D6ale

iTrader: (1)

hi all,

just throwing a stone into the ocean, i'm thinking of getting a Celica GT4 Carlos Sainz edtion.

Are there any good/bad points about these. Are they reliable? or has the ST185 'had its day'?
If i was to go get myself one whats the chance of me having loads of trouble? i know toyota's are regarded as reliable,
Im an 22yr old Impreza Sport owner at present i'm just looking to jump onto the performance ladder.

thanks all

D6

Jap2Scrap

I had until recently a 220BHP ST185, non CS.. The only difference, apart from cosmetically, is the A/W intercooler instead of the A/A on the standard GT4. It was a lovely car, very planted, very comfortable, surprisingly economical on the motorway and off-boost but....

They're not that quick! It's simply a fact. They weigh over 1400kgs and you can feel it. 0-60 in around 6.5/7 secs and good for 135+ but many things, MR2 turbo, Scooby, etc will waste you if speed's what floats your boat.

Would I have a CS? Probably cos speed isn't the be-all and end-all, but I would consider other cars first.

To add: Mine was on 45k when I got it and 60k when I PXd it and the thrust bearing was starting to go, the big ends were a little noisy on first start of the day, the remote CL failed, the AC failed and the oil pressure was erratic. Apart from that it was very reliable lol..

Toyotas generally are superb reliability wise though.. Prior to the '4 I had an MR2 and that went on for 2 years, 30,000 miles with only a single tyre needing replacing in all that time and that was scrubbed when I got it.

D6ale

iTrader: (1)

cheers jap2scrap, i just wana get into something that is quicker than what i have. The celica seems to be quite forgotten about these days but i was wondering if there was a reason for this?.
i would love to move up to a scooby turbo, but id like to try other things too. Celica's seem to be comming back with better insurance results. Speed isnt everything to me.

Yours seemed to suffer a bit, hope there all not that bad.

Does anyone know the colour choices for the Carlos Sainz?

RS Grant

www.gt4oc.net

Check out the site mate, its the owners club, and they are only too happy to help.

Cheers,
Grant

steige

I sold a carlos sainz about 4 months ago. As said before they are not that quick to sixty but pull nicely once up to speed. They do respond well to ditching the cat though. I bought a straight through downpipe which really increased the pick up. They are a great cruiser and do feel really solid and planted on the road. On long journeys they are reasonable on fuel but around town they tend to drink it.
Things to look out for on them are knocking and oil leaks from the rear diff. This is caused by a mounting failure and also the seals can go. The synchro's on the gearbox's can go and cause notchyness in the gearchange, usually between 1st and 2nd. On the cs model the intercooler pump bearings rot and the pumps are £280 to replace. Other than that are very reliable engines and respond well to tuning. Just watch the head gasket if you up the boost too much..
Sign up to the gt4oc.com there guys with loads more knowledge than me on there.
If you do get one take it to hypertech in bonnybridge they know there stuff with the celica's and mr2's.

Scoobybert

nice intro to the GT4 site!

My bro used to have a GT4 CS. As far as I am aware they all came in the same colour, a sort of dark grey. jap2scrap is right, they are hefty beasts and well planted but you will find they understeer compared to your Scoob. The ST205 model was quicker and has real presence especially with the WRC wing.

Have you considered something like a Honda Integra Type R or Nissan 200SX? Good luck with your quest!

RS Grant

You got CS models in alot of different colours, it wasnt a single colour model.

Check out www.fensport.co.uk for mods. Also look at the Cars For Sale section, they have a red ST185 for sale that is over 320bhp. I'm sure that will be nippy enough 0-60!!!

I agree that as standard they arent lightning quick, however compared to your Impreza Sport, you'll definitely notice a difference.

Cheers,
Grant

craigdmcd

iTrader: (2)

As far as I am aware they all came in the same colour, a sort of dark grey. jap2scrap is right, they are hefty beasts and well planted but you will find they understeer compared to your Scoob. The ST205 model was quicker and has real presence especially with the WRC wing.(quote)
They were available in more than just grey ( my favourite was a light blue with BBS rims). The ST205 is a far better car with a less dated interior, my wife had a GT4 WRC Limited edition with 310BHP that was better than any scooby we've ever owned (then the kid came along), scoobies are easier to drive fast, GT4 was more rewarding when rag-dollied
Craig

D6ale

iTrader: (1)

cheers for all comments, i think they come in a few colours, red is definatly one.

my plan is to keep the scoob if possible and use it for work journeys etc, cos she's good on fuel. And use the GT4 on good days etc. But i didnt wana go off, get one then have it break in a real bad way. I think i have to just treat it like any other car and look for these problems before i buy.
The st205's are tempting but i think there a little too expensive for me and i like older stuff, and special editions such as the CS, if i had my way with Scoobys i would have a catalunya or something and not just a normal turbo just cos i like the 'special edition' thing.
hmm i found this page, Carlos edition
told me quite alot,

i'm not too keen on 200SX's scoobybert Type R's are quite nice though but i like rally style machines.

steige

Off the top of my head the cs was made in nimbus grey, white, black, red and turquoise.

TurbolessButImprezzive

definitely go for a gt-four if you fancy one..

...as you know its never gonna compete with a scooby power-wise, but thats not what its all about, right?

i just let go of my st185 after 3 brilliant years, during which time i spent only £2.50 in excess of the usual servicing costs in order for it to pass 3 mot's -first time, every time!
(you wanna know what the £2.50 was? a fog light bulb!)

kayeabl

Hi mate

I had two Celica ST185 GT4s before my Scoob. One was a UK spec 1990 Gt4 type A and the other was the ST185 GT4-RC which is the same as the Carlos Sainz but in Japanese form.

If you can afford the insurance i would really recommend the Carlos Sainz. I paid £4000 for mine a year and a half ago with full history and 80,000miles.

In terms of speed it isn't as fast as an Impreza but it is a very comfortable tourer and still picks up nicely. With a straight through exhaust, and a bleed/relief valve you are already approaching 240bhp!!

Running costs as with any turbo car are high. Regular oil changes and running on Optimax only does cost, but it was never that bad on petrol. A service from Toyota was £240 all in as well.

The only real problem is as they only made 440 CS in 1992 they are all high on the mileage and with any turbo car regular maintenance is essential. However parts are easy to get (Fensport are very helpful) and that engine should do 200k if well looked after.

Feel free to PM me if u have any more queries or want the name of the importer where i sourced my cars from. GT4-OC is also usefull

cheers

Ash