2007 Yaris 3dr Opinions

[barchetta]

Hello all new to the forum and hopefully soon to be new to Yaris ownership. I have a few questions about general ownership of the car as well as some specific questions related to the 3 door 2007 model I am strongly considering.

Some background about my needs for the car: I am 6'4" and this will be my second car and first with a manual transmission. I play guitar and if anyone has any experience hauling music gear in one of these I'd be interested in what it could hold. How does it cruise at 75mph + ? I plan on going all over with this car and would like to know it can handle major interstates and freeways. I don't get much snow where I live but there are ridiculous and regular thunder storms in the summer so knowing how it does on generally slippery conditions would be good as I do drive on gravel too.

What is the cost of ownership like? What is the reliability like? Would it be a good car to learn how to drive manual on? Does the lack of ABS effect much? Is it fun to drive? Autoctross and rallycross fun? I never did either of those in my old car despite it being a slushbox and I really regret it.

Finally the specific Yaris. It is an '07 3 door Hatch/Liftback bayou blue, manual windows and locks, aftermarket radio with nice sound but has a subwoofer box/unit thing where the rear passenger legs should be. It is however not attached to the car anywhere besides the cable so it could be just taken out easily I think. The car has 88k miles and the seller already bought his replacement vehicle: an '08 hatchback Yaris with an automatic as he has a condition that is preventing him from driving a manual transmission now. He did use the car as a food delivery vehicle, so lots of city/sub urban mileage on it. Price is $4500 firm and I believe he is firm considering he had it listed at $5700 a few months ago. Went for a test drive with my dad and did enjoy it a lot in the passenger seat.

[IllusionX]

I'll sell you my sedan with 97k miles for that price. Fully loaded. Hehe

Joke aside, I believe many are not comfortable in the hatchback. The seating position is different than the sedan since the sedan has height adjustable seats.

Sent from my ONE A2005 using Tapatalk

[MadMax]

Here's my 2¢...

Hauling music gear in one of these I'd be interested in what it could hold. You've seen the car so you can pretty much figure out how much it will hold with the back seat down. As a hatchback, it's pretty versatile in that regard; but I don't know how much equipment you plan to haul so that's yours to figure out.

How does it cruise at 75mph + ? Easily done, but don't expect the upper end of the gas mileage range at those speeds.

I plan on going all over with this car and would like to know it can handle major interstates and freeways. I don't get much snow where I live but there are ridiculous and regular thunder storms in the summer so knowing how it does on generally slippery conditions would be good as I do drive on gravel too. It's a small, light car so it does get affected by crosswinds and such at speed. Same for the weather, especially heavy rain; but being front-wheel drive it will pull you through most stuff. It's no 4x4, and you need to be careful; but it's as safe as every other car in its class.

What is the cost of ownership like? Nominal. Gas and oil changes are about the only expenses you can expect. Brakes last forever, and other maintenance issues are rare.

What is the reliability like? 100%

Would it be a good car to learn how to drive manual on? Dunno, I have an automatic and love it.

Does the lack of ABS effect much? No, you just can't stomp on the brake and expect it not to skid. If you know how to drive, you can actually stop at shorter distances than ABS will do; it's more of a fail safe for those who don''t.

Is it fun to drive? Yes, it's not fast but I quite enjoy taking my Yaris on curvy, hilly backroads. Anyone can drive a fast car fast, it takes some skill to drive a slow one at speed and it's more enjoyable.

Autoctross and rallycross fun? Yep, and even more of a challenge; but the Yaris can be easily set up to be a fun little track car. Just keep your expectations realistic.

I don't think that's a bad price, but it's not a great one either! 88K with a lot of city driving means there could be premature maintenance issues (e.g. brakes, clutch, etc.) but otherwise if it looks and drives OK you should be fine. An aftermarket stereo doesn't add to the value of a car despite what most people think, and he may be "firm" on that price but since it appears he's been trying to sell it for at least a few months and has already come down on the price, I don't think there's no room for negotiation. Look at the price of similarly used Yarii in your area (try Craigslist) and see how it stacks up. Don't use dealership prices to compare. It it's on par with them and you like it, then there's no other reasons I can think of not to buy the car!

Cheers! M2

[MadMax]

Oh, and I'm 6'2" and 205 lbs, and have never been uncomfortable in my hatchback. I have plenty of headroom and have been on numerous trips with the vehicle with no complaints. If you've driven it you should know that...

[bronsin]

Sounds like a no brainier purchase to me. Have the car evaluated by a trusted mechanic if you aren't a wrench. I'd be paying attention to the clutch because of the throttle by wire.

Good luck and tell us what happens!

[NYC-SE]

I have a 3rd gen hatchback so its not an exact match with yours but I think interior space should be comparable. I have hauled 2 1x12 speaker cabs and an amp head in the back with the rear seats down. Guitars in front passenger seat. No problems but it was just me in the car. If you are planning to travel with the rest of the band or haul your Marshall stack it won't work.

[barchetta]

Thank you very much everyone for the helpful replies!

I only test drove it as a passenger for 15 minutes so hearing that is comfortable on long trips for 6 foot plus people is very good to hear thank you.

Great to hear about the cost of ownership

I definitely plan on having it checked out by a mechanic. On that note when I test drove it with my dad as the driver he had to get the car to a near standstill before it would downshift into first. He thought it was uncommon but a normal part of the car, like a fail safe, and not a malfunction. Any experience with this or the cost of a clutch job on one of these?

I know carrying the whole band is out of the question like wise a full stack, but could it haul a halfstack? a jazz drum kit? Being such a light car does loading it up with heavy vaccum tube amps slow it down drastically?

Thanks again everybody!

[barchetta]

Also how does the throttle by wire affect the clutch of the car? Is the electronic power steering noticeable in a negative way? Is it brake by wire too?

[NYC-SE]

Originally Posted by barchetta

I know carrying the whole band is out of the question like wise a full stack, but could it haul a halfstack? a jazz drum kit? Being such a light car does loading it up with heavy vaccum tube amps slow it down drastically?

I have never tried carrying a half stack (I don't own one) so I can't answer that but my gut tells me it won't fit. I could be wrong. Get out your tape measure and check the hatch opening width and see.

As far as carrying the weight the Yaris will handle it no problem. Just don't try to beat the approaching train at the crossing.

[kimona]

I'm 6'2" and found my 2007 (3-dr. hatchback) very comfortable... even driving across country. With the back seats folded down and the passenger seat pushed forward, this little hatchback can carry a surprising amount of cargo! You'll have to measure to see if it will meet your needs.

I can't comment on the 5-spd. as I had an automatic transmission.

As far as reliability, well... after 93,000 miles I only had to change tyres, battery, hatch struts, and serpentine belt. This has to be the most inexpensive to maintain car I ever owned. Plus, when I sold my 2007 last month, it still drove like new!

I loved and trusted my 2007 so much that I didn't consider any other car when I bought a 2014 model.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by barchetta

Also how does the throttle by wire affect the clutch of the car? Is the electronic power steering noticeable in a negative way? Is it brake by wire too?

It's hard to moderate the throttle from idle. To make my auto 09 start smoothly from a stop I take my foot off the brake and let it roll for a second before pushing on the gas pedal. I'm old and can't drive a MT this is my first auto. Can't imagine how I would smoothly drive this car were it MT. I imagine this would damage a clutch before getting my usual 250k out of it.

No worries with the ps. The brakes aren't electric.

[nortonfb]

I would suggest have the dealer check it out before purchase.
Pay for the inspection should be about $100. Then offer any needed repair cost to be deducted from the sellers price. If repairs are needed, go to a independent shop.
My 2007 needed $1000 in repairs which was deducted from the price. I spent $300
on the repairs/parts.
My car is a 2007 MT, 3 door but has ABS. Very happy with it. Tires make a BIG
difference in handling. If you are a good packer you would be surprised at the amount of stuff you can haul.