Toyota Sera index page

1990 Toyota Sera EXY-10 AGPH (1.5 Auto)

Present Sera status: Sold.

Car acquired: 17/09/2003
Page last updated: 25/11/2003

Sera To Do list:

Bodywork and fittings:

~~Headlamps and mesh on intakes~~
Modify horn
~~Replace turn signals and repeaters~~
Fit new door and window rubbers, including door handle gasket
~~Fit new wheelarch liners~~
Red SERA logo on tail
Refit rear spoiler
Replace rear hatch upper panel
Replace wings
Respray
Reglue headliner and panel behind seats
Fit Indiglo dials
Neons
~~Repair rear boot lock~~

Radio installation:

~~Source original bracket to fit DIN radio correctly~~
Rewire using ISO connectors, heatshrink, repair damage to loom
~~Replace rear speakers~~

Mechanical work:

~~Change timing and auxilliary belts~~
~~Check oil seals~~
~~Change oil~~
~~Change coolant~~
~~Change ATF fluid~~
Check and replace suspension as necessary
Investigate rear bearings for wear
Replace worn tyres
Clean rear drums/check for wear
~~Replace head gasket~~
~~Replace thermostat (Heh! I'd listed this, and the dealer mention that it needs replacement!).~~
~~Sort out engine wear - rings, pump, shells.~~

Action	Date	Cost	Notes
Aquire Toyota Sera H193 RSX	17th September 2003	1 Golf GTI plus a bit of cash	Required cleaning, new battery (installed at purchase). MOT May 2004, Tax Oct 2003, just like my Golf.
Repair radio	18th September 2003	Nothing	CDs left in CD player: Gary Numan, Pure, Gary Numan, Hybrid, NIN (newish one), Oasis, Beach Boys, Greenday.
Install mesh into front bumper and trace/repair rattles	21-24th September 2003	Approx £35 - mesh £18, cold steel £7, several assorted clips and washers.	Mesh was from B&Q and cost far less than the same product marketed for cars.

Replace both headlights	24th September 2003	£342.30 less the value of the used spare headlight.	Headlights from Toyota UK through main dealer.
Repair boot lock	25th September 2003	Nothing	Discovered how lock works whilst cleaning out rear of car, dismantled, seized solid. Hoped to find key number, but no joy. Lost small ballbearing, but it still works fine.
Clean expansion tank	30th September 2003	Nothing	Cleaned out gunk from bottle, tried to remove staining to some degree.
Book car in for new head gasket	30th September to 3rd October	Estimated 5 hours at £40/hr, plus parts. Latest estimate - £800, full decoke idea back in effect ;)	Head gasket failed whilst idling and hasn't overheated. Should be straightforward case of new gasket.
New side repeaters	1st October	£26, included in above bill.	Parts arrived (and were fitted along with a new bonnet stay clip) when car went in for service.
Collect car from dealer Additional jobs completed - ATF fluid changed, car checked over (rear brake wear noted - very thorough. No comment on duff suspension though). Repairs warranted for 12 months, dealer showed a stack of job cards showing completion and progress of each stage. Very impressive. Whilst I think that the bill is expensive, I also think that one of the local back-street garages would charge a similar amount (remember that £30+ is taken by lights and other parts I had ordered, £45+ is the recovery truck, and I specified new drivebelts, an ATF change etc) and wouldn't do the job to the same standards. The car really does sound as new, and I've been warned about two faults that could cause problems later - I know from experience that our local 'mechanics' would be more likely to leave these faults on the basis that the car would suffer more problems and come back in. And as for an effective 2 day turnaround? Not a chance. It would be in the garage for a month, getting vandalised whilst it sits with a pile of spares on the paintwork). (Note: I know that there are good specialists everywhere. The Borders is almost unique in having really dodgy backstreet garages - even ones that you trust will rip you off horribly).	3rd October	£863	Final bill is around £500 labour - 11 hours, including a full decoke, plus fluids, gasket sets, other parts and recovery on flatbed truck, and VAT. Additional 7 hours labour for the decoke, but valve stem seals have been done, valves reground - everyone who has heard it has commented on how much better the car sounds now.
Fit radio brackets	4th October	Effectively nothing, but something.	Radio brackets (with screws too) from Andrew perfectly timed for car getting home! Much improved radio fitment already.
Finish engine repairs. Engine smokes following work from 3rd October, apparently the cause is worn rings made evident by the top end of the engine sealing correctly. Everything has to be rebuilt again. New radiator also installed. New turn signal (to replace crushed one) fitted.	31st October	£1100ish	sighs
Tax Sera	1st December	£60ish or 110. IIRC.
Fit new rear speakers	15th-ish December	£49.99	Infinity 6x9s, reduced in Halfords from £99.99. Sound much better.
Replace grille, fit radio surround, replace turn signal - parts arrive from Andrew at Toyotasera.co.uk to fix suspension too.	29th December	Spare headlight	New suspension struts pre assembled, looks like 6 or so bolts to swap them over. Should transform ride quality.