At $28,500, Is This 1985 Toyota Corolla GT-S A Venerated Value?
Like the current GR Corolla, today’s Nice Price or No Dice GT-S is a rare anomaly: an exciting and engaging edition of Toyota’s compact car. Let’s see how much interest this classic edition’s price generates.
Overly complicated and insufficiently noteworthy is not a desirable combo in a car, but that’s how yesterday’s 2006 Mazdaspeed 6 presented. It was also pretty rough, needing a respray, some cabin clean-up, and probably a re-tune to pass its smog test. That made its $9,000 asking price an outrage to most of you, as evidenced in the 83 percent No Dice loss it suffered.
In contrast to yesterday’s hot Mazda that needed a lot, today’s 1985 Toyota Corolla GT-S needs little more than a twist of the ignition key to get its game on. A high point in not just Corolla history but also the swan song for Toyota’s RWD compacts, the AE86 line of coupes and hatchbacks was feted when new and has since become one of the preeminent Japanese collector cars of the 1980s.
This one seems to have all the goods: a 112 horsepower DOHC 16-valve 1587 cc fuel-injected 4A-GEC four, five-speed T50 manual gearbox, and—wait for it—pop-up headlights. Being a hatchback means it’s marginally heavier than the notchback coupe, but for practical purposes—and aerodynamics—it’s the preferred choice.
According to the ad, this GT-S has 147,000 miles on the clock and a clean title. Other plusses include new tires on the factory wheels and a fresh respray that appears professionally done, not something from the Earl of Scheib. Period-correct “GT-S Twin Cam 16” decals adorn each flank on top of that.
Some wear and tear is evident in the cabin. Both front buckets show the effects of years of entry and exit, manifesting mostly on the driver’s outer bolster and the passenger side seat back. In contrast, the deeply bucketed split rear bench shows little to no wear at all. Other issues include aging of the door pull plastic and some discoloration below the glovebox door and on the console.
Of course, who would even notice that when there’s that wonderfully chunky old-school (meaning non-functional) mobile phone to play with? Next to that is a double DIN screen stereo unit that’s kind of ridiculous and out of place in the car, but that’s likely an easy retrofit.
The dealer selling the Corolla claims it is in excellent condition and touts it as “running and driving well.” They will provide the original manuals and some dealer paperwork from when the car was first sold in the deal. The cost for the whole shebang? $28,500.
Okay, that’s a lot for an old Corolla, but this isn’t just an old Corolla; it’s the revered AE86 16-valve edition, and it doesn’t seem to have been hooned to the point of no return. In fact, it looks pretty nice and is almost all original. Could that add up to nearly thirty grand in compensation?
What do you think? Is this GT-S worth that $28,500 asking as it’s presented in the ad? Or does that price make you want to ’86’ this AE86?
You decide!
Facebook Marketplace out of Wahoo, Nebraska, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to glemon for the hookup!
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