Yaris, Yaris, what should I know? - Toyota Yaris Forums

2o6 · 03-02-2012, 09:15 PM

Not sure where I should post this, but I'm in the market for another car. Right now, I own a 2000 Ford Focus ZTS (5-speed manual) that I love to drive, but it's turning out to be an unreliable heap. Granted, I did buy the car with 140K (in may of last year) and I'm now up to 10K. In 10K, I have averaged around $200 a month in repairs.

I've replaced the:

- Struts, shocks and springs; $350 (upgraded to SVT Focus spec, though)

- Brake shoes and parking brake line (which ended up breaking again); $400

- Wheel bearing; $300, and a mechanic screwed it up in a such a fashion that now my brakes act screwy

- Wheels and tires - $300; I had TWO lug studs break off and ruin a wheel.

- Front halfshafts - $400

Plus other problems that I can't even rememeber right now. And it hasn't even been a year yet.

And it still needs

- Timing belt, water pump - at least $450

- Clutch (in the near future) - at least $650

- Front ball joints? (Still unsure if needs fixed, but that is what is looking likely)

- Wheel bearing

- E-brake line (which actually I fixed in June, but then it broke again in September)

- possible heater fan, it occationally decides to cut in and out

I set it on a hill the other day, and I felt and watched the car jerk and jump backwards.

With the amount of repairs needed on this car, It doesn't seem cost-effective to keep putting $$$ in this car, especially at the rate of things breaking. (Ball joint came up on me a few days ago)

Anyways, I have a budget of around $8000, and most of the cars are crapola (Cobalt, Aveo) too undesirable (Accent/Rio) or too old (Civic). However, I noticed that the Scions and Yaris seem to be right in this price range, especially the xA. I drove an xA, and I fell in love. It's not as good to drive as the Focus, but it's entertaining in it's own right. And the one I drove had reasonable miles and was 2K under budget, before any negotiating.

However, the Yaris, especailly the sedan is AS CHEAP AS the Scions (if not cheaper) and is a newer model. The Yaris isn't as sharp to drive, or as nice inside, but it's better on gas IIRC, and it has cruise. (The Scions never had this)

Also, anything I should be worried about with these cars? I need something reliable and good on gas for school and work.

There's an '07 Yaris "S" with 69K listed at $7695. How much would you guys pay for this? (and how much DID you guys pay for yours?) The car has been sitting, and he seems to not be able to get rid of it.

2o6 · 03-02-2012, 09:18 PM

Whoops, I think this may be in the wrong subforum.

Black_griffin6 · 03-02-2012, 10:16 PM

I say buy a Yaris and throw a good set of coilovers on it, it will make it a million times more fun to drive.

Or get one of the scion's. The Yaris is basically the same car as the xA and 1st gen xB aside from some very minor differences like equipment, looks, ect.
In terms of reliability? Well Toyota has a worldwide reputation for quality and reliability, and i'm sure everyone here will back that claim up.

I can't really help you out too much with the 07 Yaris you're contemplating buying, mine was new and was 13k brand new...
I'd say go ask if you could take it to your mechanic, check and see if it's been well taken care of and that nothing major needs to be done.
Generally, the Yaris is one of the cheapest cars to own as it's very reliable and won't cost you any major repairs as long as you take care of it.

2o6 · 03-02-2012, 10:34 PM

I think I can get this particular example of a Yaris for under 7K.

I like the Yaris, mostly because the car and platform is all new. The Scions are the old Echo underneath, whereas the Yaris is a newer, stiffer platform.

I will have to negotiate with the Yaris and see what happens next. If I can't get the price I want, I will walk.

mryaris · 03-02-2012, 11:15 PM

I'd say $7K for a 69K mile Yaris is a good price. It'll give you years of reliable service on the cheap.

2o6 · 03-02-2012, 11:39 PM

I guess so. I'm a cheap guy, which is why the xA is so appealing to me. I also prefer hatchbacks, too.

bentjazz · 03-02-2012, 11:45 PM

2o6,

The Yaris is about as reliable a car you will find in the subcompact arena. A lot of people like to bash the Yaris for a bunch of reasons, but one thing they can't take away from it is its reliability record. JD Powers ranked it the most reliable subcompact in its most recent survey, and the Echo/Yaris has been and is at the top of the reliability list among all cars.
I used to have a 1999 Corolla, bought it when it was around 8 years old, and had it around 4 years with zero trouble. You can't go wrong with Toyota. Every American car I've had has sucked, and the worst car I've ever owned was a VW Golf. Will never own another VW. Ever.
So, I say either the xA or Yaris would suit you just fine.

2o6 · 03-02-2012, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bentjazz

2o6,

The Yaris is about as reliable a car you will find in the subcompact arena. A lot of people like to bash the Yaris for a bunch of reasons, but one thing they can't take away from it is its reliability record. JD Powers ranked it the most reliable subcompact in its most recent survey, and the Echo/Yaris has been and is at the top of the reliability list among all cars.
I used to have a 1999 Corolla, bought it when it was around 8 years old, and had it around 4 years with zero trouble. You can't go wrong with Toyota. Every American car I've had has sucked, and the worst car I've ever owned was a VW Golf. Will never own another VW. Ever.
So, I say either the xA or Yaris would suit you just fine.

Aargh, i'm just so torn! There's an xA and a Yaris that I both have my eye on. I don't know which to go for!

mr_miles · 03-03-2012, 01:13 AM

Either is a good choice! I like my Yaris but I like my friends xA also! lol...

bentjazz · 03-03-2012, 01:15 AM

2o6,

It's a tough call, for sure. One thing to consider is they don't make the xA anymore, so if any body issues ever came up you might have a problem. I'm no expert, however. The only regret I have with my Yaris purchase is that I didn't buy a manual. But I'm content with my automatic.
If they still made the xA, and I had a choice to buy an xA or Yaris, I'd probably go with the xA. They are such sharp subcompacts and it sucks they no longer are available. I saw a dark gray xA with dark gray hubcaps the other day. Oh man, what a sharp car. Really nice.
Another thing to consider is the mileage on each car. I'd tend to gravitate toward the car with lower miles, and if the Yaris has significantly lower miles than the xA, I'd probably go that route.
It's a tough call. Glad I'm not in your shoes! Ha. Good luck and let us know what you decide. If you decide to go with the Yaris, this site is great. Lots of really knowledgeable people here (myself not included).

sex · 03-03-2012, 04:36 AM

The '07 yaris has a few known issues such as water pump leakage, alternator corrosion, and abs sensor corrosion. All can be fixed but you're not looking to spend more money. Sounds like you're leaning towards the xA and it's already cheaper. However, I'm not aware of xA issues so you're on your own with that

2o6 · 03-03-2012, 01:13 PM

I'm so indecisive.

There's a 2004 Matrix (5MT, cruise and everything with 81K) listing for $6900.

Yaris, xA, Matrix? AAAUGHGHGHGH

why? · 03-03-2012, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sex

The '07 yaris has a few known issues such as water pump leakage, alternator corrosion, and abs sensor corrosion. All can be fixed but you're not looking to spend more money. Sounds like you're leaning towards the xA and it's already cheaper. However, I'm not aware of xA issues so you're on your own with that

none of those issues are anywhere near a major concern though. A very few owners have had that happen.
---------------

Get whichever one has fewer miles and is less to buy. Both have decent aftermarket support to make them more fun to drive and both are Toyota's so they have great reliability.

brg88tx · 03-04-2012, 08:43 AM

although the xa and yaris have the same engine, i think i read somewhere that the yaris has a slightly taller high gear giving it better gas mileage at high speeds like 70+.

maybe something to consider if you do a bunch of highway driving.

Yury · 03-04-2012, 06:56 PM

Your Focus seems neglected in the past, and with 140 on the clock you got it next to nothing I presume. But all the items you are listing are pretty normal and fixable, so you may have to do some math there. A clutch is a clutch, focus or not. I had to it in on a civic way before 140k and bunch of other things you listed too. And these are supposed to be reliable.
Another example - my Prelude is at 140.000 km...one of the bearings was replaced already, 2 ball joints and a timing belt/water pump too (and trust me, its more that 450$...at least 700$ at an independent garage and 900$ at a dealer). Some seals too, due to leakage. One of the motor mounts is starting to go south. So your Focus is not that far off.

Granted, a Yaris at 69k will hold better, in theory. But that's enough miles to beat a car to hell and back. And it will be more expensive, because you will not get back the money you put in the focus.
So...do some math and account for risks (neglect, unreported accidents etc) that come with any used car.

2o6 · 03-04-2012, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yury

Your Focus seems neglected in the past, and with 140 on the clock you got it next to nothing I presume. But all the items you are listing are pretty normal and fixable, so you may have to do some math there. A clutch is a clutch, focus or not. I had to it in on a civic way before 140k and bunch of other things you listed too. And these are supposed to be reliable.
Another example - my Prelude is at 140.000 km...one of the bearings was replaced already, 2 ball joints and a timing belt/water pump too (and trust me, its more that 450$...at least 700$ at an independent garage and 900$ at a dealer). Some seals too, due to leakage. One of the motor mounts is starting to go south. So your Focus is not that far off.

Granted, a Yaris at 69k will hold better, in theory. But that's enough miles to beat a car to hell and back. And it will be more expensive, because you will not get back the money you put in the focus.
So...do some math and account for risks (neglect, unreported accidents etc) that come with any used car.

It still has 150K, and is coming up on other repairs after that, too. The likelyhood and rate of these things failing and repairs happening on a much newer car with lower miles is far lower. (There are other problems that I haven't even listed in the OP)

I'd rather get a newer car than sinking money into a car that seems to keep breaking no matter how hard I try.

2o6 · 03-05-2012, 02:23 PM

Made an offer on the Yaris, guy took $6700. Out the door, comes up to $7300.

Just need to talk to the bank, and I hopefully should be in a new car this weekend!

09sedan · 03-05-2012, 02:42 PM

first thing you do when u get the yaris is go to the rear tires, unhook the ABS connectors, and spray some electrical contact cleaner/grease in there.. that alone will keep any future headaches from happening, before you buy it, look around the water pump for pink crust.. if there is then water pump needs to be replaced!. also listen close to alternator to check if its making any weird noises.. other then that you should be good to go!

03-02-2012, 09:15 PM	#1
2o6 Drives: 2007 Liftback Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 164	Yaris, Yaris, what should I know? Not sure where I should post this, but I'm in the market for another car. Right now, I own a 2000 Ford Focus ZTS (5-speed manual) that I love to drive, but it's turning out to be an unreliable heap. Granted, I did buy the car with 140K (in may of last year) and I'm now up to 10K. In 10K, I have averaged around $200 a month in repairs. I've replaced the: - Struts, shocks and springs; $350 (upgraded to SVT Focus spec, though) - Brake shoes and parking brake line (which ended up breaking again); $400 - Wheel bearing; $300, and a mechanic screwed it up in a such a fashion that now my brakes act screwy - Wheels and tires - $300; I had TWO lug studs break off and ruin a wheel. - Front halfshafts - $400 Plus other problems that I can't even rememeber right now. And it hasn't even been a year yet. And it still needs - Timing belt, water pump - at least $450 - Clutch (in the near future) - at least $650 - Front ball joints? (Still unsure if needs fixed, but that is what is looking likely) - Wheel bearing - E-brake line (which actually I fixed in June, but then it broke again in September) - possible heater fan, it occationally decides to cut in and out I set it on a hill the other day, and I felt and watched the car jerk and jump backwards. With the amount of repairs needed on this car, It doesn't seem cost-effective to keep putting $$$ in this car, especially at the rate of things breaking. (Ball joint came up on me a few days ago) Anyways, I have a budget of around $8000, and most of the cars are crapola (Cobalt, Aveo) too undesirable (Accent/Rio) or too old (Civic). However, I noticed that the Scions and Yaris seem to be right in this price range, especially the xA. I drove an xA, and I fell in love. It's not as good to drive as the Focus, but it's entertaining in it's own right. And the one I drove had reasonable miles and was 2K under budget, before any negotiating. However, the Yaris, especailly the sedan is AS CHEAP AS the Scions (if not cheaper) and is a newer model. The Yaris isn't as sharp to drive, or as nice inside, but it's better on gas IIRC, and it has cruise. (The Scions never had this) Also, anything I should be worried about with these cars? I need something reliable and good on gas for school and work. There's an '07 Yaris "S" with 69K listed at $7695. How much would you guys pay for this? (and how much DID you guys pay for yours?) The car has been sitting, and he seems to not be able to get rid of it.

03-02-2012, 11:15 PM	#5
mryaris Drives: 2010 Carmine Red hatchback Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Colorful Colorado Posts: 208	I'd say $7K for a 69K mile Yaris is a good price. It'll give you years of reliable service on the cheap. __________________

03-04-2012, 06:56 PM	#15
Yury Drives: 2008 5 Door Liftback Auto Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 157	Your Focus seems neglected in the past, and with 140 on the clock you got it next to nothing I presume. But all the items you are listing are pretty normal and fixable, so you may have to do some math there. A clutch is a clutch, focus or not. I had to it in on a civic way before 140k and bunch of other things you listed too. And these are supposed to be reliable. Another example - my Prelude is at 140.000 km...one of the bearings was replaced already, 2 ball joints and a timing belt/water pump too (and trust me, its more that 450$...at least 700$ at an independent garage and 900$ at a dealer). Some seals too, due to leakage. One of the motor mounts is starting to go south. So your Focus is not that far off. Granted, a Yaris at 69k will hold better, in theory. But that's enough miles to beat a car to hell and back. And it will be more expensive, because you will not get back the money you put in the focus. So...do some math and account for risks (neglect, unreported accidents etc) that come with any used car. __________________ 1999 Honda Prelude Base 5 speed (summer driver) 2008 5 Door Liftback Auto

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03-02-2012, 09:18 PM	#2
2o6 Drives: 2007 Liftback Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 164	Whoops, I think this may be in the wrong subforum.

03-02-2012, 10:16 PM	#3
Black_griffin6 View User's Garage Drives: 09 Meteoric Metallic 3 door HB Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Atlanta Georgia Posts: 419	I say buy a Yaris and throw a good set of coilovers on it, it will make it a million times more fun to drive. Or get one of the scion's. The Yaris is basically the same car as the xA and 1st gen xB aside from some very minor differences like equipment, looks, ect. In terms of reliability? Well Toyota has a worldwide reputation for quality and reliability, and i'm sure everyone here will back that claim up. I can't really help you out too much with the 07 Yaris you're contemplating buying, mine was new and was 13k brand new... I'd say go ask if you could take it to your mechanic, check and see if it's been well taken care of and that nothing major needs to be done. Generally, the Yaris is one of the cheapest cars to own as it's very reliable and won't cost you any major repairs as long as you take care of it.

03-02-2012, 10:34 PM	#4
2o6 Drives: 2007 Liftback Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 164	I think I can get this particular example of a Yaris for under 7K. I like the Yaris, mostly because the car and platform is all new. The Scions are the old Echo underneath, whereas the Yaris is a newer, stiffer platform. I will have to negotiate with the Yaris and see what happens next. If I can't get the price I want, I will walk.

03-02-2012, 11:39 PM	#6
2o6 Drives: 2007 Liftback Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 164	I guess so. I'm a cheap guy, which is why the xA is so appealing to me. I also prefer hatchbacks, too.

03-02-2012, 11:45 PM	#7
bentjazz Drives: 2009 Yaris--3dr MT Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Ohio Posts: 541	2o6, The Yaris is about as reliable a car you will find in the subcompact arena. A lot of people like to bash the Yaris for a bunch of reasons, but one thing they can't take away from it is its reliability record. JD Powers ranked it the most reliable subcompact in its most recent survey, and the Echo/Yaris has been and is at the top of the reliability list among all cars. I used to have a 1999 Corolla, bought it when it was around 8 years old, and had it around 4 years with zero trouble. You can't go wrong with Toyota. Every American car I've had has sucked, and the worst car I've ever owned was a VW Golf. Will never own another VW. Ever. So, I say either the xA or Yaris would suit you just fine.

03-03-2012, 01:13 AM	#9
mr_miles Drives: 2013 Yaris Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 914	Either is a good choice! I like my Yaris but I like my friends xA also! lol...

03-03-2012, 01:15 AM	#10
bentjazz Drives: 2009 Yaris--3dr MT Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Ohio Posts: 541	2o6, It's a tough call, for sure. One thing to consider is they don't make the xA anymore, so if any body issues ever came up you might have a problem. I'm no expert, however. The only regret I have with my Yaris purchase is that I didn't buy a manual. But I'm content with my automatic. If they still made the xA, and I had a choice to buy an xA or Yaris, I'd probably go with the xA. They are such sharp subcompacts and it sucks they no longer are available. I saw a dark gray xA with dark gray hubcaps the other day. Oh man, what a sharp car. Really nice. Another thing to consider is the mileage on each car. I'd tend to gravitate toward the car with lower miles, and if the Yaris has significantly lower miles than the xA, I'd probably go that route. It's a tough call. Glad I'm not in your shoes! Ha. Good luck and let us know what you decide. If you decide to go with the Yaris, this site is great. Lots of really knowledgeable people here (myself not included).

03-03-2012, 04:36 AM	#11
sex View User's Garage Drives: 09 5DR Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NY Posts: 310	The '07 yaris has a few known issues such as water pump leakage, alternator corrosion, and abs sensor corrosion. All can be fixed but you're not looking to spend more money. Sounds like you're leaning towards the xA and it's already cheaper. However, I'm not aware of xA issues so you're on your own with that

03-03-2012, 01:13 PM	#12
2o6 Drives: 2007 Liftback Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 164	I'm so indecisive. There's a 2004 Matrix (5MT, cruise and everything with 81K) listing for $6900. Yaris, xA, Matrix? AAAUGHGHGHGH

03-04-2012, 08:43 AM	#14
brg88tx Drives: 07 Yaris Sedan, Auto Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: SE Texas Posts: 327	although the xa and yaris have the same engine, i think i read somewhere that the yaris has a slightly taller high gear giving it better gas mileage at high speeds like 70+. maybe something to consider if you do a bunch of highway driving.

03-05-2012, 02:23 PM	#17
2o6 Drives: 2007 Liftback Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 164	Made an offer on the Yaris, guy took $6700. Out the door, comes up to $7300. Just need to talk to the bank, and I hopefully should be in a new car this weekend!

03-05-2012, 02:42 PM	#18
09sedan Drives: 2009 yaris sedan Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: toronto Posts: 141	first thing you do when u get the yaris is go to the rear tires, unhook the ABS connectors, and spray some electrical contact cleaner/grease in there.. that alone will keep any future headaches from happening, before you buy it, look around the water pump for pink crust.. if there is then water pump needs to be replaced!. also listen close to alternator to check if its making any weird noises.. other then that you should be good to go!