Just got my 2012 SE 5-speed manual

[tooter]

Originally Posted by etherdude

They are hard to come by, but I was able to get a silver 2012 Yaris SE 5 speed here in New England through Acton Toyota, Littleton, MA. Accessories included floormats, rear bumper applique, and body side mouldings. I wanted a center console but none are to be had here in US. Mudflaps don't fit the SE bumper either.

This car reminds me a great deal of my 1984 VW Rabbit GTI (also silver) or my 1997 Golf Trek. Small, zippy (but still slow), handles and stops well, and is generally fun to drive. The seats are very similar to vintage VW sport seats (same adjustments and fit). Also, with cruise control, power windows/locks, remote lock (but not keyless), built-in dashboard information display, and a very good bluetooth implementation in the radio, it has only the features I wanted and none that I didn't.

Really want a center console/arm rest, though!

Doug

Congratulations Doug,

I was told by the dealer that only 1.5% of the 2012 Yaris' sold in the US have manual transmissions, so you were lucky to get one.

I'm waiting for 2012 mudgaurds and an armrest, too.

[mr9865]

Originally Posted by tooter

Congratulations Doug,

I was told by the dealer that only 1.5% of the 2012 Yaris' sold in the US have manual transmissions, so you were lucky to get one.

I'm waiting for 2012 mudgaurds and an armrest, too.

whats the proportion on the forum?

[tooter]

Originally Posted by mr9865

whats the proportion on the forum?

Most of that 1.5% are here!

Hey, you know that might make an interesting poll.
Does anyone here know how to create one?

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by tooter

Congratulations Doug,

I was told by the dealer that only 1.5% of the 2012 Yaris' sold in the US have manual transmissions, so you were lucky to get one.

I'm waiting for 2012 mudgaurds and an armrest, too.

Wow, sad news in my book. I know people have many very valid reasons for buying an automatic, but I personally (for me with my tastes) cannot imagine buying this car with an automatic. I may give up my 2007 Yaris earlier than I want to if Toyota doesn't continue the manual transmission through their normal 5 year run of a specific chassis. If they cut it short, I'll buy the last year available (unless some car that has not yet come to market strikes my fancy). I bought my 2007 Yaris while on a trip and I searched the inventory of all of the dealers in the Northeastern US and only found 5 hatchbacks with a 5 speed manual and ranked them by how the equipment fit what I wanted. The car that ranked number one turned out to be still out on the delivery ship (even though it was listed in the dealers current inventory!), so I drove to the second dealership and was able to purchase my number two choice.

[why?]

Originally Posted by etherdude

CTScott, Thanks for the offer. Unfortunatly, I have to play a concert out in Lenox this coming weekend. It does already have cruise control. Standard feature on 2012 LE and SE. When I get closer to a decision on a short ram intake (K&N?), tailpipe, and sway bar, I will probably want some help.

Doug

intake,exhaust,swaybars.

You know you want to skip that concert. Thanks for the review.

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Have you sat in a 2007-2011 Yaris LB, and if so is the driver's seat lower to the ground? Or do you feel lower to the ground in your 2012 Yaris? I have driven the roads from Canyon, CA up through the hills to the Oakland city limit. These roads are among the curviest you can possibly imagine. I have driven these roads in many different cars and the only one where I feel slightly nauseous at the end is in my Yaris. I attribute this to feeling as though I'm sitting higher than in any of my previous cars. I'm wondering out loud if I would sit lower in a 2012 and if so could I recreate that height in a 2007 Yaris hatch by replacing the driver's seat (it will soon need to have the bottom cushion replaced -- 310.00 at the dealer -- so I thought it might be better value wise to just replace the whole seat. One of my previous cars was a 1983 Rabbit GTI that I put 194,000 miles on, so I'm glad to know the 2012 feels like a Rabbit GTI. I had quite a few problems with my GTI but I loved driving it.

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

.......of course what I'm feeling at the end of that drive out of Canyon, CA in my Yaris could also be attributed partially to the suspension, but it just feels as though the height of the seat is the issue I need to resolve. I've done some internet searches to help enlighten me re the quest to make this and potentially similar driving experiences more pleasurable but haven't found anything enlightening.

The Yaris as a car sits higher than most sedans suspension wise, and swapping the stock one for something better is always a good thing.

But you are also right in that the seat itself sits high in the passenger compartment. The spare tire jack sits below the driver seat. If you need a seat anyways you should go looking for a nice aftermarket one and find someone to do some custom rails to make it lower than the stock seat. There is at least an inch or two where the drivers seat is above the floor of the cabin, maybe more.

[etherdude]

On the 2012, the jack, etc. are in the boot under the false floor with the spare tire. The drivers seat is 6-way manually adjustable and lowers with a handle. It is quite comfortable for me at its lowest position. I don't feel "tippy" at all. I also find the seat/wheel/pedal relationship is almost ideal for me at that lowest position.

Doug

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by why?

intake,exhaust,swaybars.

You know you want to skip that concert. Thanks for the review.




The Yaris as a car sits higher than most sedans suspension wise, and swapping the stock one for something better is always a good thing.

But you are also right in that the seat itself sits high in the passenger compartment. The spare tire jack sits below the driver seat. If you need a seat anyways you should go looking for a nice aftermarket one and find someone to do some custom rails to make it lower than the stock seat. There is at least an inch or two where the drivers seat is above the floor of the cabin, maybe more.

Why?, thanks for the seat and suspension info. My thought is to get the driver's seat replaced (and possibly a matching passenger seat as well) and then drive the roads I mentioned (near Canyon, CA) when I'm in California later this year and see if just replacing the seat/seats does the trick....if not then i might consider changing the suspension. If anyone in any metro area in the Texas Urban Triangle (DFW,Houston,Austin,San Antonio, Waco, etc -- as all are day trips from my house) has had front seats replaced re a scenario similar to what Why? described (and was happy with the work -- the factor hardest to reliably uncover) please post your positive result.