3-door or 5-door

[cheukli]

Hello Everybody! I am new here. First I want to say is this site is awesome!
I am about to buy a new Yaris. But I am still deciding on 3 dr or 5 dr. Personally I like the 5 dr better cause the 3 dr got a huge quater panel like missing smthing there. Also, I am worrying the 3 dr is less convenient than the 5 dr. I need some suggestion and idea after experienced? Thanks!

[Dylanby]

For convenience the 5-dr wins. The 3-dr may look a little more sporty but also makes the car look a little stubby IMO. Also some insurance companies ding you on 2-dr/coupes (consider it a "sports" car).
Back when I was a teen all my friends had 2-dr/coupes & the constant loading/unloading of passengers was real annoying. To sum it up, the 5-dr is more practical, where the 3-dr may look better to you & save you some cash.
Your choice, I'm sure you'll be happy either way.

[ricko]

If you use the back seats for passengers there is no choice ...... the 5 is the way to go. My car is basically used as a micro-van (for my photo business), so going for the 3 saved me enough $$$$$ for the lowering springs.

[Ziv]

5 dr all the way. insurance saves me hell lota $$$$$, much more than you would save from buying a 3 dr.

[ricko]

Ziv ........ you saved insurance money on the 5-door????? My insurance quoted me about $50/year more!!!!! This is of course is an insignificant amount (supposedly based on the higher cost of repairs), but it is surprising that you company quoted more than $500 more for the insurance on the 3-door. I wonder what their rationale is???????

[stuffy]

yeah, the 3-door would have been more in insurance for us as well, for the little bit extra the 5 door cost, it has been more than worth it (3 member family)
for some reason, i prefer the look of the 5-door, although the 3-door looks great as well

[ricko]

Absolutely Stuffy, if I was using the backseat for anything other than cargo I would have gone for the 5 as well. As for the difference in insurance rates .... I guess some companies have bad memories of the souped up 3-doors of "Civic Nation"!!!! I guess I should consider myself lucky!

[Ziv]

Really? more expensive in a 5dr? and you are from Ontario also? wow.... who would have thought? I have compare the 3dr and 5dr insurance for few companies 3dr obviously cost more, especially I only pay few hundreds more for a 5 door and years of saving in insurance.
All in all, you *should* consider yourself lucky.

[ricko]

I do consider myself lucky Ziv, but more for where I live than the insurance rates.

[YarisHatch]

Without a vin number i was quoted $60 more every six months compared to what i'm paying now for the 3dr. To me, thats insignficant. Then again, my xb is listed as a 2005 and most of you are probably coming from older cars.

The 3dr (atleast from what i've been told thus far through my insurance company) isn't priced highly because its a small motor, low emissions, not considered a high risk car for accidents, and replacement parts are about average. All this goes into play, not just how many doors it has.

However, you guys are right. 5drs are cheaper than 3drs, but comparing the 3dr to my 5dr xb, doesn't appear to be much of a difference.

[ricko]

But why do most insurance companies have lower rates for the 5 (mine doesn't, but it seems to be the exception)????? Perhaps my company goes by cost alone, and since the 3-door is about $500 less ..........

[stuffy]

i think it considered a sportier car, seems kind of stupid to me,

there's probably statistics out there that point to more accidents with 3 vs. 5 door or something

[ricko]

You are probably right Stuffy. All those souped Civic SI 3-doors are costing us $$$$$$$. It's like "the Revenge of Civic Nation"!!!!!!!

[stuffy]

lol

[YarisHatch]

5 door weighs slightly less, not enough to tell on the road or anything but that also goes into account. Not to mention, the 5 is more expensive and that also is taken into account.

Actually, there are usually more accidents with sedans, trucks, and suv's than there are with 2/3 doors. I rarely see a toyota or honda in accident, its usually american cars.

[YarisHatch]

Its also all about area. You can travel to one town and find insurance drops almost $70 every six months, and you can go to another place and it go up almost $200 every six months. Location is key. I just hope the $60 every six months raise in insurance keeps when i actually get mine, trying to save as much money as possible. :cool: