Hello, friends.
The car is 1999 Toyota Tercel CE with auto transmission. Given the present situation with car supply and demand in USA, as well as expensive gas prices, does it make sense for me to bring the car down from Canada, instead of trying to buy a used one in Texas?
Some more details:
It's going to have about 175k miles when I drive down from Canuckistan to Texas (that is, if I choose to bring it along).
It has a rebuilt title, was a salvage around 2005 or so. That was before I owned it. Previously my friend had it for a decade (bought after the rebuild) and he gave it to me. I've now had it about 7 years. It works absolutely perfect, except one of the headlights has always been slightly out of out of position.
It costs me very little to maintain the car. It is extremely reliable and gets excellent gas mileage. On the highway I get 35+ mpg (if not carrying cargo and minding the speed). I love this little car! It's a go-kart for grown ups.
Obviously, the paint is not in the greatest condition having been outdoors in extreme winters and summers, but mechanically the car runs like a Swiss watch, as you'd expect a classic Toyota. Maintained and up to date. The worst thing is that it has some surface rust, primarily along the fenders and a little bit along the body below where the doors close. The body was actually pretty decent until one year the city I live in decided to spray really caustic chemicals on the road, which caused a great uproar because everyone's cars started to rust. That was the only one winter the city pulled that shenanigan, thankfully, but it still caused a lot of damage. I guess I can post photos to illustrate, later. It's mostly surface rust, but it's not going to get any better (as we all know, rust is cancer).
As I understand, Texas requires emissions testing for cars 2-24 years old. I can keep the car on Canadian plates for 2 years until I have to change my immigration status hopefully to a green card. That will put me outside the 24 year emission testing requirement. At that point, who knows if I won't upgrade to a Lexus 470 because Texas rides big, and because of course 'merikuh! But in the meantime, does it make sense to bring my little beater? I love that thing to death.
What the heck you having it runs I keep driving until the wheels fall off. The price of used cars is insane today
Keep it that is a no brainer. Even if you get something else your still going to have to put gas in it.
I'm in Texas. Does it have an air conditioner? You may wish it did.
Rebuilt title with that mileage?
You may have to give it away
Keep it and spend a couple bucks on AAA for the trip
Cheap insurance for long hauls
If you are sure you can do it legally without having to pay fees or deal with emissions inspections and that you will be able to insure it, Yes.
The cost to replace that car with something else is currently very high, Finding a car at a similar age in a similar condition to your Tercel is almost impossible.
But generally, when buying for a used car from someone you don't know usually it's a good idea to play it safe and get something like a ~2011 Corolla 1.8L or a ~2015 Mazda 6 SkyActive (and even with these cars being as reliable as modern cars get, you're still quite likely to have some issues with them) and cars like that cost arm and a leg these days, not to mention that buying new good cars is close to impossible - the waiting time for a good reasonably priced car like a Mazda CX-30 was over 6 months, at least where I live the last time I checked.
I even think it's a good idea to keep these kinds of old bulletproof cars even if you buy something newer. I also have an old Toyota that I use it as a beater, and it makes my life much easier.
The only real concern with driving a '99 Tercel is safety. Any serious survivable crash in a 2010's Corolla - is a death sentence in a Tercel. In Texas there are plenty of trucks like the F-150 and the Tahoe, I really would be cautious when driving something that light and old near all of these huge trucks.
Here's a heads-on crash test between a 2015 Toyota Corolla (In this cause it's an Auris/iM version, but shares the same platform with most corollas made in the last decade) with an old 1998 Corolla (a car that has the same safety credentials as your Tercel)
https://youtu.be/_ttkVRwOtVE?t=185
And that's in a collision with a 2015, even the brand new and improved corolla doesn't hold-up well in a collision with a light car like a Jetta.
https://youtu.be/o_vhCHLX-mc?t=36
getting T-Boned by an Explorer or even a Passat at speed is a death sentence in these Japanese eco-boxes, ESPECIALLY OLDER ONES, so drive with extra caution.
But other than that, it's a great car and I think you should keep it for as long as it doesn't require any big investments.
Since it runs good I would keep it.
