These Foolish Things

[SIPNGAS]

Originally Posted by otterhere

I don't mind the carseat beep for passengers; it's the law here that they MUST use a belt. My groceries, however fragile, don't need a seatbelt.

yes, but the seat belt sensor in the seat goes by weight on that seat...the groceries just happen to be heavy enough to tell it SOMETHING was there..it can't determine if it's a box, groceries or a person.

[PreciousPups4U]

Yep, seat belt buzzers goes off when I take the dog anywhere, too. She weighs about 40 pounds. She will not stay in the seat belt though no matter what I do.

FYI - the buzzer will stop after a few minutes, but the light will continue to flash.

[SeaYa]

Originally Posted by Havana

As for pennies, I just drop them on the floor to help lower the center of gravity and improve handling.

Now THAT'S extreme fine tuning. You may need to throw a quarter down for the hairpins though.

[otterhere]

Obviously I'd use the hatchback for groceries if the hatch were more user-friendly; it's not... I have to fiddle with the stupid lock (don't want people climbing in the back at stoplights so, yes, I keep it locked) for five minutes, and then the "lid" bangs me on the head because I haven't gotten around to removing that yet and finally half the groceries fall out since I haven't gotten around to outfitting it with paper boxes yet, as another owner suggested.

Should it be this much work? No.

I don't need a $100k Lexus; my $6k Suzuki had everything in just the right place.

I am tolerating this vehicle because I'll take a HUGE hit otherwise; plus, it's a Toyota, so I expect at least reliability, and it accomodates my kayak and bike, so I'll reserve the use of the hatch for those items.

But, frankly, I wish I'd just kept the Swift. I'm sure all of you wish that, too.

[KCALB SIRAY]

I repeat, sell it!

[Havana]

I must admit I am fascinated by this Swift you speak of. It seems to have attained an epic, almost mythical, sense of glory like some kind of immaculately conceived messiah-mobile. No offense. I'm just joking a bit. I guess I've just never owned a car that I felt so strongly about. The only Swift I even remember was the same model as the one featured in the FreeCreditReport commercials in the US.

[Arkhangel]

Originally Posted by mikenacarato

ill take everyones pennies... :)

Yeah me too lol, Every couple of months those "worthless" Pennies pay my gas
God i love this little car

[tomato]

Originally Posted by otterhere

Two more gripes about the Yaris. Re: the little coin holders. WHY are there just three of them when there are FOUR denominations of coins? Assuming that the reason they're divided is so you can separate quarters from nickles from pennies from dimes, that is. And I had my groceries on the passenger side seat yesterday (having learned the hard way NOT to put my credit card there) when the airbag/seatbelt alarm started beeping at me; I finally had to put the seatbelt OVER my groceries to keep the car quiet. Gripes continue.

I always put a seat belt around my groceries. Learned the hard way one day when I pushed hard on the brakes (I had eggs on top, just let your imagination fill in the blanks ;)

As to the coin holders, I don't use them because in the city, if they see even a quarter hang loose in your car, they'll break the window to get it, so the less stuff in the car, the better.

[Tamago]

Originally Posted by Havana

I must admit I am fascinated by this Swift you speak of. It seems to have attained an epic, almost mythical, sense of glory like some kind of immaculately conceived messiah-mobile. No offense. I'm just joking a bit. I guess I've just never owned a car that I felt so strongly about. The only Swift I even remember was the same model as the one featured in the FreeCreditReport commercials in the US.

was that a Swift or a Ford Festiva?

we all know it isn't THIS one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU89JpVmtwk

[Havana]

This is the one I was thinking of. Looks like an old Swift or maybe a Geo Metro.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOYGRCOPBTM

[Tamago]

Originally Posted by Havana

This is the one I was thinking of. Looks like an old Swift or maybe a Geo Metro.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOYGRCOPBTM

same car, yes you are correct

[SIPNGAS]

I guess I'm with those who would encourage you to sell it. It seems NOTHING about the car makes you happy...or..maybe you're happy as long as you're complaining? I dunno.

[Tamago]

Originally Posted by SIPNGAS

I guess I'm with those who would encourage you to sell it. It seems NOTHING about the car makes you happy...or..maybe you're happy as long as you're complaining? I dunno.

it's her perogative to bitch and complain

and it's ours to LOL @ her ;)

[tomato]

Originally Posted by otterhere

...I am tolerating this vehicle because I'll take a HUGE hit otherwise; plus, it's a Toyota, so I expect at least reliability, and it accomodates my kayak and bike, so I'll reserve the use of the hatch for those items.

But, frankly, I wish I'd just kept the Swift. I'm sure all of you wish that, too.

Are you really that unhappy?
Seriously?
You know, no car is going to be perfect.

I just traded in my old '87 CRX for the Yaris a couple of weeks ago and I still miss my CRX. I'll probably miss it for a long time because it was REALLY fun to drive! Even at its age, the acceleration was way better than the Yaris and I was so used to that CRX, I mean I could practically drive it in my sleep under almost any road condition. The rest of the car was falling apart but the engine was still running strong ...

I selected the Yaris LB to replace the CRX based on several reasons: 1) budget, 2) size of the car (so it can be parked easily in the City), 3) hatchback, 4) Toyota's reliability, 5) easy on gas, 6) manoeuvers great in tight spaces (very important for a city car), and 7) because it was one of the very few cars that I could find with a manual transmission, 8) you gotta admit, the Yaris LB looks cute.

I'm still getting used to the Yaris and I wish some things were different: I would not put the console in the middle of the dashboard, for instance, and I would like the acceleration to be better (it's better in the Fit, if you want to part with more $$$). The Yaris tends to sway a little bit in the back in windy / rainy conditions (I felt that when I crossed the Bay Bridge the other day, it was a little scary, but crossing the bridge with my CRX during high winds/ storm conditions was no picnic either, to be honest, because they're such light cars).

Anyway, what I'm driving at is that, so far, the Yaris has not disappointed me: it was the least expensive car I could find, easy on gas, small, parks easily in small spaces, etc. So I'm putting up with the stuff I don't like. No biggy. For now, the Yaris fits my needs, really. If my needs change so much that the car becomes a problem, then I'll trade in. I don't think I would trade in because the coin holders are in the wrong places, though

[SIPNGAS]

Originally Posted by otterhere

But, frankly, I wish I'd just kept the Swift. I'm sure all of you wish that, too.

Well..maybe...because then you would have NOTHING to complain about here...but like I said..as long as you're happy...complain on...

[otterhere]

Granted none of these things are huge problems, and if I wanted to sell it or trade it in (as everyone so helpfully suggests), obviously I'd do that. If that times comes, I will...

But these things "disappoint" me in a Toyota; I've always been a Japanese car fan and only very reluctant ventured into Nissan and Suzuki territory in the past -- not disappointed with either of these, by the way -- because I was so pro-Toyota. So the overall cheap feel and these nagging little imperfections are just a constant irritation.

Like a dripping faucet; you're not going to put the house on the market or even necessarily pay a plumber $100 to come fix it, but it still grates on your nerves.

...drip...drip...drip...

[otterhere]

And, yes, even though my Swift was getting old and had its problems, I WOULD find myself driving down the road thinking, dang, this is fun to drive... Or dang, this little bullet has pick up... Or dang, I love my hatchback... And dang, this thing sure gets great gas mileage!!! I haven't said that last one YET with the Yaris!!!

[tomato]

Originally Posted by otterhere

And, yes, even though my Swift was getting old and had its problems, I WOULD find myself driving down the road thinking, dang, this is fun to drive... Or dang, this little bullet has pick up... Or dang, I love my hatchback... And dang, this thing sure gets great gas mileage!!! I haven't said that last one YET with the Yaris!!!

Have you tried a Toyota Matrix yet? It's a little bigger, but maybe a better car for you.