AE86; what to look for???

[REFLUX]

so I've come across an 1986 Corolla GT-S with 308,xxx km.
The usual rust on all 4 wheel wells and some minor dings/dents.

Going for $700.


I saw the car today, was able to rev it & look under the hood, etc.
Before I see it again (under better lighting conditions), is there anything I should be looking for?

I know that the engine should rev very easily but what is easily?
He tells me that the tranny has a bit of grinding but nothing killer and he knows of no rust in the spare tire well nor on the suspension towers.
It supposedly burns ~1L of oil every month (~3000km)
Also he said the rear brakes kind of tap against the rotors and/or vibrates; might need new rear brakes.

The interior looks mint, no tears or rips.


So again, before I check it out another time...what should I look for and what should I ask?

[cocoabrova]

Rear brakes tap against the rotors??? WTF does that mean:nut:Tranny grinding?? Might need a new tranny/clutch and/or rear diff. Maybe take it for a spin so you can hear exactly where the tapping & grinding is coming from. Aside from that, the usual check for any major fluid leaks, but also check the water pump weephole for leakage. Front-end/suspension, H/L motor operation, and mkae sure you visually check under the car for holes in the floorboard.....If everything seems okay then you're getting one helluva deal for an AE86:thumbsup:

[REFLUX]

rear brakes tap rotors = I think it means that the calipers are dying

where is the water pump peehole?? :D

[Cueman]

I would say almost half of all Corolla's I've seen have had a hole in the drivers side strut tower right about the frame rail. It's very common, though seems to be unrelated to the condition of the rest of the body.

This is the only common problem. Other mechanicals are quite simple and affordable to fix.

[AenimA]

a but much I think...

[method]

Mechanical crap is the cheaper and easier stuff to repair. Rust is the hard part.

[dj ambiguous]

i have the rust spot on the driverside strut tower too... usual rust around the wheel wells.. sunroof, windshield edge, along the inner edge of the hatch lid, and around the rear part of the rocker panels.. for $700.. go for it.. the engine can be replaced easily.. also check for grinding in the diff.. sometimes neglecting to change Diff fluid can cause it to wear down..