🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <316@g.cs.cmu.edu.ARPA> mjs@g.cs.cmu.edu.ARPA (Mark Stehlik) writes:
>This is posted for a friend who apparently can only read netnews, not post.
>All responses should either be posted here or sent to me (I will forward
>the mail).
>
>My 1984 Toyota Celica has 16,000 miles on it.  During last winter, I noticed
>that the car started to hesistate during sudden and quick acceleration.  This
>only happens when the car is cold.  The problem goes away after the car
>warms up.

I currently own an '83 Celica GTS that has had similar problems (among
others).
A little history: 
	Last winter it started having staring problems but ran fine
	when warmed up.  As time went on, the performance began to
	deteriorate and starting got worse.  After trying tune-ups and
	such, I took it to the dealer.  They replaced the cold-start
	injector and "thermo-timer switch" (?) at a cost of $175.00
	(ugh).  The starting problem was cured but performance con-
	tinued to deteriorate, warm or cold.  I took it back to the
	dealer and was told that I needed four new injectors for a
	cost of approx. $600.00!  BULLS**T!!!!!  After talking to friend
	about local mechanics, I took it to a small independant import
	shop for a second opinion.  I called later to find out the
	prognosis and was told that it was fixed.  I had these terrible
	visions of hundreds of dollars of unauthorized work.  Instead,
	the mechanic told me that all he had to do was replece the
	Autolite plugs with original equipment NGK.  IT WAS FIXED!  Well
	almost.  The car runs fine now when warm and starts first time,
	every time but still hesitates when partially warmed up.  When
	really cold it also runs fine.  My mechanic's (the only person
	who will touch the car from now on) opinion is that it is pro-
	bably the choke plate (I think) in the fuel injection and that
	I can ignore it if I don't mind sitting and letting the car
	fully warm up.  Otherwise he said that repairs would cost some-
	where near $150.00.  There was a second possibility that he
	mentioned but I can't remember it.  Anyway, the problem descri-
	bed in the original posting may be the same.  You can be sure
	that it will be expensive if a dealer does it.

	Now for some stones to through at Toyota.  Below is a history
	of my car's problems.

	       Day 1 - Power steering system blows main internal seal.
	  6000 miles - A/C compressor locks up and self-destructs.
	11,000 miles - Both front seat belts no longer retract.  Toyota
		       replaces one but never gets another.  I end up
		       replacing it myself after 6 more months.
	12,000 miles - After months of telling them that the original
		       tires are screwed up, they finally put it up on
		       a rack and see that, yup, all four are out of
		       round.  They give me a replacement allowance and
		       I get a set of BF Goodrich Radial Euro T/A 60H
		       (great tires) to replace the original Yokahamas.
	27,000 miles - After long uneventful spell, the problems men-
		       tioned above begin.  Also during this time, the
		       battery just goes away one day.

	This is probably not a really bad car compared to some but it
	does not live up to the record of Toyotas in general and my
	previous Celica ('79 GT) in particular.  I wonder if Japanese
	reliability is suffering now that their cars are getting more
	complex.  Oh well, it still drives beautifully most of the time
	although I am thinking of replacement (it is nearly paid for
	and I cannot live without new car payments).