Everyone here knows only too well that I'm more than happy with our Yaris D4D CDX. (It just did 67mpg on a run!!!)
However we now have a need for something bigger. The Picasso Hdi Desire could be had for around £11,00 for the latest incarnation of it. But I'm just a bit wary of going fom Toyota to Citroen - finding bits dropping off it and regretting it.
So then there's the Corolla Verso T3 D4D with the latest 100bhp Euro 4 engine with similar gizmo's to the Picasso and the list price (inc Metallic) is £15,100.
My local dealer will knock £1100 off but that still means £14,000.
Autobytel will do it for £12,627 inc metallic (maybe even a tad less with a bit of arm twisting?)
Tins.co.uk advertise it at £12,275 if I read the website correctly.
My local dealer has admitted that he just can't do it at these prices. Yet the Autobytel price relates to a vehicle supplied by the UK Toyota dealer associated with them.
How does this work? I need someone to explain.
PS - Anyone want my Yaris?
KB.
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I'm getting completely different prices from www.tins.co.uk and www.autobytel.co.uk
On the other hand, Autobytel is actually cheaper, at £12,352 for me.
How can they do it? I guess there are several possibilities.
One is that Toyota UK is deliberately using a broker to push the cars so that those sold directly through dealers aren't discounted Citroën style. Another is that the Autobytel dealer is a large dealership with large volume bonuses that aren't available to others and Autobytel counts as a fleet customer. A third is that they're using a small dealer with very low overheads that is suddenly doing a massive volume of cars with low overheads per car.
Both brokers you name tend to be a little more expensive than others, but they also have more financial muscle behind them. (tins is or was owned by Pendragon Plc, I forget about Autobytel but they're a massive operation in America). Also look at www.drivethedeal.com but that £12,352 is way cheaper than ukcarbroker, who are usually the best for Toyota.
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I guess because Autobytel etc. put all their business via one Toyota dealer or dealer group and hence get the cars at fleet prices. Perhaps your local dealer isn't big enough to offer such discounts - without naming names is it part of a big chain or just a small local place that's been there for years?
The Verso is an ugly beast so maybe Toyota are giving dealers incentives to shift it - which is being passed back to you by Autobytel etc.
Also it could be the dealer they deal with needs to sell x more cars to get dealer bonuses so they can affor to punt these cars at cost price.
Shop around - you should be able to get a good trade-in price for a diesel Yaris.
Good luck!
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Meant to say - I always found Carfile www.carfile.net had good Toyota prices.
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KB.
How much is the Yaris going for? I am asking on behalf of my Aunt.
Paul C
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Thanks all for your responses. On the Tins site you need to click on the vehicle to bring another box up then you get the figures in question.
Yes it's an ugly beast...........however I'm no oil painting.............
The local dealer is not part of a national chain - just the one branch that's been there for years. It's just opened a big Lexus outlet next door - very smart too.
The Yaris Diesel is a silver September 02 (52) CDX. Parkers shows the dealer price at ten three something and private at ten. The wife has it this evening so can't check mileage but we usually do about 8,000 a year so it's probably about 6 or 7. I always buy new at a keen price and sell privately as my cars are always mint. This one's the same. I imported it personally direct from Holland (see any previous posts I may have made about it)and reckon if I got nine something I'd be very happy Previous cars have always gone for nearly full retail and everyone's been happy. I think it will go pretty well - the Yaris is very popular locally and the previous, automatic one, was sold using a window ad. and standing it on my driveway. The diesel seems well regarded.
I've been very pleased with Toyota's dealers regarding servicing etc and would like to stick with them, so if the Autobytel / Tins people come back to me tomorrow with positive news, I can see me doing it.
Would like to use the local firm, but there's a lot of difference and I pay for my motoring myself - as opposed to it being a firms's car.
Am grateful for info and views - any more gratefully received.
KB.
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PS.....Will check Carfile on the phone. Sometimes look at their website and would feel confident using them.
KB.
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It now seems that despite Toyota placing a 4 or 5 page glossy ad. in this weeks Autocar espousing the virtue of the new 114bhp D4D diesel engine...... and despite a local Toyota dealer telling me that a new Verso Corolla ordered now would have it installed..... and despite Tins.co.uk and Autobytel assuring me that it would have it.........and despite several reviews observing the need for a more appropriate engine in the Verso.......Toyota Head Office told me today that there are no plans to introduce the new engine in to the Verso in the near future.
Make of that what you will but regrettably my high levels of esteem for Toyota have just dropped back a couple of points and in view of the fact that the new engine (if and when it finally arrives), will cost an extra £600 judging by the premium it commands on the hatchback, I shall widen my net and look again at the Picasso.......£11,100 for the Desire 2 Hdi from Carfile.
Finally, Paul C enquired about the car for his Aunt and I replied as comprehensively as I could. A short reply would have been nice but never mind eh? What was sean saying about people not replying to posts????
KB.
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I shall widen my net and look again at the Picasso
As long as you are happy that its not going to be as reliable as the Toyota! Also - what with the continual Citroen deals and offers it sounds as though you could take a big hit if you sell this after a year or so.
Anyway good luck and let us all know what you decide to do!
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Ok I should really think before I hit submit but if you need more space but want to stick with Toyota would a Corolla Estate with diesel engine you want fit the bill? I don't think I have ever actually seen one of these on the road though! Alternatively what about an Avensis hatchback with the engine you want?
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Thanks for your further thoughts Martin. This really has got me scratching my head looking for inspiration.
There are several estates (Octavia, Avensis etc) which have plenty space but one of the objectives is to get something taller in order to ease entry and exit.....I have real difficulty getting in and out of a friends Mondeo. This limits it to a small MPV or 4x4 or van based vehicle like a Serena. A diesel Picnic might do but they're a bit scarce. I like lots of things about the Zafira but, again, wish it was Japanese and the oil consumption on the diesel is apparently an issue. When will they put a new engine in it?
Yes I am worried about the implications of getting the Picasso as you mentioned but see so many that I feel they can't be that bad and if I get as good deal as possible then that may offset the dereciation. I gather the Zafira doesn't do too badly in this department.
Looked at a Premacy - didn't like.
Ditto Tino, Multipla, Berlingo, Stream, and a few more besides.
It'll come right in the end ......and all the time I'm contemplating this, I'm not out mugging old ladies. :-)
KB.
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Picassos don't really depreciate, mainly because they're almost free to begin with.
However, despite what you say about the D4D in the Corolla Verso being a slightly inappropriate engine, it's no less powerful than that in the Picasso. If I were in the market for a car like that, I'd prefer the 110 bhp version at the usual £800 or so premium, but neither of these cars offers it.
It'd be rude to suggest that you wait for the new Scénic, Focus CMax and Touran, because I won't, just because I tend to go for French or German marques out of instinct.
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David, it wouldn't be rude to suggest what you did and you may well be right. I'd looked at the early reviews of the Scenic and C Max and am sure that both would be fine (albeit perhaps waiting till the Scenic had been out for a while to have any early bugs sorted). At this moment I'm waiting a call from Autobytel's dealer regarding the Verso 114bhp engine. The 89bhp is available at £12352 plus £300 metallic. The Desire 2 Hdi ie around £11,00 plus paint. There's not a price huge gap between these 90 bhp motors.....is it worth the difference to have a Toyota? or do I wait for the better engine and pay the premium? Or wait for the Renault and |Ford to settle in to the market?
More head scratching required, but thanks for your views.
KB.
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...if you aren't worried about perceived image there's always a Korean MPV - e.g. Kia Carens Diesel has a list price of less than £11,000. Websites don't give good discounts as they sell more popular brands but dealers generally give good discounts I believe. Make sure you are looking at the 2003 model though.
(Note that the larger Sedona didn't do sell well in the crash tests done by Euro NCAP)
www.kia.co.uk
Alternatively the Honda Civic is roomy and seems to be almost MPV-like...they do a diesel now as well.
Also - I didn't realise Autobytel had such good deals on at the moment - usualy they are easily beaten by Carfile or DriveThe Deal - but they do seem to be offering good Toyota discounts just now....as you indicated....
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I did look at the Carens but the driving position wasn't any higher than most estates and I didn't feel at home in it. The Civic is also a bit low to the ground compared to the mini MPV's but I'd be happy with the Honda as a reliable buy. The Sedona is big isn't it? I see them as taxi's locally. Didn't know about the NCAP results.
At this moment the Picasso is looking like a good bet.....from Carfile, the SX Hdi is £11361 + £277 metallic. The Desire is cheaper (can be had for around £11k) but I really would like plain unpainted bumpers and side mouldings fitted to the SX and in silver the black breaks the colour up a bit.
It's big and useful enough, the Hdi engine gets good reviews, it's cheap enough not to worry *too* much about future residuals, having said that, 2 or 3 year old diesel examples don't seem to have lost vast sums of money. But it's not a Toyota and I'd get it with a bit of a reservation, however maybe I shouldn't worry so much - there do seem to be loads about and they're not all littering the roadside or on the back of breakdown trucks.
Still open to suggestions or observations on my thoughts so far.
Thanks for your continuing ideas.
KB.
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I don't have any bits dropping off my Citroen, and it's 9 years old and has done 153k :)
My next car will be another Citroen.
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I'm pleased to hear of that Michael - I just need a bit of a shove and your comments will help. As I said before, there are stacks of them about - it's just the negative comments I sometimes hear that concernned me a bit. Am going to a Citroen dealer for amother look today.
KB.
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With reference to my previous......."concernned" and also "amother" .......these are, of course, the French spellings.
KB.
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I've made my mind up......see current thread about "self igniting Hdi"
Thanks for replies to my original post.
KB.
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