Quick background, I'm just a guy who appreciates cars. All types, but specifically the basic ones. I have turned wrenches for the last 5 years for a living and I have a love hate relationship with these machines. I currently own two vehicles, a 95 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and a 93 Mazda Miata. The AE86 has been a car I have been staring at for ages. Through the test of time, I keep coming back to it. This little Japanese car has eluded me for quite some time now, and the amount of these cars I have actually laid my eyes on in flesh and blood could be counted on one hand. The closest actual encounter to one was just before the turn of the last decade, when I came across an SR-5 which was in poor condition; many of it's large seem gaps and tormented abuse still haunts me to this day. Even through its disfigured body and horrendous paint job, I was in awe; a feeling I have yet to replicate even in amongst the exotics of today. I don't know why, but this car makes me smile.

So basically, owning one is a life's goal. However, I have little recollection of the tried and true things to look out for when trying to buy one. It's been literally a decade since I gave up hopes on obtaining one, and my knowledge of spotting a true GT-S from a fake has since slipped my mind.

I'd like to gather together some information that may help me between now and that glorious day that will be, when I finally own an 86. Here are some of the most important questions I have for you all, but please, feel free to chime in with anything you may feel will help out someone like me!

- Searching for "the one". What are the most important things to look for that could be red flags (common to this car)
- Where to look? I know obviously of this site and things like Ebay, but I'm talking Geographically. Is there a specific area of the USA that has a high concentration of these vehicles?
- I'm looking for a Left Hand Drive one. I know some people have said the AE86 is only truly an 86 if it is from overseas/Right hand drive. This I do not care about.
- I am not looking to modify the car in anyway. In fact, once I get my hands on one, the car will be restored as closely to how it was when it rolled off of the factory.
- Ownership tips. How available are replacement parts? Maintenance tips?
- Common issues with the vehicle. (Cosmetic, interior amenities, electrical, mechanical, etc.)
- Ownership costs? Tagging, tires, regular parts that wear out (brakes, tie rods, oil, filters, etc)
- Differences between the AE86 (Yearly changes, things found in certain years that aren't in others, most sought after production lines)
- I do know the difference between the AE86 Levin and it's more widely known variant. I don't want to own a coupe (Sorry coupe fans )
- If I never own one, I would like to at least get to experience one. Where can I find local car meets or clubs?
- I am located in the middle Tennessee area; anyone know of any clubs or car meets with these cars?

Please excuse me if this was supposed to go in a more general forum. And thank you to anyone who helps and provides any information! I love you all c:

Hi and welcome to the forum,

Let me first say that i have owned many different cars and there have been none that have been as special as the ae86 has been. That being said i will say the obvious that the ae86 is not the fastest car by any means and stock it does not handle as good as say a Miata. Expect to pay pay 10k for a gts hatch then you will end up with a pretty car but if you spend 2-3k on a gts expect a worn out car especially on the east coast. I find most of them up for sale are either all clapped out and up for a good price or are in decent shape for a price you would need to sell your kidney for.

However if you can deal with the trouble of a 30 year old car that is full of problems and parts that are hard to find then the ae86 is just for you. Most of them unless they are from the west coast or really well taken care of then they will be full of rust. The most common places are behind the rear wheel under the plastic bumper extensions, under the drivers side right where the pedals are or right where the exhaust manifold goes under the car, and the most detrimental place is at the top of the rear shock towers.

I will say mechanically the ae86 is pretty solid, it is an old toyota but at least you can find replacement parts for the mechanical side of the car and parts are super cheap if you get them from rock auto.

Ae86 ownership is very rewarding and it is a future classic, i have two and would not trade them for any other car. They can be a pain at times but overall who doesn't like a challenge? not to mention you will unlikely pass another one on the road.

Thanks for the reply! I definitely know that the car won't handle as well as a miata or go very fast. In fact, part of what I like about it is how simple it is, the styling is like going back into a time machine to an era. The sound is just right. It always seems just right.

The information on common rust spots is invaluable! Thanks tons! This will definitely help me in my search. The knowledge that mechanical parts are cheap and fairly plentiful is also great news! I was worried that repairing the car to a mechanically factory state would be like pulling teeth.

You mentioned west coast cars being less rusty. Do there tend to be more available in say, California? Or is it more around Arizona/Nevada?

Cost wise, I plan on spending somewhere around 9-13k on just the car. Then I plan to restore it with a full rebuild and things like new upholstry and the like. Overall I plan to probably spend about 25k to be where I want it. It will be as close to a how it would have rolled off the showroom floor as possible. It will stay in a garage and be driven for fun during summer days. It won't be built as a track car or anything like that.

I think spending more upfront for a nice car is worth it than picking up a cheap car, because the time spent to restore a clunker will end up in headaches trying to fix someone else's mistakes. Also, it is my experience that a good clean car will end up costing less in the end anyway.

Thanks for the help so far! Really appreciate it!

Availability in arizona is pretty slim but you can occasionally find a clean one, the biggest issue I had when looking were cars with hidden damage. Most commonly front end damage or the rear quarter panels, and even my car which had been an arizona car it's whole life had a very tiny amount of rust right above the driver door area.

So far So Cal seems to be where the buffalo roam. A little rust is to be expected for the cars age. So long as it is not structural then it is fine.

One thing I have noticed on these cars is there seems to be different wheels that come on them. For example, some have wheels that look like a pizza cutter while others have iroc z looking ones. Were they factory options or changes from year to year?

Glad i can provide some useful information about the rust and glad you are realistic with the price you are going to pay .

I normally search nationwide on craigslist every day to try to find as many affordable used oem parts as i can find along with buying any ae86s that are reasonably priced. It seems like the east coast seems to have a bit more and they are probably the cheapest although they are not in as good shape, i remember i passed up a sr5 hatch for $500 about a year ago in Virginia i am still kicking myself for. Phoenix would be an ideal place for the rust factor but they are rarely up for sale out there. If you have that much of a budget on one you may have very good luck out in California, there are a lot for sale out there that pop up and it would be less rust than if you were to get one on the east.

Key is if you have a budget like that it is better start with a good example that doesn't have too much rust since like i said if you want body parts you need to find them used or repair the rust on the ones you have which isn't always the best option. I wanted to restore my 86 to stock but finding good body parts is near impossible so i am patiently waiting till some company starts making reproduction body parts .

If you're spending up to 13k on the car initially, I'd imagine it would be in very nice shape already. Not sure if a lot of the typical issues would apply since they would have likely already been addressed. But one thing I am dealing with right now is the drive train, everything from the transmission back is getting harder and harder to find. And if/when you do find them, they are priced accordingly. Also trying to rebuild is a pretty similar deal, a lot of hard to find parts that tend to be pricey. I would pick up any extra trans/rearend rebuild bits when you see them. T50 rebuild kits (recently saw one with shift collars for sale in here) and also the OEM R&P is getting a harder to find as well. You'll probably be ok for a long time if its already taken care of though, especially with normal easy driving, but if you own it for a long time then its worth keeping an eye out for those bits IMO.

There's still alot of stuff for the 4age around. But I guess I tend to see a lot of WTB ads for water lines and in/outlets. I'm guessing most have gotten corrosion damage over the years.

Air Conditioning and PS tend to be rarely found in tact. AC parts are quite difficult to come across in good condition, and it originally uses R12 for refrigerant which isnt readily available anymore. The PS I think is still somewhat supported but pretty expensive, and people tend to like the feel of a manual rack. And these two systems run on the same belt so if you want only one, there's stuff to figure out.

Dashboards are always cracked, if you get one with a nice dash, protect it from the sun. Sun damage happens surprisingly fast.

GL

West coast will have nicer cars in general, but nice cars can be found anywhere. Since your budget is $10k-$13k, you might shop the west coast and calculate $1500 to ship it back to you. One thing a west coast car tends to be better with is fastener rust... west coast bolts tend to get rusted frozen less....

Considering your plan for factory restoration, hold out for a car in the best overall condition and as close to oem (and complete) as possible, even if you have one shipped to you. These days, your budget is somewhat realistic for a GTS hatch in such condition; although, much more reasonable deals are still possible if you're patient, resourceful, and most importantly, lucky. FYI a real GTS will have AE88 in the VIN (SR5 models have AE86 in the VIN).

Regarding any type of resto, one will often spend the most on good body work/paint. So, if possible, it's a good idea to find a car that has no rust and needs no body work. A car with a decent paint finish will at least protect the body from rust until until a new finish is applied (if needed).

A good running (and road registered) vehicle will be a plus since the car will be in driving condition. Considering your plans stay away from any engine swaps and supped up engines.

A decent condition interior will be a huge plus, but most importantly, a complete interior. Many of these car have missing interior components which can be hard to source in good condition, and be expensive.

Look at the panel gaps on each car and how they all line up. One is looking for everything to be even, symmetrical, level, have continuity, etc. Look over the car for rust and pay special attention to the under body, frame rails, wheel arches, rocker panels, door/hatch jams, fuel door, firewall under brake/clutch master cylinder (inside and out), and pull back the carpet in the driver/passenger foot well and spare tire area. As OST mentioned, lots of corrosion on the fasteners in the engine bay and under the car indicates the car has stored in an area with lots of humidity, freezing temps, salty air, etc.

Pay attention the wire harness in the engine bay. It it appears to be modified be cautious. Look for non loomed wires ('spaghetti' mess), butt connectors, exposed wire, etc.

Good luck with the money pit.

This is a great thread to read. I'm also pretty much in a position to purchase my first 86 and I realize there's going to be a decent learning curve coming from air-cooled VWs, but I'm eager to learn. Being in California, I'm really only looking at cars already in-state and smoggable (thanks to our stringent smog laws). Frankly, as much as I love the idea of a twin-cam hatch, I'd seriously be just as happy with a single-cam coupe or any mix of the options. Whatever I get will basically be my daily driver, so if there are particular things to pay attention to when checking out a car that's related to that goal or if there are things that may need more maintenance, I'm definitely curious to learn more about that.