Snow buildup in the wheel wells

[roxy1]

its been the same with every single small car I have ever owned. nothing unique to the yaris.

[jayeh]

Originally Posted by fnkngrv

You just need to stay on top of the situation. With today's car especially and how much the wheels/tires fill the wells you will see build up as an issue. I see it all the time with my friend's ford fusion, another friend's cobalt, and another buddy's eclipse. About the only vehicles I don't see it on is full size trucks. Even some SUVs I have seen this season have build up issues occurring. A lot of it I am gathering is also from the chemicals that they use on the roads.

Every other car I've owned I could just kick it off. This one the clearance is so small I can't get near it. Sometimes when I get home I have to pry it off, move the car a foot, pry it out the other way, move up a foot and pry again.

Originally Posted by roxy1

its been the same with every single small car I have ever owned. nothing unique to the yaris.

I've never seen anything this bad. I've got friends with fit, accents, whatever. The buildup even goes all the way around.

Anyone try the teflon snow repellant spray?

[roxy1]

Originally Posted by jayeh

Every other car I've owned I could just kick it off. This one the clearance is so small I can't get near it. Sometimes when I get home I have to pry it off, move the car a foot, pry it out the other way, move up a foot and pry again.



I've never seen anything this bad. I've got friends with fit, accents, whatever. The buildup even goes all the way around.

Anyone try the teflon snow repellant spray?

in the last 7 years I have owned:
2005 Toyota Corolla, Toyota Yaris (2007, 2014)
2009 Corolla, 2012 Hyundai Accent
2012 Hyundai Veloster
2012 Fiat 500

they have all become equally embedded with snow/ice. small cars have little space in the wheel well. as others have said, it needs to be taken care of after each drive when driving in enough snow that it collects. if this isn't done it will harden and become tough to manage.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by roxy1

in the last 7 years I have owned:
2005 Toyota Corolla, Toyota Yaris (2007, 2014)
2009 Corolla, 2012 Hyundai Accent
2012 Hyundai Veloster
2012 Fiat 500

they have all become equally embedded with snow/ice. small cars have little space in the wheel well. as others have said, it needs to be taken care of after each drive when driving in enough snow that it collects. if this isn't done it will harden and become tough to manage.

Does your Yaris get better MPG than the Fiat? About the same? Fiat better?

[roxy1]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Does your Yaris get better MPG than the Fiat? About the same? Fiat better?

they are VERY close in the same commutes. the fiat (manual) was rated 30/38. I average 43.1 in the yaris and averaged 43.8 in the fiat. not enough difference to matter. however, the veloster and accent (both 6 speed manuals with the same direct injected engine) rated 27/37 and 28/37, respectively, required quite a lot more effort to even get 40 mpg's on the same commutes. driving the same as I drove the 500 and yaris, they would get right around 38 mpg's.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by roxy1

they are VERY close in the same commutes. the fiat (manual) was rated 30/38. I average 43.1 in the yaris and averaged 43.8 in the fiat. not enough difference to matter. however, the veloster and accent (both 6 speed manuals with the same direct injected engine) rated 27/37 and 28/37, respectively, required quite a lot more effort to even get 40 mpg's on the same commutes. driving the same as I drove the 500 and yaris, they would get right around 38 mpg's.

Thanks. Member SailDesign sold his Yaris and bought the Fiat. Someone (moi? Can't remember) asked him the same question and his experience = pretty much the same as yours. I wanted to know if multiple people = similar results. I'm thinking way down the line (after I have retired my Yaris as a DD and have purchased a new car...probably a Prius C Two) when my Yaris is at the point where yaris9876 is now will I....A. Pay someone to do what yaris9876 is doing...B. Try to do it myself as a 'learning project'....C. Look for a 2011 5-speed manual 3 door Yaris with low miles...or.... now I'm thinking if I decide on letter C, what do I do if I can't find a 2011 (or other 'Gen 2' year) low mileage 5-speed 3-door? A New 5-speed manual Fiat 500 might be an alternative (Northside Fiat is now physically between the two Toyota dealerships I have patronized...all three now along I-45), but I don't know if I can get over how much their being involved with Chrysler p***** me off.

[roxy1]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Thanks. Member SailDesign sold his Yaris and bought the Fiat. Someone (moi? Can't remember) asked him the same question and his experience = pretty much the same as yours. I wanted to know if multiple people = similar results. I'm thinking way down the line (after I have retired my Yaris as a DD and have purchased a new car...probably a Prius C Two) when my Yaris is at the point where yaris9876 is now will I....A. Pay someone to do what yaris9876 is doing...B. Try to do it myself as a 'learning project'....C. Look for a 2011 5-speed manual 3 door Yaris with low miles...or.... now I'm thinking if I decide on letter C, what do I do if I can't find a 2011 (or other year) low mileage 5-speed 3-door? A New 5-speed manual Fiat 500 might be an alternative (Northside Fiat is now physically between the two Toyota dealerships I have patronized...all three now along I-45), but I don't know if I can get over how much their being involved with Chrysler p***** me off.

a lot of clutch issues going on with the 500 manuals. oh, and the service experienced by most of us has been abysmal, since most fiat studios actually use the CJDR dealership for service. im still not sure if fiat branded cars will survive here. they somehow managed to introduce a new, larger 5 door model (the 500L) and will actually sell less cars this year than last year (even though there were more dealers in place along with the new model). that is a problem.