I have a coworker who’s looking to sell his car, a 1989 Toyota Corolla. I know the basics of looking after a car, but a car that old is almost foreign to me, because I’m from a state where cars rust out.
I figure Toyotas are pretty reliable and so is the 4AG engine, but I don’t want to end up with another money pit. What should I look out for, or should I just avoid it altogether?
If you can do basic maintenance to the car like changing belts, hoses, filters, etc it’s really no big deal. I used to daily 1959 pickup truck, now I’m in an 81 jeep. Old cars are a lot of fun and the mechanicals on them are way simpler than what you’ll find in a modern car. They do have their drawbacks though. Safety is probably the biggest one, airbags and crumple zones weren’t really a thing pre-1990’s. They will also get worse fuel mileage and are generally slower and less comfortable. But the look cool, and have a personality that most modern cars are lacking.