08 Yaris For a Camper and College Student? - Toyota Yaris Forums

CLuchs · 05-06-2015, 06:47 AM

I found an 08 Yaris HB, cherry red, seems in nice shape. It has one ding maybe the size of a quarter. I drive a ton, and I love camping, and usually take 1-2 people with me. I need 3 things, In this order, 2 of which I know this car can do well, 1.) Reliability. I need 5+ years out of this car. I maintain my cars religiously, and meticulously, It's a toyota, shouldn't be an issue.
2.) Gas Mileage- It's a 2300 pound car with a 1.5... again, no problem
3.) I need to still have good gas mileage with a week and a half worth of 2 people's camping gear and 2-3 people in the car, and have a top speed that is capable of keeping up on the highway
Will the yaris meet the third requirement when packed full of my stuff?
How loud is a yaris at 65-75 mph? If it drones REEEAAALLLLYYY bad on the highway that may be an issue.
Car Mags and Edmunds and Caranddriver say this car is comfy but doesn't handle too well, but you guys say it handles like a dream. Is it really fun to drive? I mean through the twisties is it a bit exciting? Thanks guys! looking forward to being one of you on friday!

ern-diz · 05-06-2015, 10:41 AM

Hi there...I drive an '07 hb and I think it handles well, especially in twisties...the turning radius is insane...feels like you can pull a u-turn in a parking spot...I regularly move right past cars from the outside lane when getting on near 360 degree fwy on ramps...having said that, I personally wasn't a fan of the way the car bobbed and bounced at highway speeds on stock wheels and tires...felt a lot better with bigger, wider wheels and tires...in respect to load, I can feel a difference from when I'm driving alone to when I've got 4 people in the car...also, my better half and I almost always use my car over her '11 Accord Coupe when hauling stuff, but that's because it basically becomes a wagon with the backseat down...if rolling with 2 or 3 people and the backseat needs to be up, you're significantly limiting the amount of space you'll have to stow stuff...the rear seat is effectively over the back wheels and in my estimation, you wouldn't have space for half a weeks gear for 2-3 people in the space between the backseat and the hatch door...I may be wrong, but I'd suggest taking a close look at that space...in respect to road noise, it's no Mercedes Benz, but I don't find it to be unusually loud...just my two cents, hope it helps...

bronsin · 05-06-2015, 11:20 AM

In 2011 I drove my 09 hatch from NJ to Ak 10,400 miles there and back in 16 days. I was comfortable the whole time! I put down the rear seat back to hold all the stuff I took including a full size spare and hydraulic jack. I went 85 mph on US freeways and 60 mph in Canada (speed limit 100 kph and everyone seemed to be obeying)

So there is no doubt in my mind this car will work out for you unless you are a wimp or something!

ern-diz · 05-06-2015, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bronsin

In 2011 I drove my 09 hatch from NJ to Ak 10,400 miles there and back in 16 days. I was comfortable the whole time! I put down the rear seat back to hold all the stuff I took including a full size spare and hydraulic jack. I went 85 mph on US freeways and 60 mph in Canada (speed limit 100 kph and everyone seemed to be obeying)

So there is no doubt in my mind this car will work out for you unless you are a wimp or something!

Consider the OP wants to haul half a weeks worth of camping gear for 2-3 people, in addition to those 2-3 people. Unlike your experience, he wouldn't be traveling alone.

If just a driver and passenger, you can utilize the back seat and beyond for storage. My hesitation comes from thinking of a third person who'd sit in the backseat. At that point I'd have to wonder...

CLuchs · 05-06-2015, 12:15 PM

Hi! Just wanted to say you guys are awesome as a car community. I'm also a fan of LSX chevy engines and follow all their forums and those guys aren't nearly as helpful. Haha. So do all yaris' Have 60/40 split folding rear seats? cause 3 people, If I folded down the 40 section seat, i could stack 2 tents, and 3 camping chairs there, and that would help solve that problem. I'm a pretty efficient packer. And I'm glad you mentioned feeling a difference. I had a 98 civic Lx and you could definitely tell when the car was loaded, but with a few hundred pounds of stuff in it does it feel at all unsafe on the highway? That's my major concern. The car is either a loaded base 3 door HB or an S trim (It has the rear wiper, 10 profile width fatter tires, and abs, am I right in believing they were a bundled option?) so I'm okay with that. I mean that honda didn't feel unsafe with a ton of stuff and people in it, and it only had 4 more horsepower and weighed a few hundred pounds more by itself, but it also wasn't as high riding as the yaris (5.5 inches clearance in a car with such a tiny wheelbase!) I was worried it would be a bit skittish (In a scary unpleasant way, not the amusing frisky way.) Thank you guys so much!

WeeYari · 05-06-2015, 01:26 PM

Not all '08 have a 60/40. You need to go to the 'S' trim level to find that.

I annually have to make a 1,000 mile trek to see the in-laws with 3 in the car and luggage for 2 weeks. For an investment of ~$250, this helps immensely.

I used to do the journey in a minivan. First year using the Yaris with the hitch basket, the savings in fuel paid for the basket.

bronsin · 05-06-2015, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ern-diz

Consider the OP wants to haul half a weeks worth of camping gear for 2-3 people, in addition to those 2-3 people. Unlike your experience, he wouldn't be traveling alone.

If just a driver and passenger, you can utilize the back seat and beyond for storage. My hesitation comes from thinking of a third person who'd sit in the backseat. At that point I'd have to wonder...

Sounds like a roof mounted cargo hauler would be a good idea.

I rode around Europe in the back seat of a 69 VW Beetle for 7 weeks when I was 13.

Ah Youth!

ern-diz · 05-06-2015, 02:17 PM

Hitch basket and roof rack both sound like good ideas to me for what you're trying to accomplish.

nookandcrannycar · 05-06-2015, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CLuchs

Is it really fun to drive? I mean through the twisties is it a bit exciting? Thanks guys! looking forward to being one of you on friday!

Houston is pretty flat, and you really have to get past The Woodlands to find any very minor 'twisties' (some back roads that lead to Montgomery). However, when I purchased my '07 Yaris new in October of 2006, I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area. That Yaris has also 'seen' all of the 'lower 48' states and literally all four corners of the U.S. (all types of 'twisties'). One of my past cars was a GTI that I bought new and drove just past 195,000 miles. My blue Yaris = almost as fun as the GTI

. A completely stripped new Yaris in '07 (not mine) would have come with 14" wheels and fairly narrow tires. My '07 had the Convenience Package, which included the wider 15" tires...185/60-15 IIRC...I'm in California right now, so I can't walk out to the garage and look

. My 2014 doesn't have quite the same feeling. Although my 2014 Yaris has 15" wheels, the tires are narrower (Toyota being cheap

). Given that the bones of the car are the same, I think my 2014 will probably feel the same or similar once it has the same size wider tires that grace my 2007.

The only location where my 2007 has felt less than absolutely rock solid stable is the 80 MPH limit section of Interstate 10 that covers much of the area between San Antonio and El Paso (significant crosswinds). My 2014 felt more stable over this stretch (IIRC, the 2014 has a lower CD), even with the narrower tires. All of the trips over that part of I-10 so far, have been with just me in the car. The added weight of 1-2 other people, and their stuff, might make the issue disappear.

P.S. .... Only other location where stability was an issue...some of the gravel roads near Table Rock Lake (another side, away from Branson) in Missouri in 2013.

NYC-SE · 05-06-2015, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

One of my past cars was a GTI that I bought new and drove just past 195,000 miles. My blue Yaris = almost as fun as the GTI

.

I agree. I never owned a GTI but a friend of mine had a first gen model that I drove quite often. My 2014 SE reminds me of it. More than any other car I think the 3rd gen SE embodies the spirit of the first gen GTI. When I tell people that they look at me like I have two heads. Of course I am remembering the experience from long ago. It would be interesting to drive them both back to back. I can't remember the last time I saw a first gen GTI, imagine most of them have gone to the great autobahn in the sky.

nookandcrannycar · 05-06-2015, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bronsin

I rode around Europe in the back seat of a 69 VW Beetle for 7 weeks when I was 13.

Ah Youth!

When I was 12, I rode around (for 3 weeks, IIRC, coming from the SF Bay Area) Yosemite..The Valley and Tuolumne Meadows...up over Tioga Pass to Mono Lake, up Hwy 395 and then over to South Lake Tahoe, CA (where we stayed in a motel to end the trip), and then back to the Bay Area.....

..... with my neighbor/classmate, his parents, and all of our camping gear (

) in a 1973 Vega Hatchback (

)....not the wagon hatchback, the smaller regular one.

You're right....Ah Youth!

.

nookandcrannycar · 05-06-2015, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYC-SE

I agree. I never owned a GTI but a friend of mine had a first gen model that I drove quite often. My 2014 SE reminds me of it. More than any other car I think the 3rd gen SE embodies the spirit of the first gen GTI. When I tell people that they look at me like I have two heads. Of course I am remembering the experience from long ago. It would be interesting to drive them both back to back. I can't remember the last time I saw a first gen GTI, imagine most of them have gone to the great autobahn in the sky.

Yep

.....and the two (?) manual SEs I've driven handle a bit better than my blue Yaris. I wanted the 5-door and a manual transmission (in the U.S....have to get the SE to get this), but I didn't want to give up the turning circle of the non-SE. I asked a question on a long ago thread....Would changing the tires and wheels on the SE to non-SE spec result in the turning circle the non-SE has?...replies = no.

CLuchs · 05-06-2015, 04:21 PM

I like the roof rack idea. Never even really considered it, haha, but yeah that sounds like a good compromise. I could save even more room if my girlfriend would let me put her dog cage in the roof rack haha. That's awesome, and thanks for the info about the handling and the seats in the base versus the s model. It turns out the one I'm looking at is the base model It just has wider tires on her. I just need a car that won't spontaneously attack my wallet. I love my Buick LeSabre but it's getting to the age where it's one thing after another. And I've always wanted a go kart more than a land yacht. Haha

WeeYari · 05-06-2015, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CLuchs

I like the roof rack idea.

I notice your details indicate that the '08 you are looking at is a 3dr. Roof racks for that body are classified as 'short base' as the mounting towers only have the front door frame to mount to.This places the front and rear cross bars of the rack system about 12" apart. Things like bicycle rack attachments then have to utilize what they call a short roof adaptor. Does the job, but not the most stable setup in the world. Just so you know....

Ben_ · 05-06-2015, 11:32 PM

As a member who auto-x s my yaris regularly I will say that OE handling is very sufficient. To some it can seem scary (there is a good amount of body roll) but a simple addition of a sway bar makes the yaris a true performer in the stock handling category. There are LOTS of options for these and if you aren't picky you can pick one up from the classifieds on this forum for cheap

As far as hauling it is very obvious when this car is loaded down. Does that mean its unsafe or unbearable? Absolutely not. The car can keep up with traffic despite extra weight and easily maintain highway speeds (80mph in Utah)

So as cargo space is concerned definitely look for a 60\40 split seat for 3 passengers with cargo. Again as other members have stated a roof rack is an easy mod. Also look for a trailer hitch and a small cargo holder. Harbor freight sells one that does the job and is inexpensive. Here is a link for the cargo holder. The yaris will have absolutely no worries as far as strength is concerned as long as you don't put heavy objects on there (concrete, large metal objects, ect)

http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...ier-92655.html

Also I will note that my experience is with a manual. Autos have a small but significant loss in power. Other members can elaborate but I have never driven an auto yaris so I don't know

I suggest everyone owns one of these cars they are a true master of the subcompact category and deserve much more recognition than the car snobs at Edmund's and other "professional" reviews give them. Just remember these guys are used to driving 100k sports cars and their idea of "good handling" is a bit unachievable. Remember to take it with a grain of salt and trust the reviews of ACTUAL owners who have driven these cars for 10,000s of miles, sometimes hundreds

Edit: the stock exhaust is quieter than any other car I've been in. People who drive my car constantly try to start it when its already running (I'm not kidding everyone does it at least once if not twice). At highway speeds you will hear more noise from wind and tires than the drive train. Take it for a test drive and fins out for yourself I dare you

CLuchs · 05-07-2015, 08:55 PM

You guys are great man, I really appreciate it. This is a good deal for this car (5200 with 92k is 1550 below book) and it has no rust. It drove nice, it's a manual which no one has in Pittsburgh, and if the only issue with car is solved by a tow hitch, woohoo! Haha. Will the tow hitch mounting interfere at all with aftermarket rear sway bars?

sex · 05-07-2015, 09:12 PM

You'll be okay with any hitch as our sway bars follow the rear beam. Has any recall work been done to car?

CLuchs · 05-08-2015, 09:59 AM

I'm not positive actually. Any way I can find out? Isn't the recall for the Ill-fitting seat brackets that cause the seat not to lock into position properly? If so I mean I moved to every setting individually and slowly let it back and it locked into all of them just fine. Although the dealer thought i was insane with one leg out of the car and one knee in the seat shaking the hell out of it to see that it stayed hahaha.

05-06-2015, 06:47 AM	#1
CLuchs Drives: 2008 3 door HB Join Date: May 2015 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 19	08 Yaris For a Camper and College Student? I found an 08 Yaris HB, cherry red, seems in nice shape. It has one ding maybe the size of a quarter. I drive a ton, and I love camping, and usually take 1-2 people with me. I need 3 things, In this order, 2 of which I know this car can do well, 1.) Reliability. I need 5+ years out of this car. I maintain my cars religiously, and meticulously, It's a toyota, shouldn't be an issue. 2.) Gas Mileage- It's a 2300 pound car with a 1.5... again, no problem 3.) I need to still have good gas mileage with a week and a half worth of 2 people's camping gear and 2-3 people in the car, and have a top speed that is capable of keeping up on the highway Will the yaris meet the third requirement when packed full of my stuff? How loud is a yaris at 65-75 mph? If it drones REEEAAALLLLYYY bad on the highway that may be an issue. Car Mags and Edmunds and Caranddriver say this car is comfy but doesn't handle too well, but you guys say it handles like a dream. Is it really fun to drive? I mean through the twisties is it a bit exciting? Thanks guys! looking forward to being one of you on friday!

05-06-2015, 11:20 AM	#3
bronsin Drives: 2009 Base Hatch 2 Dr Auto Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: nj Posts: 4,790	In 2011 I drove my 09 hatch from NJ to Ak 10,400 miles there and back in 16 days. I was comfortable the whole time! I put down the rear seat back to hold all the stuff I took including a full size spare and hydraulic jack. I went 85 mph on US freeways and 60 mph in Canada (speed limit 100 kph and everyone seemed to be obeying) So there is no doubt in my mind this car will work out for you unless you are a wimp or something! __________________ Synthetic Oil: Its All In Your Head

05-06-2015, 01:26 PM	#6
WeeYari View User's Garage Drives: 06 Polar White 5dr, 13 Soul 4u Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Georgetown, Ontario, Canada Posts: 5,740	Not all '08 have a 60/40. You need to go to the 'S' trim level to find that. I annually have to make a 1,000 mile trek to see the in-laws with 3 in the car and luggage for 2 weeks. For an investment of ~$250, this helps immensely. I used to do the journey in a minivan. First year using the Yaris with the hitch basket, the savings in fuel paid for the basket. __________________

05-06-2015, 10:41 AM	#2
ern-diz View User's Garage Drives: 2007 Liftback Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: CA all day Posts: 3,794	Hi there...I drive an '07 hb and I think it handles well, especially in twisties...the turning radius is insane...feels like you can pull a u-turn in a parking spot...I regularly move right past cars from the outside lane when getting on near 360 degree fwy on ramps...having said that, I personally wasn't a fan of the way the car bobbed and bounced at highway speeds on stock wheels and tires...felt a lot better with bigger, wider wheels and tires...in respect to load, I can feel a difference from when I'm driving alone to when I've got 4 people in the car...also, my better half and I almost always use my car over her '11 Accord Coupe when hauling stuff, but that's because it basically becomes a wagon with the backseat down...if rolling with 2 or 3 people and the backseat needs to be up, you're significantly limiting the amount of space you'll have to stow stuff...the rear seat is effectively over the back wheels and in my estimation, you wouldn't have space for half a weeks gear for 2-3 people in the space between the backseat and the hatch door...I may be wrong, but I'd suggest taking a close look at that space...in respect to road noise, it's no Mercedes Benz, but I don't find it to be unusually loud...just my two cents, hope it helps...

05-06-2015, 12:15 PM	#5
CLuchs Drives: 2008 3 door HB Join Date: May 2015 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 19	Hi! Just wanted to say you guys are awesome as a car community. I'm also a fan of LSX chevy engines and follow all their forums and those guys aren't nearly as helpful. Haha. So do all yaris' Have 60/40 split folding rear seats? cause 3 people, If I folded down the 40 section seat, i could stack 2 tents, and 3 camping chairs there, and that would help solve that problem. I'm a pretty efficient packer. And I'm glad you mentioned feeling a difference. I had a 98 civic Lx and you could definitely tell when the car was loaded, but with a few hundred pounds of stuff in it does it feel at all unsafe on the highway? That's my major concern. The car is either a loaded base 3 door HB or an S trim (It has the rear wiper, 10 profile width fatter tires, and abs, am I right in believing they were a bundled option?) so I'm okay with that. I mean that honda didn't feel unsafe with a ton of stuff and people in it, and it only had 4 more horsepower and weighed a few hundred pounds more by itself, but it also wasn't as high riding as the yaris (5.5 inches clearance in a car with such a tiny wheelbase!) I was worried it would be a bit skittish (In a scary unpleasant way, not the amusing frisky way.) Thank you guys so much!

05-06-2015, 02:17 PM	#8
ern-diz View User's Garage Drives: 2007 Liftback Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: CA all day Posts: 3,794	Hitch basket and roof rack both sound like good ideas to me for what you're trying to accomplish.

05-06-2015, 04:21 PM	#13
CLuchs Drives: 2008 3 door HB Join Date: May 2015 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 19	I like the roof rack idea. Never even really considered it, haha, but yeah that sounds like a good compromise. I could save even more room if my girlfriend would let me put her dog cage in the roof rack haha. That's awesome, and thanks for the info about the handling and the seats in the base versus the s model. It turns out the one I'm looking at is the base model It just has wider tires on her. I just need a car that won't spontaneously attack my wallet. I love my Buick LeSabre but it's getting to the age where it's one thing after another. And I've always wanted a go kart more than a land yacht. Haha

05-06-2015, 11:32 PM	#15
Ben_ View User's Garage Drives: 2010 Yaris Hatch Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: SLC, UT Posts: 269	As a member who auto-x s my yaris regularly I will say that OE handling is very sufficient. To some it can seem scary (there is a good amount of body roll) but a simple addition of a sway bar makes the yaris a true performer in the stock handling category. There are LOTS of options for these and if you aren't picky you can pick one up from the classifieds on this forum for cheap As far as hauling it is very obvious when this car is loaded down. Does that mean its unsafe or unbearable? Absolutely not. The car can keep up with traffic despite extra weight and easily maintain highway speeds (80mph in Utah) So as cargo space is concerned definitely look for a 60\40 split seat for 3 passengers with cargo. Again as other members have stated a roof rack is an easy mod. Also look for a trailer hitch and a small cargo holder. Harbor freight sells one that does the job and is inexpensive. Here is a link for the cargo holder. The yaris will have absolutely no worries as far as strength is concerned as long as you don't put heavy objects on there (concrete, large metal objects, ect) http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...ier-92655.html Also I will note that my experience is with a manual. Autos have a small but significant loss in power. Other members can elaborate but I have never driven an auto yaris so I don't know I suggest everyone owns one of these cars they are a true master of the subcompact category and deserve much more recognition than the car snobs at Edmund's and other "professional" reviews give them. Just remember these guys are used to driving 100k sports cars and their idea of "good handling" is a bit unachievable. Remember to take it with a grain of salt and trust the reviews of ACTUAL owners who have driven these cars for 10,000s of miles, sometimes hundreds Edit: the stock exhaust is quieter than any other car I've been in. People who drive my car constantly try to start it when its already running (I'm not kidding everyone does it at least once if not twice). At highway speeds you will hear more noise from wind and tires than the drive train. Take it for a test drive and fins out for yourself I dare you

05-07-2015, 08:55 PM	#16
CLuchs Drives: 2008 3 door HB Join Date: May 2015 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 19	You guys are great man, I really appreciate it. This is a good deal for this car (5200 with 92k is 1550 below book) and it has no rust. It drove nice, it's a manual which no one has in Pittsburgh, and if the only issue with car is solved by a tow hitch, woohoo! Haha. Will the tow hitch mounting interfere at all with aftermarket rear sway bars?

05-07-2015, 09:12 PM	#17
sex View User's Garage Drives: 09 5DR Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NY Posts: 310	You'll be okay with any hitch as our sway bars follow the rear beam. Has any recall work been done to car?

05-08-2015, 09:59 AM	#18
CLuchs Drives: 2008 3 door HB Join Date: May 2015 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 19	I'm not positive actually. Any way I can find out? Isn't the recall for the Ill-fitting seat brackets that cause the seat not to lock into position properly? If so I mean I moved to every setting individually and slowly let it back and it locked into all of them just fine. Although the dealer thought i was insane with one leg out of the car and one knee in the seat shaking the hell out of it to see that it stayed hahaha.