New to YW - DETROIT Area

[RedHatch08]

Hey everybody.

I've had my 08 Yaris since 10/09, and I'm new to YarisWorld.

It's a great little car and deserves a good online community.

It's been kind of fun having this car here in the Detroit area, because there are not many around here. This area is hardcore BIG 3 territory. I get people approaching me in parking lots wanting to know what it is, what kind of mileage it gets, etc. Some people don't know what to make of it.

Plus I just debadged the rear end, so it will confuse people even more.

[Black Yaris]

welcome to the darkside!

[Revsson]

Plus I just debadged the rear end, so it will confuse people even more.

You sound like a trouble maker! :tongue:

Welcome to the forums. :clap:

[RedHatch08]

Me? Make trouble? Doesn't sound like me...

Actually I didn't debadge the back for the purpose of confusing people. I did it because it just looks much better. The resulting increase in confusion is just an added benefit.

But I'll admit it is fun having a somewhat "rare" car in this area where GM/Ford/Chrysler is so HUGE.

[thebarber]

welcome to the club

my sister-in-law lives in rochester hills, mi....GM family w/ her husband working as an engineer for GM

at least we have an aveo and a yaris, har har

[RedHatch08]

welcome to the club

my sister-in-law lives in rochester hills, mi....GM family w/ her husband working as an engineer for GM

at least we have an aveo and a yaris, har har

Thanks.

I see you're from Kitchener. I'm originally from Dundas. I travel back to Ontario all the time. Unlike here, I see lots of Yarii when I go back to Canada.

I don't hate on domestics though. Before I bought the Yaris, I actually test drove an Aveo and a Cobalt. Frankly they don't compare very well to the Yaris. Although if I'm honest, if I could do a straight trade of my Yaris for a new Camaro SS, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

The Big 3 are making some better products these days, just not so much in the small car segment, so I'm happy with my purchase.

[Black Yaris]

the big 3 are going to continue to fail, until they kick the UAW out of their factories.

[RedHatch08]

the big 3 are going to continue to fail, until they kick the UAW out of their factories.

That will be a tall order.

A union that's that entrenched is not going anywhere for a long, long time, if ever.

I think what they can do in the mean time is do something really crazy like try to make good quality, well designed cars that people want to buy.

The Malibu and Camaro are doing big things for GM, Fusion for Ford, Challenger for Chrysler, etc... but there's still no good small cars from any of them.

The Fiesta is coming. So is the Cruze. We'll see if they are any better than the models they replace.

[Greenthunder]

Welcome! You don't want a new Camaro

[RedHatch08]

Welcome! You don't want a new Camaro

Why not?

... besides the obvious cost increase associated with getting about half the gas mileage I get now.

... and probably way higher insurance rates.

... and this is Michigan, and rear drive kind of sucks in winter.

... but why ELSE?

[Greenthunder]

They've lost their novelty, my buddy has had one since it came out and I see a bunch of them around my town even if they are V6s. I honestly think they look boring plus bad gas mileage and high payments suck and full coverage insurance isn't fun to pay for either. Besides you sound like you enjoy having your car stand out against all the GM stuff up there

[toad]

^yeah, personally if i were picking any of the new domestics it would be the charger srt8, but that car is over $50k! still...i like the looks of the newest camaro and yes there are a lot of soccer-moms driving those in my area, but i've seen some REALLY nice ones with aftermarket wheels and they're just stunning:eyebulge:!

^^oh, and welcome redhatch08! i live in indy and drive a polar white 3door(manual). the wife drives an 07 sedan in pacific blue(auto). so far all i've done is aftermarket springs, exhaust, and a strut bar. i've also got some new wheels, but haven't mounted them yet.

[RedHatch08]

^ I do like the look of the Challenger too. But like you say it's $50 big ones for the SRT-8. Top of the line Camaro is like $10k less. Not nearly worth the extra cost. With an extra $10k in mods you could build a Camaro SS that would kill the stock SRT-8.

They're both fun looking cars though.

^^ Yes I do like my Yaris, and yes there are Camaros everywhere up here, but I still want one. One of those personal preference things. It's just daydreaming though, they are really impractical unless you have the money to burn.

[Steveh27]

I'm in Grosse Pointe Woods & just got a 2010 RH last Tuesday, 6 months old w 4,600 miles & most all options. I wrote about the deal in this column. http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3997&page=10

I'm thinking about debadging the Toyota plate off the rear & I guess the Yaris plate as well to keep it balanced. I like the unknowing public you describe asking questions. Haven't decided yet. It looks good with the names, but I may like it better without.

I've never owned a non Big 3 vehicle nor one with a warranty. I have a Class B motorhome (Xplorer 230) on a 1997 Dodge 3500 Ram, Van chassis. I love it & am keeping it forever no matter what it takes. Already slept in it 45 nights so far this year. I only have 152" left in my driveway. For 10 years I had the 142.5" 1995 Geo Tracker 4x4, the last of the factory hardtop models. As it was sold by Chevy, GM called it a GM car. I got it w 80,000 miles for $5,500 & sold it last Thursday w 142,000 miles for $2,400. It was a good reliable little car & I took good care of it. There's a cult of the 2 door Tracker owners. The guy that bought it has two to use for parts. Now I find there is a cult for our Yaris! Sweet!

I looked at the Mini Cooper as it fit my drive, but too costly to buy & maintain, not as reliable, stiff ride & very low seat, painful on my back getting in & out. I also looked at the Chevy Aveo, but it is 2 inches too long. (Smart is just too small) Chevy & Ford are supposed to bring into the US two of their foreign models for 2011, the Beat (Spark) and the Ka. Being 5 inches shorter than our Yaris they would fit easier, but I didn't want to wait to see if they were as nice as our Yaris, had initial year problems, nor buy a new one.

When I told the Board of a club I'm treasurer of that I was going to buy my first foreign car I got some aggravated looks. Over half of the members are involved with the Big 3 in some way. I said I looked US first & if they knew of any US car under 151" to please let me know. One guy said the Jeep Wrangler which is 152.6" & too long. Then all was silent.

We should meet sometime in our Absolutely Red HB's. I get downriver sometimes, to see some buddies in Trenton & Grosse Isle.

Steve

[RedHatch08]

^
Welcome to the club.

I have debadged the back of mine, and I have some pics of that in my garage. I think it looks much better, and it's easy to do.

I also really like the Mini myself, but I've read and heard a lot of REALLY bad things about its reliability, particularly the drivetrain.

For me the Yaris is a good combination of affordability, reliability, fuel economy, residual value, and so forth. I tried to give them a chance, but none of the Big 3 really have anything that compares favorably in all of those categories.

Being here in MI, there really are a lot of people that get pissed off about this perception that if you buy a "foreign" car, you're ruining the US economy. I notice all of the cars driving around with bumper stickers that say something to the effect of "Out of a job yet? Keep buying foreign cars.".

So yeah the Yaris gets some angry looks. Some confused looks too. Whatever. It's my money and I can spend it on what I want, and I like my car. No buyer's remorse whatsoever.

[toad]

debadging the rear is the second-best mod i've done behind lowering my 3door. just had some guys yesterday at the local o'reilly autoparts comment on my car. i was a little worried at first because in indiana we are pretty domestic-loyal too, but they were cool and said they liked how it looked(i'm pretty sure they weren't being sarcastic!).

[RedHatch08]

^
Debadging is great.

The other day as I was pulling out of a parking lot, I was watching an elderly man driving a Crown Vic or something in my rearview mirror, and I could literally see him trying to figure out "What the hell is that red thing"? You could see it on his face. It was priceless.

And yeah I lived in IN for a while, so I know what you mean. There really are people who believe the propaganda that buying a Toyota will kill American babies or something...

I have gotten positive questions and comments from random strangers though, that I have never gotten with any other car.

[yarrr]

That will be a tall order.

A union that's that entrenched is not going anywhere for a long, long time, if ever.

They just fired half the freaking workers in America, how much easier can it get? not to mention there's about a billion unemployed auto workers right now.

If you want to be union, you're fired. If you want a job, you're not union. Problem solved.

[RedHatch08]

^
UAW is still not going anywhere.

I don't know who here has worked in a union manufacturing environment, but those that have are probably familiar with the union mentality.

Over and over, this mentality demonstrates that it would rather see a plant shut down entirely, and every employee get fired, than to accept any concessions like pay or benefit cuts.

This happens over and over again in many different industries. I've seen it myself, several years ago in a non-auto union manufacturing plant that I was working at. Union mentality was in full force there, so ... plant got shut down and all the jobs sent to Mexico.

The thing is though, even with how bad things have been, it's not nearly bad enough to shake loose the UAW. The Big 3 are already showing signs of recovery, they closed less dealerships than projected, and there's already optimism to get out of this.

UAW is still going to be around for a WHILE yet...

[Steveh27]

Well, I've done 1 1/2 mods. I did the adjustable wiper stalk install with CTScott's great advice. SWEET! Can't wait for it to rain.

Also debadged the Toyota badge to see how it looks with just the Yaris badge. Out of balance so I'm going to remove it next.

Steve

[toad]

^
UAW is still not going anywhere.

I don't know who here has worked in a union manufacturing environment, but those that have are probably familiar with the union mentality.

Over and over, this mentality demonstrates that it would rather see a plant shut down entirely, and every employee get fired, than to accept any concessions like pay or benefit cuts.

This happens over and over again in many different industries. I've seen it myself, several years ago in a non-auto union manufacturing plant that I was working at. Union mentality was in full force there, so ... plant got shut down and all the jobs sent to Mexico.

The thing is though, even with how bad things have been, it's not nearly bad enough to shake loose the UAW. The Big 3 are already showing signs of recovery, they closed less dealerships than projected, and there's already optimism to get out of this.

UAW is still going to be around for a WHILE yet...

what a coincidence! we're experiencing a similar situation right now in indy:

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100702/BUSINESS/7020340/Local-GM-workers-defy-UAW

in this case, the local is defying uaw's request to negotiate with a potential buyer. they will not take a pay-cut and any loss of benefits at the expense of a major plant shutting-down in our city. we will lose millions in property taxes and income taxes from the workers(our state is already hurting from rising unemployment). the workers feel that there shouldn't be a problem relocating to other plants in the region due to a shortage of workers now that gm is starting to turn things around.

i do feel bad for the workers who are being asked to take a 50% pay-cut, but the local won't even put it up for a vote!

[Steveh27]

Well I debadged the Yaris badge & it does look nice.

:w00t:

[toad]

Well I debadged the Yaris badge & it does look nice.

:w00t:

best cheap mod out there! now i'm just waiting for garm's toyota-skull emblem to REALLY throw people:evil:!

[RedHatch08]

what a coincidence! we're experiencing a similar situation right now in indy:

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100702/BUSINESS/7020340/Local-GM-workers-defy-UAW

in this case, the local is defying uaw's request to negotiate with a potential buyer. they will not take a pay-cut and any loss of benefits at the expense of a major plant shutting-down in our city. we will lose millions in property taxes and income taxes from the workers(our state is already hurting from rising unemployment). the workers feel that there shouldn't be a problem relocating to other plants in the region due to a shortage of workers now that gm is starting to turn things around.

i do feel bad for the workers who are being asked to take a 50% pay-cut, but the local won't even put it up for a vote!

A 50% cut is pretty hard to swallow. A lot of times it's much less than that, and still there's very little willingness to negotiate.

It's unfortunate because it happens over and over again, and ultimately hurts the average working person who just wants to live a normal life and be able to pay their bills.

[RedHatch08]

Well I debadged the Yaris badge & it does look nice.

:w00t:

Good stuff.

If you have a similar experience to mine, you'll see some confused looks, some you may notice in your rearview mirror.

[RedHatch08]

4th of July - Shocking Incident

I saw a carbon copy of my car for the first time today. This does not happen in MI, where any Yaris is a rare bird.

The female driver waved to me, and I waved back.

She was probably thinking the same thing I was: "You don't see that around here very often!"

[daddyo]

I'm west of Detroit. I usually see a Yaris every day, sometimes two a day, and almost never the same one. I wave or whatever; They DON'T and what a shame- If you're not in a Yaris or a Prius around here you are in a big 3 Mexican/Canadian truck or SUV. It's a little intimidating. :smile:

[RedHatch08]

I really don't see very many.

There is a black 3 door in my apartment complex, but other than that it's rare to see them.