Happy with Yaris?

[N9QGS]

I would like to answer the question am I happy with my Yaris. In general yes! this is the first car that has so far gone 82K without requiring a unexpected repair or breakdown. It is amazingly easy to do maintenance on, and I drive much highway and happily report 40+ miles easily on those excursions. So on top of LOW cost of ownership and awesome reliability, I have to say I'm very happy. BUT!

it came with unexpected rattles that I hunted down, the cup holder placement is downright silly place in front of the heater vents. the paint took a beaten on the highway. my prior cars I thought looked better after this many miles. I think there should be more compartments to put stuff, i use the door handle for change. and the compartments off the center console are poor location and I cant utilize them as a quick access compartment. I think the liftback was better designed on compartments and not sure why they didnt put some of these same compartments in the sedan. Oh and I do lay stuff up by the speedometer and one time didn't realize the e-brake was engaged lightly cause the light is low on the dash and was blocked by stuff I layed up and did right with the brake a short distance before realizing the problem. I have squeaking over certain bumps, had since 30K, never had in any other vehicle. As you can see its minor stuff. now I know there will be decent resale value in this vehicle i'm sure, but I feel good this vehicle will serve me well for a good time after its paid off later this year. this will be my first vehicle I will have paid off and will still feel comfortable driving on long trips. This is the best thing I can ask for as it helped me get back on my feet financially, and Im glad I did choose this vehicle over a hybrid. Would I buy another one, probably but woul consider taking a good look at the Honda insight coming out at that time, Do I recommend my car to others? Yes, I do recommend this to young drivers. college students, the cost of ownership and gas will save you and help you get off on the right foot in life!! Ron

[Lafiro]

I love my car. But I HATE the rattle from a lot of places. And the road noise, ugh!!!

I am thinking of trading this in, or selling it and getting myself a used E55 AMG.

[Crandall]

The only thing I can say is how disappointed in the RS package I got, other then a couple things it's not worth the money really. If there was some type of engine upgrade with the RS/S model then it would be worth the increase in price.

*sigh* Scion can't come to Canada soon enough.

[brainless twit]

I don't think I've responded to this thread yet.

I've owned my Yaris sedan for a little over two months and I'm very pleased with it. Every time I fill the tank I remember why I wanted one - it gets at least 10 mpg more than my last car, so even with the tiny fuel tank I get the same number of miles per tank of gas. I'm filling up for $18 while my husband pays $30 and I can drive further. I like the looks of amazement when people see how much room there really is in such a tiny car, especially the trunk.

I know a lot of people complain about road noise, but I find the Yaris to be fairly quiet compared to my previous car (Chevy HHR). I haven't had any problems with rattling so far. I do find the cupholder placement odd, but I just use the settings that don't require the small side vents and the car stays heated/cooled just fine.

I plan to drive this car until the wheels fall off, so I think the Yaris was the perfect investment for me.

[otterhere]

N9, in Georgetown... Waving from Frankfort; and Twit, too... WHOO HOO, Kentucky!!! We should hold our own "convention" here... Given our lousy mileage, that'd be better than driving to some distant state for another...



I am not so thrilled with mine. Never thought I'd even consider trading in but, depending upon what makers come out with in the next few years, I might...

[33OH]

If you guys have a Kentucky meet, I'd probably drive down.

[SeaYa]

After 15,322 miles, the 08 MT Base Sedan Yaris and I are celebrating our 1 year anniversary on Feb 18th.

We've had our arguments: "Why can't you just idle 100 RPM higher?" "....".

We've had our debates: "I don't think you should roll as much in corners. ", "Well, I think you should buy a rear sway bar." "You know when you're right, you're right."

And we've had our moments of love: "I'm so glad you took it easy on me during the long highway drive." "I'm so happy you just set a record 47.7 MPG."

If you find problems with the car, keep posting them on this site. Some people may have fixes, or at least explanations to help.
Since I'm clearly in love with the car (and clearly need a girlfriend) here is my defense to some of the downsides people have posted:

For any complaints about the paint...I have two words for ya....WAX IT.

Ride comfort, noise, etc...I have two more words for ya... TEST DRIVE.

[jambo101]

Only problem i have with my 08 Yaris is the placement of the cup holders drinks that are too full have a tendancy to splash fluid over the dash and into the little utility drawer just underneath it then ultimately onto your knee.

[detroiter]

I love my Yaris aside from having to deal daily with Big 3 loving motherfathers. They will pull up and whine about how someone "sold out" and bought a foreign ride. Half of the dimwits around this area have no brains and are so clueless to there "American" cars being partially built in Mexico or Canada with Chinese/Japanese parts that it's sickening. Chevy Aveo? That's a nice DAEWOO your driving there pal!

[Havana]

I've had mine for about 2 months now and am quite pleased with it. I love all the interior storage. I carry just as much junk as always but now my car looks so clean inside because it's all put away and out of sight. Even when I look at the car, I think it's really small but when I'm inside, I don't think of it as small at all. It feels substantially bigger than my Civic. That small size pays off in the city and parking lots. I have to look hard for any complaints. It's a bit hard to see out when backing up. While I like the center gauge cluster, I really don't care for the design of the gas gauge and every car should have a tach.

[otterhere]

It's not "really small"; my Suzuki Swift was "really small"; the Smart Twofer is "really small"... I can't get over the feeling that I'm driving a slightly undersized minivan, myself... It's way too tall and just BIG for my tastes.

[33OH]

Personally, I love the size of the Yaris.

If you think the Yaris looks like a minivan, look at a Fit.

[otterhere]

Yes, the Fit looks even MORE like a minivan, which is why I got a Yaris and not a Fit, but that doesn't mean the Yaris doesn't also, to a lesser degree, look like a minivan... Ya gotta admit, that Swift was DISTINCTIVE looking!

[33OH]

Was it the geo metro looking one?

[marlondog]

I have had my Yaris for a year and a half, and I can say that I am happy with it. It's great on gas, and you can fit alot in it. It's just too bad that it didn't come with a bigger engine, like a 1.8. It's also too bad that it makes all that noise, and the interior was pretty cheap looking(cloth seats with polka dots?), and the rear passenger windows' don't even open a notch.

[brainless twit]

Originally Posted by otterhere

N9, in Georgetown... Waving from Frankfort; and Twit, too... WHOO HOO, Kentucky!!! We should hold our own "convention" here...

I wouldn't mind heading over your way sometime.... Maybe Louisville or Lex though just to find somewhere good to eat!

[tomato]

Originally Posted by floydisrock

I refuse to spend $400 on a car payment,just to get me to work and back.

+1

[MadMax]

Hell, we own a Honda Odyssey and the Fit looks like a 1:3 scale version of it! That is why I passed on the Fit, despite having owned seven Hondas over my life.

The Yaris looks nothing like a minivan. I think it is a cool looking little car and very reminiscent of the cars I see in Europe. It is almost a Japanese Opel! Sure, it was a bit of a step down from the fully-loaded VW Passat wagon I used to drive, and the 1.5L I4 doesn't come close to the 185HP VR6 I had in the wagon; but overall I am very happy with the Yaris. It is enjoyable to drive and quite versatile. It is also very practical on gas, it is nice to be able to fill up a car with a $20 bill and get change back! It also offsets my 15 MPG Jeep nicely!

You just have to remember that this is a $12-14K car. Keep it in that perspective and you will see that it is a good deal. Toyota quality throughout, good gas mileage and absolutely a fun little car to scoot around in. I self-eliminated much of the competition based on image/looks (Fit, Prius, Rio), and when I saw Sprocket sitting at the dealership, I knew I had found my Yaris!

Cheers! M2