Used 1997 Toyota Tercel Sedan Consumer Reviews
Used Tercel for sale
Best Toyota Ever!!!
5thtoyota, 12/05/2013
1997 Toyota Tercel CE 4dr Sedan
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
I am on my 5th Toyota mostly Corolla's and this was my first Tercel (1997). I bought it 10 years ago for a mere $4,000, 60,000 miles, in great shape! I have taken good care of it with regular maintenance and it runs circles around my new Camry!!! Runs like a top, drives like a Champion, purrs like a kitten & STILL gets a WHOPPING 36 CITY!!! I never even drive the new Camry since I like this one better!! AND, the A/C works much better than the new Camry!!!! I hope my baby car NEVER dies!!!!
My first car and a great car
meekos, 06/03/2015
updated 12/05/2016
1997 Toyota Tercel CE 4dr Sedan
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
I bought this car from my neighbor as my first car when I was 16 (3 years ago) for 1,200$. It had 179,000 miles on it or more when I bought it. It now has 210,000 miles on it. I would say I probably could have gotten more miles out of her, but she was my first car and I learned a lot of maintenance lessons with her (like always get your oil change and don't let you car run out of oil). I was rough on this poor thing and because I had to get a new car. However considering I put 30,000 miles on her and she lasted me as long as she did, I think this car is a great reliable car. I have never been stranded with her. Gas mileage was 34-38mpg until I drove her out of oil, the mpg just started dropping after that. Some of the stuff I had to have done on her: I had to replace the radiator (which is a common repair needed for this particular car), valve lifters and brakes, and I had to replace the idle air control valve. As long as you keep oil in her, she will be your best friend! UPDATE: She finally died on me as of this year with 211,000 on her odemeter. She probably could've of lasted a bit longer if I hadn't been so hard on her. Many lessons have been learned as a new car owner with this one.
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Jay, 01/20/2022
1997 Toyota Tercel CE 4dr Sedan
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
So my girlfriends first car was a 97' Sedan with the 4-speed automatic transmission, I will come back to this and it will make sense. It was her first car her dad bought her from a used car dealership for $4200. Interior was terrible, really just stained all over other than that in good shape. The exterior was pristine as was it mechanically but it had 215,000 miles and those ultra cheap skinny tires that looked like the front tire on a motorcycle rounded and all. For the next 2 years she drove it putting another 23,000 on it and ultimately went from hating it to loving how much fun it was to drive (after I put 4 regular tires on it for her). I drove it every chance I could they arent fast but its like driving an enlarged go cart around and if you were going uphill and had the A/C on you could turn it off and both feel and hear the car go faster. After that 2 years I bought her a new car and she gave me the Tercel I kept it as my 2nd vehicle for another 2 years and then gave it to my friends brother who had just got his liscense and needed a car. At that point its had 260,000 miles and he got it up to 285,000-288,000 before totaling it about a year and a half later. In that time other than regular maintenance the only thing that had to be replaced was a CV axle and seatbelt connecter. Guys driving Tercels always would stop and ask where we found a 4 door 5th generation because apparently this was the most sought after one and tell us if we ever wanted to sell it they would gladly buy it. Some even made offers on the spot well over what the car was worth (around $1500 at the time). The reliability on these things is legendary and if you can find a 1997 Toyota Tercel CE 4-door Sedan buy it for the $500-$1000 the person wants drive it around and just wait until you see anyone else driving a Tercel then simply drive past them or park near them and Im sure you will be able to sell it to one of them for at least double what you paid.
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ol reliable !!
tasha, 01/06/2018
1997 Toyota Tercel CE 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
my dad handed this car down to me until i found a new car . its been 4 months and im still riding along with it . was suppose to be a point A to point B car but its been getting me to point C and D aswell . for it being a older car it really preforms extremly well! im writing this review cause i was suprised with the car. im 21 and im enjoyiong this car . not the best in looks but gets me where i need to go to find my adventures (:
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Toyota should've kept the Tercel
rav, 10/06/2002
1997 Toyota Tercel CE 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
My Tercel was a great car. I bought it with about 30,000 miles on it. It was relaible, stylish (compared to the ECHO), and very fun to drive. I could go almost 2 weeks on a tank of gas (all auto cars should come with overdrive standard). I drove it up steep hills in deep snow/ice with no problem. I am certain I wouldve never had a problem with it ever, had it not been totalled in an accident where I was rear ended. The crumple zones worked TOO well, and it was a total loss.I replaced it with a 97 Honda Accord, but I will Sorely miss that Tercel.At only 62,000 miles it was gone too soon.