Buying a used Yaris LB: what should I look for?

[JnC]

Hello all,

(My apologies if this has been covered before. I tried to do a search for "used" but it is too small of a word for the forum search engine.)

Besides the obvious due diligence (checking VIN and mechanical inspection), are there some specific things that one should be particularly on the lookout for when buying a used Yaris? Certainly some weak spots about the car should have revealed themselves by now.

The car in question is a 2007 Liftback. Thanks in advance.

[talnlnky]

Carfax & a quick check of all functions (lights, AC, yadda yadda yadda) would be all I would do. These are fairly durable cars, some people have driven 100,000 miles with just regular oil, filter, and tire changes.

[JnC]

Did the 2007 m.y. have side airbags and ABS bundled in the power package option?

[ToddR]

Originally Posted by JnC

Did the 2007 m.y. have side airbags and ABS bundled in the power package option?

Not in the U.S.

[cali yaris]

Correct - mine has power package (which is nice to have) but no ABS.

[Phaeton]

Mine is a 2007 and it has side impact airbags and all the other crap. No abs though.

[SilverBack]

Mine has the power package plus factory rims, and I paid less for it because it was an '07 with only 46 test driven miles on it. BTW, this was in May of this year. Got away with murder...

But yeah, would definitely inspect it top to bottom. Check for leaks, wear and tear, weird noises, and any funny smells. CarFax helps too. Tells you if there's any kind of damage history to it. If you already did and made the purchase by now, congrats on your new Yaris!

[ChinoCharles]

You searched and couldn't find anything. Does that answer your question? These cars are really, really reliable... as is displayed by the lack of posts covering the topic you suggested.

If I could give you any advice, I would say first to watch for little rattles and annoyances. A couple of members have reported things like this coming from the dash in particular. Also, ask if it is up to date on TSB's (Toyota Service Bulletins). Toyota redesigned their exhaust midpipe on that model, for example. Past that, I got nothin'.

Lucky for you, if you buy used you'll probably get a better warranty than most of us got with our new cars.

[kembee3]

I too have a fairly similar question (newbie here). I'm a college student, bought an 08 Yaris Sedan in August, and it was totaled in an accident last week. Thankfully we have gap insurance, so hopefully once we file our claim everything will be covered.

I didn't realize how much I loved the Yaris, and I found a good deal on a used one, 2007. The only problem is that the mileage is rather high, right under 80,000, but it's priced around $10,000 (my budget max). Here's the link: http://www.fredhaastoyota.com/Vehicle.aspx?v=1485459

I'm hoping my financial situation will be much improved by next summer, so that I can refinance it and pay it off by the end of 2010 and get a brand new 2011 yaris. I'm a commuter student, so my mileage would be slightly above average, but nothing crazy.

Any suggestions please?

[cleong]

Keep shopping around for a decent one and stretch your budget a little if it is worth it. 80,000miles sounds like it'll be due for replacement of any one of several wear and tear items that might cost you more than the initial $10,000.

Parts replacement on a car is only a matter of time, and that kind of mileage means you're that much more likely to encounter it.

[Revsson]

$10,000 for a car with 80,000 miles on it and no options seems high to me, but then
again, it is from a dealership. What did that sedan sell for new in 2007? If you are
willing to travel some, then search www.cars.com and you should be able to find another
one with much less miles on it for the price you selected.

[kembee3]

Thanks for your replies. That's what I feared about the high mileage - that I'll have to start paying for it sooner or later. Even a 100,000 mile warranty would still make me a little wary.

One base price that I found for the '07 manual was $11,825, so I'm assuming the automatic would be slightly higher than that.

I've been searching high and low all week, and the only ones with lower mileages around that price have refurbished/salvage titles, which I'm not willing to buy. I did try cars.com, and the best ones seem to be priced right around $14,000.

I really just need a car that won't give me too much trouble and will last me the next 6-9 months. I'm starting to consider giving in and getting a 2001/2002 honda civic or toyota corolla that I've seen between $6000 and $8000, but the high mileage issue is then even more of a problem.

I need to find some kind of solution by the middle of December, but I'm just stuck in college student brokeness right now. Therefore I need to work to save up money, and living in Houston, I need a car to get to work.

Maybe there are options I'm missing? Thanks again.