View Full Version : Help with new Celica GT-S purchase decision
Hey guys, as the owner of a 1997 Honda Prelude with 140K miles on it, I decided it's time for a new car. I love the Prelude, but after 5 years, I'm ready for something new. I don't make a ton of money, so cost is a consideration. The Acura RSX Type S I recently test drove is a player, I didn't like it and I think Acura screwed up with the Integra replacement. Driving position is all wrong, whees/tires suck, suspension blows, stereo blows, and in my opinion ugly as sin.
Anyway, I recently test drove a Celica GT-S and I really like the car, much more than the Acura. I have a few problems with it though, and I want to know what you guys think.
1) Rearward visibility sucks, bad.
2) Shifter is real tight. Throwing it into gear takes effort. Definitely not as smooth as my Honda or the Acura. Clutch lift is good though, I just don't know how much fun that shifter would be in traffic.
3) Small interior. Damn, I thought the lude was tight.
4) Lot's of road and wind noise. I know this is to be expected from a small sports coupe, but it seemed especially bad in the Celica.
5) Hard plastic everywhere on the interior. Couldn't Toyota have tuned this down a bit?
Now the good stuff:
1) Unbelieveable handling. The car is on rails!
2) Very comfortable leather seats. The Prelude only had a leather option in Canada. I like leather seats.
3) Very ergonomic interior, everything is very well laid out.
4) Fantastic stereo. Highs and lows come through very well, with no distortion.
5) Lots of trunk space.
6) Nice steering wheel and feel.
7) Toyota reliability.
8) Great breaks, stops on a dime.
9) Last but not least, that fantastic 4. I love the engine, moves the car real well and sounds nice. The salesman wouldn't let me redline it because it's new, but I could tell the thing can move.
If I can get any feedback from you guys with other things about the car you like or dislike. Also, anyone who has owned the car for a few years, I would be interested in knowing how the car has been day in and out. Lastly, do you guys know of an aftermarket short throw shifter I can get thrown on, that would replace the stiff stocker? Since I'm planning on making a purchase decision next week, your comments would be appreciated.
spwolf
05-19-2002, 02:46 PM
Only problem I have with RSX is its ugly looks... I mean that thing looks ugly...as if Honda/Acura didnt want it to look more than what it costs... for that reason, I wouldnt buy it...
As to Celica... you cant do anything about small interior I guess, you will get used to the shifter and you can get pre-installed carbonfiber dash so it will look a bit better
Blue Bomber
05-19-2002, 03:10 PM
You'll get used to the stock shifter in time. A short shifter will only make it even harder to shift for you.
The reason Toyota used all plastic on the interior was to save weight. It's the same reason the interior is so noisy (minimal sound dampening used). That's why the car accelerates, handles, and brakes so well. Otherwise, it would probably feel a lot more like the RSX to you, if not worse. With a full Hotchkis suspension and upgraded tires, this car can outhandle almost any car out there, including many exotics costing 5x as much as the Celica. Lookhere for more info. (http://newcelica.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23234)
Oh yeah, I forgot to include how I'm planning on getting the car spec'd out:
Color: Carbon Blue
Options: Side-Air Bags, ABS, Leather W/Perf Faced Seats, Vehicle Protection Pkg, Rear View Mirror Upgrade, Moonroof, 16" wheel/tire upgrade, Door Edge Guards, Sunroof Wind Deflector, Wheel Locks, and Rear Spoiler.
As far as upgrading the suspension or wheels/tires, I'm going to hold off on that. I think stock, the car more than meets my needs. I'm 30yrs old, just me and my girlfriend, so no kids to worry about. I want a car costing less than $25K nicely loaded, that can be driven daily or tear it up at the track, and has great reliability. Insurance for me will be $100 a month. Not bad, not great. The Celica meets most of my needs, and seems like a good replacement for my faithful Prelude. I'm just worried about the excessive noise in the cabin and stiff shifter leading to fatique on long drives. My girlfriend and I are planning a 6 hour road trip first week in June, and I'm not sure what it would be like in the Celica. Unfortuneately no other car beats the value/performance/reliability of the Celica for under $25K. I just need to make sure it's a car I can live with everyday for the next 4 or 5 years.
Blue Bomber
05-19-2002, 03:49 PM
If necessary, you can use Dynamat on the interior to get rid of the road noise. It will add weight, though, depending on how much you use.
It shouldn't take very long to get used to the shifter. When I installed my short shifter, I was worried that it was too stiff, but after a day or two of driving, it felt completely natural.
Hey bomber, thanks for that link to Dynamat. Never heard of the stuff. I'll have to find out how difficult the installation is and how much weight it adds to the vehicle. Doing a search I found a bunch of dealers in my area. That could cure the biggest problem I have with the Celica. The effort laden shifter will probably get better over time, but I will miss the silky smooth operation of my Prelude's shifter.
Blue Bomber
05-19-2002, 04:11 PM
It's pretty easy to install. It comes as either sheets or a spray on material. I have similar stuff installed on my doors as a replacement to the plastic vapor barrier (made vibration noises sometimes when there's lotsa bass on the radio). All you do is peel off the back of the sheets and stick it on. You can use a hair dryer to make it more flexible. The hardest part is measuring the area so the sheets will fit right.
AkUmA
05-19-2002, 04:20 PM
Originally posted by DGS
1) Rearward visibility sucks, bad.
2) Shifter is real tight. Throwing it into gear takes effort. Definitely not as smooth as my Honda or the Acura. Clutch lift is good though, I just don't know how much fun that shifter would be in traffic.
3) Small interior. Damn, I thought the lude was tight.
4) Lot's of road and wind noise. I know this is to be expected from a small sports coupe, but it seemed especially bad in the Celica.
5) Hard plastic everywhere on the interior. Couldn't Toyota have tuned this down a bit?
Now the good stuff:
1) Unbelieveable handling. The car is on rails!
2) Very comfortable leather seats. The Prelude only had a leather option in Canada. I like leather seats.
3) Very ergonomic interior, everything is very well laid out.
4) Fantastic stereo. Highs and lows come through very well, with no distortion.
5) Lots of trunk space.
6) Nice steering wheel and feel.
7) Toyota reliability.
8) Great breaks, stops on a dime.
9) Last but not least, that fantastic 4. I love the engine, moves the car real well and sounds nice. The salesman wouldn't let me redline it because it's new, but I could tell the thing can move.
1. yeah its a kinda hard backing up, but i just go very slow, true tho.
2. that also true compared to hondas, but i like it, i know for sure its in gear.
3. yeah, its a tight fit, but it makes you feel like you in a jet.:)
4. hmmm, i dont have that problem, maybe because of the mod's???
5. i kinda like the look, but it ok i guess.
good stuff.
1.:werd:
2. i have the cloth, so ill just go with what you say.
3. yeah, just wish they put the tach were the speedo is standard. but yeah its laid'd on good.
4. its ok.
5. yep, i have friend in the audio field that would love to get there hands on that trunk.eheh
6. yep.
7. i argee, no problems here.
8. best brakes in it class.:thumbup:
9. ehehe, oh just wait until you touch pass 6000rpm, eheheh then the fun begins.
glad you like it!
Any other options? How about the Subaru WRX, Nissan Altima or VW GTI? Or a used car? $25k will get you into a lot of great used cars. Also, if you wait a little bit, the Mitsubishi EVO and WRX STi may be out as well as the new Nissan 350Z. What about the entry level Mercedes coupe? I think that's around $25K. I don't know how much narrowing down of the options you've done, so I threw some out there.
Not to take anything away from the Celica; if you must have A) new B) 2 door coupe C) great handling, then the Celica is for you. As far as refinement and road-tripping goes, the stock Celica is pretty good. The engine is smooth and the ride is compliant. Maybe not as comfortable as your Prelude but not bad. The shifter will always be stiff but it does loosen up a little with use. It does have a lot of luggage space and I've taken my modded Celi to San Francisco and back w/o problems and great gas mileage too.
To measure the performance of the Celica, you might try test driving a used one. Up to 7/10ths in the Celica is easy and fun if not particularly fast. To get the last 3/10ths out of it (really pretty fast) you have to be willing to drive it very hard (over 6000 rpm) and consider aftermarket shocks. For some people this is frustrating and for others, it's what makes the Celica great.
Edison_Chen
05-19-2002, 05:24 PM
it kinda depends wut type/kind of car u want performace, style, etc
Originally posted by erok
Any other options? How about the Subaru WRX, Nissan Altima or VW GTI? Or a used car? $25k will get you into a lot of great used cars. Also, if you wait a little bit, the Mitsubishi EVO and WRX STi may be out as well as the new Nissan 350Z. What about the entry level Mercedes coupe? I think that's around $25K. I don't know how much narrowing down of the options you've done, so I threw some out there.
Not to take anything away from the Celica; if you must have A) new B) 2 door coupe C) great handling, then the Celica is for you. As far as refinement and road-tripping goes, the stock Celica is pretty good. The engine is smooth and the ride is compliant. Maybe not as comfortable as your Prelude but not bad. The shifter will always be stiff but it does loosen up a little with use. It does have a lot of luggage space and I've taken my modded Celi to San Francisco and back w/o problems and great gas mileage too.
To measure the performance of the Celica, you might try test driving a used one. Up to 7/10ths in the Celica is easy and fun if not particularly fast. To get the last 3/10ths out of it (really pretty fast) you have to be willing to drive it very hard (over 6000 rpm) and consider aftermarket shocks. For some people this is frustrating and for others, it's what makes the Celica great.
1) Subaru WRX - I find the body style hideous, and there is total lack of refinement for what you get. It's a Civic, with AWD and turbo. Plus, most Suburu dealerships are not willing to bargin, so you pay full sticker. I have optioned out a new one, and with everything I would want, the car comes in at $27,000, and that is still with no leather, small wheels/tires, and a crap stock stereo. No thanks, as fast as it is.
2) Nissan Altima - First year redisign, plus too expensive once neccessary options start getting added, plus not near the handling of the Celica, plus lots of complaints on the message boards about this car already, plus no dealer negotiation.
3) VW - GTI - Now the creature comforts and price are in line, but the reliability and handling still aren't there. I do like the interior of those cars though, I'm not crazy about the exterior shape.
Don't want to buy someone elses headache. The Mitsu EVO and Wrx Sti are going to be great cars for sure, but they will both sticker at $30K (if not more due to dealer price gouging), there will definitely not be any price negotiations, and we won't be seeing them for at least a year, if not more. I'm in the market for a car now, don't want to wait that long for a car I still might not be able to afford, or don't want to spend the money on for lack of refinement.
With some sound dampening material, the Celica could really work for me. Plus as far as wringing out the engine, I've been driving a 8K rpm VTEC Prelude for the past 5 years, so I'm pretty okay with high revving 4 bangers. ;) Although this rev limiter thing I've been reading about on this board for the 2002's, is disconcerning. From what I've gathered, it cuts off 500rpms sonner than the 2001 and 2000 models. That is a huge difference. I wonder if that is with all of the new 2002's? I really don't want to be getting taken in a straight line by SUV's and Civic's. I wish the dealership had let me redline the car so I could see for myself, but I don't blame them. From what I understand the Celica has a very strict 1000 mile break-in-period. I wasn't able to get the car over 5K on the tach, but even with that, it felt plenty fast. I'm going to a different dealership tomorrow to test drive another one, and the sales guy told me he will let me wring it out good. Let you know what I think after that.
Willis5050
05-19-2002, 08:30 PM
Originally posted by DGS
1) Subaru WRX - I find the body style hideous, and there is total lack of refinement for what you get. It's a Civic, with AWD and turbo. Plus, most Suburu dealerships are not willing to bargin, so you pay full sticker. I have optioned out a new one, and with everything I would want, the car comes in at $27,000, and that is still with no leather, small wheels/tires, and a crap stock stereo. No thanks, as fast as it is.
2) Nissan Altima - First year redisign, plus too expensive once neccessary options start getting added, plus not near the handling of the Celica, plus lots of complaints on the message boards about this car already, plus no dealer negotiation.
3) VW - GTI - Now the creature comforts and price are in line, but the reliability and handling still aren't there. I do like the interior of those cars though, I'm not crazy about the exterior shape.
Don't want to buy someone elses headache. The Mitsu EVO and Wrx Sti are going to be great cars for sure, but they will both sticker at $30K (if not more due to dealer price gouging), there will definitely not be any price negotiations, and we won't be seeing them for at least a year, if not more. I'm in the market for a car now, don't want to wait that long for a car I still might not be able to afford, or don't want to spend the money on for lack of refinement.
Your reasoning seems very similar to mine, and I ended up with the Celica too. I thought the WRX was el cheapo, the GTI was a fat pig, and the RSX was ugly and not as "sporty". The celica is tight up front, and I like it that way, like a cockpit. But the hatch is great, I moved all my stuff from Cincinnati to San Jose a few months ago with no problems. As for long distance cruising, I didn't really notice the road noise too much; I did notice how smooth it was cruising at 100+ across Whyoming, Utah and Nevada and still getting mid 30s gas mileage.
Aside from the rev limiter problem, the 2002 will prove to be very reliable; more so than the 2000's. Can't get much more reliable than a Toyota with a few model years under it's belt. Plus, if Toyota decides to stop covering misshifts you will be a lot safer.
I just drove about 100 miles today, some of it pretty enthusiatic - it really reminds me how much I like this car.
skatamatic
05-19-2002, 08:38 PM
how is the wrx a civic with AWD and a turbo? anyone ridden in a modded one yet? i did yesterday and it didn't feel much like a civic. and if you're willing to get a used one i've seen them with under 20k miles going for $21-22,000, some even fairly modded.
Hey Willis5050, thanks for your comments. Yes, obviously you and I are thinking alike. Good to know that long road trips don't prove to be too taxing. Yes, the gas milage is fantastic in the Celica. That is why I have always loved a high revving 4, you get a great combination of fantastic gas milage and performance. Plus 4 cylinder engines tend to be more reliable than V6's or V8's. As far as reliability with a few models after the redisign, I totally agree, I never buy first year of any car redisign. Usually it takes a few models to work the kinks out, another reason why I won't go with the RSX. According to Alldata, there have been considerably fewer recalls for the 2002's than there were for the 2000's.
skatamatic, I think the interior is very low grade in the WRX. Really bordering on cheap. No leather seats, and the car just has cheap feel to it. The doors are really thin, the trunk is really thin, the paint is cheap. I just think the Celica strikes a much better balance between luxury and performance than the WRX. Plus like I said, I really don't want to buy used. I plan on keeping the car for at least 4 or 5 years, and I want the peace of mind of knowing how it was treated and driven from day one. Oh yeah, your car is real nice looking. I think that carbon blue is an awesome color, I'm going to check out your mods. I'm sure you've thrown some serious cash into the car, I won't have the money to do anything at first, but I can see some of what you've done making it on my car down the road...
skatamatic
05-19-2002, 09:50 PM
hey, i kinda see what you mean about the wrx, but i still want one :). thanks a bunch on the comments on the car too, i really appreciate it. unfortunatly the car hasn't decided to stay as reliable as i figured (30k miles and already have a new transmission, belt tensioner pulley, need new injectors and probably MAFS, new seat fabric, new radio, lots of little interior pieces messing up, and then a few other things but i won't go on forever) and i'm gonna sell it this summer and get a wrx anyways. i wasn't crazy about some of the stuff about it at first but after driving and riding in one i'm hooked. good luck with your choice though.
-cody
Willis5050
05-19-2002, 09:54 PM
I have ridden and driven modified ones, and they are quick cars. But, the car does not feel nearly as tight as the celica. How do you think they kept the cost resonably affordable while having an AWD turbo powertrain? Something had to be sacrificed, and I wasn't willing to take that sacrifice. Let's face it, if I wanted to be quick in a straight line I would have bought an LS1. You can't get much quicker than that in the pricepoint in question. I guess for me second place would be the RSX, but I didn't like the looks or the handling.
skatamatic
05-19-2002, 10:00 PM
i think a lot of things were sacrificed in the making of my car :(.
(either that or it was made by toyota's detriot division in the event that something like that existed...haha...no offense to you american car people).
Willis5050
05-19-2002, 10:12 PM
Hey, don't forget that my 2000 was lemon lawed. But I think that a lot of it was how the previous owner treated it. I learned two things:
1. Don't buy used, espicially any kind of "sports" car.
2. Don't abuse your car, or it will break. Period. Take car of it and it will treat you well for the most part.
It is no suprise that Consumer Reports rates the Celica at the top of it's class, but a disproportionate amount of people on this board have problems. That's because a lot of people on this board abuse their cars. You have to look no further than topics like "My car won't go into lift when the engine is cold!" to figure that out. I am excited that I get a fresh start and can take care of my new celica from day 1. Then I will get a play car in a few years and beat the crap out of that instead. But I need a reliable car first and foremost at this point, while still being pampered a little bit and still having all around performance out of the box.
spwolf
05-19-2002, 10:18 PM
Originally posted by skatamatic
how is the wrx a civic with AWD and a turbo?
Prolly cuz car starts with 1.6 engine and 95 HP and whoopin 0-62 in 13.2 sec?
I wonder how many WRX's would they sell in the states if they actually sold full model range starting at $14k
;-)
As to STI and EVO - EVO will start around $38k and STI somewhere between $33-$35k... so they are a bit out of that price range
Originally posted by skatamatic
hey, i kinda see what you mean about the wrx, but i still want one :). thanks a bunch on the comments on the car too, i really appreciate it. unfortunatly the car hasn't decided to stay as reliable as i figured (30k miles and already have a new transmission, belt tensioner pulley, need new injectors and probably MAFS, new seat fabric, new radio, lots of little interior pieces messing up, and then a few other things but i won't go on forever) and i'm gonna sell it this summer and get a wrx anyways. i wasn't crazy about some of the stuff about it at first but after driving and riding in one i'm hooked. good luck with your choice though.
-cody Oh great, now you've got me all worried. After only 30K miles you're having all of those problems. That doesn't sound like Toyota reliability. I wonder if it's just because you push your car hard and have modded it. 30K miles is nothing, my car has 140K miles and I haven't had a single problem, not one. Granted I don't bring it to the track, and it's not modded, but I would have to think the Celica would last just as long and be trouble free. "Interior pieces messing up", that just doesn't sound good. The car seems very well screwed together, maybe the guys on the assembly line were drunk the day your car was made. ;)
Het bud, enjoy the WRX. The car has potential. Some of the things about it I don't like can be remedied. The Suburu dealership I went to, said they would be willing to install aftermarket leather seats, but it was expensive. The WRX would be a great bargin at $24K, but once you start adding on options the car really needs, the price goes through the roof. Go to the Subaru website and price out a car. You'll see when you start checking off options I'm sure you will want, that affordable car becomes unaffordable very quickly. Hey, that's just me. Maybe you're making better money than I am, so it's not such a problem.
YOshi31
05-20-2002, 12:47 AM
dont get a sunroof deflector they suck and look ugly i drive everywhere with my roof up and its nice not too much wind and my car wont look like it has a hat that doesnt fit
Tony01Gts
05-20-2002, 03:10 AM
carbon blue sucks don't buy it!!! It's always dirty... everyone will think your car is black... and the quality of the paint just isn't that good, trust me my car is carbon blue and I hate it!
Originally posted by Tony01Gts
carbon blue sucks don't buy it!!! It's always dirty... everyone will think your car is black... and the quality of the paint just isn't that good, trust me my car is carbon blue and I hate it! Well then, what color do you recommend? The only color I know of that does not look dirty all the time is silver, I don't want the car in silver.
Willis5050
05-20-2002, 09:23 AM
I like my carbon blue, but color choice is an extremely subjective decision. Go with what you like, it's your car...
Tryan77
05-20-2002, 09:49 AM
Just a note....
If you get the side air impact bags you get "Leather Faced" seats. The backs, seats, and rear seats are not leather. They are some sort of pleather.
I have the SAB and was annoyed by this. I think the full leather looks better.
F22-Raptor
05-20-2002, 09:51 AM
I like carbon blue and I also like silver...I have the WRX as well and got mine fully loaded for 23k Sooooo Perhaps you need to buy your car at a different place :) However owning both the cars there is definite plusses to both.. If I was going on a trip more than 3 hours I would get a WRX or rent a car....The Celica is great an comfortable but 3+ hours and you will be wishing for a bigger car..IMO. BTW both cars are awesome and I wouldn't trade in either of them.
You guys have all been extremely helpful. I've been to some other boards, and I have to say, this is the nicest one I have been to. But, in a wild turn of events, I'm going to test drive and possibly purchase the new Volkswagon GLI today. Have you guys seen the car? It's freaking awesome! 200HP, 195 Torque, 17 inch rims, 6 speed tranny, leather interior (as an option, the car I'm looking at has it), it's a brand new car. I never buy first model year of any car, but this car I'm willing to make a slight exception. I'm going to Lewisville Volkswagon here in Lewisville Texas in about 10 minutes to test drive the car and see what they can do for me. I think I will be able to walk out of the dealership for around $23,500. You guys have to check this car out, here is a link at Edmunds:
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2002/volkswagen/jetta/glivr64drsedan28l6cyl6m/standard.html?id=lin0014
That might be the deal of the century. Even if I end up buying the car, I'll still come back here, board members are very cool. Let you guys know how it goes.
Willis5050
05-20-2002, 10:22 AM
Not a bad choice, it's not really a first model year anyway so you should be safe. Is 23,500 including TT&L? I thought that invoice with options on that thing was 23,500 by itself; if so you are getting a good deal. I am partial to the 1.8T myself, but the VR6 is a nice torquey engine.
Have you seen the GTI 337 for around that price?
daSchtick
05-20-2002, 11:34 AM
Originally posted by DGS
You guys have all been extremely helpful. I've been to some other boards, and I have to say, this is the nicest one I have been to. But, in a wild turn of events, I'm going to test drive and possibly purchase the new Volkswagon GLI today. Have you guys seen the car? It's freaking awesome! 200HP, 195 Torque, 17 inch rims, 6 speed tranny, leather interior (as an option, the car I'm looking at has it), it's a brand new car. I never buy first model year of any car, but this car I'm willing to make a slight exception. I'm going to Lewisville Volkswagon here in Lewisville Texas in about 10 minutes to test drive the car and see what they can do for me. I think I will be able to walk out of the dealership for around $23,500. You guys have to check this car out, here is a link at Edmunds:
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2002/volkswagen/jetta/glivr64drsedan28l6cyl6m/standard.html?id=lin0014
That might be the deal of the century. Even if I end up buying the car, I'll still come back here, board members are very cool. Let you guys know how it goes.
I'm sorry, but I can't help but to point you back to your earlier comment about the GTI :
VW - GTI - Now the creature comforts and price are in line, but the reliability and handling still aren't there. I do like the interior of those cars though, I'm not crazy about the exterior shape.
Don't get me wrong, I like VW a LOT also, but the reasons why you rejected the GTI are still the same in the new Jetta GLI. The VR6 has always been one of my favorite motors, but again, the handling is still not quite up to par (not helped by 3200lbs of heft in the Jetta). As far as reliability, you had concerns with the 'time proven' design, just imagine the 'quirks' on the new 24 valve VR6 model!
I myself hard a hard time deciding between the GTI GLX and the Celica GT-S when I was in the market also. But after driving both vehicles, and visiting this site and vwvortex.com, I quickly learned which car was better suited for me. The VW's had a lot of problems with second gear grinding, check engine lights, "emissions workshop" faults, broken window regulators, and etc. If you want to read more, search on any of these topics on the "Golf and Jetta IV" section of vwvortex.com forums. At the time, the Celica's main problems were due to operator carelessness; mis-shifting and scratched interior plastic, which I felt I could easily prevent. Also, the VWs didn't budge from MSRP very easily, but the Celica was available at invoice, which made the Celica about $2000 cheaper, even though it had a higher MSRP.
The ultimate choice is up to you but here was my summary:
VW Pros: Roomy, Audi-feel, VR6 torque, Lots of features, Quiet
VW Cons: Handling, Reliability, VR6 mileage, Sloppy shifter
Celica Pros: Lightweight rigid chassis (Handling & Braking), 6000-8200 RPM pull and 'music', Styling, Stereo, Mileage
Celica Cons: Noisy, Lack of low RPM torque - needs to be 'driven like you hate it', Small interior
If you are looking for more Sport than Luxury, then the Celica is the choice. But if you want a smooth, quiet ride, and don't care as much about handling the VW might fit the bill.
-Nick
Willis5050
05-20-2002, 11:38 AM
Yeah, reliabilty scared me away from VW as well when I made my purchase. Handling and fuel economy too. But to each their own, I have seen lots of nice VW's lately.
You guys been saying the car was noisy. I wouldnt say its the car per say, but the stock yoko tires on it. I been driving the celica for 2 years now and everytime I switch to my winter tire, the road noise goes down quite a bit ... and they are winter tires! Usually, winter rubber tend to be more noisy than popular 4 seasons or well designed summer tires.
My 2 pennies.
skatamatic
05-20-2002, 06:09 PM
actually i really don't drive my car hard at all, other than the occassional autocross. i was quite dissappointed in the way my celica has been, but it seems that most aren't quite as bad as mine(although a few GTS people in my club are having similar problems). the 2002's seem to have most everything fixed but they do get a crappy ECU and transmission now. i think the celica for the most part is great and wish mine wouldn't have decided to start dying on me but i think i'm gonna enjoy the WRX too. hope you have better luck if you do get a celica.
-cody
Originally posted by DGS
Oh great, now you've got me all worried. After only 30K miles you're having all of those problems. That doesn't sound like Toyota reliability. I wonder if it's just because you push your car hard and have modded it. 30K miles is nothing, my car has 140K miles and I haven't had a single problem, not one. Granted I don't bring it to the track, and it's not modded, but I would have to think the Celica would last just as long and be trouble free. "Interior pieces messing up", that just doesn't sound good. The car seems very well screwed together, maybe the guys on the assembly line were drunk the day your car was made. ;)
Het bud, enjoy the WRX. The car has potential. Some of the things about it I don't like can be remedied. The Suburu dealership I went to, said they would be willing to install aftermarket leather seats, but it was expensive. The WRX would be a great bargin at $24K, but once you start adding on options the car really needs, the price goes through the roof. Go to the Subaru website and price out a car. You'll see when you start checking off options I'm sure you will want, that affordable car becomes unaffordable very quickly. Hey, that's just me. Maybe you're making better money than I am, so it's not such a problem.
Bling
05-20-2002, 06:24 PM
Tryan77 Just a note. If you get the side air impact bags you get "Leather Faced" seats. The backs, seats, and rear seats are not leather. They are some sort of pleather. I have the SAB and was annoyed by this. I think the full leather looks better.
All Celicas with leather only get it on the front of the front seats. They have vinyl on the rest of the seats.
gtsaction
05-20-2002, 06:41 PM
On thing I would consider is if you are tall. I put my seat back all the way and I am only 6'. On long road trips I found the gas is too close to me and I can get uncomfortable. But, I also found the cruise control is great on those long road trips and works perfectly like a hand throttle with my leg nice and stretched beyond the gas peddle. The car drives itself on long trips and tracks very straight. 23K miles and not one problem. Gotta love it.
gtsaction
05-20-2002, 06:43 PM
Get a Spectra Blue one, great color. (I got a red GTS and I like it)
Hey guys, well, I'm the proud owner of a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 1.8 Turbo. I freaking love the car! I got the sport package with the upgraded wheels/tires and suspension, the leather package and the Monsoon stereo system. My out the door price was 22,800. I put 4 grand down, which is what I got for my Prelude, my monthly payments are $370.00 a month. The great part is my insurance went down $200 over the year as well, so now I will only pay $93 a month in insurance. I think this car strikes the perfect balance between luxury and sport. They would not negotiate on the 2002 GLI, so that became too expensive. They worked an invoice deal for me on the GLS, so I'm a happy camper.
After much deliberation, I finally decided that moving into something larger and more luxurious is more my style. I'm going to be 31 years old this summer, and I just couldn't see myself in the Celica for the next 4 or 5 years. It's too small, and it just doesn't have the refinement I'm looking for now. Plus I really like having 4 doors now, something I haven't had for the past 5 years. It will be nice to be able to bring along more than just myself and a passenger from now on. Plus the car is just as good on gas as the Celica I believe, 24 city/ 31 hwy. It's absolutely quiet on the highway, and because of the sport suspension and wheel package upgrade, I can take corners real nice. There is no torque steer to be found no matter how hard I accelerate, and the car moves! When that turbo spools up, watch out! And whoever said the shifter on a VW is bad, guess again. The shifter is smoother than my Prelude. I can put it into gear with 1 finger. The gates are perfectly spaced too. No chance of a misshift.
All in all, I think I found the car for me. I really appreciate everyone's input. Going with the Celica might have been fun for a little while, but once the novelty wore off, living with the car day in and day out would not have suited my needs.
Lastly, VW is consistenly rated very highly in consumer reports among customer satisfaction and reliability. I always take very good care of my cars, oil change every 3K miles, rotate tires every 6K miles, 7K interval service checks etc,. We'll see if the VW gives me any trouble, but it comes with a 4 year 50k factory warrenty, so I'm not too worried. I'll let you guys know how it goes. Thanks again for all the feedback.
skatamatic
05-20-2002, 07:18 PM
congrats on the new car, i'm sure it will be fun. make sure you chip it now, then it will be even better :)
Willis5050
05-20-2002, 09:06 PM
Nice choice on the 1.8T, I prefer that over the VR6 personally. I think the Jetta will treat you well, and don't run away just because you didn't buy a celica.
I only have one question though.....4K for a 97 Prelude?!?!? That seems hideously low. Looks like they got you on the trade to keep the jetta price low. I guess it all works out in the end, but you probably could have gotten at least 3K more on the private market in a matter of a week or so.....
Don't forget to chip it!
Originally posted by Willis5050
Nice choice on the 1.8T, I prefer that over the VR6 personally. I think the Jetta will treat you well, and don't run away just because you didn't buy a celica.
I only have one question though.....4K for a 97 Prelude?!?!? That seems hideously low. Looks like they got you on the trade to keep the jetta price low. I guess it all works out in the end, but you probably could have gotten at least 3K more on the private market in a matter of a week or so.....
Don't forget to chip it! Oh, I will definitely continue to come here. Everyone here is on the level, mature, and car knowledgeable, something I can appreciate. Plus I'm really floored by the absense of in-fighing on this board. You go to club RSX, prelude.com, or any of the others, and they are always fighting about something or other. Great board here.
I'm sorry, I should have said that I got $6,900 for my car, I pocketed $2,900 and put the rest into the VW. Yeah, I probably could have gotten more, but what are you going to do. I had new car fever, and I'm in a great car and $2,900 richer now. Took my woman out to a nice dinner tonight with some of that cash... :)
Yep, the turbo 4 just seemed like a better deal then the GLX VR6. VW increased the HP on the turbo from 150 to 180, plus it got a boost in torque from 155 to 174 for the 2002 model, so the car definitely moves! I'm telling you, there is nothing like the rush of a turbo spooling up to get the juices flowing. Passing power is there, in any gear, at any time. The car will serve me well for the next 5 years.
Willis5050
05-20-2002, 09:41 PM
Phew, I was worried you only got 4K on trade for the Prelude!
daSchtick
05-21-2002, 06:01 AM
WOW! You sure do make up your mind quickly! Good luck with new VW - they are really nice.
-Nick
Originally posted by daSchtick
WOW! You sure do make up your mind quickly! Good luck with new VW - they are really nice.
-Nick Actually, I've been mulling over buying a new car for months. I thought I wanted to go into another sports coupe, but after really thinking about it, I realized that kind of car just doesn't work for me now. It may seem like I made a snap decision because I went with the VW after coming here for advice on a Celica, but the decision to move into a sedan over a small coupe has been one I've been thinking about for many months. The VW won out, the price, performance and comfort just work for me now.
LEDmod
05-21-2002, 11:40 PM
Well congrat on your car..
I just got my Celica couple days ago... while I wanted this car for 2 years.. I recently got chance to buy it last week....
I'm concern about performance AND the looks.. so I went for Celica..... 3 car that I was looking into was WRX, RSX-S, IS-300..
WRX - Pure performance.. but ugly as F$#k....
RSX-S - Similar as Celica.. it's uglier.. 20hp more but not much faster... seat was more aggreasive but celica is more comfortable... bottom section of the RSX seat feels so flat.. with same about the mods... Celica is still faster....
ok for IS-300... best looking car.... but expensive and slow.... it costs too much for mod... but once modded properly with supercharger.. that sucker is fast and handles great... with RWD...
But over all Celica has the performance and Style.. both combined well.....
I got it with Actoin package.. 16" wheel... side airbag, ABS, sunroof.. cloth seat(hate leather seat)...
All for 25220 out the door.. got it at dealer invoice... my friend works there and I used to worked there for little... so I got what I wanted.... Toyota doesn't deal to invoice that welll.. cause of the popularity.. but I know the prices and know the system of how they sell.. that helped me alot.....
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