Kevin Says: I chose this car because it gets great gas mileage (it’s my daily driver/college commuter), its a 4-speed coupe and you don’t see many of them out there. And of the few you do see, they’re never modified. It’s unique and is basically the Honda Civic of Toyotas. I bought the car from my grandmother with 47,000 miles for only $500! I’m actually a Subaru guy, but since I can’t afford an STI like I want, I bought this to last me through college. It’s a fun little car. I performed all the modifications myself in my home driveway, minus the exhaust bending. Some future plans I have for it are swapping in a 1.8-liter DOHC 4-cylinder and 5-speed from a Toyota Corolla and a T3/T4 hybrid turbo that should really wake it up. I would estimate that the car has 130 hp, which doesn’t sound like much, but since the car is so lightweight, it has decent quickness. I’m more concerned about mpg and handling, both of which this car excels at.
We Say: The desire for something beyond one’s current financial means is a feeling everyone can relate to. Whether that desire is for a STI or a Lambo, everyone has to work toward the goal, and hard work makes the dream oh so much sweeter once it’s realized. This car is a perfectly acceptable college commuter car, and for $500 you really can’t complain. It sounds like Kevin wants to take a few people by surprise with his turbo swap plans, and to top it all off, it has a racing stripe. And that’s dope.
Specs & Details
'93 Toyota Tercel
Engine Toyota 1.5-liter inline-4
Engine Modifications Spectre short ram intake; custom 2.25" exhaust; A’PEXi muffler; Bosch platinum spark plugs
Engine Management Stock
Drivetrain Stock
Suspension KSport Kontrol Pro coilovers; modified Corolla strut tower brace; TRD upper control arms
Wheels, Tires & Brakes Volkswagon Corrado 15" wheels; Goodyear Eagle tires
Exterior Repainted grille headlight surrounds & bumpers; custom racing stripe
Interior Red & black seat covers; XR Racing floor mats; custom red LED dash lights; 5% window tint (r); Kenwood head unit, 5.25" 3-way rear deck speakers, 12" 1,200-watt subwoofer, 1,000-watt amplifier; Alpine Type X door component speakers; TKO Audio 1.5 farad capacitor