Didn't buy; awkward shifting?

[tomato]

Originally Posted by otterhere

I'm a great believer in constructive criticism; it goes without saying that I liked enough about it to buy it, so no point waxing poetic on the car's good points... We all here know those. But maybe if enough of us take issue with certain design flaws, those will be addressed and rectrified in subsequent models. If everbody's happy, the flaws will remain. Speaking of test-driving, seems to me when they were designing this car in the first place, test drivers would've said, uh, this is incovenient and that doesn't make much sense, but perhaps they hired a lot of Pollyannas who only see the positives???

I'm not a troll; just a Japanese car loyalist who's a little disappointed in this new offering.

Er, I am loyal to Japanese cars, that is; I didn't mean to say that I AM Japanese...

I understand. There is no doubt in my mind that people who work at Toyota keep an eye on these forums, so yeah, you make a good point, but some minor things (cloth seats, etc.) aren't worth complaining about, I think.

[otterhere]

Originally Posted by tomato

I understand. There is no doubt in my mind that people who work at Toyota keep an eye on these forums, so yeah, you make a good point, but some minor things (cloth seats, etc.) aren't worth complaining about, I think.

In my own defense, I didn't complain about the cloth seats... Only about the polka dots on them...

[MadMax]

OK, time for my two cents…

For one, if you actually watch that video on the Smart car crash, you will see it did pretty well for a car of its size involved in a collision like that! I drove a ForFour as a rental in Germany for a week and it was a pretty good car; but the ForTwo they sell in the US has too many points against it in my book. For one, it requires premium gasoline, offsetting the cost benefits of better mileage. Secondly, there is absolutely no storage space whatsoever, and although the Yaris may be small it at least offers some carrying capacity (especially the liftback). Thirdly, the dimensions of the car, tall with a very short wheelbase, would concern me during spirited driving. I see it as a city car period, and seeing them on the Texas highways reminds me that they aren’t in their element in those situations.

As for the Yaris in an automatic, I love mine and whereas it may not be as “fast” as a manual (in relative terms), it can be manually shifted to some degree. However, as the car is primarily a commuter, the auto works perfectly for me. If I want performance and the ability to control what gear I am in as well as use a clutch, I will jump on one of my motorcycles…

And if you think a manual Yaris shifts like shit, try a Jeep Wrangler! That is another reason I went with the auto in my LJ...

Cheers! M2

[otterhere]

Originally Posted by tomato

I understand. There is no doubt in my mind that people who work at Toyota keep an eye on these forums, so yeah, you make a good point, but some minor things (cloth seats, etc.) aren't worth complaining about, I think.

These "little things" are what keep a good car from becoming a great car (for the money). Why settle for less when Yaris could be better? Grousers Unite!

[tomato]

Originally Posted by MadMax

OK, time for my two cents…

For one, if you actually watch that video on the Smart car crash, you will see it did pretty well for a car of its size involved in a collision like that! I drove a ForFour as a rental in Germany for a week and it was a pretty good car; but the ForTwo they sell in the US has too many points against it in my book. For one, it requires premium gasoline, offsetting the cost benefits of better mileage. Secondly, there is absolutely no storage space whatsoever, and although the Yaris may be small it at least offers some carrying capacity (especially the liftback). Thirdly, the dimensions of the car, tall with a very short wheelbase, would concern me during spirited driving. I see it as a city car period, and seeing them on the Texas highways reminds me that they aren’t in their element in those situations.

Cheers! M2

Since the SMART comes up a lot on these threads, I thought I'd post this picture. This is what SMART for 2 was designed for, to park in really tight spaces. This pic was taken in a narrow street in the old part of Paris. They have tons of them there. Of course, in the US, they look really out of place on the highways and out in parking lots.

[MadMax]

Nice pic! I have one of a row of pizza delivery Smarts I took in Kaiserslautern, Germany a year ago, I will see if I can find it and post it when I get home...

Cheers! M2

[Tamago]

Originally Posted by otterhere

These "little things" are what keep a good car from becoming a great car (for the money). Why settle for less when Yaris could be better? Grousers Unite!

1.what is a better car for the money?
2. do you really think you bitching on yarisworld.com will somehow be noticed by the tiny japanese man, and he'll make the necessary changes to a WORLD CAR simply to make you happy?
3. do you smoke a lot of weed?

[otterhere]

Originally Posted by Tamago

1.what is a better car for the money?
2. do you really think you bitching on yarisworld.com will somehow be noticed by the tiny japanese man, and he'll make the necessary changes to a WORLD CAR simply to make you happy?
3. do you smoke a lot of weed?

1. There isn't one; that's why I bought this one.
2. One can but hope.
3. No, but hey, that's a great idea for that triangular coin-eating stash compartment.
4. You guys keep forgetting to add your icon:

[detroiter]

I believe the Smart car has a 3 cylinder 1 litre engine. What Smart fails to tell the consumer is that it also requires PREMIUM FUEL.

[tomato]

Originally Posted by MadMax

Nice pic! I have one of a row of pizza delivery Smarts I took in Kaiserslautern, Germany a year ago, I will see if I can find it and post it when I get home...

Cheers! M2

Great, thanks! They do look kind of cool when they're all together

That reminds me, I have a whole row of Yaris LB's, somewhere on my HD, too

[BLAZINBLUEVITZ]

[QUOTE=Tamago;251943 do you really think you bitching on yarisworld.com will somehow be noticed by the tiny japanese man, and he'll make the necessary changes to a WORLD CAR simply to make you happy?
[/QUOTE]

thats a big fat YES. just ask your boy ROCKLAND TOYOTA about toyota corporate.......

[SailDesign]

Originally Posted by otterhere

In my own defense, I didn't complain about the cloth seats... Only about the polka dots on them...

Otterhere - you are missing one of the GREAT customizable features of the Yaris - its seats. Somewhere out there in Web-land used to be a site telling you how to use the polka-dots and a Sharpie to create your own designs on the cushions - simply black out the required dots and leave the design behind on the remaining ones.
No - never went that far.

[otterhere]

Originally Posted by SailDesign

Otterhere - you are missing one of the GREAT customizable features of the Yaris - its seats. Somewhere out there in Web-land used to be a site telling you how to use the polka-dots and a Sharpie to create your own designs on the cushions - simply black out the required dots and leave the design behind on the remaining ones.
No - never went that far.

If I get stuck in traffic, I can "connect the dots"... Okay, a set of markers in that one side compartment; slowly but surely, am finding a use for them all...

[MadMax]

Originally Posted by tomato

Great, thanks! They do look kind of cool when they're all together

That reminds me, I have a whole row of Yaris LB's, somewhere on my HD, too

Here ya go...


(Click on thumbnail for full-sized pic)

They are really great city cars, and very popular in Europe (there used to be a huge glass tower full of them outside of Brussels...we would pass it all the time); but I am not sure it would suite my needs and even though there are a few of them running around San Antonio, they just don't look like they fit in here!

I love my Yaris, and saw another BSP LB at a nearby church this afternoon that was very similar except for slightly different rims. I love seeing other Yarii running around, and even better seeing ones that have been modified a bit. I tend to wave, a carryover from when I drive my Jeep. A few Yaris drivers have returned the wave, maybe it is something we can get going!

Cheers! M2

[tomato]

Originally Posted by MadMax

Here ya go...

They are really great city cars, and very popular in Europe (there used to be a huge glass tower full of them outside of Brussels...we would pass it all the time); but I am not sure it would suite my needs and even though there are a few of them running around San Antonio, they just don't look like they fit in here!

I love my Yaris, and saw another BSP LB at a nearby church this afternoon that was very similar except for slightly different rims. I love seeing other Yarii running around, and even better seeing ones that have been modified a bit. I tend to wave, a carryover from when I drive my Jeep. A few Yaris drivers have returned the wave, maybe it is something we can get going!

Cheers! M2

You know, I would totally wave! Great idea, let's do it!
The Smart in the US always makes me laugh.
In Europe, it's fine, because all the cars are small, but here, it looks both cute and comical at the same time, if you know what I mean.
Didn't know about PREMIUM fuel. That totally s..cks.

Here you go, a row of Yarii front and back. Pics aren't great because it started raining, but if someone can use them to make a banner or something, go right ahead. I don't know how to resize pics so they fit in the forum better, sorry.

[otterhere]

Cools pics of the Yaris Army; thanks for posting...

Much as I love small cars -- and the Yaris isn't small enough!!! -- even I have to agree that the Smart just looks silly driving around our interstates... Even I have to think "clown car" and chuckle at it... Something about a Twofer in between two semis surrounded by a 4x4 extended cab truck and a monster SUV makes you go "hmmmmm"... And it wouldn't hold my kayak.

[ChinoCharles]

otterhere, you do realize that you're in a vast minority, right? Toyota isn't going to change a thing about the Yaris because for every one of you, there are a hundred like me that think the car is fine just the way it is. Give it up.

On the topic of the OP... one of my only gripes about this car is the gearbox. If you have ever driven a manual Honda, you'll realize the gearboxes feel a lot more natural. Not sure why... anyone have an answer for that?

However, the Yaris's gearbox "issue" isn't a Yaris thing... it is a Toyota thing. Oh well. I wouldn't mind seeing a Yaris with a tiptronic and/or a paddle shifter, but that won't happen, and from a business perspective it probably shouldn't. Can't wait for a la carte cars.

[otterhere]

[QUOTE=ChinoCharles;252716]otterhere, you do realize that you're in a vast minority, right? Toyota isn't going to change a thing about the Yaris because for every one of you, there are a hundred like me that think the car is fine just the way it is. Give it up.

Exactly why I posed the questions in the first place; wondered how many others were as bothered by the things that bothered me about this car...
Apparently, not many... Or not many who post on the Yaris fan club site?

As I say, I overall like the car, but "there's always room for improvement"!

Letting it go now.... Ommmmmmm...