Didn't buy; awkward shifting?

[drmitch]

Been driving manual for the last 13 years... 84Honda CRX, 86 Honda Civic Hatch, 95 Miata, 00 BMW Z3 and now 99 Miata so having the skill to drive a stick is not an issue...I've no intention to autocross and the days of doing recreational runs through the twisties with my Miata are over...I just can't justify it in terms of consumption/emissions. So, I'm mostly looking at my commute, the occasional trip to Vegas, still enjoying the look and feel of my car, not feeling like I'm traveling in a mobile living room or a conservative grandpamobile AND feeling like I'm doing what I can afford to do in terms of decreasing my carbon footprint. I'd look at a Prius but a. it's twice the cost of the Yaris and b. I'm still concerned about long-term maintenance and repair costs of the hybrid technology at this point.

Vanderkitten, it is amazing the difference nice rims make in the look of the HB. Wow! Love those black twins!

[kurokoma-kun]

Originally Posted by drmitch

84Honda CRX, 86 Honda Civic Hatch, 95 Miata, 00 BMW Z3 and now 99 Miata

you sure do like little cars, doncha? the Yaris may feel like a motorhome after all!

So are you gonna pull the trigger and get the Yaris, or think about it some more?

[brickhardmeat]

Originally Posted by drmitch

..I just can't justify it in terms of consumption/emissions.!

[death is my gift]

Originally Posted by brickhardmeat

x's 2

[drmitch]

Kurokoma, yes, I intend to get the Yaris. I'm just waiting for an offer I can't refuse in a color I like. I'm now leaning towards black...
As for the "consumption/emissions" statement that created some questions/confusion...with Live Earth, record heat and dryness sparking over 1000 fires in the last few days, global warming a fact, America's huge contribution to same, etc., I cannot in good conscience go drive around with the Miata club for 2 hours in the mountains anymore...that's what I meant. If this decision, Yaris vs. Miata, was not motivated by conscience and taking personal responsibility, it wouldn't be happening. I LIKE my Miata! I know a lot of driver's don't see it that way but if every driver who said "My one car, my driving habits, don't make any difference" thought instead that it DID make a difference...cumulatively, it WOULD make a difference. Our culture, our government, our auto industry must change...and often what creates change is simply consumer demand...if we buy fuel efficient vehicles in growing numbers, regardless of the price of gas, the market will change. I want to contribute to that change in any way I can. My sermon for the day...

[Indianspringsaz]

Whenever I start thinking I want an auto, I also start thinking how many gears I could shift with the $800-1200 saveings.

[tomato]

Great thread, you guys! Also served to confirm my suspicions that the Yaris clutch takes some getting used to.

The night I drove my Yaris MT back from the dealership, I almost thought I had made a huge mistake!! That clutch was driving me absolutely crazy, couldn't downshift to second to take a turn on the freeway (sigh) !!! I think I'm going to remember that fright for a WHILE!!

Now that I see other peole describe the same problems, I do feel better (I'm in an urban situation, so as you can imagine, mastering the clutch fast is very important!

BTW, I, too have been driving many MT cars before, usually Honda's (last one was a fast CRX), but also European cars with MT, so it's a little shocking and embarassing to be stalling on First like a newbie!

(BTW, my apologies for reopening an old thread. Not sure what the protocol is around here. Would you rather have repeat threads of continuing old threads?)

[otterhere]

Don't let Sail or Forrest hear you complaining about the clutch; you must LOVE the Yaris to post here; looooooooooooove *everything* about it...

Drink the Kool-Ade and take your Soma...

Obviously I prefer the Yaris to all comparable cars or I wouldn't have purchased it, but could it have been better designed? Sorry; yes...

Would I rather have my legs chopped off in a Smart Twofer crash? Nope.

[Havana]

My Yaris shifts like a truck. That's what it really feels like. It's completely different from the smooth and tight shifting of my previous Civic but I don't mind. The leisurely gear box of the Yaris reminds me to take it easy and not try to drive it like it's an M5. The biggest adjustment I had to make to the Yaris's shifting is working the tiny pedals. The pedals remind me of this little battery powered car that I had as a child. Once I mastered the tip toe style shifting, I had no problems.

[SailDesign]

Originally Posted by otterhere

Don't let Sail or Forrest hear you complaining about the clutch; you must LOVE the Yaris to post here; looooooooooooove *everything* about it...

Nope. Actually, I am not totally happy with the clutch at all. Am I sooooo unhappy as to post that it's a POS? No! I test-drove the car, and decided that it was a small price to pay (along with other stuff0 for a car that I liked overall.
I just don't bitch about the things that I can put up with in order to get the rest of the things that I liked.

[tomato]

Originally Posted by otterhere

Don't let Sail or Forrest hear you complaining about the clutch; you must LOVE the Yaris to post here; looooooooooooove *everything* about it...

Drink the Kool-Ade and take your Soma...

Obviously I prefer the Yaris to all comparable cars or I wouldn't have purchased it, but could it have been better designed? Sorry; yes...

I don't know if that's it, otterhere. I think there is a real fine line between criticism and trolling and sometimes it's hard to know if someone thinks you've crossed that line because people's sensitivity levels are different.

I'm new here, so I don't know the personalities of the posters, but it looks to me like you enjoy complaining about small things, no offense

Part of me understands where you're coming from, because I just traded-in my beloved old CRX, a car that I truly, truly, truly enjoyed for a LOT of miles. Shopping for a replacement car was hard. I didn't find that many comparable small cars out there in the US market, seems to me they all look really bloated, except the ultra expensive mini-cooper. The SMART is cute but has even less acceleration than the Yaris and no trunk at all! The Yaris is really a good compromise, I think. But I'm getting off topic, here, my bad.

Personally, if I can manage to master the clutch and not be a danger on the road to others by stalling when I mean to downshift , I think I"ll consider myself pretty happy with my purchase overall.

[gaffo]

Originally Posted by tomato

Great thread, you guys! Also served to confirm my suspicions that the Yaris clutch takes some getting used to.

The night I drove my Yaris MT back from the dealership, I almost thought I had made a huge mistake!! That clutch was driving me absolutely crazy, couldn't downshift to second to take a turn on the freeway (sigh) !!! I think I'm going to remember that fright for a WHILE!!

Now that I see other peole describe the same problems, I do feel better (I'm in an urban situation, so as you can imagine, mastering the clutch fast is very important!

BTW, I, too have been driving many MT cars before, usually Honda's (last one was a fast CRX), but also European cars with MT, so it's a little shocking and embarassing to be stalling on First like a newbie!

(BTW, my apologies for reopening an old thread. Not sure what the protocol is around here. Would you rather have repeat threads of continuing old threads?)

former TR7 5speeder here. and 4speeder ford fiesta before that..........

I STILL STALL on 1st on occasion - once every couple of months or so. Just something about that damn clutch.

I know what it is: it engages to high up, and when it engages it friction zone is too damn narrow - thus you stall out!

once you get to 2nd gear its easier to shift up or down. getting into 1st is the challenge!! lol.

I also notice reverse is hard to literally get the shifter into.

one deals with it.

[tomato]

Originally Posted by gaffo

former TR7 5speeder here. and 4speeder ford fiesta before that..........

I STILL STALL on 1st on occasion - once every couple of months or so. Just something about that damn clutch.

I know what it is: it engages to high up, and when it engages it friction zone is too damn narrow - thus you stall out!

once you get to 2nd gear its easier to shift up or down. getting into 1st is the challenge!! lol.

I also notice reverse is hard to literally get the shifter into.

one deals with it.

I agree!! I'm slowly getting used to it, though, but find that I have to push on the gas pedal a little more than usual to keep the car from stalling on 1st when I'm traffic. Oh well. Like you said, one deals with it!

[Tamago]

what did you think would happen, going from direct shift linkage to cable shift linkage?

[tomato]

Originally Posted by Tamago

what did you think would happen, going from direct shift linkage to cable shift linkage?

Are you talking to me? Well, I didn't know what to expect, honestly. I'm not a mechanic, I just drive the cars, and I was trained to shift gears by listening to the engine, so you see, the Yaris is a new experience for me because the engine is quiet at low speed and the clutch doesn't engage where I'm used to. I have been driving sticks for a lot of years, but this car is clearly different.

Understand, I'm not trashing the car, just looking for the solution to the clutch "problem" (looks like I'm not the only one having to go through that so I think it's useful to mention it).

People mentioned something like installing a Short Shift Kit? Is that a good idea? And by the way, if you do a modification like that, does that void the warranty on the car? Or is it better to just wait until you get used to it?

(Only stalled once this morning, so I guess I'm making progress, uh? )

[Tamago]

Originally Posted by tomato

Are you talking to me?

no, to the OP

i did not waste my time reading the whole thread, i'm sure i already know what key members already said to the OP..

and i figured i'd add my $.02

[gaffo]

Originally Posted by tomato

Are you talking to me? Well, I didn't know what to expect, honestly. I'm not a mechanic, I just drive the cars, and I was trained to shift gears by listening to the engine, so you see, the Yaris is a new experience for me because the engine is quiet at low speed and the clutch doesn't engage where I'm used to. I have been driving sticks for a lot of years, but this car is clearly different.

Understand, I'm not trashing the car, just looking for the solution to the clutch "problem" (looks like I'm not the only one having to go through that so I think it's useful to mention it).

People mentioned something like installing a Short Shift Kit? Is that a good idea? And by the way, if you do a modification like that, does that void the warranty on the car? Or is it better to just wait until you get used to it?

(Only stalled once this morning, so I guess I'm making progress, uh? )

yes - I found the engine too damn quite to shift by sound (unlike my old Tr7) - there is not tachometer (DUMB DUMB DUMB TOYOTA!!!).

I have to use my speedometer (after verifying RPMs from a nonUS Yaris hatchbacker here on these forums). I shift within 2200 rpms - 3500 rpms.

so:

1st 1-17 mph
2nd 17-36 mph
3rd 36-50 mph
4th 50-65 mph
5th 65-90 mph

not gone over 90 yet.

these are approximate, but the numbers have served me well for these last 1.5 yrs in regard to shifting.


this is shifting in the power band - not for optimum gas mileage. I average 37 mpg combined.

[marcus]

yah quickshifter fr nst might have helped..