My EP91 - First Car!

[iRage]

22 hours ago, MaleCortana said:

The AT filter was cleaned out! (That's the thing with the magnet right? My technical knowledge is improving albeit still at a slower rate) the fluid is funnelled in through the dipstick.

Yes....some have magnets put in there to capture metal shavings..some don't...depends on the manufacturer and the gearbox type. So the bottom tray was removed to drain the fuel out. Yes...depending on the gearbox design the ATF oil is filled either through a dipstick or a filler plug (as some do not have dipsticks).

[MaleCortana]

4 hours ago, iRage said:

Yes....some have magnets put in there to capture metal shavings..some don't...depends on the manufacturer and the gearbox type. So the bottom tray was removed to drain the fuel out. Yes...depending on the gearbox design the ATF oil is filled either through a dipstick or a filler plug (as some do not have dipsticks).

Yep! I watched some online videos (by ChrisFix) and the one he showed had some sort of pump looking method which wasn't the case for my car, regardless I put in 4Ls (Ruwan told me that about 500ml remains in the Torque Converter which we didn't drain) so flushed the entire thing basically, had an issue with a leaky bushing near the Gear Selector but that was a cheap fix ?

[MaleCortana]

Christmas came a bit early

1997 December Starlet Reflet catalogue

[Supra_Natural]

Somehow missed this thread before, best of luck with the project! It's really good to see a starlet that hasn't been riced, they are becoming a rare breed!

Toyotas of this particular time period (90s/very early 2000s) appear to have been some of the best built vehicles of all time and should be able to keep going indefinitely if looked after. 

[MaleCortana]

1 hour ago, Supra_Natural said:

Somehow missed this thread before, best of luck with the project! It's really good to see a starlet that hasn't been riced, they are becoming a rare breed!

Toyotas of this particular time period (90s/very early 2000s) appear to have been some of the best built vehicles of all time and should be able to keep going indefinitely if looked after. 

Thanks!

Also yes I think it's a very simple car hence very little to fix, only problem these days is that the prices on donor cars from Japan are a tad expensive but I'm sure it'll steady itself again

 

[iRage]

1 hour ago, MaleCortana said:

Thanks!

Also yes I think it's a very simple car hence very little to fix, only problem these days is that the prices on donor cars from Japan are a tad expensive but I'm sure it'll steady itself again

 

Really ? Have not noticed that actually...for the most part the prices have remained more or less the same for cars of the era you are looking at (cars that are popular for export has dropped around 10-20%). What you are seeing might be changes in the currency ? or rates in shipping etc.. ?

A standard, good condition, Starlet in the local market runs for anything between 200k - 500K yen depending on the condition and grade. A Glanza/GT runs about double of that (only exception is when the car is high mileage or has an accident history). Now these are Starlets that are road worthy in Japan with low mileages (10k - 60K km). So I would have thought you can find higher mileage donor type vehicles for cheaper. The other issue is...these things are running low in numbers...so pretty soon there won't be any around to buy.

[MaleCortana]

26 minutes ago, iRage said:

Really ? Have not noticed that actually...for the most part the prices have remained more or less the same for cars of the era you are looking at (cars that are popular for export has dropped around 10-20%). What you are seeing might be changes in the currency ? or rates in shipping etc.. ?

A standard, good condition, Starlet in the local market runs for anything between 200k - 500K yen depending on the condition and grade. A Glanza/GT runs about double of that (only exception is when the car is high mileage or has an accident history). Now these are Starlets that are road worthy in Japan with low mileages (10k - 60K km). So I would have thought you can find higher mileage donor type vehicles for cheaper. The other issue is...these things are running low in numbers...so pretty soon there won't be any around to buy.

Yeah that's definitely something you will face. as to the car prices I checked them up a while ago (during the height of COVID) and they were quite expensive. Maybe it was a slight hiccup. Not going to lie I'd much rather the Starlets/Glanza's in Japan stay there without being turned into donor cars that are used by RICEBOYZ who thinks slapping a Glanza bodykit only makes them oh so much faster. Very rarely do I see an actual Glanza conversion with the 4EFTE to back it up as well.

[iRage]

3 hours ago, MaleCortana said:

Yeah that's definitely something you will face. as to the car prices I checked them up a while ago (during the height of COVID) and they were quite expensive. Maybe it was a slight hiccup. Not going to lie I'd much rather the Starlets/Glanza's in Japan stay there without being turned into donor cars that are used by RICEBOYZ who thinks slapping a Glanza bodykit only makes them oh so much faster. Very rarely do I see an actual Glanza conversion with the 4EFTE to back it up as well.

Sadly that is not going to happen...it costs an am and foot to own an old car in Japan....everything from road axes to road worthy inspections carry a premium...at the end of the day a few may remain with a handful of enthusiasts but most will get shipped out. There are plans to introduce a heritage/classic car registration category with lowered axes and limited mileages per year...so that might help to keep some over here but still only with a few collectors I suppose. Even then..the proposal is still a proposal...nothing definitive yet.

[MaleCortana]

Christmas for my car! (But not for me hahaha close to 50k in repairs) but it feels like an absolute joy to drive now!

Replaced a bunch of parts:

Lower arms (redid the bushing and bought a new one due to the poor state of condition it was in)

Both CV Joints

Both Ball Joints

Wheel bearings in the front (Rear was replaced a month ago)

Dust boots for both front shocks

Break pads + Break liners all around changed up 

PCV Valve because old one was well. old.

And then finished up with a alignment check in the end  

Not going to lie I had trouble sleeping with the car being gone for two days to do all these 

^Pic of my mechanics cat if you actually bothered to look through this post

 

\

[MaleCortana]

Also weird nugget of information

The entire front suspension has been replaced with a Glanza parts which was a bit of a rude awakening when I realized the Starlet EP91 lower arm was different to what I took out of my car. I confirmed this with a couple of different Starlet parts dealers who confirmed that the lower arms and stuff were indeed Glanza parts because of the tell-tale Bigger bushings on them. 

Weird.

I get a previous owner swapping a body kit or an engine but its a weird conversion to have when you've just swapped the suspension. Maybe it was a Glanza converted car at one point in its life. Need to check the internals of the engine at one point to see if they are the 4EFTE stuff. Cool bonus though!

[MaleCortana]

Car started making weird rattling noises when engine was under load, looked like the Spark Plugs had finally given. Mistake on my part because I forgot to change the spark plugs when I bought the car. Live and Learn I guess.

Before and After Images

[MaleCortana]

It zipped into my heart with its peppy 1.3 as fast as it went, this car is no more with me as I sold it in the morning today. Looks like I had fallen for a classic meter fraud when a previous owner showed me a mileage report with hundred thousand or so more kms a year ago than when I bought it for. Although I would still have loved to restore her (The suspension, interior, exterior is already completely restored by me) I gave it away because it is a tainted car imo at that point. If you see this car up for sale again know that everything has been done in the car but the engine really is on its way out because it coughs up an unholy amount of blacksmoke at high revs (5k+) and it goes through engine oil faster than a cocaine line at a rave plus bad fuel mileage for some reason wtf? (Only 8KMPL). Sold it back to the guy who sold it to me. 

[Magnum]

12 hours ago, MaleCortana said:

It zipped into my heart with its peppy 1.3 as fast as it went, this car is no more with me as I sold it in the morning today. Looks like I had fallen for a classic meter fraud when a previous owner showed me a mileage report with hundred thousand or so more kms a year ago than when I bought it for. Although I would still have loved to restore her (The suspension, interior, exterior is already completely restored by me) I gave it away because it is a tainted car imo at that point. If you see this car up for sale again know that everything has been done in the car but the engine really is on its way out because it coughs up an unholy amount of blacksmoke at high revs (5k+) and it goes through engine oil faster than a cocaine line at a rave plus bad fuel mileage for some reason wtf? (Only 8KMPL). Sold it back to the guy who sold it to me. 

The previous owner wanted it back after seeing that you have restored it back or was he emotionally attached to it?

[Davy]

13 hours ago, MaleCortana said:

It zipped into my heart with its peppy 1.3 as fast as it went, this car is no more with me as I sold it in the morning today. Looks like I had fallen for a classic meter fraud when a previous owner showed me a mileage report with hundred thousand or so more kms a year ago than when I bought it for. Although I would still have loved to restore her (The suspension, interior, exterior is already completely restored by me) I gave it away because it is a tainted car imo at that point. If you see this car up for sale again know that everything has been done in the car but the engine really is on its way out because it coughs up an unholy amount of blacksmoke at high revs (5k+) and it goes through engine oil faster than a cocaine line at a rave plus bad fuel mileage for some reason wtf? (Only 8KMPL). Sold it back to the guy who sold it to me. 

I had missed this thread, so read it from the start today. Didn't expect to read this! 😐

Anyway, good luck with your next purchase!

[MaleCortana]

3 hours ago, Magnum said:

The previous owner wanted it back after seeing that you have restored it back or was he emotionally attached to it?

Nope he's a buying and selling fellow, I bought the car pre-price hike, so he asked if I would like to sell it back to him

[MaleCortana]

1 hour ago, Davy said:

I had missed this thread, so read it from the start today. Didn't expect to read this! 😐

Anyway, good luck with your next purchase!

Hahaha no worries, definitely won't touch anything without previous eco test reports

Thanks!

[zanzibar]

I have been following this thread as if it was a love story 😁. A smooth flow in the beginning, bit of a sudden twist and a sad ending.

But i guess you made the right call. 

Good luck on your next purchase mate!

[MaleCortana]

39 minutes ago, zanzibar said:

I have been following this thread as if it was a love story 😁. A smooth flow in the beginning, bit of a sudden twist and a sad ending.

But i guess you made the right call. 

Good luck on your next purchase mate!

Hahahah all the best stories need to have those three things. Yeah honestly not knowing what its true mileage is just a massive bummer.

Thanks ❤️

 

[Kavvz]

On 1/15/2021 at 5:58 AM, MaleCortana said:

It zipped into my heart with its peppy 1.3 as fast as it went, this car is no more with me as I sold it in the morning today....Sold it back to the guy who sold it to me. 

Whoa! Interesting turn of events! 

[Kavvz]

On 1/15/2021 at 9:33 PM, MaleCortana said:

Nope he's a buying and selling fellow, I bought the car pre-price hike, so he asked if I would like to sell it back to him

What a ballsy bugger! The cheek of it...But I see why you sold it back to him rather than another unsuspecting person, at least this guy knows he's buying a car with a shady history.

Edited January 17, 2021 by Kavvz

[MaleCortana]

10 hours ago, Kavvz said:

What a ballsy bugger! The cheek of it...But I see why you sold it back to him rather than another unsuspecting person, at least this guy knows he's buying a car with a shady history.

Yeah I guess, hope whoever is in the market for a Starlet do come across this thread, I did splurge money on suspension, breaks, exterior and interior so it can be very deceiving and tempting.

[GK_007]

On 1/15/2021 at 4:28 PM, MaleCortana said:

It zipped into my heart with its peppy 1.3 as fast as it went, this car is no more with me as I sold it in the morning today. Looks like I had fallen for a classic meter fraud when a previous owner showed me a mileage report with hundred thousand or so more kms a year ago than when I bought it for. Although I would still have loved to restore her (The suspension, interior, exterior is already completely restored by me) I gave it away because it is a tainted car imo at that point. If you see this car up for sale again know that everything has been done in the car but the engine really is on its way out because it coughs up an unholy amount of blacksmoke at high revs (5k+) and it goes through engine oil faster than a cocaine line at a rave plus bad fuel mileage for some reason wtf? (Only 8KMPL). Sold it back to the guy who sold it to me. 

Its a sad ending indeed. I also have a similar experience with my car, when I bought my car the mileage showed as 18,000kms but was lucky I checked the JVIC online and figured out it was 40,000kms. I didnt bother too much just that remember that on service intervals. 

But how did you managed to verify the correct mileage ? 

[MaleCortana]

Met previous owner who had the eco test report during his time 😢

[Hyaenidae]

4 minutes ago, MaleCortana said:

Met previous owner who had the eco test report during his time 😢

What was the mileage?

[MaleCortana]

1 hour ago, Hyaenidae said:

What was the mileage?

260k Kms in 2018