So I bought a 2000 Yaris Verso with under 39K on the clock

[CapybaraInDisguise]

I was looking for a small cheap-to-run car as a stop-gap, was looking at 1999-2005 Yarises and found the Verso. The low flat rear space is really useful to me (elderly mum with folding wheelchair, need to shift things to the tip often).

My member's intro (it doesn't add much).

 

The car I've bought is a 2000 1.3 petrol -  less than 39,000 miles on the clock, clutch seems fine, no cam chain rattles, really good condition underneath and outside.  I do wonder if it was garaged for the first few years of its life.

FSH - a main dealer stamp every year of its life, whatever that's REALLY worth. There's no other paperwork with it at all, no bills for any repairs.

Just MOT'd, advisories show that the front anti-roll bar linkage rubber bushes will need replacing soon; also I can surmise that the tyres have had around 5,000 miles' use. The exhaust, surely the original, looked to be in a fair-for-age condition too.

The story it came with is that it was owned by an elderly couple for its first 16 years.  Then part-exchanged, sold to an employee of the dealership and driven for 5,000 miles in a year in and around London. Tallies with the MOT records and SH.

So, I'd appreciate thoughts on things I might need to do/have looked at initially with such a low mileage car that must've done a lot of short stop-start trips in its life?

My brother has always looked after his own cars (but, I've realised, all European cars). He suggested a double dose of RedEx Injector in the petrol and to take it out and put my foot down for a bit.

Good idea? Or really not?

What else? Fuel filter examination/change? I was thinking of changing the oil and oil filter just to maintain the FSH (all that should be due as per previous history), but it should only have done 5,000 on the last one and the oil looks good.

The coils springs are quite rusty, I was going to ask my mechanic / MOT tester about their condition before they cause a problem.

(There are many examples online of Verso-as-campervan...quite inspiring, I might play with that in the spring - "Crampervan".)

[FROSTYBALLS]

One could have a look st the car's MOT history - https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/?_ga=2.212269975.2076702206.1501355101-258047052.1501355101 - which will provide some information on what it has passed or failed the MOT on previously, advisories, and as a simple mileage accuracy check.

[CapybaraInDisguise]

Thanks FrostyBalls - A really useful thing to know and thankfully already part of my car-buying resources, I had a collection of about 6 of these MOT histories I printed to .pdf for different Versos, including the one I bought!

Edited December 1, 2017 by CapybaraInDisguise

[MRichards]

You rarely see Versos on the road, that sort of adds to the charm of it (a bit quirky, odd but fun sort of car). I don't know too much about them but I'd say check common faults for a Mk1 Yaris (most of which have escaped my mind). Did you ever find out why it has such low mileage? I'd say giving it a good long trip putting your foot down is a great idea (google 'italian tune up'). I'm a firm believer that cars need a bit of a thrashing every so often, they don't like sitting at 2500rpm their whole life. I'm not sure if this opinion is shared with most people (the sort of car guys and girls you see on PistonHeads etc. agree with this opinion) but it's certainly something I'd do. As for the RedEx, I've run RedEx in my Yaris, not sure I could see any difference, but at ~£4 a bottle, certainly wouldn't hurt to give it a go (might as well really). ARB bushes is common as far as I remember, pretty sure mine will need replacing somewhat soon, but that shouldn't be too expensive. I'd change oil and filter as you don't know what oil it's had in it so it's just a piece of mind thing really. I'd always do an oil and filter change when I buy a car. 

[Madasafish]

Rusty coil springs will break eventually (I speak from experience) Spray with a sealant : black Waxoil or Dinitrol 4941.

 

Check the OAT coolant - it should be PINK.  Should have been changed after 10 years and then every 5 years. Use Toyota's own .

Check the auxiliary belt for cracking - our D4D's is 14 years old and fine.

Watch for water leaks around the water pump.

Check all coolant hoses and all brake hoses - cracking.

 

Might need a brake fluid change..

Change gearbox oil?  (I would and did at 40k miles).

 

 

 

[CapybaraInDisguise]

2 minutes ago, MRichards said:

You rarely see Versos on the road, that sort of adds to the charm of it (a bit quirky, odd but fun sort of car). I don't know too much about them but I'd say check common faults for a Mk1 Yaris (most of which have escaped my mind). Did you ever find out why it has such low mileage? I'd say giving it a good long trip putting your foot down is a great idea (google 'italian tune up'). I'm a firm believer that cars need a bit of a thrashing every so often, they don't like sitting at 2500rpm their whole life. I'm not sure if this opinion is shared with most people (the sort of car guys and girls you see on PistonHeads etc. agree with this opinion) but it's certainly something I'd do. As for the RedEx, I've run RedEx in my Yaris, not sure I could see any difference, but at ~£4 a bottle, certainly wouldn't hurt to give it a go (might as well really). ARB bushes is common as far as I remember, pretty sure mine will need replacing somewhat soon, but that shouldn't be too expensive. I'd change oil and filter as you don't know what oil it's had in it so it's just a piece of mind thing really. I'd always do an oil and filter change when I buy a car. 

Quirky, odd but fun - Exactly, that's what I thought, although cars aren't an obsession of mine, why settle for a Ford Focus?

Can't verify the mileage story (i.e. elderly couple) but when I get the new V5 I might google the first owner, see what age they might be.

Yes I know the term Italian tune up ;-)

[CapybaraInDisguise]

9 minutes ago, Madasafish said:

Check the OAT coolant - it should be PINK.  Should have been changed after 10 years and then every 5 years. Use Toyota's own .

 

The coolant I was wondering about, I mean the Main Dealer SHOULD have been checking and occasionally changing, but you never know; we are supposed to be having a hard winter so I was concerned about antifreeze. (is it OAT? I thought it was merely "low-silicate Ethylene Glycol-based" - similar but different?

(Didn't know much about the precise coolant/antifreeze specifics until yesterday, though I knew there were different chemicals).

THANKS for that list, just what I was after - I will definitely look at those. It would be a shame for one of those items to cause a problem on such an apparently well-preserved vehicle.

[CapybaraInDisguise]

Loving this car, BTW. It's now done a 600 mile round trip to the north Midlands from the South Coast, cruises at over 70 but sounds and feels like it's doing 50.

Not a lot of acceleration but I just drive appropriately. Pleasure to drive.

It also works really well as a load carrier and an ancient-parent carrier.

I see a few out and about - at 50 I'm by far the youngest lady driver of a Verso I've seen ;-)

[Cyker]

Glad you're enjoying it, and thanks for the update! :)

I know what you mean about the feel - I just changed from my ossom diesel Mk1 to a 1.33 Mk2 and the lack of torque and acceleration has, I must admit, been quite painful, but when once it's up to speed and cruising it's sooo smoooooth!

[xKYLE96]

Hopefully you are still enjoying the car they are neer dam bulletproof ive owned mine from 70000 miles to 90000 miles and beat the living hell out of it since i owned it. not done any maintenance on it its mainly just a mess around car and it still drives perfectly only failed on me once when a coil pack went and still drove with only 3 cylinders for a few days and was only £8 for a used coil pack off eBay to fix it 

[CapybaraInDisguise]

No maintenance? That's more or less what I did to my last 2 Hondas, elderly when I got them.

Intending to be nicer to the Verso, it has a Main Dealer FSH up to now.

[CapybaraInDisguise]

Still loving it...

I need a new set of tyres, any recommendations for really good value but good performance?

Recently friends have been raving about how they feel such a difference with quality tyres.

I've usually gone with top of budget/bottom of mid-range (Hankook are my regular tyre place's OK price/quality point)- but this magnificent vehicle came with Bridgestones.

I drive like the middle-aged woman I am :-) and rarely do motorways at the moment.

But am willing to spend a little more than I usually do to see if it makes a difference.

[CapybaraInDisguise]

So happy with the Verso still.

I'm always disappointed that no other Verso drivers wave when we pass!

When I was a student I had a Reliant Robin and the camaraderie between drivers was fun.

I put some top-end Falken tyres on; happy but then I'm a boringly sensible driver and don't push the car very often, so haven't noticed any difference.

[Madasafish]

I think if you lived anywhere else in the UK - ie.places where they do have winter!  , you might notice a difference in wet weather grip...

[CapybaraInDisguise]

Very very good point Madasafish.

Also, I run a business from home so thankfully don't have to deal with a lot of traffic often; cuts down my exposure to those other idiots on the road.

[dankernow]

Have you managed to put many miles on it since your purchase?  So long as the underneath of the car isn't too rusty, these Toyota's can keep going on and on. Odd looking cars, but I'm sure that's the attraction along with the practicality. Nearly purchased one a year ago, but wanted a little more power  for the hills near me.

[CapybaraInDisguise]

Dankernow

About 12,000 in a year and a half, Ii don't go far often at the moment.

I do have to use the gears on the bigger hills, but there aren't too many on my regular routes 🙂

They look less odd now than when they came out - before those van-cars like the Kangoo and Berlingo existed. I do like the quirkiness of the look, not thrilled about the old-person's car image.

Soooo cheap to run!

[ROB SMITH]

We have had our Yaris Versofor nearly 3 years now. The MOT is due in July and we have had almost no issues. The first MOT was anti roll bar bushes , it's common on these cars. The second MOT was for a complete  exhaust. The original had lasted 15 years and was cheaper to do the whole lot for the few holes in it. It is the most reliable car we have ever owned and yes it's a pain going up hills ( no power at all ) but when it's a minivan or a family car it's very good. We just need to have the alloy wheels refurbed to make it better.

[GREEBO12]

On a car that age a coolant flush is a good idea infact after every 5 years it's a good idea there not exoensive and Halfords(and the like)  are very good for these jobs.

Oilnabd filter change as low mileage car work harder suggest you use a quality synthetic oil 

These car  if looked after go on and on just keep an eye gor rust cleaning the underside and putting underseal  will help. There not much to go wrong.  

[Jubus]

On 1/2/2018 at 2:33 PM, CapybaraInDisguise said:

Loving this car, BTW. It's now done a 600 mile round trip to the north Midlands from the South Coast, cruises at over 70 but sounds and feels like it's doing 50.

Not a lot of acceleration but I just drive appropriately. Pleasure to drive.

It also works really well as a load carrier and an ancient-parent carrier.

I see a few out and about - at 50 I'm by far the youngest lady driver of a Verso I've seen ;-)

I know, old post.

But you'll be happy to know our 25 yr old daughter has been driving one for the past 5 years or so.

We're so pleased with this car that we'll buy a second one to replace the Dacia MCV (original type).

[CapybaraInDisguise]

Still enjoying this car.

Last autumn's MOT Advised the beginnings of a hole in the exhaust so I'll be replacing that before the MOT.  I think that must have been the original exhaust.

Having reviewed prices recently, I think I could sell it for at least what I paid for it 4 years ago. I'm just amused by that, I don't have any plans to sell it.

[wildtapholer]

A good app to have on your phone is vehicle smart, gives MOT history any advisories etc, is the vehicle taxed and when it's due, good to have on the phone in case of an accident, if the other car isn't MOT'd or taxed