Mrs Buying Her First Aygo

[APS]

1 hour ago, SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS said:

1; how do i adjust my side mirrors, sadly it came with no handbook which i intend to buy on ebay, ive tried playing with the thingy on the inside by pushing n pulling it but no movement at the mirrors so i used my fingers on the glass to adjust.

2; this is really weird, have my mp3 player connected to the aux, and i get like an electric whining sound through the speakers i think that increases and decreases with my speed, my kids found it so funny, makes it sound like a remote control car, funny but annoying, i dont get it with the radio on.

First congratulations on your new car! Always fun once you've made the decision.

Regarding the mirrors - you were right, it's those little fiddly things on the inside that are supposed to adjust the mirrors. I'm guessing no-one's adjusted them for a long while and they've stuck. Just give them some exercise by pressing the mirror glass manually, back and forth / up and down while also moving the adjustment lever. Eventually everything will move easier allowing you to adjust them from the inside again by just using the lever. 

Regarding whining - Sounds like your MP3 player cable is picking up the alternator. You might just want to try a different cable that hopefully  has better magnetic shielding.

 

 

[mickburkesnr]

On 04/12/2017 at 11:17 AM, SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS said:

2; this is really weird, have my mp3 player connected to the aux, and i get like an electric whining sound through the speakers i think that increases and decreases with my speed, my kids found it so funny, makes it sound like a remote control car, funny but annoying, i dont get it with the radio on.

I experience this when the phone or device is charging via the cigarette socket. It isn't the socket itself that's the issue it's usually always the plug that's the problem. Cheap ones tend to give this issue compared to more respected brands.

As for gear selection, I've always had a little issue selecting reverse or 1st gear. What I tend to do is let the stick go to neutral, release the clutch fully, then press the clutch down again and it will always go back in to the gear you want first time.

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

Hi Guys n Girls

I just wanted to say, im loving her, i feel alive again people, she rattles in so many places within the cabin and i feel every single bump...when compared to our Avensis T27...but i love her. 

Im currently working on purchasing some genuine rubber floormats, found some Autoart black side repeaters, bought some round black foam pads to see if it will ease the rattling on boot glass door, otherwise it was last serviced at 45k and now reads 53k and so i intend to give her a complete service soon.

I have a free health check booked in at my local Toyota in 20 minutes...must dash! Hopefully everythings okay with it although the front discs n pads do look questionable...little doubty about the rear shocks too, maybe its me, lets see anyway.

Takecare All

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

Okay then...had the health check complete, came up with the following faults;

1. Rear no.plate bulbs both out...EASY FIX

2. Rear tyres down to 3mm...PLANNED ON A NEW SET ANYWAY

3. Engine oil low by 1L...PLANNED A SERVICE AS MENTIONED EARLIER

4. Passenger side sill damaged...got an amber mark for this...i didnt notice it was damaged...unsure how it got damaged, maybe somebody jacking it incorrectly...but it concerns me...how would i repair it??? It looks like thin metal...im thinking a straight dolly and hammer and knock it straight maybe??? Any other suggestions guys?

 

[fordulike]

3 hours ago, SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS said:

3. Engine oil low by 1L...PLANNED A SERVICE AS MENTIONED EARLIER

Down by 1 litre. Was there actually any showing on the dipstick when you bought the car?

Makes you wonder what else the previous owner neglected to let it get that low.

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

True say. How many litres do the aygos take btw?

I have ordered my Haynes manual so that i can keep on top of these things myself.

[fordulike]

7 minutes ago, SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS said:

True say. How many litres do the aygos take btw?

I have ordered my Haynes manual so that i can keep on top of these things myself.

I believe it's approximately 3.1 litres.

FYI, these engines can use a fair bit of oil, so good idea to check the level regularly.

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

23 hours ago, fordulike said:

I believe it's approximately 3.1 litres.

FYI, these engines can use a fair bit of oil, so good idea to check the level regularly.

Hi All, 

I wasnt aware that Aygo engines use oil, is there an explanation for this?

I’ll be sure to check it regularly.

I did check the oil at the viewing on Sunday prior to test drive, i didnt notice low oil on the dipstick though which is strange, and post purchase we did a 140 mile journey home and no issues nor oil lights. Had Toyota not pick up on it i wouldnt have known better.

silly question but do you think id be ok driving it as is locally for a week with a litre down? I didnt want to waste a litre of new oil when i plan service in a weeks time. Please advise. Thank you.

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

Btw guys, any comments on the discovered sill damage?

[alan333]

Personally I wouldn't run the engine with the oil level below the low mark on the dipstick. I'd probably fill it to at least half way up the dipstick, especially if the earlier info re the 3 litre capacity is correct.

Re the cill... do you mean the bottom seam is bent flat, or what?

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

28 minutes ago, alan333 said:

Personally I wouldn't run the engine with the oil level below the low mark on the dipstick. I'd probably fill it to at least half way up the dipstick, especially if the earlier info re the 3 litre capacity is correct.

Re the cill... do you mean the bottom seam is bent flat, or what?

Hi Alan333

I topped up my oil first thing, my son had just under a litee lying around at the garage.

However, yes by sill i mean that seam under the car whereby i think people use it to jack the car up on...its pretty solid but mine is pushed back nearly flat, looks terrible when standing back admiring the vehicle from the side.

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

13 hours ago, SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS said:

Btw guys, any comments on the discovered sill damage?

This isnt my vehicle, but you can see how the under sill is supposed to be straight, mine dissapears bang in the middle.

[Agent Orange]

Hi Sam.

If you are talking about the strip of metal that runs between the wheel arches, under the curve of the sill, then you are right as it's probably been caused by jacking your car up incorrectly.  It's a (sort of) seam line and the jack is supposed to fit around it, very near to the front or back arch, in your case it sounds like somebody has put the jack in the middle and bent the seam.

What I would do is to ..... err...."Persuade" the seam back out if you can.   Yes, the old "Hit it with a hammer" technique is probably your best bet.

If you have a dolly or some length of metal, you'll get better results but be careful, small light taps to start with will show you if it can be moved back into line without damaging or pushing the sill out.  You could also try Mole grips around the seam as a lever but that would pull it back out  unevenly....It could work though and then you could straighten the seam with a hammer and dolly.

A professional repair would be best but expensive and if you're careful (Try it, check it, try it again, etc.) having a go yourself might not do any more harm.

That Seam line seems to be the one bit of the car that can prematurely rust on our Aygos, due to paint coming off during the jacking process, so once you've done it, a careful paint with some black Hammerite on both sides of the car will make it right and also, funnily enough make the seam line disappear as it would be a "Shadow Line"  (If you car is silver, like the one in the photo, you could use silver hammerite if you prefer).

Whatever you do, Sam...Good luck! 

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

8 hours ago, Agent Orange said:

Hi Sam.

If you are talking about the strip of metal that runs between the wheel arches, under the curve of the sill, then you are right as it's probably been caused by jacking your car up incorrectly.  It's a (sort of) seam line and the jack is supposed to fit around it, very near to the front or back arch, in your case it sounds like somebody has put the jack in the middle and bent the seam.

What I would do is to ..... err...."Persuade" the seam back out if you can.   Yes, the old "Hit it with a hammer" technique is probably your best bet.

If you have a dolly or some length of metal, you'll get better results but be careful, small light taps to start with will show you if it can be moved back into line without damaging or pushing the sill out.  You could also try Mole grips around the seam as a lever but that would pull it back out  unevenly....It could work though and then you could straighten the seam with a hammer and dolly.

A professional repair would be best but expensive and if you're careful (Try it, check it, try it again, etc.) having a go yourself might not do any more harm.

That Seam line seems to be the one bit of the car that can prematurely rust on our Aygos, due to paint coming off during the jacking process, so once you've done it, a careful paint with some black Hammerite on both sides of the car will make it right and also, funnily enough make the seam line disappear as it would be a "Shadow Line"  (If you car is silver, like the one in the photo, you could use silver hammerite if you prefer).

Whatever you do, Sam...Good luck! 

Cheers again Agent Orange, i have it booked in at a local body shop on monday, total charge 20.00 which i dont mind paying. I would have attempted it myself but the weather is freeezing out there. 

Whilst on the topic, where is the best jacking point on these cars?

can i ask you something else Agent Orange, sound proofing, have you ever considered it and what material would you use? I’d do the doors mainly, theyre so tinny no!

[Agent Orange]

Hi Sam,

Glad to hear that a professional repair is only going to cost £20.00.....Sounds like a bargain to me in this weather!

Right then, the jacking points....About as far forward or backwards in that seam as you can and you'll be fine.  This is for a Corolla but the positions for the jack are about the same on the Aygo:

https://www.toyotaguru.us/corolla-e11-workshop/jacking-and-vehicle-support-ref.html

Details for jacking are in the Owners manual (If you got one with your car) or they will be in your "Haynes", when it comes.

Now then...Sound proofing....Some folk love the raspy sound of the Aygo and others want to make it all go way, to be fair, I'm somewhere in between as I like to hear the engine but not to the extent that you can't hear yourself think.

What I have done is this:

A couple of years ago, our Niece moved into her first house and as it was in Swindon and plenty of stuff had to be taken down from North East Lancashire, I whipped out the back seats (8 bolts and about 10 minutes) to make a little Aygo Van ( Funnily enough, I quite liked it like that). Anyway, before I put the seats back, I took the opportunity to finish off a tin of hammerite (Left over from the garden railings) on the rear floor and spare wheel well.

I had some Carpet underlay knocking about and so cut that to size for the rear floor and around the wheel arches  (You can just pull the sidewall carpets away in the boot area) and then re-fitted the seats and boot carpet.  The result was that it looked no different but was quieter, in fairness, your Aygo will be quieter as soon as you get some mats and I got some of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00P9JA7B4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They are fantastic but for your model/year you need these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Genuine-Hitech-Tailored-Velour-Carpet/dp/B00P9J9LC0/ref=sr_1_3?m=A2LM6C3E9DACM1&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1512863215&sr=1-3&keywords=toyota+aygo

They are not rubber, which is what you said you wanted but they are brilliant quality and a perfect fit.

Going back to the underlay, if you have none floating about at home a couple of metres from your local carpet shop will be more than enough, mine was the good quality "Purple" underlay (It's the backing colour and it changes with the quality (Green, Orange, Purple etc.))....The Carpet shop will understand even though I'm confusing myself!!!  As for the doors, I didn't bother, you can only go so far, yes they are tinny....But they have a certain charm .  mats and a bit of underlay did the job for me, Sam, they did make a very nice difference.

All the best!

[FROSTYBALLS]

Hitech also sell tailored rubber mats via their retail website - https://www.ukcarmats.co.uk/collections/all/?constraint=make-toyota+model-aygo&hs=1

Check to see whether you need one clip or two clip mats.

[mickburkesnr]

On 08/12/2017 at 8:19 PM, SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS said:

I wasnt aware that Aygo engines use oil, is there an explanation for this?

It's fairly normal and common on engines. Oil is returned through the throttle body during the combustion process. Some engines burn more than others. Unless the oil is free flowing out of the engine then it's nothing to worry about.

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

Hi guys,

Is it me or are gear changes even worse in this weather??? Wow...1st and reverse are nearly impossible without alot of faffing about...and a few hoots here and there as i struggle. Am i doing something wrong OR is my clutch done with?

Please excuse my moans. I absolutely love the car. Fun to be in. Just a pain to drive.

On another matter, not so urgent, re.my floor mats, should i go genuine Toyota ones at 45.00 all in...or...the HiTech version that others have recommended at 20.00...what do you guys recon?

 

 

[zuh]

Hi,

When it is cold (and to a certain extent, when it is wet), it takes some time before my Aygo gets hot. During the first minutes of driving, gear changes are harder. The base of the gear lever feels much narrower. Not a pleasant feeling, you just have to be patient. After a few miles, it gets much better.

For the mats, I bought the best ones available for my Aygo mk1: 70 €, branded "Aygo"... Premature wear rapidly appeared under my heels, there was almost a hole. And I always drive in sneakers, I can't imagine what damage would cause the pointy heels of a woman. For my Aygo mk2, I also bought the most expensive ones from my Toyota dealership and same ****. A hole appeared within months. The only thing good with official mats is the little pin to lock the mats and maintain their position, which is important for the driver's mat. If you find cheap mats that fit in your Aygo, go for them.

[Agent Orange]

Hi Sam,

Regarding the gear change, I agree with Nicolas ( @zuh ) the gearchange is slightly harder (but not as bad as you are experiencing) in cold weather and you could try the old "Stick it in the opposite gear first" trick....If you want to select reverse, put it in first, then reverse or the opposite way around, to select first, put in in reverse first.  If it's still as hard and as much of a faff as you are saying, then it might be something to mention when you take it for a service.

As far as the mats go, I got a set for my Aygo from Hi-Tech (via Amazon) 18 months ago and they are still like new. They have a tight, velvety pile and the clips fit nice and tightly over the little studs on the floor with a reassuring "click".  Your model will only have one stud, so be sure to order the right set but they stay in place and feel nice underfoot and at about £15 (inc p&p) for a set of four (Yes, you do get the rear mats, which are also tailored to fit) in my opinion, you can't beat them.  I have seen the original Toyota mats and I wasn't as impressed with them as the overlocked edging didn't seem to be as tight as it is on the Hi-Tech mats..... I got the plain black as I'm a tight, sorry.....careful, Lancastrian. 

All the best and I'm glad you are loving your new car. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Hitech supply OE mats to the likes of Mercedes and Nissan. So quality-wise they're equivalent to mats supplied by Toyota, etc.

If I remember rightly you're after rubber mats and the Toyota ones at more than twice the price of the Hitech ones, won't be more than twice as good. Go for the Hitech ......

[Agent Orange]

@FROSTYBALLS

Whoops!   You are correct, Mike...I had forgotten that Sam wanted rubber mats but I can personally recommend Hi-Tech and if their rubber mats are cut from the same templates as mine then they will still be a perfect fit.  From memory, delivery was pretty quick as well....As I said I bought them via Amazon but they came direct from Hi-Tech and took about 4-5 days to arrive.

All the best. 

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

You guys are so helpful...thank you.

I intend to order my hi tec mats this evening. Seems like the best option.

re.my gear changes...im already doing what Agent Orange has suggested by sticking it in the opposite gear trick which is hit and miss each time i try it, im going to try changing the gear oil, see if that improves things. Which leads me to ask...how can i tell if the clutch is naff? It was last replaced at 35k approx and it now reads 54k.

Another Q.please...how can one tell when the Aygo is up to temp? Its so weird having no guages or display to look at which reassures you all is in order.

[paulie b]

Hi Sam. I've only been driving my Aygo for a month so I am less qualified than others to speak about certain technical aspects but....

Re the gearbox; mine is operating exactly the same regardless of ambient temperatures. You said the car had a new gearbox fitted. I wonder what state it was in? Was it new, salvaged or a 'recon'. Anyone worth their salt would have changed the clutch while they had the gearbox out. Also, WRT the gearchange, you could have the clutch cable adjusted, this may result in a more precise gearchange. When I got my Aygo, the gearchange seemed pretty vague/imprecise. A quick cable adjustment resolved it. 

My best advice is not to worry about things so much. Just enjoy your new car for what it is, a great little bundle of driving fun in the mould of the classic mini.

[FROSTYBALLS]

3 hours ago, SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS said:

Another Q.please...how can one tell when the Aygo is up to temp? Its so weird having no guages or display to look at which reassures you all is in order.

Think the only thing to be concerned about is if the high coolant temperature light flashes or comes on. Regular checks - oil and coolant levels, tyre pressures, etc - should help prevent any over heating issue arising. Just a matter of getting used to not having a temperature gauge.....