At $8,000, Would You Call This 1985 Toyota Mirage Camper Home?
In the 2004 anime of the same name, one never knew where Howl's Moving Castle would show up on any given morning. Today's Nice Price or No Dice Toyota Mirage Camper could offer the same sense of wonder and eager anticipation. That is, of course, if its price proves right.
Revered among many North American indigenous cultures as a powerful spirit of the skies, the Thunderbird symbolizes energy and indomitable power. Archaeological records indicate that Thunderbird mythology dates back more than 4,000 years, making it one of the most enduring icons of the North American peoples. Another legend is that the Ford Thunderbird was named after the Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, where the company chairman at the time, Ernest Breech, held a membership.
Whether or not that story is true, it's a good bit of lore for the next owner of the 1956 Ford Thunderbird we looked at last Friday. That next owner could also tell the tale of the deal they got on the car, buying it for a mere $23,500. Most of you agreed with that assertion, awarding the T-Bird with a laudable 81% 'Nice Price' win.
A classic Class C
While the Thunderbird that closed out last week would prove to be a bit of a prima donna, requiring care and curation while only being used sparingly lest it suffer undue wear and tear, today's 1985 Toyota Mirage camper looks to be a scrappy singles pad that could be lived with full-time.
If you ever happen to watch the Old Southern Pine YouTube channel, then you'll know this is both technically feasible and potentially aspirational. You'll also fall in love with Fiona, the Highland White Terrier. Don't say I didn't warn you.
These Mirage campers appear to have been a thing for a short time in the 1980s and are sought after today for their compact, efficient dimensions and stout Toyota Pickup underpinnings. There's also nothing out there that looks quite like it, what with its bug-like fiberglass camper body that appears to have been styled like something from a '70s British sci-fi show.
Baby got back... door
Along with its bubble-style over-cab sleeper, this Mirage has a side door and more rear overhang than a Kardashian family reunion. That aft-most space behind the side-door entrance houses the wet head, which means its owner will never be able to complain about being so poor they don't have a pot to piss in. Woop, there it is. That space, along with all the cabinetry, is all gel-coated fiberglass, which looks to have held up well over the years, albeit now in need of a good scrubbing.
The same can't be said for the brown carpet (at least we can hope its natural color is brown), which looks tired and worn in places. Ahead of the kitchenette sit a pair of banquette seats facing a hole in the floor for the single leg of the dining table to slot. Those seats likely convert into a full-size bed, while another is a short climb away in the compartment's nose, over the cab. Under that, in the Toyota's cab, are a pair of crazy-comfortable-looking seats, some add-on wood providing cupholders in the center console, and the standard Toyota dashboard accouterments.
You can take it with you
It's apparently not all quite move-in ready, however. A quick glance at the exterior shows some rust on the front wheel arches, a slightly wonky front bumper, and one very dead headlamp. Another aesthetic detail is the rear door, which shows dents perfectly aligned with the camper's bulging bodywork, suggesting it was blown open and struck the bodywork at least once.
The seller additionally advises that the engine could use a new exhaust manifold gasket and that the fridge in the camper needs replacement. Other than those demerits, it all seems to be in working order, with the seller claiming it runs, drives, and shifts without drama.
That gasket-needing engine is Toyota's stout 22R-E, a 2.4-liter SOHC four that was factory-rated for 116 horsepower and, more importantly, 133 pound-feet of torque. For easy motoring, that's matched to an automatic transmission driving the dually rear end. Per the instrument cluster photo in the ad, the camper has only a modest 105,510 miles under its belt. No mention is made in the ad of the title status because it's Facebook Marketplace, and that is amateur hour for classified ads. Still, we can assume it to be clean. I mean, who salvage titles a camper?
Home is where you find it
With all that info percolating in the 'ol casaba melon, let's now get down to brass tacks and consider this camper's $8,000 asking price. That not only buys a motor vehicle that can be driven on the streets and highways, but also a perfectly acceptable home for an individual or even, say, a pair of conjoined twins. Also, to be considered: the work this camper needs—a gasket and likely a tune-up and an ice chest—wouldn't be daunting for even the most inexperienced of shade tree mechanics, so that shouldn't add much to the overall expenditure.
What do you think? Is this Toyota Camper worth that $8,000 asking price, as presented in its ad? Or do the demerits make this nothing more than a mirage?
You decide!
Facebook Marketplace out of Scottsville, Virginia, or go here if the ad disappears.
Hat tip to Nick for the hookup!
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