Toyota Stalking, er...um, SPOTTING with Charlie™ (Cars, vans, SUVs, Lexus, Scion, and brochures)!

A radio was an extra-cost option on many Toyota models (including pickups and Camrys) back in the 1980s, and like the air-conditioner in this car, I am 99% this was a dealer-installed Toyota tape deck...



If I remember correctly, the radio did in fact work...

Unfortunately, while I did have my iPod with me, I did not have a car kit adapter or my trusty Bat Out of Hell cassette to really put this system through its paces...

 

Original owner's manual!




Anyone know if this dealer is still around...?

 

If I remember correctly, the original owner managed to do this not long before she died and that's what resulted in her family forcing her to give up driving...

I forget her relation to the woman she left the car to when she died...

 

Further proof of how basic this car is/was...

No passenger side-view mirror!

 

NOTE: These pictures were also taken back in December 2010.

This car was owned by the same woman who inherited the red 1988 Tercel, and while it wasn't as clean as the Tercel, it had low miles for its age and was in great running condition (I'd consider any older vehicle capable of passing California smog to be in good running condition)...




NOTE: The hood is only open because I opened it. This car was not broken down or being worked on. I do not know why I didn't get any pics of it with the hood closed...



I know that the owner did not inherit the Corolla from deceased friend or relatively, and I actually think she may have bought it new! I'm pretty sure this Corolla is a 1991 model. This woman and her husband also had a 1993ish Toyota Previa; They had a home in Monterey and obviously were not poor, so I don't know why they had three older Toyotas and no newer vehicles...

 

By the way, this one had just over 100K miles...

Chump change for an older Toyota 4-banger!

 

Unlike the dealer-installed air-conditioner in the Tercel, the factory-installed A/C in this Corolla was actually still operational according to the owner (I didn't start it, but this car definitely still had R-12)...

 

Here's the engine...

Not as clean as the Tercel's, but not bad for what was at the time a 19-year old car with over 100K miles!

 

Found more pics of the Tercel that I once again forgot about!




Do people even still steal gas?

 

And even more of the red 1988 Tercel! Once again, these pictures were all taken back in December 2010; For some reason, I didn't taken pictures of the 1991 Corolla's interior, aside from the odometer...

 

Going back to the present day, my favorite post-OBDI Corolla would have to be the 1998-2002 (E110) models; Here in Southeast Pennsylvania, these still enjoy a remarkable survival rate, and range in condition from "How could you treat a car like that and more importantly how did you get it to pass inspection?" to "Holy crap, that in good shape!" with many variations in between. Most of them are beaten to shit but seem mechanically sound. On another note, the E100 did get OBDII for the last year and a half or so of its production run (1996-1997)...

The red 2006 Corolla S below is an E130; The E130 debuted in North America in 2002 for the 2003 model year. Compared to the last two generations sold in North America, they are rather bloated in their styling; In terms of quality and reliability, they cannot be beat. They are great cars for people of all ages and backgrounds! The E130 just wouldn't be my first choice based solely on its styling; The biggest problem I have with Corollas from roughly the 1993 model year all the way through 2021-2022 is that so many of them are colors like Boring Beige or Refrigerator White, or other rather boring common colors like black and silver. Whenever I see one in a more unique color, especially red like the one below and actually in decent condition, I can't resist taking pictures!

 

2006 Corolla S


March 26th, 2022:

Oaks, Pennsylvania

 

2013 Scion FR-S


March 26th, 2022:

Oaks, Pennsylvania

 

On the showroom floor with McLarens, Porsches, GT race cars was this

 

I've got a Land Cruiser thread too!

Toyota Stalking, er...um, SPOTTING with Charlie™ (Land Cruiser Edition)! | Toyota Tundra Forum (tundras.com)

 

Thanks and sorry, I looked but the search function..... well..... it leaves something to be desired. As does my persistence in searching no doubt.

 

2007 Solara SLE; This particular car proves my point about many Solaras not being in the greatest condition. According to Carfax, this one had over 194K miles at the time it was purchased by its current owner in February 2022; More than likely, the current owner bought it in this condition. This car has the 3.3L V6, which I believe is the same engine used in the Camry and Lexus ES of the same era...?


March 27th, 2022:

Oaks, Pennsylvania

 

2005 Lexus IS300


March 27th, 2022:

Oaks, Pennsylvania

 

1999 Camry LE


March 27th, 2022:

Oaks, Pennsylvania

 

2005 Matrix XR


March 27th, 2022:

Oaks, Pennsylvania

 

2004 Scion XB


March 27th, 2022:

Oaks, Pennsylvania

 

Appears to be a Camry...

 

This Camry is a prime example of how Super White Toyotas get a chalky appearance after so many years...


March 29th, 2022:

Ivyland, Pennsylvania

 

Thompson has two Supras on the floor; This brand new 4-cylinder...


March 30th, 2022:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

 

And this used Launch Edition, which is obviously a 6-cylinder...


March 30th, 2022:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

 

2002 Echo


March 31st, 2022:

Warrington, Pennsylvania

 

2005 Camry; This car is easily identified as an LE with the 4-banger because it has rear drum brakes. 4-wheel disc was standard on the SE and XLE regardless of which engine was chosen. The LE with the V6 got 4-wheel disc brakes by default, but it was an extra-cost option on the 4-cylinder...


March 31st, 2022:

Warrington, Pennsylvania

 

Avacado Taco

 

One from the Mid-Atlantic Indoor Nationals that I missed; 2021 CH-R...


March 26th, 2022:

Oaks, Pennsylvania