7th Gen Celica vs 2nd Gen Tiburon.

For an A to B daily driver with no real sporting intentions, how do these stack up. Let’s assume base 4cyl. and not say, the GT-S vs. V6 Tib.

My initial response is Celica (because Toyota) and it’s 1zz. But I’m a closeted Hyundai fan and no Toyota fanboy.

Is there a clear winner here? Or is it whichever 2 door, manual, liftback import you like the most?

Both? Seriously aren't they cheap enough now? I've been searching 7th gens off and on. Missed an auction one for under $400 because I'd just bought a 200 then by the time I'd gotten back from the nearby DMV it was Gonzo. A 2nd gen Tib would be a nice boulevard cruiser to my mind. 

In reply to nutherjrfan :

Yes, they’re cheap now but not as cheap as I am! Three kids, braces, almost driving age, blah blah blah. I’m trying to maintain a $3,000 budget and there are examples of both in that range.

3 kids with braces = toyota celica 

Integra, or if budget allows RSX-S 

I trust the long term durability of the Celica over the Tiburon.

I've been rocking a 6th(?) Gen Celica for three years now. A 97 I paid 1800 bucks for it. No idea how many miles are on it as the odo broke at 150k, but I've been driving it 500 miles a week for three years now, with nothing but a new battery and a preventative timing belt change. Rock solid car that doesn't burn a drop of oil, and has ice cold air. 

Not saying Hyundai can't make an equivalent durable car, but I'd absolutely trust the Celica after a good ppi.

In reply to jrh2009 :

Interesting. Thank you!

In reply to captdownshift :

I’m not sure but you may have posted in the wrong thread by mistake. But don’t be afraid to give me any opinions you may have on the two cars I mentioned in the original post.

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

Due to reliability and lower maintenance costs or some other similar reason? Please elaborate.

The 2.0 tib hands down. Cheaper. Replacement parts are cheaper and that drivetrain is bulletproof. I’m a Toyota hater anyway so this was an easy one. Plus hop up parts for the tib are dirt cheap. The Hyundai’s are (to me) easier to work on than any Toyota I’ve touched. First time timing belt on the V6 and it took two hours. 

ebonyandivory said:

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

Due to reliability and lower maintenance costs or some other similar reason? Please elaborate.

He hates all Korean cars. So you can probably throw out his and mine because of our hatred on the opposing brands. 

You can score a GTS for that budget. I just picked up a roughish 2000 with 170k miles for 1600$. It did need lift bolts because it had snapped them , and then some deferred maintenance. The shifter in that car feels better then the one in my Elise which is ostensibly the same powertrain. I can't say I've driven a Tib in that gen, but I think the Celica has about 300 lbs on it depending on trim. I vaguely recall contemporary  reviews having the Toy as the sportier, lighter handling car, and the Tib falling moreso into the sporty coupe territory.  

But if no sporting intentions are in the cards, why look at coupes? Just like the design? What about a Matrix/Vibe?

In reply to fatallightning :

I’m just not a fan of the styling or either Matrix or Pontiac. They look too pedestrian to me. Maybe too practical? My Protege5 was a better looking hatchback but I’ve sworn off Mazda’s for a while.

The Toyota ZZ motors have oil starvation issues under lateral load. If you're going to be autocrossing or doing HPDE with R comps or good 200TW rubber, this should be noted. 

I debated both back in 2002 or so and chose a GTI.   The Tiburons did not age well at the time... 5 years later, they all seemed to look 10 years old.

captdownshift said:

The Toyota ZZ motors have oil starvation issues under lateral load. If you're going to be autocrossing or doing HPDE with R comps or good 200TW rubber, this should be noted. 

I wrote in my original post that I had “no real sporting intentions”.

Hoondavan said:

I debated both back in 2002 or so and chose a GTI.   The Tiburons did not age well at the time... 5 years later, they all seemed to look 10 years old.

 

So you’re talking about a MK4. I’m not convinced of the longish term reliability of the VW. 

A 1zz/5spd Celica is still pretty fun to drive. I'd pick that. 

In reply to ebonyandivory :

Agreed, an MKIV wouldn't likely be a low-cost commuter.  Have you driven a celica yet?  

I wouldn't touch a 15 year old Hyundai with your ten foot pole but that's just my opinion...

The right Celica will go forever. They were heavy overbuilt cars. I've not seen a single Korean car that I could say the same about.

rdcyclist said:

I wouldn't touch a 15 year old Hyundai with your ten foot pole but that's just my opinion...

The right Celica will go forever. They were heavy overbuilt cars. I've not seen a single Korean car that I could say the same about.

Taken under advisement. Bobzilla might beg to differ . Maybe we’ll see

Hoondavan said:

In reply to ebonyandivory :

Agreed, an MKIV wouldn't likely be a low-cost commuter.  Have you driven a celica yet?  

No, and I’ve only driven a first generation Tiburon at that.

If you're worried about fitting into a miata, you should instead be worried about fitting into a 7g celica. We used to call that car "richard hammond".

ebonyandivory said:

rdcyclist said:

I wouldn't touch a 15 year old Hyundai with your ten foot pole but that's just my opinion...

The right Celica will go forever. They were heavy overbuilt cars. I've not seen a single Korean car that I could say the same about.

Taken under advisement. Bobzilla might beg to differ . Maybe we’ll see

I could say the same thing for most Toyotas and Hondas.... they are crap. Rust is the #1 enemy of Korean cars. I'd likely still have my 02 Elantra had it not been structural rot. 

In reply to bobzilla :

Same thing killed my Tiburon.