I've done it, put deposit down on a car finally! - Yaris

It looks good, much more sensible choice than a Z4 financially and with your current experience. No point paying stupid money for insurance either, just wait a couple of years.
 
If you're already saving/thinking about the Z4 then I agree with some of the comments already raised. £6.5k for a car that's not particularly amazing and is your second choice for your first car seems a bit of a waste IMO.

Most people take a compromise with their first car just to get on the ladder, so to speak, and if I was in your shoes I would have spent half the money on a car which would have been no worse than the Yaris really and then put the rest towards that Z4 in a year or so.

At least you're happy with the Yaris - I could not live with that odd dashboard!
 
Last edited:
Berger said:
It looks good, much more sensible choice than a Z4 financially and with your current experience. No point paying stupid money for insurance either, just wait a couple of years.
Click to expand...

I did look into a Fiat but a 1.4 louge would be closer to £8k money aka Z4 money. That includes a trip to London to Fiat Direct (£70 train ticket) as I can't find that model locally, plus petrol to drive it back. I also slowly realise that the reasons I wanted a Fiat 500 was mostly because of its styling, and the fact that it is under warranty. Then It is also £1500 more as well, which I doubt (touch wood), a Toyota this kind of age won't throw up this kind of bill. That, it being a Fiat, too, can't compare to Toyota for reliability in terms of track record.

This car is in Cardiff, 1 hour from my house.too so it cost nothing to go and get it. And it is a much bigger engine as well, with a lot more toys than the Fiat 500. The Keyless entry and start thing was a bonus, I did not expect that to be there, not Keyless start anyway.

I was also getting close to the point that I was going to buy anything, so to get this whole debacle over with. I am sure you guys are sick of my "what about this car" thread of late. I am too, been spendnig a lot of hours on the train, lunch time on Autotrader, reading up spec, search old threads on people's experiences on certain cars. It is all very time consuming.
 
sigma said:
If you're already saving/thinking about the Z4 then I agree with some of the comments already raised. £6.5k for a car that's not particularly amazing and is your second choice for your first car seems a bit of a waste IMO.

Most people take a compromise with their first car just to get on the ladder, so to speak, and if I was in your shoes I would have spent half the money on a car which would have been no worse than the Yaris really and then put the rest towards that Z4 in a year or so.

At least you're happy with the Yaris - I could not live with that odd dashboard!
Click to expand...

I thought about that aspect too, getting a £4k Yaris, drive it, save the extra £2k towards the Z4.

But that also mean a older car again, for £4k, you are looking at Mk1Yaris,.7 years old, and the old 1.3L and high ish mileage. By spending this extra £2k, I am hoping that it means possible lower repair bills if any (3 yr old car vs. 7 yr ), and 1.8 Engine has more omph. Also, I don't know what the future holds, but since the car is paid in full. I might be able to keep it and run it along side the Z4, then i will have a sensivle Yaris as the shoppnig trolley with a 1.8L engine, or a Z4 for some fun drive.
 
Raymond Lin said:
My car search started out as this.

1 - What car do I want and what do I need?
2 - List out criterior - built quality, reliability, running costs

The result from that is a Japanese super mini, mainly Toyota, or a Honda. I could have gone German, and got a Polo but my sister had one, although it did the job, it wasn't that amazing.
Click to expand...

I don't get how the requirements of build quality, reliability, running costs = Jap supermini. Ignoring recent press re Toyota, I'd give the Yaris points for reliability, but I'm not sure on the other two to be honest...

Golf, Mk5 or Mk4
I like how it looks on the outside, inside is dull but can live with it. Reliability good but also higher insurance group than the Yaris and for £6k I can only find 05 plates so will be the last Mk4 or First Mk5. £6k for a 6/7 years old car too, and to get a low mileage one that old isn't easy, considering the majority of them are Diesel on the market and i don't do enough mileage (sub 5k as I take the train to work so car is only used at weekends) to warrant that.

Oh, I forgot my desire for a MINI Cooper and Cooper S as I can get one of those in budget too. But it would be a 03/04 plate Cooper and same with it being BMW, it comes with high running cost and maintainence.
Click to expand...

See I get not liking the Focus, I don't either, but it is objectively a decent car, and good value imo.

The Golf and the Mini aren't as good value as the Focus, but the fact that they're older than the Yaris for the same money is a plus point for me. In terms of build quality I'd have thought they'd be better, plus the fact that they're older should mean that they're less of a depreciation risk, meaning you don't have to save up so much for when you're ready to take the plunge into something more interesting...

After all that I went back to the Yaris and I upped the engine criteria up from 1.3 to 1.8 (after all that with the Z4, i thought 1.8 would be more "future proof), and found that one above.
Click to expand...

Good shout on the engine imo. It's no fire breather, but certainly nippy enough for a first car, and anything buying something you're less likely to get bored of is a good move if it means you avoid anoher cost to change beore you get what you really want...
 
rG-tom said:
infact:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...1/postcode/ol138hz/keywords/leather?logcode=p

if you something like a z4 that isnt silly money to run, and newer.....and look how much better that interior is!
Click to expand...

I forgot to mention the MX5, previous threads people did commented on just the same point.

I had a quick gander at the MX5....I just don't like it....I dunno why, I just can't see myself buying one. I realise on paper it is perfect, the spec is good, the price is good. But it is like women, you got to find her attractive too as well as interestnig, intelligent.

I just don't like the MX5 in that regard.

Plus....here is the important part, there is no way i am going to run a MX5 AND Z4. So I will have to sell the MX5.

By getting the Yaris, I get the option of keeping it, and run 2 cars that is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Which do makes sense and that option is avaliable to me should I choose it.

p.s. right from day one I made the decision that I will not ever be buying a French car. It's a personal thing, it goes way back. So no Clio (sorry Clio lovers here!), I don't care if you give me one for free, I will sell it on the same day and take the money instead.

No French Cars. Ever.

The same applies to Vaushall.
 
Last edited:
Pffft what a crappy buy, the financial manager at our place has just bought the following...

Toyota Yaris 1.33 vvti
1 year old
11,000 miles (this is the car the workshop lends out)

bargain price of only £10,900 with their finance.

Yeah she's a crappy financial manager.:D


Nice car though Raymond, i like the look of these and the Auris' too.
 
Did you actually drive any of these cars that you do not 'like'?

Seems a bit strange to dismiss so many cars when you're spending a fair bit of £ on your first car.

It doesn't really add up tbh, and perhaps my point is highlighted by the fact that you'd even consider running an Mx-5 and Z4 together.
 
Raymond Lin said:
Plus....here is the important part, there is no way i am going to run a MX5 AND Z4. So I will have to sell the MX5.

By getting the Yaris, I get the option of keeping it, and run 2 cars that is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Which do makes sense and that option is avaliable to me should I choose it.
Click to expand...

Do you have an idea of when you're looking to upgrade to a Z4? The Z4 isn't that expensive to fuel, and any repairs are going to need doing anyway (ie the roof motor or the rear springs). Have I missed something about how much more shopping you can get in a Yaris than a Z4? I did big weekly shops / a week away in mine. You need to be well versed in the art of man packing, but it's no Elise/MR2... It's not like the Yaris is comfortably big enough for Kids/Dogs etc to be truly future-proof...

Is a weekend car really something owned by someone whose daily is a supermini? I can't see the Yaris being kept personally...

Anyway, it's done now, it's not like the Yaris is a bad car, just questionable value for a generic runabout, and as a first car that is more likely to get a scuff here and there as the inevitable 'trial and error' of finding the corners of your first car takes place...

Enjoy it... :)
 
sigma said:
Did you actually drive any of these cars that you do not 'like'?

Seems a bit strange to dismiss so many cars when you're spending a fair bit of £ on your first car.

It doesn't really add up tbh, and perhaps my point is highlighted by the fact that you'd even consider running an Mx-5 and Z4 together.
Click to expand...

I said I would NEVER run an mx5 and z4 together. :)

I drove the mini, a pug, and a fiesta.
 
Definitely would have gone with the Swift instead. I remember driving one of these when they first came out. Absolutely hated the dash, it's just so bland especially without a unit holding all the dials right infront of you!
 
Jez said:
Do you make this much of a meal over buying everything in your life OP?
Click to expand...

You mean spend time to research, look at prices, ask opinions on here?

When it is my first car, yes.
When I know NOTHING about cars, yes.
When it is £6,500 in cash of my own money, yes.

Besides, it's only been a few weeks, a month, top. Didn't Fox took years to find his 5 series :p

And no, I don't make a "meal" out of everything.

I spent £1.5k on a lens because I wanted to, not because i really needed it.
I went to Rome on holiday on impulse, booked an hotel without checking any other out because my sister stayed there 2 years prior.

I did entertain the idea of gettnig a car last December but that urge went and not until a month ago I actually looked into it seriously. 4 weeks, is that too long to buy a car now?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom