Fastidious owner, right down to the vinyl mats to cover the cloth mats and carpets
Just 54 of this model left in the UK according to How Many Left
One elderly owner
Original tyres
Always garaged
Totally standard car
Full 12 months MOT with no advisories
The Appeal
The British-built Toyota Carina E was the Mondeo rival that brought Toyota durability and reliability to the medium hatchback market. Examples busily accrued huge mileages ploughing up and down Britain on sales calls or trundling around town with the local taxi rank as their focal point. The Carina perhaps wasn’t exciting but it was perfect for its intended role: dependable, comfortable, spacious and practical.
The owner of this 1996 Carina E 1.8 CD seems to have had other plans. Instead of putting his new steed to work, he treated it to a remarkably cosseted life. This 26 year old car has covered just 3,879 miles from new. Since 2005 it’s done under 500 miles. Always garaged, always serviced and MOT’d by the local Toyota garage, its condition is testament to his care and consideration. Even the cloth over mats are covered by protective vinyl mats.
The Carina’s typically Toyota reliability means that three decades on there are still a few on daily driver duties. This one didn’t even do that when it was new and is one of the best preserved and lowest mileage Carinas in the UK. Now that it is over 25 years old and eligible for classic status, it must be time for this time warp car to enjoy the limelight at shows like Festival of the Unexceptional.
The History And Paperwork
Full Toyota service history
Original purchase invoice
Also MOT’d at local Toyota main dealer
One owner from new
First registered 30th September 1996
MOTs support miniscule mileage
The Interior
Immaculate interior originally protected by seat covers all round
Seat cover still fitted to rear seat (hence different colour in photographs)
Vinyl over mat in boot to protect carpet
Vinyl over mats to protect cloth mats and carpets
Original Toyota radio cassette
Timber-effect centre console immaculate
Door cards and dashboard unmarked
Electric windows all round
Electric mirrors
Electric sunroof
The Carina E interior is from a very 90s moment in time when dashboards were still analogue, relatively simple and prioritised function over form. It is neatly laid out and fits a formula for family cars with its unobtrusive grey plastics, smattering of switchgear and firm, cloth-faced seats. It is no-nonsense and workmanlike.
This Carina E is a CD with the 1.8 litre 4cyl Toyota engine so slotted in near the top of the range. That means occupants got a drizzle of fake wood to relieve the fascia, electric mirrors as well as electric windows all round and an electric sunroof.
28 years on there is a reassuring dependability about the Carina. And thanks to the fastidious owner this one is remarkably well preserved. The patterned seat fabric extends to the door cards and is in excellent condition because the owner fitted protective seat covers.
The rear seat cover is still fitted which is why those seats appear to be a different fabric in the photographs. He also carefully cut out and fitted vinyl mats to protect the carpets and the cloth mats. These are visible in the photographs. We were unable to check the carpets and mats underneath but the Vendor tells us that they are immaculate.
The same story continues into the boot where the immaculate carpet is testament to the low miles and the use of another vinyl over mat.
The plastic trims throughout the car are immaculate as you might expect of this level of fastidiousness. Only a small scuff on the face of the steering wheel and one on the right hand edge of the dashboard detract slightly. The car is fitted with its original Toyota radio cassette. There is a small mark on the nearside rear door seal trim.
The car is supplied with three sets of keys and two remote fobs.
The Exterior
Metallic dark green paint in very good condition
14inch steel wheels with trims in excellent condition
Original Dunlop SP Sport tyres
Tow bar fitted
Original dealer number plates
Mid 90s family hatchbacks like the Cavalier, Mondeo and Primera were all about function over form and the smooth styling of the Carina perfectly fits that mould. In their heyday they might have seemed bland; today, looking at a well preserved example like this the design stands out as unfussy and unadorned. It looks particularly good in dark metallic green, a very popular colour in the late 90s.
The very low mileage seems to have mostly been clocked up going backwards and forward to the Toyota dealer for servicing and MOTs so the bodywork is very straight with none of the usual dings and dents you might expect from a 26 year old Carina.
The paint is good, although may benefit from a good mop and polish to add extra lustre. The white pinstripe is also undamaged. This car has spent most of its life garaged, apart from a short time before the Vendor acquired it when its 93 year old owner had to park it outside. During that time it appears to have picked up a handful of bird lime spots that are visible on the bonnet.
Elsewhere there are a few small marks that are only visible up close. There are small chips on both rear arch lips and what appear to be light chips on the inside edges of each of the doors. In some cases this may be the light in the photographs, so may be worth checking with the Vendor.
On the front of the car there are a small number of stone chips on the leading edge of the bonnet and a light scuff on the plastic strip on the offside of the bumper.
The car is fitted with a towbar and sits on its original Dunlop SP Sport tyres. The wheel trims are all in remarkable unmarked condition.
The Mechanics
1.8 litre 4cyl fuel injected Toyota engine
Optional automatic gearbox
Full Toyota service history
Annual MOTs by Toyota main dealer
New 12 month MOT with no advisories
Less than 500 miles since 2005
The Carina E was built in Derby with Toyota’s excellent reliability woven in. The 1.8litre fuel injected engine fitted to this car is capable of huge mileages, something this car hasn’t yet experienced. In this car it is allied to an automatic gearbox, which is similarly durable.
The owner always took the car to the local Toyota main dealer for servicing and MOT work. There are receipts for the original purchase and other maintenance in the history file. We do not know when it was last serviced. It has covered very few miles since 2005 so this may be worth checking with the Vendor.
Summary
Like its Mondeo, Primera and Cavalier contemporaries the Carina E was once a common sight on Britain’s motorways. Its superb reliability made it particularly suited to those high mileage demands. It was functional, effective family transport and once graced driveways up and down the country.
Today the Carina E is a nostalgic throwback to a time before the internet and before in-car tech. This one has just passed the 25 year milestone for classic cars and seems purpose made to now show and enjoy. Its miniscule mileage, fascinating backstory and clear evidence of fastidious ownership, like those hand cut vinyl mats, only add to its appeal.
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only. Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.
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