96 Toyota Carina E as classic car?

CiniO · 03-06-2020 3:54pm #1

Is that kind of car that could potentially gain in value over years if kept pristine?

Thing isn't happening in Ireland, as I live in Poland now, but possibly this doesn't make much difference when it comes to classic cars.

My friend has brought a beautiful Carina E 2.0 GLi from Spain.
Car is really spotless, with 105k kilometres, always kept indoors in garage, never driven near sea, never seen grit on the roads, and probably hardly any rain.
Car is totally rust free, and underbody looks nearly like in a new car.
Mechanically also 100% sound.

He brought it to Poland about 2 years ago with intention of keeping it as a future classic, (also kept indoors) but now he got around different classic car so he has no space for Carina anymore, therefore he wants to sell it.

Price he is asking from me is €1900.
To compare, other Carinas available in Poland for sale are pretty much between €500 and €1000, but they are usually rusty bangers, probably driveable, but close to end of their lives...

Do you think it's worth forking nearly €2k for spotless Carina, with intention of registering as classic car, keeping it for few years, and selling then?

Or is it rather a car, which due to it's popularity is never going to be a proper classic car ?

swarlb · 03-06-2020 5:52pm

CiniO wrote: »

Is that kind of car that could potentially gain in value over years if kept pristine?

Thing isn't happening in Ireland, as I live in Poland now, but possibly this doesn't make much difference when it comes to classic cars.

My friend has brought a beautiful Carina E 2.0 GLi from Spain.
Car is really spotless, with 105k kilometres, always kept indoors in garage, never driven near sea, never seen grit on the roads, and probably hardly any rain.
Car is totally rust free, and underbody looks nearly like in a new car.
Mechanically also 100% sound.

He brought it to Poland about 2 years ago with intention of keeping it as a future classic, (also kept indoors) but now he got around different classic car so he has no space for Carina anymore, therefore he wants to sell it.

Price he is asking from me is €1900.
To compare, other Carinas available in Poland for sale are pretty much between €500 and €1000, but they are usually rusty bangers, probably driveable, but close to end of their lives...

Do you think it's worth forking nearly €2k for spotless Carina, with intention of registering as classic car, keeping it for few years, and selling then?

Or is it rather a car, which due to it's popularity is never going to be a proper classic car ?

Personally I don't think it will ever be worth much more than it is now. Regardless of it's condition, it will simply just become 'an old car'.

As an example have a look at this....
https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/1960-ford-popular/24955271

Here's a 60 year old Ford Popular, as 'ordinary' then as a Carina is now, and probably worth less now, taking inflation into account, than it was when it was new.

BrianD3 · 03-06-2020 6:23pm

Thing isn't happening in Ireland, as I live in Poland now, but possibly this doesn't make much difference when it comes to classic cars.

I think it does make a difference. I don't know what people think of Carinas and Toyotas generally in Poland but there is clearly a particular fondness for them here. The "E" will shortly become a classic car that attracts a fair amount of interest and we'll see them at classic car shows - just as has happened with its predecessors.

At this point someone will usually say that the Carina E is too new or it wasn't as well built as previous generations etc. but those views will become irrelevant over time as nostalgia kicks in.

I still wouldn't be buying one with the intention of making money, that surely is not what this hobby is about?
.

TrailerBob · 03-06-2020 8:21pm

I do think the Toyota thing is quite an Irish quirk. Ok Twin Cam AE86's and Soarers/Supras are popular everywhere, but a 25 year old corolla has become a classic here, which I don't think it would elsewhere. Similarly with the Carina, the nostalgia is a big part of it - the legendary stories of pulling a full cattle box to Mullingar with 47 kids in the back seat and baling twine holding the boot down etc...

I would see a very clean GTi maybe as collectable, or if the one you're talking about is a top spec model it may be desirable, but not worth much more that the asking price. I would also agree with BrianD3, that looking at a car as an investment for future financial appreciation is a different game really.

RandomViewer · 07-06-2020 6:31pm

TrailerBob wrote: »

I do think the Toyota thing is quite an Irish quirk. Ok Twin Cam AE86's and Soarers/Supras are popular everywhere, but a 25 year old corolla has become a classic here, which I don't think it would elsewhere. Similarly with the Carina, the nostalgia is a big part of it - the legendary stories of pulling a full cattle box to Mullingar with 47 kids in the back seat and baling twine holding the boot down etc...

I would see a very clean GTi maybe as collectable, or if the one you're talking about is a top spec model it may be desirable, but not worth much more that the asking price. I would also agree with BrianD3, that looking at a car as an investment for future financial appreciation is a different game really.

Australia and America seem to be fond of old Toyotas as well, the British never took to Japanese stuff in the same way and their classic car magazines and clubs views might be influencing your thinking.

TrailerBob · 07-06-2020 7:09pm

I would think that oz is a different story as it's mostly that the Landcruiser is king of everything there.. (bar the Holden ute). I think with the British, their motoring press made a concerted effort to talk up their own while berating the Japanese for years.. see Clarkson's famous Corolla review.. Even when he did declare back in 1998 that the Landcruiser was actually better than a Range Rover, the bit ended with the caveat that a new Discovery was yet to come out which might change minds...

Isambard · 09-06-2020 3:13pm

LHD will limit it's value/appeal

swarlb · 09-06-2020 7:22pm

Isambard wrote: »

LHD will limit it's value/appeal

I thought the car was in a LHD country anyway...

Isambard · 09-06-2020 8:36pm

swarlb wrote: »

I thought the car was in a LHD country anyway...

it seems it is, I assumed as the question was asked on an Irish site, the intention was to bring the car to Ireland. Not much point asking here if that's not the intention

unkel · 09-06-2020 8:54pm

OP lived here for many years and was a regular on boards. That explains it.

CiniO · 10-06-2020 9:54am

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Eventually I decided against buying it, and additionally my friend found a buyer for even slightly more so car is gone.

Anyway - I never myself had much nostalgia for Toyotas, probably basically as I was growing up in the 90s in Poland where Toyotas were quite rare and usually very expensive cars, so there were very few of them on the roads.

I must agree with some posters here, that probably in Ireland it was different, especially with Carina being very popular family car in the 90s. Probably in Ireland it would be better thing to keep as collectible but LHD kinda makes it less desireable.

One thing though was the condition of that particular car which was pretty much totally spotless inside, outside. Underbody was literally like in a new car straight from a dealer, and that probably attracted to me entertaining idea of buying it and keeping as early classic car for few years.

Well, maybe I'll find something else which will be even more interesting.
Generally Spain looks like a good source of 80s and 90s cars which can be found totally rust free - something that's nearly impossible for cars from colder countries like Poland or Ireland...

Pity the LHD/RHD difference between Ireland and Spain make it not really worthwhile importing future classics from Spain to Ireland.

Isambard · 10-06-2020 12:15pm

you do see quite a few at shows already (when we used to have shows!

selectamatic · 10-06-2020 12:32pm

I would say near 2k was plenty to be asking for a 2.0gli regardless of how clean it was. Was it an executive model with the gti spoiler? He got a buyer though so fair play to him.

gti
2.0td executive
2.0i executive
2.0d

Would be the order of desirability imo. They'll continue to rise in price to a degree especially since they will make an extremely useable classic.

The export market took quite a few of them out of circulation too so they're not quite as common as people let on.

RandomViewer · 10-06-2020 3:53pm

CiniO wrote: »

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Eventually I decided against buying it, and additionally my friend found a buyer for even slightly more so car is gone.

Anyway - I never myself had much nostalgia for Toyotas, probably basically as I was growing up in the 90s in Poland where Toyotas were quite rare and usually very expensive cars, so there were very few of them on the roads.

I must agree with some posters here, that probably in Ireland it was different, especially with Carina being very popular family car in the 90s. Probably in Ireland it would be better thing to keep as collectible but LHD kinda makes it less desireable.

One thing though was the condition of that particular car which was pretty much totally spotless inside, outside. Underbody was literally like in a new car straight from a dealer, and that probably attracted to me entertaining idea of buying it and keeping as early classic car for few years.

Well, maybe I'll find something else which will be even more interesting.
Generally Spain looks like a good source of 80s and 90s cars which can be found totally rust free - something that's nearly impossible for cars from colder countries like Poland or Ireland...

Pity the LHD/RHD difference between Ireland and Spain make it not really worthwhile importing future classics from Spain to Ireland.

would depend on the car, don't think it would make a huge difference on a Landrover or old Opel Mantas , E30 BMW

Thinkingaboutit · 11-06-2020 11:45am

One day I'd like a first gen Carina 2, rust resistant and comfy.

BonnieSituation · 12-06-2020 4:02am

TrailerBob wrote: »

I do think the Toyota thing is quite an Irish quirk. Ok Twin Cam AE86's and Soarers/Supras are popular everywhere, but a 25 year old corolla has become a classic here, which I don't think it would elsewhere. Similarly with the Carina, the nostalgia is a big part of it - the legendary stories of pulling a full cattle box to Mullingar with 47 kids in the back seat and baling twine holding the boot down etc...

I would see a very clean GTi maybe as collectable, or if the one you're talking about is a top spec model it may be desirable, but not worth much more that the asking price. I would also agree with BrianD3, that looking at a car as an investment for future financial appreciation is a different game really.

Pretty much why I had - until it got written off in an attempted robbery 4 weeks ago - a 1997 Corolla XLi as my daily and a 1990 Carina II as my classic that I'm planning on restoring.

Never had a grá for the Carina E, but you can already see the prices on decent ones creeping up on them on donedeal and the like. We're weird people.

macplaxton · 12-06-2020 5:27pm

Having driven a few Carinas back in the day, I quite like the II compared to the E. This opinion may be tainted by the fact that all the E's (2.0D and 1.6 petrol) were all taxis and that was my job at the time.

RandomViewer · 13-06-2020 11:48pm

There seems to be more Carinas about than first generation Avensis,
My choice would be an old 1980 back wheel drive Carina, pity the Japanese hadn't discovered bodyshutz back then

kyote00 · 14-06-2020 2:30am

estate 1,8gs for sale now....

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/toyota-carina-e-1-8gs/24093425

colm_mcm · 14-06-2020 9:57am

One of the very last of them.

Just remembered that a teacher in secondary school got a new Carina estate in 1998. Avensis had been out a while at that stage.

pawdee · 15-07-2020 10:42pm

I saw a red Carina E in Newcastle West on Christmas eve and Santa Claus was driving it. It was in great nick too.

zilog_jones · 16-07-2020 12:09pm

RandomViewer wrote: »

...the British never took to Japanese stuff in the same way and their classic car magazines and clubs views might be influencing your thinking.

You'd think they'd at least care about the Carina E though? It was the first model to be built by TMUK in Burnaston.

Nekarsulm · 16-07-2020 11:55pm

RandomViewer wrote: »

the British never took to Japanese stuff in the same way .

Used to buy 2 classic car magazines a month, from the late 1980's until probably the late 1990's.
God the number of MGB /Sprite/Minor "project cars they featured over the years..
When the same articles started appearing for the 3rd time I quit buying them..
Looking at the shelves of Easons nothing much has changed.

RobAMerc · 17-07-2020 7:39am

I think its too easy to equate the european wide ( not just UK wide ) lack of love for the Jap stuff as simple nationalistic bias towards local stuff and lack of coverage in the media. Japanese cars always came across to me as reliable but soul-less, plasticy and with god awful road noise ( yes I am being a bit generalist here ).

irish folks tend to value character and traits such as road holding, handling and ride quality a little less than reliability imo - for example start a thread on motors about the best car and it will be 100% based on reliability nothing else.
As someone who measures my cars by a different yard stick, I'll never have any fondness for Carina E or Nissan Bluebird ( or god forbid an Almeria ) admittedly I have similar feelings towards GM products but show me an old Lancia, Peugeot, Renault etc and I am all over it.

( Now I should admit I have a MK1 MX5, but thats for another thread )

RandomViewer · 18-07-2020 10:02pm

zilog_jones wrote: »

You'd think they'd at least care about the Carina E though? It was the first model to be built by TMUK in Burnaston.

One of the Toyota UKs biggest cheerleaders was Edwina Currie, think the factory was in her constituency , kind of off putting

96 Toyota Carina E as classic car?

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