At $3,799, Is This 1993 Toyota Corolla ‘Art Car’ an Eye-Catching Deal?
It’s been said that art cannot exist in the absence of a response from the beholder. Today’s Nice Price or No Dice Corolla wagon wears an artistic mural that certainly will elicit some sort of response from onlookers. Let’s see whether its price will, as well.
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Do you have a singular talent, one thing that you do better than anything else? For the German automaker, Porsche that paramount talent has long been building the 911. Other models come and go, but the 911 is so well-envisioned that it is perennial.
The 2002 Porsche 911 Carrera we looked at on Friday looked to be a stalwart member of that long-serving family. It had a lot of miles under its belt and a vinyl wrap covering most of its body. Both of those elements factored into the seller’s $15,000 asking price. They both also factored into the extrodinarly narrow 52 percent Nice Price win the car received in our voting. By the way, making shrewd decisions on the cars we consider is one talent I think all of you possess.
Speaking of talent, Toyota has been doing a damn-fine job as an automaker these past few years. The company vies with Volkswagen for top auto production title, and does so while delivering some wild (Corolla GR) and weird (not-so-royal Crown) products.
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Of course, Toyota built its reputation not on its products per se, but on the quality of those products which for the longest time was second to none. The Corolla line has long been a fine example of this. Not overly exciting or innovative in general, the small sedans, coupes, and wagons became the backbone of Toyota’s lineup due to their unflagging value and reliability.
Today’s 1993 Toyota Corolla wagon seeks to add some whimsy into that mix and, perhaps, bring smiles to the faces of all who see it.
According to the ad, the seller bought this car for their new-mom sister. That sister’s postpartum reaction, however, was to go off and get a brand-new SUV. I don’t know about you, but if I was a brand new baby, I’d rather ride around in this funky and expressive art car than some boring old SUV.
The seller doesn’t say who decided to use this Corolla as a canvas, but the multi-color mural appears both eye-catching and professionally done. The artist’s name is on the rear fender but it’s simply unreadable in the ad. Hopefully, the next owner won’t mind the advertisement.
That next owner will apparently be the car’s third. The first of those put over 227,000 miles on the car while the seller, who is the second owner, claims to have added only around 1,200 of the car’s present 229,234. Full maintenance records over the course of those miles come with the car.
Aside from the unique never-lose-it-in-a-parking-lot paint, the car is also well-kitted. It’s rare to find a stick shift in a small wagon but that’s what this car has. That five-speed manual is paired with a 1.8-liter 7A-FE SOHC inline four. Transversely mounted and driving the front wheels, that makes 115 horsepower and an equal number in torque.
As one might expect of a ’90s Toyota, the seller says this car “never gives any trouble.” They do note that they have “upgraded and pre-fixed things” to keep it that way.
Just like its promised mechanical condition, the interior appears to be in fantastic condition for its age and mileage. The cloth upholstery looks clean and aside from some obvious wear on the steering wheel and shift knob, everything else seems to be keeping on keeping on. The only major gripe here is the odd choice Toyota’s designers made to have the engine temperature and fuel gauges read with the same sweep rather than the more aesthetically pleasing counter-sweep. Ugh, that’s going to bug me all day.
Honestly, that’s about the only irksome part of this entire car. The fun paint and the body beneath look to be in fine shape and it should prove to have plenty more miles left in it despite the heavy workout the odometer has already had. A clean title and the seller pleasantly hoping we all have a nice day are just added smile inducers this car brings. Let’s see if the $3,799 price does likewise.
What do you say, is this art car Corolla worth that much as it sits? Or, is that too much cash for something that stands out in a crowd?
You decide!
San Francisco Bay Area, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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