At $5,800, Is This 1986 Toyota Tercel SR5 A 4WD Find?

Toyota's 4WD Tercel wagons, as exemplified by today's Nice Price or No Dice SR5, were some of the most interesting—and fun—cars in the company's mid-1980s lineup. Being cheap-seats cars when new means few have survived. Let's see if this decent-condition example lives up to its price and its reputation.

Attempting to sell a vehicle with a known mechanical flaw can be a daunting prospect. Buying such a vehicle is even more formidable since one fix often leads to another and the whole bevy of 'might-as-wells' that arise in the process. Such problem-child vehicles are usually marketed as 'Mechanic's Specials,' since a working knowledge of which end of a wrench to use and an acceptance of the investment in sweat equity are the only ways a buyer will come out ahead in the deal.

The 2003 Lincoln LS V8 we looked at yesterday wasn't marketed as a Mechanic's Special, although the seller did call out a non-functioning passenger door window mechanism as the car's singular flaw. That shouldn't be too much of a hassle to fix (a regulator costs less than $100), which led many of you to question why it wasn't addressed before the car was listed on Craigslist. Still, that didn't seem too much of a hurdle to overcome at the car's $6,850 asking price, earning the Lincoln some long-overdue props and a respectable 72% 'Nice Price' win.

Speaking of props, kudos must go to Toyota for its dedication to the sedan buyer in a market where crossovers and SUVs rule the roost. With the Corolla, Camry, Crown, and Mirai, Toyota presently offers four four-door, separate-trunk models in the U.S. Domestic competitors like Ford and Chevy offer... checks notes... exactly none.

Perhaps it's Toyota's penchant for always catering to the customer that has put it in this laudable position. Take, for example, today's 1986 Toyota Tercel SR5 wagon. This represents the second generation of Toyota's sub-Corolla model, which shares the first generation's engine layout: a longitudinally mounted four-cylinder nestled atop the FWD transaxle. 

The legend is that Toyota chose this layout over a transverse setup because the company believed it would be less unsettling for customers transitioning from traditional RWD to FWD. The Tercel has the notable distinction of being Toyota's first FWD car sold in the U.S., and being its first 4WD car, as seen with this wagon.

Marketed as the Carib elsewhere (shortened Caribou, not Caribbean), the wagon expanded the Tercel line here in the States but didn't get a special name. The 4WD wagon was introduced to compete with Subaru's small AWD offerings and offered another first for a Toyota car in this country: an available six-speed manual gearbox. Now, don't get your knickers in a knot thinking this is some sort of closeted rally rager. That sixth gear is a stump-puller, and the 4WD system is a fairly crude part-time setup that lacks a central diff and is only useful in slippery conditions.

The engine that makes all that spin is a 1.5-liter SOHC four, offering a modest 63 horsepower and 75 pound-feet of torque. Around all that is wrapped a sub-compact wagon body with square edges, slab sides, and a cool extended window design on three sides of the load area. 

According to the ad, this white-over-blue cloth car has seen a respray over its lifetime, but still presents well, so it probably wasn't done by the Earl of Scheib. Inside, it appears to be all original, except for a poorly fitting double-DIN stereo from a later era. The seats, including the fun backrest grab handles, don't seem to have worn much at all, and they're a great throwback, as cars just don't come with such awesome upholstery anymore.

The seller claims the car runs well, exhibiting no mechanical issues whatsoever. The pictures show that the timing belt has been changed; however, according to the sticker, that was done at 190,336 miles in October of 2000. The car now has 212,279 miles on the clock, so suffice to say, a new belt is likely overdue. On the plus side, how expensive could that possibly be? It looks like an easy driveway job, save for an A/C line that's inconveniently in the way, and parts shouldn't be too expensive, seeing as it's an '80s Toyota.

Other pluses include tires with plenty of tread, a clean title and current tags, and a get-out-of-jail-free card from the smog tester. The only light on the dash is for the hand brake, which isn't all that unexpected since pretty much the only light on the dash that these cars had was for the parking brake.

Toyota never intended the Tercel to be a keeper. This is in stark contrast to companies like Volvo, which built its cars in the 1980s with the intention that they would be passed down through generations like a family heirloom or a genetic abnormality. 

The Tercel, on the other hand, was intended to serve its purpose and then move out of the way for a new generation. Like the Boomers, this one has stuck around. That's actually a good thing because these are the kind of simple, fun cars that just don't exist anymore. Plus, it would likely be a big hit at any all-Japan or Radwood car show. Could all of that be worth the $5,800 the seller is asking for this car's title?

What's your opinion on this 4WD trinket of a Toyota and that asking price? Does that feel like a deal? Or are you demanding an '80s price to go with the '80s vibe?

You decide!

Los Angeles, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

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