A very nice compact . I have been a fan of Toyota's for many years. Thank you Sir for the walk around and the drive. Lovely Country side. All my best Bobby
I had a Starlet for absolutely years and it was the most reliable car I ever owned. One previous elderly owner. It's what kept me with Toyota's as my main cars (currently have a Yaris, the successor to the Starlet). My 98 R reg Starlet is I believe still on the road and being happily driven to this day, I'll have to check after this comment. ;) I lost 5th gear in the end (would jump out unless I held it in) and sold it to a mechanic who'd helped look after the car for a few quid. He did a little tidying up and sold it to a local girl who'd just passed her test and didn't want 5th gear anyway! Haha. Nothing as expensive as a tyre in all the years I had him and would fly through MOTs and get me anywhere. Never let me down once. Really miss it and have been on many an adventure in the little thing. So well put together, bulletproof engine. I remember seeing them in excess of 200k on eBay which is why I was attracted to one in the first place. The MK1 Yaris is, I believe, a good successor. I've had 3 Yarii now and they all provide the same reliability but with a fair bit more comfort and refinement. Currently running a 1.3 CDX and a 1.0 GL. Worth looking out for one of those too if you ever see one at the right price - I got the GL for £250 a year and a half ago! Looking forward to seeing your Starlet vids. Thanks for the entertainment!
Oh and just to add - it was a FUN little thing to drive! More fun than the Yaris ;) Friends would comment that I'd 'really throw that little thing around' but that's just the way it handled! The racing steering wheel as standard helps too ;) way more comfy than the Yaris wheel. Oh and the Times New Roman style dials. Ah damn I'm gonna end up getting another one at this rate and I'm only a minute into the video...
I had a 1996 Starlet 1.3CD 5-door for a few months in 2014/15, which I bought for £270. It took me all over, Scotland, Isle of Man (via a ferry obviously) with its perky little engine and superb reliability, everything working from the electric sunroof to the factory fitted CD player. After a Fiesta I found the handling wobbly but it didn't bother me too much. It had over 150k on the clock when I bought it and felt tight as a drum, engine sounded great and barely used any oil. Sold it for £100 (it need a new driveshaft, wheel bearings, tyres all round, battery etc.) as I had no money at the time and no use for it. Always kind of regretted selling it, even more so when I contacted the seller to buy it back last year only to discover it had been written off!
Thoroughly enjoyed watching this review! I have a little silver 1999 Starlet SR. Cracking little car and in great condition. There is a great online society of Starlet owners always willing to share advice and tips! Keep it up!
the dealer I use to work at had a fleet of Ford KA's and one starlet as loaners for customers and every customer always asked for the starlet, they are very reliable and age far better, don't see many rusty ones either
Cool, I've done a few videos on the little EP91 Starlets. My blue one looks just like that, I put a permit on it yesterday so I can book it in for its RWC (MOT) then registration. Terrific little car indeed. Great video Mr HubNut. Cheers Peter
I love the looks of that little Starlet. The baby blue exterior and interior colors are quite fitting for the vehicle. The interior cloth pattern for the seats and door cards are attractive. It's not like the Japanese to misdesign the rear hatchback without a pull slot so I agree with Hubnut that is quite strange. My favorite feature is the optional dealer-installed Momo alloy wheels. They make the exterior of the car completely. If this car has hubcaps I wouldn't like it nearly as much as I do with the alloys. And talk about low maintenance costs??? You can't be an econobox Toyota product for durability. Awesome video of an awesome little car.
My son used to have a Starlet, a '97 two-door. Like this one, the upholstery patterns were a bit naff, and the lack of rear legroom was a weakness, but the car was wider inside than most in its class. It drove like a larger car as well, making his previous car, a '93 Polo Coupé, seem quite agricultural by comparison.
Ian, I think you should submit this video to the BBC. They should make you the new executive producer and head host of Top Gear. I like certain cars, but I'm not really a car person. However, you make me interested in the cars you like. You transmit interest and enthusiasm in a way that's very very rare.
Yeah; I was going to ask about that. I'm astonished that people actually drive tires to the point that they degrade instead of wear. I've never had a car that I drove that little. Also, in the states, if you get any kind of dealer service at all or anything done to the tires/wheels, they will rotate the tires unless you specifically ask them not to, and even then sometimes they will. Also, once in a while, especially when you get a really worn tire or two, I think it's reasonable to take the two best remaining tires, put them on the rear, and then put two new ones on the front. That way the front (which are you driving and braking and steering tires) are the newest, but the rear ones don't get old either.
Congratulations on the new acquisition! I had those seat belt clips on my 3 door '98 Escort as well. It was about the only thing that wasn't broken on that car....
Looks quite decent for a 20 year old city car, ideal for 1 or 2 people, and rear seat passengers with thin legs! Toyota are pretty reliable though, TWC will be getting jealous now!
Got my hubnut sticker yesterday.... amazing fast delivery :) Soon going on my corsa B (no i'm not a hoon youth, the thing's NOT lowered... I just appreciate the nippy reliability) . For a 21 yr old car she's awesome :)
My friends once got a free starlet that was hearin'aid beige and you could push the rear window frame into the boot. I believe they crashed that into a tree at some point before we were old enough to drive. That was a previous model though.
Interestingly, Chris Goffey commented on his Lexus Top Gear roadtest that the then new LS 400 had to share showroom floor space with the humble Starlet. Ironically, you've now swapped a Lexus for a humble Starlet. Love it.
I was always told new rear tyres on the back so you drive based on your worst tyres, if that makes sense. In other words, you go into a corner on the old rubber and the rear is (pretty much) guaranteed to hang on, as opposed to going into the corner with the new rubber on the front and the rear breaking away
Ahh... I thought that the Narrow Gauge Railway in your Front Garden was the Welsh Highland Line but after seeing that "Devils Bridge" sign at 09:08 means its the Vale of Rheidol, that clears up that little mystery
Nice little car i could be happy with that as my every day local car, i do like my Mitsubishi they seem to build cars over there with more thought and attention to the end product. have a great show Ian.
My daughter now has my little 98 Starlet and I forget how ace that car is until I hop in it now and then. Like riding a little pony it's mint. As you pointed out though it's not good for tall people. My son is 6'4 and driving him short journeys was a sight he looked ready to stick his arse and legs out the sunroof at times cos he couldn't get comfy or push the seat back enough.
Laughing now at replaying the clip cos when you pulled out at 3:40 and turned right I felt it pull away like a demon and actually went “Wheeeeeeeeeee!!!” lol. Went from that to a VW Touareg which I do need (two collies that traipse everywhere, horses and various crap to cart and trailer etc) but it's sluggish and heavy to drive unless you're flat out with it on the motorway. When I jump back in the Shitlet of Wonder I forget and tend to be to as heavy footed with it so it'll run off and make me literally go “Oooooh yeeee c'mon pony lessgo” then beep the horn excitedly.
In 1997 the intake manifold was changed again along with the ECU and the result was 85 bhp for the Corolla and 82 bhp for the Starlet. This engine was discontinued in 1999. So Question is, do you have the extra horses :-) :-) I love this little car :-) i think you have made a great choice
I had a Paseo, which is essentially a squashed, sporty starlet. Quite a bit faster with the 90hp 1.5. More electric options and loads more legroom in the back as well, but at the cost of headroom. The back seats were ideal for people with no heads.
Nearly bought one of these as my first car, one reason I never was insurance was more expensive to insure than a K11 Micra. Grandad had the first gen Yaris and it was a different ball game for Toyota's small car.
Looks like a cracking little car...! Cheers for my 'Hub Nut' sticker by the way. Received it yesterday, and it looks great on the back of my K11 Micra... 🙂👍
I understand why you have a Starlet and not a Lexus just the same as i have a Aygo and a soon to be sold Alfa 156 v6.......i have always liked small engines and getting the best from them,i think the Starlet is a honest good looking car,well done
That is entirely correct for this vehicle. See also pre-facelift Peugeot 309, Vauxhall Astra Mk1, pre-facelift K11 Micra etc as other examples of perky, upright rear wipers. #BoringWiperGeek
At least with your wiper set up you can test the washers before committing to the wipe, very useful in freezing conditions, looks like you have more front leg room than k11 Micra.
An old girlfriend of mine had an identical Starlet in the exact same colour. It had a lot of tyre noise too, which we put down to New Zealand's volcanic chip sealed roads. I actually prefer the styling of the Starlet, over the Yaris/Echo. Having said that, the Yaris seems to be a lot more sound proofed! Seeing the struggles getting into the back in this vid, the 4 door version was a lot more popular here in NZ!
@@HubNut Yes, I've been following your travels around NZ Ian. Quite by coincidence, I came across your channel, around about the time you posted a video about your plans to come out to NZ and Australia. It was the Green Goddess - will it start video that put me on to your channel, as I'd been watching videos of Americans and Russians attempting to start all manner of abandoned vehicles! I subscribed to your channel, because I've owned all kinds of budget vehicles too, and you really struck a chord with me. My current car is a 1999 Nissan Pulsar wagon. Being a New Zealand car, it is an odd thing! Its also badged as the Nissan Wingroad (I see you've come across them in some of your NZ videos) and apparently is based on the Nissan ED van platform, whereas the Pulsar sedan and hatch isn't!
With regard to rear passenger leg room there is always a choice. The option of a 3rd class ride or a first class walk. I am 6 foot 4 so most cars i have had have been 3 seaters as i always have the drivers seat right back . If you want to see bad wiper sweep i nominate my bedford cf for largest percentage of screen not swept but my p6 is not far behind. I think back in the day the one size fits all the range was adopted by manufacturers for wiper arms and blades to save cost
Ah..Starlet ep91..the best car ever made for two persons plus some school bags..I bought mine few years ago in Greece absolutely original and low mileage from an elder lady.170.000 km .Bought for me and small son for all arounder school grocery small region trips.here in Greece they are plenty..Over 200 in my city..Plenty of parts .Starlets here in the otherhand are expensive.Mine bought for 2000 euros Mot tested papers street legal..why? Because no ones wants to sell them and loose the legendary 4efe reliability❤..An everydays companion that never let you down...Try corolla manifold octapus type new yellow injectors from same model and corolla 1600 excaust manifold..give some days to unit recognize the new needs and results will suprise you❤❤
yahoo got my stickers.If thestarlet will take a spaniel and a bit firewood in the back.let me know when it's time for it to move on.I'm sure it would love Bexhill on sea...
Hi great little car very nice condition inside and outside hope it will do you well, ordering a sticker when you get more back in stock. Can you please post when you get them,
That reminds me, the strap on my F91W needs changing! Looks a good'n does that Starlet. I've had a K11 Micra, Kelisa, Swift, and an Arosa for EU comparison. K11 seems to be more European compared to the other Japanese cars which have nice long fifth and a more relaxed driving position. Taking the Swift from Swansea to Glasgow via Newcastle and back over two days was exhausting but probably the best of that bunch for the Job. Best seats I've ever had in that swift. I'd like to try a March of similar vintage to see how that compares based on the component suppliers specifications and how much they change the car. The Micra just has a different vibe than the other Japanese cars I've owned. Happy motoring!
Didn't you get wiper blades when you bought it?, wiper overkill!......Oh never mind haha! The SR Starlet with the stripes and white Rally wheels and K11 Micras were the car of choice in Tech, I plumped for Rover 100 (Metro). Great times.
Tidy looking car for £400 that - I like the 4 spoke wheels! These seem quite overlooked, maybe you got lucky but body-wise seems a better bet than a K11 in terms of rust. Surely just as hardy.
The frame is treathet ?with zink and the body panels are zinkcorr . So no problems with rust ,mine has 300,000km on it .first clutch still,waterpump the first stil . done altenator brakes in front with discs and back drums and 1 batt and some tyre,s and mufflers . and hand brake cables . Cant go wrong with 1liter to 15km petrol.
Is that upward stopping point for the rear wiper normal? It seems it would make more sense for it to stop horizontal, across the bottom of the rear windscreen?
Yes. Different manufacturers do different things with different models. Take the K11 Micra for instance, which started with an upward parking rear wiper, then changed to a lower parking position for the final facelift. #BoringWiperGeek
Now, I'm sure you know this Ian, but a set of tyres will transform the handling. As to the 60/40 rear seat. Well you can still go to B n Q and fetch your new kitchen. Ok ok we make our own 10 times better for a fraction of the cost.....but you get my point lol.
Admit I was impressed with your driving in the snow.....almost as good as we used to to lol. Now, as someone has commented, oil the car. Use waste oil. My friend Roy always drills small holes in the cills and fills with waste oil. Also sprays underneath annually. It works. He did a Bedford CA 30? years ago. Parked in his barn. Mr CA (see FB facebook.com/groups/641614715929086/) bought it a few years ago. Almost no rust. Now totally restored it was used by the BBC on Antiques Roadtrip. Just trying to pass on a few tips I've learned.
spay some oil on the rusty bits ive done that with my 20 year old estima and its stopped it spreading so much that it passed its MOT yesterday with compliments from the tester on how rust free it was!
Well I have to say the Starlet is a useful little Motor, the split fold rear seats would be ok if it had rear doors, but on a 3 door what’s the point? I think the Starlet looks a little bigger than a K11 Micra, and the boot is not bad either, quite a pleasant interior too. I think the Starlet is a Car that’s probably not going to set anybody’s world on fire, not mine anyway, but it does the job it was designed and built to do, A-B transport with affordable running costs.
Steering rack seems slow, meaning more steering wheel turning to compensate. Try draining and replacing with new fluid first - easy job. Or, if possible, try and find a steering rack for a Glanza spec Starlet which should be faster/more responsive Ian mate. 👍
Would slow steering adjust the gearing though? Surely it'll always need the same input to physically turn the wheels to a certain angle? It's a good shout nonetheless, as I doubt the fluid has ever been changed.
HubNut Had exactly that happen on a '71 Mercedes 280CE few years back. The old "softer" fluid was taking time to pressure up due to both it's tremendous age and being slightly low in level - meant turning the steering box further to get the same output. Steering felt fine, but required more turns. Drain the old sludge out and whack some Morris Lubricants Power Steering Fluid in and see what you think. Won't do any harm and will sure make the feel better if nothing else Sir.
i'm not sure why, but ever since i've stumbled across your videos i've been hunting for a Nippa. I love the simplicity of it yet they are near enough extinct :(
I've put a deposit on a cheap starlet with 71k miles to collect it on friday (currently in belgium so pain to get to Nottingham lol), I've seen 2 different 4E-FE's in the same gen starlet though some seem to have like a little carburator filter on top of them? Am I correct? I haven't looked much into what it is, but what is the difference between them? And also some seem to make arounf 95-100hp but it's also a 4E-FE without a turbo. Although that is my end goal with this, it's a lot easier than turboing my Celica I currently have and this will be my new daily as good on petrol and cheap as hell to insure
writing from Sweden here! every time! I see you driving in Wales it seems to have snowed... do you use winter spec tyres for grip in the white stuf or are they standard summer junk?
HubNut tbh with you they are really good cars trust me I’ve owned mine just under a year now and I love it 👌 I have you on Facebook and I messaged you when my hub nut sticker come the other day and you seemed to like it but my is a r100 but I’ve done a mk3 (rover metro) facelift to it to make it look older and it’s totally worth it 👌 people really under rate the metros but people love them trust me people come up to me and say ‘I’ve not seen a metro in years’
Off topic, but is that some kind of narrow gauge railway running through the field beside your house? Starlet looks a lot inside like my '01 Corolla, and at least you got a temp gauge, my newer Honda just has a blue cold light, and a red hot light.
It is a narrow gauge railway. Which is nice. Not a fan of temp lights. If the red one comes on, it's already too late! Mind you, in moderns with a temp gauge, it often lies...
That 60/40 arrangement is silly. I remember my Fiat Uno 60s 5 door back in 86' having the same design except the squabs were split individually, too. There was also more rear legroom in the back.
I completely understand why you would like this better than the Lexus. I'm the same. Give me small, entertaining, and cheap to run cars any day. How does the rear seat room compare with the Nippa?
Quite a cute little car! It puts me in mind of a posh Micra somehow. I love 90s Japanese car design
Very similar style to the Micra.
A very nice compact . I have been a fan of Toyota's for many years. Thank you Sir for the walk around and the drive. Lovely Country side.
All my best Bobby
Well come back Glad to see you again in England.
I love the way Ian signs off. Reminds me of when we used to do that when i was a lad lol
Truly an exceptional Starlet! It looks superb for its age. Your videos always remind me that Wales has some of the best scenery anywhere.
I had a Starlet for absolutely years and it was the most reliable car I ever owned. One previous elderly owner. It's what kept me with Toyota's as my main cars (currently have a Yaris, the successor to the Starlet). My 98 R reg Starlet is I believe still on the road and being happily driven to this day, I'll have to check after this comment. ;) I lost 5th gear in the end (would jump out unless I held it in) and sold it to a mechanic who'd helped look after the car for a few quid. He did a little tidying up and sold it to a local girl who'd just passed her test and didn't want 5th gear anyway! Haha. Nothing as expensive as a tyre in all the years I had him and would fly through MOTs and get me anywhere. Never let me down once.
Really miss it and have been on many an adventure in the little thing. So well put together, bulletproof engine. I remember seeing them in excess of 200k on eBay which is why I was attracted to one in the first place.
The MK1 Yaris is, I believe, a good successor. I've had 3 Yarii now and they all provide the same reliability but with a fair bit more comfort and refinement. Currently running a 1.3 CDX and a 1.0 GL. Worth looking out for one of those too if you ever see one at the right price - I got the GL for £250 a year and a half ago!
Looking forward to seeing your Starlet vids. Thanks for the entertainment!
Oh and just to add - it was a FUN little thing to drive! More fun than the Yaris ;) Friends would comment that I'd 'really throw that little thing around' but that's just the way it handled! The racing steering wheel as standard helps too ;) way more comfy than the Yaris wheel.
Oh and the Times New Roman style dials.
Ah damn I'm gonna end up getting another one at this rate and I'm only a minute into the video...
I had a 1996 Starlet 1.3CD 5-door for a few months in 2014/15, which I bought for £270. It took me all over, Scotland, Isle of Man (via a ferry obviously) with its perky little engine and superb reliability, everything working from the electric sunroof to the factory fitted CD player. After a Fiesta I found the handling wobbly but it didn't bother me too much. It had over 150k on the clock when I bought it and felt tight as a drum, engine sounded great and barely used any oil. Sold it for £100 (it need a new driveshaft, wheel bearings, tyres all round, battery etc.) as I had no money at the time and no use for it. Always kind of regretted selling it, even more so when I contacted the seller to buy it back last year only to discover it had been written off!
Thoroughly enjoyed watching this review! I have a little silver 1999 Starlet SR. Cracking little car and in great condition. There is a great online society of Starlet owners always willing to share advice and tips! Keep it up!
the dealer I use to work at had a fleet of Ford KA's and one starlet as loaners for customers and every customer always asked for the starlet, they are very reliable and age far better, don't see many rusty ones either
That Toyota Starlet is a gem !
I had the 1.3 sportif model back in the day and loved it. Cheap and reliable with plenty of grunt for a pokey engine. :)
Nice. I learned on a Red 1.3 sportif. T192 TGP. Fairly basic and no PAS. Probably a good durable buy for a driving instructor, back in the day!
Cool, I've done a few videos on the little EP91 Starlets. My blue one looks just like that, I put a permit on it yesterday so I can book it in for its RWC (MOT) then registration. Terrific little car indeed. Great video Mr HubNut. Cheers Peter
Just found this video, and my first thought was "I wonder if Peter's seen this?" Looking forward to your next episode. Cheers, mate.
I love the looks of that little Starlet. The baby blue exterior and interior colors are quite fitting for the vehicle. The interior cloth pattern for the seats and door cards are attractive. It's not like the Japanese to misdesign the rear hatchback without a pull slot so I agree with Hubnut that is quite strange. My favorite feature is the optional dealer-installed Momo alloy wheels. They make the exterior of the car completely. If this car has hubcaps I wouldn't like it nearly as much as I do with the alloys. And talk about low maintenance costs??? You can't be an econobox Toyota product for durability. Awesome video of an awesome little car.
My son used to have a Starlet, a '97 two-door. Like this one, the upholstery patterns were a bit naff, and the lack of rear legroom was a weakness, but the car was wider inside than most in its class. It drove like a larger car as well, making his previous car, a '93 Polo Coupé, seem quite agricultural by comparison.
The Starlet looks like a nice car, getting good gas mileage. 🚙 I also like torque, especially on motorcycles.
Ian,
I think you should submit this video to the BBC. They should make you the new executive producer and head host of Top Gear.
I like certain cars, but I'm not really a car person. However, you make me interested in the cars you like. You transmit interest and enthusiasm in a way that's very very rare.
Thank you! Telly people would expect me to have a script though. Not my style! I just make it up.
Looks a great fun, simple little car. Great review
Respect. An Oppo mobile phone. The best phone nobody has ever heard of.
Think you've had a very good deal there Ian, cracking little motor and sounds really good for it's age. Nice vid.
Rear tyres do fine if you rotate tyres with every service. Looks like a surprisingly well sorted motor and for £400 an absolute bargain.
Yeah; I was going to ask about that. I'm astonished that people actually drive tires to the point that they degrade instead of wear. I've never had a car that I drove that little. Also, in the states, if you get any kind of dealer service at all or anything done to the tires/wheels, they will rotate the tires unless you specifically ask them not to, and even then sometimes they will.
Also, once in a while, especially when you get a really worn tire or two, I think it's reasonable to take the two best remaining tires, put them on the rear, and then put two new ones on the front. That way the front (which are you driving and braking and steering tires) are the newest, but the rear ones don't get old either.
Congratulations on the new acquisition! I had those seat belt clips on my 3 door '98 Escort as well. It was about the only thing that wasn't broken on that car....
Looks quite decent for a 20 year old city car, ideal for 1 or 2 people, and rear seat passengers with thin legs! Toyota are pretty reliable though, TWC will be getting jealous now!
Got my hubnut sticker yesterday.... amazing fast delivery :) Soon going on my corsa B (no i'm not a hoon youth, the thing's NOT lowered... I just appreciate the nippy reliability) . For a 21 yr old car she's awesome :)
I learnt to drive in a Corsa B!
My friends once got a free starlet that was hearin'aid beige and you could push the rear window frame into the boot. I believe they crashed that into a tree at some point before we were old enough to drive. That was a previous model though.
Interestingly, Chris Goffey commented on his Lexus Top Gear roadtest that the then new LS 400 had to share showroom floor space with the humble Starlet. Ironically, you've now swapped a Lexus for a humble Starlet. Love it.
Well done. It appears you have many stress free miles ahead of you. Be careful that the Missus doesn't pinch it for herself....
"Time to improve Starlet". Apply Hubnut sticker. Job done.
Hi Ian,looking round the starlet its a very nice car,goes very well on the roads.great video.
Thank you for the hub nut sticker. I have a gift for you and Ellie and will be at the NEC this weekend. 😊. Starlet flies along from beard cam view.
I was always told new rear tyres on the back so you drive based on your worst tyres, if that makes sense. In other words, you go into a corner on the old rubber and the rear is (pretty much) guaranteed to hang on, as opposed to going into the corner with the new rubber on the front and the rear breaking away
I have a gls auto at home and it’s nice to see you tubers still driving them
Legroom is a problem especially as mine is a 5 door
Ahh... I thought that the Narrow Gauge Railway in your Front Garden was the Welsh Highland Line but after seeing that "Devils Bridge" sign at 09:08 means its the Vale of Rheidol, that clears up that little mystery
Nice little car i could be happy with that as my every day local car, i do like my Mitsubishi they seem to build cars over there with more thought and attention to the end product.
have a great show Ian.
Looks like a good one, that engine seems to pull well.
My daughter now has my little 98 Starlet and I forget how ace that car is until I hop in it now and then. Like riding a little pony it's mint. As you pointed out though it's not good for tall people. My son is 6'4 and driving him short journeys was a sight he looked ready to stick his arse and legs out the sunroof at times cos he couldn't get comfy or push the seat back enough.
Laughing now at replaying the clip cos when you pulled out at 3:40 and turned right I felt it pull away like a demon and actually went “Wheeeeeeeeeee!!!” lol. Went from that to a VW Touareg which I do need (two collies that traipse everywhere, horses and various crap to cart and trailer etc) but it's sluggish and heavy to drive unless you're flat out with it on the motorway.
When I jump back in the Shitlet of Wonder I forget and tend to be to as heavy footed with it so it'll run off and make me literally go “Oooooh yeeee c'mon pony lessgo” then beep the horn excitedly.
In 1997 the intake manifold was changed again along with the ECU and the result was 85 bhp for the Corolla and 82 bhp for the Starlet. This engine was discontinued in 1999. So Question is, do you have the extra horses :-) :-) I love this little car :-) i think you have made a great choice
No idea. I think 75PS was the quoted output.
I had a Paseo, which is essentially a squashed, sporty starlet. Quite a bit faster with the 90hp 1.5. More electric options and loads more legroom in the back as well, but at the cost of headroom. The back seats were ideal for people with no heads.
Nearly bought one of these as my first car, one reason I never was insurance was more expensive to insure than a K11 Micra. Grandad had the first gen Yaris and it was a different ball game for Toyota's small car.
Looks like a cracking little car...! Cheers for my 'Hub Nut' sticker by the way. Received it yesterday, and it looks great on the back of my K11 Micra... 🙂👍
Oh yeah some great wiper action just what I need to set me up for my working day. Seems like you have a good little car there.
Looks like a good, honest little motor for the money. Well bought :)
Didn't expect you'll get this little Starlet! Hope you'll keep it like you would on the Nippa.
Best car in the world 🎉❤
I understand why you have a Starlet and not a Lexus just the same as i have a Aygo and a soon to be sold Alfa 156 v6.......i have always liked small engines and getting the best from them,i think the Starlet is a honest good looking car,well done
Isn’t the rear wiper parking at the wrong end of it’s travel? I would have thought it would park at the lower end of the travel out of the way.
That is entirely correct for this vehicle. See also pre-facelift Peugeot 309, Vauxhall Astra Mk1, pre-facelift K11 Micra etc as other examples of perky, upright rear wipers. #BoringWiperGeek
At least with your wiper set up you can test the washers before committing to the wipe, very useful in freezing conditions, looks like you have more front leg room than k11 Micra.
Very reliable car strong engine as long as oil change done on time fab little car
Best ever car i had for driving in winter weather,(Snow)...Nissan Micra :)
I miss mine so much
ruclips.net/video/_z6BoD0skWY/видео.html
An old girlfriend of mine had an identical Starlet in the exact same colour. It had a lot of tyre noise too, which we put down to New Zealand's volcanic chip sealed roads. I actually prefer the styling of the Starlet, over the Yaris/Echo. Having said that, the Yaris seems to be a lot more sound proofed!
Seeing the struggles getting into the back in this vid, the 4 door version was a lot more popular here in NZ!
Funnily enough, I'm in NZ now and can confirm your roads are ridiculously loud!
@@HubNut Yes, I've been following your travels around NZ Ian. Quite by coincidence, I came across your channel, around about the time you posted a video about your plans to come out to NZ and Australia. It was the Green Goddess - will it start video that put me on to your channel, as I'd been watching videos of Americans and Russians attempting to start all manner of abandoned vehicles! I subscribed to your channel, because I've owned all kinds of budget vehicles too, and you really struck a chord with me. My current car is a 1999 Nissan Pulsar wagon. Being a New Zealand car, it is an odd thing! Its also badged as the Nissan Wingroad (I see you've come across them in some of your NZ videos) and apparently is based on the Nissan ED van platform, whereas the Pulsar sedan and hatch isn't!
With regard to rear passenger leg room there is always a choice. The option of a 3rd class ride or a first class walk. I am 6 foot 4 so most cars i have had have been 3 seaters as i always have the drivers seat right back . If you want to see bad wiper sweep i nominate my bedford cf for largest percentage of screen not swept but my p6 is not far behind. I think back in the day the one size fits all the range was adopted by manufacturers for wiper arms and blades to save cost
Thought my P6 was pretty good to be fair. Didn't mind the wipers at all.
You could show us the date markings on the tyres too nextime?
Full of much wisdom.
Thanks.
Small car turns out to be small inside, shock! :-) Looks like you got a nice little bargain there. Cheap and simple, gotta love it.
The Nippa manages to be smaller and have more rear legroom...
Ah..Starlet ep91..the best car ever made for two persons plus some school bags..I bought mine few years ago in Greece absolutely original and low mileage from an elder lady.170.000 km .Bought for me and small son for all arounder school grocery small region trips.here in Greece they are plenty..Over 200 in my city..Plenty of parts .Starlets here in the otherhand are expensive.Mine bought for 2000 euros Mot tested papers street legal..why? Because no ones wants to sell them and loose the legendary 4efe reliability❤..An everydays companion that never let you down...Try corolla manifold octapus type new yellow injectors from same model and corolla 1600 excaust manifold..give some days to unit recognize the new needs and results will suprise you❤❤
Looks and sounds like a keeper. Certainly was a massive bargain .
Goood sensible review of a great solid people carrier........
Toyotas really are excellent vehicles.
yahoo got my stickers.If thestarlet will take a spaniel and a bit firewood in the back.let me know when it's time for it to move on.I'm sure it would love Bexhill on sea...
Hi great little car very nice condition inside and outside hope it will do you well, ordering a sticker when you get more back in stock. Can you please post when you get them,
Will do. Hopefully early next week.
I'm here for the wipers.
That reminds me, the strap on my F91W needs changing! Looks a good'n does that Starlet. I've had a K11 Micra, Kelisa, Swift, and an Arosa for EU comparison. K11 seems to be more European compared to the other Japanese cars which have nice long fifth and a more relaxed driving position. Taking the Swift from Swansea to Glasgow via Newcastle and back over two days was exhausting but probably the best of that bunch for the Job. Best seats I've ever had in that swift. I'd like to try a March of similar vintage to see how that compares based on the component suppliers specifications and how much they change the car. The Micra just has a different vibe than the other Japanese cars I've owned.
Happy motoring!
You cant beat a japanese car for reliability . Looks a nice tidy little car
Didn't you get wiper blades when you bought it?, wiper overkill!......Oh never mind haha!
The SR Starlet with the stripes and white Rally wheels and K11 Micras were the car of choice in Tech, I plumped for Rover 100 (Metro). Great times.
I bought one wiper blade when I bought it. Now, it has three new blades.
I always was told the 60/40 rear seat split was so that you could put a plank or long object in through the boot and keep two rear seats 🤔
Indeed, but this is the first time I've seen just the backrest split, and not the base.
Tidy looking car for £400 that - I like the 4 spoke wheels! These seem quite overlooked, maybe you got lucky but body-wise seems a better bet than a K11 in terms of rust. Surely just as hardy.
Oh and the ridiculous thing - I think the indicator/light stalks are the same as in my old GS430!!
Love the car. Amazing condition. Thought you might have gone for the Nokian weatherproofs.
Was tempted, but I've been working with Nankang on Retro Japanese magazine, and wanted to put some of their tyres to the test. I still paid for them.
HubNut maybe the n607 all season nankang then?
starlet is a nice little car I would like one where I live.
The frame is treathet ?with zink and the body panels are zinkcorr .
So no problems with rust ,mine has 300,000km on it .first clutch still,waterpump the first stil .
done altenator brakes in front with discs and back drums and 1 batt and some tyre,s and mufflers .
and hand brake cables .
Cant go wrong with 1liter to 15km petrol.
This one has had a clutch, just last year.
Is that upward stopping point for the rear wiper normal? It seems it would make more sense for it to stop horizontal, across the bottom of the rear windscreen?
Yes. Different manufacturers do different things with different models. Take the K11 Micra for instance, which started with an upward parking rear wiper, then changed to a lower parking position for the final facelift. #BoringWiperGeek
My old Suzuki Swift parked up, and so does my Hyundai Accent.
I have a 2009 Accent hatchback and mine parks down!
True...just seems an odd place to choose if it could be parked out of the way at the bottom! :)
Mine's a 2006, but it was the last of the old body styles. When I order parts, I have to order them for a 2005.
Boot space over rear leg room any day, seeing quite a few similarities to my swift.
Now, I'm sure you know this Ian, but a set of tyres will transform the handling. As to the 60/40 rear seat. Well you can still go to B n Q and fetch your new kitchen. Ok ok we make our own 10 times better for a fraction of the cost.....but you get my point lol.
Indeed. Turns out the tyres are all the wrong size too! Too skinny, which no doubt helped in the snow at least...
Admit I was impressed with your driving in the snow.....almost as good as we used to to lol. Now, as someone has commented, oil the car. Use waste oil. My friend Roy always drills small holes in the cills and fills with waste oil. Also sprays underneath annually. It works. He did a Bedford CA 30? years ago. Parked in his barn. Mr CA (see FB facebook.com/groups/641614715929086/) bought it a few years ago. Almost no rust. Now totally restored it was used by the BBC on Antiques Roadtrip. Just trying to pass on a few tips I've learned.
I'm thinking of getting a starlet as my first car, but I don't know if I'll even fit being 6'4 😂
spay some oil on the rusty bits ive done that with my 20 year old estima and its stopped it spreading so much that it passed its MOT yesterday with compliments from the tester on how rust free it was!
Top review on The starlet hubnut 👍
Next episode: Hutnut fits his Nankangs and goes Autotesting in the Starlet.
Ha! Might not be the next video, but hopefully fairly soon.
Another great video! Like the beard cam haha
Well I have to say the Starlet is a useful little Motor, the split fold rear seats would be ok if it had rear doors, but on a 3 door what’s the point?
I think the Starlet looks a little bigger than a K11 Micra, and the boot is not bad either, quite a pleasant interior too.
I think the Starlet is a Car that’s probably not going to set anybody’s world on fire, not mine anyway, but it does the job it was designed and built to do, A-B transport with affordable running costs.
I could never get used to driving on that side of the road, lol
It's fine when you've done it your whole life. ;-) Driving on the other side I can do too, but it does take some getting used to.
Steering rack seems slow, meaning more steering wheel turning to compensate. Try draining and replacing with new fluid first - easy job. Or, if possible, try and find a steering rack for a Glanza spec Starlet which should be faster/more responsive Ian mate. 👍
Would slow steering adjust the gearing though? Surely it'll always need the same input to physically turn the wheels to a certain angle? It's a good shout nonetheless, as I doubt the fluid has ever been changed.
HubNut Had exactly that happen on a '71 Mercedes 280CE few years back. The old "softer" fluid was taking time to pressure up due to both it's tremendous age and being slightly low in level - meant turning the steering box further to get the same output. Steering felt fine, but required more turns. Drain the old sludge out and whack some Morris Lubricants Power Steering Fluid in and see what you think. Won't do any harm and will sure make the feel better if nothing else Sir.
i'm not sure why, but ever since i've stumbled across your videos i've been hunting for a Nippa. I love the simplicity of it yet they are near enough extinct :(
Sadly the fate of cheap cars. They rarely become collectable, just get run into the ground, then they're gone.
@@HubNut You'll be surprised how expensive they have become, on ebay I found most to be over £1,500 and up to £7,000.
I've put a deposit on a cheap starlet with 71k miles to collect it on friday (currently in belgium so pain to get to Nottingham lol), I've seen 2 different 4E-FE's in the same gen starlet though some seem to have like a little carburator filter on top of them? Am I correct? I haven't looked much into what it is, but what is the difference between them? And also some seem to make arounf 95-100hp but it's also a 4E-FE without a turbo. Although that is my end goal with this, it's a lot easier than turboing my Celica I currently have and this will be my new daily as good on petrol and cheap as hell to insure
Can you tell me when the next issue of Retro Japanese is out Ian......I think the last issue I bought had the Civic Turbo on the cover (winter)?
It's out now. Visit shop.kelsey.co.uk and visit Back Issues and you'll find the latest issue.
It certainly goes well.
writing from Sweden here! every time! I see you driving in Wales it seems to have snowed... do you use winter spec tyres for grip in the white stuf or are they standard summer junk?
Awesome and calming video 👌 but I have a question would you ever buy a rover metro for your channel ?
Probably not. I'm not keen on the driving position. Well, I say that, not driven a Metro, only the later 100.
HubNut tbh with you they are really good cars trust me I’ve owned mine just under a year now and I love it 👌 I have you on Facebook and I messaged you when my hub nut sticker come the other day and you seemed to like it but my is a r100 but I’ve done a mk3 (rover metro) facelift to it to make it look older and it’s totally worth it 👌 people really under rate the metros but people love them trust me people come up to me and say ‘I’ve not seen a metro in years’
Off topic, but is that some kind of narrow gauge railway running through the field beside your house? Starlet looks a lot inside like my '01 Corolla, and at least you got a temp gauge, my newer Honda just has a blue cold light, and a red hot light.
It is a narrow gauge railway. Which is nice. Not a fan of temp lights. If the red one comes on, it's already too late! Mind you, in moderns with a temp gauge, it often lies...
Nice little Starlet I would have to say. I have what you might call a Toyota Hilux Surf.
I do like those. In 3-litre form. The smaller engine seems very prone to cracked heads.
Yeah, they do. Mine is the 3FZ version.
That 60/40 arrangement is silly. I remember my Fiat Uno 60s 5 door back in 86' having the same design except the squabs were split individually, too. There was also more rear legroom in the back.
The Starlet looks like the designer was driving a mk3 fiesta at the time he came up with its shape, somewhat similar me thinks, hmmm.
Looks like a Micra.
It’s like a blend of Micra k11, punto mk1 and Ford Fiesta mk4 actually
I completely understand why you would like this better than the Lexus. I'm the same. Give me small, entertaining, and cheap to run cars any day.
How does the rear seat room compare with the Nippa?
Nippa is more spacious. Has a tiny boot mind you, and is much narrower.
HubNut Then the Nippa would be my choice.
I like the little Starlet , are you going to name it ??
Probably not. My 'moderns' often don't get named.
I know you're not going to admit it but I reckon autocross is the chief reason for buying this car.
My toolbox needs a hub nut sticker
Really like your new car, Toyota's are known to be a great car and run forever. not sure i like the steering on that side though. hmmm lol
Looks very fiesta' ish to me if i cross my eyes. A fairly good bargain me thinks . Looking forward to your runabouts innit.
Timing belt ??
Done, thankfully.
I thought you said that you were going to do the startlet video in a pretty little dress!
No, I'm sure I'd remember something like that.
Could you change the power steering fluid to help get more feel in the steering?? :)
Not convinced it would change the feel, but I might well do it anyway.
be interesting to see...mines never been changed as far as i can tell so i wonder if it would make any difference. :)
What a RUclips star you are!
Never got the Starlet here in Canada. Pity..
I'm surprised at how cramped it is inside. The smaller Matiz is a little more roomy than the starlet I think.
More room for leg stretching in the Starlet. In the front at least...
Wow decent Car!