What is the celica 190bhp like to drive?

martydunf

im thinking about getting one and was just wondering what they were like to drive?

compared to a golf tdi(90bhp),.....(what im driving at d moment.)

either a celcia or a levin maybe?

thanks in advance for replies.:)

smash

Celica is better looking and it's a great car to drive. I've had a 140 and a 190 - the 190 is the only one to get. get a uk car though - not a jap import!

They are a lovely car to drive. My uncle has a 140 and its a great car his has 165k on it and its like new inside and out. I also test drove a 190 great car, you would hardly notice the difference between the 140 and 190 till you hit about 5000ish rpm then in the 190 you get a big power surge as the VVTL-i does its trick, great fun! The are bullet proof also if looked after but as steve06 said avoid jap imports and make sure it has a service history as oil changes are extremely important in this type of engine.

edit: It will be much much faster than your golf and a completely different drive. i.e the power will be right at the top of the rev range rather than down low like in a diesel.

martydunf

i was thinking that alrite that there wouldnt be as much of a pull in her at low revs and ud have to rev the sh!te out of it to get it to take off.

il have to get myself a test drive.

thanks for the replies lads much appreciated.

unkel

Out of interest, why should one avoid a Jap import?

unkel

unkel wrote: »

Out of interest, why should one avoid a Jap import?

Well in general I wouldnt automatically tell people to avoid jap imports and would consider buying certain jap imports myself but I have heard some bad stories about jap import celicas going wrong. I would hate to put the op off as they are a cracking car but as I said the engine is bullet proof IF it is looked after and there is always that bit of doubt when buying a jap import, no service history etc!

.

Biro

martydunf wrote: »

i was thinking that alrite that there wouldnt be as much of a pull in her at low revs and ud have to rev the sh!te out of it to get it to take off.

il have to get myself a test drive.

thanks for the replies lads much appreciated.

They drive like a good FWD car should, better in every way than the Golf. Wouldn't bother with a Levin though, ugly car with a more highly strung 1.6 that doesn't perform like the figures suggest.

Barr

Reyna Some Cheeseburger wrote: »

Well in general I wouldnt automatically tell people to avoid jap imports and would consider buying certain jap imports myself but I have heard some bad stories about jap import celicas going wrong. I would hate to put the op off as they are a cracking car but as I said the engine is bullet proof IF it is looked after and there is always that bit of doubt when buying a jap import, no service history etc!

.

Why would a Jap Celica go wrong over a UK one ? Im confused by that

AntiVirus

I think its a great car to drive and handles really well. Just keeping the engine in lift is fun. You should definitly take one out for a test drive to see what you think.

It won't go into lift until the engine is warm which will take about 10 minutes to warn up. You'll know when you're in lift.


http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/index.htm?md=409

gary the great

Apparently the insurance companies are loading now on the 190, just to keep that in mind. It used to not be the case, but is now.

Biro

gary the great wrote: »

Apparently the insurance companies are loading now on the 190, just to keep that in mind. It used to not be the case, but is now.

Yep, 120% loading on them with FBD. Sham.

*Dallas

i have a celica 190bhp and I love it, mine's also an import but after a year and a half I've not had one iota of trouble! I was a bit weary of buying without a history, but my dad checked it over before i bought it.

I love the acceleration and how it handles great around corners compared to my old golf, that was like a tank!

its currently for sale as I cant really afford to keep it

edit: i dont find insurance any more expensive, it's €900 per year with xs direct. thats female, 26 with 4 penalty points (on previous car)

smash

Barr wrote: »

Why would a Jap Celica go wrong over a UK one ? Im confused by that

It's nothing to do with going wrong, it's to do with knowing the history and getting less options.

with a UK car you'll get leather seats and a full history too. You have to bear this in mind for resale, they're very hard cars to sell and they drop in value very quickly so the more info you have for a potential buyer, the better chance to have to sell it on!

Here's an example: T-Sport facelift 2003 car with 98k on the clock and a full service history http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/704031.htm

I'd choose it any day over a 01/02 Jap import with "45k" on the clock!

If you offer 4750 then inc VRT and travel you'll have the car landed in Ireland for just under €13,500

the cheapest 190 on carzone for that year is here http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Toyota/Celica/VVTL-i/917512/ and it's €14k and it's a vvtli-190 the tsport is basically the same but with a few more extras! The next price for a 190 of that year is just under 17k

*Dallas

imo leather seats arent all their cracked up to be! they are unbearable during the summer.

If you do decide to go with a celica in Ireland, you should be able to pick up a bargain. I've noticed all my selling competition are dropping their prices every few weeks.

Biro

*Dallas wrote: »

imo leather seats arent all their cracked up to be! they are unbearable during the summer.

If you do decide to go with a celica in Ireland, you should be able to pick up a bargain. I've noticed all my selling competition are dropping their prices every few weeks.

That's cause they're all over-priced.

Tom Doyle

Lovely car to drive - better than the gti

smash

*Dallas wrote: »

imo leather seats arent all their cracked up to be! they are unbearable during the summer.

I'd disagree, I've had a 140 without leather and a 190 with leather and it's easier to keep clean, more comfortable, better for resale and with the Aircon in the summer they're not a problem.

Also try and get one with a sunroof if you can, it's nice to have the extra light coming in and again it's good for resale!

gary the great

Importing one fromt he UK is hardly an option anymore as you'll be taxed at the highest rate every year, making it near on impossible to sell on.

if your buying one, bargain like a mad thing, they are near impossible to sell at the moment and they've been overpriced over the last year or so - hence they aint selling.
Im going to get one after xmas myself, but will bargain like a mad thing for the best deal, the ball is in your court....

smash

gary the great wrote: »

Importing one fromt he UK is hardly an option anymore as you'll be taxed at the highest rate every year, making it near on impossible to sell on.

no you wont - that's just for 2008 cars onwards. I can't believe people are still making mistakes about that.

Tipsy Mac

gary the great wrote: »

Importing one fromt he UK is hardly an option anymore as you'll be taxed at the highest rate every year, making it near on impossible to sell on.

No you won't, road tax will just be the 1.8 €530 a year. VRT on the other hand will be high end.

smash

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

No you won't, road tax will just be the 1.8 €530 a year. VRT on the other hand will be high end.

And I've already calculated it on the car i mentioned which is where I got the figure of 13,500 from!

martydunf

So then would I be better off to look in the U.K. for one or to shop around here and really haggle them (although I believe the U.K. spec'd ones on sale here are rarer than the jap imports, yes? , but jap imports are slightly cheaper?)

smash

Jap are slightly cheaper.... because they don't have a history and don't have the extras.

What's your budget anyway?

martydunf

in the region of 10k say i mite stretch a bit more if it were really worth it.
how much would u b able to knock off the average going price?

i was lookin at a 190 in cavan on carzone its black with 91k on the clock dont think its a jap import and its goin for €10500? is that a good price or is it overpriced with that mileage? its a 2001 also.

smash

you'd get that for 10 no problem. I'd offer him 9 to be honest. he's probably had it a while and there's other for sale in Kerry for 8,500.

martydunf

il have another look around thanks for the advice:)

Henry Ford III

The topic title is confusing. Have you driven one? If not do so and then come back to us.

SV

Henry Ford III wrote: »

The topic title is confusing. Have you driven one? If not do so and then come back to us.

how's it confusing?

He's asking what they're like to drive..so why he have to drive one before he comes back?

Henry Ford III

ClioV6 wrote: »

how's it confusing?

He's asking what they're like to drive..so why he have to drive one before he comes back?

I would imagine, and this is perhaps a slightly controversial view, that if the OP was serious about buying a particular car, that his own opinion of the driving experience would be much more relevant than a bunch of internet peoples, the majority of whom haven't driven said car

smash

Henry Ford III wrote: »

a bunch of internet peoples, the majority of whom haven't driven said car

have you actually read the replies.... obviosuly not!