Yaris-specific questions

(Would use the Toyota Yaris forum, but it’s down; hoping someone here will be knowledgable)… In one dealership, I’m told I can order a stripped-down base model and get it within six weeks… In another (50 miles away), I’m told ordering is “impossible; maybe I’d get it within six months or a year or never. You have to take what’s out there (with whatever options and packages).” And, of course, the prices are all over the map. I’m also told that the “Build your Toyota” feature on the website is unreliable. I need to either repair my old car or buy a new one SOON. Is anyone familiar with the 2009 Yaris? The dealers seem to know ZILCH…

From what I can gather, based on the Build it Yourself website The only possible option other than tranmsission shoice on the 3 door hatchback Yaris is the $110 All weather package. It costs $110. Not exactly a dealbreaker IMHO. Of course the website bases this on your locaton, so it may be different in other parts of the country.

I think dealer #1 means “find it somewhere in the delivery system” when he says “order”, not “have one built to your exact specifications at the factory”.

When you “order” a car these days it means the dealer searches his database for a car like the one you ordered and when he finds one, usually at another dealer or scheduled to be shipped to another dealer, he will trade a car he has for the one you want. This happens every day.

My daughter just bought a new Yaris a few weeks ago, working with a local dealer mostly on the Internet. She got the car she wanted with minimal hassle. Even Toyota is having trouble selling vehicles these days. They should be bending over backwards to help you. Any dealer who doesn’t should not get your business.

If you’re looking for some difficult-to-find combination of options you may have to wait longer for a car to show up within a reasonable distance. Most dealers don’t like to trade from far away.

You can usually make a better deal on a vehicle that’s already on the dealer’s lot. They don’t have a lot of incentive to reduce the price for a car they must search for and go out of their way to get for you.

I’m looking for that hard-to-find NON-option Yaris (don’t want all the bells and whistles); most come with at least one “package” and consequently cost more for stuff I don’t want or need. Am also picky about color if I’m spending this much and plan to keep it for at least another ten years. You can’t order from Japan?

BTW, did your daughter get the 09, and how does she like it? Price?? Deliever time??? ; /

I wouldn’t be too demanding when it comes to color. Keep in mind that if you pass on the hot item (econoboxes at the minute) There will be another person right behind you eager to buy. You’re not buying a Ferrari here. On a side note, should anyone want to buy a Ferrari from the factory, they have to ask you if you want to buy one first. And you don’t get a say in what color you get either, (This is for the whatever the flagship model is at the time F40,F50,Enzo etc.)How well is a company doing when they can afford to tell customers that they are granting them the priveledge of buying one of their $250k-$1.5mil cars?

Is there any CarMax Toyota dealers in your area? I just did a search and found 109 yaris at a dealer near me starting a 12K. I think CarMax is a no haggle dealer ship.

I’ve located a 2008 (new; no miles) on a lot for $14,500 (total, drive-off cost) as well as a 2009 (has some added safety features; nicer styling; can get within a few days locally) for $15,500 (also total cost)… Both have convenience and all-weather packages, but I’m reconciled to having to pay for those (as well as $150 floor mats) with any of them; they ARE the color I want and automatic. Trying to cough up that extra $1k. I mean, I have it, but I don’t want to fork it over…

I don’t know if the Yaris sold in the US is built in Japan or not, but, NO, you can’t order a car from Japan.

When I was selling Toyotas (in another life) the dealership got a list of cars that were on their way to us (at that time they were ALL from Japan), and we had an itemized description of each car, but the factory decided what we got, not the dealer, and we could not special-order a car. If we needed something we didn’t have we did a dealer swap.

The Internet makes this much easier today (we did it all with phone calls), and you should be able to locate a car that suits you SOMEWHERE. You should be able to search dealer inventories yourself, online, and eliminate the hassle of dealing with the salespeople.

They don’t like to build (or sell) too many stripped-down, base models because the profit is higher on the cars with more options.

My daughter was comparing some '08s and some '09s. She wanted a sedan with a manual transmission, and the only '09s she could find with the 5-speed were colors she didn’t like, so she bought an '08 in a color she liked with the manual transmission. There was not much difference in price between the '08s and the '09s.

The cars she was looking at were all in inventory (although not all at the same dealer), so once she decided which one she wanted she just went and picked it up. If she had chosen an '09 she would have waited a day or two for her local dealer to swap cars, but there would not have been a long wait under any circumstances.

She loves the car, and is getting about 36 mpg in the suburban Philadelphia area where she drives. I’ve ridden in it and I was quite impressed. I thought it might feel sort of cheap, based on some reviews I’ve read, but it’s very solid and quiet. The Yaris is larger inside that the first Camry I owned, or at least it seems that way.

We’ve had multiple Toyotas in our family. Four Corolla/Prizms, two Camrys, and an Avalon, so she knows Toyota reliability and economy. Keep looking and don’t panic. There is a Yaris out there somewhere with your name on it. Take your time and find it.

Log on to you local dealer’s websites and check their inventory. Then expand your search radius. It doesn’t matter where you buy, any Toyota dealer will honor the warranty.

The 2009 is a much better car. The 2008 has poor brakes (if not equipped with ABS)and lesser saftey equipment. IMO the 2009 is a better choice

The Yaris sedan with auto and ac, cd player, push buttons on the radio, windshield wiper on the passenger side and 15" tires will get 32 MPG without seeing a freeway. It has to ride better than the little box model. Don’t be too anxious to be unhappy with a choppy ride and tiny tires. I do hope that the little ones don’t have worse cup holders than the sedan. I don’t see how it could be possible unless they’re missing altogether.

I have a 08 yaris i got back last sep of 07 its a 3 door hatch back and it says right on it made in japan. i looked for amonth before i found what i wanted … they where real hard to get and would not come down on the price at all … in 07 but i was over at the lot today i seen sevaral on the lot today in corbin kentucky … i like it alot my yaris i just hope the hold up good