Toyota Celica (Hatchbacks / All Years)

tmundar

Try going to the Kelley Blue Book web site. They have values on cars up to 20 years old. Here are the results that I got (using my zip code and adding no options):

Good Wholesale: $3025
Excellent Wholesale: $3375
Retail: $5675

You should also ask in the "Used Car Values" (or maybe it's called "Trade-In Values" or "What's my Car Worth?") board in the Smart Shopper section of Edmunds.

Tom

dawitner221

Wife is looking for a new 6 speed GTS. One of the dealers told her they are out of production because of problem with overrevving and blowing hte motor. Anybody heard of anything like this. I have looked around and there are none on any lots anwhere. What gives????????????

badtoy

Although if some nimrod tries to powershift and misses a gear, you can zing the engine just like any other car. Not a good idea to try that kinda stuff unless you know what you're doing.

gambit293

What do you mean by power shift?

Do you mean downshift?

Sorry, I'm pretty new with driving a stick.

Thanks.

oneibt

Powershifting is shifting without letting off on the gas. It's not that awful hard to do, but the potential for disaster is high, especially if you are inexperienced. I did it occasionally when I was younger without any consequences, but I haven't with my Celica and don't plan to. Unless you're racing for money, it's just not worth the risk.

nellywrx

yo i'm getting the 2001 celica GT in about 2 months, i just have a couple questions that i don't think have been answered here yet, i don't know i didn't read all 400 replies.

Is it worth it to get the 3 in 1 sound system option? Or just stick with the stock?

I'm definitely getting the aggressive action package option for whatever its price is around $1300, did anyone get this? how is it?

damn i wish i could get leather on the GT

ok thanks.

also i haven't seen this up close yet, so theres no way 4 people can get in it? only 2? thx again.

badtoy

would run you about $6k if you'd bought it direct from TRD a few months ago. If you like the look, I'd say it's a steal.

The 3-in-1 is a good deal too.

My wife is claustrophobic, so when she, my mother-in-law and I ride in her GT, she has to drive, and I sit in back. It's a bit of a pain getting in and out (for some reason the passenger's seat back doesn't return to its original position when the seat is slid back, the way her '93 did); but there's adequate room for me back there (I'm only 5'-8", mind you) and the seats are quite comfortable.

sergeis

I have GT auto for 1.5 yrs. It fits very nicely 2 people in front and a couple of cats in back. I am ~6' and sitting back for more than 5 minutes is no fun, you have to tilt your head or open the hatch. I guess you can still survive for 30 minutes in this position. For an average kid of up to 12-13 yrs. old it is OK, but the front seaters must move their chairs closer to front to give some leg room. I got two kids, so I use Celica for short city trips (saves gas), otherwise I take Grand Marquis, which offers much more of everything except fun for the same price.

sergeis

I have written some time ago about using neutral to save gas (I got auto GT). The problem was that last year I could not get more than 26mpg in city only driving conditions. So I tried to use neutral whenever possible (stops, rolling down hill etc.) - got 30 mpg driving conservatively and 29 mpg having fun. Last gas tank I spent driving as usually (not shifting to neutral). Surprisingly, I still got 29 mpg. And a year ago I could hardly get 26. Perhaps you need to drive about 15Kmiles to get the engine into good condition.

boomn29

All vehicles need time to break in the engine. My 2000 GTS 6-speed got like 25-27 when I first got it. After the first 5,000 miles I started getting 28-30. Before I traded it (severe hail damage) I was getting 30-31 on the last few tanks. It only had 8000 miles on it at the time.

Also, you are using Premium gas right? 91 + octane??

I would be extremely careful shifting into neutral all the time. If you think it works, then go for it. IMO, it's too dangerous - might hit R instead!

By the way, I traded for a 2001 GTS 6-speed.

griffing

I was wondering when the celica would have an intake system brought out for it, especially by TRD. I wonder how much extra power it would add

sergeis

No, I use regular with GT auto. I don't switch to neutral anymore - it turned out that I am getting the same mpg without switching to neutral, I guess the engine is broken in now.
I tried premium some time ago, but there was no difference. I remember I also tried premium once with Grand Marquis - got ~27-28 interstate mpg instead of 26-27 on regular, the difference in gas price was bigger.

guitarzan

Yes, the new automatics, Toyota and Honda for sure, are designed to maximize efficiency right out of the box. They don't suck up energy like the old giant American V8-trannies.

Amazing how little the stick awards in terms of mileage anymore! I wouldn't consider gas mileage a reason for buying a stick nowadays.

Thanks for your posts guys. I have been waiting for someone to talk about mileage improvements. I am jobless, and have less than 2000 miles on my car still, and it might be a while before I really pick up the driving. I am probably getting around 27, and most of the time I take it really easy. So I suspect I'll get an improvement in due time from what you've said.

sergeis

It is pretty tricky to hit R instead of N when shifting from D - shifting between D and N is done _without_ pressing this safety knob on top of the stick. To shift to R or 2 you have to push this button down, and I don't put my finger even close to that button.

sergeis

I had the full size 8cyl Crown Victoria ('81) some time ago. That thing could hardly get 21 mpg on interstate. But I should say that their new version of 8cyl which I have now ('95) is amazing - it gives me 26-27 mpg. That is real close to Camry (specs say 27), though Camry is significantly smaller car with 6cyl 3L engine.

griffing

I have had my GTS for about a year now, and every person I know says that they think my car is so awesome. But every time they get in on a hot day, the leather is so HOT!!!! (I mean temperature) I find that the sun shade that is custom made for the celica really cuts down the temperature in the car. The seats aren't even hot, and the car seems to be probably 20-30 degrees cooler because of the shade. It only costs about $20, and you can find them at any dealer.

griffing

My GTS is the 4speed "manu-matic". There have always been questions about how close to the redline the sport shifter lets you get. Well I can say from first hand experience that you can TOUCH the redline. I think the system is great, since you can drive easily and relaxed in traffic, but you can still drive it like a stick in the fast moments. I put on the TRD exhaust system, and wondered how much faster it would be. I had a chance to drive the 6 speed, and it was nice, but a little harder to drive than a normal stick. With my new TRD system, the low end torque is significantly increased, and the 6 speed doesn't have much over my auto anymore. (acceleration wise)

I think that this steering wheel shifting system has been overlooked, seeing as though a Lexus is the only other car you can find this on. The shifting is very resonsive and quick, and you don't hae to worry about over-revving or blowing out your engine. You can have an immediate response in acceleration with this system, instead of waiting 1-2 seconds like you normally would with a regular automatic. I am definately not cutting down the fun of a 6speed, but for my taste, this manu-matic system is the greatest feature in my car!!!!!

alex18t

the best i have ever felt about my car as a people hauler is when i had 3 kids under 13 in the car. i was carpooling for the daycare i worked at. everyone was comfortable and had room to stretch, and there wasnt much weight so the car didnt lose much pep. if you buy a celica, take some time to make friends with some short people and you wont be disapointed

happy revving!

jk111

I am in the same boat right now. I even got one of the carsdirect guy to look up one for me. But they are out of production for the remaining of this year. So I guess you and I are out of luck. I am actually considering a Sub Wrx, but it is hard to come by with all the dealer gouging and short production. But you can still find one if you are willing to pay.. If everything else fails, I might just get a Accord or something, sigh.

sergeis

I don't really understand what is so great about "manu-matic". If I need power from my auto GT I simply lower the gas pedal and it downshifts immediately (unlike Accord which first thinks for almost a second). Want it back - release the pedal. If you keep it floored it shifts at red line exactly. If they could put 6-speed auto on this thing - only really experienced manual shift driver could beat that, mostly because of "Dump" start.
Do they make GT-S with cloth seats? Perhaps I am an exception, but I don't like leather seats in car - too sticky n summer, too cold in winter.

griffing

I still disagree. With the manu-matic, you can keep your car in 1st or second gear, with IMMEDIATE power. This is great especially on a sharp turn, when you need that extra lag to keep you from tipping over! If you know that you will soon have to accelerate, just keep your car in a lower gear, and you have power exactly when you want it. It gives you so much more control over what the car is doing. It is also nice when driving up hills, because you don't have to bother with reaching down and pressing down the safety button and putting the stick in a lower gear. When my car is in the normal drive mode, it usually shifts 500 rpm's before the redlinde. I still think the manumatic lets you have more immediate power, and comes in handy when the road becomes twisty and turny. Plus, it's just more fun than a normal auto.

sergeis

May be because of manu-matic the auto is set to switch before redline on GT-S. Mine goes all the way up. However, it only downshifts if it is >5 mph to the redline, i.e. if speed is between 35-40 mph and you press the pedal it will not downshift to the 1st (the red line is at 40 mph for the 1st gear).
Does this manu-matic let you go above redline? Or is it fool proof and shifts up anyway?

sergeis

The GT-S 1st to 2nd shift point is 46 mph, while for GT it is at 42 (redline). The exhaust is not changing shift points, just adds some power at higher RPM due to better flow.

griffing

There I was, driving my celica gt-s as I normally would, when a huge VTA bus decides to change lanes without checking it's blind spot. We were both going about 40mph. My alignment is screwed up, and the front right side fender above the tire is all torn up. A great feature about the celica was that the mirror just popped sideways, out of harms way. There wasn't even a scratch on the mirror either. Luckily it was just a sideswipe, and not a front-side collision, or I would have been able to experience the side airbags.

guitarzan

Sorry to hear about that Griffing! What a disappointment.

jk111

automatic that lets you switch gears is nothing but a gimick. You really can't get any more power out of an automatic just because it lets you switch gears. Hydralic automatics (aka 360 Modena, j spec mr-2) are different. They don't use the torque converter to suck up all of the power.

jrieder_2000

I'm a persepective buyer. I have been looking at both the Gt AUTO and Gts AUTO. Based on what people have said in this forum, the GTS is not really worth the extra 3,000 if I'm buying an automatic car.

sergeis

You will still gain 0.5-1 sec with GT-s auto compared to GT auto. Some a willing to pay $3K for a second. I had better use for 3K, so I got GT, and I am not disappointed.

jk111

get a GT-S manual. Why even get a GT auto? might as well just get a civic and save a couple of grand.

alex18t

i just bought my badass tires for my celi gt. i went with a set of 4 225/50R15 Nitto NT450 tires, an upgrade from the stock 195/60R15 Bridgestone Potenza RE92. they are a small brand but make a good product. the extra grip is really something, and the turn in has improved quite a bit over the stock Potenza RE92's. i went with the widest tire i could find because i wanted the extra braking and lateral grip. still, the tire fits very nicely and looks fantastic. the car looks much more aggressive from the back because of the wider tread. at first i had my reservation about buying a tire size that autocrossers use and putting it on as a daily driver but im glad i did it. hre is the link if you gus want to take a peak at my new tires... http://www.nittotire.com/tire_nt450_overview.asp

...i can barely wipe the grin off my face as i'm tearin up the twisties!

ok, the reason people get a manumatic auto is because they want an auto but they want to have a little extra fun every once in a while also. people get manuals because they want to have complete control over the engine, they want to be the ones making the car move, not a computer, and they want the feel of a car with no torque converter.

i cant really advise as to how much different a gt and gts auto feel because i havent driven them but i can tell you that they would feel exactly the same below 6000 rpm, and very few automatics ever go above 6000 rpm unless the driver has his foot planted to the floor for a long time. even if you have the pedal depressed 5/6ths of the way down it will probably still not go above 6000.

and as for why even buy a GT auto, does a civic pull .86 on the skid pad? celicas, handle very very well right from the fatory. i havent driven a better handling car. and i dont drag race.

happy revving!

Cobalt Blue ~ 5sp

jk111

hahaha, well couple of grand have to account for something. It can't all go to waste.

sergeis

jk111, some people (like me) simply don't like stick. I have driven them, but never enjoyed. You may as well install four break pedals to control every wheel separately, there are already 3 pedals for your two feet anyway. Special lever to manipulate fuel mixture can also help... I believe computer can do it all better than I do most of the time. At least I will never blow the engine. Revving up to 6800 is not a problem - floor the pedal and computer knows what you want, it is programmed this way. I would pay 500 or may be 1K extra for GT-s, but for me this extra power is simply not worth 3K. Why didn't you get a Porshe? Just another $30-50K. Or, as someone here suggested, just for few more $K's you could get a decent BMW.
Why didn't I get Civic? For the same reason I didn't get Kia. I was looking for something sportier, and I was ready to spend up to $20K.

boomn29

Ha. That's almost the same size as the STOCK GTS tires... Except for the rim size - GTS come with 16's.

Why didn't you go up to 16 or 17's?

How much did those run anyway?

alex18t

not quite. my car can out handle a stock GTS, the tires are better, not almost the same.
why didnt i go up to 16's? because 15" wheels are right for the car. im not going to nor can i buy larger diameter wheels just for looks.

i think you are way too uninformed on the subject to be bashing on me like that. if you want to have a discussion on how 15 wheels and tires compare to 16 or 17's and how tire upgrads can affect the car's handling - im all for it. otherwise, direct your posts toward someone else.

guitarzan

It is true for most production cars that a sticky 15" will take the car to its absolute limits. The extra weight of larger tires is actually a detriment. It is a shame that the manufacturers upgrade to larger diameters for looks, but don't offer a true performance tire.

griffing

Actually, the GTS auto is not as slow as everyone makes it out to be. I think it is the best handling car I've ever driven. The speed is very nice, especially after 6000rpms. This car, especially with the TRD exhaust that adds 14hp, is a fast car. I actually went and test drove a gts manual, and I didn't even notice a real difference in acceleration. I didn't even have to pay 3k more for it, since I bought it used with 20k miles on it, I only ended up paying $19,500 for a fully loaded GTS. I would definately rather have this that a civic. And for the GT auto people, I think that they are smart because you pay just about the same as a civic EX, but you have a way spotrier and better handling car than a civic. Besides, everyone and their brother already has a civic.

ccdlh

I am wondering if anyone has shared my experience with road testing the GT. I own 2001, 5-spd model, and recently tried a 'little test run' on a back road where we live. Through low gear, no problem, second gear, just as tach started to touch the 7M mark, it started "crapping out".
After shifting to 3rd gear, I was still able to maintain road speed, but didn't push it to the redline. I tried another run, and same thing in second gear.???

guitarzan

What is the rev limit on the GT?

sergeis

GT rev limit is at 6800. My auto goes to that and then switches at red line precisely with no glitches.

guitarzan

Is the manual different? Ccdlh is complaining about losing power at 7,000.

sergeis

Manual has the same engine, so red is also 6800.

oneibt

The GT manual has a governor that decelerates the car if you attempt to exceed redline. This occurs in all gears including first. I discovered this through personal experience.

roadroach

....a "rev-limiter".

If your GT 'redlines' at 6800 rpm, then the rev-limiter will (hopefully) keep you from swallowing a valve by cutting the fuel/ignition at the 7k mark. The same thing happens in the GTS (although with it's 7800 rpm redline, the limiter is set at around 8200. I know; I bounce mine off the rev-limiter routinely). Also, the GTS has what I would call a "two stage" rev-limiter. If your engine isn't up to operating temperature yet, there is a limiter which will cut in much earlier (around 6200?). Once everything is properly warmed up, it will let you rev up to the second limiter.

As it's been said before, the rev-limiter will only help save your motor if you are accelerating and rowing UP through the gears. If you happen to DOWNSHIFT into too low of a gear by accident, the rev-limiter won't keep you from grenading. This is the same whether you are driving a Honda, Toyota, BMW, etc. etc.

ccdlh - there's nothing wrong with your car. Go have fun.

ccdlh

Thanks roadroach for the info. I thought there might be something like the "rev-limiter" kicking in, but it didn't do it in first gear, so I wasn't sure what was going on. Besides, I had my wife with me, and basically it was the same thing as a rev-limiter, with her yelling "SLOW DOWN"!

guitarzan

It's been probably 6 years...but my best friend still reminds me how scared I made him...going around the 270 degree off ramp in my Integra at 50 mph or so. Pushing it to the limit, where, "Cool, that's the back tires sliding out".

Funny, he pulls stunts, but while he's driving it is "totally different" from when he's a passenger.

No stories yet from the GTS. Just haven't been in that mode...

oneibt

Shortly after I had gotten my 01 GT through the break-in, my girlfriend (at the time) wanted a ride in it. I took it out on the back roads and hammered it through a right angle corner at about 40 mph, having downshifted to second. I don't think she appreciated the finer nuances of the powerslide, and thereafter refused to ride with me.
There isn't too much in this world that's more fun than a sunny Saturday afternoon on the back roads with the windows open and the tunes cranked. At least with your clothes on anyway.

lumwilliam

I don't believe going to larger wheels (rims) are just for looks. Although I do think they look better. By going larger and lower profile you decrease the amount of flex in the tire wall thus improving cornering. It guess it is true that with an increased diameter there is some weight increase in the wheels but if the wheels are alloy this should be negligible.

guitarzan

I agree with your analysis, but the lessened flex is mostly beyond the point of diminishing return for production cars, unless they have some suspension upgrades. A sticky, high performance tire, with 2 extra pounds of pressure will act the same way. This is my point, that the perfect 15" tire can push a production car to its limits, with few (any?) exceptions. Of course, one exception is if you run (and most do) all weather tires. So, I clarify, we're discussing the performance value of tires, without such restrictions. What do you think?

alex18t

you have a low profile tire the side wall will be stiffer, true. however to get the max amount of grip. the side wall needs to stretch and fold down all the way onto the side of the tread to allow for the most rubber to be in contact with the road. a sidewall should be flexible enough to allow for this.

-lets say this is your right front tire, the bottom is the tread touching the road, the sides are the sides of the tread. (the tire is rolling away from where you are sitting, infront of your computer)

\_______/

-now say you go into a left turn, this will load up your right tires. and what should happen is this entire part of the tread will be in full contact with the road

\_______/
\________
in an abstract way you can see there is more tread contacting the ground

this means you are putting the absolute most rubber on the ground during cornering. and you must have flexibility in the side wall to accomplish this. 18" wont make the cut, perhaps 17" tires could accomplish it but frankly 15" tires do this and they can do it without abnormal tire pressures. ofcourse i am talking about street tires here. dont counter with something about Indycar. the same rules do not apply.

happy revving!

boomn29

So, what's the best (first, cheapest) mod to perform on the new Celica's?