Car Advice

[Adoom]

I've had a few KP's.

They're quite fun to hack around in, but you absolutely must be realistic about what you're getting yourself in for.

So go into it with your eyes open for a couple of things
1) everything rusts
2) they are generally really hard on gas (9-10k/l)
3) they are really very slow cars

However on the positive side ... well, you can have fun at autocross events in them (see my avatar) while driving at 11/10ths. You won't win an autocross though, because they're bloody slow. Also you can drive them everywhere at 11/10ths, and hardly keep up with traffic much less get speeding tickets.

They're a hoot, but they are slow, thirsty, and rusty on average ... I know somebody will pop up and say their one does 15k/l and 200kph silently, while pulling all the hot chicks. But, typically you're looking at a very gutless old 1300 motor from the early 1970's. Be realistic about what to expect. The bit that worried me, was that my Starlet used *more* gas than the Sti I replaced it with.

Would I get another KP? If it was a super tidy one like Snoozin's, hell yes. Otherwise, hell no.

I agree, standard they use huge amounts of gas and go slow. Fun for gravel/grass driving though. The heater works good enough to drive in snow too!! I took mine to ruapehu before the engine conversion.

I put a ca18et in mine and I swear with 140rwkw it uses LESS gas.
GO THE STARVIA!

To make a starlet fun:
Get some MUCH MUCH stiffer springs so you don't have to slow down for the corners.
Then go for MORE POWER.

Look for rust around the wiper motor! If there is any, don't buy it. Fixing rust here is a bitch, because you can't get at it.

They also rust around the roof gutter. Top of the 'C' pilars. Around the hatch. And two door models rust around the rear side windows.

[Mr Revhead]

yeah all around the hatch! and often that is inside the hoodlining so you cant see it. rust from the inside out so by the time you see it on the outside its pretty major!

they also rust through the front of the front door openings, and the kick panel areas

[Dell'Orto]

Do it, KP's are way more awesome than any ST18x Celica. Also I'd not rate your chances of getting $3k for your Celica either...the joys of early 80's cars, some are starting to appreciate in value while early 90's are still on a slide

[RomanV]

Heh yeah, a lot of people make the mistake of looking at equivilent cars that are sitting on trademe, to try and find out how much theirs is worth.

(Rather than the ones that have actually sold, for non greedy prices)

Problem being, that the ones sitting on trademe at the highest prices have been doing so for the last 6 months, because they're horrifically overpriced. The person adds their car to the 'overpriced and not going anywhere' pile, and the cycle continues.

[xsspeed]

Heh yeah, a lot of people make the mistake of looking at equivilent cars that are sitting on trademe, to try and find out how much theirs is worth.

(Rather than the ones that have actually sold, for non greedy prices)

Problem being, that the ones sitting on trademe at the highest prices have been doing so for the last 6 months, because they're horrifically overpriced. The person adds their car to the 'overpriced and not going anywhere' pile, and the cycle continues.

This man speaks the truth

I reckon best thing you could do would be get something cheap and reliable like a corolla as a daily and something like a KP to play with.

If I could go back I would propbably do it this way. I would have loved to have started working on cars at 17. Would be so much more advanced than what I am now

[celica_xr9145]

wow, a lot of replies

I am willing to take less on my car, i did put 'make an offer' on the add, have had one call for it but she didnt read the add right, she thought i was in christchurch even though it said dunedin
Will let it go for less though, just want it gone

As for that starlet, maybe not a good idea to get that one, the last thing i want is to be ripped off
What starlets are the best ones?

[1I1]

What starlets are the best ones?

EP82 / EP91. The 4EFTE's will take a beating (mate's one puts out 150fwkw's) on stock internal's - just a fresh rebuild (rings bearings etc) with basic bolt ons. But obviously these aren't rwd or oldschool.

[Truenotch]

Earlier KP's like Snoozins one are the best to go for. Better front, non drop hatch and lighter weight. Better all round IMO.

[rollaholic]

i like the bugeyes personally.

though im currently driving mine as a daily, its because im a bit of a crazy bastard / mechanic so can deal with a few hiccups. this morning i had to push it up the drive and roll it back down to get it started. she dont like the cold! good thing rust is lighter than steel, pushing cars up slopes is not fun. good way to keep warm i guess?

i wouldnt advise a 'regular' person to use one as a reliable form of transport unless its had some money thrown at it (injected engine or something haha)

they do have potential, but even a 4age conversion would not come cheaply when you consider the cost of a decent gearbox / diff. type ae86 into trademe some time and see what rwd 4age bits go for!

[Emperor]

I'd keep the Celica.. Well, if your swapping for that Starlet anyway, I wouldnt od it.

Far minter ones out there.

[AJz]

this is my flatmates starlet

2lt Silvia powered kp61




you can put all sorts of things in them, one of the more impressive ive seen is a s2000 powered one.

[Alex B]

Or hybusa powered

[mjrstar]

can't go passed the sound of a turbo 6 in a KP...

i've had my starlet in a few different states of tune, from 100kw atw up to 245kw atw, i'd say it's probably the nicest to drive with around 190-200 rwkw, over that power level it's pretty dangerous to drive even on a straight dry bit of road, the body just wasn't made to go that fast.

for an everyday car down in the south island i'd be looking for something reliable, injected with a decent heater, not something with a carb an points which will give trouble at the first sign of damp. can't think of much that'd be worse thank tinkering with your can whilst it's snowing...

kp's are great as a second car but i can't see myself ever owning one as a daily drive.. just a bit too much of a headache come WOF time...

[AE86less]

I agree with who ever said buy one as a second car. Don't daily them.

I've been dailying my DX wagon and I fkn hate it. I just bought a $560 ST162 that is sooo much more comfortable, quiet and fast!

The auto DX won't even do roll-back skids in the wet

[durty starlet]

I dailyd my kp for best part of 2 years, its ok if you are a bit mechanically minded.

blew up the engine and had a new engine and gearbox put in ready to go to work the next day

great little cars

[Dell'Orto]

I dailied my KE70 wagon for 5 years, was pretty much faultless. Even when I blew the diff and the bearings collapsed in the gearbox, it was only off the road for a day

[Mr Revhead]

where you live and work will make a difference on a daily
a ke70 may still be flash in palmy, but sucked hugely in welly!

but seriosuly, if you have a short easy drive to work then a KE/KP will be fine.
if you do 30ks each way then you will get sick of it. ESPECIALLY coming from an early 90s celica
and if theres any hills......

[Dell'Orto]

where you live and work will make a difference on a daily
a ke70 may still be flash in palmy, but sucked hugely in welly!

Yeah, I was doing 150km a day, Otaki to Palmy

[strx7]

KP starlets and KE corollas are very fun cars but speaking from experience (had a 93 supra, sold that and bought a 71 corolla) don't swap a mid 90's car for an old hack!! They are FUN but as most have said as a second car.

The only way you can make them daily drivers is with confidence that they aren't rusty (helps at wof time) and with an injected engine and good heater... Carbs are NO FUN in winter

If you want an old school car... do your research thats my advice!

[Mr Revhead]

where you live and work will make a difference on a daily
a ke70 may still be flash in palmy, but sucked hugely in welly!

Yeah, I was doing 150km a day, Otaki to Palmy

$&#$% that