Hi, I've been lurking here for a while. Hope someone can help me. I'm just learning to drive, at the grand old age of 35, & with lessons at £20 per hour, I'm anxious to buy a car and get some hours in with a friend, rather than just with the instructor.
I'm learning in an auto, as I have a dodgy left leg, & I've decided to buy a 5 dr Yaris auto, as it's nice and easy to get in and out of (high seats)
I'm limited as to where I can buy from, because I obviously can't drive it back myself, without someone sat with me, & the only local 'supermarket' type dealer doesn't have any in, & I don't want to wait for months.
I checked on the Toyota website, where you can do a national search, & it came up with several suitable cars. I toddled off to my local frcanchise (less than a mile away) & the saleswoman said she'd get back to me. When she rang, she said that all the ones on the site must have been sold, because the only one available was an 03 reg at £10k (I told her my budget is 8-9k)
The one she found - the only one in the whole country according to her - just happened to be within their 'group' of 2 franchises owned by the same firm. She was quite pushy, but I told her I didn't want it.
Now, I could afford to buy new, I just don't think it's very wise as I'm only learning. I'd be heartbroken if I bumped a brand new car! I don't want to call her a liar, & she said she'd let me know if anything else came up. but not to hold my breath!
I checked the website again today, and there are still several showing as available. What should I do?
Sorry for the long post, but never having bought a car before, I'm pretty much at a loss here, & I don't have anyone knowledgeable to ask. Any advice would be most welcome :)
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Don't know the Toyota website but can you contact the dealers who appear to have what you want directly? If keen for a sale I'm sure they would deliver a car to you.
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Hi,
Firstly all the best with learning to drive.
Bought my Ford from Ford Direct (probably a similar scheme, though I do not know the Toyota set-up). I rang around various dealers, and found out what they had in stock, and what they could source from Ford's 'Central Stock'. There was differing levels of interest in what I wanted when I told them what budget I had, but a couple sourced cars that met all my specs. including price.
I would ring round a few toyota dealers, explaining what you have seen on the web, and what you are looking for. If others do appear, try the saleswoman again. I appreciate that you may have some difficulty collecting a vehicle from around the country, but at least it will give you more information.
It may be that you can buy your car new from an internet broker - never done it but others have and it appears to work. However, nearly new would make a lot of sense in your circumstances, as you point out.
All the best
Jono
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Try an online broker such as www.DriveTheDeal.com. They will supply a new car from a UK dealer with the full 3 year warranty and UK spec. I believe it is delivered to your door. :) What's more the prices are often very competitive making nearly new cars look a bit pricey.
PS: Car dealers have been known to be less then truthful.
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you could try www.autotrader.co.uk You can search for a particular car at dealers within a specified distance. Had a look myself and Yaris autos do seem rare. How about considering the Honda Jazz auto. There are some of those in your price range and it's a more versatile car than the Yaris.
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If you damage your car and its new or used you still get annoyed about it.With your budget i think i wouuld try and buy new with a discount,chances are the 'nearly new' will be from a rental/driving school fleet(sold as a demo).
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Thanks for the advice. The one and only local supermarket type place does have an imported Yaris auto at £9495. The ad says it was registered in June, so theres a few months gone off the European warranty, even so it does seem like a good deal. The one Toyota tried to sell me was 10k - was ex demonstrator she said, with only a few hundred miles on it. Would the extra £500 be better spent at Toyota?
I had been sure I wanted a 2 or 3 year old one, as I'm only learning. Now I don't know what to do!
One other point - I doubt I'll be doing many (if any) trips over a few miles, so I had thought I'd be better with a used with 30k or so on the clock. Is that worth considering?
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If it was my money i would buy the car at the supermarket every time.
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Wish I'd never checked autotrader. There are at least 4 which look perfect, and at great prices compared to Toyota. They're just too far away!
Shame :(
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I'm still on the hunt for a 5dr Yaris auto (used) There just aren't any in this neck of the woods, & most of the Toyota dealers who have them won't send them on to local dealers, as they don't want to lose the business/profit. I can't travel far to buy as I'm disabled.
There are quite a few in autotrader at dealerships a couple of hundred miles away. Assuming the dealer is willing, would it be practical to pay a deposit subject to AA check, and if it checks out ok, pay one of the car delivery companies to deliver it to me? Looks like they charge 97p per mile on average.
They're all the same spec - CDX 5 dr auto, and as there's no way I'd be able to spot any problems myself, then I don't see a lot of point me actually seeing the car, on the basis of "seen one, seen 'em all"
I haven't passed my test yet, so I couldn't take it for a test drive anyway, and if it's an independent dealer (ie no warranty) I'd get the AA check including the HPI thingy.
The other thing is, if I'm looking at one from a distant Toyota dealer, which comes with either balance of 3yr warranty, or used 1yr warranty, do I need the AA check? Toyota say the mileage is verified, & HPI check done.
I don't know if any of this is feasible (sp?) as I haven't bought a car before, so once again, any and all advice is welcome :)
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Possibly; but with your budget and your needs you might find that a semi-automatic T3, brand new, would do the same job for you, apart from the air con of course.
Yarises (Yarii?) are among the most reliable cars and tend to be looked after as well, so you don't have much to fear - so as long as you can find someone who will do the job, I can't foresee any real problems.
Except of course a lot of the process of buying a car is to do with people skills - if someone seems genuine, and you know the right questions to ask, that can be worth as much as technical skills as no one is completely infallible when it comes to checking out a used car.
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We got a very good deal on a new, fully UK-warrented Yaris. (A better deal than the import you describe above.)
I set up a thread about it which you should find using the search function.
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>> for a test drive anyway, and if it's an independent dealer (ie no warranty) I'd get the AA check including the HPI thingy.
Why go for an AA check when, on the left of this page, this site is advertising a service claiming to be superior and cheaper from "Used Car Checks" ?
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Are you talking of the Yaris or Yaris Verso when you refer to high seats? Certainly the Verso is brilliant in that respect(see Honest John reports) but I did not think the 'normal' hatchback any better than most cars of that size - although they are brilliant little cars.
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I am sure that dealers around the country would be happy to deliver it to you. I have just bought from a main dealer (used car) and they offered to deliver. In my investigations dealers were happy to deliver from Scotland to London (at a cost of course, but this could be negociated).
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Thanks very much for all the advice.
I've bought one from a Toyota dealer quite a way away. They're delivering it to me for £50 Its reg 02 & there's over 18 months left on the Toyota warranty. I can have any work done at my local dealer (including the free 1month check)
I got a big discount - over £1000 - off the sticker price by quoting other cars I'd seen in autotrader, ao all in all I'm very happy.
The Yaris isn't as high as the Verso, but it's still easier than other similar cars to get in and out of - perhaps you only notice it if you have trouble there anyway!
Oh, I passed my theory test yesterday too, so I'm getting there, slowly :)
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Pleased you got yourself sorted. :-)
What model did you buy?
Blue
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It's the 1.3 CDX 5 dr auto - the one I really wanted. I had thought I might have to settle for a 3 door, so I'm pleased I got this one :)
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Now that sounds like a nice car :-)
My gran went for a Yaris and got a 5 door as she was told that the doors on the 3dr models are much larger and heavier, and have to be opened wider to allow access.
Blue
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