imo, do all the services regularly(within reccomendations or even more regular): oil, water, box fluid, flush break/clutch fluid. Wash it once a week (+ dry it off) make sure tyre pressures always correct. Dont give it death when cold.
do all those and you really should not have problems. Toyotas are generally relaible as especially when take care of properly. I bought my ae92 with 53,000km on the clock and over the following 6 years did about 120,000km without any big problem at all. I always did oil every 5000km, most the other fluids once a year, and the rest of the above.
In the time I had it I only had to repair the starter motor, brake pads (which is normal to do obvously) and replace a balljoint.
Its probably because of that I had to start doing projects cars each year...thing was so dam reliable I was mechanically bored
heres afew random links to have a read over. Theres heaps out there about what you are asking, just google it.
http://www.aa.co.nz/Section?Action=View ... ry_id=1135
http://www.familycar.com/CarCare.htm
http://www.betterliving.co.nz/content/a ... crets.aspx