So i've never owned a car before and a co-worker is interested in selling me her 1996 Toyota for $1500. I hate taking the bus and desperately want a vehicle of my own so i've been seriously considering it. I'm just wondering if this is a good buy. It isn't in the best condition and is going to need some fixing up.
Main problems:
-Gas tank leaks under when under half full
-Brakes are stiff and it isn't a problem with the fluid
Minor issues include a crack headlight and interior speaker blown out. Also has some rust on the outside so it'll need bodywork. Could I get something better for cheaper? I'm pretty dumb when it comes to cars.
pic related, it's a toyata. i dont know the exact model of the car is question.
Oh, also, what's generally the preferred insurance company?
>>15209826
fuel leaks you want to stay the fuck away from dude. do not buy that shit. extremely costly fix if its the tank thats leaking.
>>15209834
anything cheap. thats a toyota tercel in the picture
Thats about the Average price for a Tercel here in Ca.
I used to own a 1994 Tercel and theyre pretty reliable and junkyards are full of them.
Watch out for leaking valve cover gaskets cause they let oil drip.
>>15209826
You really don't know anything about it so how could we fucking tell you anything?
>>15209835
>fixing a gask tank on a Tercel
>not just swapping it out for a 50 dollar junkyard gas tank
Its not a brand new car
>>15209851
>implying its that easy
arent you cute
>>15209851
Tercels are beast performance cars, they're like an old pretty BMW mini or CRX
So underrated just because they're not Honda.
>>15209826
Get a corolla
100x better for the same price
>>15209857
It is that easy
>>15209857
Not him but I don't know why you think it isn't that easy...
>>15209840
>>15209851
>>15209863
OP here, I don't know if the car i'm looking to buy is a Tercel. I don't have an image of the car and just grabbed that one of google for my post.
>>15209857
Coming from someone that had to do that to his old Tercel, yes it is that fucking easy.
Just be careful and no open flames
>>15209868
its not easy in any car. some tanks dont just bolt off you have to cut the tank off and make sure when you reweld in a new one theres no gas fumes that will blow your shit up.
>>15209871
OP again. I realize I must sound stupid. The car IS a 2-door sedan from '96. Just don't know the model.
>>15209886
no sedan is 2 doors.
a sedan is 4 doors your talking about a coupe
>>15209892
Oh.
Sorry.
I don't know anything about cars. T-thanks for the info..
>>15209863
Pre BMW mini
>>15209879
You know thats not every single car right?
>>15209902
He's wrong 2 door sedans do exist
>>15209892
Fuck are you saying.
>>15209826
If it's a Toyota Tercel avoid it all cost, first car I ever bought on my own and it was seriously the biggest piece of shit I had ever own. It consumed engine oil like fucking crazy to the point I had to put in at least a 2 quarts every few months. Electric system was absolute shit as well.
The model I got was a super basic 1994 manual from someone for 800 bucks. It was just terrible, driving on the freeway was fucking scary due to the small skinny tires. The car would also randomly die due to battery corrosion. The only redeeming factor of the car was the reliable engine, it was slow as shit, but the clutch lasted me until 160k, when I replaced the clutch it was dirt cheap.
I did have to pull parts from it at a junkyard as well, but I guess that's why junkyards are filled with the Tercel as they are fucking junk.
In short, avoid at all cost.
>>15209902
how old are you? why dont you know anything about cars? im not making fun of you or anything im just curious.
you arent one of those guys thats in college to be some faggy IT guy right?
>>15209919
>I didn't take care if the car or change tires or suspension on am 800 dollar car
>it was SO bad
You have no idea what you're talking about
>>15209917
thats why i said "some tanks" re read my post
>>15209918
no no no shut up
>>15209879
>implying a Tercels isnt just undoing part of the exhaust, bolts, straps, and gaskets
And youre a fucking idiot if you think any is ever going to weld anything that contains gas fumes in it.
If you do have to weld up the tank you do it AFTER rinsing it out and letting it dry.
>>15209922
Not OP but noy everyone is as spoiled as you where they had an environment to learn about cars in, asshole
>>15209931
2 door sedans exist , newfag
>>15209932
THATS WHAT I WAS SAYING STUPID FUCK
>>15209922
>how old are you?
19
>why dont you know anything about cars?
Just don't. No one really taught me.
>you arent one of those guys thats in college to be some faggy IT guy right?
Worse. I work full-time making $10/hr and i'm just trying to get by.
>>15209939
lol i didnt have a dad but okay.
yes i am new here guys
>>15209919
>consumed oil
Are you sure it was just dripping out of the valve cover gasket?
My old Tercel had 258k miles on it when i got rid of it.
>>15209951
Yeah I guess you are
>>15209943
Im sorry youre so mad anon but youre a retard.
Not every single tank needs to be welded in, a Tercels doesnt need it.
If OP is getting an older Toyota, chances are he wont have to weld shit.
OP here. I FORGOT TO MENTION THE MILEAGE, which i'm pretty sure is important. I believe it's somewhere around 160,000. Is that bad?
>>15209961
if you payed any attention to>>15209879
you would see i said "some tanks" you are as dumb as the other anon
>>15209969
No sorry anon, YOU are the dumb one.
I posted about a specific cars gas tank being easy to remove while you generalized ALL gas tanks and got butthurt about having to weld them.
I corrected you, you tried to correct me, and no youre back pedaling.
Good job.
>>15209952
I am pretty sure it was an oil burn as the car never leaked. I did manage to get it to about 180k before the electric system just completely died. I cleaned the battery connectors constantly to try and keep the car working.
>>15209997
nope my point still stands that i said some tanks. there fore im not wrong because i generalized some not all you cuck. you still lose. you didnt correct shit now fuck off
>>15209947
Nobody's hating you for knowing nothing, but at some point some figure in your life should have shown you some basics for safety reasons
>>15210034
Not everyone is spoiled enough to have figures in their life
>>15209967
Not for a car that old
>>15210038
why is everyone being so personal with my reply to op? "not everyone is spolied to have figures in there life"
seriously?
>>15210038
YouTube has figures that'll teach you about cars
>>15210034
Well, I never knew my dad. All I had was my mom, and she was an alcoholic.
>>15210043
That's good to know. I'm am thinking of just looking at a car on craigslist, but my co-worker does need the money, would be nice to help her out. I'm not gonna factor that in to my final decision, though.
>>15210055
i didnt know my dad either op all bullshit aside i wouldnt buy a car with a fuel leak too risky.
buy something else dont feel too bad for especially her selling it for 1500$ thats not worth it to me
>>15210029
Good job closing your eyes and ears to being corrected.
>>15210019
The oil likes to slowly drip onto the hot engine.
Still if it wasnt leaking then thats odd, ive only ever heard of the gasket leak killing them.
>>15210055
Buying a car from a co-worker is kind of risky, the car could be completely useless and you may feel some resentment giving her the money. I am sure there is no maliciousness, but it may end up awkward working together.
>>15210077
>here is your reply
>>15210074
>>15210080
I wish I could spoiler on this board. Pretty sure she's also interested in me. You know, romantically. I don't know how to feel about this in regards to the purchase, but maybe buying it from her isn't the best option.
>>15210077
It must have been leaking oil then and I just couldn't find it, doesn't matter now as that car made me hate driving.
Got a 1996 Nissan Hardbody that I absolutely love and has been trouble free since I got it like 8 years ago.
>>15210049
Fuck off, I wish I was so lucky
>>15210105
have sex with her in the car that shes trying to sell you
tell her you dont want it after words because people had sex in it
>>15210108
i said in the previous post i didnt have a dad :l
>>15210097
;)
>>15210107
Lol yeah, my old Tercel had a little bit of that effect on me too.
It was a good commuter car that sipped on fuel and that was it.
>>15210124
>:c
>>15210123
Yeah? And I didn't have anyone.
>>15210123
But i'm a virgin and she's fat. And I feel worse about myself after each post I make.
>>15210130
but you have me anon
>>15210135
>>15210135
why do you feel worse? worse about what?
>>15210135
Gotta drop that v card somewhere
>>15210142
The more info I provide about myself the more I can see sort of see myself from a different perspective. It's weird and I don't like it. Not even /adv/ makes me feel this way.
>>15210148
yeah in one of the rolls of the fat girl selling op her car
>>15210159
>19
>virgin
>making 10$ an hour full time trying to get by
whats the big deal?
you dont know shit about cars awsome. but its not the end of the world.
heres me.
>22
>makes 15$ working full time
>not virgin
>knows about cars
stop reading into stuff so much
>>15209886
Maybe it's a Paseo
>>15209826
If you know absolutely nothing about cars and no one is around to give you pointers, stay away from cars that need work on something as critical as the brakes or gas tank.
>>15209826
>>15210159
>Not even /adv/ makes me feel this way.
/o/ is a shithole at the best of times. Everyone is too busy to argue what shitbox is best shitbox.
Sure you may be spending $1500 on buying the car, but there is a chance you'll spend more getting it onto the road and possibly more further down the track.
Considering it has some rust on the outside, there could be the potential for rust underneath.
Sure you might be able to get the gas tank replaced and the brakes fixed too, but there could be other issues that could be far more serious that she hasn't told you about.
I'd personally save up a bit more and find a better car. Use the time to learn.
For $1500 or less you can find a totally driveable car that doesn't need work, at least immediately. Do not buy a POS just to spread the wealth.
