Looking To Buy A Yaris

[yari5]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking to buy a Yaris as a cheap commute to work as I am whacking the mileage on my Italian sports car. I'm looking to buy the first edition model from 1999 onwards.

Has anyone got any advice on what to look for before I buy one this comming week. Any advice would be really helpful

Cheers

Sean

[Madasafish]

see.. http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/toyota/yaris-1999/

[Cyker]

If it is just used for a long commute, see if you can get a diesel one; You can get over 600 miles out of a tank on A-road and motorway runs

The diesel ones are quite rare tho' (read expensive :( ) and you need to look for one at least 2003 as the older ones have a known fault with the head gasket and it can be hard to know whether it had the fix if you get an older one.

If it's a city commute then the 1.0L will be enough and is also super economical. They're also much cheaper as there're loads of them

Both are very cheap to insure too! (Unless, like me, you're being shafted by the insurance companies )

[yari5]

If it is just used for a long commute, see if you can get a diesel one; You can get over 600 miles out of a tank on A-road and motorway runs

The diesel ones are quite rare tho' (read expensive :( ) and you need to look for one at least 2003 as the older ones have a known fault with the head gasket and it can be hard to know whether it had the fix if you get an older one.

If it's a city commute then the 1.0L will be enough and is also super economical. They're also much cheaper as there're loads of them

Both are very cheap to insure too! (Unless, like me, you're being shafted by the insurance companies )

Many thanks for the advice, I am tempted to get 1.0 ltr car as I'll only be doing a 60 mile round trip to work, mainly using 'A' and 'B' roads.

[yari5]

see.. http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/toyota/yaris-1999/

Great website, cheers ;)

[Lorna2]

Many thanks for the advice, I am tempted to get 1.0 ltr car as I'll only be doing a 60 mile round trip to work, mainly using 'A' and 'B' roads.

I've got a 1.0 ltr Yaris and I find it nippy enough,it doesn't feel lacking in power.Its my second Yaris and I'm planning on changing for another one later this year- so obviously I've been happy enough with them. I never needed any work done on them,except servicing of course.Your commute would be no bother for a 1.0. Both my Yarises have been petrol.

[Madasafish]

My son commutes 40 miles daily in a 1.0 Yaris..(2001). which has done over 110k miles - so just run in. Mixed fast A roads (dual cabbageways) and B roads..No problems at all...

[yari5]

Many thanks for the advice, I am tempted to get 1.0 ltr car as I'll only be doing a 60 mile round trip to work, mainly using 'A' and 'B' roads.

I've got a 1.0 ltr Yaris and I find it nippy enough,it doesn't feel lacking in power.Its my second Yaris and I'm planning on changing for another one later this year- so obviously I've been happy enough with them. I never needed any work done on them,except servicing of course.Your commute would be no bother for a 1.0. Both my Yarises have been petrol.

Thats really good to know, I was worried that 1.0ltr would be a little under powered. I dont plan to drive briskly as long as the car can cope with doing 55 to 60mph ish on the 'A' roads or 70 to 75mph ish on the motorway I'll be happy. Gone are those days when i used to race around. lol

[yari5]

My son commutes 40 miles daily in a 1.0 Yaris..(2001). which has done over 110k miles - so just run in. Mixed fast A roads (dual cabbageways) and B roads..No problems at all...

Really good to know that there are no problems and that all that they need is just regular servicing, I have heard that they last well into over the 200,000 mile mark and at that stage all that they need is the cam chain to be changed. Is that true?

[Madasafish]

My son commutes 40 miles daily in a 1.0 Yaris..(2001). which has done over 110k miles - so just run in. Mixed fast A roads (dual cabbageways) and B roads..No problems at all...

Really good to know that there are no problems and that all that they need is just regular servicing, I have heard that they last well into over the 200,000 mile mark and at that stage all that they need is the cam chain to be changed. Is that true?

You only need to change the cam chain when they are noisy.. and believe me they can get noisy when worn.. No mistaking it..

I've done one change - the parts alone including tensioners are about £175.. With an older car, the economics of paying for someone to do it are hard to justify - c £500-£600 all in.

[Hartside]

We changed my wife's 2000 plate to a 1.3 as we found the 1.0 a bit lacking (sorry 1.0 owners, just my opinion!) Would run out of steam on a long hill and never felt it was up to a safe A or B road overtake. That said, the fuel efficiency was spot on, comfort was fine etc

[Cyker]

That's why I love the D4D; More economical than the 1.0 but pulls harder than the 1.3 :D

The cons are that it doesn't like being driven <1500rpm ALL the time as soot starts to build up (So not a great choice for 100% city driving unless you run it exclusively on V-Power Diesel, 'tho even just one fast run a week will keep it clear) and the initial cost is higher.

[Hartside]

That's why we got a petrol 1.3. My two previous cars have been diesels and I had no end of trouble with EGR valves and soot issues

[Cherry Red Pocket Rocket]

I give my one litre a lot of boot and stick sometimes. Apart from a couple of niggles its been reliable and good fun over the last three years and 50,000 miles later! It can go up to 90mph too but I find 80mph is adequate and it handles it quite well. Its got variable valve timing too so punches well above its weight and the insurance is cheap!

[Cyker]

Actually, if it is is just a one-man commute and non-motorway then the Aygo is worth looking at too.

I much prefer the extra pull and squishy handling of my Yaris on the motorway and fast hilly roads but on flat dual-carriage ways and bendy narrow roads the Aygo is a lot of fun :)

[yari5]

My son commutes 40 miles daily in a 1.0 Yaris..(2001). which has done over 110k miles - so just run in. Mixed fast A roads (dual cabbageways) and B roads..No problems at all...

Really good to know that there are no problems and that all that they need is just regular servicing, I have heard that they last well into over the 200,000 mile mark and at that stage all that they need is the cam chain to be changed. Is that true?

You only need to change the cam chain when they are noisy.. and believe me they can get noisy when worn.. No mistaking it..

I've done one change - the parts alone including tensioners are about £175.. With an older car, the economics of paying for someone to do it are hard to justify - c £500-£600 all in.

Thats good. I'm pretty good with a spanner, its good to know that you can do it yourself. I'll have to get myself a wrokshop manual.

[yari5]

I give my one litre a lot of boot and stick sometimes. Apart from a couple of niggles its been reliable and good fun over the last three years and 50,000 miles later! It can go up to 90mph too but I find 80mph is adequate and it handles it quite well. Its got variable valve timing too so punches well above its weight and the insurance is cheap!

Nice one, good to know B)

[Madasafish]

My son commutes 40 miles daily in a 1.0 Yaris..(2001). which has done over 110k miles - so just run in. Mixed fast A roads (dual cabbageways) and B roads..No problems at all...

Really good to know that there are no problems and that all that they need is just regular servicing, I have heard that they last well into over the 200,000 mile mark and at that stage all that they need is the cam chain to be changed. Is that true?

You only need to change the cam chain when they are noisy.. and believe me they can get noisy when worn.. No mistaking it..

I've done one change - the parts alone including tensioners are about £175.. With an older car, the economics of paying for someone to do it are hard to justify - c £500-£600 all in.

Thats good. I'm pretty good with a spanner, its good to know that you can do it yourself. I'll have to get myself a wrokshop manual.

You need a breaker bar to remove the crankshaft pulley.. plus a jack to hold up the engine after you have removed the driver side engine support bracket.

Nothing difficult.. or complex. Haynes is pretty good...

[yari5]

Just brought my Yaris yesterday, its a 1.0ltr on a 51 plate. Its red with 100,000 miles on the clock. Only paid £950 pounds for it. Its in really good condition and just needs a little tlc here and there. I'm the 3rd owner.

Drove it 50 miles home and various roads and conditions and it feels absolutely tight and spot on, took it to 80mph going up a hill and it absolutely feels fine. Such a nice little car to drive.

I plan to do a major service on the car next week on my hols. Just to be safe are the cam chains fine until they get noisy? The car ticks over lovely and runs fine.

Many thanks to everyone who gave me their experience on owning a Yaris :D

[yari5]

Just brought my Yaris yesterday, its a 1.0ltr on a 51 plate. Its red with 100,000 miles on the clock. Only paid £950 pounds for it. Its in really good condition and just needs a little tlc here and there. I'm the 3rd owner.

Drove it 50 miles home and various roads and conditions and it feels absolutely tight and spot on, took it to 80mph going up a hill and it absolutely feels fine. Such a nice little car to drive.

I plan to do a major service on the car next week on my hols. Just to be safe are the cam chains fine until they get noisy? The car ticks over lovely and runs fine.

Many thanks to everyone who gave me their experience on owning a Yaris :D

[Madasafish]

plan to do a major service on the car next week on my hols. Just to be safe are the cam chains fine until they get noisy? The car ticks over lovely and runs fine.

If you cannot hear the cams, they are fine. If the chain is worn, it WILL rattle - especially at startup when oil pressure is low (the tensioner is driven by oil pressure).

Check the auxiliary drive belt for cracks. If it has power steering then changing the belt means removal of the engine mount and jacking the engine under the sump. (Not difficult).

.Check the radiator fins for corrosion: at that age they tend to corrode and bits falls off. The side seams also start to corrode and leak.

[yari5]

Hello Michael,

The auxillary belt is good, and the car doesnt rattle when started up after being 'cold' with no noise of the cams or cam chain. The radiator may need replacing as it has lost some fins, but no crystalisation anywhere on the radiator or hoses.

All that I have to do is give the car a full valet and polish and the usual service tlc.

With my Alfa Gtv there is independant Alfa specialists that fit genuine parts but a fraction of the labour costs from a main dealer, is there any for Toyota?

Cheers

Sean

[Madasafish]

Hi Sean

There are lots of independents supplying parts. (GSF, eBay, japarts etc)... but I don't know of any independent garages specialising in Toyotas.. largely because they are very reliable.. unlike Alfas:-)