Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question!

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Fri 31 Jan 2014 20:21
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Dabooka
Aye up, in need of some opinions to either assist me in making a decision or cloud my judgement further and add to the conundrum!

Right, for reasons to boring to go into, the wife and I are looking at trading in our current Toyota against (probably) a new Yaris. Currently we're tied to Toyota for a couple of reasons, the main one being the issue with the trade in.

So my questions is, as we're right on the cusp of annual 'diesel' mileage, about 15k, do we go diesel, petrol or hybrid? I know it's not a straight forward decision based purely on mileage, but for added info it's a 35 mile commute with some stop start towards the end of the journey. We like diesels and the way they drive, but I wonder what the collective think. Also the hybrid seems to be quite well spec'd

Can anyone offer opinion, either on car, spec or engine? Again I know it's subjective but that's part the fun!

Later I'll be after advice about haggling and buying new, I'm new to it and the missus hasn't bought new since 2002.

Cheers,

Dabooka
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 31 Jan 2014 20:42
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - retgwte

buy a hyundai i20 or suzuki swift instead, both much better cars, and use the money you save to have a nice holiday

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 31 Jan 2014 21:00
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Dabooka

buy a hyundai i20 or suzuki swift instead, both much better cars, and use the money you save to have a nice holiday

Love the Swift, that'll likely replace my Note, but the enhanced trade in value means we're stuck to Toyota on this one. Cheaper car but less trade in and less residual value.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 31 Jan 2014 21:43
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - galileo

buy a hyundai i20 or suzuki swift instead, both much better cars, and use the money you save to have a nice holiday

Love the Swift, that'll likely replace my Note, but the enhanced trade in value means we're stuck to Toyota on this one. Cheaper car but less trade in and less residual value.

I got a better price to sell to them from 2 independent dealers for my Corolla than I was offered as trade-in against a new one from theToyota main dealer.

Shop around and you may be surprised. As suggested, see what deal you are offered at Hyundai and Suzuki.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 31 Jan 2014 22:01
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Dabooka
Right, currently we're being offered the thick end of £1500 above typical trade in due to ongoing problems they've been unable to resolve. That value is also stands against approved used on the forecourt and isn't subject to finance deals or anything. Granted, that's currently against ticket prices but the haggling is yet to start!

So if I were to go for another marque it'd reduce the trade in quite a bit plus put a faulty car back into the market. At least these guys know what the problem is they're getting, and I kind of respect them for that. And to be honest, Toyota have been great throughout, all things considered, so for her car the missus is taken by another Toyota.

Me, I like the AWD Swift but that's for another day!

Dabooka

Edited by Dabooka on 31/01/2014 at 22:02

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 31 Jan 2014 22:31
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Avant

So - clearly it needs to be a new Toyota, as you explained at the beginning, so let's stick to that. Nothing wrong with Toyotas: my elder daughter had four consecutive 1.3 Yarises, and has a Hyundai i10 now only because it was much cheaper.

When I've test-driven Toyotas, or driven my daughter's, I've always found them better to drive than the road tests in magazines imply - largely because most of us don't spend our time barrelling round twisty B-roads.

Is your commute mainly urban or on motorways? The more urban or suburban the more a hybrid will suit you: they are great in town but less at home on motorways when the petrol engine and CVT combine to make a frenetic high-revving din. The hybrid is of course CVT only so if SWMBO prefers a manual, avoid it.

If it's petrol v diesel, you have to do the sums and set off the lower purchase price of the petrol, and higher price of diesel fuel, with the economy of the diesel. Qite a few of us on here, including HJ, think that the days of superior diesel residual value are numbered.

Anyway go and get some test drives if you haven't already, and you may find that one of them is preferable, You have the Auris as well if the Yaris is too small: maybe a good idea if you're thinking about a Swift as a second car (nice car to drive but a tiny boot).

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 31 Jan 2014 23:38
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Ethan Edwards

I do 18500 miles a year mostly 35m drives with a lot of stop start at the end. I use a hybrid yaris. My 62 plate one now has 25.k on it. So similar to the op. I have had a 1.33 yaris as a courtesy car so I am up on my yaris' . I would say test the diesel and the hybrid. Forget the petrol one its quick but too thirsty. That said I love my hybrid and wouldn't swap it. Forgot to mention my commute is on the A-12 so a fast trip. Oh and I have the T- spirit one. CVT isn't that noisy either.

Edited by Ethan Edwards on 31/01/2014 at 23:43

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 1 Feb 2014 08:34
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - jc2

What part of the A 12 do you do a fast trip on?-it's only clear near us in the middle of the night.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 1 Feb 2014 14:44
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - KB.

May I ask Ethan to add a bit more detail on the different models of Yaris he's driven. When I finally get shot of my Hyundai i10 auto the Yaris is very much one of the options I'd look closely at. I'm currently getting a maximum 32 mpg (and and a minimum of 27mpg) out of the i10...but admittedly it is a torque converter auto and does short trips quite often. Of course the new i10 is now available and would be on the list of possibilities but given my past experience with Hyundai UK Customer Service with two i10's I might struggle to give them any more of my money as a matter of principle. They seem to have carried the same 1.2 engine and gearboxes over from the original...I was hoping they'd have offered a more efficient auto and a more fuel efficient engine as is offered by much of the competitors. And I hope they've sorted out the clutch gremlins that plagued many owners.

Re. the Yaris ideally it would be automatic again - which limits it to the CVT petrol or the Hybrid hence my being inteested in Ethan's experience.... I've had the Mk 1Yaris petrols (man & auto) as well as the Mk 1 diesel and enjoyed them all (except the one litre version) and have faith in Toyota based on experience gained more than 10 years ago - but it might have changed since? Current reviews of the Yaris aren't universally glowing and I'd be pleased to her first hand from someone with experience.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 1 Feb 2014 17:33
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Ethan Edwards

My own 62 plate yaris hybrid t-spirit and a couple of 1.33 petrol ones which were 6 speed manuals, as courtesy cars all very new. Think the last one was a special edition Trend? Not driven a diesel one yet which is why i suggested you test one. Mpg on the hybrid varies from 67.6 to 53.4 for me. Whereas the manual gave me 48mpg. I found the normal seats a bit basic compared to my hybrid. Comfy enough just not that supportive. I read reviews as well but you have to rely on your own views. Overall I find the hybrid a nice place to be.

A-12 yes know what you mean but I travel away from London in the morning and towards London in the evening. So yep fast. I'd hate to do it the other way round!

Edited by Ethan Edwards on 01/02/2014 at 17:45

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 1 Feb 2014 19:21
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - johnnyrev
Another vote for the hybrid from me, our 13 plate T4 is doing a great job. It is quite well specced, only really missing sat nav (extra £600), and all works very well, particularly the Bluetooth and climate control.

Really good to drive, smooth, quiet and relaxing, it feels like a much bigger car. I have done a few longer journeys recently and have been really impressed with the lack of noise on motorways. A lot of reports say the CVT is whiny and noisy but I disagree, you get lots of revs if you floor the accelerator which seems odd but you get used to it and speed soon catches up and the revs drop.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 Feb 2014 09:12
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Dabooka

UPDATE

Hi everyone and thanks for the comments. Two things, firstly my take on the Yaris.

I drove the 1.33 back to the dealership yesterday, mainly urban but with a little A road stretch. Nice enough car (quite a lot of wind noise though), but utterly pointless in my view with the 1.33 and 6 speed box. The gears are all in the wrong place for me, all ratios seem to close and it didn't take well at times to being in the 'wrong' one. We had the hybrid as one of our many courtesy cars and enjoyed that (I increasingly like autos!) but it's that issue of validity on a longer run. Finally we took the 1.4 out (albeit in an Auris) and as expected much more comfortable to drive. If nothing else I think we've convinced ourselves the diesel is the one for us.

The second, and more interesting point, was in the negotiations. Basically the enhanced trade-in offer comes at the cost of no discount from list price, as there's 'not the room to move' as we've had the money against the px! A financial sleight of hand on the scale of Nick Leeson it isn't, although the game isn't over as yet as we're expecting some form of communication as to how their wishing to proceed tomorrow.

The good news is it opens up pretty much everything again on the car front. Oh joy, car buying what a hoot.....

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 Feb 2014 09:42
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - gordonbennet

Dabooka, i don't much like the sound of the enhanced trade in being subject to full list price, sounds like that dealership want their cake and eat it...presumably this is the dealership?

Are Toyota UK aware of the ongoing, seemingly unsolvable, problems with your current car, if not i might be inclined to get in touch with them and see if they can come up with something regarding a bit of fairer treatment to stay with the brand, possibly at another dealer.

If i understand the situation correctly, this particular dealer wouldn't have to worry about me ever darkening their doorstep again and i would be letting Toyota Uk know that too.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 Feb 2014 09:54
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Dabooka

Dabooka, i don't much like the sound of the enhanced trade in being subject to full list price, sounds like that dealership want their cake and eat it...presumably this is the dealership?

Are Toyota UK aware of the ongoing, seemingly unsolvable, problems with your current car, if not i might be inclined to get in touch with them and see if they can come up with something regarding a bit of fairer treatment to stay with the brand, possibly at another dealer.

If i understand the situation correctly, this particular dealer wouldn't have to worry about me ever darkening their doorstep again and i would be letting Toyota Uk know that too.

It is the dealership, and I too don't exactly see the point of offering me an enhanced tade in as a gesture for the the problems if I'm expected to buy list. Who pays sticker price for a car?!

The ball is in their court now, and it'll be interesting to see how they plan to resolve it. Certainly Toyota UK will be getting to know i n due course if they can't find it to do something. It's a shame really, as all but one staff memebr has been lovely and accomdating as much as possible i terms of their own remit, but it now needs escalating I guess.

And believe me, we're not going in all guns blazing and demanding something for nothing, I just want a reasonable 'way out' for us. Watch this space!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 Feb 2014 11:08
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Simon

The Toyota dealer has got to claw back the extra £1500 somewhere, they aren't going to lose out on any deal that they do. They exist to make a profit, they are only trying to sweeten you up to buy another car off them by taking your problematic car and pretending that they are giving you special treatment. They will most likely just bang your trade-in through the auction and then it will no longer be their problem. Buy whatever you want, from wherever you want, you may find that at the end of the day, that Toyota dealer isn't actually giving you the best deal overall.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 Feb 2014 14:51
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Dabooka

The Toyota dealer has got to claw back the extra £1500 somewhere, they aren't going to lose out on any deal that they do. They exist to make a profit, they are only trying to sweeten you up to buy another car off them by taking your problematic car and pretending that they are giving you special treatment. They will most likely just bang your trade-in through the auction and then it will no longer be their problem. Buy whatever you want, from wherever you want, you may find that at the end of the day, that Toyota dealer isn't actually giving you the best deal overall.

Totally agree, and I'm under no pretence that I'm getting anything special; but you have to play the game don't you?! Until I know for sure it'd be daft to look anywhere else, and as I say up to now they've been great so hopefully it'll continue.....

but I'm naive enough to believe that so I'll not be holding my breath!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 Feb 2014 15:47
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - pd

Last Yaris 1.3 (or 1.33 as they insist on calling it) I drove did about 53mpg on a relatively fast motorway run and an easy 40 around town. It was actually doing these figures as well, rather than an optomistic trip computer. I can't really see it worth going for the diesel or hybdid on those figures.

However, although I've liked Yaris of the past, I'm not a big fan of the current one. It has a poor crashy ride around town and an unpleasant throttle/clutch/gearbox relationship. It is actually a better motorway car than town car. It also feels pretty cheap and nasty inside.

Edited by pd on 02/02/2014 at 15:48

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 Feb 2014 23:01
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Avant

As you say, Dabooka, we can 'watch this space'. We can come up with plenty of suggestions if the Toyota deal turns out not to be compelling.

I do get the impression that Toyota GB are losing their way a bit. The Auris is quite a nice car with the 1.8 petrol or 2.0 diesel engine, but you can't have these in the UK (you can in some other countries). And now they're taking the 2.0 diesel out of the Verso and replacing it with a lower-powered 1.6.

In many other countries the Auris is sill called Corolla - surely a much better name, 'coronet' sounding better than 'ear'.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 3 Feb 2014 09:10
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - oldtoffee

There's £2,000 off a Yaris diesel at drive the deal - maybe your dealer would like to match or better that given your problems they're keen to recognise by way of an "enhanced trade in".

Recently tried to trade in my wife's Fiat 500 at the Fiat dealer and was offered trade price against a new one on PCP. Rejected their "offer" and sold the car to webuyanycar for the same price including their £75 fee. Expected to get hammered down, didn't happen, quite a positive and easy experience. Now shopping around for Yaris size car but no px to tempt the dealer to try to mug us on.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 3 Feb 2014 09:50
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - SteveLee

Recently tried to trade in my wife's Fiat 500 at the Fiat dealer and was offered trade price against a new one on PCP. Rejected their "offer" and sold the car to webuyanycar for the same price including their £75 fee. Expected to get hammered down, didn't happen, quite a positive and easy experience. Now shopping around for Yaris size car but no px to tempt the dealer to try to mug us on.

Why on earth did you give your FIAT 500 away trade? There is a massive demand for them on the secondhand market.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 3 Feb 2014 09:52
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - colinh

"...with the economy of the diesel..."

My last four cars brim-to-brim over 3-year periods:

2.0l manual diesel - 49.3 mpg

2.0l auto diesel - 50.4 mpg

2.0 auto petrol - 37.7 mpg

1.7 hydrid petrol - 54.4 mpg

Similar motoring conditions throughout - rural based, no commuting, long motorway runs, i.e., not ideal hybrid motoring

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 3 Feb 2014 10:19
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - gordonbennet
Similar motoring conditions throughout - rural based, no commuting, long motorway runs, i.e., not ideal hybrid motoring

Thats an interesting comparison, would be interesting if someone who lives in or commutes in a city were to have such meaningful figures for their different cars.

It does sort of justify the economy of my LPG preferences but obviously car needs to be kept for longer in order to get the full benefit from the conversion...factor in loss of warranty unless maker approved/fitted conversion (and i don't know anyone apart from Proton currently offering new) so best done to out of warranty cars.

That 2.0 petrol LPG'd would have returned approx 30/32 mpg on gas but with fuel currently @ 70 to 72p (so long as you avoid main road sites).

Obviously loss of storage/boot space, cost of conversion, and annual service @ around £50 needs consideration.

I too expect to go hybrid when LPG eventually gets hammered by tax.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 8 Feb 2014 14:19
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Dabooka

UPDATE

Just thought I'd say where we currently are.

Not much room for improvement apparently at supplying dealer so instead I've returned the car to be 'fixed' again; thought I'd give them that headache instead, and currently have the 1.3 Yaris outside as a couretsy car (and confirmed I just don't get that engine / 6 spd gearbox combo....).

In the mean time, after looking at the diesel Yaris in the showroom the missus and I seem to have came around to the Auris instead. It is a quite a lot more (for less car which is odd) and inexplicably you can't get cruise control on it like you can the diesel Yaris, but after much thought we think it's a better buy for us in the long term.

An alternative dealer has laready matched the Yaris price, and will be getting a call about the Auris on Monday.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 8 Feb 2014 14:39
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - KB.

UPDATE

Just thought I'd say where we currently are.

Not much room for improvement apparently at supplying dealer so instead I've returned the car to be 'fixed' again; thought I'd give them that headache instead, and currently have the 1.3 Yaris outside as a couretsy car (and confirmed I just don't get that engine / 6 spd gearbox combo....).

In the mean time, after looking at the diesel Yaris in the showroom the missus and I seem to have came around to the Auris instead. It is a quite a lot more (for less car which is odd) and inexplicably you can't get cruise control on it like you can the diesel Yaris, but after much thought we think it's a better buy for us in the long term.

An alternative dealer has laready matched the Yaris price, and will be getting a call about the Auris on Monday.

Can I ask you, Dabooka, to look at the thread entitled "Ford Warranty" which ran from the 1st to the 5th Feb. in which poster "snakey" was most disparaging about the Toyota warranty. His/her posts don't give a great deal of reasoning or detail associated with their displeasure - so would you have anything more constructive to add in view of your own experience?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 8 Feb 2014 14:55
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Dabooka

I have been reading that thread, but it's not been our experience. Yes the car has had a problem which they have struggled to fix, but it's all been done FOC (and this is a '56 plate on +80k miles!) including a courtesy car each time. The service dept have made a few mistakes mind, notably with the last major repair needing to go back in three or four times for various little bits and bobs (a small leak on the water pump for instance). And that's why we were pushing for a bit more of a favourable deal for the new replacement. It seems to be the GM and sales who let the side down to be honest (unsurprisingly). I also find their servicing reasonable and puncture service etc to be nice extras (I must confess to not knowing if that's a standard thing nowadays).

I don't for a minute believe I'd have got that from many of the other manufacturers, Nissan really didn't do themselves any favours with my Note (partly dealership on that occasion), and I've heard some right horror stories about Ford and Vauxhall from family and colleagues.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 8 Feb 2014 16:00
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - KB.

Thanks for that....appreciated.

TBH I was a bit surprised to read of snakey's poor experience and, for one reason or another, haven't attached a vast degree of significance to it given the far greater wealth of user experience which suggests that it was not generally the norm for Toyota to cause rampant dissatisfaction to their customers - both within and outwith warranty.

Both Toyota and Honda had/have a good reputation and having had both from new I have no cause to report otherwise.

I do note that Honda have an excellent 5 year warranty, servicing and breakdown offer on new cars, and so do Ford (remarkably cheap) and Toyota give 5 yrs warrany anyway....but I see Nissan charge significant sums to extend their warraty and servicing to 5 yrs. and I've never has a new Nissan.....or, in fact, any Nissan so have no experience of their dealers, but the new QQ looks promising. Never had a new Vauxhall either, so ditto. What has your experience been?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 8 Feb 2014 16:16
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Dabooka

We bought the Toyota, used, partly due to their rep. The Nissan we bought as at the time my wife got made redundant and lost the company car, so with the redundancy we bought the Note (used). Got a very good deal to be fair, but we are not impressed with them too much at all although our view is skewered by the terrible service at the servicing dealership (different to supplier to be fair). They identified several possible faults, all of which needed investigating apparently, but at a cost, and their idea of investigating was to swap parts out until it was fixed. That was despite being under warranty. Apparently the problems were only 'possible concerns such as a clunky steering on full lock, and therefore not worthy of a warranty claim until after it had been diagnosed and then it depended on the cause!

Supposed 'problems' ignored and just last Monday passed another MOT without a single advisory. I also found their servicing to be pretty poor and quite pricey for such a modest car (1.4 petrol).

Can’t bring myself for Ford or Vauxhall after a colleague’s experience with an Astra VXR and then a Focus ST (both bought new). Nothing but hassle, dealerships did little to assist. The VXR was released with transportation blocks left inside the suspension for weeks and weeks!

I would have no qualms getting a Honda though. We have a long standing family friend who only ever buys them. We did give strong thought to the 1.6 Civic, before settling on the Auris.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 8 Feb 2014 17:09
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - KB.

Thanks for that: all noted.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 11 Feb 2014 12:54
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Snakey

My 'disparaging' comments are perfectly valid as far as I'm concerned. A second hand toyota with FDSH and their alledgedly 'solid gold' warranty developed a fault. First dealer wanted to charge me to look at it - so much for the warranty. Second dealer looked at it 3 times and gave up claiming they would need to compare my car to an indentical model to diagnose. And that was months ago, so I've given up trying to get a resolution from them and gone to an independent 4x4 specialist.

Complained to toyota = no result. Complained to purchasing dealer = no reply.

So for all their saintly reputation I've found them worse than some manufacturers. The reason I posted my comments is I'm sick of everyone talking about toyota being so good with customer service when I've found the opposite!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 11 Feb 2014 18:27
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - gordonbennet

Complained to toyota = no result. Complained to purchasing dealer = no reply.

So for all their saintly reputation I've found them worse than some manufacturers. The reason I posted my comments is I'm sick of everyone talking about toyota being so good with customer service when I've found the opposite!

You remain one of the very few people to report anything but outstanding after sale customer service from Toyota, claim to be aggrieved enough to name the company on a forum, yet seemingly not bothered enough to inform the one person who will, if the company are to blame, act to put things right.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 11 Feb 2014 18:41
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Trilogy

Complained to toyota = no result. Complained to purchasing dealer = no reply.

So for all their saintly reputation I've found them worse than some manufacturers. The reason I posted my comments is I'm sick of everyone talking about toyota being so good with customer service when I've found the opposite!

You remain one of the very few people to report anything but outstanding after sale customer service from Toyota, claim to be aggrieved enough to name the company on a forum, yet seemingly not bothered enough to inform the one person who will, if the company are to blame, act to put things right.

Way back in 1992 I bought a seven year old Corolla GT Twin-Cam, with 60,000 miles on the clock. A few thousand miles later the water pump failed. I took it to Roys of Norwich, then the main dealer. I was asked if it had full Toyota service history. Unfortunately it didn't. If it had, I would only have had to pay for the labour. Even though the car was the mileage and age it was, I was told Toyota would feel the part should not have failed. I went on to have two more, later shape Corollas.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 11 Feb 2014 19:38
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Snakey

Wow, this toyota evangelism is nearly as bad as being a global warming sceptic.

I humbly offer my apologies for offering a counterpoint opinion to the services offered by Mr T.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 11 Feb 2014 22:30
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Dabooka

Wow, this toyota evangelism is nearly as bad as being a global warming sceptic.

I humbly offer my apologies for offering a counterpoint opinion to the services offered by Mr T.

Woah, hang on a bit. Firstly being a global warming scope tic is perfectly acceptable! Secondly, my entire thread is based on a Toyota dealer offering less than stellar customer service; I just happen to feel that it's almost certainly better than what I would've expected from other marques. And I think most of us accept that not everyone is going to be in agreement, as you prove. However, read the board man. We're the minority.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 10 Feb 2014 20:24
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Dabooka

Well, the supplying have been largely hopeless, so they've got it back to fix (again) prior to us probably taing the plunge against a new Auris. Still a little bit of debaitng as to what spec etc, but decided to rule out the Yaris; the Auris is just so much a nicer place to be (althought the Yaris might be ont he cards to replace the Note in a years time).

Probably going for the diesel, not that much in it between that and the hybrid as far as i can see so the oil burner wins.

Quite a scary prospect, buying a new car!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 10 Feb 2014 20:59
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - KB.

You'll be glad to get this debacle sorted!

You don'y need to be told to go in to a new purchase armed with as much information as poss. Compare the very best deals that are available elsewhere (Drive the Deal or Broker for cars or Car-WoW. You can't negotiate on getting extra warranty thrown in as it's already 5 yrs...but maybe a servicing plane for the first 3yrs or even 5yrs? That might not cost them as much as an actual discount as it's largely them that'll do the work and won't cost them too much.

Be interested to see how you get on. Good luck with that.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 11 Feb 2014 20:00
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - GHSAUNDERS40
I really can't fault Toyota's. Sure, I'm often keen to change my Auris to something with a bit more character, but when it comes to the "crunch" I just can't bring myself to do it.

when it does go wrong ( as it does as do all machines) I'm glad it's a Toyota. The dealer back up is superb. Mine is a 57 with nearly 100k on it. Just last week I had an issue with the handbrake. Dropped it off at my local dealer. Got a call to collect the car and they had fixed it FOC. I fully expected to pay for the. Repair, this has happened a few time now when I ask them to look at the car. I'd have a new auris in a heartbeat 9if they put a decent Diesel engine into it!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 11 Feb 2014 20:55
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - KB.

Re. the choice of diesel, I just stumbled across this...

www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motoring/bmw-diesel-new...s

(in case the link doesn't work for some rerason, it says there's a possibility that Toyota will use a BMW sourced diesel engine during 2014).

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 11 Feb 2014 22:25
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Dabooka
Oh dear.

You see I heard this but thought it'd be vapourware or some way off. Now I don't know what to do! We were planning on signing for it on Friday, but now I'm not so sure if it'd be worth waiting.....

Bah!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 11 Feb 2014 23:48
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - KB.
Oh dear. You see I heard this but thought it'd be vapourware or some way off. Now I don't know what to do! We were planning on signing for it on Friday, but now I'm not so sure if it'd be worth waiting..... Bah!



Another brief foray on the interweb threw this up as well....

www.autoblog.com/2013/12/03/toyota-verso-bmw-diese.../

So, it could be in an Auris........or it could be in a Verso......

I bet that's thrown yer :-)

A wise man would say "He who hesitates is lost".
But his mate would say "Buy in haste, repent at leisure"

You really can't win!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 12 Feb 2014 00:59
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Auristocrat

The Autocar article dates from mid-2012, and Auto Express ran something similar at the same time. The Verso has been first to get the 1.6 BMW engine, and there is supposed to be a 2 litre being shared as well.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 12 Feb 2014 11:49
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - misar

Coming to this at the end of a long thread it seems the OP has tied himself in knots. He is dealing with too many simultaneous variables and has the wrong approach to achieving value for money.

On my last purchase of a new car I first sorted out the generic decisions - hatch/saloon, number of doors, manual/auto, petrol/diesel/hybrid - then prepared a shortlist of 3 models which I liked. These were all mainstream, good reviews and specs as close as possible to each other. When approaching the dealers I asked them to quote their on-the-road price after trading in my car. I said how they got there was irrelevant, just tell me the bottom line. That made a final decision based on extras, availability, test drive, etc much easier.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 12 Feb 2014 12:12
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - thunderbird

Never owned a Toyota so no idea if they are reliable or not but having considered Toyotas when we changed our last 2 cars I do know that our 3 local Toyota dealers are possibly the worst I have ever had the pleasure (or not) to visit or speak to.

When I bought a new car in 2008 the Auris 2.0 diesel ticked the boxes. At the time Toyota were doing a 24 hour test drive so I filled in my details on the Toyota website and waited for a call. Eventually our local dealer called and basically said they would not do a 24 hour test drive but could take us out at a pre-arranged time. Not happy with this I contacted Toyota who apologised saying the dealer had been wrong to refuse the 24 hour test drive but since they were not owned by Toyota they could not force them to provide cars for 24 hours, they went on to say a test drive had been arranged for me at our next local dealer who would contact me. When they rang they politely informed me that their demonstrator had just been sold and the replacement would be available in 2 weeks, unfortunately that was after the end of the 24 hour test drive offer so all I would get was a normal test drive. Gave up and bought an alternative which was 100% reliable and cheap to service for 5 1/2 years.

2 1/2 years later the wife was changing her C-Max and the Verso and Avensis Tourer were on her wish list. I popped into the local dealer and had a look at the Verso, all appeared OK except for the fact that you could only get the diesel as a 7 seater (which we did not need) and the 3rd row of seats robbed valuable boot space even when folded (they were not removable). Mrs decided to pop in after work and I told her to make sure she looked at the 7 seater which was outside the door and not the 5 seater in the showroom. The salesman she encountered refused to show her the 7 seater insisting that it was identical to the 5 seater. Not being one to suffer idiots she left rather than have an arguement. Following this I arranged a test drive at the weekend in both the Verso and Avensis at our 3rd closest dealer. I carefully explained what our needs were and asked what kind of test drive we would get. He offered us any one of four routes in both cars which he said were clearly displayed on the showroom wall, they varied from a short city drive to a 30 minute drive out of the city onto A roads and Motorway, we agreed on this route in both cars an a time was arranged. When we got there he met us and explained he was tied up with amnother customer but had arranged for another salesman to help us. After introductions the saleman took us to the Verso first at which point I asked about the route we had agreed, whilst in the showroom I had seen the large map on the wall showing the alternatives. He told me that he would decide where we went and that it was illegal for either myself or the wife to be a passenger in the front. Basically we got a 5 minute drive each in both cars which basically took us out of the retail park around a traffic island and back to the showroom, a total waste of time. We left immediately after the test drives making no comment to the salesman.

The following Monday the saleman I had arranged the drives with rang to find out how it had gone and when we wanted to visit to discuss a deal. When I told him what had occurred he denied all knowledge of our conversation about test drive routes even claiming that the map I had seen on the showroom wall did not exist. I politely told him we did not wish to persue a purchase.

If that is how they treat you before they get your money I would hate to find out how they treat you after.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 12 Feb 2014 12:19
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Snakey

My findings have been that the dealers have been no use for mechanical work - they seem unable to diagnose problems on their own cars.

As for the comments earlier 'yet seemingly not bothered enough to inform the one person who will', I did contact toyota, and the original dealers. Neither could be bothered to reply, and like I said, I've lost interest and can't be bothered to pursue it anymore. If I have to chase this sort of stuff up, then their customer service is pretty poor in my view.

I'm sure there are many people happy with their toyota dealers, and many who are happy with their ford/vauxhall dealers. When it comes to the crunch and something goes wrong then they may find different. I know a few people who use the same dealer as me and they think they're 'lovely' as they only visit for a service once a year and are impressed by the fact they get offered a coffee (which isn't included in the service price of course ;-) )

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 13 Feb 2014 11:28
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Avant

Toyota dealers used to have a good reputation, but they're losing this as more and more of them are being taken over by big chains (including our local one, Octagon of Bracknell).

Toyota GB seem to be losing their way too so no doubt won't care about this.

Edited by Avant on 13/02/2014 at 11:29

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 14 Feb 2014 19:36
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Dabooka
Evening all....

Just thought I'd pop back and say that for better or for worse the missus signed on the line for an Auris this afternoon; delivery expected within 6 weeks or so.

The thread has made for interesting reading, and it did help. If for no other reason it really highlighted that a) there's no substitute for personal experience, and b) it's really about picking the best of a bad bunch!

No doubt we'll experience some problem at some point but hopefully it'll be trivial. Hopefully.

In an unrelated note my step father traded his Santa Fe in today against a pre reg i30. Same dealer same service, he's well pleased.

And remember that post about the poor service getting my Note serviced last year? Keep watching.....
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 14 Feb 2014 20:46
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - KB.

Thanks for troubling to update. Others ask, get answers - and can't be bothered to report back.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 14 Feb 2014 21:07
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - gordonbennet

Thanks for troubling to update. Others ask, get answers - and can't be bothered to report back.

Agreed.

Best of luck with the new car Dabooka, hopefully you'll report on the car in due course?, please.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 14 Feb 2014 22:48
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - daveyK_UK

expecting your Auris to be bullet proof reliability wise.

I did try a Auris and found it to be alittle to cramped for my liking, although no more cramped than the latest ford focus.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 15 Feb 2014 13:44
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Dabooka

Definitely will keep the board updated, it narks me when people post and run!

Regarding the size, I know what you mean but it's the wife's car, she's happy and that's what counts. I find it a little uninspiring but sound enough, but the 0% deal clinched it and took us away from everyone else really.

And to counter balance the issue of reliability and dealer integrity being paramount, I'm getting well curious about the Alfa again!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 2 May 2016 15:14
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - KB.

Over two years since the above thread ran it's course. Dabooka did say he would update and mentioned something about that in the latter most post when he said ..... "it narks me when people post and run!".


Edited by KB. on 02/05/2016 at 15:15

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 5 May 2016 23:55
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - Know your car

Toyota Yaris

For various reasons such as 45 mpg, privacy glass, huge space with seats that fold flat I can sleep in the back, I bought a Toyota Verso if I broke it tomorrow I would buy another one, never said that about a car in fifty years motoring. OK about your Yaris, my Verso had to stay at the Toyota dealer for a couple of days so they lent me a standard Yaris, in my opinion it was not fit for purpose, in fact quite dangerous, it oversteered like made, a fraction of a second looking at the heater control for example and you found yourself halfway across the road, the brakes were so fierce you nearly went through the windscreen. The second car they lent me was a hybrid Yaris ( I think) absolutley brilliant, proper steering and brakes so someone at Toyota design realised the problem. Petrol very good nowadays, much less tax and pollution.

However do look at a Honda Jazz, brilliant in every respect.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 6 May 2016 00:04
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - bathtub tom

Toyota Yaris

the brakes were so fierce you nearly went through the windscreen.

Agreed, but after a couple of years you get used to it. However, if you then step into an old Land Rover with drum brakes and then get back into the Yaris......................................................

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 6 May 2016 01:40
Toyota Yaris 2014 - To buy or not to buy, that is the question! - HandCart

>>"a fraction of a second looking at the heater control for example and you found yourself halfway across the road"

-That'll be that horrible "can't actually go in a straight line, only a series of constant corrections" -type of Electric Power Steering behaviour I mentioned in another thread.

What is it with these systems? Why does one example behave like this and another steer properly? What's going on? Any chance Ecutesting.com understand the issue and can reprogram something to alleviate it?


Reply | Report as offensive | Link