Daily?

[Ae86xp]

Hey guys I'm a long time fan of 86's and I think I'm keen to finally go shopping for one this year. What I wanted to know, seeing as I don't know anyone that owns one personally, is how are they as a daily driver? I mean logically, am I looking at a lot of heartache, time and money spent just keeping it on the road? Or will it be fairly easy getting needed parts and repair due to the large fan base? Any advice on this issue or even how to go about buying an 86 and what to look for would be greatly appreciated.Cheers. XP

[86coupe]

I find them great as a daily driver, but do expect some down time when things wear out and you're waiting on parts. I have a backup car for that, or when I need to carry 4 passengers without cutting their legs off. Parts are easy enough to get, but whether its a suitable daily driver depends on what you do it - they can be a perfectly comfortable sporty car, or a bone jarring, stinking hot tin can that can corner like a blowfly with ADHD. I keep mine somewhere in between - track car suspension, but with a/c and all the mod cons inside. I don't have to commute to work in heavy traffic, but if I did, some softer springs and a quieter exhaust and it would be fine.

[Stain]

If you want a 86 for daily driving, you don't really want a 86.

[Vance]

If you want a 86 for daily driving, you don't really want a 86.

quoted for truth

[86coupe]

If you want a 86 for daily driving, you don't really want a 86.

I do. Makes boring trips not boring.

Makes long trips hell.

[ae8zn6]

In the end they are an old corolla, old cars can be unreliable if they haven't been properly maintained during their life so far. Having said that they are also fairly simple, when I had two potentially unreliable cars I would pick the 86 when I definitely needed to make it somewhere because I was more likely going to be able to bush mechanic my way out of a situation in the 86 than in something more complex.

I wouldn't buy one if you have no mechanical ability, or at least a willingness to learn some skills, but I have certainly daily driven an 86 for a long time in the past with no real problems. To be fair I haven't ended up with the bonnet up on the side of the road unless I have fiddled with something I shouldn't have more than once or twice.

But there are ultimately more comfortable and more reliable cars to use as a daily, unless your just trying to give yourself an excuse to have something for a bit of sneaky track work on the side too.

[johl]

an unmodified 86 with a 4ac will be fine. but one with an engine conversion, 9 times out of 10 you are buying someone elses problem. i used to daily a 4agze ke70. it was fine, although there were periods when i had to use my back up car due to snapped axels, gearbox breakages, general bugs. never more than 2 weeks off the road though. but as above, try to have some sort of back up transport

[Ae86xp]

Wow great advice guys, cheers, so I've got an issue with having a backup car cause I can only have one car in my current situation. I have no issue with driving comfort so all good there, and I'd want to take her to the track so some 'sneaky track work' would be a defs. As for my mechanical ability I'm a bit of a newb eager to learn, in saying that though I have a few mech mates that would be keen to help us out. Why wouldn't you want to daily an 86?? It's clearly a chick magnet.

[Gear-head]

I'm in the same boat as you mate so this is how I go about if you buy a 86 keep mind what mod's you doing. It not fun driving in rush hours traffic with a heavy duty clutch Trust me on that. And try and plan a head on parts. have parts sitting around at home so if you do break down at least you got the parts there waiting for you. I'm with johl on the motor swaps so be careful on what you buy I got lucky with my 86 just got some panel damage and wheel bearing problems that's needs new bearings if you going to use it for A-B then you be fine but as you said it going to see some track work well it won't be cheap man just use the 86 for daily

[focus_7]

My AE86 is 425000km old, and every week takes me 500km on a tank without fail. All I need to do is get the aircon regassed for summer and i'm set, Top daily.

[Rice86]

Stock ADM model is fine, finding one in good condition to drive for 24months without 1 thing breaking or needing to be changed is mission impossible. But more stock will be easy to manager if your not too familiar with AE86s

[Ae86xp]

Gear-head: cheers mate for the advice, when I say track time I really just mean going down to the wet pan on rare occasions and maybe a few laps at Wakefield if anything, more keen on just owning the beast and showing her off daily aha. When you say have parts ready around the house what are the best parts to have? As in what are common problems I can be looking at that would be possible to fix myself?Focus_7: cheers mate, it's comments like that which make me want to go out and pick one up now. 90% of what I hear about the 86 is just awesomely positive, can't wait to be a member aha XP

[Ae86xp]

Rice86: what kind of problems have you encountered most commonly?

[racsov]

is the factory air conditioning any good? what are they like for squeaks and rattles

[Jacobxxx]

So you're an ugly dude and want to get a rusty 80's corolla to pick up girls?

[Rice86]

Dead alternator is first in my mind, went through so many recodition ones lol, Then starter motor comes second, everything else that you think is dodgy is most likely going to cause trouble, example

You buy a car that has an exhaust, seems ok but had a small leak, 2months later most likely gone worse and needs a new exhaust system. Lol

4age, bought it with a lil oil leak, 4months later, still leaking + more..
Blowing a little blue smoke? Don't even bother with second thoughts..

But that was me with little money before so I could only afford dangerous ae86 that shouldn't even be on the road! But those were the best time as experience only comes with time spent under the car. Above applies to any car you buy, but it just so happens that most ae86 are in rough condition and over priced now for the condition they are in..

And rust.... Make sure your happy to exchange your hard earnings for some rusty metal. Haha

[Ae86xp]

Jacobxxx: yes.Rice86: thanks for all this advice bra, definitely got me thinking on how to prep for whatever can go wrong. Another big incentive for me are the financial pros like now I'll be looking at a small loan or a couple of months of savings instead of a hefty $20-25000 loan and ass rape if I need a new car part eg. Clutch aha and even insurance is a lot less than that of other cars like new Commo's etc.I'm definitely up for any more advice guys, cheers to everyone that has shared their wisdom on the beast this far. XP

[Stain]

The best option would be find a stock, clean, low km, Jap import... Preferably still in Japan.
Yes its more expensive initially, but you get a great condition car with all the go fast and nice bits on it from factory.
Much less headaches and will be more gentle on your wallet in the long run.

Then you can do the normal things like new rims, a nice exhaust and some bilstein shocks with mild springs.

[Ae86xp]

Yeah but I heard import can be fairly expensive what would be a good import service to look at, perhaps get a quote?

[Rice86]

have 15k for a start, you'll get a real good one for that price, and another 5K to get it to aus+rego

[Ae86xp]

have 15k for a start, you'll get a real good one for that price, and another 5K to get it to aus+rego Far out, that's a bit o cash!? I think I'll stick with the Aussie market in that case. 0_o

[whatcamber]

15k is waaaay too much for an ae86. I just sold one with all the mods for 6000, bought an even better one for 7 grand!

Keep an eye out for good deals theres plenty around

[Stain]

15k for a AE86 is good. If you buy a $4000 Australian Sprinter you'll easily spend the rest trying to make it good.

[Ae86xp]

I think it's just that initial cost that poses the question, will I be cheap and slowly upgrade while owning the car or will I wait a while and prep fir the big cash drop for a fully modded 86? Has anyone imported before, any advice on that?

[Stain]

Don't buy a fully modded car. You're buying someone else's problems 9 times out of 10.
The question it comes down to is. Do you want a 86, or do you want a NICE 86?

You can go out and buy a busted, rusty, cracked and filthy Australian 86 with a dodgy 4AGE install for $3000. And never truly be happy with it.
Or save up for a while and get someone like Pro_K to find and import you something really good that leave you standing by the window perving at
it and grinning like a retard every time you're not driving it.

http://hachiroku.com.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3064&sid=6fd222adbbc21b391bd80ead6cfd4475 <- heres some examples of what Pro_K can get

[Ae86xp]

True Derek, I do want a clean stock 86 and that pro_k bloke has some of the best trueno's I've ever seen!! Probably the best way to go, I've never dealt with importing a car before, what are the steps to go through with it? So I have the money, choose an 86 in stock, wire cash, car shipped.. Other than rego what needs to be done?

[KurtHS]

Compliance needs to be done but Pro can sort that out for you.

I bought my Trueno through Pro, stock engine but all the suspension had been done, had a kit, wheels, seat and Nardi steerer. Super happy with, very reliable, really good shell and Pramodh is awesome to deal with, he even drove it out to our factory so we could chuck it on the hoist to check it out.

All you do is let him know your budget, he'll find a car, you pay and then he sorts out the rest.

[Ae86xp]

Wow top bloke! It's probably Gunna be a month or two but it seems like pro is the way to go atm. Cheers guys.

[Gear-head]

I got mine for 5800 ADM panda 86 and all I need was a spare s series diff ( it cost me only $50 ) swap it over and Ran smooth as has 4age in it and have a no problem yet he wanted $7k but yea but my 86 if for A-B as I'm saving up for a treuno for weekends and stuff

[Ae86xp]

Sounds like a pretty sick deal gear head, I understood what you said right up to 'but yea but..' lol other than a tune what are the main differences between Jdm and adm 86's.?

[KurtHS]

Different engines, different rear ends (diff, axles etc), the rest is just aesthetic stuff like interior and bumpers.

ADM has 4AC sohc 1.6L carby engine and an S series diff, JDM have 4AGE twin cam EFI 1.6L and T series diff.

[Ae86xp]

Ah righto, far out adm sucks aha. +1 to importing a clean 86. :)

[KurtHS]

Just get onto Pro and see if he can get you a lightly modded one from Japan, something with coilovers/decent suspension, wheels, a bucket seat and a nice steering wheel. That's all you need and those kind of mods generally aren't an issue, they're the type of car he usually gets anyway.

[Stain]

The body / shells are pretty much identical. But the JDM car is better in every way.
Performance, Comfort, Technically, Mechanically and Aesthetically.

If you want a nice 86, to enjoy it to its fullest and have a neat daily. JDM spec is the only way to go.
I would have gone that way myself if I wasn't fooling myself 5 years ago thinking I could transform a Australian car cheaply.

[Ae86xp]

Shmick once I've figured my budget I'll get onto pro. Lovin this forum, so much help. XP