starlet gt / glanza any problems??(retro jdm)

[quantum stop]

thinking of buying one of these pocket rockets any problems i should look out for ie do they blow headgaskets for fun that sort of thing thank for your help in advance andy have some pics

img221.imageshack.us/img221/2007/oldno1ky6.png

[V-Force]

These are awesome; I wanted one as my first car until I got a quote on one

They should be pretty reliable, they are Toyotas after all. Shouldn't be rotten as they're Japanese imports, i.e. have not been on salted roads until they hit the UK, so as long as they're undersealed when imported the shell should last forever...

Here's the forum:

www.toyotagtturbo.com/

I'd love a nice EP82 Starlet GT Advance quadlight in a couple of years or so...

[RA40tony]

Had one for 2 years. Great cars!!! Very little went wrong on it. The engine will take 1 bar boost only, any more on standard internals and it'll go pop. Front mount intercooler, up the boost, free flow filter and exhaust and they are pretty quick.
The older 12 valve engine (in the square model shown) will take 1.2 to 1.4 bar on standard internals all day (my mechanic had one he ragged to death without problem, 195 bhp at the wheels, would keep up with a 3.2 M3 no problem).

Handling is pretty tidy with good suspension, but they don't really like wheels any bigger than 15's.
Interior is nice with supportive seats and the materials wear pretty well.

[stealthstylz]

There are loads ragging about around here, mainly because they're the young asian gentlemans choice of hot hatch. Ace cars though.

Matt

[Gompo]

I've read in the past about them needing a lot of servicing (just oil change perhaps)? Is that a load of rubbish?

[V-Force]

It's probably a good idea to service something like this regularly wether you feel it needs it or not. Turbo cars do tend to have shorter service intervals, and this is a 1.3 turbo running 135 bhp, thats over 100 bhp per litre! Also this type of car is more likely to be thrashed, I'd definitely service on every few thousand miles if I had one.

[impressiveg]

My Sera is powered by the 4EFTE from the GT and has been pretty bullet proof. Like already said don't go too far with boost on a standard car. Depending what you're used to with engine sizes for me it easily is a quick off the mark as my Astra GTE 16v ever was...Just not as good top speed

[The Doctor]

and when you get one with a stock exhaust manifold, don't run it with 1 bar of boost for a longer time. There's a restriction in the nr 3. exhaust runner, and it can melt the piston! There are some off the shelve manifolds available for them (wicked EP racing is a good one).

[mattwho]

ive had 2 ep82's loved em

[mr2alex]

My bro has had 3 starlets, including a really nice ep82 which he sold and bought a supra, had that for literelly as much time as he could stand not having a starlet and now he drives a heavily modified 99 glanza v with a td04 turbo (just for the silly noises it makes tho he wont admit it) none of them have really had any major issues.
the ukstarletclub.com has a good forum.
I personaly would be more tempted by the early rwd models if I could find one that was still alive.
fun fun fun

[deathgaytothemax]

done alot of work on my mates before it went up in flames,and that was pretty sweet,ran really well
swap the manifold as the stadard one is the most restrictive design iv ever seen on a car, also on the ep82 look out for rust on the rear beam.

[Mad Max]

A customer of ours had one, it was auto but still went really well. Sounded good too when she had us fit a full stainless exhaust she had imported!

[giacomo]

my friends got a track prep'd one, with a td04 set up and forged internals, its really really quick!
there deffinatly worth getting! there's no chance of me getting insured on one when I'm 19 though :/