Buying a used 1990-99 Toyota Previa/Estima/Lucida/Emina

A few years ago I needed a people carrier and scoured the market for the various options. I looked at both UK and Imported versions and finally settled on the Toyota Previa after a brief encounter with an Estima Lucida. In that time I did a lot of research on both the Previa and its imported cousin the Estima family. The Estima's were only ever produced for consumption in the far east but, like many cars from that part of the world have become a popular import. This is mainly due to the fact that they are of a higher specification and due to the fact that salt is not used on the roads over there rust tends not to be an issue. The flip side of this however is that typically their under bodies have not been rust proofed and so if you choose an import either check that this has been done or at least get it done. If you don't the winter salt on our roads will soon start to take its toll.Whether you are considering a UK based Previa or the Imported Estima's both offer a great deal of space and flexibilityWith regard to the models there are 4 basic carsThe Previa - The original UK based model (also found in America/Europe and in Austrlia where is is called the Tarago)The Estima - Identical to the Previa but higher spec and sold under this name in the Asian theatreThe Estima Lucida - A narrower version of the Estima The Estima Emina - Essentially Identical to the Lucida but made in a different Toyota factory.Within each model there are numerous sub models depending on specification.The UK based Previa and the Imported Estima are essentially the same car otherwise termed Wide bodied. This is because overall they are 110mm wider than their cousins the Lucida and Emina's. Both of the latter are also prefixed with the name Estima but the wide bodied only has this name emblazoned on it and as with the UK Previa only comes as a 2.4 Petrol.The Lucida's and Emina's come in either 2.4 petrol or 2.2 Turbo diesel but the majority being imported into the UK are of the diesel variety, attractive to most buyers due to theoretically better consumption and the ability to be run on vegetable oil, either virgin or filtered waste. The Petrol engined Previas or imported Estima's (irrespective of model) are first class cars. Not without their problems but overall very good cars if a bit heavy on fuel 18 - 26 MPG.

They do suffer from blown head gaskets but realistically this is no more common than on any other high mileage vehicle. Spares in this regard are easy to obtain but the actual job itself can be pricey if you are not equipped to do it yourself.If you are considering the diesel variants I would encourage would be buyers to do some serious research on these cars specifically in the area of cracked cylinder heads and the associated expenses and pitfalls of this particular issue.

Do an internet search for Estima forums, there are a few and then research within these forums as well as elsewhere on the internet. Some key search words should becrackedcylinder headoverheatingwhite smokesteamsmokingIt is also worthwhile researching consumption figures as whilst some owners claim mid 30's mpg many only report mid 20's and the latter is not that much different from the Petrol variant.Here's a good review from an owner who had taken the time to document the consumption on his diesel variant. The site that this review is from is a bit out of date but also worth browsing as it has a lot of information on the imported vehicles. You will need to copy and paste the link into your browser.http://uktoyotaestimasite.tripod.com/My%20Estima%20Review.htmMy advice is to always view and test drive any vehicle before you purchase and on these cars a few checks should be carried out.1. Take a look under the front bonnet for any signs of brown staining emanating from the expansion bottle and generally sprayed around the interior of the compartment. This may indicate that overheating has occurred.2. Ensuring that it is 100% safe to do so remove the radiator cap from the expansion bottle and take a look inside. The fluid should be either green or red. If there are any signs of oil or copper/metallic flecs in the water start getting suspicious. There are off the shelf additives that can be added to the coolant to mask a cracked cylinder head or blown gasket.3. Look for any signs of white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. If there is copious amounts of this suspect trouble.4. Under the passengers seat is th engine inspection bay. Open this, remove the oil filler cap and take a look inside. If there is a white milky substance in it there may be issues.5. Take out the dipstick and look at the colour of the oil, again if it is milky white the car is probably best left alone.6. Listen to the engine when it starts, if it seems to hesitate or lock up again start getting suspicious.7. If possible take the car for a drive preferably on the motorway and watch the temp gauge, it should sit constantly just below the 9 O'clock position.8. If the temp gauge sits well below 9 O'clock again get suspicious that the thermostat may have been removed. This is another common trick to mask an overheating issue.Blown head gaskets and cracked heads are going to be by far the most expensive thing you will have to tackle on these cars so do yourself a favour and do these checks. HOWEVER there is no guarantee that even if you see no evidence on the day that the problem will not present itself in the future. If buying off a dealer make sure you negotiate a good warranty.On the diesels it is also a good idea to try and get some service history specifically in regard to when the cam belt was last changed. The petrol engines use a cam chain that in most cases will outlast the engine so no need to worry if you are looking at one of these.When running well both the Petrol and Diesel variants are superb vehicles but forewarned is forearmed. As with any vehicle as long as you you understand the inherent weakness you can make a more informed decision as to whether or not they are the car for you. It may be wise to phone your local Toyota agent to get their view on the vehicle, spares availability and indeed their willingness to work on them.It should be noted that due to the increased popularity of these cars Ebay has now become a very good source of spares both new and used.For a truly impartial, non-biased and non-business motivated opinion on these vehicles from people that own these vehicles try the following forumwww.estima-motoring.co.uk This forum also has a very useful buyers guide and should you choose to purchase one will be able to guide you through any difficulties you may have.