom had an 88' Corolla wagon for awhile, very nice car. She bought if for 350.00, it was a hell of a deal. The two problems we had were:

1. Water pumps, we replaced it, (MAJOR PITA) ran good for awhile, then after we sold it the lady who bought it said the pulley sheared off, then I guess it needed altogether replacing.

2. Exhaust systems, the first one broke, we welded it, then it totally fell apart from the cat-back. IIRC it was like only 150.00 for a new system.

Other than those it was an excellent car.

 

[brad148405 10+ year member]

Yea dude, no question about it, get that mofo, great gas mileage and great reliability, you cant go wrong with a foreign car.

 

[Mitch86 5,000+ posts]

You can put another 150k-200k on that car if you take care of it. Cheap, reliable and good on gas...I'd buy it.

 

[Alpine CDA-9815 10+ year member]

Looks like the car needs a new AC compressor.... I'm just getting a cheap on off ebay no way am I going down to a parts store and paying $350 for one lol. It has struts all around, the suspension is so soft I bottomed out twice already. So new coil springs and sturts are needed. Then the brakes could use bleeding and the roof liner is falling down. Other than that the car is in good shape. I'll fix the roof liner tomorrow and probably swap out the rotors/pads and bleed the brakes.

Few pics...

 

[crunktimes.com 5,000+ posts]

Good beater car IMO, If I still had a car that ate gas like nothing with the 4.00/gal we have now I would definatly get any 90's sentra, corolla, civic etc.

 

[Alpine CDA-9815 10+ year member]

easy switch, up to 200amp from most places without trouble

Suggested places? 150 amps should do though, I'm not going crazy with a system.

 

[Goindef154 5,000+ posts]

That is one clean car for $800 looks brand new almost lol. Good buy imo

 

[blackhawk 10+ year member]

Wow that's clean for a 20 year old car, the old owner definitely took good care of it. Looks like other than the AC comp it's all maintenance, great buy.

 

[86svo 10+ year member]

Too bad it's not an 84 or 85 I believe....you can swap a turbo 2.3 ford motor into those things fairly easily....talk about a sleeper!

 

[bigbangtheory 5,000+ posts]

I miss my 84 hatchback. I remember putting in 10gallons in it and it filled it on 18 bucks! Those were the days......................

 

[Alpine CDA-9815 10+ year member]

Got the suspension done on it today, rides much better. Just need to get the alignment done now.

 

[Atimm693 10+ year member]

That is a lot nicer than the one we had.

Granted ours only cost 350.00.

Hella nice find.