Hi guys,the wife wants to buy my Dads 1999 Seca and wondering what I should be looking out for in the way of common issues with them.The car is a 1.6 auto and has done only 98K.

Took it for a spin last night and on a quick left turn it has a slight noise which sounds a little bit like a CV joint but at this low km's I would have been surprised.It has done mostly country runs and not been a shopping trolley.Has a slight rattle for the exhaust also,so hoping they might be related.

Any tips?

 

Sorry,being a 1.6 should have said AE101R.My mistake.

Edited June 29, 200917 yr by aecsx

buy our ae112r for $7k, you'll get the mighty 1.8 motor and a 5 speed gearbox.

LHF wheel bearing is common to be replaced and the water pump bypass hose has a tendancy to leak.

Timing belt due in 2000kms.

 

Exhaust is probably got a heat shield rattle.

 

CV's are cheap. Come to think of it, all the parts are cheap.

 

Had one with 260000 kms on it (and had it from new) and NOTHING went wrong with it. Just serviced it regularly, and changed timing belts every 100K.

 

Autos are a bit sludge-o-matic though IMHO.

Dixon's on the money. The exhaust shields rattle like sin on them.

 

+ The water bypass hose on the rear out of the waterpump, they usually go.

Great.Thanks guys.

Redwarf,yes it is far from a powerhouse,not really my cup of tea but it is for my wife who quite likes the idea of an auto again,but damn it is slow.

Only reason I am looking at this is because she doesn't like driving my ae71 anymore.Might have something to do with the bigport under the bonnet :)

Timing belt and all drive belts have already been done at 94k.Will check out the exhaust heatshields,I think you are on the money there.Thanks for the tip on the bypass hose.Will look out for it.

Jono,sorry mate if I was looking for an ae112r would source one in WA.

You can't really go wrong. Known car of which you know the history. Keep regualar servicing up to it and she be driving down to collect her pension with it in 40 years time.

front control arm rear bushes also flog out pretty easily. We just did ours and replaced with urethane on our AE102 CSX.

 

Otherwise.... they are awesome.

My 102 has got just over 310,000k on it, single owner (well, essentially two, my dad bought it new in '97 and I've been driving it since 2003), and apart from a clunking/knocking in the front suspension (could be CVs, could be bushes, never had it checked out properly) it has been as reliable as tomorrow. No rust in it even though it's lived 2km from the beach for most of it's life, billion and one stone chips on it though.

 

Engine has never been opened, clutch never done, original brake pads lasted 260,000-odd k, great little cars in my book.

 

Although Seca, 4AFE and auto are a major fail combination in my book :)

7AFE is the big winner in my books. Very nice comfortable torque, and pleasantly driveable.

 

Hiro - your clunking is likely the bushes that i mentioned, closely followed by CV joints. I've done the bushes, but now the CVs are going....

7AFE is the big winner in my books. Very nice comfortable torque, and pleasantly driveable.

 

It certainly surprises some people, that's for sure. Last Old Pac cruise I went on I was front of the queue and giving it some, every second corner the cars behind (bunch of AE92s, some GZE) just disappeared

 

Hiro - your clunking is likely the bushes that i mentioned, closely followed by CV joints. I've done the bushes, but now the CVs are going....

 

Been meaning to get both checked out for ages, but lack of money, lack of time or lack of effort has meant that it's always been put on the backburner. Big load of tax money this year means that it's finally going to get the attention it deserves.

Well guys I decided not to buy my Dads car.Too slow even for my wife.Lovely car,drives great,but not for me.

Great to hear nothing but good reports as I expected,after all,its a Toyota.This Corolla is my Dads 8th Toyota,with 7 being bought brand new.

Yes he likes Toyota's.

I have found an AE102R conquest sedan that might be for sale,one owner,auto(I would prefer manual,but,hey),kept garaged,60,000km's.Friend of a guy at work.Sounds very good.

Going to look at it on Saturday.Hoping it is as good as it sounds,mmm,7AFE,ahh,thats better.

Went and looked at the 1.8 sedan.Great mechanical condition but quite a few scratches and scrapes.

Didn't really do it for me.Reassessing the situation at the moment.Been driving my 4AGE most of the weekend,don't think I am ready to sell it just yet.