If you listened to our latest podcast you will find our fascination of peculiar cars, and one of those cars was the Toyota Carina. As Alex has stated, this was a car that was so unremarkable, it lasted in the US for only a couple of years. So, I was slightly surprised when I found one for sale on eBay. So, without further ado, here is a 1973 Toyota Carina.


According to the listing:

This car has been used as daily transportation for the last 10 years or so and is in nice, original condition. The car has spent its life here, in Southern California. It’s registered and drives great. It has been well-maintained mechanically and I would not hesitate to take it on a long trip. The stock 2TC engine was rebuilt at 98,000 miles (I have receipts for the engine) The car appears to be all orignial, except for the mag wheels, which the previous owner told me were a dealership option. I can’t find any indication that the car has been in any accidents, either. The car has power brakes, air conditioning (the a/c doesn’t work, but is all there), AM radio. The car is the deluxe package. The transmission is a four-speed manual and shifts nicely.

The body is pretty straight for its age and appears to have the original paint. The body has a few minor rust spots on the roof, and the trunk. It’s just surface rust, and there are no holes rusted through, just some surface rust here and there. The paint is decent, but someone spilled brake fluid on the driverside-front fender and messed up the paint. I’ve included pictures of these spots. The rear window gasket leaks and probably should be replaced. The interior is in decent shape… the pictures pretty much tell it all. The brakes are good, all the lights, indicators, gauges work. No leaks. All said, a nice, original old Toyota. And as a 1973, it’s exempt from smog testing in California.

The car sports over 120,000 miles, and has a current bid of $1,825 and a buy-it-now price of $2,700. Is this a good buy for one of the rarest Toyotas in the states? See the eBay listing here.