Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

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IndiaDorifto7
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Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby IndiaDorifto7 » Sat Feb 15, 2014 7:56 am

Hey Club4AG! Sorry, this has probably been asked a number of times. I'm going to get my permit soon and I really want an ae86. Here in the Inland Empire parts aren't that scarce and I've got a good number of friends who would be willing to help work on my car, so an ae86 seems valid. My budget is $5000 US so I think I can afford one. Yes, I want one partly because of Initial D; the car intrigued me since I first saw Initial D (around 8 years old). I'm not seeking to buy one because I want to be the next DORIFTO KINGU, I just want to drive hachis, that said, Adam's Motorsports Park isn't too far away :twisted: . So if I buy one in good running order, how much would it cost to fix it up and modify? Is an ae86 a good choice for a 15 year old by any ways?

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby idreamofdrifting » Sat Feb 15, 2014 8:33 am

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby yoshimitsuspeed » Sat Feb 15, 2014 11:00 am

If you have the money and like working on cars then it would be decent. Any car this old is going to need some attention. It's much more likely you will need to replace things like suspension, wheel bearings, brake components etc. It's more likely the engine and drivetrain will need attention. Until you go through all these systems and replace everything even slightly questionable it's also much more likely to leave you stranded somewhere.
If these are things you don't want to deal with then you would be much better off buying something newer.
Most parents would want their kid in a newer car with more modern safety standards. Personally I'm torn because I have always had the fantasy of buying my kid some old pile of bolts and fixing it up with them for their first car yet naturally would want them to be safe as well. I also don't yet have a kid so once I do I may have a completely different perspective.
Any way you cut it my first priority would be getting them to a good high level driving school. I'm not talking about your average drivers ed where they teach you to come to a full stop at intersections and look both ways before going.
I'm talking about a several day to week long intensive where they teach you proper driving on the street and proper defensive driving and skid recovery on a closed course. I would give you the same advice. It will be one of the best couple hundred bucks you could ever spend and could change the rest of your life or even save it.

When driving these little cars you have to pay attention and basically assume everyone is out to get you. I drive my AW11 and used to drive my old CRX like I would if I had a cloaking device because that's how it seems sometimes.
Trucks will come right into your lane and never even notice as you lock up the brakes swerving to the side of the road just trying to not get broad sided till you can drop behind them. I have almost been Tboned and many an intersection by people who just act as though I wasn't there.

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby IndiaDorifto7 » Sat Feb 15, 2014 11:40 am

Maybe I will take defensive driving, good tip. Oh btw @idreamofdrifting, I do not assume an ae86 will let me drift like Takumi, I know it's harder to learn drifting in an ae86. Also, if I do get it to good running condition, will it have good reliability because it's a corolla?

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby yoshimitsuspeed » Sat Feb 15, 2014 11:49 am

IndiaDorifto7 wrote:Maybe I will take defensive driving, good tip. Oh btw @idreamofdrifting, I do not assume an ae86 will let me drift like Takumi, I know it's harder to learn drifting in an ae86. Also, if I do get it to good running condition, will it have good reliability because it's a corolla?

If you go through everything, if you don't abuse it and if you take care of it then yeah it could be very reliable. Getting it there can take some work.

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby IndiaDorifto7 » Sat Feb 15, 2014 11:57 am

Oh, thanks! Also what type of not-too-expensive engine mods could I do to get to a reasonable level, say close to 200 hp? Just for future reference.

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby Tora » Sat Feb 15, 2014 3:33 pm

IndiaDorifto7 wrote:Oh, thanks! Also what type of not-too-expensive engine mods could I do to get to a reasonable level, say close to 200 hp? Just for future reference.

Based on this question, please don't buy an AE86.

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby kiosk » Sat Feb 15, 2014 4:31 pm

You won't beat a train with a $5000 budget

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby carbd7age » Sat Feb 15, 2014 5:34 pm

Dibs on that Trust DD if it's not bent.
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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby IndiaDorifto7 » Sat Feb 15, 2014 11:37 pm

I don't really care about power, just wanted to know if there is a way to do some reasonably priced engine mods. The $5,000 budget is just to buy the car, I'll see into mods later, just looking for some advice on what would be the best mods. Yeah, I'm not a power type of car guy, besides, it probably wouldn't be smart to go 300 hp as a 15 yr old. :lol: Just looking for some good advice being a teenager getting his first ride.

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby kiosk » Sun Feb 16, 2014 12:46 am

http://forums.club4ag.com/zerothread?id=72451
http://www.hachiroku.net/forums/showthread.php?t=22034

if you're set on buying a Corolla as your first ride, your number 1 goal would be getting it to run as reliable as possible.

IndiaDorifto7 wrote:how much would it cost to fix it up and modify?
How deep are your [parents] pockets?

IndiaDorifto7 wrote:Is an ae86 a good choice for a 15 year old by any ways?
How patient are you? Expect lots of things to go wrong with our little Corolla's. I'd suggest a more modern car like a 240 or Miata.

IndiaDorifto7 wrote:Yeah, I'm not a power type of car guy
Good cause these cars don't have power.
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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby EJ86 » Sun Feb 16, 2014 1:03 am

Get sideways:
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-1985 Toyota Corolla GTS (2door)
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/561054
-2004 Nissan Frontier (King Cab):
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3072528

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby idreamofdrifting » Sun Feb 16, 2014 7:42 am

EJ86 wrote:Get sideways:
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Dibs on those Redlines if they're not cracked!
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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby yoshimitsuspeed » Sun Feb 16, 2014 9:39 am

I agree that getting it reliable and healthy would be the first step.
As you get to know the car you will start learning more what you want out of it and what it will take to get it there.
Even 130 WHP is quite fun in something as light as an 86.
You could get to 130-150 to the wheels for a reasonable amount of money. IMO the only reason to take an NA 4A higher is because you are restricted by some form of racing you are building the motor for. At that point the cost to gains just become impractical.
200 HP turbo 4A is quite easy. It just takes a little time and money. How much depends greatly on how much you can do yourself and what choices you make. If you can do everything yourself and don't touch the motor you could have a 160 WHP turbo 4A for $1200 to $1800. Add engine management and you could get close to 200. Rebuild the motor with good pistons and throw in some cams and 300 HP isn't too far away.
The other option is doing a swap. I am very fond of the 4A so I wouldn't consider a swap unless it was unable to do what I wanted or would cost considerably more to get there than the swap.

Once you are ready to start making power research is going go be your best friend. Spend as much time as you can stand researching the boards, other peoples builds and all that. Start reading some books on whatever options you are considering such as NA tuning or bootsed tuning.
Of course option b is to hand your keys to a professional, open up your wallet and let them go to town.
This will be a good start if you wanted to start working towards boost.
http://matrixgarage.com/content/yoshimi ... oing-4a-ge

This is also good reading material. I don't agree with all of it and it is somewhat outdated but it's still a good primer to get you started. The power numbers are at the crank, not the wheels.
One big thing I disagree on is waiting to increase compression. If you want to make power you want as much compression as you can run. Pairing your pistons and your cams properly is what will maximize your power.

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby ogdougynutty » Sun Feb 16, 2014 10:42 pm

Dont buy a corolla as a first car. This is what i foresee, if you get a ae86 as your only car, you will have to do a lot of work to it and it will be sitting more than you driving it. You will get fed up with it and have to sell it and lose quite a bit of money, no one wants to pick up someone else's project (unless it is cheap).

If you want a car to work on, honestly buy a civic/crx, you can make those get 200+hp for dirt cheap and they will last all damn day with 30+ mpg lol. Parts are PLENTIFUL (can't stress that enough). Plus the added benefit of working on a honda and they are just as simple as you can get. (Just don't turn into a JDM fag boy)

But if you want RWD, get a 240. Way more aftermarket support, plenty of parts, and cheaper than an ae86, and higher power levels are way easier.

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby IndiaDorifto7 » Sun Feb 16, 2014 11:53 pm

ogdougynutty wrote:Dont buy a corolla as a first car. This is what i foresee, if you get a ae86 as your only car, you will have to do a lot of work to it and it will be sitting more than you driving it. You will get fed up with it and have to sell it and lose quite a bit of money, no one wants to pick up someone else's project (unless it is cheap).

If you want a car to work on, honestly buy a civic/crx, you can make those get 200+hp for dirt cheap and they will last all damn day with 30+ mpg lol. Parts are PLENTIFUL (can't stress that enough). Plus the added benefit of working on a honda and they are just as simple as you can get. (Just don't turn into a JDM fag boy)

But if you want RWD, get a 240. Way more aftermarket support, plenty of parts, and cheaper than an ae86, and higher power levels are way easier.

Yeah, I looked into a 240, I'm keeping it as my last ditch effort for a car. I know they are great cars, but I'm a bit stubborn ( bad character trait of mine :oops: ) I'm looking for an ae86 (wanted one since elementary). My parents are buying because they want me to focus my time on studying over working jobs to earn money at the moment, being Asian Indian and high expectations and all. I understand the time required to work on hachis but I do have a drift racetrack nearby (Adam's Motorsport Park) to help me with some things like parts and installs and such. What kind of problems do ae86s tend to get and how to fix them? All the auto stuff I've done so far is: changing tires, adjusting throttle cables, and replacing the spark plugs on my dad's 2001 Honda Civic LX. I really appreciate the help! :D

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby carbd7age » Wed Feb 19, 2014 6:34 pm

idreamofdrifting wrote:
EJ86 wrote:Get sideways:
Image


Dibs on those Redlines if they're not cracked!

Damn! Gimme the center panel then!


Seriously do want Trust DD.
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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby Toybrota » Wed Feb 19, 2014 8:07 pm

I sort of agree on the don't get an ae86 as your first car, but blind faith got me my AE86 and it has been a total blast.
My first car was a 92. If you want the sportyness and can live without the skids that car would make a great replacement
They don't have tons of aftermarket but some still sport the 4age and even 4agze so you can get all the power you want and still be fuel efficient and reliable.
Plus the Levin awesome
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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby IndiaDorifto7 » Wed Feb 19, 2014 8:31 pm

Toybrota wrote:I sort of agree on the don't get an ae86 as your first car, but blind faith got me my AE86 and it has been a total blast.
My first car was a 92. If you want the sportyness and can live without the skids that car would make a great replacement
They don't have tons of aftermarket but some still sport the 4age and even 4agze so you can get all the power you want and still be fuel efficient and reliable.
Plus the Levin awesome
Image

Thanks for the advice! The only problem is that the corolla you have is an ae92, those are newer and more reliable. I personally don't want one of those because they are fwd, I'm a rwd DRIFT fanboy :D All into the Japanese drift scene (high speed, 4 wheel drifting!); that said I'm not going to use an ae86 as a race car, just a daily with the occasional visit to the racetrack. I'm shooting for a RWD ae86, they are older and probably have more problems to deal with as a result. Did you have similar problems getting your ae92 up and running? I'm trying to get an ae86 in the best condition (no high expectations here ;) ) possible for my money, I'm kind of a "noob" at car repairs and tuning (all my experience so far is battery changing, tire changing, spark plug changing, and throttle cable tuning, AP high school classes aren't doing me justice in this situation; I'm going to sit in the corner and cry now :( :( :( :( :(
Last edited by IndiaDorifto7 on Wed Feb 19, 2014 9:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby Toybrota » Wed Feb 19, 2014 9:00 pm

That's not mine lol I wish it was.
And no the ae92 is in no way shape or from more advanced or "newer" then the ae86. I loved my 92 because it was simply a car. It didn't have AC or any other frills that new cars have now.
In terms of reliability, mine had a fit every couple months right up until I blew the motor. I love my AE86 now, and when funds allow I will buy another AE92 so I can put the 86 under the knife.

If you can live with fwd go with an ae92 :P if not an e30 or 240 are both up your alley. both are popular and have plenty of aftermarket available. Clean ae86s are getting harder and harder to come by.

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby ogdougynutty » Thu Feb 20, 2014 10:32 am

Ya, sorry to crush dreams. But what we said will be better in the long run. You want to do some drifting every once in a while, and that means your going to break stuff. No if's, and's, or but's about it; everyone breaks something doing that. So if you start out with an AE86 you will run out of money quick or just not have a car. Because parts are expensive and hard to come by. With a 240, compared to an AE86, they are a dime a dozen. Parts are plentiful and cheap.

Then once you get a good handle on working on the complicated stuff, getting a corolla for a second car would be a sensible decision.

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby idreamofdrifting » Thu Feb 20, 2014 10:33 pm

carbd7age wrote:
idreamofdrifting wrote:
EJ86 wrote:Get sideways:
Image


Dibs on those Redlines if they're not cracked!

Damn! Gimme the center panel then!


Seriously do want Trust DD.



Redlines without the Center Panel is like....

-The Earth without oxygen
-The Jackson 5 without Micheal
-Keiichi Tsuchiya without an AE86
-James Bond withhout gadgets
-Club4AG without The 4AGE
-James Cameron without The Teriminator
-Morning without Coffee
-Computer without an Operating System
-Summer without Hot Girls
-The 80s-90s Chicago Bulls without Jordan
-Nintendo without Mario, Zelda, Metroid, etc.
-Sex without climax
-Tomb Raider without Lara Croft
-Fast & Furious without Paul Walker


In other words, it just isn't right.
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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby SidekickChuck » Fri Feb 21, 2014 10:13 pm

You left out:

Pooping without toilet paper
Silver/Black 1985 ae86 gts Heavens Gate Corolla
2001 Carbon Black e39 M5
89' Supra Twin Turbo 1JZ (sold)

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby idreamofdrifting » Sat Feb 22, 2014 1:35 am

SidekickChuck wrote:You left out:

Pooping without toilet paper


+1 good one!
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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby Jeff Lange » Sun Feb 23, 2014 8:17 am

As someone who's first car was an AE86, I say do it. If you want one, get one. They're easy to work on and parts aren't really that expensive or hard to find if you just want to have fun with it. They're not fast enough to get you into that much trouble.

Jeff

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby Six1ohrollaz » Sun Feb 23, 2014 6:20 pm

Just buy an unmolested ae86 or one with not that many extensive mods... Toyotas are reliable cars it's not a vw or BMW those things are horror story's! Only ae86 I had issues with was somebody else's fucked up project which was a half asses sr5 to gts conversion... Can't get any worse then that and I overcame all the issues and got it running tip top with the help of a donor gts.... These cars are not hard to work on if ur mechanically inclined!!! hands on is definitely a must in this ae86Lifestyle!
current cars
85 corolla GT-S hb
81 corolla 2dr
after 12 TE/AE corollas this is what it's come down too

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby 8sexing » Thu Feb 27, 2014 8:36 am

First of all, everybody here will agree, not admit.. the 86 will RUIN YOUR LIFE.

on the serious note of all this, if you want to learn to drift, buy something you don't care about but can still enjoy and love, my first car before a 86 was a 240. buy a 240, a cressida, miata, ect. build a cool drift missile to learn, because if you want to learn to drift, you WILL crash and things will break.. ae86 were GREAT cars to learn how to drift on in 1998... when they were cheap and plenty to go around. you were born too late to be a part of that generation.. you were probably born in 1998. It costs a LOT of money.. money a high school kid doesn't have, you WILL have to get a job to keep the car. Get something that you can learn to drift on, newer, that will not break down on you and stress you out. When your indian parents push you to become a doctor and you get a job after you finish school and make lots of money, buy a ae86. By then, you will be good at drifting and not crash it. Everybody I know that learned to drift and is now good at it has crashed and destroyed a car at least once... We've all seen too many 86's go to the grave. Theres no rush to have one now, learn to drift first, then get one so you can have takumi skills.

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby idreamofdrifting » Mon Mar 03, 2014 7:48 pm

8sexing wrote:First of all, everybody here will agree, not admit.. the 86 will RUIN YOUR LIFE.


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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby jrae82 » Wed Mar 05, 2014 6:32 pm

My first car was an Ae86 coupe gts. Everything went wrong on that car. Got it working legit but took of time and money. Expect to pocket out alooot of cash and days. My conclusion is get one. You will learn a lot about fixing , maintaining, and driving an Ae86 the hard way. Plus in the long run it will help you out in the future.

If u want a reliable car to race, track, or drift. I suggest a miata. Overall a better platform plus they look real nice once hooked up. I have own 6 miatas and never dissapointed

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Re: Buying an ae86 as a first car (again)

Postby my86mystory » Thu Mar 06, 2014 10:31 pm

jrae82 wrote:My first car was an Ae86 coupe gts. Everything went wrong on that car. Got it working legit but took of time and money. Expect to pocket out alooot of cash and days. My conclusion is get one. You will learn a lot about fixing , maintaining, and driving an Ae86 the hard way. Plus in the long run it will help you out in the future.

If u want a reliable car to race, track, or drift. I suggest a miata. Overall a better platform plus they look real nice once hooked up. I have own 6 miatas and never dissapointed


+1 especially to the learning a lot about fixing maintaining and driving part and the everything went wrong lol. If you stick with it though shell treat you right I guess when youve earned its "respect" haha these cars are alive. If she ever broke down on me she always got me to my destination even if she limped there at the last stretch. Mine was a gts hatch. Great time camt wait to get anothrr when life gets better.
Being as your in h.s. and wanting to learn to drift another +1 to the miata. My cousin has one much easier to find parts in my opinion plus if you beat her up there are still plenty around where people wont be butt hurt for reducing the amount of them by 1. If you want to push your luck with the corolla and drifting to learn, well just be safe and try to remember it took takumi time to get good so dont try and force yourself to get better just take baby steps and only push yourself to a way where you can still control the car. Good luck.
P.S. if I were to go back and decide if an 86 would be my first car, id still choose it again in a heart beat even if it did RUIN MY LIFE HAHAHA no doubt thats a true statement right there that almost everyone would agree upon.