Toyota Yaris (1999 - 2005) 1.0 16v VVT-i GS 3d Free-Tronic (1999/V) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

Its a practical couples city car, but is a tight squeeze as a family car. It is a practical and effcient city car.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

Its smart, convenient and practical.

Would you buy this car again and why?

I would not get a yaris next, as our family is growing and we need to upgrade to a family car. However I would certainly consider buying a yaris for my children in the future if they needed a car.

What are you likely to buy next?

I don't know what model I will go for, however I aim to have a fuel efficient and low insurance bracket family car. I'd like to purchase a green car, but the costs of purchase are so high, that I will not be able to afford to do so- not even the government grant is enough to make it seem attractive.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Didn't buy from a dealer

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£800

When did you buy the car?

October 2010

Did you get a good deal and why?

We bought the car privately and although it had a few cosmetic issues, it was in great condition for a 1999 model with excellent mileage of 40000.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

We had been paying a fortune on hiring cars in the previous two years, so we decided that it was more cost effective to buy a car rather than hiring one on occasions.

What was the dealer like?

We bought privately.

What's it like to drive?

It's smooth in the city but noisy at higher speeds. It's a slow start, but steady as the journey progresses. It's very easy to get around the city, but on longer journeys, it can get uncomfortable and tiresome with a 1L engine, a tapedeck and no aircon.

What's it like to park?

Very easy to park.

Have you had any problems with the car?

It has a free-tronic gear box that doesn't change gears smoothly. We have it serviced regularly to keep it running smoothly. We've found that the brake fluid leaks and when it is low, we can start the car but cannot change the brakes.

What's most practical about your car?

It is free-tronic so is an absolute gem to drive in traffic as no clutch but it still has the manual gear to increase and decrease speeds as needed. The 1.0L engine is brilliantly economical (I'm surprised it's not considered a green car). We drive it on the weekends across london, and fill up petrol at 1.40/L about £20 every two weeks.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The back seat folds down, giving us more boot space.