Restoration Project: Toyota Corolla '89

**OTSP** · August 20th, 2012 09:38 PM

Hello everbody!

Newbie here and this is my first post.

My uncle has handed me down his car. I'm thinking of restoring it. It is running though the battery has discharged. There is water leak in the cabin. Fungus can be seen inside. Cracked dash. Oil is seen outside the engine. Sticky gas pedal.
I just want it to look presentable and useable.
My budget is only P20k. Do you think it is doable or do I just sell the car and save me from all the effort?

**renzo_d10** · August 20th, 2012 09:50 PM

20k is not enough.

80-100k is.

**ghosthunter** · August 20th, 2012 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by OTSP

Hello everbody!

Newbie here and this is my first post.

My uncle has handed me down his car. I'm thinking of restoring it. It is running though the battery has discharged. There is water leak in the cabin. Fungus can be seen inside. Cracked dash. Oil is seen outside the engine. Sticky gas pedal.
I just want it to look presentable and useable.
My budget is only P20k. Do you think it is doable or do I just sell the car and save me from all the effort?

http://i48.tinypic.com/2131wk1.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/2ch6ljt.jpg

Your 20K budget is too small just from the listed problems. My estimate is between 70K to 120K depending on what more you will find once you start pulling apart the car. You'll easily spend more than the car's actual value in repairs and parts.

If you are still willing to spend the money, have someone check the body for its condition. There should be no rust nor any major damage to it. If it checks out good, then start your repairs around the engine and suspension. After that, you should have the entire interior stripped out and cleaned or replaced as needed. This will fix the fungus problem as well as a good time to replace interior pieces that are crack/worn out. Alternative is to have it repaired professionally.

At the end if the day, you would simply be better off selling the car as is. It wouldn't fetch much though in it's current condition. But even if it was in near perfect condition, the market value for it is still not that much.

**dct** · August 20th, 2012 11:02 PM

i-restore mo lang kung gusto mo lang talaga. tama sabi ni sir ghosthunter "You'll easily spend more than the car's actual value in repairs and parts."

**Gerbo** · August 20th, 2012 11:18 PM

Tear the car apart and sell for parts. Your uncle probably is just too emotional to do it himself. Its what i call an EOF "end of life" situation.

**ghosthunter** · August 20th, 2012 11:22 PM

Originally Posted by Gerbo

Tear the car apart and sell for parts. Your uncle probably is just too emotional to do it himself. Its what i call an EOF "end of life" situation.

I wouldn't suggest this unless you know someone with a car surplus parts shop to sell off the parts.

It would be quicker just to sell the car as a whole, even if the total value is lower as compared to selling it for parts.

**OTSP** · August 20th, 2012 11:42 PM

Thank you all for the response. I think selling it as is would be the wiser option. Thank you all for your help and opinions.

**sirkosero** · August 20th, 2012 11:43 PM

TS: first of all thats not a 1998 model. it is actually an 88-93 model corolla.

just to give you an idea, 20k is the cosy of havng the interiors cleaned an reupholstered. wala pa dito yng finding why there are leaks in the cabin.

chances are may rust na yan so papaltero ka pa. depending on the extent, that could easily go to 20k wala pa repaint.

malamang may sira na din suspension nyan. assuming injection repair sa zee or cruven, expect to spend 10k on it exluding shocks. if shocks need replacement, add 5k.

btw motolite excel already costs 5k.

if the gas pedal is sticky, you might also have to check on the carb. overhaul is 1k sa kamuning including repair kit.

if upod na yung clutch, expect gastos of around 10k.

chances are you will also need to replace the timing belts
thats easily 5k assuming replacement parts lang

if aircon sira din, expect to shell out around 10k din.

pag may leak ang engine, patay na. mas malaki gastos

based on my math, all of the above costs 86k. a good example of your car sells at 80-100k.

not wanting to discourage you or anything but i know the feeling of maintaining old cars. my family owns a 33 year old lancer and a 1980 corolla similar to yours. particular to the lancer, it is very uneconomical to maintain but we keep it for sentimental reasons.

the corolla works but it does breakdown almost every few months. the timing belt snapped (even though it was replaced beforehand) and overhauling the 2E engine costed us about 40k.

sorry mahaba post but i do hope it helps.

**dr. d** · August 21st, 2012 01:55 AM

sell it!
unless, you want to learn how to do auto repair.. come to think of it, that's how i learned..

**basti08** · August 21st, 2012 10:08 AM

I restored and still is restoring my Sentra, a pretty badly ignored unit. But with relatively fresh body and AC unit. It cost me around 100 grand more or less. I don't wanna keep a tally of the cost, but restoring is for those who wants to keep the car. Since restoration takes time, patience and budget. Just a tip, car clubs will be of big help in restoring your ride. Prices of parts in car clubs (private sellers) are way low compared to market value prices.

btw, here's the story of my Sentra restoration. http://tsikot.com/forums/me-my-tsiko...-saloon-88483/

Nice car, but still a work in progress. Still aint my daily ride, I just like the thought that I have my 90s favorite car. hehe