mechanixfetch
03-07-2004, 01:08 PM
Well I'm back from my hiatus (sp?) Sorry all but I've been rather busy with school and all but now it is SPRING BREAK WAHOOOOOOOO! 2 weeks of no school. But on to the topic at hand. I've been looking into buying a car recently and I discovered the 84-87 Corolla SR5 and GT-S it looks like a pretty neato car, 4 wheel discs, 124 hp 16 valve twin cam engine. and most importantly the power is laid down out back. It looks like a rather solid investment and seems pretty reliable. What do you think? Some of you lot know volumes about cars and I've had a bunch of trouble finding out much more than I've already said about the SR5 and GTS. What can you tell me?
-Thanks
cls12vg30
03-07-2004, 09:36 PM
Fantastic cars. You're talking about the AE86 of drifting fame. Of course the GT-S is the more desirable model, more powerful engine and upgraded suspension, as well as aesthetic enhancements. (At least that's the way it works in the USDM.)
Just about the best resource I know of for more info on the cars is www.club4ag.com (http://www.club4ag.com)
The consensus is, while they aren't powerhouses, they are fantastically light, very well balanced, and handle extremely well, making them a real blast to drive.
I don't know what the market is like in Canada, but in the U.S., especially on the West Coast where the drifting craze is really picking up, AE86 Corolla's are now getting very scarce and fetching premium prices, often regardless of their condition. The exposure of the AE86 in the Japanese touge street-racing anime Initial D has helped drive demand, and therefore prices, even higher. The most desirable is the GT-S hatchback model, the coupes, although slightly lighter, don't enjoy quite as much popularity.
If you have a chance to pick up a GT-S at a decent price, I say pounce on it. If and when the drifting craze spreads north (if it hasn't already), you'll have just about the most in-demand and in-fashion 20-year-old car there is.